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Candidates who qualify in the prelims exam are required to appear in the main examination. While preparing for the UPSC IAS 2024 mains exam they should go through the IAS mains previous year question papers to get an idea about the question paper level of IAS exam. The commission releases the UPSC mains question paper on the official website.
Candidates will be able to download the UPSC IAS 2024 mains question paper at upsc.gov.in. The commission will release the UPSC mains paper separately for all the papers. The UPSC 2024 mains question paper will also be released for language and optional subjects. Aspirants can download last 10 years UPSC mains question papers pdf here.
Papers | Download link |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper I | Essay |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper II | General Studies - Paper I General Studies - Paper II General Studies - Paper III General Studies - Paper IV |
Candidates can download the IAS mains question papers by following the steps given below.
Step 1: Visit the UPSC upsc.gov.in.
Step 2: Click on the “Examinations” tab on the homepage.
Step 3: Select “Previous Year Question Papers” from the dropdown menu.
Step 4: Search Civil Services mains previous year's question papers.
Step 5: Click on the IAS main question paper PDF.
Step 6: Download UPSC mains previous year question papers PDF for future reference.
Candidates who appearing for UPSC IAS mains exam 2024 can download the UPSC mains previous year question papers here. Check the tables below for direct links to previous years' UPSC IAS mains question paper.
Papers | Download link |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper I | |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper II | General Studies - Paper IV |
Papers | Download link |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper I | |
UPSC IAS Mains Paper II |
Year | IAS Mains Question Paper Download Link |
UPSC IAS 2020 Mains Question Papers | UPSC CSE mains essay question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 1 question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 2 question paper |
UPSC IAS 2019 Mains Question Papers | UPSC CSE mains essay question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 1 question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 2 question paper |
UPSC IAS 2018 Mains Question Papers | UPSC CSE mains essay question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 1 question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 2 question paper |
UPSC IAS 2017 Mains Question Papers | UPSC CSE mains essay question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 1 question paper UPSC CSE mains GS paper 2 question paper |
UPSC IAS 2016 Mains Question Papers | IAS English Question Paper 2016 PDF IAS Essay Question Paper 2016 PDF IAS GS 1 Question Paper 2016 PDF IAS GS 2 Question Paper 2016 PDF |
Quick links:
Candidates can gain many benefits while referring the UPSC Mains question papers. Some of the advantages of solving UPSC mains question paper are mentioned below
It helps to understand about UPSC mains exam pattern
It helps to know about what types of topics are frequently asked in the exam.
It also helps us in time management while solving UPSC mains previous year question papers.
Number of papers | 9 |
Language of paper | English |
Hindi | |
Descriptive paper: Candidates can appear for language paper in 22 languages mentioned in schedule 8 of the Indian constitution | |
Duration of exam | 3 hours each |
Subjects | Compulsory Indian language English Essay
|
Number of questions | Part A and B: 300 each General studies and optional paper: 250 each |
Sub Total (Mains) | 1750 marks |
Other exams conducted by UPSC
GS Paper 1 (History, Indian Heritage & Culture)
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra
India after Independence by Bipan Chandra
History of Medieval India by Satish Chandra
Ancient India by R.S Sharma
GS Paper 1 (Geography)
Geography of India by Majid Husain
World Geography by Majid Husain
World Atlas (Orient Black Swan)
Certificate Physical and Human Geography – G C Leong
Fundamentals of Physical Geography NCERT Class 11
GS Paper 2 (Polity & International Relations)
Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
Introduction to the Constitution of India by DD Basu
International Relations: Pushpesh Pant
GS Paper 3 (Economy)
Indian Economy – Nitin Singhania
Environment and Disaster Management – Tata McGraw Hill
Challenges to Internal Security of India – Ashok Kumar
GS Paper 4 (Ethics)
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Main Examination by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chaudary
Aspirants can download the UPSC mains question papers from the official website at upsc.gov.in.
The commission will upload the IAS mains question paper 2024 two to three days after completion of exam.
Yes, the commission will upload UPSC IAS mains question paper for all the subjects including language and optional subjects.
No, aspirants can directly download the IAS mains question paper on the official website by following the steps given above in this article.
The commission provides approximately 4 months time duration for mains exam after completion of prelims exam.
Others:28 January,2025 - 31 May,2025
Others:18 February,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Date:13 April,2025 - 10 May,2025
Others:30 April,2025 - 31 May,2025
Application Correction Date:04 May,2025 - 13 May,2025
Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.
Hope this helps!
To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.
UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):
This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).
Any Bachelor's Degree:
A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.
Beneficial Degrees:
Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.
Optional Subject:
You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.
Hope it helps!!
Hello!!
That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.
Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:
1. Understand the Exam Structure
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)
Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)
Interview: Personality Test
2. Check Eligibility
Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)
Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)
3. Choose Your Optional Subject
Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).
Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.
4. Build a Study Plan
Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.
Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.
Focus on:
NCERTs (6th–12th)
Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)
Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)
5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)
For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.
6. Practice Answer Writing
Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.
7. Appear for the Exam
Notification comes out around February.
Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.
How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:
Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.
Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.
If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:
BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.
KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
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