Important Topics for UPSC Prelims and Mains: The UPSC examination focuses on crucial subjects and themes essential for success in the Civil Services Examination. The curriculum covers a wide range of subjects, and knowing the pivotal ones significantly impacts a candidate’s chances of success. The important topics for UPSC Prelims Mains are categorized by paper and subject, providing aspirants with easy access. In addition to static topics, a list of the most important current affairs topics is also included for a comprehensive understanding.

Current Affairs Topics for UPSC IAS

Current events of national and international importance are the guiding force for IAS preparation. It provides the locus of UPSC IAS preparation and the current affairs of the last 100 days are most important for the IAS prelims exam.

1. Agri Accelerator Funs
2. Issue of Privacy
3. Indian Mobile Operating System – Bharat OS
4. Eklavya Model Residential Schools
5. Green Hydrogen Policy
6. Public Emergency in Sri Lanka
7. Artificial Womb and its Importance
8. Fly Ash Management and Utilisation Mission and its Relevance
9. Understanding the New India Literacy Programme
10. UNEP Frontiers Report
11. UN Environment Report 2023
12. Significance of the First India-Central Asia Summit
13. India-France Agreement on Roadmap for Blue Economy & Ocean Governance
14. Important Provisions of Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2021
15. NASSCOM’s Report on Startups in India
16. One Health Concept: What is it and its Relevance
17. New Ordinance Companies and their relevance
18. COVID-19 and India’s Effort in 2021
19. India’s Rank in Global Hunger Index 2021
20. Highlights of State of Education Report 2023 for India
21. Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021
22. Objectives of Fourth Assembly of International Solar Alliance
23. Objectives of G-20 Innovation League
24. India and International Energy Agency (IEA)
25. Sahel Crisis Genesis and its Solution
26. Delhi Declaration 2023 and way ahead
27. Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index Or RECAI and its importance for India
28. Waste Management Policy in India and its effectiveness
29. Objective and Relevance of COP26
30. ADIPEC 2023 Agenda and Outcomes
31. Recovery of Indian Economy
32. New Agriculture Laws
33. New National Education Policy
34. Digital Education Report
35. Stages of Vaccine Development
36. ASEEM Platform
37. Postal Ballet in India
38. Net Zero Carbon Emission – Meaning
39. 5G technology – Beam formation, Mass MIMO
40. Working of ICMR
41. Drug testing regulation in India
42. String of Pearls theory and India’s counter
43. Sea Lines of Communication in the Indian Ocean
44. One Belt One Road (OBOR) Policy and India’s Counter
45. Cyclone Nisarga affected areas
46. Fabric required for PPE kit
47. What percentage of oxygen is required for the normal functioning of the brain?
48. Shifting of Earth’s Geo-Magnetic field and its impact
49. Indo-Nepal & Indo-China Border distpute
50. Virus and Bacteria borne diseases differences
51. Outbreak-Epidemic-Pandemic
52. CORONA Test Techniques – Viral vs Antibody Test
53. Recent NAM and SCO Summit
54. Recent Dhaula-Vira Discoveries
55. Coronavirus Pandemic
56. China – Wuhan
57. Facts related to the Citizenship Amendment Act
58. The Jammu & Kashmir, Leh and Ladakh formation
59. Sir Creek dispute
60. Uttarakhand Summer Capital
61. Environment Summits 2023-22

Economy Topics for UPSC IAS

Indian Economy topics are more oriented towards current events. The candidates need to prepare the current economic events occurring in India and the world. The candidates need to understand the Indian Economic Structure and its interaction with the world.

1. Centre’s Roadmap to Achieve US$300 Bn from Electronics
2. Shortage of Semi-Conductors and India’s Initiative
3. Salient Features of National Monetisation Plan
4. Highlights of World Economic Outlook Report October 2023
5. Salient Features of MPLAD Scheme
6. Salient Features of Poshan Abhiyaan
7. Highlights of 8th Indo-US Economic and Financial Partnership
8. Role of RBI in post-COVID-19 recovery
9. Recovery of Indian Economy after the pandemic
10. FATF Review of Indian Economy Pushed to 2023
11. IMF projection and Indian Economy
12. Garib Kalyan Rozgar Abhiyaan
13. Zoram Food Park, Mizoram
14. Google to invest 75000 Crore in India
15. National Infrastructure Pipeline
16. Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund
17. What is Negative Growth?
18. Deflation and Recession
19. Indian Economic Structure
20. The primary, secondary and tertiary producers
21. Agriculture in India
22. Banking Structure of India (Recent Bank Mergers)
23. RBI Mandate and it’s functioning
24. SEBI, IRDA
25. REPO rate, Reverse Repo Rate, Marginal Standing Facility, Bank Rate
26. Crypto-currency and issues related to it ( Recently Supreme Court gave an order related to it)

Geography Topics for UPSC IAS

The geography topics are very important because geography is a science-based subject and various candidates found it difficult to prepare. There are a good number of questions from the physical geography of India and the world. World geography has very fewer questions in the IAS question paper. The important topics are as follows.

