UPSC

UPSC CSAT 2024: Latest News, Eligibility, Salary & Vacancies

March 15, 2024

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

The Union Public Service Commission – Civil Services Aptitude Test (UPSC CSAT) is a national-level competitive preliminary test, that is administered once in an academic session by the UPSC recruitment board. The UPSC CSAT is not a recently introduced examination. It has been taking place every year for the past decade now. The candidates who successfully pass the exam, move on to the next stages of the recruitment process. This examination is indeed designed to measure an individual’s analytical ability, reasoning skills, and other aptitude qualities.       

The official notification for the UPSC CSAT exam was released on 14th February 2024. The Preliminary Examination for Recruitment to the Civil Service posts mentioned in the government brochure will be held on the 26th of May 2024. As stated, it will be administered by the UPSC board under the norms published by the Department of Personnel & Training.

All candidates are advised to carefully read the Civil Services Examination-2024 Rules along with all the Appendices and Annexures, in addition to this Examination Notice which is derived from those Rules. One should be well versed with any changes that may have occurred since the previous Examination Rules.

Candidates can view information about the UPSC CSAT positions salary structure and more here. Every year, the Union Public Service Commission administers the UPSC CSAT Exam for several subordinate services.

UPSC CSAT Highlights

UPSC CSAT 2023- Exam Summary
OrganizationUnion Public Service Commission
Posts NameIndian Administrative Service
Indian Foreign Service
Indian Police Service
Indian Audit and Accounts Service
Indian Civil Accounts Service
Indian Corporate Law Service
Indian Defence Accounts Service
Indian Defence Estates Service
Indian Information Service
Indian Postal Service
Indian P&T Accounts and Finance Service
Indian Railway Protection Force Service
Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)
Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax)
Indian Trade Service, (Grade III)
Indian Railway Management Service
Armed Forces HQ Civil Service (Section Officer’s Grade)
Civil Service (DANICS)
Police Service (DANIPS)
Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS)
Pondicherry Police Service (PONDIPS)
VacancyTo Be Notified
Exam DatePrelims – 26th May 2024
Mains – 20th September 2024
Application ModeOnline
Exam ModeOffline / Pen & Paper
Recruitment ProcessPrelims Mains Personal Interview
Education QualificationGraduation passed or equivalent from a recognized University
Age Limit21 – 32 years
SalaryINR 56100 – INR 250,000
Official websitehttps://www.upsc.gov.in/

UPSC CSAT Important Dates

Important eventsDate
UPSC CSAT Notification 202314th February 2024
Registration Start14th February 2024
Registration Ends5th March 2024
UPSC CSAT Admit Card releaseTo Be Notified
UPSC CSAT Exam DatePrelims – 26th May 2024
Mains – 20th September 2024
UPSC CSAT Answer Key (Prelims)To Be Notified
UPSC CSAT Result (Prelims)To Be Notified
UPSC CSAT Score Card if applicableTo Be Notified

UPSC CSAT Vacancies

The exact classification of post-wise vacancies hasn’t yet been updated on the official web portal. The concluding final vacancies might be undergoing alteration. This can be so after obtaining a firm number of finalized vacancy lists from Cadre Controlling Authorities. Prior reservations will be made available for candidates belonging to ST, SC, OBC, and the financially Weaker Sections. Persons with Benchmark Disabilities will have access to beneficiary schemes which will be fixed by the Government norms.

Post NameVacancy 
 Group ‘A’ Posts
Indian Administrative ServiceYet to be released
Indian Foreign ServiceYet to be released
Indian Police ServiceYet to be released
Indian Audit and Accounts Service Yet to be released
Indian Civil Accounts ServiceYet to be released
Indian Corporate Law ServiceYet to be released
Indian Defence Accounts ServiceYet to be released
Indian Defence Estates ServiceYet to be released
Indian Information Service, Junior GradeYet to be released
Indian Postal ServiceYet to be released
Indian P&T Accounts and Finance ServiceYet to be released
Indian Railway Protection Force ServiceYet to be released
Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes)Yet to be released
Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) Yet to be released
Indian Trade Service, (Grade III)Yet to be released
 Group ‘B’ Posts
Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, (Section Officer’s Grade)Yet to be released
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service (DANICS),Yet to be released
Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Police Service (DANIPS), Group ‘B’Yet to be released
Pondicherry Civil Service (PONDICS), Group ‘B’ Yet to be released

UPSC CSAT Vacancy Trends

An 11.52 lakh applicant pool successfully qualified for the UPSC CSE Mains 2022 examinations, with 13090 of those applicants qualifying to move on to stage II.

