Best UPSC CSE Coaching in Assam 2026 | Free IAS & IPS Mock Tests

Exam Overview

UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) is India's premier competitive exam conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to 24+ Group A and Group B central services. The 2026 notification announced 933 vacancies.
Key Services: IAS (Indian Administrative Service) | IPS (Indian Police Service) | IFS (Indian Foreign Service) | IRS (Indian Revenue Service) | IAAS, IDAS, IPoS, IRAS, IRTS, IRPS and more.
Eligibility: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university. Age: 21–32 years (General/EWS), 21–35 (OBC), 21–37 (SC/ST). Attempts: 6 (General/EWS), 9 (OBC), Unlimited (SC/ST).
Exam Dates: Prelims — 24 May 2026 | Mains — 21 August 2026. Three-stage selection: Prelims (qualifying) → Mains (1750 marks) → Interview (275 marks).
Salary: Entry-level IAS officer — Rs. 56,100 basic pay (approx. Rs. 80,000 in-hand with DA, HRA, TA). Cabinet Secretary — Rs. 2,50,000/month. Perks include government housing, vehicle, and other allowances.
Application Fee: Rs. 100 (General/OBC/EWS male). Female, SC, ST & PwBD candidates are exempted.

Exam Pattern

Preliminary Examination — Paper I (General Studies)

Subject	Questions	Marks
Current Events of National & International Importance	15	30
History of India & Indian National Movement	15	30
Indian & World Geography — Physical, Social, Economic	15	30
Indian Polity & Governance — Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj	15	30
Economic & Social Development — Sustainable Development, Poverty, Demographics	15	30
Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change	15	30
General Science	10	20
Total	100	200

Duration: 2 Hours | Negative Marking: -0.66 per wrong answer (1/3rd of 2 marks) | Qualifying in nature — marks not counted in final merit

Preliminary Examination — Paper II (CSAT)

Subject	Questions	Marks
Comprehension	15	37.5
Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills	5	12.5
Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability	20	50
Decision Making & Problem Solving	10	25
General Mental Ability	10	25
Basic Numeracy & Data Interpretation (Class X level)	20	50
Total	80	200

Duration: 2 Hours | Negative Marking: -0.83 per wrong answer (1/3rd of 2.5 marks) | Qualifying — minimum 33% required (66 marks)

Main Examination (Descriptive — Merit-Based Papers)

Paper	Subject	Marks
Paper I	Essay (Two essays, 125 marks each)	250
Paper II	General Studies I — Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Geography of the World & Society	250
Paper III	General Studies II — Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations	250
Paper IV	General Studies III — Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security & Disaster Management	250
Paper V	General Studies IV — Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude	250
Paper VI	Optional Subject — Paper I	250
Paper VII	Optional Subject — Paper II	250
	Total (Written — Merit)	1750
	Interview / Personality Test	275
	Grand Total	2025

Duration: 3 Hours per paper | Descriptive (pen & paper) | Additionally, 2 qualifying language papers (Indian Language + English, 300 marks each) — must score 25% to qualify, not counted for merit

Selection Process

Preliminary Examination — Objective MCQ, 2 papers (GS + CSAT), 400 marks total, qualifying in nature
Main Examination — Descriptive, 9 papers (7 merit + 2 qualifying language papers), 1750 marks
Interview / Personality Test — 275 marks
Final Merit List — Mains (1750) + Interview (275) = 2025 marks total

Eligibility Criteria

Nationality: Must be a citizen of India (for IAS & IPS). Other services also open to subjects of Nepal, Bhutan, Tibetan refugees, and persons of Indian origin migrated from certain countries.
Education: Bachelor's degree from a recognised university (or equivalent). Final-year students may also apply provisionally.
Age Limit: 21–32 years (General/EWS) | 21–35 years (OBC) | 21–37 years (SC/ST). Born between 2 Aug 1994 and 1 Aug 2005 for General category.
Attempts: General/EWS — 6 | OBC — 9 | SC/ST — Unlimited (within age limit). PwBD — 9 attempts (General/OBC/EWS), Unlimited (SC/ST).
Application Fee: Rs. 100 (General/OBC/EWS male). Female, SC, ST & PwBD candidates are exempted.

