UPSC Syllabus (2025)

UPSC Exam Overview

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the highly coveted Civil Services Examination (CSE) to recruit officers into prestigious services such as IAS, IPS, and IFS. Every year, lakhs of aspirants compete in this three-stage exam. A crystal-clear understanding of the UPSC syllabus for both Prelims and Mains, along with a robust preparation strategy, is essential to secure a top rank.

This page offers a detailed guide to the UPSC exam format, downloadable UPSC syllabus PDFs, and proven strategies to crack Prelims and Mains on your first attempt.

Preliminary Examination (UPSC Prelims Syllabus)

• Type: Objective (Multiple Choice Questions)

• Duration: 2 hours per paper

• Papers & Marks:

  • General Studies Paper I: 200 marks (counts toward ranking)

  • CSAT (GS Paper II): 200 marks (qualifying—minimum 33%)

• Negative Marking: ⅓ mark deducted for each incorrect answer

• Purpose: Screen candidates for Mains; only GS Paper I marks are considered for cut-off

Main Examination (UPSC Mains Syllabus)

• Type: Descriptive (Essay and Papers)

• Total Papers: 9

  1. Paper A—Indian Language: 300 marks (qualifying; 25% minimum)

  2. Paper B—English: 300 marks (qualifying; 25% minimum)

  3. Paper I—Essay: 250 marks

  4. Paper II—General Studies I (Heritage, History, Geography): 250 marks

  5. Paper III—General Studies II (Polity, Governance, IR): 250 marks

  6. Paper IV—General Studies III (Economy, Environment, Science & Tech, Security): 250 marks

  7. Paper V—General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude): 250 marks

  8. & 9. Optional Subject Papers I & II: 2×250 marks

• Total Merit Marks: 1,750 (GS I–IV + Essay + Optional)

Personality Test (Interview)

• Marks: 275

• Assessment: Candidate’s personality traits, communication, leadership, and depth of understanding

• Final Merit Calculation: Mains (1,750) + Interview (275) = 2,025 marks

UPSC Syllabus PDF Download

• ✅ Download UPSC Syllabus in Hindi (PDF)

• ✅ UPSC Syllabus[Complete]
• ✅ UPSC Syllabus [GS + Public Adminsitration]

UPSC Prelims – Full Syllabus Breakdown

General Studies Paper I (200 marks)

Current Affairs

• National & international developments, government schemes, geopolitics, indices.

Indian History & Culture

• Prehistoric cultures, doctrines, Maurya–Gupta–Medieval period, freedom struggle phases, regional revolts, performing & fine arts.

Geography (India & World)

• Physical geography, monsoon systems, soil, vegetation, oceans, climate, demographics, agriculture, industry, settlements.

Polity & Governance

• Constitution, federal structure, local governance, rights & duties, institutions, transparency frameworks.

Economy & Social Development

• National income, poverty indices, budget/fiscal planning, welfare schemes, public finance, banking & trade.

Environment & Ecology

• Biodiversity, forests, climate change, environmental laws, pollution control measures.

Science & Technology

• Basic science concepts, space missions, renewable energy, biotechnology, AI, cybersecurity, IPR.

CSAT / Paper II – Complete Syllabus & Trend Insights

Syllabus Topics:

• • Comprehension
  • Interpersonal skills (including communication skills)
  • Logical reasoning and analytical ability
  • Decision-making and problem-solving
  • General mental ability
  • Basic numeracy (Class X level)
  • Data Interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency – Class X level)

  Comprehension

  Passages are the heart of Paper 2. At least 30 questions are asked every year based on passage reading, translating to a minimum of 75 marks. Improve passage-solving skills by:

  1. Reading the passage thoroughly.
  2. Re-reading if meaning isn’t clear initially.
  3. Inferring author’s intent and vocabulary context.

  Interpersonal Skills

  Also known as soft skills or people skills. Key abilities:

  • Communication Skills
  • Listening Skills
  • Stress Management
  • Assertiveness
  • Decision Making
  • Problem Solving
  • Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication

  Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability

  Includes puzzles, sequences, syllogisms, rank & direction, critical path. Practice is essential for efficiency.

  Problem Solving & Decision Making

  Tests ability to make quick, reasoned, welfare-oriented decisions. Classic five-step approach:

  1. Identify the problem
  2. Identify possible solutions
  3. Select the best solution
  4. Eliminate other solutions
  5. Make the decision

  General Mental Ability

  Topics include averages, percentages, profit & loss, time & work, Venn diagrams, simple & compound interest, ratios, permutations, probability, equations, etc. Strong basics are crucial.

  Basic Numeracy

  Includes square roots, factorization, LCM/HCF, divisibility, fractions, exponentials, binary conversion. Efficient time management and practice are key.

