The Civil Services (Main) examination will be held in November or December this year and applications for it will be called in August or September, according to a notification issued by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

UPSC, which conducts the prestigious examinations to select IAS, IPS and IFS officers among others, has in a recently issued public notice dropped the mandatory English language paper from the main test.

It has also restored the earlier practice of two qualifying papers, the marks obtained of which will not be counted for ranking.

"The papers on Indian languages and English will be of matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking," it said.

UPSC had on March 5 issued a circular giving more weightage to English language. The move had led to an uproar inside and outside Parliament forcing the government to keep it in abeyance on March 15.

"It may also be noted that there is no change in the pattern of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, which will be held on May 26, 2013," it said.

The last date for filling online application for Civil Services preliminary examination is April 4.