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UPSC Prelims Syllabus

Syllabus for GS Paper (Prelims Paper I)

Current events of national and international importance.
History of India and Indian National Movement.
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, Biodiversity, and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialisation.
General Science

UPSC Prelims Syllabus

Syllabus for CSAT Paper (Prelims Paper-II)

Comprehension
Interpersonal skills including communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision-making and problem solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. – Class X level)

CSAT Syllabus

General mistakes in Conventional (Descriptive) Papers

MAINS SYLLABUS & STRATEGY

Check it out Mains syllabus and strategy general studies 1,2,3,4.

ESSAY STRATEGY

Check it out Essay strategy for civil service examination.

Essay Writing for Civil Services Examination

Understanding Essay Writing

An essay is a short piece of writing that sheds light on any given topic. M.H. Abrams, the American literary critic, notes that the essay is “Any short composition in prose that undertakes to discuss a matter, express a point of view, or persuade us to accept a thesis on any subject.”

Broadly speaking, there are two types of essays - formal and informal. In the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), we are concerned with the formal essay. The formal essay is relatively impersonal, the author writes it as an authority and such essays tend to be less emotional. Formal essays can also have factual elements in it, like quoted statistics from a government report etc. It is never in the form of a conversation, never uses first-person references and seldom gets intimate with the audience. In short, a formal essay has a certain degree of seriousness attached to it.

Essay writing for CSE

For the CSE essay paper, two essays have to be written under 3 hours in the 1000-1200 word limit. Each essay carries 125 marks for a total of 250.
The essay paper is divided into two sections - A and B, each carrying a choice of 4 essays each, and the aspirant has to choose only one essay from each section.
The instructions in the syllabus are clear in what is being expected from the aspirant. Aspirants are ‘expected to keep their thoughts closely to the subject and arrange their ideas accordingly.It furthur tates that, credit will be given for effective and coherent expression’.
The underlined keywords are important because after content, these are the exact parameters on which the essay will be evaluated.

Beginning Essay Writing

Practice makes perfect. For scoring good marks in the essay, one needs practice. But, before we get to the practising part, we should do some basic homework first. We would start by looking at what a well structured essay is, how it can be planned, what elements can be added to make the essay more scoring, and most importantly, how to do it all within the prescribed time limit.

Basic structure of an essay

The most common method of structuring a essay is breaking it up into paragraphs. In this technique, besides the introduction and the conclusion, there will be body-paragraphs. In these body-paragraphs, the aspirant will have to fit in all his content.

Body-paragraphs can broadly be supportive, critical or narrative. Ideally, one can start any argument in an aptly phrased narrative paragraph which describe the topic in some detail and then move on to a supportive paragraph containing a few positive facts/ideas on the topic. Though critical paragraphs look best when they are placed last, there are no such rules, and for some topics it can be used as the opening paragraph for the topic.
The most important part of the essay is perhaps the introduction. First impressions are very important, and a well thought out introduction will definitely make a positive impression on the examiner. We will discuss how to write a proper introduction later in this strateg
Similarly, the conclusion is where one can score additional marks if done properly. This will also be discussed later.

'closely': Any deviation from the topic will be tolerated only up to a certain point. One must, therefore, as a rule stick as closely as possible to the topic at hand. Any example, quote, anecdote or reference must be on topic or related closely to it
'arrange': The essay must be in an arranged form. The aspirant is supposed to plan ahead and form a structure of the essay before actually writing it down.
'orderly': The ideas or arguments put forward in the essay must follow an order. A haphazard essay that does not flow sequentially, must be avoided at all costs.
'concise': The essay and the matter discussed therein must be expressed as precisely possible. Clarity of thought and brevity of expression is what is looked for in the CSE essay.
'effective': The essay must be written in a language that makes a strong impression. Thus, one needs to be conveying a point with every sentence, every paragraph. Flowery language is best avoided
'coherent': Coherence is required of all forms of writing, including answer writing, but in the CSE essay one must be extra careful to check that all individual sentences in the essay are making sense. Also, paragraphs as a whole must convey a clear and well thought out exposition on the theme of the essay.

Planning to write an essay

A good essay needs planning. There are three steps to it - defining or understanding what the essay is going to be about in very clear terms, brainstroming on the topic and thirdly, devising the outline of the essay.

