UPSC Prelims
Test Series 2026

A civil servant also referred to as a public servant, is an individual who is employed by a government department or agency in the public sector. They serve the government, not a political party, and can be found working for both central and state governments.

In India, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) and State Public Service Commission (SPSC) (or GPSC in Gujarat) oversee the selection and appointment process for Civil Services. The civil services at the central level are divided into All India Services, such as IAS and IPS, as well as Central Civil Services Group-A and Group-B.

Civil servants in India are responsible for implementing policies, managing public services, and administering government programs. This is the reason the selection procedure is extremely strict, and to become a civil servant, you are required to have a wealth of knowledge regarding the political conditions, socioeconomic conditions and other pressing matters in the country.

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination every year to choose the most qualified candidates for the Central Civil Services, including IAS and IPS, which are classified as All India Services. The exam pattern for all civil services, including IAS and IPS, is the same, and candidates must pass all three stages of the exam: Prelims, Mains, and Interview to be appointed as civil servants.

For IAS or IPS, a candidate must attain a higher rank among all passing candidates to obtain the preferred service. UPSC selects candidates for IAS or IPS based on the merit achieved in the UPSC-CSE. In addition, IPS candidates must meet certain physical criteria to qualify for the service.

To clear your UPSC exam on the first or next attempt, you can take help from mentors at DICS, who has experts in every subject.

While it is not compulsory for you to join a UPSC/IAS coaching centre, if you want to pass your exam with flying colours, a coaching centre helps you steer your studies in the right direction. It goes without saying that to clear the UPSC exam; you would need to follow a studying structure that might be too complex for you to crack.

The UPSC coaching provided in DICS teaches not only to solve the questions but follow a structured study pattern that will help you maintain a disciplined routine.

Once the Civil Services Examination results are announced, the role of the UPSC comes to an end. The responsibility of training IAS or IPS probationers then falls under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). To fulfil this purpose, the selected candidates are invited to participate in foundation training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) located in Mussoorie. Following the foundation training, those selected for IPS receive training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Academy of Administration (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad.

Once the Civil Services Examination results are announced, the role of the UPSC comes to an end. The responsibility of training IAS or IPS probationers then falls under the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). To fulfil this purpose, the selected candidates are invited to participate in foundation training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) located in Mussoorie. Following the foundation training, those selected for IPS receive training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Academy of Administration (SVPNPA) in Hyderabad.

As a fresher, if you want to clear your UPSC exams on the first attempt, you should take the leap of faith and enrol in DICS IAS coaching in Surat. You will be able to learn all the concepts from the beginning and have a clear idea of how to proceed with your exam preparation without any preconceived ideas.