UPSC Civil Service Examination Syllabus

Welcome to Dharsha IAS Academy’s UPSC Syllabus Guide

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is India’s most prestigious exam, conducted in three stages:

Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
Main Examination (Mains)
Personality Test / Interview

This syllabus page gives you a complete breakdown of the exam pattern, subjects, and topics, helping you streamline your preparation journey with Dharsha IAS Academy. The Civil Services examination notification releases by February Every year

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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)

General Studies (GS) Paper -I

CSAT
Paper -II

100 Questions
200 marks

80 Questions
200 marks

2 Hours

UPSC - Civil Service Examinations

Preliminary Examination - Prelims

Mains Examination

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.
General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.
General Science.

Personality Test (Interview)

Note 1: Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

Note 2: The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

Note 3: It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the Papers of Civil Services (Preliminary)Examination for the purpose of evaluation. Therefore a candidate will be disqualified in case he/she doesnot appear in both the papers of Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination.

Note - 1

A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years on 1st August, of the year he/she is appearing in the Preliminary Examination.

Note - 2

An attempt at a Preliminary Examination shall be deemed to be an attempt at the examination. If a candidate actually appears in any one paper in the Preliminary Examination, he/she shall be deemed to have made an attempt at the examination. Notwithstanding the disqualification/cancellation of candidature, the fact of appearance of the candidate at the examination will count as an attempt.

Note - 3

Preliminary Examination of the Civil Services Examination shall be held for recruitment to Services and Posts mentioned below:

(i)Indian Administrative Service

(ii)Indian Foreign Service

(iii)Indian Police Service

(iv)Indian P & T Accounts & Finance Service,

(V)Indian Audit and Accounts Service, Group 'A'

(vi)Indian Revenue Service (Customs and Central Excise), Group 'A'

(vii) Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group 'A'

(viii) Indian Revenue Service (IT), Group 'A'

(ix)Indian Ordinance Factories Service, Group 'A' (Assistant Works Manager, Administration)

(x)Indian Postal Service, Group 'A'

(xi) Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group 'A'

(xii)Indian Railway Trac Service, Group 'A'

(xiii)Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'

(xiv) Indian Railway Personnel Service

(XV)Post of Assistant Security Commissioner inRailway Protection Force, Group 'A'

(xvi)Indian Defence Estates Service, Group 'A'

(xvii)Indian Information Service (Junior Grade), Group 'A'Group 'A'

(xviii)Indian Trade Service, Group 'A' (Gr. III)

(xix)Indian Corporate Law Service, Group "A"

(xx)Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group 'B' (Section Ocer's Grade)

(xxi)Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli Civil Service, Group 'B'

(xxii)Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu and Dadra &Nagar Haveli Police Service, Group 'B

(xxiii)Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'

(xxiv)Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B'

Mains Examinations ( Subjective / Descriptive Type)

General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.

Indian culture will cover the 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, redrawal 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 subcontinent); 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, cyclone 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-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Government Budgeting.
Major crops-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.
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; economics of animal-rearing.
Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
Land reforms in India.
Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Investment models.
Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Disaster and disaster management.
Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
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 organized crime with terrorism.
Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.

Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
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.
Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—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 for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and 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.
India and its neighborhood- relations.
Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:
Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; 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 values.
Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and 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; 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.
Case Studies on above issues

Selecting the right optional subject in the UPSC Mains exam is a critical decision, it can influence both your grasp of the syllabus and your scoring potential. At Dharsha IAS Academy, we help aspirants make an informed choice aligned with their interests, strengths, and future goals.

List of Optional SubjectsUPSC offers a wide array of optional subjects. Here are the key categories

Agriculture
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce & Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Literature Subjects You may also pick literature from languages such as: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, or English.You must select one optional subject. It will be tested in two papers (Paper VI and Paper VII), each carrying 250 marks .

