UPSC CSE Syllabus and Question Pattern

UPSC CSE (Civil Services Examination) is one of the most prestigious exams in India. The exam is conducted in three stages - Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. The syllabus for each stage is as follows:

Preliminary Exam:
The Preliminary exam consists of two papers - General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (CSAT). The syllabus for these papers is as follows:

General Studies 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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
• General Science

General Studies Paper II (CSAT):
• 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)

Mains Exam:
The Mains exam consists of nine papers - two qualifying papers (English and Indian Language), and seven papers that are counted for ranking. The syllabus for these papers is as follows:

Paper-A: Indian Language (Qualifying)
• Comprehension of given passages
• Precis Writing
• Usage and Vocabulary
• Short Essay

Paper-B: English Language (Qualifying)
• Comprehension of given passages
• Precis Writing
• Usage and Vocabulary
• Short Essay

Paper-I: Essay
• Candidates will have to write essays on multiple topics. The topics will be related to National and International issues.

Paper-II: General Studies-I
• Indian Heritage and Culture
• History and Geography of the World and Society

Paper-III: General Studies-II
• Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

Paper-IV: General Studies-III
• Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Paper-V: General Studies-IV
• Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Paper-VI: Optional Subject - Paper 1
• Candidates can choose an optional subject from the list provided.

Paper-VII: Optional Subject - Paper 2
• Candidates can choose an optional subject from the list provided.

Interview:
The Interview round is conducted for candidates who have cleared the Mains exam. The interview is conducted to assess personal suitability for a career in public service. The interview will be a test of the candidate's personality, communication skills, mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, balance of judgment, and variety and depth of interest.

Question Pattern:
The question pattern for the Preliminary exam is objective type, while the Mains exam is subjective type. The questions in the Preliminary exam will be based on the syllabus mentioned above. The Mains exam will consist of essay writing, descriptive questions, and optional subject-related questions. The Interview round will be a personal interaction round.

In conclusion, the UPSC