UPSC Civil Services Mains (Paper-A: Compulsory Indian Language)

Compulsory Indian Language is a qualifying paper designed to test a candidate’s proficiency in an Indian language from the list provided in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This paper ensures that civil servants possess a basic working knowledge of at least one regional language of India, which is crucial for administrative communication and public interaction. However, candidates from certain northeastern states and other exempted categories are not required to attempt this paper. The test primarily focuses on reading comprehension, precise writing, translation, and essay writing, assessing a candidate’s ability to express ideas effectively in the chosen language.

The paper consists of various sections, including reading comprehension, where candidates must read a passage and answer questions based on it. There is also a precis writing section, which evaluates a candidate’s ability to summarize a given passage concisely while retaining its core message. Another important part is the translation section, where candidates must translate a passage from English to the chosen Indian language and vice versa. This ensures that aspirants have a strong grasp of both formal and contextual language usage, which is vital in governance and administration. Additionally, candidates are required to write an essay on a given topic, testing their ability to articulate thoughts coherently in the chosen language.

Though this paper is qualifying in nature, requiring candidates to secure a minimum of 25% marks (75 out of 300), failing to clear it results in disqualification from further evaluation of other mains papers. Despite not being counted in the final merit list, this paper plays a crucial role in the selection process. Proficiency in an Indian language is important for effective policymaking, grassroots governance, and public administration, especially in rural areas where regional languages dominate communication. Therefore, aspirants must prepare diligently by practicing comprehension, writing skills, and translation exercises to ensure they clear this essential paper without difficulty.