UPSC Civil Services Mains 2025 Timetable Released: Exams Start from August 22

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially announced the schedule for the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025. According to the notification on upsc.gov.in, the Mains exams will begin on Friday, August 22, 2025, and conclude on Sunday, August 31, 2025, spread over two consecutive weekends.

This brings the next stage of India’s most prestigious recruitment process into focus, following the Preliminary Examination held in May. Candidates who qualified in the Prelims can now prepare for the Mains, which plays a decisive role in the final merit list.

Detailed Exam Schedule

The Mains will be conducted in two daily sessions:

• Forenoon: 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
• Afternoon: 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM

Day-wise breakdown:

• August 22 (Friday): Essay
• August 23 (Saturday): General Studies I (Forenoon), General Studies II (Afternoon)
• August 24 (Sunday): General Studies III (Forenoon), General Studies IV (Afternoon)
• August 30 (Saturday): Indian Language (Forenoon), English (Afternoon)
• August 31 (Sunday): Optional Subject – Paper 1 (Forenoon), Optional Subject – Paper 2 (Afternoon)

Exam Pattern and Subjects

The Civil Services (Main) Examination consists of nine papers:

• Seven papers (Essay, General Studies I–IV, and Optional Subject Papers I & II) count towards the merit list.
• Two qualifying papers: Indian Language (Paper-A) and English (Paper-B).

For Paper-A, candidates can choose from several languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, such as Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. For the optional papers, aspirants can select from subjects including History, Law, Philosophy, Psychology, Agriculture, Engineering disciplines, and literature of Indian languages.

Vacancies in 2025

This year, UPSC aims to recruit 979 candidates, including 38 reserved for candidates under the Benchmark Disability (PwBD) category:

• 12 for blindness or low vision
• 7 for deaf or hard of hearing
• 10 for locomotor disabilities
• 9 for multiple disabilities, including deaf-blindness

Selection Process

The recruitment process began with the Preliminary Examination on May 25, 2025. Candidates who cleared this stage will now appear for the Mains. Those successful in the Mains will be invited to the Personality Test (Interview). The final merit list will be prepared based on combined marks from the Mains and Interview.

Aspirants should regularly check the UPSC website for updates and notifications. The Civil Services Examination opens doors to prestigious services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other central services. With the timetable now out, it’s time for candidates to intensify their preparation.