UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) Civil Services Syllabus

The syllabus for the  Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination is divided into three stages:

1. Preliminary Examination
2. Main Examination
3. Personality Test/Interview

Preliminary Examination:

Paper I:

• 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.
• Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change – General issues on Environmental ecology, biodiversity, and Climate Change

Paper II:

• 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)

Main Examination: UPSC Main exam Divided into two stages:

Paper-A: Indian Language (One of the Indian Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India)

Paper-B: English

Paper-I: Essay

Paper-II: General Studies-I

• Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society

Paper-III: General Studies-II

• Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International relations

Paper-IV: General Studies-III

• Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Paper-V: General Studies-IV

• Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude

Paper-VI: Optional Subject – Paper 1

Paper-VII: Optional Subject – Paper 2

Personality Test/Interview:

The Personality Test will be conducted for candidates who have qualified for the Main Examination. The test is aimed at assessing the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service by evaluating the candidate’s mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, variety, and depth of interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity. The interview carries 275 marks.