Syllabus
UPSC Syllabus
Priliminary Exams
Part-
A
General
Studies- Paper- I
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.
6) General
issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and climate change.
7) General
Science.
General
Studies- Paper-II
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)
Main Examination
Part-B
Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English
The aim of the paper is to test the candidate's ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly in English and Indian Language concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:
1) Comprehension of given passages.
2) Precis Writing.
3) Usage and Vocabulary.
4) Short Essays.
Indian Languages:
1) Comprehension of given passages.
2) Precis Writing.
3) Usage and Vocabulary.
4) Short Essays.
5) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.
PAPER‐I
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.
PAPER‐II
General Studies‐I : Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
1) Indian
culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and
Architecture from ancient to modern times.
2) Modern
Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the
present- significant events, personalities, issues.
3) The
Freedom Struggle- its various stages and important contributor/contributions
from different parts of the country.
4) Post-independence
consolidation and reorganization within the country.
5) History
of the world will include events from18th century such as industrial revolution,
worldwars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political
philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
6) Salient
features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
7) Role
of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty
and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
8) Effects
of globalization on Indian society.
9) Social
empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
10) Salient
features of world’s physical geography.
11) Distribution
of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian
sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and
tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
12) Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies 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.
1) Indian
Constitution:- Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions and basic structure.
2) Functions
and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges
pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances upto
local levels and challenges therein.
3) Separation
of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
4) Comparison
of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
5) Parliament
and State legislatures- structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers
& privileges and issues arising out of these.
6) 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.
7) Salient
features of the Representation of People’s Act.
8) Appointment
to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of
various Constitutional Bodies.
9) Statutory,
regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
10) Government
policies and interventions for
development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation.
11) Development
processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups
and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
12) 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.
13) Issues
relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to
Health, Education, Human Resources.
14) Issues
relating to poverty and hunger.
15) Important
aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance-
applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters,
transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
16) Role
of civil services in a democracy.
17) India
and its neighborhood-relations.
18) Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting india’s interests.
19) Effect
of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s
interests, Indian diaspora.
20) Important
International institutions, agencies and forum - their structure, mandate.
PAPER‐IV
General Studies‐III : Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
1) Indian
Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth,
development and employment.
2) Inclusive
growth and issues arising from it.
3) Government
Budgeting.
4) 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.
5) Issues
related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices;
Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping;
issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of
animal-rearing.
6) Food
processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location,
upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
7) Land
reforms in India.
8) Effects
of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their
effects on industrial growth.
9) Infrastructure:
Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
10) Investment
models.
11) Science
and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
12) Achievements
of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and
developing new technology.
13) Awareness
in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology,
bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
14) Conservation,
environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
15) Disaster
and disaster management.
16) Linkages
between development and spread of extremism.
18) 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.
19) Security
challenges and their management in
border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
20) Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
PAPER‐V
General Studies‐IV : Ethics,
Integrity and Aptitude
1) 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 utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered :
2) 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.
3) Attitude:
content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and
behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
4) 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.
5) Emotional
intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration
and governance.
6) Contributions
of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
7) 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.
8) 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.
9) Case
Studies on above issues.