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4.2 Marks thus obtained by the candidates in the Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written part as well
as Interview/Personality Test) would determine their final ranking. Candidates will be allotted to the various
Services keeping in view their ranks in the examination and the preferences expressed by them for the
various Services and posts.

SECTION II: Scheme and Subjects for the Preliminary and Main Examination

A. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION:
The Examination shall comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
Note:
(i) Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of
two hours duration.
(ii) The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper
with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
(iii) The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
(iv) Details of the syllabi are indicated in Part A of Section III.

B. MAIN EXAMINATION:
The Written Examination will consist of the following papers:—

Qualifying Papers:
Paper-A
(One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the
Eighth Schedule to the Constitution). 300 Marks
Paper-B
English 300 Marks

Papers to be counted for merit :

Paper-I
Essay 250 Marks
Paper-II
General Studies-I 250 Marks
(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
Paper-III
General Studies -II 250 Marks
(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)
Paper-IV
General Studies -III 250 Marks
(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
Paper-V
General Studies -IV 250 Marks
(Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)
Paper-VI
Optional Subject - Paper 1 250 Marks

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Paper-VII
Optional Subject - Paper 2 250 Marks
Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks
Personality Test 275 Marks
=====================================================================================
Grand Total 2025 Marks

Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects from amongst the list of subjects given in
para 2 below:—
Note :
(i) The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent
standard and will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for
ranking.
(ii) Evaluation of the papers, namely, 'Essay', 'General Studies' and Optional Subject of all the candidates
would be done simultaneously along with evaluation of their qualifying papers on ‘Indian Languages’ and
‘English’ but the papers on Éssay', General Studies and Optional Subject of only such candidates will be
taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in ‘Indian Language’ and 25% in English as minimum qualifying
standards in these qualifying papers.
(iii) The paper A on Indian Language will not, however, be compulsory for candidates hailing from the States
of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.
(iv) The paper A on Indian Language will not, however, be compulsory for Candidates belonging to Persons
with Benchmark Disability (only Hearing Impairment sub-category) provided that they have been granted
such exemption from 2nd or 3rd language courses by the concerned education Board/University. The
candidate needs to provide an undertaking/self declaration in this regard in order to claim such an
exemption to the Commission.
(v) Marks obtained by the candidates for the Paper I-VII only will be counted for merit ranking. However,
the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all of these papers.
(vi) For the Language medium/literature of languages, the scripts to be used by the candidates will be as
under :—
Language Script
Assamese Assamese
Bengali Bengali
Gujarati Gujarati
Hindi Devanagari
Kannada Kannada
Kashmiri Persian
Konkani Devanagari
Malayalam Malayalam
Manipuri Bengali
Marathi Devanagari
Nepali Devanagari
Odia Odia
Punjabi Gurumukhi
Sanskrit Devanagari

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(ii) If a candidate’s handwriting is not easily legible, a deduction will be made on this account from
the total marks otherwise accruing to the candidate.
(iii) Marks will not be allotted for mere superficial knowledge.
(iv) Credit will be given for orderly, effective and exact expression combined with due economy of
words in all subjects of the examination.
(v) In the question papers, wherever required, SI units will be used.
(vi) Candidates should use only International form of Indian numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 etc.) while
answering question papers.
(vii) Candidates will be allowed the use of Scientific (Non-Programmable type) Calculators at the
conventional (Essay) type examination of UPSC. Programmable type calculators will however
not be allowed and the use of such calculators shall tantamount to resorting to unfair means
by the candidates. Loaning or interchanging of calculators in the Examination Hall is not
permitted. It is also important to note that candidates are not permitted to use calculators for
answering objective type papers (Test Booklets). They should not therefore bring the same inside
the Examination Hall.

C. Interview/Personality Test
The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of the
candidate’s career. The candidate will be asked questions on matters of general interest. The object of the
Interview/Personality Test is to assess the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service
by a Board of competent and unbiased observers. The Interview/Personality Test is intended to judge the
mental calibre of a candidate. In broad terms this is really an assessment of not only intellectual qualities
but also social traits and interest in current affairs. Some of the qualities to be judged are mental alertness,
critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of
interest, ability for social cohesion and leadership, intellectual and moral integrity.

