How many sheets are in UPSC?

The UPSC Mains exam uses Question-Cum-Answer (QCA) booklets, typically with 40+3 pages (43 pages total) per paper, but the number of pages you fill varies by question type (10-mark, 15-mark, 20-mark, Essay), with a rough guide being 2 pages for 10-markers, 3 for 15-markers, and around 12 pages for each essay, focusing more on the word limit (150-250 words for GS, 1000-1200 for Essays) than page count.

How many pages are in an UPSC booklet?

Number of Pages: Typically, the Question-Cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet contains 40+3 pages. Page Size: Each booklet page is A4-sized, with enough space for writing detailed answers. Margins: Standard margins are provided on both sides of the page to prevent answers from spilling into the edges and ensure neatness.

Is 800 a good score in UPSC?

Generally, a score of 800 may be considered good if it falls within or above the cutoff range for the UPSC Civil Services Exam for that year. Subject and Paper Weightage: Different papers and optional subjects have different weightages.

How many papers are there for UPSC?

The UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination consists of a Written Examination and an Interview/Personality Test. The Written Examination comprises 9 papers of conventional essay type, out of which two papers are qualifying in nature.

Who got 175 marks in essay UPSC?

Apurva Pandey is a ForumIAS Academy Student. She has secured Rank 39 and is the Topper from Uttarakhand. She has secured 175 marks in Essay which is the highest score this year among selected candidates.

UPSC CSE 2026 Form Filling: Must-Have Documents Before 3 Feb

What is the 7 5 3 rule in UPSC?

The 7-5-3 technique is a simple framework that helps UPSC aspirants structure their answers in a logical and impactful way. 7 – Write 7 points in the body of your answer. 5 – Finish your answer in 5 paragraphs (Intro, Body – 3 Paras, Conclusion).

What is the 80 20 rule in UPSC?

The 80/20 UPSC principle, inspired by the Pareto Principle, suggests that roughly 20% of the syllabus fetches nearly 80% of the marks. Understanding this distribution is the real secret behind efficient, innovative, and strategic preparation.

Is the UPSC exam hard to pass?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is not just an exam; it's a journey that tests a candidate's intellect, perseverance, and determination. The vast syllabus, intense competition, multiple stages, evolving nature, and subjective evaluation all contribute to its reputation as one of the toughest exams in the world.

Will UPSC remove optional?

Ans. As of now, UPSC has not announced removal of optional papers in 2026. The system continues unchanged.

Is UPSC 2025 prelims tough?

Ans. The UPSC Prelims 2025 exam, conducted on 25th May 2025, was generally considered moderately challenging. General Studies Paper 1 emphasized analytical and application-based questions across subjects like Polity, Geography, History, Economy, and Current Affairs.

What is the highest score ever in UPSC?

Who Scored the Highest Marks in UPSC Ever? Anudeep Durishetty scored the highest marks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination ever, with a total of 1126 marks in 2017. He is a graduate of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and cleared the UPSC exam on his fifth attempt.

How to get 120 in prelims?

The general strategy to prepare for prelims is given below:

1. Make a study plan with dedicated time to revise a subject, current affairs notes and solve at least 50 questions daily. ...
2. Focus on the NCERT books and revise what you have already read.
3. After covering the basics, revise sources other than the NCERTs.

Who is the rank 1 girl in UPSC?

Shakti Dubey emerged as the All India Rank 1 holder for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2024. She is the top-ranked candidate among the 1009 successful aspirants. In fact, she is the top female candidate to secure All India Rank 1 in UPSC in the past few years.

How many books to crack UPSC?

In this scenario, books are your major companions in the UPSC journey. Be mentally prepared to invest in at least 15-20 standard textbooks for different subjects, apart from NCERT books. This is because UPSC CSE Prelims and Mains mention at least 15 subjects/topics.

How do toppers write UPSC answers?

A topper's answer will always be divided into three big parts: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The introduction creates the ambience for the answer; the body generally includes multi-dimensional analysis, and the conclusion is used to finalise the answer either by summarising or adding a forward-looking statement.

What is the salary after passing UPSC?

UPSC Salary IAS Salary in India Per Month

An IAS officer starts at ₹56,100 basic pay per month (Pay Level 10). Adding Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Travel Allowance (TA), and other perks, the IAS salary per month can reach about ₹80,000–₹1,00,000 gross initially.

Why is UPSC toughest?

UPSC is tough due to its vast syllabus, intense competition, and multi-stage exam process. It requires deep conceptual understanding, analytical thinking, and consistent preparation to clear its prelims, mains, and interview stages. However, with adequate preparation and strategy approaching the UPSC becomes easier.

What is a good score in UPSC prelims?

UPSC Prelims 2025 cut off is expected to be 86 (+/- 4) for the General Category. The UPSC Cut Off plays an important role in determining the fate of thousands of aspirants appearing for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025. The official UPSC Prelims Cut Off 2024 was 87.98 for the General Category.

What is the 753 rule in UPSC?

The 7-5-3 Rule guides aspirants to write answers in seven minutes, include five key points, and analyze each point from three different perspectives.

What is GS 1, 2, 3, 4 in UPSC?

Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society: Indian culture covers the salient features of Literature, Art Forms, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Who is the No. 1 IAS officer?

The IAS Rank 1 for the most recent UPSC Civil Services Examination (2024 cycle) is Shakti Dubey, who secured the top position in the results announced in 2025, becoming an inspiring figure from Prayagraj, UP, with Political Science & International Relations as her optional subject. IAS Rank 1 holders are toppers of the UPSC CSE, which selects candidates for prestigious services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS). 

What are 9 papers in UPSC?

The 9 papers in IAS Exam (Mains) are as follows: Paper-A (Compulsory Indian Language); Paper –B (English) which are qualifying in nature, while the other papers like Essay, General Studies Papers I, II, III, and IV, and Optional Papers I and II are considered for the final ranking.

How much did Tina Dabi score?

In the UPSC Civil Services Examination, she secured 868 marks in the written exam and 195 in the personality test, bringing her total to an impressive 1063 marks. According to media reports, Tina cleared the UPSC exam on her very first attempt at the age of just 22.