The UPSC or the Union Public Service Commission is the country’s central agency that is authorized to conduct Civil Service Examinations to recruit aspirants for various Central Civil and All India Services. On the other hand, the MPSC or the Maharashtra Public Service Commission screens applicants for Civil Service jobs only in the state of Maharashtra.
Let’s check out the differentiation and similarities between UPSC and the MPSC exam syllabus and preparation methods
The differences between these two examinations are listed below:
- Reach: The most basic distinction between the UPSC & MPSC is that the former qualifies as a national level exam, whereas the latter is limited only to the state of Maharashtra. The UPSC receives applications from all over India, which makes cracking it that much harder. At the same time, preference is given to students that are selected through the UPSC examinations. The UPSC is under the jurisdiction of the Central government, whereas MPSC is under its respective state government.
- Eligibility: Anyone who is a graduate from a recognized University and aged 21 & above can take the UPSC examination. However, for the MPSC exam, it is additionally necessary to prove the domicile of the state of Maharashtra, while the minimum age to take the exam is 19 years.
- Preparation time: The syllabus for UPSC is very voluminous, and it generally takes a year to be fully prepared. Once this is done, the preparation for MPSC becomes much simpler due to the significant overlap in the syllabus, and the difficulty level of the questions is easier to tackle.
- Nature of exam: While both exams share the three main components, the exam patterns differ slightly. The UPSC exam is more descriptive and conceptual in nature, whereas the MPSC is objective and relies more on facts and figures. The MPSC has optional subjects, unlike the UPSC.
- Evaluation: In the prelims portion, there are two papers General Studies (Paper 1) & Civil Services Aptitude (Paper 2), for both the tests. A UPSC candidate’s recommendation is based on their performance in Paper 1, but in MPSC, total marks obtained in both papers are factored in. BYJU’S Exam prep has an extensive range of unlimited mock tests and topic-wise quizzes to help you ace any kind of situation.
- Recruitment cycle: The UPSC follows a one-year recruitment cycle that is fixed in nature, but when it comes to the MPSC, there is an increased level of uncertainty regarding the notification dates, vacancies available, and results.
- Hierarchy: Candidates selected from the UPSC are allocated into the IFS, IAS, and IPS and occupy positions that are higher in the administrative hierarchies and hence, enjoy more lucrative perks. Those from the MPSC generally occupy deputy positions and are subordinates to the IFS/IAS/IPS officers.
There are various similarities between the two examinations as well:
- Stages: While the nature is not the same, both the UPSC & MPSC exams include the 3 same stages to qualify – the Prelims, the Mains, and the Interview round.
- Current Affairs: While preparing for both, it is of extreme importance for students to be well-versed with Current Affairs for the general awareness section of most major government exams.
- Subjects: Subjects like History, Geography, and Science are part of both syllabuses. When one prepares for the UPSC, MPSC prep becomes extremely easy as their syllabus is almost the same, with an extended focus on Maharashtra’s economy, history, and current affairs.
- NCERT & other books: To appear for both these competitive tests, the NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) books are an essential resource to tap into. Some other standard reference books also include “History of Modern India” by Bipin Chandra and “Indian Polity” by M. Laxmikanth.
- Previous Year’s Papers: While laying the groundwork for both examinations, engaging in answer writing and going through the previous year’s question papers becomes very important. BYJU’S Exam Prep has a great repository of past papers. These help you understand changing question patterns and offer the chance to give a live test along with detailed solutions and performance analysis.
- The number of attempts: For both exams, general category candidates can appear 6 times, while it is 9 for OBC category aspirants.
While the differences and similarities in the UPSC and MPSC examinations have been stated above, what truly unites the two is the intense preparation required and pressure all aspirants giving such competitive exams face. With a proper study plan, tips, best preparation methods, and timetables to follow, one can achieve their dreams of cracking the UPSC and MPSC exams