UPSC or Union Public Service Commission is the governing body that is infamous for conducting India’s most prestigious yet challenging civil service examinations. The abbreviation UPSC catches everyone’s attention, especially the ones looking forward to serving their nation. Though, understanding UPSC full form and the diverse range of exams it conducts is essential to kickstart your exam preparation in the right direction.
UPSC Full Form
Union Public Service Commission helps in strengthening India’s administrative framework by choosing competent and deserving candidates for several civil service exams. Though, what is the Union Public Service Commission or UPSC in broader scope? Many people confuse UPSC as an exam. However, UPSC is the central agency that conducts exams of; All India Services, Group A and Group B services.
Origin of UPSC
UPSC is a Constitutional Body under Article 315-323 Part XIV Chapter II of the Constitution of India to discharge its duties, functions and obligations assigned under Article 320.
The agency came into existence on October 1, 1926. It plays a pivotal role in selecting several candidates for key positions of IAS, IPS, IFS and other ranks. When you dig deep into the UPSC exam meaning you will get to know about different kinds of exams that come under its spectrum. The commission is known to conduct Civil Service Exams, Combined Medical
Service Exams, Engineering Service Exams among others. These exams are centered around ensuring merit-based selection for civil service positions in India.
Role and Functions of UPSC
Under Article 320 of the Constitution of India, the Commission is, inter-alia, required to be consulted on all matters relating to conduct recruitment for civil services and posts. The functions of the Commission under Article 320 of the Constitution are:
- Conduct examinations for appointment to the services of the Union.
- Direct recruitment by selection through interviews.
- Appointment of officers on promotion / deputation / absorption.
- Framing and amendment of Recruitment Rules for various services and posts under the Government.
- Disciplinary cases relating to different Civil Services.
- Advising the Government on any matter referred to the Commission by the President of India.
UPSC Members and Chairman
UPSC basically consists of a chairman and ten members. All of them are appointed by the President of India. He chooses the members and determines the terms of their service. These members held office under the state or center for a minimum 10 years. Mrs Preeti Sudan is the present Chairperson of the Union Public Service Commission. The other reputed members of the commission include; Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla, Mrs Suman Sharma, Dr Dinesh Dasa, Shri Sheel Vardhan Singh and Shri Sanjay Verma.
List of Examinations Conducted by UPSC
UPSC is regarded as the governmental body that conducts recruitment exams for several civil service posts and government posts. The scope of all exams that come under UPSC is quite wide. It conducts Civil Service Examination [ CSE] for the posts of IAS, IPS and IFS.
Additionally, the UPSC board conducts Engineering Service Examinations, Indian Forest Service Examinations, Combined Defense Service Examinations among others.
| Examination | Purpose |
| Civil Service Examinations [CSE] | Selecting candidates for the role of IAS, IPS and IFS. |
| Engineering Service Exams [ESE] | These exams select candidates for several engineering positions at the governmental level. |
| Indian Forest Service Examination [IFoS] | Selecting candidates for positions in Indian Forest Services. |
| Indian Economic Service Examinations [IES] | This is a group A service related to choosing candidates for economic level posts. |
| Indian Statistical Service Examinations [ISS] | This is also a group A service to choose several candidates for statistical posts. |
| Assistant Provident Fund Commissioner Examination [APFCE] | UPSC conducts these exams to choose professionals who can handle account related work. |
| Special Class Railway Apprentice Examination [ SCRAE] | Selecting candidates for engineering level roles in the Indian railways. |
| Combined Defense Service Exams [CDSE] | With the help of these exams candidates are selected for roles in Indian Army, Indian Airforce and Military Academy. |
| National Defense Academy [NDA] | Selecting several aspirants for National Defence Academy. |
| Naval Academy Exams [NAE] | These exams are conducted to choose candidates for Indian Naval Academy. |
| Combined Medical Service Exams [CMSE] | Choosing medical professionals for various government posts. |
| Geo-Scientist and Geological Examination | Exams to choose candidates into the Geological Survey of India. |
| Central Armed Police Examinations | Exams to recruit candidates for Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, or Indo-Tibetan Border Police |
These are the list of exams that are conducted by UPSC as per the previous year notifications.
What is the UPSC Exam?
