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UPSC Civil Services Examination Syllabus

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission is one of the most prestigious examinations in India. Through this exam, candidates are recruited for top government services such as IAS (Indian Administrative Service), IPS (Indian Police Service), IFS (Indian Foreign Service), and other central services.

The UPSC Civil Services Examination is conducted in three stages:

  1. Preliminary Examination
  2. Main Examination
  3. Personality Test (Interview)

Understanding the complete UPSC syllabus for Prelims and Mains is essential for effective preparation.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus

The UPSC Preliminary Examination consists of two objective-type papers:

  • • General Studies Paper I
  • • General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
  • Each paper carries 200 marks.

UPSC Prelims Paper I – General Studies

The syllabus includes the following topics:

  • Current events of national and international importance.
  • History of India and the Indian National Movement.
  • Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social and 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.
  • General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change.
  • General Science.

UPSC Prelims Paper II – CSAT

The Civil Services Aptitude Test includes:

  • 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, their relations and orders of magnitude.
  • Data interpretation – charts, graphs and tables.
  • Note: CSAT paper is qualifying in nature and candidates must secure at least 33 percent marks.

UPSC Mains Syllabus

The UPSC Main Examination consists of 9 papers.

Out of these, 2 papers are qualifying and 7 papers are counted for merit.

Qualifying Papers

Paper A – Indian Language (300 Marks)

  • Reading comprehension.
  • Precise writing.
  • Usage and vocabulary.
  • Short essay writing.
  • Translation from English to Indian language and vice versa.
  • Candidates may choose any language listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Paper B – English (300 Marks)

  • Reading comprehension.
  • Precise writing.
  • Vocabulary and usage.
  • Short essay writing.

Papers Counted for Merit

Essay Paper (250 Marks)

Candidates must write essays on multiple topics. The essay should reflect clarity of thought, logical organization and balanced arguments.

General Studies Paper I (250 Marks)

  • Indian culture – art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times.
  • Modern Indian history from the middle of the eighteenth century until the present.
  • The Freedom Struggle.
  • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
  • History of the world including industrial revolution, world wars, colonization and decolonization.
  • Salient features of Indian society.
  • Role of women and women’s organizations.
  • Population and associated issues.
  • Poverty and developmental issues.
  • Urbanization and problems.
  • Effects of globalization on Indian society.
  • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.
  • Physical geography of the world.
  • Distribution of natural resources.
  • Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones and floods.

General Studies Paper II (250 Marks)

  • Indian Constitution – historical background, features, amendments and significant provisions.
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States.
  • Separation of powers between various organs.
  • Parliament and State Legislatures.
  • Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and Judiciary.
  • Constitutional bodies such as Election Commission, CAG, UPSC and others.
  • Government policies and interventions for development.
  • Development processes and the development industry.
  • Issues relating to poverty, hunger, education and health.
  • Role of civil services in democracy.
  • India and its neighborhood relations.
  • Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements.
  • Important international institutions and agencies.

General Studies Paper III (250 Marks)

  • Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources and growth.
  • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
  • Government budgeting.
  • Agriculture and allied sectors.
  • Food processing industries.
  • Land reforms.
  • Infrastructure – energy, ports, roads and airports.
  • Investment models.
  • Science and technology developments and their applications.
  • Awareness in space, computers, robotics, artificial intelligence and biotechnology.
  • Environmental conservation and biodiversity.
  • Climate change.
  • Disaster management.
  • Internal security challenges.
  • Cyber security.
  • Role of media and social networking sites in internal security.

General Studies Paper IV (250 Marks)

  • Ethics and human interface.
  • Human values and lessons from great leaders.
  • Attitude and emotional intelligence.
  • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers.
  • Public and civil service values in governance.
  • Probity in governance.
  • Ethical issues in public administration.
  • Case studies on ethics and integrity.

Optional Subject Papers

  • Candidates must choose one optional subject, which includes two papers of 250 marks each.
  • Popular optional subjects include:
  • History
  • Geography
  • Political Science and International Relations
  • Public Administration
  • Sociology
  • Economics
  • Philosophy
  • Anthropology
  • Psychology
  • Mathematics
  • Agriculture
  • Law
  • Literature subjects

UPSC Interview (Personality Test)

  • Candidates who qualify the Main Examination are called for the Personality Test or Interview.
  • The interview evaluates:
  • Mental alertness.
  • Critical thinking ability.
  • Clear and logical expression.
  • Balance of judgment.
  • Leadership qualities.
  • Social awareness.
  • Intellectual and moral integrity.
  • The interview carries 275 marks.

UPSC Final Merit

The final ranking of candidates is based on marks obtained in:

  • UPSC Mains Written Examination – 1750 Marks
  • UPSC Interview – 275 Marks
  • Total Marks = 2025

Website:

https://upsc.gov.in/index.php