UPSC Mains Syllabus

The UPSC Mains Syllabus is designed to evaluate the academic capabilities and presentation skills of candidates. The purpose of the examination is to assess their intellectual traits and understanding of concepts, rather than just testing their knowledge and memorization.

The Civil Services Main Examination comprises qualifying and merit papers, consisting of a written exam and a personality test interview.

The qualifying papers include Paper-A, which requires the candidate to choose an Indian language from the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, and Paper-B, which is an English language paper. These papers are of qualifying nature and the marks obtained in them are not counted for ranking. They are also of Matriculation or equivalent standard.

The papers that are counted for merit include an Essay paper, General Studies papers I-IV, and Optional Subject papers I-II. These papers are each worth 250 marks, except for the Essay paper which is worth 250 marks. The total marks for the written test is 1750.

In addition to the written examination, there is also a Personality Test worth 275 marks, making the grand total 2025 marks.

Here are some important points to note about the UPSC Main Examination:

1. The marks obtained in the qualifying papers (Indian language and English) are not counted for ranking.
2. Candidates must attain a minimum of 25% marks in both the Indian language and English qualifying papers in order for their Essay, General Studies, and Optional Subject papers to be considered.
3. Only the marks obtained in the papers I-VII are counted for merit ranking.
4. The question papers for the main examination are of conventional (essay) type and each paper has a duration of 3 hours.
5. Candidates have the option to answer the question papers, except for the qualifying language papers, in either English or any of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
6. The question papers (excluding language literature papers) are set in Hindi and English.
7. Compensatory time of twenty minutes per hour is allowed for visually impaired and physically disabled candidates.

The syllabus for the UPSC Mains Examination is as follows:

I. Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English:

• Comprehension of given passages
• Precis Writing
• Usage and Vocabulary
• Short Essays
• Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa

II. Paper-I: Essay:

Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They are expected to stay focused on the subject, organize their ideas, and write concisely.

III. Paper-II: General Studies-I:

• Indian Heritage and Culture
• History and Geography of the World
• Society

IV. Paper-III: General Studies-II:

• Governance
• Constitution
• Polity
• Social Justice
• International Relations

V. Paper-IV: General Studies-III:

• Technology
• Economic Development
• Biodiversity
• Environment
• Security
• Disaster Management

This comprehensive syllabus covers various aspects of academic knowledge, current affairs, and critical thinking skills. Candidates are expected to have a deep understanding of the subjects and present their answers in a clear and coherent manner.