UPSC Civil Services Exam Syllabus

The UPSC conducts the civil services examination (commonly called the IAS exam) in three stages, which are:

  • Preliminary examination (Prelims)
  • Mains examination
  • Personality Test (Interview)

Table of Contents

UPSC Syllabus for Prelims

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination  consists of two papers: 

  • General Studies (GS) Paper-1
  • General Studies (GS) Paper-2 (CSAT) 

Below is the syllabus for each:.

General Studies Paper-1

Total Marks: 200  |  Time Duration: 2 hours  |  Number of  Questions: 100

  • Current events of national and international importance.
  • History of India and the Indian National Movement.
  • Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
  • Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
  • Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.
  • General Science.

General Studies Paper-2 (also called CSAT)

Total Marks: 200 (Qualifying: 33% required)  |  Time Duration: 2 hours  |  Number of  Questions: 80

  • Comprehension.
  • Interpersonal skills, including communication skills.
  • Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
  • Decision-making and problem-solving.
  • General mental ability.
  • Basic numeracy (Class X level) – numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.
  • Data interpretation (Class X level) – charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.

Important Notes:

  • Paper-I (GS) is considered for merit ranking in the Preliminary stage.
  • Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
  • Negative Marking: Both Prelims papers have negative marking (1/3rd of the marks assigned to the question will be deducted for each incorrect answer).
  • Both Prelims papers will consist of multiple-choice, objective-type questions.
  • Both papers are generally held on the same day.

UPSC Syllabus for Mains

The UPSC Mains Examination consists of a total of nine papers, divided into two categories: qualifying papers and merit-based papers. 

 

  • The qualifying papers include Paper-A (an Indian language chosen from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution) and Paper-B (English Compulsory), both carrying 300 marks each. 
  • The remaining seven papers, which contribute to the final merit, include an Essay Paper, four General Studies (GS) Papers (GS Papers I-IV), and two Optional Subject Papers (Optional Papers I and II).

Qualifying Papers

Paper-A: Indian Languages (300 Marks)

Indian Language selected by the candidate from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

(Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu)

  • Comprehension of a given passage: Understanding and analyzing the passage in the chosen language.
  • Precis writing: Summarizing a given passage in the same language.
  • Translation: Translation of a passage from English to the chosen Indian language and vice versa.
  • Composition: Writing essays, letters, or applications on general topics in the chosen language.
  • Grammar and Usage: Testing knowledge of grammar and language structure.
  • Vocabulary: Testing knowledge of words and their meanings in context.

  • Medium of Paper: Candidate’s chosen language from the Eighth Schedule.

  • Level of Difficulty: Class 10 standard.

Paper-B: English Compulsory Paper (300 Marks)

  • Essay Writing: Writing an essay on a given topic to evaluate coherence, organization, and expression.

  • Reading Comprehension: Passages are provided, and candidates must answer questions based on the content and themes of the passages.

  • Precis Writing: Writing a concise summary of a given passage to assess comprehension and the ability to condense information effectively.

  • Grammar and Usage: Testing correctness and usage of English grammar, including sentence correction and error identification.

  • Vocabulary: Questions related to synonyms, antonyms, and usage of words in sentences.

  • Translation: Translating a passage from English to a regional language or vice versa.

  • Medium of Paper: English only.

  • Level of Difficulty: Class 10 standard.

Merit-based Papers

Essay Paper (250 Marks)

UPSC syllabus does not have specific topics. It says in the notification “Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression“.

General Studies Paper-1 (250 Marks)

Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society

 

  • Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
  • Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present—significant events, personalities, issues.
  • The Freedom Struggle—its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
  • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
  • History of the world, including events from the 18th century such as the Industrial Revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc., and their forms and effects on society.
  • Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
  • Role of women and women’s organizations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems, and their remedies.
  • Effects of globalization on Indian society.
  • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, and secularism.
  • Salient features of the world’s physical geography.
  • Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
  • Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, cyclones, etc., geographical features and their location—changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

General Studies Paper-2 (250 Marks)

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

 

  • Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure.
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels, and challenges therein.
  • Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms, and institutions.
  • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
  • Parliament and State Legislatures—structure, functioning, the conduct of business, powers & privileges, and issues arising out of these.
  • Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the polity.
  • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial bodies.
  • Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
  • Development processes and the development industry—the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
  • Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions, and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
  • Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
  • Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
  • Important aspects of governance, transparency, and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability, and institutional and other measures.
  • Role of civil services in a democracy.
  • India and its neighborhood- relations.
  • Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
  • Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
  • Important International institutions, agencies, and fora, their structure, mandate.

General Studies Paper-3 (250 Marks)

(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management)

 

  • Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development, and employment.
  • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
  • Government Budgeting.
  • Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce, and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
  • Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
  • Food processing and related industries in India—scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
  • Land reforms in India.
  • Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy, and their effects on industrial growth.
  • Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
  • Investment models.
  • Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
  • Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
  • Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
  • Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
  • Disaster and disaster management.
  • Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
  • Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
  • Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money laundering and its prevention.
  • Security challenges and their management in border areas—linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
  • Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

General Studies Paper-4 (250 Marks)

(Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude)

 

  • This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life, and his/her problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him/her in dealing with society.
    Questions may utilize the case study approach to determine these aspects.

The following broad areas will be covered:

  • Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators; the role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values.

  • Attitude: Content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behavior; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

  • Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality, and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion towards the weaker sections.

  • Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

  • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.

  • Public/Civil Service values and Ethics in Public Administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations, and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.

  • Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, and challenges of corruption.

  • Case Studies on the above issues.

Optional Paper I and II (500 Marks)

The syllabus for optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Examination is extensive and varies depending on the subject chosen by the candidate.

 

Here is the list of available optional subjects for the UPSC CSE along with links to the detailed syllabus:

 

Optional Subjects for UPSC CSE:

  1. Agriculture
  2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
  3. Anthropology
  4. Botany
  5. Chemistry
  6. Civil Engineering
  7. Commerce and Accountancy
  8. Economics
  9. Electrical Engineering
  10. Geography
  11. Geology
  12. History
  13. Law
  14. Management
  15. Mathematics
  16. Mechanical Engineering
  17. Medical Science
  18. Philosophy
  19. Physics
  20. Political Science and International Relations
  21. Psychology
  22. Public Administration
  23. Sociology
  24. Statistics
  25. Zoology

Literature of the Following Languages:

  • Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and English.

Interview/Personality Test (275 Marks)

The candidate will be interviewed by a Board that will have before them a record of the candidate’s career. The objective of the interview is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service.

This test is intended to judge the mental caliber of a candidate. In broad terms, this is really an assessment of not only the intellectual qualities but also social traits and interest in current affairs.

Some of the qualities to be judged are:

  • Mental alertness
  • Critical powers of assimilation
  • Clear and logical exposition
  • Balance of judgment
  • Variety and depth of interest
  • Ability for social cohesion and leadership
  • Intellectual and moral integrity

The technique of the interview is not that of a strict cross-examination, but of a natural, though directed and purposeful conversation, which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the candidate.

The interview test is to supplement the written examination by assessing the candidate’s overall personality and suitability for public service.

 

Source:

This text is directly from the official UPSC notification for Civil Services Examination. For additional details, you can refer to the full notification on the UPSC official website

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