Posts & Services

Service	Group	Pay Scale (Basic)
Indian Administrative Service (IAS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,50,000
Indian Police Service (IPS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Foreign Service (IFS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Revenue Service — Income Tax (IRS-IT)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Revenue Service — Customs & Central Excise (IRS-C&CE)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Audit & Accounts Service (IAAS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,25,000
Indian Postal Service (IPoS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,00,000
Indian Railway Accounts Service (IRAS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,00,000
Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,00,000
Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS)	Group A	Rs. 56,100 – 2,00,000
DANICS / DANIPS / PONDICS	Group B	Rs. 47,600 – 1,51,100

Pay as per 7th CPC. In-hand salary includes DA (38%), HRA (8–24%), TA and other allowances. Additional perks: government housing, vehicle, medical, pension.

UPSC for Assam Students

Cadre Allocation: Assam–Meghalaya is a joint IAS/IPS cadre classified under Group-I in the revised 2026 cadre allocation policy. Candidates rank preferred zones and cadres during application; home-cadre allotment depends on rank, vacancy, and category.
Assamese as Optional Subject: Assamese Literature is one of the 23 optional subjects for UPSC Mains — 2 papers of 250 marks each (500 marks total). Candidates can write entirely in Assamese. The syllabus covers language history, literary criticism, poetry, drama, prose, and modern Assamese literature.
Assamese as Qualifying Language Paper: Candidates can choose Assamese as their Indian Language qualifying paper in Mains (Paper A, 300 marks). Must score 25% to qualify — not counted for merit.
Northeast-Relevant GS Topics: Act East Policy & India–ASEAN relations, Sixth Schedule & Autonomous District Councils, Brahmaputra floods & NE disaster management, Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot, NRC & citizenship issues, tea industry & plantation economy, and NE insurgency & border security frequently appear in GS papers.
Notable Achievers from Assam: Assam has produced several top-ranking UPSC candidates in recent years, demonstrating that students from the region can excel at the national level with the right preparation strategy.

Syllabus

1. GS-I — History, Culture & Geography
Indian Culture — Art Forms, Literature, Architecture
Modern Indian History — Freedom Struggle
Post-Independence Consolidation
World History — Industrial Revolution, World Wars, Colonization
Indian Society — Diversity, Role of Women, Globalization
Physical Geography — Geomorphology, Climatology, Oceanography
Human Geography — Population Distribution, Urbanization
Resource Geography — India & World
2. GS-II — Polity, Governance & International Relations
Indian Constitution — Historical Underpinnings, Amendments
Functions & Responsibilities of Union & States
Separation of Powers — Legislature, Executive, Judiciary
Federalism & Panchayati Raj
Governance — Transparency, Accountability, e-Governance
Statutory & Regulatory Bodies
India & Neighbourhood Relations
Bilateral & Multilateral Agreements (ASEAN, BRICS, SAARC)
3. GS-III — Economy, Environment & Security
Indian Economy — Growth, Development, Employment
Government Budgeting & Fiscal Policy
Agriculture — Major Crops, Irrigation, Food Processing
Science & Technology — Developments, Indigenization
Environmental Conservation — Biodiversity, Pollution
Disaster Management — NDMA Framework
Internal Security — Linkages of Organized Crime & Terrorism
Role of Media & Social Networking in Internal Security
4. GS-IV — Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
Ethics & Human Interface
Attitude — Content, Structure, Function
Civil Service Values — Integrity, Impartiality, Objectivity
Emotional Intelligence — Concepts & Utility
Contributions of Moral Thinkers — India & World
Public/Civil Service Values & Ethics in Public Administration
Probity in Governance — Information Sharing, Code of Conduct
Case Studies on Ethical Dilemmas
5. CSAT — Aptitude & Comprehension
Reading Comprehension
Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability
Decision Making & Problem Solving
General Mental Ability
Basic Numeracy (Class X level)
Data Interpretation — Charts, Graphs, Tables
English Language Comprehension
Interpersonal Skills & Communication
6. Assam-Relevant Topics for UPSC
Act East Policy & India–ASEAN Relations
Sixth Schedule Areas — Autonomous District Councils
Brahmaputra Floods & Disaster Management in NE
Biodiversity Hotspots — Eastern Himalayas
NRC & Citizenship Issues in Assam
Tea Industry & Plantation Economy
Assam–Meghalaya Joint IAS/IPS Cadre
Northeast Insurgency & Border Issues
Kaziranga, Manas & NE National Parks
Assamese Culture, Sattriya & Bihu Traditions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is UPSC CSE and what posts are recruited through it?

UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) is India's premier competitive exam conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. It recruits officers for over 24 Group A and B services including IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS (Income Tax & Customs), IAAS, IPoS, IRAS, IRTS, IRPS, and others. In 2026, UPSC has announced 933 vacancies.

What is the UPSC CSE 2026 exam pattern?

UPSC CSE has three stages: (1) Prelims — 2 objective papers of 200 marks each (GS-I + CSAT), qualifying in nature, negative marking of 1/3rd per wrong answer; (2) Mains — 9 descriptive papers, 7 counted for merit (1750 marks) + 2 qualifying language papers; (3) Interview/Personality Test — 275 marks. Final merit = Mains + Interview = 2025 marks.

What is the eligibility for UPSC CSE 2026?

Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree from a recognised university, be 21–32 years old for General/EWS (35 for OBC, 37 for SC/ST). Number of attempts: General/EWS — 6, OBC — 9, SC/ST — unlimited (within age limit). Application fee is Rs. 100 for General/OBC/EWS males; females and SC/ST/PwBD are exempted.

How does Assam cadre allocation work for IAS/IPS?

Under the revised 2026 cadre allocation policy, Assam–Meghalaya is a joint IAS/IPS cadre classified under Group-I. Candidates rank preferred zones and cadres during the application. Home cadre allotment depends on rank, vacancy, and category — it is no longer guaranteed. The insider–outsider ratio and PwBD priority rules also apply.

Can I take Assamese as an optional subject in UPSC Mains?

Yes, Assamese Literature is one of the 23 optional literature subjects offered by UPSC for Mains. It consists of two papers (Paper I & Paper II) of 250 marks each (total 500 marks). Candidates can write entirely in Assamese. Additionally, Assamese is available as the qualifying Indian Language paper in Mains.

What is the salary of an IAS officer in 2026?

Under the 7th Pay Commission, an entry-level IAS officer (Junior Scale) draws Rs. 56,100 basic pay per month, with an in-hand salary of approximately Rs. 80,000 including DA (38%), HRA, and TA. The highest-paid civil servant — the Cabinet Secretary — earns Rs. 2,50,000 per month basic. Additional perks include government housing, car, and other benefits.

How many attempts does an OBC candidate from Assam get?

OBC (Non-Creamy Layer) candidates get 9 attempts with an upper age limit of 35 years. SC/ST candidates from Assam get unlimited attempts until age 37. General/EWS candidates get 6 attempts until age 32. PwBD candidates of General/OBC/EWS get 9 attempts with age relaxation of 10 additional years.

What are useful preparation tips for Assam students appearing for UPSC?

Focus on Northeast-relevant GS topics: Act East Policy, Sixth Schedule, Brahmaputra floods, Eastern Himalaya biodiversity, NRC & citizenship, and insurgency issues. Assamese Literature optional has a manageable syllabus and high scoring potential. Join a test series early for Prelims practice. For Mains, practice answer writing daily. Current affairs from Assam (tea industry, floods, border disputes) often feature in GS papers.

UPSC CSE — 2026