The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is one of the most prestigious and challenging exams in India, opening the door to a career in civil services. To succeed, a deep understanding of the UPSC syllabus is essential. This blog provides a detailed breakdown of the UPSC exam syllabus to help you strategize your preparation effectively.
1. Overview of the UPSC Exam Structure
The UPSC Civil Services Examination is conducted in three stages:
- Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
- Main Examination (Mains)
- Personality Test (Interview)
Each stage is crucial and requires focused preparation. Below is a detailed guide to the syllabus for each stage.
2. UPSC Preliminary Examination Syllabus
The Prelims consist of two papers:
- Paper I: General Studies (GS)
- Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)
General Studies (Paper I)
This paper tests your general awareness and understanding of various subjects, including:
- Current Events: National and international importance, including significant developments in politics, science, technology, and the environment.
- History of India and Indian National Movement: Ancient, medieval, and modern history with emphasis on the freedom struggle.
- Indian and World Geography: Physical, social, and 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 related to the environment and ecology, with no specific subject specialization required.
- General Science: Basics of science and technology, significant discoveries, and their implications.
CSAT (Paper II)
This paper assesses your aptitude and analytical abilities, covering:
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal Skills, including Communication Skills
- Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability
- Decision-Making and Problem-Solving
- General Mental Ability
- Basic Numeracy and Data Interpretation (Class X level)
Note: Paper II is qualifying in nature, requiring a minimum of 33% to pass.
3. UPSC Main Examination Syllabus
The Mains examination consists of nine papers, out of which seven are counted for merit ranking. The other two are qualifying papers.
Qualifying Papers
- Paper A: Indian Language (any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution)
- Paper B: English
Merit Papers
Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. This paper assesses the ability to articulate thoughts clearly and concisely.
- General Studies I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society.
- General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations.
- General Studies III: Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.
- General Studies IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude.
- Optional Paper I: Candidate’s choice of subject from a list of optional subjects.
- Optional Paper II: Continuation of the chosen optional subject.