The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE) every year to recruit candidates for various prestigious posts in the central government, such as Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and others. The UPSC CSE is one of the most competitive and challenging exams in the country, with lakhs of aspirants applying for it every year.
To crack the UPSC CSE, one needs to have a thorough understanding of the UPSC syllabus, which is divided into three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. In this blog post, we will provide you with a comprehensive overview of the UPSC CSE syllabus for each stage, along with some tips and resources to help you prepare effectively.
UPSC CSE Preliminary Syllabus
The UPSC CSE Preliminary exam is the first stage of the UPSC CSE, which consists of two objective-type papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (also known as CSAT). The Preliminary exam is only a screening test, and the marks obtained in it are not counted for the final ranking. However, one needs to score at least 33% in the CSAT paper and qualify the cut-off marks in the General Studies Paper-I to be eligible for the Mains exam.
The UPSC CSE Preliminary syllabus covers a wide range of topics from various subjects, such as Indian Polity, Geography, History, Indian Economy, Science and Technology, Environment and Ecology, International Relations, and Current Affairs. The CSAT paper tests the candidates’ aptitude, reasoning, comprehension, and decision-making skills.
The section below shows the UPSC CSE Preliminary syllabus in detail:
General Studies Paper-I
Indian Polity
Constitution, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles, Parliament, President, Prime Minister, Judiciary, State and Local Governments, etc.
Geography
History
Indian Economy
Science and Technology
Environment and Ecology
International Relations
Current Affairs
General Studies Paper-II (CSAT)
Aptitude
Number System, Simplification, Ratio and Proportion, Percentage, Average, Profit and Loss, Time and Work, Time and Distance, etc.
Reasoning
Comprehension
Decision Making
The UPSC CSE Preliminary exam is conducted for a total of 400 marks, with each paper carrying 200 marks. The duration of each paper is two hours, and there is a negative marking of 1/3rd of the marks allotted to the question for every wrong answer. The candidates are advised to practice previous year papers and mock tests to improve their speed and accuracy.
UPSC CSE Mains Syllabus
The UPSC CSE Mains exam is the second stage of the UPSC CSE, which consists of nine descriptive-type papers: four General Studies papers, two Language papers, one Essay paper, and two Optional papers. The Mains exam is the most important stage of the UPSC CSE, as the marks obtained in it are counted for the final ranking, along with the marks obtained in the Interview.
The UPSC CSE Mains syllabus covers a wide range of topics from various subjects, such as Indian Heritage and Culture, Social Issues, Governance, Ethics, International Relations, Security, Disaster Management, etc. The candidates have to choose one optional subject from the list of 26 subjects given by the UPSC, which can be related to their academic background or interest. The optional subject plays a crucial role in determining the final score of the candidates, as it carries 500 marks out of the total 1750 marks.
The section below shows the UPSC CSE Mains syllabus in detail:
Paper A - Language (Qualifying)
One of the Indian languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, such as Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, etc.
Paper B - English (Qualifying)
Paper I - Essay
Paper II - General Studies-I
Paper III - General Studies-II
Paper IV - General Studies-III
Paper V - General Studies-IV
Paper VI - Optional Paper-I
Paper VII - Optional Paper-II
The UPSC CSE Mains exam is conducted for a total of 1750 marks, with each paper carrying 250 marks, except the Language and English papers, which are qualifying in nature. The duration of each paper is three hours, and there is no negative marking. The candidates are advised to write clear, concise, and coherent answers, with proper introduction, body, and conclusion. The candidates should also practice answer writing and essay writing regularly to improve their writing skills and presentation.
UPSC CSE Interview Syllabus
The UPSC CSE Interview is the third and final stage of the UPSC CSE, which is also known as the Personality Test. The Interview is conducted by a board of competent and unbiased members, who assess the candidates’ suitability for the civil services. The Interview is not a test of knowledge, but a test of personality, attitude, aptitude, and mental ability.
The UPSC CSE Interview syllabus is not fixed, and the candidates can be asked questions on any topic of general interest or current affairs. The candidates can also be asked questions based on their educational background, hobbies, interests, achievements, etc. The candidates are expected to have a balanced and rational opinion on various issues, and to be honest, polite, and confident in their answers.
The UPSC CSE Interview is conducted for a total of 275 marks, and the marks obtained in it are added to the marks obtained in the Mains exam to determine the final ranking. The candidates are advised to prepare well for the Interview by reading newspapers, magazines, books, etc., and by participating in mock interviews and group discussions.
Conclusion
The UPSC CSE syllabus is vast and dynamic, and requires a lot of hard work, dedication, and smart work to cover it effectively. The candidates should have a clear understanding of the UPSC CSE syllabus for each stage, and devise a suitable strategy to prepare for it. The candidates should also revise and practice regularly, and keep themselves updated with the latest developments and trends. The candidates should also have a positive attitude and a strong motivation to achieve their dream of becoming a civil servant.
We hope this blog post has given you a comprehensive overview of the UPSC CSE syllabus, and has helped you in your UPSC preparation. If you have any queries or suggestions, please feel free to comment below. We wish you all the best for your UPSC CSE journey! 🙌
