UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination (CMSE)
Your complete guide to the UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination. Get detailed information about eligibility, exam pattern, syllabus, preparation strategy, and application process.
Eligibility
MBBS Degree Required
2 Papers
Objective Type Questions
2 Hours Each
Per Paper Duration
4 Services
Various Medical Departments
Exam Overview
The UPSC Combined Medical Services Examination is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment of medical professionals into various government services. The exam is held once a year to select candidates for:
- Assistant Medical Officer in Indian Railways
- Assistant Division Medical Officer in Railways
- General Duty Medical Officer in New Delhi Municipal Council
- General Duty Medical Gr. II in East Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, and South Delhi Municipal Corporation
Note: The exam is conducted in offline mode (pen and paper) and consists of two papers with multiple-choice questions.
Eligibility Criteria
A candidate must be either:
- A citizen of India, or
- A subject of Nepal, or
- A subject of Bhutan, or
- A Tibetan refugee who came over to India before January 1, 1962, with the intention of permanently settling in India, or
- A person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia, and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India
The candidate must have passed the written and practical parts of the final M.B.B.S. examination.
Important: Candidates who have appeared or are yet to appear at the final M.B.B.S. Examination may also apply, but they must produce proof of passing the examination along with the detailed application which is submitted to the Commission after qualifying the written examination.
A candidate must not have attained the age of 32 years as on 1st August of the examination year.
Age Relaxation:
- Up to a maximum of five years for SC/ST candidates
- Up to a maximum of three years for OBC candidates
- Up to a maximum of five years for ex-servicemen
- Up to a maximum of ten years for blind, deaf-mute, and orthopedically handicapped persons
Candidates must be physically fit according to physical standards for the Combined Medical Services Examination as per regulations.
The physical requirements vary for different services. Candidates are advised to check the latest notification for detailed physical standards.
Exam Pattern & Syllabus
The examination consists of two papers:
| Paper | Subjects | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper I | General Medicine & Pediatrics | 250 | 2 hours |
| Paper II | Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Preventive & Social Medicine, Surgery | 250 | 2 hours |
Note: The exam is conducted in offline mode. There is a negative marking of 1/3rd marks for each wrong answer.
- Cardiology
- Respiratory diseases
- Gastro-intestinal diseases
- Genito-Urinary diseases
- Neurology
- Hematology
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic disorders
- Infections/Communicable Diseases
- Nutrition/Growth
- Diseases of the skin
- Musculoskeletal system
- Psychiatry
- General
- Common childhood emergencies
- Basic newborn care
- Normal developmental milestones
- Accident prevention
- Immunization
- Recognizing signs of common childhood illnesses
- Nutritional needs of children
- General Surgery
- Traumatic Surgery
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology (ENT)
- Ophthalmology
- Anesthesiology
- Wound healing
- Inflammation and infections
- Fluids and electrolyte management
- Shock-pathophysiology and management
- Obstetrics
- Gynaecology
- Contraception
- Medical Termination of Pregnancy
- National health programs related to OBG
- Concept of health, disease, and preventive medicine
- Nutrition and health
- Epidemiology of communicable and non-communicable diseases
- Health programs in India
- Statistics, health administration, and health planning
- Environmental health
- Mental health
- Occupational health
- Genetics and health
- Health education
Preparation Strategy
Recommended Approach:
- Understand the complete syllabus and exam pattern
- Create a realistic study schedule with dedicated time for each subject
- Focus on high-yield topics from each subject
- Practice previous years’ question papers
- Take regular mock tests to improve speed and accuracy
- Revise regularly and make short notes for quick revision
| Subject | Book Title | Author/Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| General Medicine | Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine | McGraw-Hill |
| Pediatrics | Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics | Elsevier |
| Surgery | Bailey & Love’s Short Practice of Surgery | CRC Press |
| Obstetrics & Gynaecology | Shaw’s Textbook of Gynaecology | Elsevier |
| Preventive & Social Medicine | Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine | Banarsidas Bhanot |
- UPSC official website for notifications and previous year papers
- Online mock test platforms
- Medical journals and recent developments in medicine
- Video lectures from reputable medical educators
- Mobile apps for medical MCQs
Application Process
Notification Release
UPSC releases official notification approximately 4-5 months before the examination date.
Online Application
Candidates need to apply online through the UPSC official website. The application window is typically open for 3-4 weeks.
Admit Card
Admit cards are available for download from the UPSC website approximately 3 weeks before the examination.
Examination Date
The written examination is usually conducted in July/August.
Result Declaration
Results of the written examination are generally declared within 2-3 months.
Important: After qualifying the written examination, candidates need to submit detailed application forms (DAF) with required documents for verification.
Cut-off Trends
The cut-off marks vary each year based on the difficulty level of the examination and number of vacancies.
| Year | General | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 335 | 315 | 295 | 280 |
| 2021 | 340 | 320 | 300 | 285 |
| 2020 | 330 | 310 | 290 | 275 |
| 2019 | 345 | 325 | 305 | 290 |
Note: These are approximate values for reference. Actual cut-offs may vary slightly.
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