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UPSC Syllabus 2020 PDF Download

upsc syllabus

Civil services examination, also known as the Indian Administrative Service examination which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission is considered to be the most prestigious and competitive examination.

In the last seven decades, there have been many minor and major changes in UPSC syllabus. In these changes, both the preliminary and mains have been affected. The introduction of the Civil Services Aptitude Test in the form of General Studies Paper 2 of the preliminary examination is the game changer in the way in which one is expected to prepare for the UPSC examination.

As some of you might be aware, prior to this change, the preparation for the preliminary examination had a reasonably straightforward logic, viz, be very good with your optional subject (paper II) and reasonably good in general studies (paper I) and the candidate would have a definite advantage over the candidate who was underprepared for the optional subject.

However, with the introduction of a separate paper on aptitude, the focus of preparation needs to undergo a drastic change. It is now a level playing field with both papers in the preliminary carrying equal marks.

UPSC Syllabus – Civil Services | IAS

Two papers for the preliminary examination titled General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper-II (popularly known as CSAT).

UPSC Syllabus 2020 PDF Download in English

The syllabus of UPSC hasn’t changed since its 2017 notification. So you can refer to the notification of 2017 for Official UPSC Syllabus 2020 pdf download. Download the syllabus PDF from the link below

Below is the basic idea of the UPSC syllabus patter which is the latest but make sure you refer to the official syllabus of the exam using the link above.

200 Marks for the General Studies Paper I :

It is a conventional general studies paper with a mix of questions on various subjects and topics under the following headlines:

1. Current Events, History of India and Indian National Movement
2. Indian, Physical Geography and Environment
3. Polity and Governance, Economic and Social Development

4. General Science, Science, and Technology

200 Marks for General Studies Paper II:

It is qualifying in nature and you need to score 33% of marks to qualify to the next stage, i.e. Mains.

1. Comprehension, Impersonal and Communication Skill
2. Logical Reasoning, Decision Making, and Interpersonal Skills
3. Mental Ability and Basic Numerals

4. English Language Comprehension

UPSC syllabus of the main exam assesses your academic expertize in your specialized subject. It also tests your ability to present your ideas in a refined and clear manner. The paper-A is of qualifying nature. Paper I to Paper VII are counted for merit and the final step of the UPSC syllabus is the personality test. The grand total of the mains is 2025 marks.

The summary of the pattern of the civil services mains examination is as follows:

A. Paper A: Language (300 Marks) Candidate can opt for any modern Indian language. (Qualifying in Nature)
B. Paper B: English (300 Marks) This paper is also of qualifying nature.

1. Paper 1: Essay (250 Marks)
2. Paper 2: General Studies (250 Marks) Indian History, Heritage and Culture, Geography of India and the world.
3. Paper 3; General Studies (250 Marks) Governance, Constitution, Polity, and International Relations
4. Paper 4: General Studies (250 Marks) Science, Economic Development and Environment
5. Paper 5: General Studies (250 Marks) Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
6. Paper 6: Optional Subject Paper 1 (250 Marks)
7. Paper 7: Optional Subject Paper 2 (250 Marks)

Z. Interview (Personality Test) 275 Marks

So, buckle up and get ready for a detailed study of UPSC syllabus. The harder you work, the luckier you get. This is the only sure way to success.