UPSC Mains: Indian Language (qualifying)

Main Examination: the Indian Language paper (UPSC's Paper A). A qualifying paper. At a glance: • 300 marks, 3 hours. The level is Matriculation (Class 10) or equivalent. • Qualifying only: its marks are not counted for ranking. But you need at least 25% in it (75 of the 300 marks) and at least 25% in the English paper (Paper B); otherwise your Essay, General Studies and Optional papers are not considered at all. • You choose one language included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution in your application (the Exam Specific Form), and it can't be changed afterwards: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu or Urdu. • You answer in that language, except where translation is asked. • Scripts: Kashmiri and Urdu in Persian; Sindhi in Devanagari or Arabic; Punjabi in Gurumukhi; Hindi, Bodo, Dogri, Konkani, Maithili, Marathi, Nepali and Sanskrit in Devanagari; Manipuri in Bengali or Meitei Mayek (the question paper is printed in Bengali script); Santhali in Devanagari or Olchiki (the question paper is printed in Devanagari); each of the others in its own script. • Not compulsory for candidates from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim. • Not compulsory either for candidates with a benchmark disability of the hearing impairment sub-category who were exempted from second or third language courses by their Board or University; they claim it with an undertaking or self-declaration to the Commission. What the language papers test: The aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned. The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows: • Comprehension of given passages. • Precis Writing. • Usage and Vocabulary. • Short Essays. • Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa. Source: UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026, Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, 4 February 2026.