Civil Services Exam: Final Merit List Determines India’s Future Administrators

UPSC Mains to Begin on 22nd August: 979 Posts Up for Grabs

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is India's premier central recruiting agency, responsible for conducting the Civil Services Examination (CSE), one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in the country. The CSE serves as the gateway for recruitment into top administrative services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). On 21st May 2025, UPSC released the answer keys for the 2024 CSE preliminary exam, enabling candidates to review their performance in General Studies Paper 1 and Paper 2. The prelims exam, conducted on 16th June 2024, saw 14,627 candidates qualify for the mains stage, underscoring the intense competition among aspirants.

During the evaluation process, three questions were removed from Series A, B, C, and D of General Studies Paper 1, while Paper 2 remained unchanged. The UPSC CSE 2024 prelims took place on 16th June, followed by the mains examination on 20th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th September. Candidates who successfully cleared the mains were invited for the interview and personality test, which was conducted from 7th January to 17th April, with 2,845 candidates shortlisted.

The final results for UPSC CSE 2024 were declared on 22nd April 2025, marking the conclusion of the selection process. Shakti Dubey secured All India Rank 1 (AIR 1) in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025. Additionally, 1,009 candidates were recommended for appointment to the IAS, IFS, IPS, and Central Services, Group ‘A’ and Group ‘B’. However, the candidature of 241 recommended candidates was kept provisional.

Looking ahead, the UPSC CSE 2025 prelims are scheduled for 25th May 2025, with 979 posts available. Candidates scoring above the cut-off will qualify for the mains, which will be descriptive and conducted over five days, starting on 22nd August. UPSC has released hall tickets for the prelims exam, and candidates must report any discrepancies via email at uscsp-upsc@nic.in, ensuring they include their name, roll number, registration ID, exam name, and year in all correspondence.

Furthermore, candidates whose photographs on the e-admit card are unclear or missing details must bring a photo identity card, two passport-size photographs (bearing their name and date), one for each session, and an undertaking for the UPSC CSE prelims. The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is conducted in three stages: prelims, mains, and interview. A final merit list is prepared for candidates who qualify with the highest marks.The UPSC CSE remains a rigorous and highly sought-after examination, shaping the future of India's administrative leadership.

Editor’s Note:

India's highly competitive UPSC Civil Services Examination, crucial for selecting administrators and policymakers, faces growing concerns about accessibility and fairness due to rising cut-offs and complex evaluations. While the UPSC aims for rigour, these trends disproportionately disadvantage aspirants, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds with limited resources. Without substantial reforms, achieving a truly inclusive civil services cadre will remain a distant aspiration. Recent UPSC policy changes, including the removal of certain questions and adjustments to eligibility, highlight the need for increased transparency. The implementation of provisional selections further introduces instability for long-term aspirants.

Skoobuzz suggests that while merit is crucial, the UPSC must prioritise fairness, clarity, and accessibility to ensure civil services remain a viable aspiration for all, not just a privileged group.