Hi.

UPSC is a difficult exam no doubt but what makes it or any national level exam difficult? Competition and Paper Pattern. Other than that it is a not a rocket science to clear an exam, many students all over India are able to do it. So can you.

A few factors on what makes it seem difficult:

Pattern of Examination

Factor No. 1 to figure out How Tough is the IAS Exam. UPSC examination in India consists of 3 levels or stages.

• The Prelims Exam
• Mains Exam
• Interview

To reach the next level, a candidate has to clear the previous level. And there is no secret that as the level changes, the level of difficulty also rises. The most difficult task is to crack the interview because at the last stage i.e. interview not only your knowledge is put to test but your overall personality and ability to deal with practical challenges as well.

Syllabus to Cover

The second factor that showcases the complexity of the exam is its huge syllabus. Indeed, UPSC is tough as far as its syllabus is considered. The diversity of subjects demands more determination and long study hours. Since the role of an IAS is not just limited to a particular field, the subjects to be covered for this examination contains varied streams. You need to learn each and every subject, whether you like it or not.

In short, it covers-

• Lengthy syllabus
• Diversity of subjects.
• Need long study hours
• Overall knowledge rather than expertise in one particular subject.

Passing Marks to Score

Unlike school or college exams, the passing score is not just 33%. UPSC is the race of winning one of India’s most sought designations. If we analyze the past success rate in UPSC exams, we get an idea of whether the IAS exam is tough or easy.

The cut off marks in the UPSC exam is usually low. The reason being the level of competition is very high. Everyone wants to try their luck and abilities to break into the civil services. Each year there are lakhs of people appear for UPSC prelims exam and only 1/4 ^th i.e. 25% of them pass. Out of them, those who qualify the mains exam are even less up to 15%. However, the rate of success is relatively high at the interview stage.

Overall the passing percentage in the UPSC exam is less than 1%. Yes, you read it correctly it is just 1%.

Time Taken For Preparation

You can’t just do it in a month or two. It takes at least a year to prepare satisfactorily for the UPSC exams. It is not possible to cover the hefty syllabus overnight. Proper planning, dedicated preparation is a must.

Good Luck