2. The technique of the Interview/Personality Test is not that of a strict cross-examination but of a
natural, though directed and purposive conversation which is intended to reveal the mental qualities of the
candidate.3. The Interview/Personality Test is not intended to be a test either of the specialized or general
knowledge of the candidates which has been already tested through their written papers. Candidates are
expected to have taken an intelligent interest not only in their special subjects of academic study but also
in the events which are happening around them both within and outside their own State or Country as well
as in modern currents of thought and in new discoveries which should rouse the curiosity of well-educated
youth.

SECTION III: SYLLABI FOR THE EXAMINATION

Note: Candidates are advised to go through the Syllabus published in this Section for the Preliminary
Examination and the Main Examination, as periodic revision of syllabus has been done in several subjects.

Part A—Preliminary Examination

Paper I - (200 marks) Duration: Two hours

 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.

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 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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require
subject specialization.
 General Science.

Paper II-(200 marks) Duration : Two hours

 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);
Note 1 : Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with
minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
Note 2 : The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type.

Note 3 : It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the Papers of Civil Services (Prelim)
Examination for the purpose of evaluation. Therefore a candidate will be disqualified in case he/she does
not appear in both the papers of Civil Services (Prelim) Examination.

Part B—Main Examination

The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding
of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory.

The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V) will be such
that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will
be such as to test a candidate’s general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a
career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate’s basic understanding of all relevant
issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives and demands.
The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers.

The scope of the syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is
broadly of the honours degree 1evel i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’
degree. In the case of Engineering, Medical Science and law, the level corresponds to the bachelors’ degree.

Syllabi of the papers included in the scheme of Civil Services (Main) Examination are given as follows :—

QUALIFYING PAPERS ON INDIAN LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH

The aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose,

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and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned.

The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows :

(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.

Note 1 : The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and
will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

Note 2 : The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the
respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).

PAPER-I

Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely
to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be
given for effective and exact expression.

PAPER-II

General Studies-I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.

 Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to
modern times.

 Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant
events, personalities, issues.

 The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different
parts of the country.

 Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.

 History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars,
redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism,
capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.

 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

 Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and
developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.

 Effects of globalization on Indian society.

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 Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

 Salient features of world’s physical geography.

 Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-
continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in
various parts of the world (including India).

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

PAPER-III

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

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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.

PAPER-IV

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.

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 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.

PAPER-V

General Studies- IV: 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.

PAPER-VI & PAPER VII

Optional Subject Papers I & II

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List of Optional Subjects given in Para 2.

AGRICULTURE

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SOCIOLOGY

PAPER– I

FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY

1. Sociology - The Discipline:

(a) Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of Sociology.

(b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences.

(c) Sociology and common sense.

2. Sociology as Science:

(a) Science, scientific method and critique.

(b) Major theoretical strands of research methodology.

(c) Positivism and its critique.

(d) Fact value and objectivity.

( e) Non-positivist methodologies.

3. Research Methods and Analysis:

(a) Qualitative and quantitative methods.

(b) Techniques of data collection.

(c ) Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity.

4. Sociological Thinkers:

(a) Karl Marx - Historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle.

(b) Emile Durkhteim - Division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society.

(c) Max Weber - Social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, protestant ethic and the spirit of
capitalism.

(d) Talcolt Parsons - Social system, pattern variables.

(e) Robert K. Merton - Latent and manifest functions, conformity and deviance, reference groups.

(f) Mead - Self and identity.

5. Stratification and Mobility :

(a) Concepts - equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation.

(b) Theories of social stratification - Structural func tionalist theory, Marxist theory, Weberian theory.

(c) Dimensions - Social stratification of class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race.

(d) Social mobility - open and closed systems, types of mobility, sources and causes of mobility.

6. Works and Economic Life :

(a) Social organization of work in different types of society - slave society, feudal society, industrial
capitalist society.

(b) Formal and informal organization of work.