  Trend Analysis

  Year	Math & Basic Numeracy	Logical & Analytical Reasoning	Reading Comprehension	Decision Making	Data Interpretation	Total
  2011	11	17	39	8	5	80
  2012	3	28	40	9	–	80
  2013	11	21	33	6	9	80
  2014	20	23	31	–	6	80
  2015	30	18	30	–	2	80
  2016	31	21	28	–	–	80
  2017	28	22	30	–	–	80

  Aptitudes Assessed in UPSC CSAT

  Aptitude Area	Description
  Reading Comprehension	Understanding and interpreting written passages.
  Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability	Evaluating arguments, identifying patterns, and logical deductions.
  Decision-Making & Problem-Solving	Making judgments in given scenarios and solving problems effectively.
  Basic Numeracy	Class X level arithmetic, including percentages, ratios, and averages.
  Data Interpretation	Analyzing data presented in graphs, charts, and tables.
  General Mental Ability	Solving puzzles and understanding patterns.
  Interpersonal Skills & Communication	Understanding and responding to interpersonal scenarios.

  Evaluation Methods and Question Formats

  Aptitude Area	Evaluation Method	Typical Question Format
  Reading Comprehension	Passages followed by questions assessing understanding, inference, and vocabulary.	Multiple-choice questions based on the passage content.
  Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability	Questions on syllogisms, sequences, and logical deductions.	Puzzles, pattern recognition, and logical sequence questions.
  Decision-Making & Problem-Solving	Situational questions requiring ethical and practical judgments.	Scenario-based questions with multiple-choice answers.
  Basic Numeracy	Problems on arithmetic topics like percentages, ratios, and averages.	Numerical problems requiring calculations.
  Data Interpretation	Questions based on data presented in various formats.	Interpretation of graphs, charts, and tables.
  General Mental Ability	Puzzles, coding-decoding, and pattern recognition questions.	Logical puzzles and pattern-based questions.
  Interpersonal Skills & Communication	Scenarios assessing communication and interpersonal understanding.	Situational judgment questions.

  UPSC CSAT 2024: Topic-Wise Question Distribution

  Aptitude Area	Number of Questions	Percentage of Total Questions
  Reading Comprehension	27	34%
  Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability	15	19%
  Basic Numeracy	38	48%
  Decision-Making & Problem-Solving	0	0%
  Data Interpretation	0	0%
  General Mental Ability	Included in above categories	–
  Interpersonal Skills & Communication	0	0%
  Total	80	100%

  Note: The 2024 CSAT paper did not include separate questions on Decision-Making, Data Interpretation, or Interpersonal Skills.

  Difficulty Level Distribution in UPSC CSAT 2024

  Difficulty Level	Number of Questions	Percentage of Total Questions
  Easy	24	30%
  Moderate	36	45%
  Difficult	20	25%
  Total	80	100%

  Key Observations from UPSC CSAT 2024

  • Basic Numeracy: Dominated the paper with 38 questions, focusing heavily on the Number System (19 questions), followed by topics like Percentages and Ratios.
  • Reading Comprehension: Maintained a significant presence with 27 questions, requiring strong analytical reading skills.
  • Logical Reasoning: Included 15 questions, covering areas such as syllogisms, sequences, and pattern recognition.
  • Decision-Making & Data Interpretation: Notably absent in this year’s paper, indicating a shift in focus.

UPSC Mains – Full Syllabus with Subtopics

Essay Paper (250 marks)

• Two essays (~1200 words each) on themes: governance, economy, ethics, society, environment, international.

GS Paper I – Heritage, History, Geography (250)

• Culture & Heritage: philosophy, art, festivals, architecture

• Modern India: colonial rules, social movements, liberalization

• World History: world wars, revolutions, decolonization

• Geography: climate, rivers, physiography, population, resource mapping

GS Paper II – Polity, Governance & IR (250)

• Constitution: structure, amendments, basic features, SC judgments

• Governance: civil services, welfare policy, rights, decentralisation

• IR: UN/BRICS frameworks, India’s diplomacy, geopolitical alliances

GS Paper III – Economy, Environment, Tech, Security (250)

• Economy: budgeting, industrial growth, MSMEs, agriculture, fintech, inclusive development

• Environment & Ecology: climate treaties, biodiversity loss, pollution metrics

• Science & Tech: AI, space exploration, biotech, IOT, cyber law

• Security: terrorism, border disputes, disaster preparedness, cyber security

GS Paper IV – Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude (250)

• Ethics theories, emotional intelligence, leadership

• Aptitude & Integrity: civic ethics, accountability, RTI, citizen charter

• Governance Case Studies: real-world dilemmas, administrative decisions

Optional Subjects – Papers VI & VII (2×250 marks)

• Pick from 48 subjects; focus on overlap with GS, availability of resources, and personal interest.