Understanding the UPSC Syllabus!!

The examination process for the Civil Services is divided into two main stages: the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown:

1. Civil Services Preliminary Examination

Purpose: To select candidates for the Main Examination.

Structure:

•  Comprises two compulsory papers.
•  Each paper is worth 200 marks.
•  Both papers are objective type (multiple-choice questions).
•  Each paper has a duration of two hours.

Detailed Breakdown:

Paper – I  (Duration:2 hours, Marks: 200)

Content:

• Current events of national and international significance.
• History of India and the Indian National Movement.
• Indian and World Geography, including Physical, Social, and Economic aspects.
• Indian Polity and Governance, covering the Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, and Rights Issues.
• Economic and Social Development topics such as Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, and Social Sector Initiatives.
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change, which do not require specialized knowledge.
• General Science.

Paper II: (Duration: 2 hours, Marks:  200,  Minimum Qualifying Marks: 33%)

   Content:

• Comprehension.
• Interpersonal skills, including communication.
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
• Decision-making and problem-solving.
• General mental ability.
• Basic numeracy (numbers, their relations, orders of magnitude) at Class X level.
• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency) at Class X level.

Important Notes:

1. Incorrect answers will incur a penalty of one-third (0.33) of the marks assigned to that question.
2. If a candidate provides multiple answers to a question, it will be considered incorrect, regardless of whether one of the answers is correct, with the same penalty applied.
3. The question papers are available in Hindi and English.

Additional Information:

• The marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not included in the final merit list.
• Approximately 12-13 times the number of vacancies will be selected to proceed to the Main Examination.

2. Civil Services Main Examination

Purpose: To select candidates for various services and posts.

Structure:

• Consists of nine descriptive papers.
• Includes both qualifying and scoring papers.

Detailed Breakdown:

• Paper-A: Indian Language (Qualifying).

• Content: Proficiency in an Indian language.
• Marks: 300
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-B: English (Qualifying)

• Content: Proficiency in English.
• Marks: 300
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-C: Essay

• Content: Essay writing on given topics.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-I: General Studies 1

• Content: Includes topics such as Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-II: General Studies 2

• Content: Includes Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-III: General Studies 3

• Content: Includes Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-IV: General Studies 4

• Content: Includes Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-V: Optional Paper 1

• Content: Subject-specific paper based on the candidate’s choice.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

• Paper-VI: Optional Paper 2

• Content: Another subject-specific paper based on the candidate’s choice.
• Marks: 250
• Duration: 3 hours

Each paper is designed to assess a range of skills and knowledge essential for a career in civil services. The Preliminary Examination serves as a screening test, while the Main Examination evaluates in-depth knowledge and understanding of various subjects.

UPSC syllabus PDF from the notification👇👇