1. Bihar and Assam Floods
2. The increasing frequency of Cyclone
3. Flood and the Indian preparations across the state
4. The naming convention of cyclones
5. Geo-Magnetic Field and its significance
6. Physical Features along Indo-China Border
7. Cyclone Amphan & Cyclone Nisarga
8. Physical Geography of India
9. Formation of Himalayas and structure of Himalayas, Importance of Himalayas
10. The drainage system in India
11. Monsoon pattern in India
12. Formation of Rocks
13. Rock System in India
14. Recent Census figures
15. Climatology
16. Hydrology

Indian Polity Topics for UPSC IAS

The Indian Polity section holds a special place in UPSC examinations due to its consistent appearance and seemingly straightforward questions. Despite their apparent simplicity, these questions often require close analysis for a deeper understanding. It is advisable to carefully read Indian Polity questions twice before selecting answers. The key topics for this section include: [list of important topics].

1. Important Provisions of Election Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023
2. Expansion in BSF jurisdiction and the way ahead
3. New Agriculture Laws are essential for long-pending Agricultural reforms
4. All India orientation of CBI investigation
5. Implications of J & K reorganisation Act, 2019
6. Difference between Cabinet Minister and Minister with Independent Charge
7. Prime Minister as the Residuary Legatee
8. Preamble
9. Article related to the Land Boundaries and their redrawing
10. Articles related to the Citizenship of India
11. Citizenship Act
12. Fundamental Rights
13. Fundamental Duties
14. Articles related to the Supreme Court of India
15. Articles related to the Emergency Provisions in India
16. Article related to the Union-State relations with social emphasis on Article 256, 356
17. National Security Act
18. Essential Commodities Act
19. Important SC Judgements related to Fundamental Rights and Basic Structure Doctrine
20. Panchayati Raj Institutions
21. Lokpal Institution
22. NITI Aayog functioning

History Topics for UPSC IAS

The history of India constitutes a significant portion of the expansive IAS syllabus. While the number of questions in both the IAS prelims and main exams may be comparatively limited, UPSC has the potential to introduce surprises, including an increase in the number of questions in any given year. Notably, the emphasis on important topics is derived from analyzing previous year trends and incorporating insights from recent discoveries.

In particular, modern history stands out as the most critical section in the IAS prelims exam. The following topics are anticipated to hold substantial importance for IAS prelims .

1. History of Galwan Valley
2. Dholavira excavation and the related discoveries
3. Government of India Act 1935
4. All the events occurred in the year 1919 and 1920.
5. All the events related to Mahatma Gandhi and Jawahar Lal Nehru
6. The Round Table Conferences – I, II and III. (III is most important)
7. Poona Pact
8. Jaliawalan Bagh Tragedy
9. Civil Disobedience Movement 
10. Cabinet Mission Plan
11. Quit India Movement
12. The Social movements in Modern India
13. The Formation of Indian National Congress, the Democratic Socialist Party and the local parties
14. The chronology of events leading to the Indian Independence
15. National Leaders related to the National Movement
16. Liberal Viceroys of India

Important Essay Topics for UPSC IAS Main

The candidates should also practice to write IAS essay on a daily basis. The candidates shoudl write on diverse topics to practice for the essay. Topics given in the newspaper editorial can be very handy for the candidates for essay writing. The candidates explore more topics here.

1. The changing world order and India’s participation
2. India’s Foreign Policy and evolving bilateral issues
3. India’s relation with its neighbours
4. Border Security in India
5. Status and Condition of Women in Indian Society
6. Child labour and the restriction imposed by the Indian laws
7. Impact of technological advancement on the social fabric of Indian Society
8. Changing Trend in Indian Agriculture and the Economic Reforms
9. The Health Infrastructure in India
10. Rural and urban divide in India and how technology can play a vital role
11. What are the differences in the life of child age, youth age and old age?

Read more: Most Important Topics for UPSC IAS Pre 2024(Current Affairs)