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HomeUPSC SyllabusUPSC Prelims Syllabus

UPSC Prelims Syllabus

Detailed official syllabus for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination. Breakdown of Paper I (General Studies) and Paper II (CSAT).

Paper I: General Studies

200 Marks•2 Hours

Current events of national and international importance

Covers significant news, developments in science, sports, awards, and global affairs that impact India or have international consequences.

History of India and Indian National Movement

Emphasis on broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects. In Indian National Movement, the candidates are expected to have a view on the nature and character of the nineteenth century resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of Independence.

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. Candidates should be aware of global climate change, international treaties, and environmental conservation efforts in India.

General Science

Basic understanding of science, including recent developments in technology, space, and medicine.

Paper II: CSAT

200 Marks•2 Hours

Qualifying Nature

Qualifying in nature (minimum 33% marks required)

Comprehension

Passage-based questions to test reading and understanding ability.

Interpersonal skills including communication skills

Testing soft skills and communication logic.

Logical reasoning and analytical ability

Critical thinking and logical deduction.

Decision making and problem solving

Situational analysis and judgment.

General mental ability

Basic cognitive and mental tasks.

Basic numeracy

Numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc. (Class X level)

Data interpretation

Charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. (Class X level)

Negative Marking & Rules

1. There will be negative marking for every incorrect answer: 1/3rd of the marks assigned to that question.

2. Both papers are of objective type (multiple choice questions).

3. The question papers will be set in both Hindi and English.

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