The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of India’s most prestigious and challenging exams. It is the gateway to a coveted career in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and various other Central Services.
Cracking the UPSC CSE requires meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and a thorough understanding of the syllabus. This comprehensive guide to the UPSC prelims syllabus 2024 will equip you with the knowledge needed to navigate your UPSC preparation journey effectively.
UPSC Syllabus for CSE Prelims
The IAS Prelims is the initial stage of the Civil Services Examination. In 2023, over 11 lakh candidates applied for the UPSC Prelims, while approximately 10 lakh candidates applied in 2022.
Understanding the syllabus for IAS Prelims is crucial as it serves as a screening test that qualifies candidates for the next stage, the Mains. All UPSC exam aspirants must familiarize themselves with the exam pattern and IAS Exam syllabus before beginning their preparation.
Aspirants preparing for the UPSC 2024 should ideally start their preparation by February 2023. A year-long preparation period is essential for scoring well in the UPSC 2024 exam. This timeline is critical for a planned and smooth preparation phase, allowing aspirants to strengthen their concepts and resolve any doubts related to the topics.
UPSC 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 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)
Detailed syllabus of mains examination as per UPSC official syllabus
The Mains test is the second step of the Civil Services Exam. Only after passing the prelims test applicants will be permitted to appear for the main exam.
The Mains exam assesses the candidate’s academic skills in depth as well as his or her ability to articulate his or her understanding in accordance with the requirements of the question in a timely way.
The rank of a candidate in the UPSC Civil Service Exam is determined by the marks obtained in the Main and Interview.
Pattern and marking scheme of main examination
The UPSC Mains exam has nine papers for a total of 1750 marks. Out of nine papers, two papers are qualifying, 300 marks each.
The two qualifying papers are as follows:
Any Paper in the Indian Language
Language Paper in English
A candidate must qualify in these language papers to ensure that the marks obtained by such candidates will not be considered or counted. Candidates can write Paper I to Paper VII in English or any of the languages mentioned in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Paper I to Paper VII will be taken for evaluation only if the candidate obtained 25% of the marks in Paper A and Paper B. There are 48 Optional Subjects in the UPSC exam. The candidate has to select any one subject among them. Two papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) will be conducted from that for 250 marks each.