YearNumber of Vacancies for Various Posts in Civil Services
2009580
2010965
2011880
20121037
20131000
20141291
20151129
20161079
2017980
2018782
2019896
2020796
2021712
20221022

UPSC CSAT Eligibility

In the recent notice, UPSC CSAT Eligibility Criteria 2023 was disclosed. They have remained the same as the last academic session. To be qualified for the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam, a candidate must meet the stated eligibility requirements. Here are the three parameters:

Age

The age of the aspirant should be between 21-32 years as of 1st February 2023. However, like certain exams where the reserved category candidates are allowed to claim certain reservations, according to the Indian government norms, here, such is also permitted.

Allowed upper age relaxation for different categories are as below:

CategoryAllowed age relaxation (+ upper age limit)
 SC/ ST 5 years
 OBC 3 years
 PwBD + Unreserved 5 years
 PwBD + OBC 10 years
 PwBD + SC/ ST 10 years
 Ex-Servicemen 5 years

Qualification

  • To be eligible for UPSC CSAT 2023, a candidate must have graduated from a recognised institution or a deemed university.
  • Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree from a university that has been approved by the national or state legislature, created by law, or proclaimed to qualify as a university under section 3 of the UGC Act of 1956.
  • Candidates may also take the preliminary exam, the results of which are pending.
  • Candidates who have taken the final year of their bachelor’s degree and are awaiting their results, as well as those who plan to take these qualifying exams, may also apply for the UPSC CSAT 2023 if they submit their documentation of qualification with their Mains exam application.

Nationality / Citizenship

To live up to the nationality requirements, the applicant must be:

  • An Indian citizen or residing in India for a given stipulated period of years.
  • For IFS, IAS, and IPS, only candidates with Indian nationality can apply.

For other services candidates can be-

  • An Indian citizen.
  • An immigrant from Bhutan
  • An immigrant from Nepal
  • A Tibetan refugee who has immigrated to India to permanently settle over here.
  • Citizens of Indian origin who immigrated from Burma, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and East African nations like Tanzania, Zambia, Ethiopia, or Vietnam to permanently settle in India.
Work Anywhere, Anytime Hassle-free Earning

UPSC CSAT Application Process

The UPSC CSAT exam conducting board finished accepting applications on 21st February 2023 after the formal release of the official notification for UPSC CSAT ’23-2024.

The written UPSC CSAT Prelim examination is set to happen on the 28th of May 2023.

Note: Keeping in mind the COVID-19 scenario that had been prevailing in India, the official authority of UPSC CSAT cancelled the second session of UPSC CSAT in 2022. They mentioned that the admission process would be done through a PI round & medical test only. 

Application fees

CategoriesApplication Fees
General category CandidatesINR 100/-
SC/ST/PWD/Ex-Servicemen/ Women ApplicantsNil

Application Steps

  • Visit the UPSC main webpage as stated.
  • Students have to register themselves. Click on the ‘Register’ button. The registration process can only be completed using a Government-issued photo ID or an Aadhaar card.
  • In the next step, candidates must enter the required details such as educational details, address, personal details, email ID, and phone number.
  • For the students to access important information, they will need to upload scanned copies of relevant documents and set a password for their account.
  • Registered email ID and password should be used to log in to the respective account.
  • Apply for the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam by clicking on ‘Apply Now.’
  • Information about the student will be collected from their profile during registration, and they will not be able to edit it.
  • Applicants can pay the fee through different modes of payment available.
  • Candidates must print a copy of the same.

UPSC CSAT Admit Card

The UPSC CSAT Admit Card 2024 will possibly be available about 3-5 days before the date of the exam which is yet to be formally announced. Those who enrol for the UPSC CSAT Exam 2024 by the deadline will receive an electronic admissions card, hall ticket, or call letter. This information can be found on the UPSC CSAT portal. The admit card will contain necessary data like Name, Date of Birth, Exam Centre, Registration Number, etc.

To know how to download the UPSC CSAT Admit Card, follow the steps:

  • Step 1. Visit the official website of UPSC.
  • Step 2. On the first display, click on the “ADMIT CARDS” link.
  • Step 3. It will redirect you to the regional official websites. Click on your region.
  • Step 4. Candidates can download the admit card for the UPSC-CSAT’23 written examination.
  • Step 5. Fill in your valid credentials followed by your DOB to acquire the admit card.
  • Step 6. Take a print of the downloaded UPSC admit card and keep a physical copy of the admit card.

