Welcome to Apna Gyan, Here, you will find the complete syllabus for the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Civil Services Examination is considered as one of the toughest and most prestigious examinations of India.
The Civil Services Examination is conducted in three phases :
Phase 1: Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective Type)
Phase 2: Civil Services (Mains) Examination (Descriptive Type)
Phase 3: Personal Interview (Personality Test)
Phase I
The Preliminary Examination.
| Paper | Subjects | Total Marks | Duration |
| I | General Studies | 200 | 2 hours (9:30 AM to 11:30 AM) |
| II | CSAT | 200 | 2 hours (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM) |
UPSC Prelims Syllabus for IAS Prelims Paper 1 – General Studies (counted for mains selection)
- 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.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change that do not require subject specialisation
- General Science
UPSC Prelims Syllabus for IAS Prelims Paper 2 – CSAT (Qualifying not counted for mains)
- 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)
Phase II
UPSC Mains Syllabus
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern
| Paper A Language – 300 Marks Candidate can take any Modern Indian Language but this paper is of qualifying nature |
| Paper B English – 300 Marks This paper is of qualifying nature |
| Paper-I Essay 250 Marks Can be written in the medium or language of the candidate’s choice. |
| Paper-II General Studies – I 250 Marks (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the world and society) |
| Paper III General Studies – II 250 Marks (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations) |
| Paper IV General Studies – III 250 Marks ( Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) |
| Paper V General Studies – IV 250 Marks Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude |
| Paper-VI Optional Subject – Paper 1 -250 Marks |
| Paper-VII Optional Subject – Paper II -250 Marks Candidate is allowed to take up literature as an optional subject “without the condition of having it at the graduation level.” |
| Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks Marks of English and Language will not be counted in the total tally of marks for the written exam. So the total of the Mains exam will be 1750 Marks Only. |
| Interview/Personality Test – 275 marks This part of the exam comes only after the results of the mains exams are declared. Candidates can give preference of the language in which they may like to be interviewed. UPSC will make arrangement for the translators. THe marks fetched in this stage of the exam is combined with the marks obtained in the upsc mains. |
| Grand Total 2025 Marks |
UPSC Mains Syllabus in Detail
Paper A – Modern Indian language 300 Marks – Qualifying nature – Marks not counted – Passing mandatory-(i) Comprehension of given passages.
- Comprehension of given passages.
- Precis Writing
- Usage and Vocabulary.
- Short Essay
- Translation from English to the Indian language and vice-versa.
Paper B – English – 300 marks – Qualifying nature – Marks not counted- Passing mandatory The aim of the paper is to test the candidates’ ability to read and understand serious discursive prose and to express his ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian Language concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broad as follows:-
- Comprehension of given passages
- Precis Writing
- Usage and Vocabulary
- Short Essay.
Note: The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of High School level and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for the final ranking.
PAPER-I
Essay: Candidates will be required to write an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. They will be expected to keep close to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.
English Comprehension & English Precis will be to test the English language Comprehension and English précis writing skills (at 10th standard level).
PAPER-II
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.
- History of the world will include events from the 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.
- 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, Volcanic activity, cyclone, etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including waterbodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: 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 disputes 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.
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, 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 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 DistributionSystem- 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, nano-technology, bio-technology 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, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cybersecurity; 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
PAPER-V
General Studies- IV: 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 problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him 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 behaviour; 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 issues.
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