Is Maths Compulsory for UPSC?

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is responsible for conducting the Civil Services Examination, one of the toughest exams in India. 

Every year, lakhs of aspirants compete for a limited number of vacancies in various government services like Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS). 

Aspirants often wonder whether Maths is compulsory for UPSC or not. In this blog post, we will provide a detailed analysis of the role of Maths in UPSC and answer this common query.

What is the UPSC Exam?

The UPSC exam is conducted in three stages – Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test (Interview). The Preliminary examination is an objective type exam that tests a candidate’s knowledge of various subjects, including General Studies, Indian Polity, Geography, and Economy. 

The Mains exam is a descriptive type exam, which tests a candidate’s understanding of various subjects in-depth, including Essay writing, General Studies, and Optional Subjects. The Personality Test is the final stage, which evaluates a candidate’s overall personality and suitability for various government services.

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Role of Maths in UPSC

Mathematics is not a compulsory subject in UPSC, but it does have some significance in the exam. The Preliminary examination has two papers – Paper I and Paper-II. 

Paper I tests a candidate’s knowledge of General Studies, and Paper II is the CSAT paper, which tests a candidate’s reasoning ability, comprehension, decision-making, and analytical skills. Paper II has a section on Mathematics, which includes topics like algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. However, the weightage of the Maths section is just 20 marks out of 200 marks.

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The Mains examination does not have any Maths paper. However, some optional subjects, such as Mathematics and Statistics, have a considerable Maths component. Therefore, a candidate who has chosen Maths or Statistics as an optional subject needs to have a good understanding of Maths.

In conclusion, Maths is not compulsory for UPSC, but it does have some significance in the exam. The Maths section in the Preliminary examination is just 20 marks out of 200 marks, and the Mains examination does not have any Maths paper. However, candidates who have chosen Maths or Statistics as their optional subject should have a good understanding of Maths.

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