What is IAS? How can you clear the IAS exam and become an IAS officer?
IAS is the dream career of millions of aspirants in the country.
It is one of the prestigious services among the 24 services like IPS, IFS etc for the which the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts Civil Services Examination (CSE) for selecting the candidates.
What is Indian Administrative Service (IAS)?
IAS is the short form of Indian Administrative Service.
An officer selected into the Indian Administrative Service gets exposure in very diverse roles like the collector, commissioner, head of public sector units, chief secretary, cabinet secretary etc.
Not only the experience and challenges but also the scope of making positive changes in the life of millions in India makes IAS a unique career choice.
Salary: The basic pay of entry-level IAS officers is Rs.56100. The salary of civil servants (Salary = Basic Pay + DA + TA + HRA) will increase as experience increases. The basic pay of Cabinet Secretary is fixed at Rs.2,50,000.
How to become an IAS officer?
Even though the exam to be undertaken is popularly known as the IAS exam, it is officially called UPSC Civil Services Exam. The UPSC CSE consists of 3 stages – Prelims, Mains, and Interview.
Getting into Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is not easy considering the competition involved, but not impossible for a candidate with the right attitude and approach.”
Civil Services Examination(CSE)
UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is the government agency responsible for selecting the right candidates for this service. Every year only around 1000 candidates are selected for all the 24 services combined.
The number of candidates who applied for UPSC Civil Service Exam each year is approximately about 10 lakh, out of which around 5 lakh candidates appear on the exam day (prelims).
UPSC Civil Services Examination is widely considered as the toughest exam in the world, considering the exam duration (extends 1 year), depth of the syllabus and the competition involved.
The exam has 3 stages:
- The first stage of the exam – Preliminary (objective) – is usually conducted around June.
- The second stage, Mains (written), is conducted around September-October.
- Those who clear Mains will have to face an interview/personality test during the March-May period.
The final result usually comes in May end.
Note: Check UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2020 Date
How to Clear Civil Services Exam?
To clear the IAS Exam, aspirants are advised to have a long-term strategy. Though most of the serious candidates start preparation 9-12 months before the exam date, there are candidates who successfully achieve top ranks with only a few months of dedicated study.
If you are running short of time, you may read the two articles:
- Civil Service Prelims 6 Month Strategy – How Can You Clear UPSC Prelims in 6 Months?
- 100-Days Action Plan to Clear UPSC Prelims
What matters in the UPSC Civil Services Exam is not the duration of the preparation, but the quality of the same.
A disciplined and focused mind with a passion for learning and reading is the basic trait of all successful candidates. The UPSC Civil Services exam is more a test of the analytic and presentation skills along with knowledge gained by the candidate rather than a test which checks a candidate’s mathematical or verbal skills.
To clear IAS, we feel two entities as essential:
- Right guidance – for prelims and mains.
- Right study materials and books.
“ClearIAS” is a humble attempt to provide aspirants with these two basic entities giving stress to self-study.
IAS Exam Eligibility Criteria
The educational qualification needed to appear in UPSC CSE is a degree (graduation) in any subject. Final year students can also apply. Aspirants may go through the article to the eligibility criteria for writing UPSC CSE exam.
IAS Exam Number of attempts permitted
The number of attempts permissible for a general category candidate in UPSC CSE is 6. For OBC candidates the number of attempts permitted it 9. SC/ST category candidates will have unlimited attempts till they attain the upper age limit to appear for UPSC CSE.
IAS Exam Age Limits
The minimum age to appear for UPSC Civil Services Exam is 21 years. Upper age limit for General category is 32 years, for OBC it is 35 years while for SC/ST it is 37 years.
IAS syllabus
A good understanding of UPSC syllabus and exam pattern is the first step for all freshers.
The Civil Services Preliminary exam comprises of two compulsory papers of 200 marks each (General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper-II). The questions will be of multiple-choice, objective type. The marks in prelims will not be counted for final ranking, but just for qualification for the main exam.
