UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 Syllabus 2025 is provided here. Check out the complete UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 Syllabus and topics to cover.
UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 Syllabus: UPSC CSE (Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination) is conducted by UPSC every year to recruit candidates for various Civil Services positions in the Indian government, including IAS, IPS, IRS, and many others.
Moreover, the UPSC CSE Exam is known to be one of the most challenging and competitive exams in India. Every year, thousands of candidates appear for the UPSC CSE Examination. Also, the exam consists of three stages: Preliminary exam, Main exam, and Personality test (interview).
Additionally, the UPSC CSE preliminary exam 2024 is an objective-type exam consisting of two papers, the General Studies and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). Additionally, get the UPSC Prelims Syllabus For GS Paper I on this page, which will assist them in planning their study strategy. A study plan will help them pass the UPSC CSE examination when familiar with the detailed syllabus.
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Before starting your preparation for UPSC GS Paper 1, it is essential to go through the syllabus thoroughly to understand the topics that need to be covered. The UPSC General Studies I Paper is titled “Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society.” This paper is conducted the day after the Essay Paper in the UPSC Mains Examination. The following table provides an overview of the UPSC CSE Exam 2024.
CSAT – 80 Marks per wrong answer: – 0.33 Marks per unanswered questions: 0
Name of the exam
UPSC CSE
Full name
Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination
Medium of instruction
English and Hindi
Question type
Multiple choice questions (MCQ)
Exam duration
2 hours each
No. of questions
General Studies (GS) – 100
Total marks
200 marks for each paper (Total of 400 marks)
Frequency of exam
Once a year
Negative marking
⅓rd mark
Marking Scheme for General Studies
Marks per correct answer: +2.5
The UPSC Mains notification lists topics broadly, without specific categorization. However, experts classify these topics into four major subjects, making it easier for candidates to approach them systematically.
| Subjects | Key Topics |
| Art & Culture | Art Forms, Literature, and Architecture from ancient to modern times |
| History | Modern Indian History, World History |
| Geography | Geography of India, World Geography |
| Indian Society | Social Issues, Demographics, and Developments in Indian Society |
Most importantly, if a candidate is well aware of the detailed IAS Exam Syllabus for the Prelims exam, it helps them to prepare more efficiently, boosts their confidence, and makes it easy for them to prepare for cracking the UPSC CSE Prelims exam. Moreover, the IAS Prelims Exam 2024 took place on June 16, 2024, and the results were announced on July 1, 2024.
Below, we’ve provided a detailed UPSC CSE Syllabus 2024 for the preliminary examination. By this, candidates will be able to check the UPSC GS Paper I CSE syllabus and UPSC GS Paper 2 CSE syllabus of the preliminary examination and start preparing for the UPSC exam 2025.
The UPSC Prelims syllabus can be divided into two parts:
The first paper of the UPSC Prelims Exam is General Studies 1 (GS-1) which includes Geography, History, Art & Culture, Polity, Economy, Environment & Ecology, General Science, Science & Technology, and Current Affairs.
The second paper of the UPSC Prelims Exam is CSAT/ General Studies 2 (GS-2), which includes Comprehension, Interpersonal skills, including communication skills, Logical reasoning, and analytical ability, Decision-making and problem-solving, General mental ability, Basic numerical skills (orders of magnitude, numbers & their relations, etc.) (Class X level), Data Interpretation (graphs, charts, tables, data sufficiency, etc.) (Class X level).
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UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025
Maximum Marks
Duration Of Exam
UPSC Prelims Syllabus For GS Paper I
200 Marks
2 Hours
CSAT/ General Studies Paper-II
200 Marks
2 Hours
This paper tests candidates’ knowledge of India’s cultural heritage, historical developments, geography, and social issues. It evaluates both analytical and factual understanding of these areas. Proper categorization of topics ensures focused preparation, helping candidates cover the syllabus effectively.
By systematically dividing the subjects and their subtopics, candidates can build a solid strategy for UPSC GS Paper 1 preparation. The breakdown of UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus in major topics is given here subject-wise:
| UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus | |
| Subject | Sub-Topics |
| 1. History | Modern History:
Post-independence History:
World History:
|
| 2. Art & Culture |
|
| 3. Geography |
|
| 4. Indian Society |
|
The General Studies (GS) paper in prelims refers to one of the two papers in the Civil Services Examination conducted by India's Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers: General Studies (GS) Paper-I and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper II. The GS Paper-I covers topics such as Indian history and culture, geography, economics, polity, environment and ecology, science and technology, and current affairs.
The GS Paper-I syllabus includes Geography, History, Art & Culture, Polity, Economy, Environment & Ecology, General Science, Science & Technology and Current Affairs.
The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers: General Studies (GS) Paper-I and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper II.
Yes, the General Studies (GS) paper is compulsory for the Civil Services Examination conducted by India's Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The GS paper is part of the preliminary examination, which is the first stage of the selection process. The GS Paper-I is one of the two papers in the Preliminary Examination, the other being the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper-II. Both papers are mandatory, and candidates must qualify for both papers to be eligible for the mains examination.
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