UPSC IAS Syllabus

UPSC Syllabus: Prelims Exam

Syllabus of Paper I- (200 marks), Duration: 2 hours

1. Current events of national and international importance

2. History of India and Indian National Movement
3. Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the
World
4. Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public
Policy, Rights Issues, etc
5. Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion,
Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc
6. General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity, and Climate Change - that
do not require subject specialization
7. General Science

CSAT Syllabus- Paper II-(200 marks), Duration: 2 hours

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

UPSC IAS Syllabus: Mains Exam

General Studies Syllabus Paper-1

History Society Geography

GS-I: Indian culture will cover
the salient aspects of Art
Forms, Literature, and
Architecture from ancient to
modern times.
GS-I: Modern Indian history
from about the middle of the
eighteenth century until the
present- significant events,
personalities, issues
GS-I: The Freedom Struggle -
its various stages and
important contributors
/contributions from different
parts of the country.
GS-I: Salient features of
Indian Society, Diversity of
India.
GS-I: Role of women and
women's organization,
GS-I: Population and
associated issues,
GS-I: Salient features of the
world's physical geography.
GS-I: Distribution of key
natural resources across the
world (including South Asia
and the Indian sub-
continent);
GS-I: Factors responsible
for the location of primary,
secondary, and tertiary
sector industries in various

GS-I: Post-independence
consolidation and
reorganization within the
country.
GS-I: History of the world will
include events from 18th
century such as industrial
revolution, world wars,
redrawing of national
boundaries, colonization,
decolonization, political
philosophies like communism,
capitalism, socialism etc.- their
forms and effect on the society.
parts of the world (including
India)
GS-I: Important
Geophysical phenomena
GS-I: Poverty and
such as earthquakes,
developmental issues,
Tsunami, Volcanic activity,
cyclone etc.,
GS-I: Geographical features
and their location- changes
in critical geographical
GS-I: Urbanization, their
features (including water-
problems and their remedies.
bodies and ice-caps) and in
flora and fauna and the
effects of such changes.
GS-I: Effects of globalization
on Indian society
GS-I: Social empowerment,
communalism, regionalism &
secularism.

General Studies Syllabus Paper-2

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

General Studies Syllabus Paper-3

Science & Tech, Environment

Economic Development Internal Security
and Disaster Management
GS-III: Indian Economy and issues GS-III: Science and GS-III: Linkages
relating to planning, mobilization of Technology- developments and between development
resources, growth, development, their applications and effects in and spread of
and employment. everyday life extremism.
 GS-III: Role of
GS-III: Achievements of external state and non-
GS-III: Inclusive growth and
Indians in science & state actors in creating
issues arising from it.
technology; challenges to internal
security.
GS-III: Indigenization of GS-III: Money-
GS-III: Government Budgeting. technology and developing new laundering and its
technology. prevention
GS-III: Challenges to
GS-III: Major crops cropping internal security
patterns in various parts of the through
country, different types of irrigation GS-III: Awareness in the fields communication
and irrigation systems storage, of IT, Space, Computers, networks, the role of
transport and marketing of robotics, nanotechnology, media and social
agricultural produce and issues and biotechnology networking sites in
related constraints; e-technology in internal security
the aid of farmers challenges, basics of
cyber security;
GS-III: Security
GS-III: Issues related to direct and
GS-III: Issues relating to challenges and their
indirect farm subsidies and
intellectual property rights. management in border
minimum support prices;
areas;
GS-III: Public Distribution System GS-III: Linkages of
GS-III: Disaster and disaster
objectives, functioning, limitations, organized crime with
management.
revamping; terrorism
GS-III: Conservation, GS-III: Various
GS-III: Issues of buffer stocks and environmental pollution, and Security forces and
food security; degradation, environmental agencies and their
impact assessment mandate
GS-III: Technology missions;
economics of animal-rearing.
GS-III: Food processing and
related industries in India- scope
and significance, location, upstream
and downstream requirements,
supply chain management.
GS-III: Land reforms in India.
GS-III: Effects of liberalization on
the economy, changes in industrial
policy and their effects on industrial
growth.
GS-III: Infrastructure: Energy,
Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways
etc.
GS-III: Investment models.
General Studies Paper-4

Ethics Integrity Aptitude

GS-IV: Public/Civil service values
and Ethics in Public administration:
Status and problems; ethical GS-IV: Aptitude and
GS-IV: Ethics and
concerns and dilemmas in foundational values for
Human Interface:
government and private institutions; Civil Service, integrity,
Essence, determinants,
laws, rules, regulations and impartiality and non-
and consequences of
conscience as sources of ethical partisanship, objectivity,
Ethics in human actions;
guidance; accountability and ethical dedication to public
dimensions of ethics;
governance; strengthening of ethical service, empathy, tolerance
ethics in private and
and moral values in governance; and compassion towards
public relationships.
ethical issues in international the weaker-sections.
relations and funding; corporate
governance.
GS-IV: Probity in Governance:
Concept of public service;
GS-IV: Human Values - GS-IV: Emotional
Philosophical basis of governance
lessons from the lives and intelligence-concepts, and
and probity; Information sharing
teachings of great leaders, their utilities and
and transparency in government,
reformers and application in
Right to Information, Codes of
administrators; the role of administration and
Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen's
family, society and governance.
Charters, Work culture, Quality of
educational institutions in
service delivery, Utilization of
inculcating values.
public funds, challenges of
corruption.
GS-IV: Attitude: content,
structure, function; its
influence and relation
with thought and
behaviour; moral and
political attitudes; social
influence and persuasion.
GS-IV: Contributions of
moral thinkers and
philosophers from India
and the world.
GS-IV: Case Studies on the above issues.

Previous Year Solved Papers

Daily UPSC Current Affairs

Daily Editorial List

Monthly Current Affairs

UPSC Study Material

Gist of Yojana