UPSC Mains syllabus — GS-I to GS-IV in full detail

GS Paper I — Heritage, History, Geography, Society

GS-I tests cultural and historical grounding plus geography and Indian society. It is the paper where good NCERT reading pays compounding returns.

• Indian culture — salient aspects of art forms, literature, and architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian history — significant events, personalities, issues from mid-eighteenth century until present.
• The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors from different parts of the country.
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganisation within the country.
• World history — events from the 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation, political philosophies.
• Indian society and diversity — salient features.
• Role of women, women's organisation, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems and remedies.
• Effects of globalisation on Indian society; social empowerment; communalism, regionalism, secularism.
• Salient features of world's physical geography.
• Distribution of key natural resources; factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries.
• Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclones; geographical changes and their impact.

GS Paper II — Polity, Governance, IR

GS-II demands constitutional and governance literacy plus a steady reading of foreign affairs. It rewards candidates who track parliamentary developments and Supreme Court judgements through the year.

• Indian Constitution — historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, basic structure.
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, federal structure, devolution of powers.
• Separation of powers between organs, dispute redressal mechanisms.
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with other countries.
• Parliament and State legislatures — structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges.
• Executive and judiciary — structure, organisation, ministries and departments.
• Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.
• Appointment to various constitutional posts, powers, functions, responsibilities.
• Statutory, regulatory, and quasi-judicial bodies.
• Government policies and interventions for development; issues arising out of their design and implementation.
• Development processes — the role of NGOs, SHGs, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections.
• Issues relating to development and management of social sector — health, education, human resources.
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
• Governance, transparency and accountability — RTI, e-governance, citizen charters, civil services.
• India and its neighbourhood — relations.
• Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India.
• 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.

GS Paper III — Economy, Environment, S&T, Security

GS-III is the most current-affairs-heavy paper. Economy and security in particular reward consistent readers of business and defence news.

• Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development, employment.
• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
• Government budgeting.
• Major crops, cropping patterns; irrigation and water systems; storage, transport, and marketing.
• Issues of buffer stocks, food security; technology missions; animal-rearing economics.
• Food processing and related industries in India — scope, significance, location.
• Land reforms in India.
• Effects of liberalisation on the economy; changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
• Infrastructure — energy, ports, roads, airports, railways.
• Investment models.
• Science and technology — developments, applications and effects in everyday life.
• Indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
• Awareness in fields of IT, space, computers, robotics, nano-technology, biotechnology, intellectual property rights.
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
• Disaster and disaster management.
• Internal security — linkages between development and spread of extremism.
• External state and non-state actors creating internal security challenges.
• Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking, basics of cyber security, money laundering.
• Security challenges in border areas; organised crime with terrorism.
• Various security forces and agencies and their mandate.

GS Paper IV — Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude

GS-IV is unique among Mains papers — half theory, half case studies. It rewards a reflective rather than encyclopedic preparation.

• Ethics and human interface — essence, determinants, consequences in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.
• Human values — lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, administrators; role of family, society, educational institutions in inculcating values.
• Attitude — content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes.
• Aptitude and foundational values for civil service — integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication, empathy, tolerance, compassion towards the weaker sections.
• Emotional intelligence — concepts, utility and application in administration and governance.
• Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
• Public/civil service values and ethics in public administration — status and problems, ethical concerns and dilemmas, laws, rules, regulations, conscience as sources of 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, information sharing and transparency, codes of ethics, codes of conduct, citizen's charters, work culture, quality of service delivery, utilisation of public funds, challenges of corruption.
• Case studies on the above issues.

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