UPSC Syllabus

Here is a detailed, topic-wise and subject-wise syllabus for the UPSC Prelims Exam. The prelims consist of two papers:

UPSC Prelims – Paper I: General Studies (GS)

Total Marks: 200 | Duration: 2 Hours | Objective Type | Qualifying for Mains Eligibility

1. Current Events of National and International Importance

  • Important government schemes & policies (central/state)
  • Summits and conferences (national/international)
  • Economic and political developments
  • Important international organizations (UN, WTO, IMF etc.)
  • Awards and honors
  • Reports and indices
  • Environment and biodiversity news
  • Science and tech innovations, ISRO/DRDO news
  • Sports news

2. History of India and Indian National Movement

a. Ancient History

  • Indus Valley Civilization
  • Vedic period
  • Mahajanapadas
  • Maurya and Gupta Empires
  • Religious movements: Jainism, Buddhism
  • Sangam period

b. Medieval History

  • Delhi Sultanate
  • Mughal Empire
  • Bhakti and Sufi Movements
  • Regional kingdoms

c. Modern History

  • Advent of Europeans in India
  • British expansion
  • Revolt of 1857
  • Socio-religious reform movements
  • Freedom struggle: 1885–1947 (INC, Gandhian phase, Revolutionary movements)
  • Partition & Independence

3. Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic

a. Indian Geography

  • Physical geography (mountains, rivers, soils, climate)
  • Indian agriculture
  • Natural vegetation and wildlife
  • Mineral and energy resources
  • Industries and infrastructure

b. World Geography

  • Continents and oceans
  • Climate and weather
  • Physical features (mountains, rivers, deserts etc.)
  • World map-based questions

c. Environmental Geography

  • Climate change
  • Disaster management
  • Environmental agreements and policies

4. Indian Polity and Governance

  • Constitution of India (features, amendments, parts/schedules)
  • Fundamental rights and duties
  • Directive Principles of State Policy
  • Parliament and state legislatures
  • Executive and Judiciary
  • Federalism, Emergency provisions
  • Election Commission and electoral processes
  • Panchayati Raj
  • Governance and transparency
  • Policies and initiatives

5. Economic and Social Development

  • Basic concepts of economy (GDP, inflation, etc.)
  • Banking and finance (RBI, monetary policy)
  • Fiscal policy and budget
  • Inclusive growth
  • Sustainable development
  • Government welfare schemes (MGNREGA, PMAY, etc.)
  • Social sector initiatives (health, education, women empowerment)

6. General Issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change

  • Ecology and ecosystem basics
  • Biodiversity and conservation
  • Pollution and environmental degradation
  • Climate change (IPCC, UNFCCC, COPs)
  • Environmental laws and policies
  • International environmental conventions

7. General Science

  • Physics, Chemistry, and Biology (basic concepts)
  • Science in everyday life
  • Latest developments in science and tech
  • Space technology, biotechnology
  • Health and medicine
  • Defense technology

UPSC Prelims – Paper II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test)

Total Marks: 200 | Duration: 2 Hours | Qualifying Paper (33% needed)

1. Comprehension

  • Reading passages with questions
  • Understanding and interpreting content

2. Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills

  • Social and communication skills (basic reasoning-based)

3. Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability

  • Statement and conclusions
  • Cause and effect
  • Assumptions and arguments
  • Puzzles and arrangements

4. Decision Making and Problem Solving

  • Situational judgment questions
  • Ethics-based short case studies

5. General Mental Ability

  • Arithmetic reasoning
  • Number series
  • Patterns and classification
  • Venn diagrams

6. Basic Numeracy (Class 10 Level)

  • Numbers and their relations
  • Orders of magnitude
  • Data interpretation (tables, graphs, charts)
  • Ratios, percentages, averages, profit-loss
  • Time, speed, distance, time & work.

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