Central idea of the thesis statement

All CSE essays have a thesis statement. For example, in CSE 2016, the following essay was asked— ‘Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare’. Here the central idea is ‘innovation’. The aspirant is supposed to explore those dimensions of innovation that affect ‘economic growth and social welfare’. In doing so, the aspirant should not veer from the central topic of innovation but if possible add a few related ideas which may supplement the overall central idea that not only socio-economic but also other areas like technology and culture are affected by forces of innovation.
In another essay asked in CSE— ‘Water disputes between States in federal India’ – the central idea is how the water disputes between various Indian states have played out and what are its various dimensions. Constitutional, legal, social and political dimensions, for ex, are a must for addressing this topic. In order to find out the various dimensions of any given topic we should perform a brainstorming exercise.

Brainstorming for essay writing

Brainstorming for essay is a crucial step. Brainstorming helps you get all the ideas at one place for quick reference. There are no hard and fast rules, but typically one can begin with the given topic and immediately start listing the things that come to mind. One can ideally devote an entire page for this exercise.

Brainstorming guide

The first requirement for brainstorming is focus. One should be able to focus single-mindedly on the job at hand, which in this case is jotting down as many points as possible regarding the essay topic.
Boundaries must also be properly defined. If the topic does not absolutely require a particularly complex point or if it does not require following a difficult train of thought, it should be avoided. Keeping the essay as simple as possible without sacrificing the most valid points is what we should be looking for.
Then we must set a time limit for the brainstorming session. Ideally, for CSE that time limit works out to about 25 minutes per essay. Within that time limit one is supposed to come up with all the necessary points and plans for writing the essay.
Another important point to be made here is that aspirants should have a fair understanding regarding the expectations of the CSE examiner from the essay. Every topic will have some basic ideas that the aspirants must necessarily try to explore or address. During brainstorming such a requirement can be searched for.
In the brainstorming exercise one may also take help of diagrams, flow-charts, mind-maps etc., if needed. Sometimes doing this may clear things up to a great extent or even save precious time.
Three things that one must exclusively do while brainstorming are — identify causes and factors, define the various issues and make a list of associated ideas. Doing this is key to success in the entire brainstorming exercise.

Adding elements to the essay

Any good essay will definitely have a multitude of elements and dimensions to it. For CSE essay writing, there are certain basic rules that one can follow while searching for these elements and dimensions.
The first of such rules would be to follow and uphold Constitutional values at all times. This is very crucial for essay writing in CSE, that the values enshrined in our Constitution reflect in whatever idea, problem or solution we discuss in the essay. At no point should one try and support an idea that is unconstitutional.
One must alsobe democratic while addressing issues. The concepts of ‘freedom and equality’ should be the guiding principles while suggesting solutions and while criticising events or issues.
Generally, one must also avoid taking absolutist/non-compromising positions. In fact, the best way to handle complex problems is to find the middle ground.
One must also try not to make sweeping generalisations on any given issue. Instead, there should be hints of patience, justice and understanding in addressing or discussing any given topic.
Lastly, there are two more things that an aspirant need to keep in mind while attempting the CSE essay. (A) Do not question the topic itself, which is to say, in other words, do not contradict yourself. Pick a position (ideally, the middle path) and stay true to it throughout the essay. (B) Never use positively, things that are universally considered or used in a negative sense, and vice-versa. For ex, one must not say that ‘terrorism’ under certain conditions is equivalent to a freedom struggle, even though quotes like ‘one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’ are quite common.

Elements in an essay

The three basic elements — social, political and economic — form the bedrock of a good CSE essay.
To these, one may add other dimensions like Constitutional, legal, technological, technical etc.
Another important element is the persona Good personal experiences or anecdotes can no doubt be used to increase the effectiveness of the essay but these should stay within the accepted framework of ethical conduct.

PESTLE Analysis

Political – Economic – Sociological – Technological – Legal – Environmental Analysis.
Use PESTLE Analysis to figure out the various aspects, dimensions, factors etc of any given topic.

Outlining the essay

Before writing the essay, it is best to outline it. To outline an essay means to figure out what to say in the introduction/conclusion, which idea comes where, or even what quote to use for the essay etc.
Outlining the essay in rough helps us grasp the entirety of the essay before actually writing it. It helps us get the big picture, and also see what we could be missing.
It is said that once we can figure out the conclusion to our essay, it becomes much easier to not only begin but finish it with confidence.

Writing An Essay

Sticking to the time limit

In the CSE, one has to write two essays in 3 hours which translates into 1 hour 30 minutes for each essay. Out of this, around 45 minutes to 1 hour will be required to write one essay. One can add another 10 minutes for the revision of one essay. This leaves us with roughly 30 minutes of time to prepare the essay in rough, and it includes time for carrying out the brainstorming and outlining exercises.

