Main Exam


Qualifying Papers
  • Paper-A (300 marks):
    1. 1) Comprehension of given passages
    2. 2) Precis Writing.
    3. 3) Usage and Vocabulary
    4. 4) Short Essays.
    5. 5) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.
  • Paper-B (300 marks):
    1. 1. Comprehension of given passages
    2. 2. Precis Writing.
    3. 3. Usage and Vocabulary.
    4. 4. Short Essays.
Essay Paper
Paper 1 Essay (250 marks):

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.

General Studies I
Paper 2 - General Studies 1 (250 marks):Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World andSociety.
  • Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture fromancient to modern times.
  • Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the presentsignificantevents, personalities, issues.
  • The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions fromdifferent parts of the country.
  • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
  • History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution,world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, politicalphilosophies 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 anddevelopmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
  • Effects of globalization on Indian society.
  • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
  • Salient features of world’s physical geography.
  • Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indiansub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sectorindustries in various parts of the world (including India).
  • Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cycloneetc., 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.
General Studies II
Paper 3 - General Studies 2 (250 marks): Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and Internationalrelations.
  • 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 tothe federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challengestherein.
  • Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
  • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
  • 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 andDepartments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and theirrole in the Polity.
  • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities ofvarious Constitutional Bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
  • Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arisingout of their design and implementation.
  • Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, variousgroups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
  • Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and theperformance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for theprotection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
  • Issues relating to 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-governanceapplications,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 affectingIndia’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.
General Studies III
Paper 4 - General Studies 3 (250 marks): Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, 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 it.
  • Government Budgeting.
  • Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, - different types of irrigationand irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues andrelated constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
  • Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks andfood security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
  • Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstreamand downstream requirements, supply chain management.
  • Land reforms in India.
  • Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects onindustrial 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-technologyand 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, role of media and socialnetworking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-launderingand its prevention.
  • Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime withterrorism.
  • Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
General Studies IV
Paper 5 - General Studies 4 (250 marks): 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 issuesand conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case studyapproach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:
  • Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-humanactions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values -lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role offamily 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 compassiontowards the weaker-sections.
  • Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
  • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
  • Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethicalconcerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations andconscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance;strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in internationalrelations 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 ofEthics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
  • Case Studies on above issues.
Optional Subject

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List given below:

  1. 1. Agriculture
  2. 2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
  3. 3. Anthropology
  4. 4. Botany
  5. 5. Chemistry
  6. 6. Civil Engineering
  7. 7. Commerce and Accountancy
  8. 8. Economics
  9. 9. Electrical Engineering
  10. 10. Geography
  11. 11. Geology
  12. 12. History
  13. 13. Law
  1. 14. Management
  2. 15. Mathematics
  3. 16. Mechanical Engineering
  4. 17. Medical Science
  5. 18. Philosophy
  6. 19. Physics
  7. 20. Political Science and International Relations
  8. 21. Psychology
  9. 22. Public Administration
  10. 23. Sociology
  11. 24. Statistics
  12. 25. Zoology
  13. 26. Literature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.

Scope of Syllabus:

The scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’ degree. In the case of Engineering, Medical Science and law, the level corresponds to the bachelors’ degree.
Note: For detailed syllabus of each optional paper, please refer to the notification given in the UPSC official website (https://www.upsc.gov.in/)