A candidate’s rank in UPSC Civil Service Exam depends only on the mark scored in Main and Interview.
The written examination (main) will consist of the following nine papers, but only 7 papers will be counted for final merit ranking. For the rest two papers, the candidate should secure minimum marks prescribed by UPSC each year. The main exam has 1750 marks while interview has 275 marks.
IAS Coaching: Now prepare online for IAS exam
Classroom coaching is not a must to clear IAS.
Now websites like ClearIAS.com provide guidance outside the classroom coaching and free online study materials for those who can’t afford it due to time/financial constraints.
If the aspirant is dedicated and is properly guided, self-study is enough to clear UPSC CSE. You may also read our article: Can I clear the UPSC Civil Services exam without coaching classes?
Importance of mock exams
As you may know, only when tested in an exam atmosphere with negative marking, you can improve the ability to deliver in the actual exam hall.
Try for free the UPSC Prelims online mock exams by ClearIAS – in the new innovative platform which integrates learning with test-taking. You would be surprised to find how fast you can learn!
Books needed for Civil Services Exams
Taking inputs from toppers, a detailed list of the best UPSC books available in the market as per the latest UPSC syllabus for each subject in Prelims and Mains is prepared by us.
Aspirants may click on each link to buy books online at discounted prices.
IAS toppers
Read our UPSC topper’s interviews to know strategies straights from the horse’s mouth.
If you have more questions, please go through our article on Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) about UPSC Civil Services Exam.
We on a regular basis update clearias.com website and ClearIAS mobile app with free online study materials to equip the bright minds across India clear IAS exam by self-study.
Don’t miss our easy-to-learn study materials, preparation strategies, topper interview, mock tests etc.
Wish you all the best!
we have any option,like to write the IAS exam in any other language.
For preliminary exam which subject v should hav to prepare?? And also for main exam.. Can i get d list??
@ Milan: You may go through the UPSC syllabus and recommended book list for IAS preparation.
@ Yuvashree: Yes; apart from English and Hindi, IAS main exam can be attempted in regional languages as well. Check UPSC notification for details.
That was good information thanks
Now I would like to start preparing for upsc but I don’t know how to start can you help me please
in website there are lot of books for the same subject…i dnt know that whic one is best ?? how to find good books for clearing civil service?
Is it possible to give interview in one’s mother language?
@Soumya: Yes.
i m a engineering first year student..so how could i start preparing for upsc exam from nowards..?
@Md shaqlain: Get some books for UPSC exams, read our online study materials and take ClearIAS online mock tests for Prelims. You may start from our post on UPSC exam guidance.
@Subha: Start from 1-2 books with good reviews. Use other books for reference.
@Aishwarya: Get some books for UPSC exams, read our online study materials and take ClearIAS online mock tests for Prelims. You may start from our post on UPSC exam guidance.
I m a student of bcom honours
so how could i start preparing of UPSC exam?
its feb now, is it possible for anyone to achieve ias by preparing in one year?
Im a student of B.A partll.how should I start my preparation for IAS
im studying first year UG . when i should start preparing for the CSE exam. i am belonging to commerce department.what other field i have to concentrate??
I’m a hsc student how can I start preparing onwards…?
Hi..this is Puve , I’m an Architecture student..guide me with the Books to references..and choose the optional..subject categories..since..the optional subject are not related to any of my course
Sir, I want to take the doctoriate degree first. Then prepare for IAS.Can I do it
@Harsh: Yes. But the required academic eligibility is only graduation.
@Puvearasan: If you are comfortable you can take Civil Engineering. Or, you can take any subjects like History, Geography or Sociology.
Hi am rekha AC.which persnolity is required to face interview.nd cn u help me to clear main exm by giving some references
hello…sir/madam
the question is that a govt.servant with any department from cenral and state bodies can apply for a cse test. how many years relaxation is applicable.thanks regards
Is there availability of maths paper in prelims, Mains or interview?
IAS exam को clear करने के लिए graduation करना जरूरी है क्या? I m very confused, so plz tell me.