Admit Card Details

  1. Candidate’s Name
  2. Enrolment Number
  3. Roll Number
  4. Date of Birth
  5. Father’s Name
  6. Test Centre as per the choice mentioned when filling out the form
  7. Full Address of Exam Centre
  8. Photo of candidate
  9. Signature of candidate

Rules that need to be addressed on the UPSC CSAT admit card:

  1. The applicants should reach the test centre early to the time slot stated in the admit card.
  2. No candidate is allowed entry after the entry closing time.
  3. The following needs to be brought to the exam centre: 2 copies of their latest coloured passport-size photograph, A minimum of one valid image-bearing identity proof in ORIGINAL (Aadhar Card, PAN card, Voter ID Card, Driving License, Passport, or other ID Proof given the by Government), Sanitary Mask. Hand sanitiser (Small bottle).Transparent water bottle and Printout of the COVID-19 Self Declaration type given the Admission Certificate.

Exam Centre Details

For the current academic session, there has been no official notification regarding the exam centres for UPSC CSAT ’24-2025.

Candidates can check the below UPSC 2022-‘23 exam centres to have an overall idea:

Preliminary Examination

AGARTALAGORAKHPURPATNA
AGRAGURGAONPORTBLAIR
AHMEDABADGWALIORPRAYAGRAJ (ALLAHABAD)
AIZAWL HYDERABADPUDUCHERRY
 AJMERIMPHALPUNE
ALIGARH INDORERAIPUR
ALMORA (UTTARAKHAND) ITANAGARRAJKOT
ANANTHAPURUJABALPURRANCHI
AURANGABAD (MAHARASHTRA)JAIPUR SAMBALPUR
BAREILLYJAMMU SHILLONG
BENGALURUJODHPUR SHIMLA
BHOPALJORHATSILIGURI
BILASPUR (CHHATISGARH)KOCHISRINAGAR
CHANDIGARHKOHIMASRINAGAR (UTTARAKHAND)
CHENNAIKOLKATTASURAT
COIMBATOREKOZHIKODE (CALICUT)THANE
CUTTACKLEHTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM
DEHRADUNLUCKNOWTIRUCHIRAPALLI
DELHILUDHIANATIRUPATI
DHARAMSHALA (HIMACHAL PRADESH)MADURAI UDAIPUR
DHARWARMANDI (HIMACHAL PRADESH)VARANASI
DISPURMUMBAIVELLORE
FARIDABADMYSURUVIJAYAWADA
GANGTOK NAGPUR VISHAKHAPATNAM
GAUTAM BUDDHA NAGARNASIKWARANGAL
GAYANAVI MUMBAGHAZIABAD
PANAJI (GOA)  

Mains Examination

AHMEDABADDELHI PATNA
AIZAWLDISPUR (GUWAHATI)PRAYAGRAJ (ALLAHABAD)
BENGALURUHYDERABADRAIPUR
BHOPALJAIPURRANCHI
CHANDIGARHJAMMUSHILLONG
 CHENNAKOLKATASHIMLA
CUTTACKLUCKNOWTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM
DEHRADUNMUMBAIVIJAYAWADA

UPSC CSAT Exam Pattern

The Selection process of Civil Services consists of the following two stages:

  • CSAT Prelims Examination (Objective Type): It is for the selection of applicants for the CSAT (Mains) Examination
  • CSAT Mains Examination (Written and PI): This is the final selection of qualified applicants for the various UPSC posts.
TierType of question for Online CBT
PrelimsObjective Multiple Choice
MainsObjective Multiple Choice + PI round

UPSC CSAT Exam Pattern: Tier I

PaperNo of QuestionsTotal Marks Duration
1 General Studies – I1002002 Hours
2 General Studies – II (CSAT)802002 Hours
  • The question papers will be of MCQ (multiple choice questions) type
  • Each paper of the prelims round will be two hours duration. 
  • The CSAT General Studies Paper-II Preliminary Exam will be a qualifying paper with qualifying marks set at 33%.
  • The question papers will be set in dual languages namely Hindi and English.

For each question for which the candidate provided an incorrect answer, one-third of their marks will be deducted as a penalty.

UPSC CSAT Mains Exam Pattern

Question Paper A and Paper B of the Mains exam are both eliminating in nature. The pattern for the same is stated below.

