Complete UPSC CSE Syllabus 2023

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the central recruiting agency in India. It is an independent constitutional body which means it has been directly created by the Constitution of India.

Article 315 to 323 in Part XIV of the Constitution contain detailed provisions regarding the composition, appointment and removal of members, powers, functions, expenses and reports of the UPSC.

In this article, we will cover the entire syllabus of the UPSC CSE Examination 2023

UPSC CSE Syllabus

The Civil Services Examination comprises two successive stages:

  1. Civil Services Preliminary Exam (Objective Test) for the selection of candidates for Main Examination,
  2. Civil Services Main Exam (Written Test) and (Interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and posts.

A. Prelims-

The Examination shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.(General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper- II. The questions will be of multiple-choice, objective type. The marks in prelims will not be counted for final ranking, but just for qualification for the main exam.

  1. Both the question papers will be of the objective type(multiple choice questions)
  2. The question paper will be set both in Hindi and English. However, questions relating to English Language Comprehension Skills of Class X level will be tested through passages from English Language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.

B. Main Examination –

The written exam(Mains) consists of 9 papers of which 7 papers will be counted for the final ranking.

Qualifying Papers:-

Paper A : One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution). This paper consists of 300 Marks.

Paper B : English

The papers on Indian Languages and English ( Paper A and Paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature.Paper B consists of 300 Marks. The marks obtained in Paper A and Paper B( Qualifying Papers) will not be counted for ranking( final merit).

Papers to be counted for merit

Paper I: Essay. 250 Marks

Paper II : General Studies – I. 250 Marks

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

Paper III : General Studies II. 250 Marks

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

Paper IV : General Studies III. 250 Marks

(Technology, Economic Development, Environment, Bio-Diversity, Security and Disaster Management)

Paper V : General Studies IV. 250 Marks

(Ethics,Integrity and Aptitude)

Paper VI : Optional Subject- Paper 1. 250 Marks

Paper VII : Optional Subject- Paper 2. 250 Marks

Sub Total (Written Test): 1750 Marks

Personally Test (Interview) : 275 Marks

Grand Total : 2075 Marks

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Candidates can choose any one of the optional subjects for UPSC CSE from the list of subjects given below:

Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.

List of optional subjects for the UPSC CSE Main Examination :

AgricultureManagement
Animals Husbandry and Veterinary ScienceMathematics
AnthropologyMechanical Engineering
BotanyMedical Science
ChemistryPhilosophy
Civil EngineeringPhysics
Commerce and AccountancyPolitical Science and International Relations
EconomicsPsychology
Electrical EngineeringPublic Administration
GeographySociology 
GeologyStatistics
HistoryZoology
LawLiterature of any one of the following

What are the topics to be covered in each subject of GS Papers of UPSC CSE Syllabus?

You have to cover all the topics in the subjects mentioned in the syllabus. Some of the important topics in each paper are discussed below.

General Studies- I

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

  1. Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
  2. Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities, issues.
  3. The Freedom Struggle- it’s various stages and important contributors/ contributions from different parts of the country.
  4. Post-independence consolidation and reorganisation within the country.
  5. History of the world will include events from 18th century such as Industrial Revolution, world wars, redrawn of national boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation, political philosophies like communism, capitalism socialism etc. their forms and effect on the society.
  6. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity, of India.
  7. Role of women and women organisation, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation their problems and their remedies.
  8. Effects of globalisation on Indian Society.
  9. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.
  10. Salient features of world Physical Geography.
  11. 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).
  12. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc. geographical features and their location, hangers in critical geographical features (including water bodies and icecaps) and in flora and fauna and the effect of such changes.

General Studies-II

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

  1. Indian Constitution historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
  2. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and States, issues and challenges pertaining to the Union and the States, issues and challenges regarding Federal structure devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
  3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
  4. Comparison of the Indian Constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
  5. Parliament and State Legislatures: structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges and issues arising out of these.
  6. 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 Polity.
  7. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
  8. Appointment to various constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  9. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
  10. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
  11. Development processes and development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and association, donors, charities, institutional and other stake holders .
  12. 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.
  13. Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
  14. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
  15. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e- governance- applications models,successes, limitations, and potential, citizens charters, transparency and accountability and institutional and the other measures.
  16. Role of civil services in democracy.
  17. India and its neighbor hood relations.
  18. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and affecting India’s interests.
  19. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests Indian diaspora.
  20. Important International Institutions, agencies and for their structure, mandate.

General Studies-III

(Technology, Economic Development, Environment, Bio-Diversity, Security and Disaster Management)

  1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.
  2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from Indian Economy.
  3. Government Budgeting.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Food processing and related industries in India-scope and significance, locations, upstream and downstream requirements supply chain management.
  7. Land reforms in India.
  8. Effects of liberalisation on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
  9. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
  10. Investment Models.
  11. Science and Technology: Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
  12. Achievements of Indians in Science and Technology, indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
  13. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
  14. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
  15. Disaster and Disaster managements.
  16. Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
  17. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
  18. 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.
  19. Security challenges and their management in border areas, linkages of organised  crime with terrorism.
  20. 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 problems solving approaches to various issues and conflict faced by him in dealing with society. Question may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.

  1. Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of 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.
  2. Attitude: content, structure, function, it’s influence and relation with thought and behaviour, moral and political attitudes, social influence and persuasion.
  3. Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to Public Service, empathy, tolerance and compassion toward the weaker sections.
  4. Emotional intelligence- concepts and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
  5. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
  6. 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, ethical issues in international relations and funding corporate governance.
  7. 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.
  8. Case Studies on above issues.

Official Website

FAQ

How many stages UPSC Civil Service Exam comprises of?

Ans: There are three stages 1. Prelims 2. Mains 3. Interview

UPSC Official Website?

Ans: https://www.upsc.gov.in/

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