UPSC Syllabus 2024

IAS Syllabus for UPSC Mains GS-I

General Studies-I, also known as Paper-II of the UPSC Mains, covers:

• Indian Heritage and Culture: This includes major aspects of art, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian History: Focuses on key events, notable people, and issues from the mid-18th century to the present.
• The Freedom Struggle: Details the various phases and key figures in India's fight for independence.
• Post-Independence India: Examines the consolidation and reorganization of India after gaining independence.
• World History: Covers significant events from the 18th century, including industrial revolutions, world wars, changes in borders, colonization, and decolonization, as well as political philosophies like communism and capitalism and their impact on society.
• Indian Society: Highlights India's diverse society, including the roles of women, population issues, poverty, urbanization, and the effects of globalization.
• Social Issues: Looks at social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, and secularism.
• World Geography: Studies the main features of the world's geography, including natural resources, the location of industries, and major geophysical phenomena like earthquakes and tsunamis. It also covers changes in geographical features and their impacts on the environment.

IAS Syllabus for Mains GS-II

General Studies-II, also known as Paper-III in the UPSC Mains exam, covers several key areas:

• Constitution of India: Its history, development, features, changes, and main ideas.
• Union and State Functions: Responsibilities, issues, and challenges related to federalism, and how powers and finances are distributed to local levels.
• Separation of Powers: How different branches of government work separately and how disputes are resolved.
• Comparison with Other Countries: Comparing India's Constitution with those of other nations.
• Parliament and State Legislatures: Their structure, operations, business, powers, and related issues.
• Executive and Judiciary: Organization and functioning of the government and courts, including various pressure groups and associations.
• Representation of People’s Act: Key features of this law.
• Constitutional Appointments: How various constitutional positions are filled and their powers and duties.
• Regulatory Bodies: Statutory and quasi-judicial bodies.
• Government Policies: Development programs, their design, implementation, and related issues.
• Development Process: Role of NGOs, self-help groups, and other stakeholders in development.
• Welfare Schemes: Government schemes for vulnerable groups and their effectiveness.
• Social Sector Issues: Health, education, and human resource management problems.
• Poverty and Hunger: Key issues related to poverty and hunger.
• Governance: Transparency, accountability, e-governance, citizen charters, and their successes and limitations.
• Civil Services: Their role in a democracy.
• India's Neighbors: Relations with neighboring countries.
• Global Groupings: Bilateral, regional, and international agreements involving India.
• Impact of Global Politics: Effects of policies from other countries on India’s interests and diaspora.
• International Institutions: Important global organizations, their structure, and their roles.

IAS Syllabus for Mains GS-III

General Studies-III, also known as Paper-IV of the UPSC Mains, covers a variety of important topics:

1. Indian Economy: Issues related to planning, resource mobilization, growth, development, and employment. Includes inclusive growth, government budgeting, and agriculture-related issues.

2. Agriculture: Major crops, cropping patterns, irrigation systems, storage, transport, marketing, and e-technology for farmers. It also covers farm subsidies, minimum support prices, and the Public Distribution System (PDS).

3. Food Processing: Importance of food processing industries in India, including location, requirements, and supply chain management.

4. Land Reforms: Changes and impacts of land reforms in India.

5. Liberalization: Effects of economic liberalization, changes in industrial policy, and their impact on industrial growth.

6. Infrastructure: Development of energy, ports, roads, airports, and railways.

7. Investment Models: Different models of investment.

8. Science and Technology: Developments in science and technology, their applications, and effects on daily life. Includes achievements in science, technology indigenization, and awareness of IT, space, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and intellectual property rights.

9. Environmental Issues: Conservation, pollution, degradation, and environmental impact assessment.

10. Disaster Management: Understanding and managing disasters.

11. Extremism: The link between development and extremism.

12. Security: Challenges to internal security, role of external actors, communication networks, media, social networking, cyber security, and money laundering. Includes security management in border areas and the role of security forces and agencies.

IAS Syllabus for Mains GS-IV

General Studies Paper-IV (also known as Paper-V in UPSC Mains) focuses on Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude. This paper tests how candidates handle issues of honesty, ethical behavior, and their problem-solving skills. It often uses case studies to explore these topics. The main areas covered are:

1. Ethics and Human Interaction: Understanding ethics in human actions, including private and public relationships. Learning from the lives of leaders and the role of family and schools in teaching values.

2. Attitude: How attitudes affect thoughts and behavior, including moral and political views. Understanding social influence and persuasion.

3. Aptitude and Core Values for Civil Service: Integrity, impartiality, dedication to public service, empathy, and compassion towards weaker sections.

4. Emotional Intelligence: Concepts and their use in administration and governance.

5. Contributions of Thinkers: Insights from moral thinkers and philosophers from India and around the world.

6. Public Service Values and Ethics: Issues in government and private institutions, including ethical dilemmas, laws, accountability, and improving governance.

7. Probity in Governance: The idea of public service, transparency, right to information, ethical codes, work culture, quality of service, and dealing with corruption.

UPSC Syllabus for IAS Interview

The UPSC Interview, also called the Personality Test, is the final part of the UPSC exam. There isn’t a specific syllabus for this interview. Instead, questions cover a wide range of topics.

Candidates who pass the UPSC Mains Exam will be invited for this interview. They will meet with a Board chosen by the UPSC.

The goal of the interview is to evaluate if the candidate is suitable for a career in civil services. A panel of experienced and unbiased members conducts the interview to check the candidate's mental skills and ability to think analytically.

The interview is worth 275 marks, while the written exams total 1750 marks. Adding these gives a total of 2025 marks, which will be used to create the final merit list.