How to introduce the essay

The goal of the introduction should be to arouse the reader’s interest in the topic and to prepare the reader for what is to follow.
A good introduction to the essay can be a brief explanation of the essay topic itself. It can be made further interesting by adding to it some personal experience, or some relevant anecdotes or quotes
The introduction should not be confusing or lacking in clarity, rather it should be able to immediately clear up any doubts regarding the topic if there is any.

Writing in paragraphs

In a stand-alone paragraph, the concluding sentence announces that the paragraph is finished, complete. In an essay, the concluding sentence of a paragraph is more likely to play the role of a transitional device, joining one paragraph to the next.
Flow is very important in an essay. It is also connected to writing order. Writing orders are of two types
Known-to-New is the order of writing where the author by choice goes from known (given) concepts to unknown ones. New material is gradually added to build on the unknown.
Simple-to-Complex is the order of writing where the author first establishes a base of concepts that are easily understood and then develops over it increasingly complex ideas.
One can use the FREQOES method to add matter to the various paragraphs.

How to conclude the essay

The purpose of the conclusion is to bring a smooth end to the essay. It is also important to note that a strong finish is as important as a strong opening. Both are important for scoring better marks.
The essay can be concluded in the following ways - restating the main points in brief and with different wordings (summarizing), suggesting a way forward or a course of action, or adding an interesting personal comment or any relevant anecdote.
Another way to conclude the essay is by returning to the discussion begun in the introduction. This is called the ‘cyclic return’ and a lot of essays follow this simple method of concluding an essay.
The conclusion should bear a positive outlook, it should see the silver lining in the clouds. It should also be as clear and concise as possible.

Revising the essay

To revise, read the essay in its entirety, underlining (preferably with scale and pencil) important words or phrases. Correct spelling or grammatical mistakes if any. Make sure the pages look clean and tidy.
One may add or omit a few words but it should not be overdone. It is also not advisable that entirely new ideas/sentences are inserted in the essay at the time of revision, unless such information is critical to the essay.

Some tips on essay writing

One can go through the CSE previous year’s essays and understand the concepts, dimensions and solutions required to solve those. Having a simple understanding of complex social problems is the secret to writing a good essay for the CSE.
One can also keep handy a small collection of quotes or quotable phrases and citable anecdotes to be used while writing the essay. This keeps one prepared for writing any type of essay.

HISTORY

Indian Heritage & Culture
Indian Art Forms Indian Paintings Classical Dance Forms Folk Dance Forms Classical Music Puppetry Pottery Drama/Theatre Martial Arts Literature Ancient Indian Literature Classical Sanskrit Literature Literature in Pali and Prakrit Early Dravidian Literature	Medieval Literature Women Poets of Bhakti Trends in Medieval Literature Modern Indian Literature Architecture Harappan Architecture Temple Architecture Cave Architecture Indo-Islamic Architecture Medieval Architecture Modern Architecture Contribution of Buddhism & Jainism to the Development of Indian Architecture Rock Cut Architecture Colonial Architecture & the Modern Period

Modern Indian History
Middle of the Eighteenth Century Until The Present Socio-economic Condition of People European Penetration of India British Conquest of India	British Policies & Their Impact – Economic, Administrative & Socio-cultural Socio-cultural Reform Movements Uprisings Against British Pre-1857

The Freedom Struggle
Revolt of 1857 Growth of Nationalism in India (1858-1905) Political, Economic & Administrative Unification of the Country Role of Western Education Role of Press Rediscovery of India’s Past Early Political Movements Formation of INC Era of Moderates Growth of Militant Nationalism & Revolutionary Activities (1905-1918) Swadeshi & Boycott Movement Surat Split International Influence Morley – Minto Reforms Growth of Communalism Beginning of Mass Nationalism (1919-1939) Mahatma Gandhi – His Ideas & Leadership Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms Rowlatt Act, Satyagrah and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Non-cooperation & Khilafat Movement	Swarajists & No-Changers Emergence of New Forces – Socialistic Ideas, Youth & Trade Unionism Revolutionary Activity Simon Commission & Nehru Report Civil Disobedience Movement Round Table Conferences Communal Award & Poona Pact Participation in Elections to Central Legislature (1934) & Provincial Assemblies (1937) Government of India Act, 1935 Towards Freedom & Partition (1939-1947) National Movement During World War II August Offer Individual Satyagraha Growth of Communalism Peasant Movements State People’s Struggle Cripps Mission Quit India Movement Wavell Plan INA & Subhash Chandra Bose Cabinet Mission Nationalist Upsurge Post-World War II Independence with Partition

