Yes — English is compulsory in UPSC, but not for merit ranking.
In Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination (CSE)
The UPSC CSE has three stages:
- Prelims
- Mains
- Interview
Role of English in Each Stage
A. Prelims
There is no compulsory English language paper in Prelims.
However:
- CSAT (Paper II) contains English comprehension questions
- You must score 33% qualifying marks
- English here is basic comprehension level (Class X standard).
B. Mains (Very Important)
In Mains, there are two qualifying language papers:
| Paper | Type | Marks | Nature |
| Paper A | Indian Language (from 8th Schedule) | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper B | English | 300 | Qualifying |
✔ You need 25% (75 marks) to qualify in English.
✔ Marks do NOT count for final ranking.
✔ If you fail in English, your other papers are not evaluated.
- The level is roughly Class 10 standard (essay, précis, comprehension, grammar).
C. Interview
There is no compulsory English speaking requirement.
You can give the interview in:
- English
- Hindi
- Any language listed in the 8th Schedule
Can You Write UPSC Without English?
- You can write Mains in any 8th Schedule language (Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Maithili, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.).
- But you must still qualify the English paper.
Important Clarification
Many aspirants misunderstand this:
❌ English is NOT required for merit ranking.
❌ You do NOT need fluent English.
✅ You only need to clear the qualifying paper.
Thousands of candidates clear UPSC writing Mains in regional languages.
Practical Advice for You (UPSC Aspirant)
Since you are preparing seriously for UPSC:
- Maintain basic grammar clarity
- Practice précis writing
- Improve reading comprehension speed
- Revise Class 9–10 level English
You do NOT need advanced vocabulary.
Final Answer
Yes, English is compulsory only as a qualifying paper in UPSC Mains, but its marks are not counted in the final merit list.
FAQ
1. Is English compulsory for final selection in UPSC?
Yes, English is compulsory as a qualifying paper in UPSC Mains conducted by the Union Public Service Commission.
2. Can I clear UPSC without being fluent in English?
Yes, absolutely. You do not need fluent or advanced English. The level of the English paper is around Class 10 standard.
