The UPSC Civil Services IAS Mains Admit Card 2025 is now available for download. It was officially released on August 14, 2025, on the UPSC official websites upsc.gov.in and upsconline.nic.in. Candidates who have qualified in the prelims and completed the Detailed Application Form for the Mains exam can download their e-admit cards by logging in with their registration ID or roll number and date of birth.
The UPSC Mains exam is scheduled to start from August 22, 2025, and will continue until August 31, 2025. It is mandatory to carry a printed copy of the admit card along with a valid photo ID to the exam center for entry and verification purposes. No physical admit cards are sent by post; they are only available online.
| Admit Card Download | Click Here |
| UPSC Official Website | Click Here |
Important Dates
- Civil Services Mains Admit Card: 14 August 2025
- Main Examination (Mains) Dates: 22 August to 31 August 2025 (Over two consecutive weekends)
UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam 2025 Dates & Sessions
| Date | Shift 1 (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM) | Shift 2 (2:30 PM to 5:30 PM) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2025 (Friday) | Essay Paper | — |
| 23 August 2025 (Saturday) | General Studies Paper I | General Studies Paper II |
| 24 August 2025 (Sunday) | General Studies Paper III | General Studies Paper IV |
| 30 August 2025 (Saturday) | Paper A: Indian Language | Paper B: English |
| 31 August 2025 (Sunday) | Optional Subject Paper I | Optional Subject Paper II |
How to download UPSC Mains Admit Card 2025
- Visit the official UPSC website at upsc.gov.in
- Click on the “E-Admit Cards” or “What’s New” section for the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 link.
- Log in using your registration ID/roll number and date of birth.
- Download and print multiple copies of the admit card.
Candidates should verify all details on the admit card, such as name, roll number, exam date, and center location, and report any discrepancies to UPSC promptly.
| Admit Card Download | Click Here |
| UPSC Official Website | Click Here |
Vacancy Details
- Total vacancies for UPSC Civil Services 2025: Around 979 Posts
- Additional vacancies for Indian Forest Service: Around 150 Posts
- Total UPSC vacancies combining both: Around 1129 Posts
UPSC Mains 2025 Exam Pattern
- Total 9 descriptive papers (7 are counted for merit, 2 are qualifying)
- Duration of each paper: 3 hours
- Total marks for papers counted in merit: 1750 marks
- Papers and marks:
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Marks | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Indian Language (qualifying) | 3 hours | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper B | English (qualifying) | 3 hours | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper I | Essay | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper II | General Studies I | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper III | General Studies II | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper IV | General Studies III | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper V | General Studies IV | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject Paper 1 | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject Paper 2 | 3 hours | 250 | Merit counted |
UPSC Mains 2025 Syllabus
Paper A: One Indian Language from the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution
Paper B: English language skills including comprehension, essay, précis, grammar
Essay Paper: Multiple topics on contemporary and social issues
General Studies I: Indian heritage and culture, history, world geography
General Studies II: Governance, constitution, polity, social justice, international relations
General Studies III: Economic development, technology, biodiversity, environment, security, disaster management
General Studies IV: Ethics, integrity, aptitude
Optional Subject Papers I & II: Allowed optional subjects (e.g., Agriculture, Anthropology, Public Administration, Geography, History, Political Science, etc.)
| Admit Card Download | Click Here |
| UPSC Official Website | Click Here |
UPSC Selection Process
- Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Objective Type)
- Stage 2: Mains Examination (Descriptive Type – mentioned above)
- Stage 3: Personality Test/Interview
- Candidates must pass each stage to proceed to the next; final merit list is prepared after the interview.
Salary
(as per Seventh Pay Commission)
| Post Name | Salary Range (Per Month) |
|---|---|
| IAS Officer | ₹56,100 (SDM) to ₹2,50,000/- (Cabinet Secretary) |
| IPS Officer | ₹56,100 (Deputy SP) to ₹2,50,000/- (Director General of Police) |
| Other UPSC Group A & B posts | ₹56,100 to ₹2,50,000/- |
UPSC Civil Services vacancies from 2014 to 2025
| Year | Civil Services Vacancies |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1364 |
| 2015 | 1164 |
| 2016 | 1209 |
| 2017 | 1058 |
| 2018 | 812 |
| 2019 | 927 |
| 2020 | 836 |
| 2021 | 712 |
| 2022 | 1022 |
| 2023 | 1105 |
| 2024 | 1056 |
| 2025 | 979 |
The total for 2025 includes about 979 vacancies for the Civil Services Examination and an additional approximately 150 for the Indian Forest Service, totaling around 1129 vacancies across all UPSC services.
- The highest number of vacancies was in 2014 with 1364.
- Vacancy counts declined significantly in 2018 and 2021, with the lowest being 712 in 2021.
- Since 2022, the vacancies have been steadily increasing but slightly dropped again in 2025 to 979.
| Admit Card Download | Click Here |
| UPSC Official Website | Click Here |
