UPSC Syllabus 2024

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) Notification 2024 is scheduled to be released on 14 February 2024. It will consist all the important dates, the number of vacancies, the syllabus and all the criteria one needs to follow to appear for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

The UPSC Application Form 2024 will also be released on the same date as the Notification. According to the UPSC 2024 Calendar, the UPSC Prelims 2024 application form will be available from 14 February 2024, and the last date for submission of application will be 5th March 2024.

UPSC 2024 Exam Date

The UPSC Calendar 2024 was released on 10 May 2023. Some important dates that you need to know about before applying for UPSC 2024:

The Pattern of the UPSC Civil Services Exam 2024

Click on the link to download the UPSC Syllabus pdf: https://upsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Notif-CSP-23-engl-010223.pdf 

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024

Paper-I: General Studies (GS)

• Current events of national and international importance
• History of India and the Indian National Movement
• Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and 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.
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.
• General Science.

Paper-II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

• 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).

UPSC Mains Syllabus

UPSC Mains Essay Syllabus

The UPSC Essay Paper is divided into two sections, each containing four topics. For each essay written, candidates can earn a score out of 125, with a total of 250 marks available for both sections combined.

In the UPSC Civil Service Exam, candidates will be required to write Two essays on a variety of topics. The essays should be concise and directly address the given topic.

UPSC Syllabus For Mains General Studies I

• Indian Culture: It covers the salient features of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient times to modern times.
• Modern Indian History: It includes the significant events, personalities, and issues from the middle of the 18th century until the present.
• In The Freedom Struggle, Various stages and important contributors and contributions from different parts of the country.
• Consolidation and Reorganisation of the country after independence.
• Events from the 18th century will be included in the history of the world, such as the industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national borders, colonisation, and decolonization, as well as political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, and others—their manifestations and social effects.
• Important characteristics of Indian society and India’s diversity.
• The role of women and the organisation of women, population and related issues, poverty and developmental challenges, urbanisation, related issues, and solutions.
• The social effects of globalisation in India.
• Communalism, Regionalism, Secularism, and Social Empowerment.
  Important physical geography characteristics of the world.
• Distribution of major natural resources worldwide (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); determinants of where primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries are located globally (including India).
• Critical geographic features and their location-changes in flora and fauna, as well as in water bodies and ice caps and the impact of such changes.
• Important geophysical phenomena include earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, cyclones, etc.

UPSC Syllabus For Mains General Studies II

Governance, Polity, Constitution, Social Justice and International Relations:

• The basic structures, features, modifications, major provisions, and historical context of the Indian Constitution.
• Functions and duties of the Union and the States, problems and difficulties with the federal system, and obstacles with the devolution of authority and resources to local levels.
• Power separation between multiple organs, conflict resolution procedures, and institutions.
• Comparing the Indian constitutional design to other countries’ systems
  Structure, administration, business practises, powers, and privileges of the Parliament and State Legislatures, as well as challenges resulting from these.
• Governmental Ministries and Departments; Pressure Group organisations and formal/informal associations; and their purpose in the Polity.
• Structure, organisation, and operation of the Executive and the Judiciary.
  The Representation of People’s Act’s key characteristics.
• Appointment to several constitutional Bodies, as well as their respective duties and responsibilities.
• Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial agencies; Government interventions for development in many sectors; Problems resulting from the planning and execution of these interventions.
• The role of NGOs, SHGs, diverse groups and associations, funders, charities, institutional, and other stakeholders in development processes and the development industry.
• Welfare programmes put in place by the federal government and individual states for the population’s most vulnerable groups, as well as the effectiveness of these programmes; institutions, laws, and other organisations created to safeguard and improve the lives of these vulnerable groups.
• Issues pertaining to the growth and administration of the social sector and services in the fields of health, education, and human resources.
• Hunger and poverty-related issues.
• Transparency and accountability are crucial components of governance, as are e-governance applications, models, accomplishments, limitations, and possibilities; citizens’ charters, transparency & accountability, and institutional and other measurements.
• The function of the civil service in a democracy
• India’s relationship with its neighbours.
• Groupings and agreements at the bilateral, regional, and international levels involving or impacting India and/or its interests.
• Effect of developed and developing countries’ policies and politics on India’s interests and the Indian diaspora.
• Important international organisations, agencies, and forums: their makeup and objectives.