(c) Labour and society.

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7. Politics and Society:

(a) Sociological theories of power.

(b) Power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups and political parties.

(c) Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society, ideology.

(d) Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action, revolution.

8. Religion and Society :

(a) Sociological theories of religion.

(b) Types of religious practices: animism, monism, pluralism, sects, cults.

(c) Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularization, religious revivalism, fundamen
talism.

9. Systems of Kinship:

(a) Family, household, marriage.

(b) Types and forms of family.

(c) Lineage and descent.

(d) Patriarchy and sexual division of labour.

(e) Contem porary trends.

10. Social Change in Modern Society :

(a) Sociological theories of social change.

(b) Development and dependency.

(c) Agents of social change.

(d) Education and social change.

(e) Science, technology and social change.

PAPER–II

INDIAN SOCIETY : STRUCTURE AND CHANGE

A. Introducing Indian Society :

(i) Perspectives on the Study of Indian Society :

(a) Indology (G.S. Ghure).

(b) Structural functionalism (M. N. Srinivas).

(c) Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai).

(ii) Impact of colonial rule on Indian society :

(a) Social background of Indian nationalism.

(b) Modernization of Indian tradition.

(c) Protests and movements during the colonial period.

(d) Social reforms.

B. Social Structure:

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(i) Rural and Agrarian Social Structure:

(a) The idea of Indian village and village studies.

(b) Agrarian social structure—

evolution of land tenure system, land reforms.

(ii) Caste System:

(a) Perspectives on the study of caste systems: G. S. Ghurye, M. N. Srinivas, Louis Dumont, Andre
Beteille.

(b) Features of caste system.

(c) Untouchability-forms and perspectives

(iii) Tribal Communities in India:

(a) Definitional problems.

(b) Geographical spread.

(c) Colonial policies and tribes.

(d) Issues of integration and autonomy.

(iv) Social Classes in India:

(a) Agrarian class structure.

(b) Industrial class structure.

(c) Middle classes in India.

(v) Systems of Kinship in India:

(a) Lineage and descent in India.

(b) Types of kinship systems.

(c) Family and marriage in India.

(d) Household dimensions of the family.

(e) Patriarchy, entitlements and sexual division oflabour.

(vi) Religion and Society :

(a) Religious communities in India.

(b) Problems of religious minorities.

C. Social Changes in India:

(i) Visions of Social Change in India:

(a) Idea of development planning and mixed economy.

(b) Constitution, law and social change.

(c) Education and social change.

(ii) Rural and Agrarian Transformation in India:

(a) Programmes of rural development, Community Development Programme, cooperatives, poverty

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alleviation schemes.

(b) Green revolution and social change.

(c) Changing modes of production in Indian agriculture.

(d) Problems of rural labour, bondage, migration.

(iii) Industrialization and Urbanisation in India:

(a) Evolution of modern industry in India.

(b) Growth of urban settlements in India.

(c) Working class: structure, growth, class mobilization.

(d) Informal sector, child labour.

(e) Slums and deprivation in urban areas.

(iv) Politics and Society :

(a) Nation, democracy and citizenship.

(b) Political parties, pressure groups, social and political elite.

(c) Regionalism and decentralization of power.

(d) Secularization.

(v) Social Movements in Modern India :

(a) Peasants and farmers movements.
(b) Women’s movement.
(c) Backward classes & Dalit movements.
(d) Environmental movements.
(e) Ethnicity and Identity movements.
(vi) Population Dynamics :
(a) Population size, growth, composition and distribution.
(b) Components of population growth: birth, death, migration.
(c) Population Policy and family planning.
(d) Emerging issues: ageing, sex ratios, child and infant mortality, reproductive health.
(vii) Challenges of Social Transformation :
(a) Crisis of development : displacement, environmental problems and sustainability.
(b) Poverty, deprivation and inequalities.
(c) Violence against women.
(d) Caste conflicts.
(e) Ethnic conflicts, communalism, religious revivalism.
(f) Illiteracy and disparities in education.

Government strives to have a workforce which reflects gender balance and women candidates are encouraged to apply.