Every year, the Union Public Service Commission [ UPSC] conducts the Indian Civil Service Exams. The exam is mainly conducted in three stages; the prelims stage, mains stage and the final interview stage. The prelims stage comprises two papers; GS I and CSAT exam. The mains stage has two types of exams –
qualifying papers and papers considered for merit. There are two language papers and seven other papers comprising objective and essay type questions. The last stage is the personal interview stage where candidates are assessed on the basis of their personality.
Final rankings are declared after this stage and candidates are selected for the reputed posts of IAS, IPS, IFS and other civil service posts.
IAS IPS IFS Full Form
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UPSC Engineering Service Exams [ESE]
The Engineering Service Exams [ESE] conducted by UPSC is among the most prestigious and challenging exams of the country. The main aim of these exams is to select engineering graduates who can perform technical and managerial roles in the arena of Government of India. An IES officer is basically designated to perform on areas like electronics, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering level posts.
UPSC ESE Exam Pattern
The UPSC ESE exam covers two papers; the prelim exam and the main exam. The prelim exam includes General Study paper and Engineering Aptitude paper. The exam pattern includes the number of questions, the grading system and the specified duration for each exam.
UPSC ESE Prelim Exam 2025
The prelim exam of UPSC ESE mainly consists of two exams; general study and engineering aptitude exam and subject specific exams. Paper I is of 200 marks and paper II is of 300 marks. This paper is for Category 1 which is Civil Engineering, Category 2 which is Mechanical Engineering, Category 3 which is Electronic Engineering and Category 4 which is Telecommunication Engineering.
UPSC ESE Prelim Exam Pattern
| Subject | Maximum Marks Allotted | Duration |
| General Study and Engineering Aptitude [ Paper I ] |
200 | 2 hrs |
| Subject Specific [ Paper II] | 300 | 3 hrs |
| Total | 500 | 5 hrs |
UPSC ESE Main Exam
Candidates in this exam face descriptive questions of a total 600 marks. It includes two exams from two separate engineering disciplines. The questions will be asked from the concerned discipline or stream. This paper is for Category 1 which is Civil Engineering, Category 2 which is Mechanical Engineering, Category 3 which is Electronic Engineering and Category 4 which is Telecommunication Engineering.
UPSC ESE Main Exam Pattern
| Paper | Discipline | Marks |
| Paper I | Civil/ Mechanical/ Electronic or Telecommunication | 300 marks |
| Paper II | Civil / Mechanical/ Electronic or Telecommunication | 300 marks |
Indian Forest Service Examination [IFoS]
IFoS exams are conducted for the recruitment of forest services in India. All the recruited candidates from these exams get selected for high ranks in forest departments. State and joint cadres come under IFos. This is touted among the toughest exams of the country. So, a candidate should be well-versed with the exam pattern.
IFoS Exam Pattern 2025
UPSC IFoS exam pattern comprises three stages; the prelim exam, mains exam and the interview [ personality test ] round. The structured pattern for the IFoS exam ensures that candidates are ideally evaluated on the basis of their knowledge and skills.
IFoS Prelims Exam Pattern
There are two papers in the prelims exam. Each paper is of 200 marks. Both the prelim exams consist of objective type MCQ questions in both Hindi and English. The time allotted for each exam is two hours. The first one is a general study paper which covers subjects such as geography, history, economy and current affairs. Though, the second exam is General Study Paper II which is CSAT. This exam focuses on analytical ability, logical reasoning and decision making skills.
IFoS Mains Exam Pattern
Those qualified in the prelims get transferred to the mains stage. This stage is called the descriptive stage as it includes six papers which also includes two optional exams. The descriptive papers demand candidates to write long and detailed answers. The total marks allotted in the main examination is 1400.
Indian Statistical Services and Indian Economic Services Examinations [ISS and IES]
Both these exams come under the Group A services of Government of India. Selected candidates from these posts of Union Public Service Commission are selected for various statistical posts in varied departments of ministries. The IES and ISS exams are simultaneously held. The exam pattern for both exams can be found from the UPSC official website.
IES Exam Pattern 2025
The Indian Economic Service Exam consists of six papers. The general english and general studies exam basically have subjective type questions. You will be allowed to answer in three hours for each exam.