Post-independence Consolidation
Nation Building Partition and Its Aftermath Integration of Princely States Reorganisation of States Issue of Official Language Tribal Consolidation Regional Aspirations Foreign Policy Non-Aligned Movement Panchsheel Wars with Pakistan & China Nuclear Policy Economy Planned Development Green Revolution, Operation Flood & Cooperatives	Agrarian & Land Reforms Industrial Reforms LPG Reforms Era of One-Party Dominance Emergence of Opposition Parties Emergency: Crisis of Democratic Order Rise of Regional Parties Coalition Era Social Popular Movements Communalism Indian Women Since Independence Naxalism

History of the World
Industrial Revolution Renaissance Discovery of Sea Routes Reformation Counter Reformation European Nations Settle North America Rise of Slave Trade American War of Independence French Revolution Nationalism in Europe Rise of Capitalism, Colonialism & Imperialism World War I Causes of the War Scope & Course of the War Russian Revolution End of the War & Peace Treaties Consequences of the War League of Nations World Between the Two Wars Europe After the War – Fascism & Nazism The Great Depression Emergence of Soviet Union Nationalist Movements in Asia & Africa US as a Strong Power	World War II Fascist Aggression & Response of Western Democracies Outbreak of the War Theatres of the War US Entry into the War Global Nature of the War The Holocaust Resistance Movements After-effects of the War Decolonialisation & Redrawal of National Boundaries Europe after World War II Cold War Rise of Asia & Africa Developments in West Asia & North Africa Spread of Communism Korean War Vietnam War Cuban Crisis Collapse of Soviet Union Concept, Types & Social Impact of Political Philosophies Communism Capitalism Socialism

INDIAN SOCIETY

Role of Women and Women's Organization
Women's Organisations – Empowerment through Action 19th Century Social Reform Movements and Early Women's Organisations – (1) Agrarian Struggles and Revolt, (2) Participation in Freedom Struggle Women's Organisations Post – 1947	Resurgence of Women's Movement in the 70s: (1) Emergence of New Organisations, (2) Approaches and Issues Contemporary Women's Issues & Organisation Response Women's Organisations and SHGs Challenges faced by Women's Organisations

Population and Associated Issues
Basic Demography of India Population Trends in India and their Implications Causes and Effects of Over Population Challenges of Population Explosion	Changing Age Structure of Indian Population Demogarphic Dividend: Boon or Bane for India Population Aging in India India's Population Policy & Initiatives

Poverty and Developmental Issues
Concept of Development and Poverty Types of Poverty Measurement of Poverty – Poverty Line Causes of Poverty Poverty as a Social Problem Socio-economic Spread of Poverty Consequences of Poverty – Inequality Continuation of Vicious Cycle Who are worst affected by poverty?	Problem of Rising Urban Poverty Poverty Alleviation Initiatives Policy shift from “Trickle Down” Economics to Inclusive or Pro-poor Development to Reduce Poverty Relation between Poverty Reduction and Development: Poverty-Inequality-Development Nexus

Urbanization
Urbanisation Trends in India and Their Implications - Demographic and Social Dimensions Factors Driving Urbanisation State of Service Delivery and Challeges posed by Urbanisation Problems of Urban Areas	Social Consequences of Urbanisation Impact of Urbanisation in Rural Areas Urban Planning and Role of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) Reforms Required and Government Initiatives Taken So Far Problems of Slums

Effects of Globalization on Indian Society
Understanding Globalisation – Its Different Dimensions Globalisation & Culture - Homogenisation vs. Glocalisation Factors Driving Globalisation	Globalisation & India Impact of Globalisation on India - Socio-cultural, economic, on women, agrarian sector etc. Does Globalisation cause Poverty?

Social Empowerment
Which are the Socially Disadvantaged Groups? Dimensions of Social Empowerment	Government Initiatives to Aide Social Empowerment

Communalism
Communalism – Its Characteristics Communalism in India in the Past Communalism in Contemporqary India Causes of Communalism	Consequences of Communalism Measures to Control & Eradicate Communalism Secularism as an Antidote to Communalism

Regionalism
Concept of Region & Regionalism Different Forms of Regionalism Regionalism in India Causes of Regionalism Concept of 'Sons of Soil'	Consequences of Regionalism Federalism & Regionalism Role of Regional Parties Measures to Contain Regionalism Regionalism in the International Sphere

