UPSC SYLLABUS

PRELIMS

GS-PAPER I
(200 marks) (100 QUESTIONS)
• 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.

GS-PAPER II (CSAT)
(200 marks) (80 QUESTIONS)
• 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);
 MAINS

QUALIFYING PAPERS ON INDIAN LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH

ENGLISH
(300 marks)
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.

ANY INDIAN LANGAUGE (HINDI)

(300 marks)
(i) comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
(v) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa

PAPER-I
ESSAY PAPER
(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.
 PAPER-II
General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and
Geography of the World and Society.
(250 MARKS)

Indian Heritage and Culture

• Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of

o Art Forms,
o literature and
o Architecture from ancient to modern times.

Indian 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.

 Indian History & World History

• 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 reorganization within the country.

• History of the world will include events from 18th century such as
o industrial revolution,
o world wars
o redrawal of national boundaries
o colonization
o decolonization
o political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their
forms and effect on the society.

World geography

• 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 water-bodies and ice-
caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
 PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice
and International relations.
(250 MARKS)

Polity & Governance

 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.

 Parliament and State legislatures—

o structure,
o functioning,
o conduct of business,
o powers & privileges and
o 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.

 Important aspects of
o governance,
o transparency and accountability,
o e-governance- applications,
o models,
o successes,
o limitations, and
o potential;
 citizens charters,
 transparency & accountability and
 institutional and other measures
 Role of civil services in a democracy
 CONSTITUTION
 Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features,
amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other

countries.

Social Justice
• Development processes and the development industry —the role of
o NGOs,
o SHGs,
o various groups and associations,
o donors,
o charities,
o institutional and
o 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.

International relations

• 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.
 PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio
diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management
(250 MARKS)

Economic Development

 Indian Economy and issues relating to

o planning,
o mobilization, of resources,
o growth,
o development and
o 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
o direct and indirect farm subsidies and
o minimum support prices;
 Public Distribution System-
o objectives,
o functioning,
o limitations,
o revamping;
 issues of buffer stocks and food security;
 Technology missions;
 economics of animal-rearing.

• Food processing and related industries in India-

o scope’ and significance,
o location,
o upstream and downstream requirements,
o supply chain management.

• Land reforms in India

• Effects of liberalization on the

o economy,
o changes in industrial policy and
o their effects on industrial growth

 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

 Investment models
 Science & Technology

 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

o IT,
o Space,
o Computers,
o robotics,
o nano-technology,
o bio-technology and
 issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Environment & Biodiversity

 Conservation

 environmental pollution and degradation,

 environmental impact assessment.

 Disaster Management

 Disaster and disaster management.

Security

 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.

 PAPER-V
General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude
(250 MARKS)

ETHICS

 Ethics and Human Interface:

o Essence,
o determinants and
o consequences of Ethics in-human actions;
o dimensions of ethics;
o ethics - in private and public relationships.
o Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders,
reformers and administrators;
o role of family society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

• Attitude:
o content,
o structure,
o function;
o its influence and relation with thought and behaviour;
o moral and political attitudes;
o social influence and persuasion

• Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service,

o integrity,
o impartiality and
o non-partisanship,
 o objectivity,
o dedication to public service,
o empathy,
o tolerance and
o compassion towards the weaker-sections.

• Emotional intelligence-concepts,
 and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
 PAPER-VI
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
(500 MARKS)

OPTIONAL -1 Administration Theory

(250 MARKS)

1. Introduction:
 Meaning, scope and significance of Public Administration,
 Wilson’s vision of Public Administration,
 Evolution of the discipline and its present status.
 New Public Administration,
 Public Choice approach;
 Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation, Globalisation;
 Good Governance: concept and application;
 New Public Management

2. Administrative Thought:
 Scientific Management and Scientific Management movement;
 Classical Theory;
 Weber’s bureaucratic model its critique and post-Weberian
Developments;
 Dynamic Administration (Mary Parker Follett);
 Human Relations School (Elton Mayo and others);
 Functions of the Executive (C.I. Barnard);
 Simon’s decision-making theory;
 Participative Management (R. Likert, C. Argyris, D. McGregor.)