Im the droper and i want to become an IAS officer and how do prepare for the exam
SIR,I AM HANDICAPPED STUDENT IN GENERAL COMMUNITY AND B.COMM PASSOUT.PLEASE TELL ME HOW I APPLY IAS?
hello….sir/madam
I am completed my degree graduation in open university of Karnataka. can I eligible for upsc cse test….
Sir/Ma’am,Is it important to study Hindi language for IAS.
I am studying pharm D course i just wann to known how to prepare for exam i known i can do it but just want a basic knownledge i wann full syllabus hope for a positive response.
what group must be taken in intermediate to become an ias
@Harshitha: Any group.
Is IAS exam posible after +2
I want to know is it possible to clear IAS this year only as I would be starting my preparation now. Also I am an electronics engg. Graduat,what subject can I opt related to my field. Also what other non technical subjects are easy?
Clearly, One thing. I haven’t ever read a News Paper completely, Haven’t ever studied a complete book, during Exams, I used to study few Chapters just to pass, skipped hell lot during school time, Passed though, but I have never been studious all my life, I am a Musician, yet, I must get into Indian Civil Services. Saying and doing has to be 2 very different things when it comes to becoming an IAS officer,
My Question is
I have no knowledge about the current affairs, National, International till now, probably nothing. never went deep into it. Never thought about it. After going through the syllabus, I know, I know nothing. Before even thinking of starting, I know, alot of people, who say, that they are preparing and they all look studious and I sometimes get scared and demotivated, not jealous, happy, yet, lose a little hope. that they are preparing so hard that, what will I do if I start now? so I have tended to forget about it for sometime, it’s my fault. best wishes to them that they get it but,
I have never studied, reasoning(just know the literal meaning), aptitude, maths, and all the required subjects for cracking this exam. Been so bad with numbers, I have never practiced, I have hated it all my life but I know, it wont work this way so, what should I do?
I can say, I know 0 about the knowledge of becoming an IAS officer,
If I start from 0, or probably, to be precise, if I start with the knowledge of less than 0, even though I am a graduate, I don’t remember quite anything of what I read before. I just wanted to pass the exam and get over it.
having said all that,
can I ever become Eligible to Crack these Exams?
I will do anything and everything but I cannot go away from home, as I need to earn to live too. All my friends are working, and me, in the verge of singing, rapping and performing, well, that’s all fine, that I am fine at what I do, but I would wanna keep it as a professional passion., do not know where to start, what to study
whom to ask, what to do?
Is it possible for me to start from nothing to an IAS officer?
I am a drper but i l have completed my m.a(english) 2015 recently i am doing pgdca so i started thinking why i am become a ias officer so you tell m how do prepare a ias exam what procedure plz tell me i can’t waste my time
then i must work after finishing studies for 2 years.
can you guide for how to apply for exam and how to spend these working days
Hi am anil am commerce background which is best for me in main exams
What subject for clear to ias exam
respected sir /madam I am shifa 24year old I want to write IAS exam but I write only 1 year B.A exam nt finished graduate what can I do now plz rply me
first you start studying NCERT books of 6th to 12th class make a practice of it becoz a large part of this exam is General studies,then for discipline you can join any institute to prepare in right way. for any query 7042496220
How important is reading news paper for ias aspirants
Thanks for the wonderful information it really helpful for me.
Sir/Mam
I am a student of commerce stream and I also want to be appear in IAS exam.
So I want to know that for mains paper shall I have to choose subjects like history or political science or economics..
Can I write mains exam with subjects of commerce stream,??
I m b tech final year student.
Please help me ias exam preparation
good guidelins to the freshers
sir m IAS banana chahta hu maine is baar intermediate ke exam diye h sir plz tell me ab m kya karu.
hi. i am final year B.E. student can i applied to IAS exam? & which time i apply . & my engineering field is instrumentation & control . so what can i do?
Sir i wants became ias ofiser pleaz gide me how to became ias ofiser thank yu