UPSC Exams – List of Competitive Exams Conducted by UPSC
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is responsible for conducting the given list of various UPSC Exams. The Union Public Service Commission or UPSC is India’s independent central recruiting agency.
It is an independent constitutional body because it has been directly created by the Constitution. Articles 315-323 in part 14 of the Constitution elaborately explain the provisions relating to the appointment, composition and removal of members.
List of UPSC Exams conducted by Union Public Service Commission
1. Civil Services Exam (IAS Exam)
The civil services examination is the most popular among the examinations conducted by the UPSC. The civil services examination is a single window entry to various elite services that include IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and many other services according to the ranks obtained for the civil services examination. All India Services and Central Services including Group A and Group B comprise around 25 services.
Educational Qualification and Age Limit
The candidate should be a graduate in any discipline from any recognised university in India. Further, final-year students are also eligible to apply for the Civil Service Examination. Check the Age limit for UPSC Civil Services here.
2. Indian Engineering Services Examinations (IES)
The Engineering Service Examination is one of the prestigious UPSC Exams for engineering graduates to meet the technical and managerial functions of the Government Of India. Selected candidates are recruited to various departments in engineering services. The different engineering services consist of civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electronics and telecommunication engineering and electrical engineering posts. An IES officer works in various technical areas including roads, power, manufacturing etc. There are two papers and the examination is conducted in three phases.
Educational Qualifications
The candidate should be an engineering graduate.
3. Indian Forests Services Examinations (IFoS Exams)
The examination is conducted to recruit for forest services in the country. The recruited candidates serve all top positions in forest departments of states. IFoS comes under various state cadres and joint cadres. The main mandate implemented in the Forest Service is the National Forest Policy which ensures environmental stability and maintains ecological balance.
Educational Qualifications
Applicants should be a graduate in one of the subjects: Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Botany, physics, chemistry, Geology, Zoology or a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture or Forestry or Engineering from a recognised university or equivalent.
4. Indian Economical Service and Indian Statistical Service Examination
(IES/ISS Exams)
Both are Group A services of the executive branch of the Government Of India. All the recruited Candidates are allocated to statistical posts in different departments and ministries.
Educational Qualifications
Candidates who have a postgraduate degree in Economics or Applied Economics or Business Economics or Econometrics from a university incorporated by an Act of Central or State Legislature in India or declared to be deemed as University u/s of the UGC ( University Grants Commission) Act, 1956 or other Educational Institutes established by an Act of Parliament or any Central Government approved Foreign University from time to time are eligible to apply for IES.
For the Indian Statistical Service, the candidate should be a graduate with Mathematical Statistics or Statistics or Applied Statistics as one of the subjects or a Post Graduate degree in Statistics or Mathematical Statistics or Applied Statistics.
5. Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners Exam (APFC Exam)
Every year the UPSC conducts the Assistant Provident Fund Commissioners Exam (APFC). The role of AFPCs is to look after the work of Accounts, Enforcement, Recovery, Legal, Cash, Administration, Computer and Pension which includes Statutory and administrative functions. In addition to this, APFCs also carry out an inquiry, work for claim settlements, and general administration maintenance of cash books/ Reconciliation of Bank Statements and MIS returns.
Educational Qualifications
A graduate degree from a recognised institution.
Age Limit: Applicants should not have attained the age of 35.
Number of attempts
- For general category-6
- OBC category -9
- For SC/ ST category- no limit.
6. Special Class Railway Apprentices Exam (SCRAE)
SCRA, conducted by the UPSC for the recruitment of special Class Apprentices into the Indian Railways Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering for an undergraduate course in mechanical engineering. The recruitment is a two-stage process- written examination and personal interview. SCRA recruit the candidates who clear the interview after a written examination.
Educational Qualifications
Appearing candidates should have passed the intermediate exam in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from a recognised board. Further, candidates who have a first year of graduation with second division are also eligible. Candidates who have cleared the pre-engineering examination with at least a second class can also appear for the SCRA Exam.
Age Limit: Candidates should be between 17 to 21 years of age.
Number of attempts: There is no restriction on number of attempts.
7. Combined Defence Services Exam (CDSE)
Combined Defence Service Exam is a three-stage examination which consists of a written exam, a personal interview and a medical examination. The exam is conducted two times a year- February and November. Qualified candidates in the national level examination are recruited as officers in the Indian Army, Indian Airforce, Indian Naval Academy, Officers Training Academy and Military Academy. Further, candidates benefit from 21000 INR as a stipend every month. In addition to this, only unmarried graduates are allowed to take the exam.
