The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Exam Mains, where General Studies Paper 2 (GS 2) focuses on Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations. Candidates must clear the Preliminary stage to appear for this descriptive paper, which is a mandatory component for selection into All India Services like IAS, IPS, and IFS. The paper carries 250 marks, testing analytical depth and conceptual clarity on national and global issues. Success in this stage is critical for securing top ranks and prestigious administrative positions within the Government of India, offering competitive pay scales under the 7th Pay Commission structure.
Successful candidates are inducted into the All India Services and Central Services (Group A and B) with significant administrative responsibilities.
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination GS 2 paper is a descriptive test assessing candidate knowledge on Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations. It is the second paper of the seven-paper Mains stage.
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Vacancies | As notified in annual UPSC Gazette |
| Important Dates | As per UPSC Annual Calendar |
| Application Fees | ₹200 (General/OBC Male) |
| Age Limits | 21-32 Years (General Category) |
| Attempt Limits | 6 (General), 9 (OBC), Unlimited (SC/ST) |
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination GS Paper 2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations) is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission. Candidates must adhere strictly to the syllabus prescribed in the official UPSC notification. Recent updates emphasize the integration of current affairs with static constitutional provisions. All candidates must monitor upsc.gov.in for the latest exam schedules and official instructions regarding the Mains examination process.
To download the official UPSC Civil Services Examination notification:
| Event | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Notification Release | February 2025 (Expected) |
| Prelims Exam Date | May 2025 (Expected) |
| Mains Exam Date | September 2025 (Expected) |
Vacancies for the Civil Services Examination are released category-wise in the official notification. The total vacancy count typically ranges between 1,000 and 1,200 posts across various All India Services and Central Services (Group A and B). Specific category-wise breakdowns are provided in the 'Vacancy' section of the annual Gazette notification.
| Year | Total Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 1056 |
| 2023 | 1105 |
| 2022 | 1022 |
| Service Category | Examples | Pay Level |
|---|---|---|
| All India Services | IAS, IPS, IFoS | Level 10 |
| Group A Services | IRS, IA&AS, IRTS | Level 10 |
| Group B Services | DANICS, DANIPS | Level 8 |
The application fee for the Preliminary Examination is ₹100 for General/OBC male candidates. Female candidates, SC, ST, and PwBD candidates are exempted from fee payment. Payments can be made via SBI Net Banking, credit/debit cards, or cash through the SBI Challan mode.
The minimum age limit is 21 years and the maximum is 32 years as of August 1st of the examination year.
Candidates must hold a Bachelor’s degree from any recognized university or possess an equivalent qualification. Final year students are also eligible to apply provided they submit proof of passing at the time of the Detailed Application Form (DAF) for the Mains examination.
| Subject | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| GS Paper 2 (Mains) | 250 | 3 Hours |
The basic pay for entry-level officers (IAS/IPS) starts at ₹56,100 under the 7th Central Pay Commission (Pay Level 10), excluding HRA, DA, and other admissible allowances.
Admit cards are released on upsc.gov.in three weeks prior to the examination. Candidates must carry the e-Admit Card and a valid original photo ID (Aadhar Card, PAN Card, or Voter ID) to the examination venue.
UPSC releases the official answer key for the Preliminary Examination only after the final results are declared. Answer keys for the Mains (descriptive) examination are not released by the Commission.
Results are calculated based on the marks secured in the Mains Examination and the Personality Test. The final merit list is prepared by aggregating these scores, followed by normalization procedures for optional papers as per UPSC norms.
Focus on the Constitution of India, Governance, and International Relations. Utilize the Laxmikanth for static polity and link it with current editorial analysis from The Hindu or Indian Express. Answer writing must include constitutional articles, Supreme Court judgments, and committee recommendations (e.g., ARC reports).
The following data represents the official cut-off marks for the General Studies Paper-II (GS-II) of the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination. Please note that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) does not release individual subject-wise cut-offs for the Main Examination; instead, it declares the minimum qualifying marks for the aggregate of the written examination (7 papers) and the final selection (Written + Personality Test).
| Exam Year | General (UR) | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 741 | 706 | 712 | 694 | 692 |
| 2022 | 748 | 715 | 714 | 699 | 706 |
| 2021 | 745 | 713 | 707 | 700 | 700 |
| 2020 | 736 | 687 | 698 | 680 | 682 |
| 2019 | 751 | 696 | 718 | 706 | 699 |
| 2018 | 774 | N/A | 732 | 719 | 719 |
| 2017 | 809 | N/A | 770 | 756 | 749 |
| 2016 | 787 | N/A | 745 | 739 | 730 |
Source: Official UPSC Civil Services Examination Final Result Write-ups (2016-2023). Note: EWS category was introduced in the 2019 examination cycle.
The UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination consists of seven papers (Paper I to Paper VII) which are counted for merit. General Studies Paper-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations) is one of the four General Studies papers. The Commission does not publish separate cut-off marks for individual GS papers. Candidates are required to secure a minimum of 10% marks in each of the seven papers to qualify.
Source: Official UPSC Civil Services Examination Rules and Notification, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
