The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) syllabus is detailed and divided into three stages:

1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims)

2. Main Examination (Mains)
3. Personality Test (Interview)
1. Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
The Prelims consists of two papers:
• Paper I: General Studies (GS)
• Paper II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test)
Paper I – General Studies (GS) (200 Marks, Duration: 2 hours)
This paper includes the following topics:
1. Current events of national and international importance.
2. History of India and the Indian National Movement.
3. Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World.
4. Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights
Issues, etc.
5. Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics,
Social Sector initiatives, etc.
6. Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – General issues on environmental
ecology, biodiversity, and climate change (no subject specialization required).
7. General Science.
Paper II – CSAT (200 Marks, Duration: 2 hours)
This paper is qualifying in nature (minimum 33% to qualify), and it tests the candidate’s aptitude with the
following topics:
1. Comprehension.
2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills.
3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
4. Decision-making and problem-solving.
5. General mental ability.
6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) and Data interpretation
(charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency), which includes Class X-level mathematics.

2. Main Examination (Mains)

The Mains consists of nine papers, two of which are qualifying in nature, and the remaining seven are
counted for merit. The papers are descriptive in nature.
Qualifying Papers
1. Paper A – Indian Language (300 Marks) (Candidates can choose from the languages listed in the 8th
Schedule of the Indian Constitution).
2. Paper B – English (300 Marks).
Papers to be counted for merit
1. Paper I – Essay (250 Marks)
Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. The ability to articulate one’s thoughts in a
coherent manner is tested.
2. Paper II – General Studies I (250 Marks)
o Indian Heritage and Culture: Salient aspects of art forms, literature, and architecture from
ancient to modern times.
o History and Geography of the World and Society:
▪ Modern Indian history (from about the middle of the 18th century) until the present,
significant events, personalities, and issues.
▪ Freedom Struggle and its various stages, important contributors/contributions.
▪ Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
▪ History of the world: Events from the 18th century such as the Industrial Revolution,
World Wars, redrawing of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political
philosophies (e.g., communism, capitalism, socialism), and their forms and effects on
society.
▪ Indian Society: Diversity, role of women and women’s organizations, population,
poverty, development issues, urbanization, their problems, and remedies.
▪ Effects of globalization on Indian society.
▪ Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, secularism.
▪ Geography:
▪ Physical Geography of the world.
▪ Distribution of key natural resources worldwide, including in India (such as
minerals, oil, etc.); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary,
and tertiary industries in various parts of the world (including India).
▪ Important Geophysical phenomena (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity,
cyclones, etc.), geographical features, and their location-changes in critical
geographical features (water bodies, ice caps, etc.).
3. Paper III – General Studies II (250 Marks)
o Governance: Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
▪ Indian Constitution: Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments,
significant provisions, and basic structure.
 ▪ Functions and responsibilities of the Union and States, challenges related to federal
structure, devolution of powers and finances to local levels, and challenges therein.
▪ Separation of powers between various organs; dispute redressal mechanisms and
institutions.
▪ Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with other countries.
▪ Parliament and State legislatures: structure, functioning, conduct of business,
powers, and privileges; issues related to functioning.
▪ Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and Judiciary.
▪ Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions, and responsibilities.
▪ Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial bodies.
▪ Government policies and interventions for development across various sectors and
issues arising out of their design and implementation.
▪ Development processes and the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups, associations,
donors, and other stakeholders.
▪ Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population, mechanisms, laws,
institutions, and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these
vulnerable sections.
▪ Issues relating to the development and management of social sectors, services
related to health, education, human resources, and poverty and hunger.
▪ Important aspects of governance, transparency, accountability, e-governance, and
models.
▪ Role of civil services in a democracy.
▪ International relations: India and its neighborhood, bilateral, regional, and global
groupings and agreements involving India.
4. Paper IV – General Studies III (250 Marks)
o Economic Development:
▪ Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth,
development, and employment.
▪ Inclusive growth and associated issues/challenges.
▪ Government Budgeting.
▪ Major crop types, cropping patterns, irrigation systems, agricultural productivity.
o Science and Technology: Developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
o Environment and Ecology: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, and
environmental impact assessment.
o Disaster Management.
 o Security: Linkages between development and spread of extremism, role of external state
and non-state actors, security challenges, internal security issues, cyber security, money-
laundering, and border security.
5. Paper V – General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude) (250 Marks)
o Ethics and human interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of ethics in human
actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.
o Human values: Lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and
administrators.
o Attitude: Content, structure, function, and influence on thought and behavior.
o Aptitude and foundational values for civil service, integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship,
dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion.
o Emotional intelligence concepts, their utility, and application in administration.
o Public/Civil Service values: Ethical concerns and dilemmas, laws, and accountability.
o Probity in Governance, including transparency, code of conduct, and citizen’s charters.
o Case studies on above issues.
6. Papers VI & VII – Optional Subject Papers I & II (250 marks each)
Candidates choose an optional subject (e.g., PSIR, History, Geography, etc.), and the two papers are based
on the chosen subject’s syllabus.