The UPSC Mains syllabus of the Civil Service examination is very vast. This vast syllabus combined with the immense competition makes it one of the toughest examinations in India. This article will throw light on the UPSC Mains syllabus of the Civil Service Examination with a primary focus on the 4 papers of the General studies.

UPSC is one of the independent institutions in India, and its powers are given in the Constitution of India. UPSC full form is Union Public Service Commission. Before diving into the syllabus, candidates must briefly understand the pattern of the UPSC Mains examination. The UPSC exam pattern in the Mains stage of the Civil Services examination will have 9 different papers. Paper A and Paper B are language papers. Compulsory Indian language is Paper A, it is for a duration of 3 hours and is for a maximum of 300 marks. Paper B is an English language paper, even this paper is for a duration of 3 hours and evaluated for a maximum of 300 marks. Candidates must note that the duration of all the 9 papers are 3 hours each. The maximum marks is 250 for each of the papers, from Paper – I to Paper – VII. Paper I is an essay paper, Paper II is General Studies Paper – I, Paper III is General Studies Paper – II, Paper IV is General Studies Paper – III and Paper V is General Studies Paper – IV. Paper VI and Paper VII are Optional Papers. Candidates have to choose 1 optional paper.

UPSC Mains syllabus of General Studies Paper – I covers Modern Indian History, History of the World, Geography, Society, and Indian Culture. The subject of Society covers topics such as effects of globalization on Indian society, role of women and women’s organizations, poverty, developmental issues, secularism, social empowerment, regionalism etc. Modern Indian History covers important personalities, events, important contributions of different personalities, the freedom struggle of India etc. Indian culture will cover art forms, literature, and different types of architecture. The Geography section will cover various geophysical phenomena like cyclones, tsunami, and earthquakes. Geography will also cover important geographical features, flora, fauna, natural resources in India, across the globe, details on different types of industries, contributions of these industries to the nation, etc.

UPSC Mains syllabus of General Studies Paper – II covers subjects such as Polity, Poverty, Governance, and International relations. International relations covers various bilateral relationships, multilateral relationships, intergovernmental organizations, relations between India and its neighborhood, the effect on India due to developments taking place in different parts of the globe, etc. This paper also covers the Constitution of India, powers and functions of various statutory bodies, constitutional bodies, and quasi-judicial bodies. It also covers powers and functions of Parliament, and State Legislatures. It also covers the structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Center and the States, issues related to poverty, governance are also covered.

UPSC Mains syllabus of General Studies Paper – III covers subjects such as Economy, Security, Science & Technology, Agriculture, Environment, Disaster Management, etc. The Science and Technology section will cover general awareness in the fields of Nanotechnology, IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, bio-technology, latest strides made by India in the fields of Defense technology, Space technology etc. This section will also cover issues related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The subject of Environment will cover issues related to conservation of flora and fauna, degradation of environment, initiatives to mitigate the impact of climate change, disaster management initiatives taken by the Governments. The subject on Security will cover various topics such as terrorism, internal security challenges in different states, cyber security, money laundering, etc.

UPSC Mains syllabus of General Studies Paper – IV covers subjects such as Probity in Governance, Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration, Contributions of Thinkers and Philosophers, Emotional Intelligence, Aptitude, Attitude, Ethics and Human Interface.