Madhavi Gaur
August 04, 2023 10:16
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UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024 helps aspirants in the IAS preparation. Check detailed Subject-wise syllabus for both General Studies and CSAT papers. Also download UPSC Prelims Syllabus PDF for the UPSC CSE Exam 2023.
UPSC Prelims Syllabus: The UPSC Civil Services Exam is conducted annually by the Union Public Service Commission, with UPSC Prelims serving as the initial screening stage. Although officially designated as the Civil Services (Preliminary) exam, candidates commonly refer to it as UPSC Prelims or IAS Prelims. As for the UPSC 2024 Prelims exam, it is set to take place on May 26, 2024. Therefore, prospective candidates can start preparing accordingly.
Despite the change in the exam pattern in 2011, the syllabus has remained the same ever since. It is worth noting that the conducting authority has already announced the exam date for the upcoming UPSC recruitment, with the prelims taking place on May 28, 2023.
The Union Public Service Commission releases the UPSC Prelims Syllabus along with the UPSC Notification PDF every year, which was released on February 1, 2023, for the UPSC 2023 exam. The UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024 is a comprehensive guide that covers the areas and topics of the UPSC CSE examination.
UPSC Prelims stage has two papers, namely General Studies (GS) Paper-I and CSAT Paper-II, while the Mains stage includes nine papers covering various topics such as Essay, General Studies, and optional subjects.
The Interview stage evaluates candidates’ personality, communication skills, and overall suitability for administrative roles. The exam aims to recruit the best candidates for top positions in the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and other central services.
Below is the overview of UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2024:
UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus 2024 Overview |
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|---|---|
| UPSC Prelims 2024 Exam Date | May 26, 2024 |
| No. of Papers | Two
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| Types of Questions | Objective Type (MCQs) |
| Duration of Exam | 2 hours (120 minutes) for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 |
| Total Marks | 400 |
| Medium of Exam | Bilingual (English & Hindi) |
| Negative Marking | One-third |
| Nature of Examination | Qualifying for Mains Eligibilty |
IAS Prelims Syllabus includes the complete General Studies (Paper I) and CSAT (Paper II) Syllabus, organized subject-wise. Candidates can use this syllabus to start their preparation for the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2023.
The UPSC Prelims Exam has a first paper called General Studies 1 (GS-1). It covers various subjects such as Geography, History, Art & Culture, Polity, Economy, Environment & Ecology, General Science, Science & Technology, and Current Affairs.
Indian History can be broadly categorized into Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History. Each section plays a crucial role in understanding the chronological development of India’s past. Among these, Modern History holds particular significance based on past UPSC trends. For a comprehensive topic-wise coverage of the History Syllabus for UPSC Prelims, you can refer to the table below.
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UPSC Prelims Syllabus for History |
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|---|---|---|
| Ancient History | Medieval History | Modern History |
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The UPSC exam covers essential topics like Oceanography, Climatology, Physiography of India, and Soils in India. These subjects hold significant importance for the exam. For a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the Geography UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below.
