The first stage of the Civil Services Exam is the Preliminary Examination, consisting of two objective-type papers, each carrying 200 marks, totaling 400 marks. This stage serves as a screening test, and the marks obtained will not be counted for determining the final merit.

Approximately 12-13 times the total number of vacancies will be admitted to the Civil Services (Main) Examination based on their Preliminary scores, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. Negative marking applies for incorrect answers, with one-third (0.33) of the marks for each incorrect response deducted.

Key points:

1. Exam Format: Two compulsory objective-type papers, each lasting two hours.
2. Negative Marking: Deduction of 0.33 marks for each incorrect answer; multiple answers are treated as incorrect.
3. Qualifying Marks: General Studies Paper-II requires a minimum of 33% to qualify.
4. Language: Question papers are available in both Hindi and English.