UPSC Syllabus For Mains General Studies III

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

• Indian Economy, including planning, resource mobilisation, growth, development, and employment difficulties.
• Inclusive growth and the problems it raises.
  Budgeting of Government.
• Major crops, patterns of cropping in various regions of the nation, various types of irrigation and irrigation systems, challenges with storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural products, and related limitations; the use of e-technology by farmers.
• Concerns about buffer stocks and food security, direct and indirect farm subsidies, and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System goals, operations, and shortcomings; Technology missions; and the economics of animal husbandry.
• Food processing and related sectors in India: their size and importance, where they are, what is needed in the upstream and downstream, and supply chain management.
• Indian land reforms.
• The economic implications of liberalisation, changes to industrial policy, and how these affect the expansion of the industrial sector.
• Infrastructure includes things like ports, roads, airports, and railroads.
  Models for investments.
• Science and technology breakthroughs, as well as how they are used and impact daily life.
• Scientific and technological advances made by Indians; indigenization of technology; and the creation of new technology.
• Awareness of issues relating to intellectual property rights as well as IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology, and biotechnology.
• Environmental impact assessment, pollution and degradation of the environment, and conservation.
• Disasters and disaster management; Relationships between extremism’s growth and dissemination.
• The contribution of non-state and state actors from outside to the problems with domestic security.
• Threats to internal security posed by communication networks, the media’s and social media’s role in such threats, the fundamentals of cyber security, and money laundering and its prevention.
• Security issues and how to manage them in border regions – connections between organised crime and terrorism.
• The function of various security agencies and organisations.

UPSC Syllabus For Mains General Studies IV

• Ethics and Human Interaction: The purpose, factors, and outcomes of ethical behaviour in people; the dimensions of ethics; and the application of ethics in both personal and professional settings. The importance of family community and educational institutions in instilling values may be seen in the study of human values, which draws lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators.
• Moral and political attitudes, social influence, and persuasion are all aspects of attitude that include its content, structure, and function as well as its relationship to cognition and behaviour.
• Civil service aptitude and core principles, including honesty, objectivity, and non-partisanship; dedication to public service; empathy; tolerance; and compassion for the weaker groups.
• Emotional intelligence concepts, as well as their benefits and use in governance and administration.
• Contributions from moral philosophers and thinkers in India and around the world.
• Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration: Status and Issues; Ethical Issues in International Relations and Funding; Corporate Governance; Laws, Rules, Regulations, and Conscience as Sources of Ethical Guidance. Accountability and Ethical Governance.
• Probity in governance includes the idea of public service, the philosophical underpinnings of governance and probity, information sharing and transparency in government, the right to information, codes of ethics and conduct, citizen’s charters, workplace culture, the effectiveness of service delivery, the use of public resources, and challenges posed by corruption.
• Case Studies on the aforementioned concerns.

UPSC Mains Syllabus for Qualifying Language Papers

The aim of these papers is to assess a candidate’s ability to read and understand serious discursive prose and to express ideas clearly and precisely in both Indian and English languages. However, the marks obtained in these papers will not be considered for ranking. These papers are of a qualifying nature, meaning candidates need to secure a minimum of 25% marks in each paper to pass.

UPSC Syllabus For Indian Language

The UPSC Mains Indian Language Paper covers various important topics, including:

1. Comprehension of given passages.
2. Precis Writing.
3. Usage and Vocabulary.
4. Short Essays.
5. Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

Candidates have the option to choose any of the Indian Languages listed in the provided table for this paper. The paper assesses their language skills, comprehension, and ability to express ideas effectively in the chosen Indian language.

UPSC Syllabus for the English Language

The UPSC Mains English Paper serves as a qualifying paper that includes the following main components:

• Comprehension of given passages.
• Precis Writing.
• Usage and Vocabulary.
• Short Essays.

UPSC Syllabus Optional Subjects List

In the UPSC Syllabus, Papers 6 and 7 consist of optional subject papers, and these are compulsory for candidates. These papers offer an opportunity for candidates to score well, as they usually cover subjects that align with their graduation or areas of interest.

Each optional subject has its own detailed syllabus, which candidates should carefully review before making their selection. Several factors, like the subject’s syllabus, available resources for preparation, and the time required for studying, should be considered when choosing the best optional subject for the UPSC Mains exam.

UPSC Syllabus for Interview

The UPSC Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the examination. Unlike the earlier stages, there is no specific syllabus for the interview. The questions asked cover a wide range of issues.

The Interview test carries 275 marks, while the total marks for the written examination are 1750, making the Grand Total of 2025 Marks. This total determines the final merit list.

FAQ

Q. Is There A Negative Marking Scheme In The UPSC Exam?

Yes, there is a negative marking scheme in the UPSC exam. For every incorrect answer, one-third of the marks assigned to that question will be deducted as a penalty. However, there is no negative marking for unanswered questions.

Q. Who Is Eligible For UPSC 2024?

To be eligible for this opportunity, candidates should be at least 21 years old and younger than 32 years old by August 1, 2024.