IAS
- Foundation Courses
UPSC Prelims Exam Syllabus
2024
Paper I - (200 marks) Duration: Two hours
- 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 specialization General Science.
Paper II- (200 marks) Duration: Two hours (33% or 66 Marks
Compulsory)
- 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)
- English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level)
Civil Services Main
Examination Timetable
| PART B - MAIN EXAMINATION - OPTIONAL SUBJECTS |
| Paper-I |
Section 1 Essay |
200 Marks |
| Section 2 English Comprehension & English Précis |
100 Marks |
| Paper-II |
General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of
the World and Society) |
250 Marks |
| Paper-III |
General Studies –II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice
and International relations) |
250 Marks |
| Papers-IV |
General Studies –III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity,
Environment, Security and Disaster Management) |
250 Marks |
| Paper-V |
General Studies –IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) |
250 Marks |
| Paper-VI |
Optional Subject – Paper 1 |
250 Marks |
| Paper-VII |
Optional Subject – Paper 2 |
250 Marks |
| Sub Total (Written test) |
1800 Marks |
| Personality Test |
275 Marks |
| Grand Total |
2075 Marks |
CSE Mains General Studies
Paper - 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 or
contributions from different 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, 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 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.
CSE Mains General Studies
Paper - 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 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 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 development and management of Social Sector or 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.
CSE Mains General Studies
Paper - III
(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
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 Distribution System- 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, role of media and
social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security,
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.
CSE Mains General Studies
Paper - 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 utilise 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; 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 weakersections.
- 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; 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 above issues.
Optional Subjects
Latest News: 