Hi Aspirants, hope you are doing well. UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Main Exam syllabus consists of nine papers, out of which two are qualifying in nature, and the marks obtained in the remaining seven papers are counted for ranking. The syllabus of the seven papers excluding two optional papers has given below :
Qualifying Papers
Syllabus of English ( 300 marks, 3 hours )
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Précis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
Syllabus of Indian languages ( 300 marks, 3 hours )
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Précis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
(v) Translation of English to the Indian language and vice-versa.
Compulsory Papers
Syllabus of Paper-I Essay( 250 marks, 3 hours )
Essay: 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.
Syllabus of Paper-II General Studies-I( 250 marks, 3 hours )
General Studies-I: 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.
• Hostory of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc. – their forms and effects on the society.
• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
• Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
• Effects of globalization on Indian society.
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
• Salient features of the world’s physical geography.
• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); 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, Tsunami, Volcanoc activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features ( including water bodies and ice-caps) and flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Syllabus of PAPER-III General Studies- II ( 250 marks, 3 hours )
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
• Indian Costitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
• Functions and the responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of the powers and finances upto local levels and challenges therein.
• Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
• Comparison of the Indian constitution schemes with that of other contries.
• Parliament and state legislatures- structure, functioning, 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 the 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 development and management of Social sector / services related go Health, Education, Human Resources.
• Issues related 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.
• Effects of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, India diaspora.
• Important International institutions, agencies and fora – their structure, mandate.
Syllabus of PAPER-IV General Studies-III ( 250 marks, 3 hours )
General Studies-III Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, 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 Systems- 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 policies 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, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environment 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.
Syllabus of PAPER-V General Studies-IV( 250 marks, 3 hours )
General Studies-IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
• 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; 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, challenges of corruption.
• Case Studies on the above topics.
Apart from these seven papers there are two more papers in main exam of UPSC CSE which are the optional papers. These seven papers are common for all of the candidates who are preparing to crack the exam.
Keep Working Hard. Good luck! 👍