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Geography UPSC Prelims Syllabus |
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|---|---|
| Fundamentals of Geography (Physical Geography) | Principles of Indian Geography |
| General Geography
Universe Earth Evolution Geomorphology Earth’s Interior Geology and Rock System Geomorphic Process Earthquakes and Volcanism Distribution of Continents and Oceans Landforms and their evolution Landforms across the world Oceanography Hydrosphere Submarine Relief Features Temperature and Salinity Waves, Oceans, Currents, Tides Marine Resources Ocean, Deposits and Corals Climatology Atmosphere Inversion of Temperature Insolation and Heat Budget Air Mass, Fronts, Cyclones and Jet Streams Wind and Pressure Belts Precipitation Climate Zones of the World Bio Geography Soil Characteristics Vegetation Resources Human and Economic Geography Demography and Census Human Development Economic Activities Transport and Communication International Trade Settlement |
Indian Geography
Physiography of India Drainage System Climate Soils in India Natural Vegetation Population Settlements and Urbanization Land Resource Mineral Resource Energy Resource Agriculture and Basic Terminology Recent development in agriculture Productivity of Crops Industry Transport Recent developments in Industry and Transport World Regional Geography Continents, Countries, and Cities Location in News |
The UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Arts and Culture includes significant topics such as Architecture, Classical dance forms, Folk dance forms, Mural Painting, and Miniature Paintings, which are all crucial aspects of Art & Culture. To explore a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the Art & Culture UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below:
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UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Art & Culture |
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| Architecture
Sculpture Paintings (Mural & Miniature) Pottery Tradition Numismatics Performing Arts (Dance, Music, Theater, Martial Arts) Religion and Literature National and Regional Festivals |
The UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Environment Syllabus covers essential topics such as Ecosystems, Biodiversity, Mangroves, Coral Reefs, and Climate Change, all of which are crucial aspects of the Environment. To explore a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the Environment UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below:
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UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Environment |
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|---|---|
| Environment & Ecology | Biodiversity |
| Origin of Life Forms
Basic Concepts of Ecology Ecosystem Functions Population Ecology Adaptation of Species and Interactions Terrestrial Ecosystem Aquatic Ecosystem Nutrient Cycling |
Basics of Biodiversity
Animal and Plant Diversity Threats to Biodiversity Biodiversity Conservation Estuaries Mangroves Coral Reefs Wetlands Resource Degradation and Management Environmental Pollution Climate Change Environmental Governance |
For the UPSC Prelims exam, it is crucial to understand topics like Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs), Fundamental Duties, Judiciary, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), and the Attorney General of India, as they are significant aspects of Polity. To explore a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the Polity UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below:
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UPSC Polity Syllabus for Prelims |
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|---|---|
| Evolution of the Consitution
Salient Features of the Indian Constitution Union Territories Citizenship Fundamental Rights Directive Principles of State Policy Fundamental Duties System of Governance Union Executive Union Legislature |
State Executive
State Legislature Local Government UT and Special Areas Judiciary Constitutional & Non-Constitutional Bodies Political Dynamics (Political Parties, Elections, Pressure Groups) Governance International Relations |
It is very essential to grasp topics such as Money & Banking, Monetary Policy, Fiscal Policy, Inflation, and Five-year plans, as they hold significant importance in the field of Economy. To explore a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the Economy UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below:
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Economy Syllabus for UPSC Prelims |
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|---|---|
| Basic Concepts
Macroeconomic Concepts Microeconomic Concepts Economic Measurements National Income & Its Calculation Economic Growth and Development Inflation Money & Banking Money Function & Classification Financial Markets & Its Instruments Banking Structure in India Public Finance in India Budgeting Fiscal Policy Centre-state Distribution Tax Structure in India |
Planning
Meaning, Objective & History Planning Institutions Five-Year Plans in India NITI Aayog Open Economy Foreign Trade Concepts International Organizations Trade Agreements Recent Development Economic Sectors Poverty Employment and Unemployment Government Schemes and Programmes |
The UPSC General Science Syllabus for Prelims includes crucial topics like Science & Technology, Defence, Space, Biology, Basic Physics concepts, and Biotechnology, which are essential for General Science. To explore a comprehensive, topic-wise coverage of the General Science UPSC Prelims Syllabus, please refer to the table below.
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General Science Syllabus for UPSC Prelims |
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The UPSC Prelims CSAT Syllabus includes several main categories as mentioned in the UPSC’s notification:
Aspirants preparing for UPSC Exam 2024 can download the UPSC Prelims Syllabus PDF.
The UPSC IAS Examination Syllabus differs for different stages. The UPSC Syllabus for Prelims Exam is comprised of two papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2. UPSC Prelims 2023 exam took place on May 28, 2023. Please refer to the table given below for more detailed information regarding the Prelims UPSC Syllabus. The process of selecting the right candidates for the prestigious services requires an examination of many qualities and aspects of the candidates from the millions of applicants.
