UPSC Exam 2024: Eligibility Criteria, Pattern, & Syllabus

Prelims syllabus

• History of India and the Indian National Movement.
• Current Affairs (Events) of National and International importance.
• Indian and World Geography – Social, Physical, and Economic Geography of India & World.
• Economic and Social Development – Poverty. …
• Indian Polity and Governance.
• General Science.

Mains syllabus

GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 1

• Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
• The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
• Post-independence Consolidation and Reorganization within the country.
• History of the World will include events from 18th century such as Industrial Revolution, world wars, Redraw of National Boundaries, Colonization, Decolonization, political philosophies like Communism, Capitalism, Socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
• Role of Women and Women’s Organization, Population and Associated Issues, Poverty and Developmental issues, Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
• Effects of Globalization on Indian society.
• Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism.
• Salient features of World’s Physical Geography.
• Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
• Important Geophysical Phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 2

Indian constitution

• • historical underpinnings,
  • evolution, features
  • amendments, significant provisions
  • basic structure doctrine
  • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
  • Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
  • Structure, organisation and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
  • Parliament and State Legislatures
  • structure, functioning
  • conduct of business
  • powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
  • Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
  • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  • Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
  • Government policies and interventions aimed at development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
  • Development processes and the development industry – the role of NGOs, Self Help Group, various groups and associations, institutional and other stakeholders.
  • Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and the States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
  • Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
  • Issues relating to poverty and hunger
  • Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures
  • Role of civil services in a democracy

International relation

• India and its neighbourhood – International relations
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting the Indian interests
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
• Important International institutions, agencies, their structure and mandates

GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 3

Economy

• • Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.
  • Government Budgeting.
  • Inclusive growth and associated issues/challenges
  • Effects of liberalisation on the economy (post 1991 changes), changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
  • Infrastructure – Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
  • Investment models (PPP etc.)

Agriculture

• Major 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
• Economics of animal rearing.
• Food processing and related industries in India – scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
• 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
• Land reforms in India.

Science and Technology

• • Recent developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
  • Achievements of Indians in science & technology.
  • Indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
  • General awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nanotechnology, bio-technology
  • Issues relating to intellectual property rights

Environment

• • Conservation,
  • Environmental pollution and degradation
  • Environmental impact assessment
  • Disaster Management (Laws, Acts etc.)

Security

• Challenges to internal security (external state and non-state actors)
• Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
• 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.
• Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organised crime with terrorism.
• Various Security forces and agencies and their mandates.

GENERAL STUDIES PAPER 4

Ethics and Human Interface

• • Essence of Ethics, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in Human Interaction
  • Dimensions of Ethics
  • 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 moral and ethical values

Attitude

• • Content, structure and function of attitude
  • Influence of attitude in thought and behaviour
  • Relation of attitude to thought and behaviour
  • Moral and Political attitudes
  • Social influence and persuasion

Aptitude

• • Aptitude and foundational values of Civil Service
  • Integrity
  • Impartiality and non-partisanship
  • Objectivity
  • Dedication to public service
  • Empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections of the society

Emotional Intelligence

• • Concepts of emotional intelligence
  • Utility and application of emotional intelligence in administration and governance
  • Contributions of Thinkers and Philosophers
  • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world to the concepts of morality
  • Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration
  • Status and associated problems
  • Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
  • Laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance
  • Accountability and ethical governance
  • Strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance
  • Ethical Issues in international relations and funding
  • Corporate governance

Probity in Governance

• Concept of public service
• The 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
• Utilization of public funds
• Challenges of corruption