The UPSC syllabus is planned to evaluate candidates’ information, inclination, and expository capacities, and it comprises two stages: the Preparatory Examination (Prelims) and the Most Examination (Mains), taken after by an interview/personality test. The UPSC Syllabus for Prelims incorporates two obligatory papers: Common Thinks about Paper-I and Common Considers Paper-II (moreover known as the CSAT or Gracious Administrations Fitness Test). These papers cover a wide run of subjects, counting history, geology, financial matters, commonwealth, environment, science, and current issues.The syllabus for UPSC Mains examination is more specialized and comprises of nine papers, counting one exposition paper, four Common Considers papers, two discretionary subject papers, and two dialect papers (both qualifying in nature).
UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam Pattern & Syllabus
| No. of Papers | 2 compulsory papers |
| Type of Questions | Objective (MCQ) type |
| Total Maximum Marks | 400 (200 each paper) |
| Duration of Exam | 2 hrs. each (20 minutes per hour extra time for blind candidates & candidate with Locomotor Disability & Cerebral Palsy [minimum 40% impairment]) |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd of the marks assigned to a question |
| Medium of Exam | Bilingual (Hindi & English) |
Paper-I: General Studies
- Number of Questions: 100
- Type of Questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Total Marks: 200
- Duration: 2 hours
Syllabus for Paper-I: General Studies
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and 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.
- Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – General issues on Environmental Ecology, that do not require subject specialization.
- General Science.
Paper-II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test)
- Number of Questions: 80
- Type of Questions: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Total Marks: 200
- Duration: 2 hours
- Note: The marks obtained in Paper-II are counted for qualifying for the Mains examination. You need to score a minimum of 33% to qualify in this paper.
Syllabus for Paper-II: CSAT
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- General mental ability
- 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 Main Exam Pattern & Syllabus
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying Papers | Paper-A (Indian Language) | 300 |
| Qualifying Papers | Paper-B (English) | 300 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-I (Essay) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-II (General Studies-I) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-III (General Studies-II) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-IV (General Studies-III) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-V (General Studies-IV) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-VI (Optional Subject – Paper 1) | 250 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | Paper-VII (Optional Subject – Paper 2) | 250 |
| Sub Total (Written Test) | – | 1750 |
| Personality Test | – | 275 |
| Grand Total | – | 2025 |
Main Examination Pattern:
The UPSC IAS Main Examination consists of nine papers. Out of these, two papers are qualifying in nature (Indian Language and English), and seven papers are counted for ranking. The personality test (interview) carries 275 marks.
Qualifying Papers:
Paper-A: Indian Language (Qualifying): Candidates have to choose one of the Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The paper is of qualifying nature and the marks obtained are not counted for ranking. Candidates should score a minimum of 25% marks in this paper.
Paper-B: English (Qualifying): This paper is intended to test the candidate’s English language skills and is also of qualifying nature. Again, candidates need to score a minimum of 25% marks.
Papers Counted for Ranking:
Paper-I: Essay (250 Marks)
Paper-II: General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society) (250 Marks)
Paper-III: General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations) (250 Marks)
Paper-IV: General Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management) (250 Marks)
Paper-V: General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) (250 Marks)
Paper-VI: Optional Subject – Paper I (250 Marks)
Paper-VII: Optional Subject – Paper II (250 Marks)
Personality Test (Interview):
The personality test or interview carries 275 marks. The final merit list is prepared based on the marks obtained in the Main Examination (written papers) and the interview.
Please note that the UPSC may make revisions to the syllabus and examination pattern, so it’s crucial to refer to the latest UPSC notifications for the most up-to-date information.
Important Points:
- The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and paper B) will be of qualifying nature and the marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
- The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard.
- The papers on Essay, General Studies and Optional Subject of only such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in ‘Indian Language’ and 25% in ‘English’ as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.
- Marks obtained by the candidates for the Paper I-VII only will be counted for merit ranking.
- The question papers for the main examination will be of conventional (essay) type and each paper will be of 3 hour duration.
- Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the Qualifying Language Papers, Paper-A and Paper-B, in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India or in English.
- The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.
- Compensatory time of twenty minutes per hour shall be permitted for the Blind candidates and the candidates with locomotor disability and cerebral palsy where dominant (writing) extremity is affected to the extent of slowing the performance of function (minimum of 40% impairment) in both the Civil Services (Preliminary) as well as in the Civil Services (Main) Examination.
Syllabus of UPSC Main Examination Papers
The syllabus for the various papers in the UPSC Civil Services Main Examination is comprehensive and covers a wide range of topics. Here’s the syllabus for each of the papers counted for merit:
Paper-I: Essay (250 Marks)
Candidates are required to write two essays. You must choose one topic from each section, and each essay should be approximately 1,000-1,200 words.
Paper-II: General Studies-I
- Indian Heritage and Culture
- History of the World
- Geography of the World
- Society
Paper-III: General Studies-II
- Indian Constitution and its features
- Historical evolution and development of the Indian Constitution
- Indian political system
- Governance issues and challenges
- Public policy and its implementation
- Role of civil services in a democracy
- India’s relations with neighboring countries
- International institutions and agreements
Paper-IV: General Studies-III
- Indian economy and issues related to planning and growth
- Major sectors of the Indian economy
- Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
- Investment models
- Science and technology developments
- Environmental and ecological issues
- Disaster management
Paper-V: General Studies-IV
- Ethics and human interface
- Attitude
- Aptitude and foundational values
- Emotional intelligence
- Public/Civil service values and ethics in public administration
- Probity in governance
- Case studies on above topics
Paper-VI: Optional Subject - Paper I (250 Marks)
Candidates can choose one optional subject from a list provided by UPSC, which includes subjects like history, geography, political science, economics, sociology, and many others. The syllabus for the optional subject will vary based on the subject chosen.
Paper-VII: Optional Subject - Paper II
This is the second paper of the optional subject chosen by the candidate. The syllabus is specific to the chosen optional subject. Please note that the syllabus for the optional subjects may vary widely, and candidates should refer to the UPSC official notification for the specific syllabus of the optional subject they choose. Additionally, it’s important to keep up with any updates or changes in the syllabus, so it’s advisable to refer to the latest UPSC notification for the most current information.
FAQ'S:
UPSC stands for the Union Public Service Commission. It is responsible for conducting civil services examinations in India, including the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Foreign Service (IFS) examinations.
The UPSC syllabus refers to the prescribed topics and subjects for the civil services examinations. It includes a wide range of subjects and areas of knowledge to test the candidates’ aptitude and understanding of various subjects.
The UPSC examination consists of three stages: a. Preliminary Examination (Objective Type) b. Main Examination (Written and Interview) c. Personality Test or Interview