The UPSC Prelims Exam comprises two papers: General Studies (GS) Paper-I and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper-II. It is conducted offline (pen and paper-based) and has a duration of two hours each. GS Paper-I consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, while CSAT Paper-II contains 80 multiple-choice questions.
GS Paper-I evaluates candidates’ knowledge in subjects such as current affairs, history, geography, polity, economics, science and technology, and environment and ecology. CSAT Paper-II assesses candidates’ abilities in comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills. The Prelims Exam serves as a screening test, and only those who clear it are eligible to appear for the Mains Exam.
The following table represents the Exam Pattern for UPSC IAS Prelims 2024 Syllabus:
UPSC IAS Prelims 2024 Exam Pattern |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper | Subject of UPSC Prelims | Total Marks | Number of Questions | Duration of Exam |
| I | General Studies (GS) | 200 | 100 | 2 hours |
| II | CSAT | 200 | 80 | 2 hours |
1. Each incorrect answer will result in a deduction of 1/3 marks, while no marks will be deducted for unanswered questions.
2. In the General Studies (Paper I) section, candidates will receive 2 marks for each correct answer and 0.66 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer.
3. For the CSAT (Paper II) section, candidates will be awarded 2.5 marks for every correct answer, and 0.833 marks will be deducted for each incorrect answer marked by the candidates.
4. The marks obtained in the Prelims exam will not be taken into account when calculating the final result or merit list.
5. Paper II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination serves as a qualifying paper, with a minimum passing score set at 33%.
6. The General Studies exam takes place in the morning session, while the CSAT exam is held in the evening session on the same day.
The UPSC CSE syllabus comprises three stages: Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. The preliminary exam consists of two papers of objective type questions, while the mains exam comprises nine descriptive papers, and the interview round is a personality test.
Let us focus on the UPSC Prelims Syllabus for GS I, i.e., the General Studies Paper I. This examination paper is composed of subjects such as History, Geography, Economy, Polity, Governance, General Science, and importantly, Current Affairs. We have listed the subtopics below for your perusal.
In recent years, the UPSC Prelims and Mains exams have placed a greater emphasis on dynamic questions. Even traditionally static subjects such as Polity now incorporate more current issues and topics. Both Indian Economy and Environment are also vital aspects of the UPSC Prelims syllabus that primarily focus on current affairs.
To prepare for current affairs, several essential sources can be used, including magazines such as Yojana and Kurukshetra, Economic and Political Weekly, and Press Information Bureau Releases. Additionally, staying up to date with news from publications like The Hindu and The Indian Express is crucial.
For UPSC Prelims current affairs studies, there are helpful resources available, including comprehensive daily news analyses, summaries of Yojana and EPW, and daily video analyses of The Hindu. Furthermore, “Economy This Week for UPSC Preparation” covers all aspects of the Indian economy that may appear in the exam.
Preparing for the UPSC Prelims requires a systematic and comprehensive approach. Here’s a preparation strategy to help you with the UPSC Prelims 2024 syllabus:
Start by thoroughly understanding the UPSC Prelims syllabus. It will give you a clear idea of the subjects and topics you need to cover.
Develop a well-structured study plan that covers all the subjects and topics in the syllabus. Allocate specific time slots for each subject, keeping in mind your strengths and weaknesses.
Collect the necessary study materials, including textbooks, reference books, UPSC previous years’ question papers, and relevant online resources. Make sure to rely on authentic and reliable sources.
Stay updated with current affairs from various sources such as newspapers, magazines, and online platforms. Dedicate a specific time each day to read and analyze current events, especially those related to national and international issues, government policies, and social issues.
Regularly solve mock tests and previous years’ question papers to gauge your preparation level. It will help you understand the exam pattern, improve your time management skills, and identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Set aside dedicated time for revision to reinforce your understanding of the topics. Make concise notes and mind maps to aid quick revision. Evaluate your progress regularly and work on improving weak areas.
Take care of your health during the preparation phase. Maintain a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and get sufficient rest. Avoid burnout and manage stress by practicing relaxation techniques like meditation or yoga.
UPSC Prelims Expected Cut Off 2023
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