Educational Qualifications
For Air Force Academy (AFA) & Indian Naval Academy (INA)- Bachelor’s degree in engineering/ technology from a recognised university or equivalent. For Indian Military Academy (IMA)& Officers Training Academy (OTA)- Bachelor’s degree in any subject from a recognised university or equivalent.
Age Limit:
- For Air Force Academy (AFA)- 19- 23 years, only males are eligible to apply.
- Indian Naval Academy (INA)-19-22 years, only males are permitted to apply
- For Indian Military Academy (IMA)-19-24 years only male candidates can apply.
- For Officers Training Academy (OTA)- 19-25 years, both males and females can apply.
Further, there are no limits for attempts.
8. National Defence Academy & Naval Academy Exam ( NDA & NA)
National Defence Academy and Naval Academy examinations are one of the popular UPSC exams conducted for teens in the country twice a year. Applicants who clear the examination gain entry to the National Defence Academy and Indian Naval Academy. NDA and NA exams are an entry door to officer-level posts in the Indian Defence Forces which include Army, Navy and Air Force. All three armed forces cadets are trained together before going with the pre-commissioning training. The admission process consists of a written examination which is followed by an SSB interview. Furthermore, there is a medical test for candidates after both tests to ensure physical
fitness and to keep a check on the overall health of the applicants.
Educational Qualifications
For the Army wing- the class 12 exam was passed in the pattern of 10+2 For the Air Force and Navy- the class 12 exam was passed conducted by any state education board or a university with physics and mathematics as the main subjects.
Age Limit: Candidates should be in the age group of 16 and a half to 19 and a half while appearing
for the exam. Moreover, there are no restrictions for attempts.
9. Combined Medical Services Examinations (CMSE)
Combined Medical Services Exam is another UPSC Exam to recruit candidates for various services like Indian Ordnance Factories, Indian Railways and so on to work as a medical officer under the Government Of India. Application forms are usually available in September and examination is conducted in January. It is a two-phase examination consisting of a written exam followed by an interview.
Educational Qualifications
Candidates who have passed the theory and practical parts of the MBBS examination. Furthermore, candidates appearing for the final year MBBS exam can also apply for CMSE but the applicants should prove that there are no backlogs. In addition to this candidates who are pursuing rotating internships are also eligible to apply for CMSE. However, such candidates are appointed only after completion of a compulsory rotating internship.
Age Limit: Candidates should not have attained the age of 32; however, age relaxation is possible in
certain cases. There is no limit to the number of attempts.
10. Combined Geo-Scientist and Geologist Examination
For the recruitment of people into the Geological Survey of India, the Ministry of Mines and
Ministry of Water as chemists, geologists and geophysicists, the UPSC conducts Geo-
Scientists and Geologist exam. Besides this, the recruitment for the post of
Hydrogeologist in the Central Water Board is also conducted through this exam.
Educational Qualifications
The educational qualifications vary for different posts.
Age Limit
For Geologists, Geophysicists and Chemist posts, the candidate should be between 21 to
32 years while for junior hydrogeologists age should be between 21 to 35 years. There is no
limit for the number of attempts.
11. Central Armed Police Exam
The UPSC conducts Central Armed Police Exam to recruit candidates for the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industry Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Boarder Police ( ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB). Females cannot apply for BSF and ITBP.
Physical Standard
Candidates should match the physical standards as prescribed by the UPSC.
Educational Qualifications
Graduate from a recognised university or equivalent.
Age Limit
To apply for the Central Armed Police Exam, the minimum age is 20 years and the maximum age is 25 years. There is no limit to the number of attempts.
History of UPSC Exams conducted by Union Public Service Commission
In 1923, the British Government set up The Royal Commission on the superior civil services in India. Lord Lee Of Fareham was the chairman and submitted a report in 1924. The Commission recommended the setting of the Public Service Commission. This led to the establishment of the first Public Service Commission on October 1, 1926. The advisory function was very limited at that time. Constant pressure from the leaders of the freedom movement resulted in the set up of a Federal Public Service Commission under the Government Of India Act, of 1935. After Independence, the Federal Public Service Commission the Union Public Service Commission. Further, on 26 January 1950, it was given constitutional status.
Useful LINKS:
- Useful UPSC Civil Services Books
- IAS Study Materials for Online Preparation
- UPSC Previous Question Papers
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