UPSC Preliminary Examination Syllabus

Paper I - (200 marks)

● 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 specialisation.
● General Science.

Paper II - (200 marks)

● 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).

Note 1: Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum
qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
Note 2: The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

UPSC MAINS EXAMINATION SYLLABUS.

General Studies-I

(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)

● Indian Culture - 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/contributions from
different parts of the country.
● Post-independence Consolidation and Reorganisation within the country.
● History of the World will include events from 18th century such as Industrial Revolution, world
wars, redrawal of National Boundaries, Colonisation, Decolonisation, 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 Organisation, Population and Associated Issues, Poverty and
Developmental issues, Urbanisation, their problems and their remedies.
● Effects of Globalisation 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
sub-continent); 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
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etc., 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

(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, Organisation 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/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 Neighbourhood- 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.

General Studies-III

(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster

Management)

● Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilisation 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 Liberalisation 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 Organised Crime with
Terrorism.
● Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.

General Studies-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
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; 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,
Utilisation of Public Funds, Challenges of Corruption.
● Case Studies on above issues.
Syllabus of Sociology Paper - I

FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY

. Sociology - The Discipline:

(a) Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of Sociology.
(b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.
(c) Sociology and common sense.
. Sociology as Science:
(a) Science, scientific method, and critique.
(b) Major theoretical strands of research methodology.
(c) Positivism and its critique.
(d) Fact value and objectivity.
(e) Non-positivist methodologies.
. Research Methods and Analysis:
(a) Qualitative and quantitative methods.
(b) Techniques of data collection.
(c) Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability, and validity.
. Sociological Thinkers:
(a) Karl Marx - Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.
(b) Emile Durkheim - Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.
(c) Max Weber - Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit
of capitalism.
(d) Talcolt Parsons - Social system, pattern variables.
(e) Robert K. Merton - Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference
groups.
(f) Mead - Self and identity.
. Stratification and Mobility:
(a) Concepts - equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty, and deprivation.
(b) Theories of social stratification - Structural functionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian
theory.
(c) Dimensions - Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.
(d) Social mobility - open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.
. Works and Economic Life:
(a) Social organisation of work in different types of society - slave society, feudal society,
industrial capitalist society.
(b) Formal and informal organisation of work.
(c) Labour and society.
. Politics and Society:
(a) Sociological theories of power.
(b) Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups and political parties.
(c) Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.
(d) Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.
. Religion and Society:
(a) Sociological theories of religion.
(b) Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.
(c) Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularisation, religious revivalism,
fundamentalism.
. Systems of Kinship:
(a) Family, household, marriage.
(b) Types and forms of family.
(c) Lineage and descent.
(d) Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.
(e) Contemporary trends.
. Social Change in Modern Society:
(a) Sociological theories of social change.
 .

(b) Development and dependency.

(c) Agents of social change.
(d) Education and social change.
(e) Science, technology, and social change.

Syllabus of Sociology Paper - II

INDIAN SOCIETY: STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

A. Introducing Indian Society:

. Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society:

(a) Indology (G.S. Ghure).
(b) Structural functionalism (M. N. Srinivas).
(c) Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai).
. Impact of colonial rule on Indian society:
(a) Social background of Indian nationalism.
(b) Modernisation of Indian tradition.
(c) Protests and movements during the colonial period.
(d) Social reforms.

B. Social Structure:

. Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:

(a) The idea of Indian village and village studies
(b) Agrarian social structure— evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.
. Caste System:
(a) Perspectives on the study of caste systems: G. S. Ghurye, M. N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont,
Andre Beteille.
(b) Features of caste system.
(c) Untouchability-forms and perspectives
. Tribal Communities in India:
(a) Definitional problems.
(b) Geographical spread.
(c) Colonial policies and tribes.
(d) Issues of integration and autonomy.
. Social Classes in India:
(a) Agrarian class structure.
(b) Industrial class structure.
(c) Middle classes in India.
. Systems of Kinship in India:
(a) Lineage and descent in India.
(b) Types of kinship systems.
(c) Family and marriage in India.
(d) Household dimensions of the family.
(e) Patriarchy, entitlements, and sexual division of labour.
. Religion and Society:
(a) Religious communities in India.
(b) Problems of religious minorities.

C. Social Changes in India:

. Visions of Social Change in India:

(a) Idea of development planning and mixed economy.
(b) Constitution, law, and social change.
(c) Education and social change.
. Rural and Agrarian Transformation in India:
(a) Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives,
.

poverty alleviation schemes.

(b) Green revolution and social change.
(c) Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.
(d) Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.
. Industrialisation and Urbanisation in India:
(a) Evolution of modern industry in India.
(b) Growth of urban settlements in India.
(c) Working class: structure, growth, class mobilisation.
(d) Informal sector, child labour.
(e) Slums and deprivation in urban areas.
. Politics and Society:
(a) Nation, democracy and citizenship.
(b) Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite.
(c) Regionalism and decentralisation of power.
(d) Secularisation.
. Social Movements in Modern India:
(a) Peasants and farmers' movements.
(b) Women’s movement.
(c) Backward classes & Dalit movements.
(d) Environmental movements.
(e) Ethnicity and Identity movements.
. Population Dynamics:
Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
Population Policy and family planning.
Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.
. Challenges of Social Transformation:
(a) Crisis of development: displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
(b) Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
(c) Violence against women.
(d) Caste conflicts.
(e) Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
(f) Illiteracy and disparities in education.