UPSC Syllabus 2021 – IAS Syllabus for Prelims, Mains

UPSC Syllabus

In this blog you will get complete UPSC IAS Syllabus for Prelims and Mains exam 2021. If you are preparing of UPSC civil service examination then you must have detailed understating of full IAS syllabus. Those who have just started their upsc exam preparation and have little idea about upsc exam syllabus so you are at the right place.

UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam Syllabus & Pattern 2021

IAS Prelims exam has 2 compulsory papers. Both papers are Objective (MCQ) type. Duration of each exam is 2hrs. Although 20 min per hour extra time is given to blinds and candidates with Cerebral Palsy & Locomotor Disability. IAS Prelim exam is Bilingual (Hindi & English) in nature.

GS Paper-I Exam Syllabus

  • History of India & Indian National Movement.
  • Current events of National & International importance.
  • Indian & World Geography (Physical Geography, Social Geography and Economic Geography)
  • Indian Polity & Governance Constitution, Rights Issues, Panchayati Raj, Political System, Public Policy, etc.
  • Economic & Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  • General issues on Bio-diversity, Environmental ecology, & climate change
  • General Science.

GS Paper-II Syllabus

It comprises of 80 questions from the following topics carrying a maximum of 200 marks to be solved in 2 hours. General Studies Paper-II of IAS Exam is a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

  • Comprehension.
  • Interpersonal skills which includes communication skills.
  • Logical reasoning
  • Analytical ability.
  • Decision making
  • Problem solving.
  • General mental ability
  • Basic numeracy which includes (Class X level knowledge of numbers & their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) Data interpretation (tables, graphs, charts, data sufficiency, etc. – Class X level)

UPSC IAS Mains Exam Syllabus & Pattern

I. Qualifying Papers on English and Indian Languages

English Language

(i) Comprehension of given passages.

(ii) Precis Writing.

(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.

(iv) Short Essays.

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.

II. Paper-I: Essay

III. Paper-II: General Studies-I

Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.

(i) Indian culture covers the important aspects of Architecture, literature, and Art Forms from the ancient to modern era.

(ii) Modern Indian history covers the middle of 18th century until the present- issues, personalities and significant events,

(iii) The Freedom Struggle covers its numerous stages and important contributions/contributors from the various parts of the country.

(iv) Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

(v) History of the world covers events from 18th century which includes industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, decolonization colonization, political philosophies like capitalism, communism, socialism etc.— their effect on society and forms

(vi) Important features of Diversity of India and Indian Society

(vii) Role and duties of women and women’s organization, poverty and developmental issues, population and associated issues, urbanization and problems and remedies related to it.

(viii) Effects of globalization on Indian society.

(ix) Communalism, Social empowerment, secularism & regionalism

(x) Important aspects of world’s physical geography.

(xi) Distribution of main natural resources within the world (including Indian sub-continent and South Asia) and factors responsible for the location of secondary, primary and tertiary sector industries in different parts of the world

(xii) Important Geophysical phenomena such as Volcanic activity, earthquakes, cyclone, Tsunami, etc., geographical features and their changes in locations in critical geographical features (which includes ice-caps and water-bodies) and in flora and fauna and the effects of these changes.

IV. Paper-III: General Studies-II

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.

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

(ii) Responsibilities and Functions of the States and Union, challenges and issues concerning to the devolution of powers, federal structure and finances.

(iii) Separation of powers within different organs dispute redressal institutions and mechanisms.

(iv) Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.

(v) Parliament and State legislatures— conduct of business, functioning, structure, powers & privileges and problems arising out due to these.

(vi) Organization, Structure and functioning of the Judiciary and Executive and Ministries and various Departments of the Government; roles of pressure groups and informal or formal associations in the Polity.

(vii) Important aspects of the Representation of People’s Act.

(viii) Appointment and responsibilities to various functions, powers, Constitutional posts, of numerous Constitutional Bodies.

(ix) Regulatory, Statutory, and different quasi-judicial bodies.

(x) Government interventions and policies for development in different sectors and issues arising out due to their implementation. and design

(xi) The duties of SHGs, NGOs, different associations, charities, donors and other stakeholders.

(xii) Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of total population by the States and Centre and how these schemes are performing, laws, mechanisms, and Bodies made especially for the betterment and protection of vulnerable sections.

(xiii) Issues relating to management and development of Social Services relating to Education, Health and Human Resources.

(xiv) Issues relating to hunger and poverty

(xv) Important aspects of transparency, accountability and governance, models, successes, e-governance applications, limitations,
Potential citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

(xvi) Role of civil services in a democracy.

(xvii) India and its relations with neighborhood.

(xviii) Global, Bilateral and regional groupings and agreements involving affecting or involving India’s interests.

(xix) Effect of politics and policies of developing and developed countries on India’s interests.

(xx) Important International agencies, institutions and fora – their mandate andstructure.

V. Paper-IV: General Studies-III

Economic Development, Technology, Environment, Bio diversity, Disaster Management and Security

(i) Indian Economy and issues relating to mobilization, of resources, employment, development planning and growth

(ii) Inclusive growth and problems arising from it.

(iii) Government Budgeting.

(iv) Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country,
Various types of irrigation
Irrigation systems storage
marketing and transport of agricultural produce
issues and related constraints
e-technology in the aid of farmers.

(v) Issues related to:
direct and indirect farm subsidies
minimum support prices
Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security
Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.

(vi) Food processing and related industries in India- supply chain management, significance, scope, upstream, location and downstream requirements,

(vii) Land reforms in India.

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

(ix) Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.

(x) Investment models.

(xi) Science and Technology- developments and their effects and applications in our day to day life.

(xii) Achievements of Indians in developing new technology, indigenization of technology and science & technology

(xiii) Awareness in the are of Space, IT, bio-technology, Computers, Nano-technology, robotics, and issues related to intellectual property rights.

(xiv) Conservation, degradation, environmental pollution and environmental impact assessment.

(xv) Disaster management.

(xvi) Linkages between spread of extremism and development .

(xvii) Role of non-state actors and external state and in making challenges to internal security.

(xviii) Challenges to internal security via communication networks, role of social networking sites and media in internal security challenges, fundamentals of cyber security, money-laundering and how to prevent it.

(xix) Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.

(xx) Various agencies and Security forces and mandate.

VI. Paper-V: General Studies-IV

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

(i) Ethics and Human Interface:
Determinants, Essence & consequences of Ethics in-human actions
dimensions of ethics
ethics – in public and private relationships
Human Values

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

(iii) 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.

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

(v) Contributions of moral philosophers and thinkers from India and world.

(vi) Civil/Public service ethics and values in Public administration:
Status and problems
ethical concerns in government
Dilemmas in government
Private institutions
Rules, laws, conscience and regulations 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.

(vii) Probity in Governance:
Concept of public service
Philosophical basis of probity and governance
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.

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