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UPSC and IAS Exam Syllabus 2023 – For Mains

Candidates must have a thorough understanding of the UPSC syllabus in order to realise their dream of becoming a civil servant. Every year, the UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) to recruit for the various key Civil Services of the Government of India, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and the Indian Police Service (IPS), as well as the Indian Foreign Service (IFS). The Civil Services Examination is divided into two stages.

  • Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective Type) for the purpose of selecting candidates for the Main Examination; and
  • Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) to select candidates for various services and positions.

The complete syllabus for the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination and the Civil Services (Main) Examination is as follows.

UPSC Exam Syllabus – TradeMark IAS

UPSC Exam Syllabus
UPSC exam Syllabus 2023 – IAS Syllabus For Mains


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Syllabus for Civil Services Preliminary Examination

General Studies Paper I (200 marks total, two hours duration):

  • Current events of national and international importance.
  • India’s history and the Indian National Movement.
  • Physical, social, and economic geography of India and the rest of the world.
  • Indian Politics and Governance—Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Human Rights Issues, and so on.
  • Economic and Social Development—Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demography, Social Sector Initiatives, and so on.
  • Environmental ecology, biodiversity, and climate change are general issues that do not require subject specialisation. Science in general.

General Studies Paper II (200 marks total, two hours duration):

  • 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);

To be evaluated, a candidate must take both papers of the Civil Services Prelims Exam. If a candidate misses either paper, they will be disqualified.

Syllabus for UPSC Civil Service Main Examination

Syllabus of the papers included in the scheme of Civil Services (Main) Examination are given as follows :

English Paper

  • Comprehension of given passages.
  • Précis Writing.
  • Usage and Vocabulary.
  • Short Essays

Indian Languages Paper

  • Comprehension of given passages.
  • Precis Writing.
  • Usage and Vocabulary.
  • Short Essays.
  • Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

Essay Paper

This paper has no prescribed syllabus. Candidates may be required to write essays on a variety of subjects. They will be expected to stick to the topic of the essay, arrange their ideas in an orderly manner, and write concisely. Effective and precise expression will be rewarded.

General Studies-1 (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)

  • From ancient to modern times, Indian culture will cover the most important aspects of art forms, literature, and architecture.
  • Significant events, personalities, and issues in modern Indian history from the middle of the eighteenth century to the present.
  • The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and significant contributors/contributors from various parts of the country.
  • Consolidation and reorganisation of the country following independence.
  • World history includes 18th-century events like the Industrial Revolution, world wars, changes in country borders, colonization, decolonization, and political systems like communism, capitalism, and socialism, and how they affected society.
  • The highlights of Indian society, India’s diversity.
  • The role of women and women’s organisations, population and related issues, poverty and development issues, urbanisation, its problems and solutions.
  • Globalization’s impact on Indian society.
  • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, and secularism are all important concepts.
  • Highlights of the world’s physical geography.
  • The distribution of important natural resources worldwide, especially in South Asia and the Indian subcontinent, as well as the factors affecting the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries, including in India.
  • Major natural events like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, and cyclones, along with changes in important landforms, water bodies, ice caps, plants, and animals, and their effects.
General Studies Paper 2

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations, focusing on their principles, frameworks, and practical applications.

  • Historical foundations, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges related to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to the local level, and challenges associated with this.
  • Power division among various organs, dispute resolution mechanisms, and institutions
  • The Indian constitutional framework is analyzed in comparison with other countries.
  • Parliament and state legislatures—structure, operation, business conduct, powers and privileges, and issues arising from these.
  • Structure, organization, and operation of the Executive and Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations, and their role in the Polity.
  • The highlights of the People’s Representation Act.
    Appointment to various Constitutional offices, powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory, and quasi-judicial bodies exist.
    Government policies and interventions for development across various sectors, along with the challenges arising from their design and implementation.
  • The role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders in development processes and the development industry.
  • Welfare schemes by the Centre and States for vulnerable groups, their effectiveness, and the laws, institutions, and bodies set up to protect and support them.
  • Development and management of the Social Sector/Services in Health, Education, and Human Resources.
  • Concerns about poverty and hunger.
  • Transparency and accountability are important aspects of governance, as are citizen charters, transparency and accountability, and institutional and other measures.
  • The function of civil services in a democracy.
  • India’s relations with its neighbors.
  • Groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests at the bilateral, regional, and global levels.
  • The impact of the policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, along with their effects on the Indian diaspora. Important international institutions, agencies, and fora–structure and mandate.

General Studies-3 covers –  Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.

  • The Indian economy and issues concerning resource planning, mobilization, growth, development, and employment.
  • The implications of inclusive growth.
  • Budgeting by the government.
  • 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.
  • Direct and indirect farm subsidies along with minimum support prices; Public Distribution System—its objectives, functioning, limitations, and revamping; issues related to buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; and the economics of animal rearing.
  • The scope and significance of food processing and related industries in India, along with their location, upstream and downstream requirements, and supply chain management.
  • India’s land reforms.
  • The effects of economic liberalization, changes in industrial policy, and their effects on industrial growth.
    Infrastructure includes things like energy, ports, roads, airports, and railways.
  • Investment strategies.
  • Advancements in science and technology, along with their applications and impacts on daily life.
  • Indian achievements in science and technology; indigenization of technology and development of new technology.
  • Awareness in the fields of information technology, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and intellectual property rights.
  • Conservation, pollution and degradation of the environment, and environmental impact assessment are all issues that must be addressed.
  • Management of disasters and disasters.
  • Relationships between extremism’s development and spread.
  • External state and non-state actors’ roles in posing threats to internal security.
  • Internal security threats posed by communication networks, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security threats, the fundamentals of cyber security, and money-laundering prevention.
  • Border security challenges and management – links between organized crime and terrorism.
  • The mandates of various security forces and agencies.

General Studies- 4: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

  • This paper will include questions designed to assess the candidates’ attitudes and approaches to issues of integrity, probity in public life, and his problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts encountered in dealing with society. To determine these aspects, questions may employ the case study approach.
  • Human Interaction and Ethics: Ethics in human actions: the essence, determinants, and consequences; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons learned from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators; the role of family, society, and educational institutions in instilling values.
  • Attitude: Content, structure, and function; its influence on thought and behavior; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion
  • Essential civil service values include integrity, impartiality, nonpartisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion for the underprivileged.
  • Concepts of emotional intelligence and their utility and application in administration and governance
  • Moral thinkers and philosophers from India and around the world have contributed.
  • Public/civil service values and public administration ethics: Status and problems in government and private institutions; 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 the aforementioned issues.

Optional Subject Papers I & II

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List of Optional Subjects:

  1. Psychology
  2. Political Science and International relations
  3. Public Administration
  4. Management
  5. Commerce & Accountancy
  6. Electrical Engineering
  7. Anthropology
  8. Mathematics
  9. Physics
  10. Geology
  11. History
  12. Law
  13. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
  14. Mechanical Engineering
  15. Statistics
  16. Zoology
  17. Medical Science
  18. Philosophy
  19. Chemistry
  20. Botany
  21. Sociology
  22. Civil Engineering
  23. Geography
  24. Literature in languages like Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English, and others
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