The UPSC syllabus aims to evaluate candidates’ knowledge, aptitude, and analytical skills through two stages: Preliminary Examination (Prelims) and Main Examination (Mains), followed by an interview/personality test. Prelims include General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT), covering diverse subjects. Mains consist of nine papers, encompassing essay, General Studies, optional subjects, and qualifying language papers.

UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The Civil Services Preliminary Exam serves as a screening test to shortlist candidates for the Main Examination. Marks obtained in the Preliminary Exam are not considered in the final merit. The Preliminary Exam comprises two objective-type papers, totaling a maximum of 400 marks.

Discovering crucial topics for UPSC Prelims involves exploring the extensive Civil Services exam syllabus. Aspirants can pinpoint key subjects by reviewing the UPSC Syllabus and past question papers. Here is a list of significant subjects for UPSC Prelims based on recent trends:

General Studies Paper 1 – Recent Trend in Important Subjects:

Current Affairs:

Integral in both UPSC prelims and mains, current affairs questions have surged recently. Regularly reading newspapers or reviewing monthly current affairs compilations is highly beneficial for aspirants.

Polity

• Parliament, with special emphasis on the chapter in Laxmikanth’s book.
• Preamble
• Directive Principles of State Policy
• Fundamental Rights
• Fundamental Duties
• Governor
• President
• Vice-President
• Prime Minister
• Supreme Court
• High Court
• Basic structure of the Constitution
• Parliamentary System
• Chief Minister
• Panchayati Raj
• Municipalities
• Attorney General of India
• Anti-defection law
• Constitutional and Non-constitutional bodies

Environment and Ecology

• Important National parks, wildlife Sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves
• Endangered and important flora and fauna
• Treaties and conventions related to the environment
• Greenhouse gases
• Invasive species
• Ozone depletion
• Pollution
• E-waste
• Air quality
• Coral bleaching
• IUCN and Red Data Book

Geography

• Major biomes of the world
• Important rivers in India and worldwide
• Location, latitude, longitude, time zone, etc.
• Neighboring countries and significant cities
• Indian States and cities
• The Himalayas
• The Great North Indian Plains
• Peninsular Plateau
• Indian Desert
• Coastal plains and islands
• Hydropower projects
• West-flowing and east-flowing rivers
• Monsoon
• Cyclones
• Minerals and industries
• Soils and crops
• Irrigation system
• Animal husbandry
• Rainfall distribution in India
• Natural vegetation and fauna
• Transportation
• Power and energy sector
• Conventional and non-conventional sources of energy
• Human geography (e.g., demographics, migration, urbanization)
• Origin and interior of Earth
• Wind system
• Volcanoes
• Landforms
• Atmosphere
• Temperature
• Major climate types
• Oceanography (e.g., ocean relief, El Niño, La Niña, ocean currents)

Economics:

• Budget
• Deficit and its various types (e.g., fiscal deficit, primary deficit, etc.)
• Inflation, Headline and core inflation, CPI, WPI, etc.
• Monetary policy: Repo rate, reverse repo, etc.
• Fiscal policy
• Securities and Exchange Board of India
• Exports and imports
• Balance of Payments
• Reserve Bank of India
• Money supply
• Goods and Services tax
• Primary, secondary, and tertiary sector
• Pink revolution, white revolution, green revolution, etc.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP)
• Index of Industrial Production (IIP)
• Public Distribution System (PDS)
• Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME)
• Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)
• Foreign Institutional Investors (FII)
• Masala bonds
• Five-year plans
• NITI Aayog
• Finance Commission
• Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)
• Money market and capital market
• Poverty, Multidimensional Poverty Index, etc.
• Population (e.g., demographic dividend, maternal mortality rate)
• World Trade Organisation
• International Monetary Fund
• Cryptocurrency
• Employment
• Growth and development, Human Development Index
• Free trade agreements and important treaties
• European Union and Euro
• Privatisation and nationalisation

Science and Technology:

• Gravitational Waves
• Genetically Modified Crops
• Gene Editing and CRISPR-Cas9
• Metaverse
• Artificial Intelligence
• Net Neutrality
• Space technology (e.g., satellites, PSLV, GSLV, MOM, NAVIC)
• Indian Space Research Organisation, its important missions, and programmes
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its important missions
• Nanotechnology
• Defence technology
• Blockchain technology
• Internet of Things
• Malware
• Coronavirus
• Nuclear technology
• Robotics and 4th Industrial revolution
• Intellectual property like patents, copyrights, etc.
• Cloud computing
• Quantum computing
• Li-Fi
• Cellular networks, 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G
• Digital signature
• Internet
• Gases causing air and water pollution

History, Art, and Culture:

• Indus Valley Civilization
• Jainism
• Buddhism
• Mauryan empire
• Bhakti and Sufi Movement
• Akbar’s rule
• Vijayanagar empire
• The Charter Acts
• Land Revenue System
• Revolt of 1857
• Socio-religious reforms
• Partition of Bengal (1905)
• Swadeshi Movement
• Home Rule Movement (1915–1916)
• August Declaration, 1917
• Champaran Satyagraha (1917)
• Ahmedabad Mill Strike (1918)
• Kheda Satyagraha (1918)
• Government of India Act, 1919
• Rowlatt Act
• Khilafat Movement
• Non-Cooperation Movement (1920-22)
• Nehru Report (1928)
• Lahore Session, 1929
• Civil Disobedience Movement
• First Round Conference, 1930
• Gandhi-Irwin Pact, 1931
• Second Round Conference, 1931
• Third Round Conference (17 November 1932)
• Communal Award
• Poona Pact, 1932
• Government of India Act, 1935
• August Offer of 1940
• Cripps Mission (1942)
• Quit India Movement
• I N.A. Trials
• Cabinet Mission (1946)
• Wavell Plan
• Mountbatten Plan of June 1947
• Indian Independence Act 1947
• Indian Architecture and Sculpture
• Indian Paintings
• Indian Handicrafts
• Indian Music
• Indian Dance Forms
• Important temples
• Important Festivals
• Indian Theatre Forms
• Indian Literature

General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT):

CSAT is a qualifying paper, but adequate practice is essential for success. Key topics for CSAT include:

• Number series
• HCF and LCM
• Time, Speed, and Distance
• Time and work
• Averages
• Permutation and Combination
• Venn Diagram
• Probability
• Ratio Proportion
• Mixture and Alligation
• Percentage
• Clocks and calendars
• Profit and loss
• Linear Equations
• Geometry
• Problems on age
• Pie chart, bar graph, etc.
• Statement and Assumption
• Statement and Inference
• Statement and Conclusion
• Direction
• Coding decoding
• Circular and Linear Arrangement
• Syllogism
• Data Sufficiency

Note: Thorough practice is crucial for CSAT to ensure qualification.