PaperSubjectTotal Marks Duration
Paper-A One of the Indian Language300 Marks3 Hours
Paper-BEnglish300 Marks3 Hours
Paper-IEssay250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-IIGeneral Studies-I 250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-IIIGeneral Studies -II250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-IVGeneral Studies -III250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-VGeneral Studies -IV250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-VIOptional Subject – Paper 1250 Marks3 Hours
Paper-VIIOptional Subject – Paper 2250 Marks3 Hours
Total 1750 Marks

UPSC CSAT Interview

The personal interview round will constitute a total of 275 marks, and the test is not of an arduous cross-examination, but of a natural conversation that is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

One has got to try and do well in all the rounds of the UPSC CSAT Examination. Candidates must also carefully check the exam pattern and syllabus on the official website.

UPSC CSAT Syllabus

To qualify for a position in the Public Service Commission, applicants must pass all the rounds as has been stated before.

So now, let’s say one decides to apply for the exam. Henceforth, one will need to prepare oneself. Thereby now, this syllabus structure comes to play a pivotal role.

During the exam preparation, – the syllabus, exam pattern, and previous year questions are indeed of immense help. It is certainly needed by an examinee. Thus, updated UPSC CSAT syllabus topics are covered ahead. Therefore, aspirants of UPSC CSAT‘23 can utilize this during their preparations.

The detailed examination syllabus for each level can be found below at which all can take a look. All candidates should read the syllabus carefully before preparing for the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam.

UPSC CSAT Prelims Syllabus

PaperSyllabus
Paper 1 Current affairs include events of global importance.  
Indian History and INM.  
Global Geography, Social, Economic Geography of India.  
Indian politics and governance is a highly comprehensive field, covering several important topics
The Indian constitution, political system, public policy, rights issues, etc.
There is also a lot of importance on the economic and social development.
Environmental ecology.
Paper 2 To solve a comprehension passage;  
Interpersonal skillset analysis
Communication skill analysis;  
Logical reasoning
Analytical ability;  
Decision-making and problem-solving;  
General mental ability;  
Basic numerical problems  (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.)
The interpretation of given data (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.

UPSC CSAT Syllabus for Mains Examination

PaperSubjectSyllabus
Paper 1 EssayCandidates are expected to write essays on various topics. They will need to keep close to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion and to express them concisely. Credit points will be awarded for an effective and exact expression.
Paper 2 General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, World History and Geography and Society.India as a cultural estate.
Indian history until the present.
The Freedom movements.
Post-independence reformation of the Indian subcontinent.  
Indian Society includes many salient features; its diversity, the role of women’s organizations, population, and associated issues, etc.
Effects of globalization on Indian society.  
Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.  Key features of global geography.
Importance of Geophysical phenomena.
PAPER-III General Studies- II: Indian Governance, Indian Constitution, Indian Polity, India’s Social Justice and Her International Relations. This paper is to test a candidate’s attitude and approach to integrity, integrity in public life, and their life’s problem-solving approach. The topics would roughly include Social and Political Ethics Human Interface and Attitude: content, structure, and function. Moral values for Public Services, behavioural integrity, consistent impartiality. Emotional intelligence concepts. Social inputs of philosophers from across India and the world.   Specialized Case Studies.
PAPER-IV General Studies- IV: general ethics, and AptitudeThis paper is to test a candidate’s attitude and approach to integrity, integrity in public life, and their life’s problem-solving approach. The topics would roughly include Social and Political EthicsHuman Interface and Attitude: content, structure, and function. Moral values for Public Services, behavioural integrity, consistent impartiality. Emotional intelligence concepts. Social inputs of philosophers from across India and the world.   Specialized Case Studies.
PAPER-VI & PAPER VIIOptional Subject Papers I & II Applicants may choose any subject as their optional paper from the government subject list.

UPSC CSAT Results and Cutoffs

Candidates can verify their UPSC CSAT marks after the release of the Written exam Scorecard 2023. The total marks acquired by the candidate will be used to determine the candidate’s proceeding to the UPSC CSAT exam’s stage 2.

Following are the given steps to download the UPSC CSAT Result 2023:

  • Go to the official website.
  • The home page of the UPSC will open.
  • Check for the Results section that is visible on the top of the UPSC board.
  • Check for UPSC CSAT Exam Result 2023. Click on it.
  • To enter the valid credential details of the Registration and Password.
  • Click the submit button.
  • Now UPSC CSAT Result 2023 PDF will be downloaded.
  • Save the PDF for future reference.