Secularism
Concept of Secularism Indian Model of Secularism Secularism in India Nature & Practice of Secularism in India	Uniform Civil Code Challenges faced by Secularism in India Measures to Make India Truly Secular

GEOGRAPHY

3D Atlas UPSC Guide

Salient Features of World's Physical Geography
Geomorphology Origin & Evolution of Earth Interior of the Earth Distribution of Continents & Oceans Plate Tectonic Theory Distribution of Earthquakes & Volcanoes Rocks & Rock Cycle Geomorphic Processes – Endogenic & Exogenic Landforms & their Evolution Oceanography Hydrological Cycle Seafloor Spreading Ocean Floor Configuration	Temperature & Salinity of Oceans Movement of Oceans – Waves, Tides, Currents Climatology Earth’s Atmosphere – Composition & Structure Solar Radiation, Heat Budget & Temperature Atmospheric Circulation & Weather Systems World Climate (examples) Soil Geography Soil & Soil Contents Process of Soil Formation Soil Forming Factors Types of Soils (examples) Soil Erosion & Conservation

Distribution of Key Natural Resources Across the World
Types of Resources On the Basis of Origin, Ownership, Exhaustability etc. Land Resources Land Utilisation Land Use Pattern Land Degradation & Conservation Forest Resources Types & Distribution – Grasslands, Forests etc. Causes of Depletion Conservation of Forests Water Resources Marine & Freshwater Water Scarcity & Need For Conservation	Integrated Water Resources Management Agricultural Resources Types of Farming Cropping Patterns Contribution to Economy, Employment & Output Food Security Mineral & Energy Resources Classification of Minerals – Ferrous & Non-Ferrous Occurrence of Minerals Conservation of Minerals Classification of Energy Resources – Conventional & Non-Conventional Occurrence of Energy Resources Conservation of Energy Resources

Factors Responsible for the Location of Industries
Classification of Industries Location & Distribution of the Industries on the Basis of Raw Material Labour Market Capital Land Grants & Financial Incentives	Power Transport Water Communication Distribution of Major Industries – Iron & Steel, IT, Cotton Textile Agglomeration & Footloose Industries

Important Geophysical Phenomena
Why Does Earth Shake? Earthquake Waves Shadow Zone Types of Earthquake Measuring Earthquake Effects of Earthquake Tsunami What Causes Tsunami Effect of Tsunami Mitigating the Impact of Tsunami	Volcanoes Types of Volcanoes What Causes Volcanoes? Volcanic Landforms Tropical Cyclones Anti-Cyclone Extra Tropical Cyclones

Geographical Features and their Location
Factors Causing Changes in Critical Geographical Features Examples of Changing Geographicl Features - Mealting of Ice Sheets, Desertification etc.	Impact of Changing Geographical Features

General Studies-II

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein.
Separation of Powers between various organs Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions.
Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme with that of Other Countries.
Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these.
Structure, Organization and Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; Pressure Groups and Formal/Informal Associations and their Role in the Polity.
Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Appointment to various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
Statutory, Regulatory and various Quasi-judicial Bodies.
Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
Development Processes and the Development Industry — the Role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.
Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Issues relating to Poverty and Hunger.
Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency and Accountability, E-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; Citizens Charters, Transparency & Accountability and institutional and other measures.
Role of Civil Services in a Democracy.
India and its Neighborhood- Relations.
Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
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.

POLITY

Indian Constitution
Historical Underpinning & Evolution Regulating Act (1773) to Independence Act (1947) Constituent Assembly Objective Resolution Enactment & Enforcement of Constitution Features Written Flexible & Rigid Federal & Unitary Parliamentary Form of Government (Presidential vs. Parliamentary Type of Government) Amendments List of Significant Amendments & Their Provisions Procedure for Amending Constitution	Significant Provisions Fundamental Rights Directive Principles of State Policy Judicial Review Universal Adult Franchise Single Citizenship Separation of Powers Basic Structure The Doctrine Judgments & Cases

Functions & Responsibilities of the Union and the States
7th Schedule Legislative Functions	Financial Functions Administrative & Quasi-Judicial Functions

Issues & Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure
Federal Structure in India - Is India truly Federal? Cooperative & Competitive Federalism Centre-State Relations Legislative Relations Administrative Relations Financial Relations Trends in Centre-State Relations Inter-State Relations Inter-state Water Disputes	Inter-State Councils Public Acts, Records and Judicial Proceedings Inter-State Trade and Commerce Zonal Councils Emergency Provisions Role of Governor Reports of Various Commissions 2nd ARC, Punchhi, Sarkaria, etc.

