The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the Civil Services Preliminary Examination today, with the General Studies (GS) Paper 1 held from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The second paper, the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), is scheduled for 2:30 PM.
Vacancy Details and Exam Structure
This year, UPSC has announced 979 vacancies across various prestigious services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other Group A and Group B posts. In comparison, 1,129 vacancies were filled in 2024, with 180 allocated to IAS, 55 to IFS, and 147 to IPS.
The preliminary exam consists of two papers:
GS Paper I (200 marks, 2 hours) – Tests knowledge in current affairs, history, geography, polity, economy, environment, and general science.
CSAT (200 marks, 2 hours) – A qualifying paper assessing comprehension, reasoning, and numerical ability (minimum 33% required).
Initial Reactions from Candidates
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) successfully conducted the UPSC Preliminary Examination 2025. According to feedback from candidates who appeared for the exam, the overall difficulty level was moderate, though a few sections included challenging questions.
Another candidate observed that the Economy section was relatively easy this year, although most of the questions were statement-based, with around 50 such questions appearing in the paper.
According to a candidate who appeared for the exam, a substantial portion of the questions in GS Paper 1 were drawn from the Polity section, indicating a strong emphasis on constitutional and governance-related topics.
The CSAT paper, to be held later today, has historically been a hurdle for many aspirants, particularly in mathematics, reasoning, and comprehension sections. Experts advise candidates to focus on accuracy, given the qualifying nature of the paper.
Key Trends and Expert Insights
Analysts note that UPSC continues to emphasize analytical thinking over rote memorization, with an increasing number of applied and interdisciplinary questions. Coaching institutes suggest that current affairs from the last 12-18 months played a significant role in today’s paper.
As aspirants await the CSAT, the final cutoff will depend on overall difficulty levels and candidate performance. Results are expected by July-August 2025, with successful candidates proceeding to the Mains examination.
Stay tuned with Moneycontrol for further updates on Paper 2 analysis and expert takeaways.
(This is a developing story)
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