UPSC CSE syllabus, line by line

Current events of national and international importance.

In plain words: News that matters for the country or the world: government decisions, reports, indices, summits, science and environment in the news. UPSC usually tests the concept behind the headline, not the headline itself.

Government Schemes International Institutions Economic Surveys & Indices

History of India and Indian National Movement.

In plain words: Ancient, medieval and modern India, plus the freedom struggle from 1857 to 1947. Art and culture questions also sit here.

Ancient & Medieval History Modern Indian History Art & Culture

Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.

In plain words: How the earth works (landforms, climate, oceans), where resources and people are, and map-based places in the news.

Geography

Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

In plain words: The Constitution and how it works in practice: rights, Parliament, executive, courts, federalism, local bodies, constitutional and statutory bodies.

Indian Polity

Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

In plain words: The Indian economy (growth, money, banking, budget, trade, agriculture) and the social side: poverty, inclusion, population and welfare schemes.

Indian Economy Social Justice

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

In plain words: Ecology basics, species and protected areas, pollution, environmental laws and climate treaties, at the level of an informed citizen.

Environment & Ecology

General Science.

In plain words: Everyday biology, physics and chemistry, health, and new technology such as space, biotech and IT.

Science & Technology

Comprehension;

In plain words: Read short passages and pick the inference, assumption or central idea. This is the largest block of CSAT.

Reading Comprehension

Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

In plain words: Rarely tested on its own; it appears inside passages and situation-based questions.

Reading Comprehension

Logical reasoning and analytical ability;

In plain words: Syllogisms, statements and conclusions, arrangements and puzzles.

Logical Reasoning Analytical Ability

Decision making and problem solving;

In plain words: Situation questions asked in early papers; today mostly folded into reasoning puzzles.

Decision Making

General mental ability;

In plain words: Coding-decoding, series, directions, blood relations, cubes and dice.

Analytical 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);

In plain words: School maths: numbers, percentages, ratios, speed, geometry, plus reading tables and charts.

Basic Numeracy Data Interpretation

Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

In plain words: Two essays (about 1,000–1,200 words each) from philosophical and issue-based topics. Marks reward a clear structure and staying on the topic.

Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

In plain words: Temples, stupas, paintings, dance, music and literature, and what makes each style distinct.

Art & Culture

Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.

In plain words: From the decline of the Mughals and the British conquest to the present.

Modern Indian History

The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.

In plain words: The national movement phase by phase, including regional leaders and movements.

Modern Indian History Gandhian Era

Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

In plain words: Integration of princely states, linguistic reorganisation, early planning and nation-building.

Post-Independence Consolidation

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.

In plain words: Major world events and ideas since 1750 and how they changed societies.

World History

Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

In plain words: What holds Indian society together and what divides it: caste, religion, language, region, family.

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.

In plain words: Gender, population trends, poverty and cities: causes, problems and solutions.

Role of Women & Women's Organisations Population & Associated Issues Urbanisation Poverty & Developmental Issues

Effects of globalization on Indian society.

In plain words: How global markets, media and migration changed jobs, culture and families in India.

Effects of Globalisation

Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

In plain words: Empowering weaker groups, and the tensions of religion and region in a secular state.

Social Empowerment Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism

Salient features of world’s physical geography.

In plain words: Landforms, climate, oceans and soils across the world.

Geomorphology Climatology Oceanography

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).

In plain words: Where minerals, energy and water are found, and why industries come up where they do.

Resources Industrial Location Factors

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.

In plain words: Earthquakes, cyclones and volcanoes, plus how glaciers, lakes and ecosystems are changing.

Disasters Geomorphology Mapping

Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

In plain words: Where the Constitution came from, its key features, how it has been amended and what the courts treat as unamendable.

Constitution: Historical Background & Making Amendment & 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.

In plain words: Who does what between Centre, States and local bodies, and the fights over money and power.

Parliamentary & Federal System Local Government

Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.

In plain words: How legislature, executive and judiciary check each other, and tribunals and other dispute bodies.

Judiciary Governance

Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.

In plain words: What India borrowed from or does differently from the UK, US and others.

Constitution: Historical Background & Making

Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

In plain words: How laws are made, sessions, committees, privileges and debates about falling sittings.

Parliament State Executive & Legislature

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.

In plain words: President, PM, ministries, courts, and how lobbies and associations influence policy.

Union Executive Judiciary

Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

In plain words: Election law: who can contest, disqualification, election disputes and electoral reforms.

Elections & Representation

Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

In plain words: Election Commission, CAG, UPSC, Finance Commission and similar bodies.