Devolution of Powers & Finances to Local Levels & Challenges Therein
Role of State Government Role of State Finance Commission 11th & 12th Schedule	Reasons for Ineffective Performance Panchayat Devolution Index ( NITI Aayog) Steps That Can Be Taken to Improve Their Performance

Separation of Powers Between Various Organs
Doctrine of Separation of Power Separation of Power in Indian Constitution Doctrine of Checks & Balances	Provisions for Checks & Balances in Indian Constitution Related Judgments - Golaknath case, Kesavananda Bharati, Indira Gandhi Vs Raj Narain, Ram Jawaya vs Punjab

Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions
RTI PIL Tribunals, etc.

Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme With That of Other Countries Parliament & State Legislatures
Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges Written Constitution Blend of Rigidity and Flexibility Federal System with Unitary Bias Parliamentary Form of Government Synthesis of Parliamentary Sovereignty and Judicial Supremacy Integrated and Independent Judiciary Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Duties	Secular State Universal Adult Franchise Single Citizenship Emergency Provisions Three-tier Government Due Process of Law vs. Procedure Established by Law Impeachment of President, etc.

Structure, Organization & Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
Executive Union: President Prime Minister Council of Ministers Cabinet Secretariat State: Governor Chief Minister Council of Ministers Secretariat	Judiciary Three-Tier Structure Chief Justice of India SC & HC Judges Jurisdiction

Ministries and Departments of the Government
Cabinet Ministries Other Ministries Parliamentary Secretaries

Pressure Groups & Formal/informal Associations & Their Role in Polity
Characteristics of Pressure Groups Pressure Groups & Political Parties Pressure Groups & Interest Groups Types of Pressure Groups	Functions, Role & Importance of Pressure Groups Techniques/Methods of Pressure Groups Pressure Groups in India Shortcomings of Pressure Groups

Salient Features of Representation of People's Act

Appointment to Various Constitutional Posts
Appointment, Powers, Functions & Responsibilities of: Election Commission Union Public Service Commission State Public Service Commission Finance Commission National Commission for SCs	National Commission for STs Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities Comptroller and Auditor General of India Attorney General of India Advocate General of the State

Statutory, Regulatory & Quasi-Judicial Bodies
NITI Aayog RBI National Human Rights Commission State Human Rights Commission Central Information Commission Central Vigilance Commission Central Bureau of Investigation Lokpal and Lokayuktas National Commission for Women National Commission for Backward Classes National Commission for Minorities Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Securities and Exchange Board of India Competition Commission of India Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Central Electricity Regulatory Commission Atomic Energy Regulatory Board	Central Pollution Control Board Medical Council of India Inland Waterways Authority of India Central Ground Water Authority Directorate General of Civil Aviation Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Food Safety and Standards Authority of India Bar Council of India University Grants Commission Financial Stability and Development Council All India Council for Technical Education National Green Tribunal Competition Appellate Tribunal Income-Tax Appellate Tribunal Cyber Appellate Tribunal Intellectual Property Appellate Board

GOVERNANCE

Government Policies & Interventions for Development
Government Policies & Interventions in Various Sectors Health, Gender, Education, Poverty, Economic etc Issues Arising Out of Their Design & Implementation Concerns/Issues Suggestions for Improvement Critical Assessment of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) Rationalisation of CSS	Analysis of Main Schemes: Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Smart City Swachh Bharat Abhiyan MGNERGA Digital India Make in India Skill India PM Jan Dhan Yojana Start-up India etc.

Development Processes & the Development Industry
Role of Social Capital Organisations Indian Context Classification Provisions for the Third Sector in the Indian Constitution National Policy on the Voluntary Sector 2007 Non-Governmental Organisations Role and Impact of Non-governmental Organizations Issue Areas: Accreditation, Legitimacy & Accountability, Foreign Funding etc. Self Help Groups (SHGs) Need for SHGs Benefits of SHGs Weaknesses of SHGs	Challenges Measures to Make SHGs Effective Case Studies: Kudumbashree (Kerala), Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal (Maharashtra) Societies, Trusts and Cooperatives Societies Trust Religious Endowments Cooperatives – Need for Cooperatives Constitutional Provisions National Policy on Co-operatives, 2002 Issues and Challenges in the Cooperatives Sector

Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability
Governance Dimensions of Governance Good Governance (GG) Aspects of GG Barriers to GG Necessary Pre-conditions for GG How to Ensure GG E-Governance Applications Models Successes Limitations Potential Recent e-governance Initiatives by Government Citizens Charters (CC) Components of CC	Features of CC Six Principles of CC Shortcomings of CC Measures to Make CC Effective Sevottam Model Aspects of Transparency Elements & Types of Accountability Means to ensure Transparency & Accountability RTI Social Audit Whistleblower Protection Bill Lokpal & Lokayuktas Act

Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability
Relationship Between Civil Service And Democracy Role Played By Civil Services Advisory Role in Policy Making Institutionalise Socio-economic change Discharge Delegated Functions Administer Law of the Land Watchdogs Continuity in times of Political Instability Record-Keeping Channel of Communication Ailments/Issues Afflicting Indian Civil Services Lack of Professionalism & Poor Capacity Building Inefficient Incentive Systems Outdated Rules & Procedures Systemic Inconsistencies in Promotion Lack of Adequate Transparency & Accountability Procedures	Arbitrary & Whimsical Transfers Political Interference & Administrative Acquiescence Gradual Erosion in Values & Ethics Redtapism Elitist in Nature Poor Pay Tendency to Capture Power Reforming Bureaucracy to Strengthen Democracy Setting Right the Asymmetry of Power Insulating Civil Servants from Undue Political Interference Professionalisation with Stability of Tenure & Competition Citizen-Centric Administration Accountability Outcome Orientation Promoting Public Service Values & Ethics

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections
Schemes for the Following Vulnerable Sections SCs & STs Minorities Children Elderly Disabled Women Transgender Performance of These Schemes Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions & Bodies Constituted for Protection & Betterment of These Vulnerable Sections SCs: The Protection of Civil Rights Act The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act National Commission for Scheduled Castes Scheduled Castes Sub Plan Disabled: The Rehabilitation Council of India Act The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act The National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act Rights of the Persons with Disabilities Act	STs: National Commission for Scheduled Tribes Tribal Sub Plan TRIFED Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act National Commission for Minorities National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities Women & Children The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act The Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act The Dowry Prohibition Act The Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act The Prohibition of Child Marriage Act Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Pre-Conception and Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC&PNDT) Act Gender Budgeting National Policy for Women Domestic Violence Act Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act

Issues Relating to Development & Management of Social Sector/Services
India’s Performance on Various Health Indicators Weaknesses of Indian Healthcare System Health Infrastructure in India Universal Health Coverage 12th FYP Strategy Universal Health Coverage Health Insurance National Family Health Survey National Health Policy National Health Mission Maternal & Adolescent Health Child Health Antimicrobial Resistance Disease Burden in India Measures to Ensure Good Health Outcomes Government Initiatives	Education Status of Literacy in India Education Structure in India Challenges Faced by Education Sector in India Reforms Required Government Initiatives ASER Report Financing Education Subramanian Panel Repor Human Resource Need For Skill Development Skill Development Initiatives Challenges in Skilling Landscape in India Shortcomings of Current Skill Development Initiatives Reforms Required Steps that can Be Taken

Issues Relating to Poverty & Hunger
Relation between Poverty & Hunger Distribution of Poverty & Hunger Magnitude & Trends of Poverty & Hunger Causes of Poverty & Hunger Cost/Impact of Poverty & Malnutrition	MDGs & SDGs Food and nutrition insecurity - a consequence of structural inequities Constraints in Reducing Poverty & Hunger Measure to Reduce Poverty & Hunger – National Food Security Act, Mid-day Meal Scheme, MGNREGA etc.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India and its Neighborhood – Relations
India’s Relations With China Pakistan Myanmar Bhutan	Bangladesh Sri Lanka Afghanistan Nepal Maldives

Bilateral, Regional & Global Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests
India’s Major Foreign Policy Doctrines Since 1947 Non-aligned Movement (NAM) Nuclear Doctrine Gujral Doctrine Look East to Act East Think West, etc. Bilateral Relations With Major Powers Like – USA, Russia, Japan Central Asian Countries West Asian Countries African Countries Australia & New Zealand EU & European Countries Latin American Countries Pacific Countries Regional & Global Groupings SAARC BRICS	BBIN & BCIM BIMSTEC IBSA ASEAN & RCEP India-Africa Forum SCO Ashgabat Agreement FIPIC IOR-ARC Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Raisina Dialogue Heart of Asia Conference East Asia Summit G-20 Asian Development Bank National Security Summit Multilateral Nuclear Export Regulatory Regimes: Wassenar, MTCR, Australia Group Asian Development Bank APEC, etc

Effect of Policies & Politics of Developed & Developing Countries on India's Interests
One Belt One Road International North–South Transport Corridor Global Trade War Global Currency War Syrian Crisis UN Reforms	WTO Reforms South China Sea Conflict Brexit Deglobalisation & Protectionism – US Sanctions on Iran, US Pullout from Paris Agreement, H-1B Visa Issue etc. OPEC Oil Prices Manipulation, etc.