Why the Choice of Optional Matters Alongside the compulsory papers,

The optional subject gives you a chance to display depth of knowledge and analytical capability. If your optional overlaps with your academic or professional background, you can gain an edge in preparation and writing. Some subjects tend to have more resources, mentorship, or past trends, which can aid your study plan.

Popular Options & Why Candidates Prefer Them. Many aspirants gravitate toward the following subjects for various reasons:

History – rich content, good overlap with GS, lots of study material
Geography – scoring potential, objective elements, diagrams
Public Administration – overlaps with GS paper content on governance
Political Science & International Relations (PSIR) – thematic tie-ups with contemporary issues
Sociology – manageable syllabus, conceptual clarity

Preparation Tips from Dharsha IAS Academy

Syllabus Familiarity : Break down the syllabus into small modules.
Understand subtopics, weightage, and overlap with GS.
Select Standard Study Material
Choose textbooks and reference works recommended by senior faculty.
Use materials curated by Dharsha IAS Academy to stay focused and avoid excess overlap.
Answer Writing Practice & Regular writing of past-year questions and mock tests is critical.
Focus on structure, clarity, and expression.
Connect with Current AffairsTry to relate topics in your optional subject to ongoing events and government policies.
Guidance & Mentorship Leverage support from subject experts at Dharsha IAS Academy -get doubts cleared, feedback on answers, and strategy inputs.

Success Rates & Trends : Success rates for optional subjects vary across years, depending on difficulty, competition, and candidate performance. Understanding trends helps in realistic expectation setting and better preparation.

Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science & International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology

The aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned. The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:

Paper A - English

(i) Comprehension of given passages.

(ii) Precis Writing

(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.

(iv) Short Essays.

Paper B -Indian Languages

(i) comprehension of given passages.

(ii) Precis Writing

(iii) Usage and Vocabulary

(iv) Short Essays

(v) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

Note 1: The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard andwill be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

Note 2: The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).

300 Marks | 3 hours

Personality Test (Interview Test)

Clearing the UPSC Mains exam is a big milestone and the final stage is the Personality Test, often called the Interview. This is where a panel of experts interacts with you to understand who you are as a person, not just what you know.

What’s the Purpose?

The interview is not about testing your knowledge again, that’s already done in the prelims and mains. Instead, it’s about checking your overall personality, confidence, and suitability for public service. The board wants to see if you have the qualities of a good civil servant.

What Do They Look For?

During the conversation, the panel observes qualities like:

Quick thinking and mental alertness
Ability to understand and explain things clearly
Good judgment and balanced opinions
Awareness about current events in India and the world
Leadership qualities and teamwork skills
Honesty, integrity, and a positive attitude

How Is the Interview Conducted?

Think of it more like a friendly but purposeful conversation rather than a strict cross-examination. The idea is to bring out your natural personality how you think, how you express yourself, and how you respond to different situations.

What Should You Be Ready With?

A clear understanding of your academic background and optional subject
Awareness of current affairs -social, political, and economic issues
Knowledge about important events happening in your state, country, and the world
A curious and open mind towards new ideas, technologies, and discoveries

A Key Tip Remember:

The interview is not about giving "perfect" answers. It’s about showing clarity, confidence, and character. Be honest, stay calm, and think logically, these qualities matter more than memorized facts.

Support at Dharsha IAS Academy

At Dharsha IAS Academy, we prepare you with mock interviews, one-to-one mentoring, and confidence-building sessions so you walk into the UPSC interview room fully ready to express your best self.

UPSC CSE NOTIFICATION DOCUMENT 2025

Welcome to Dharsha IAS Academy’s UPSC Syllabus Guide

General Studies (GS) Paper -I

CSAT Paper -II

100 Questions 200 marks

80 Questions 200 marks

2 Hours

2 Hours

UPSC - Civil Service Examinations

Preliminary Examination - Prelims

Mains Examination

Personality Test (Interview)

Mains Examinations ( Subjective / Descriptive Type)

CSAT
Paper -II

100 Questions
200 marks

80 Questions
200 marks