What is the total marks distribution across Prelims, Mains, and Interview in UPSC?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is structured into three stages with a total weightage of 2,025 marks for the final merit list.

• The Preliminary Examination serves as a screening test and consists of two papers totalling 400 marks. These include General Studies Paper I and the CSAT. However, these marks are not counted toward your final rank; you only need to pass the CSAT with 33% and clear the GS cutoff to qualify for the next stage.
• The Main Examination is the most critical phase, consisting of nine descriptive papers. Two of these—the compulsory Indian Language and English papers—are qualifying and do not contribute to your rank. The remaining seven merit papers carry 1,750 marks in total. This includes one Essay paper (250 marks), four General Studies papers (1,000 marks total), and two papers for your chosen Optional Subject (500 marks total).
• Finally, the Personality Test (Interview) carries 275 marks. It evaluates your administrative aptitude and character rather than just theoretical knowledge. Your final selection and service allocation are determined by your combined score from the Mains and the Interview, out of the grand total of 2,025 marks.