Indian Diaspora
Spread of Indian Diaspora India’s Diaspora Policy & Engagement Initiatives OCI Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Know India Programme, etc.	LM Singhvi High Level Committee on the Diaspora Role played by Indian Diaspora Issues Concerning the Diaspora: Dual Nationality Remittances, etc.

Important International Institutions
UN & its Agencies WTO World Bank	IMF World Economic Forum Commonwealth of Nations, etc.

General Studies-III

(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)

Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.
Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it.
Government Budgeting.
Major Crops - Cropping Patterns in various parts of the country, - Different Types of Irrigation and Irrigation Systems; Storage, Transport and Marketing of Agricultural Produce and Issues and Related Constraints; E-technology in the aid of farmers.
Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices; Public Distribution System - Objectives, Functioning, Limitations, Revamping; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security; Technology Missions; Economics of Animal-Rearing.
Food Processing and Related Industries in India- Scope’ and Significance, Location, Upstream and Downstream Requirements, Supply Chain Management.
Land Reforms in India.
Effects of Liberalization on the Economy, Changes in Industrial Policy and their Effects on Industrial Growth.
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Investment Models.
Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.
Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology.
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Bio-technology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.
Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Disaster and Disaster Management.
Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism.
Role of External State and Non-state Actors in creating challenges to Internal Security.
Challenges to Internal Security through Communication Networks, Role of Media and Social Networking Sites in Internal Security Challenges, Basics of Cyber Security; Money-Laundering and its prevention.
Security Challenges and their Management in Border Areas - Linkages of Organized Crime with Terrorism.
Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:

Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in - Human Actions; Dimensions of Ethics; Ethics - in Private and Public Relationships. Human Values - Lessons from the Lives and Teachings of Great Leaders, Reformers and Administrators; Role of Family Society and Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values.
Attitude: Content, Structure, Function; its Influence and Relation with Thought and Behaviour; Moral and Political Attitudes; Social Influence and Persuasion.
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.
Emotional Intelligence-Concepts, and their Utilities and Application in Administration and Governance.
Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from India and World.
Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration: Status and Problems; Ethical Concerns and Dilemmas in Government and Private Institutions; Laws, Rules, Regulations and Conscience 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
Probity in Governance: Concept of Public Service; Philosophical Basis of Governance and Probity; 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.
Case Studies on above issues.

MAINS SYLLABUS & STRATEGY
GENERAL STUDIES 1	GENERAL STUDIES 2
GENERAL STUDIES 3	GENERAL STUDIES 4

UPSC Prelims Syllabus

MAINS SYLLABUS & STRATEGY

ESSAY STRATEGY

Essay Writing for Civil Services Examination

Understanding Essay Writing

Beginning Essay Writing

Writing An Essay

HISTORY

Indian Heritage & Culture

Modern Indian History

The Freedom Struggle

Post-independence Consolidation

History of the World

INDIAN SOCIETY

Role of Women and Women's Organization

Population and Associated Issues

Poverty and Developmental Issues

Urbanization

Effects of Globalization on Indian Society

Social Empowerment

Communalism

Regionalism

Secularism

GEOGRAPHY

Salient Features of World's Physical Geography

Distribution of Key Natural Resources Across the World

Factors Responsible for the Location of Industries

Important Geophysical Phenomena

Geographical Features and their Location

General Studies-II

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

POLITY

Indian Constitution

Functions & Responsibilities of the Union and the States

Issues & Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure

Devolution of Powers & Finances to Local Levels & Challenges Therein

Separation of Powers Between Various Organs

Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions

Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme With That of Other Countries Parliament & State Legislatures

Structure, Organization & Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary

Ministries and Departments of the Government

Pressure Groups & Formal/informal Associations & Their Role in Polity

Salient Features of Representation of People's Act

Appointment to Various Constitutional Posts

Statutory, Regulatory & Quasi-Judicial Bodies

GOVERNANCE

Government Policies & Interventions for Development

Development Processes & the Development Industry

Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability

Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency & Accountability

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections

Issues Relating to Development & Management of Social Sector/Services

Issues Relating to Poverty & Hunger

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

India and its Neighborhood – Relations

Bilateral, Regional & Global Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India's Interests

Effect of Policies & Politics of Developed & Developing Countries on India's Interests

Indian Diaspora

Important International Institutions

General Studies-III

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Modal

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