Indian Economic Service [ IES ] Examination Pattern
| Subjects | Marks Allotted | Duration |
| General English Exam | 100 | 3 hrs |
| General Studies Exam | 100 | 3 hrs |
| General Economics I | 200 | 3 hrs |
| General Economics II | 200 | 3 hrs |
| General Economics III | 200 | 3 hrs |
| Indian Economics | 200 | 3 hrs |
Combined Defense Service Exam
As the name suggests, the UPSC Combined Defense Service Exam is a gateway to land your dream job in Indian Naval Academy, Air Force Academy or Indian Military Academy. The CDS UPSC exam is a national-level exam conducted to hire candidates who qualify to join defense services. This exam is categorised among the most challenging exams of the country.
UPSC CDS Exam Pattern 2025
The CDS exam is mainly divided into two categories; Category A and Category B. Each category has its own specific exam structure. The examination for category A is conducted to get admission in Indian Naval Academy, Indian Military Academy and Air Force Academy.
Exam Pattern for IMA, AFA and INA
| Subject | Duration | Marks |
| English | 2 hrs | 100 |
| Mathematics | 2 hrs | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 hrs | 100 |
| Total | 300 |
The category B examination is conducted to get admission on the level of Officers Training Academy. The questions in this case would be of objective-type. Total 100 marks are allotted to each subject.
OTA Exam Pattern for Category B
| Subjects | Duration | Marks |
| English | 2 hrs | 100 |
| General Knowledge | 2 hrs | 100 |
| Total | 200 |
Combined Medical Service Exam [ CMSE]
UPSC Combined Medical Service Exam conducted by Union Public Service Commission in order to recruit deserving candidates for the post of Indian Railways or Indian Ordnance Factories to work as medical officers for the Indian government. It is a government body exam that is conducted on the national level.
UPSC CMS Exam Pattern for 2025
The exam pattern alongside structure and marking scheme remains the same every year. The commission has the responsibility to publish the exam pattern on its official website. Though, any changes expected for the year 2025 can be updated on the official website.
The exam is conducted in two parts; part I is the written test and part II is the personality test. Moreover, the written exam is divided into two papers of 250 marks each. 100 marks weightage is given to the personality test exam.
CMS Exam Pattern for Paper I
The candidates have to take the computer based test. The paper I is categorised into Pediatrics Subjects and General Medicine. There will be a total 120 questions wherein 96 questions are categorised into general medicine subjects and 24 questions are categorised into pediatrics subjects.
CMS Exam Pattern Paper I
| Subject | No of Questions | Marks | Duration |
| General Medicine | 96 | 250 | 2 hours |
| Pediatrics | 24 |
CMS Exam Pattern for Paper II
CMS Paper II has three subjects; Surgery, Preventive and Social Medicine and Gynaecology and Obstetrics. UPSC CMS Paper II consists mainly of 40 questions from all the said subjects. There will be a total of 120 questions in all three sections.
UPSC CMS Paper II Exam Pattern
| Subjects | No of Questions | Marks |
| Surgery | 40 | – |
| Social Medicine | 40 | – |
| Gynaecology and Obstetrics | 40 |
|
| Total | 120 | 250 |
Part II Personality Test
After qualifying the CMS Part I exam, qualified candidates have to pass the personality test round. This round is conducted at the UPSC headquarters. This test is considered compulsory for all the selected candidates. Questions related to general knowledge and a candidate’s academic qualification are being asked in this round.
Undoubtedly, cracking any UPSC exam from the list of several UPSC exams is no less than an uphill task. It requires grinding days and nights, a solidified preparation strategy, knowing UPSC full form, UPSC details and about all the UPSC exams conducted by UPSC.
UPSC Full Form FAQs
What are the main exams conducted by UPSC?
UPSC conducts exams like the Civil Services Examination (CSE), Engineering Services Examination (ESE), Combined Defense Services (CDS), and Indian Forest Service (IFoS) among others.
What is the role of UPSC in India?
UPSC recruits candidates for civil services, advises the government on promotions, disciplinary matters, and frames recruitment rules for various government posts.
What are the stages of the UPSC Civil Services Exam?
The UPSC Civil Services Exam has three stages: Prelims (objective), Mains (descriptive), and the Personality Test (interview).
Who appoints the UPSC Chairman and members?
The President of India appoints the UPSC Chairman and members, who serve terms determined by the President.