3. Administrative Behaviour:
 Process and techniques of decision-making;
 Communication;
 Morale;
 Motivation Theories content,
 process and contemporary;
 Theories of Leadership: Traditional and Modem

4. Organisations:
 Theories systems,
 contingency;
 Structure and forms:
 Ministries and Departments,
 Corporations,
 Companies;
 Boards and Commissions;
 Ad hoc, and advisory bodies;
 Headquarters and Field relationships;
 Regulatory Authorities;
 Public-Private Partnerships
5. Accountability and Control:
 Concepts of accountability and control;
 Legislative, Executive and judicial control over administration;
 Citizen and Administration;
 Role of media,
 interest groups,
 voluntary organizations;
 Civil society;
 Citizen’s Charters;
 Right to Information;
 Social audit.

6. Administrative Law:
 Meaning, scope and significance;
 Dicey on Administrative law;
 Delegated legislation;
 Administrative Tribunals.

7. Comparative Public Administration:

 Historical and sociological factors affecting administrative systems;
 Administration and politics in different countries;
 Current status of Comparative Public Administration;
 Ecology and administration;
 Riggsian models and their critique.
8. Development Dynamics:
 Concept of development;
 Changing profile of development administration;
 ‘Anti-development thesis’;
 Bureaucracy and development;
 Strong state versus the market debate;
 Impact of liberalisation on administration in developing countries;
 Women and development the self-help group movement.

9. Personnel Administration:
 Importance of human resource development;
 Recruitment,
 training,
 career advancement,
 position classification,
 discipline,
 performance appraisal,
 promotion,
 pray and service conditions;
 employer employee relations, grievance redressal mechanism;
 Code of conduct;
 Administrative ethics.
10. Public Policy:
 Models of policy-making and their critique;
 Processes of
 conceptualisation,
 planning,
 implementation,
 monitoring,
 evaluation and
 review and
 their limitations;
 State theories and public policy formulation

[Link] of Administrative Improvement:

 Organisation and methods,
 Work study and work management;
 e-governance and information technology;
 Management aid tools like
 network analysis,
 MIS,
 PERT,
 CPM.
[Link] Administration:
 Monetary and fiscal policies:
 Public borrowings and public debt Budgets types and forms;
 Budgetary process;
 Financial accountability;
 Accounts and audit.
 OPTIONAL -2 Indian Administration
(250 MARKS)

1. Evolution of Indian Administration:

 Kautilya Arthashastra;
 Mughal administration;
 Legacy of British rule in politics and administration Indianization of Public
 services,
 revenue administration,
 district Administration,
 local self Government.

2. Philosophical and Constitutional framework of Government:

 Salient features and value premises;
 Constitutionalism;
 Political culture;
 Bureaucracy and democracy;
 Bureaucracy and development.

3. Public Sector Undertakings:

 Public sector in modern India;
 Forms of Public Sector Undertakings;
 Problems of autonomy,
 accountability and control;
 Impact of liberalization and privatization
 4. Union Government and Administration:
 Executive,
 Parliament,
 Judiciary-structure,
 functions,
 work processes;
 Recent trends;
 Intragovernmental relations;
 Cabinet Secretariat;
 Prime Minister’s Office;
 Central Secretariat;
 Ministries and Departments;
 Boards;
 Commissions;
 Attached offices;
 Field organizations.

5. Plans and Priorities:

 Machinery of planning;
 Role,
 composition and functions of the Planning Commission and
 the National Development Council;
 ‘Indicative’ planning;
 Process of plan formulation at Union and State levels;
 Constitutional Amendments (1992) and
 decentralized planning for economic development and social justice.
5. State Government and Administration :
Union-State administrative, legislative and financial relations; Role of the
Finance Commission; Governor; Chief Minister; Council of Ministers;
Chief Secretary; State Secretariat; Directorates.