UPSC CSAT Cutoffs

The preliminary exam of the Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Aptitude Test (UPSC CSAT) is a small part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE). Qualifying strictly depends if a candidate clears the exam and secures a percentile of 33% only. All those who clear this cutoff move on to the next stages of the recruitment procedure.

The UPSC CSAT cut-off Marks 2023 going to be released by the officials for the candidates soon after the completion of the application process.

UPSC CSAT Salary Structure

UPSC (Officers) Salary Overview 2023
Pay CommissionPay Grade (INR 50K+ to 2.5 lahks)
Pay MatrixDiffers for various posts
AllowancesTransport Hand Area Other allowances (as applicable).

The Union Public Service Commission has a wide range of salary structures, with an average salary of Rs. 50K to 2.5 L per month. This number can vary depending on the post but is generally in the range of Rs. 8-10 lakh/annum for an astounding officer.

PostsRemuneration/Payment ScaleMain Salary
Special secretary-cum-director in the State Secretariat10Rs. 56,100
Undersecretary in State Secretariat10Rs. 56,100
Assistant Secretary in Central Secretariat10Rs. 56,100
Additional district magistrate in District Administration11Rs. 67,700
Deputy Secretary in State Secretariat11Rs. 67,700
Under-Secretary in Central Secretariat11Rs. 67,700
District Magistrate in District Administration12Rs. 78,800
Joint Secretary in State Secretariat12Rs. 78,800
Deputy Secretary in Central Secretariat12Rs. 78,800
District Magistrate in District Administration13Rs. 1,18,500
Special secretary-cum-director in State Secretariat13Rs. 1,18,500
Director in Central Secretariat13Rs. 1,18,500
Divisional Commissioner in District Administration14Rs. 1,44,200
Secretary-cum-commissioner in State Secretariat14Rs. 1,44,200
Joint Secretary in Central Secretariat14Rs. 1,44,200
Divisional Commissioner in District Administration15Rs. 1,82,200
Principal Secretary in State Secretariat15Rs. 1,82,200
Additional Secretary in State Secretariat15Rs. 1,82,200
Chief Secretary in State Secretariat17Rs. 2,25,000
Secretary in Central Secretariat 17Rs. 2,25,000
Cabinet Secretary of India18Rs. 2,50,000

The perks and beneficial allowances paid to candidates for employment are also quite significant. These include both beneficial elements, such as pay and benefits, as well as non-beneficial elements, such as office space and leave entitlements.

Check Out Other Exams – 

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FAQs

How should I start my preparation for UPSC CSAT 2023?

Preparing for the UPSC CSAT 2023 examination would require first understanding the test pattern and syllabus. Then, one should make a timetable and study routine and follow it daily. Revision of the entire syllabus will help make all concepts clear. Finally, solving previous year’s question papers will give an idea of what kind of paper is to be expected on the actual examination.

Is there a negative marking in the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam? 

For each correct answer, 2.5 marks will be rewarded; on the other hand, for each incorrect answer, 0.83 marks will be deducted.

Does the UPSC CSAT Exam 2023 have an interview? 

Yes, candidates do have to undergo the personal interview process after qualifying for the UPSC CSAT 2023 prelim and mains exam.     

Can I apply for UPSC CSAT 2023 after graduation? 

The eligibility criteria to apply for UPSC CSAT 2023 pertain to three major points.
Age Limit: UPSC CSAT has set the age limit for the applying candidates between 21-32 years.
Nationality: Candidates have to be an Indian or a resident of an Indian province for a stipulated period.
Qualification: Anyone who has completed graduation or equivalent from a recognized University stands eligible.

What is the exam date of UPSC CSAT 2023? 

For the current academic session, the official notification regarding the exam date for UPSC CSAT Prelims’23-2024 is 28th May 2023.

What are the passing marks in UPSC CSAT 2023?  

The UPSC CSAT 2023 Exam is yet to be conducted. Considering the current academic session, there has been no official notification regarding the cut-offs for UPSC CSAT ’23-2024. The UPSC CSAT cut-off Marks 2023 going to be released by the officials for the candidates soon after the completion of the application process.
But generally, qualifying strictly depends if a candidate clears the exam and secures a percentile of 33% only. All those who clear this cutoff move on to the next stages of the recruitment procedure.