Constitutional Bodies

Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

In plain words: Bodies created by law, such as NHRC, CIC, SEBI and tribunals.

Non-Constitutional & Statutory Bodies

Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

In plain words: Flagship schemes and why some work and others fall short.

Government Schemes Governance

Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.

In plain words: The role of NGOs, self-help groups, donors and charities in development.

Governance

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.

In plain words: Schemes and laws for SC/ST, women, children, elderly, disabled and minorities, and how well they work.

Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections SC/ST/Minorities Women & Child

Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

In plain words: Public health, schools and higher education, and skills.

Health Education Human Resources

Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

In plain words: Measuring poverty, malnutrition, food security and nutrition schemes.

Hunger & Nutrition Poverty & Inequality

Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

In plain words: RTI, citizen charters, digital governance and other tools that make government answerable.

Governance

Role of civil services in a democracy.

In plain words: What civil servants do, neutrality, reforms and accountability.

Governance

India and its neighborhood- relations.

In plain words: Ties with Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives and Afghanistan.

India & Neighbourhood

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

In plain words: BRICS, SCO, Quad, G20, ASEAN and the deals India signs.

Regional Groupings India & Major Powers

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

In plain words: How other countries’ choices affect India, and the role of Indians abroad.

India & Major Powers Indian Diaspora

Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

In plain words: UN bodies, IMF, World Bank, WTO and others: who they are and what they do.

International Institutions

Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.

In plain words: How India plans, raises money, grows and creates jobs.

National Income & Growth Planning & NITI Employment & Inclusive Growth

Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

In plain words: Growth that reaches the poor, women and lagging regions.

Employment & Inclusive Growth Poverty & Inequality

Government Budgeting.

In plain words: The budget, deficits, taxes and how spending is decided.

Fiscal Policy & Budget

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.

In plain words: Which crops grow where, irrigation, storage and selling produce, and digital tools for farmers.

Agriculture Agriculture Geography

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.

In plain words: MSP, subsidies, ration shops, food stocks and livestock economics.

Agriculture

Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.

In plain words: Turning farm produce into food products and the supply chain around it.

Agriculture Industry & Infrastructure

Land reforms in India.

In plain words: Abolition of zamindari, tenancy reform, land ceilings and land records.

Agriculture

Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.

In plain words: What the 1991 reforms changed and how industrial policy evolved.

Industry & Infrastructure

Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

In plain words: Power, transport and logistics: progress and bottlenecks.

Industry & Infrastructure Renewable Energy

Investment models.

In plain words: PPP, EPC, hybrid annuity and other ways to finance projects.

Industry & Infrastructure Financial Markets

Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

In plain words: New technology and how it touches daily life.

Science & Technology

Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

In plain words: Indian scientists, missions and home-grown technology.

Space Defence Technology

Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.

In plain words: AI, space, biotech, nanotech and patents.

IT & Emerging Tech Space Biotechnology Nanotechnology & Materials IPR

Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.

In plain words: Protecting nature, controlling pollution and the EIA process.

Conservation Laws & Bodies Pollution

Disaster and disaster management.

In plain words: Floods, droughts, cyclones, heatwaves and how India prepares and responds.

Disaster Management Disasters

Linkages between development and spread of extremism.

In plain words: Why underdevelopment can feed Left-wing extremism and insurgency.

Left Wing Extremism North-East Insurgency

Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.

In plain words: Cross-border terror, foreign agencies and armed groups.

Terrorism

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.

In plain words: Cyber attacks, fake news, social media misuse and money-laundering.

Cyber Security Role of Media & Social Networks Money Laundering & Organised Crime

Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

In plain words: Guarding borders and the crime-terror nexus.

Border Management Money Laundering & Organised Crime

Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

In plain words: Armed forces, central armed police forces and intelligence agencies.

Security Forces & Agencies

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.

In plain words: What ethics means, where values come from, and lessons from great lives.

Ethics & Human Interface

Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.

In plain words: How attitudes form and change, and how persuasion works.

Attitude

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.

In plain words: The core values a civil servant needs, with examples.

Aptitude & Foundational Values

Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

In plain words: Managing your own and others’ emotions at work.

Emotional Intelligence

Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

In plain words: Ideas of thinkers such as Gandhi, Buddha, Kant and Aristotle, applied to public life.

Moral Thinkers

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.

In plain words: Ethical dilemmas in government and business, and how rules and conscience guide decisions.

Public Service Values

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.

In plain words: Honesty in government: RTI, codes of conduct, service delivery and fighting corruption.

Probity in Governance

Case Studies on above issues.

In plain words: Real-life dilemmas where you decide and justify a course of action.

Case Studies