UPSC Exam, also known as IAS Exam, is held by the Union Public Service Commission to select appropriate candidates for the country’s civil services and defense services such as IFS, IPS, IAS, etc. UPSC CSE Exam consists of three-stage – Prelims, Mains and Personality Test. The UPSC Syllabus is also divided as per the selection process and stages. Each stage must be qualified to appear for the next one.
You need to know about the UPSC Prelims Syllabus first to qualify for the mains. Try and cover the UPSC Syllabus for prelims and the UPSC Mains Syllabus for better results. Here is the syllabus outline for UPSC exams:
Stages of UPSC Syllabus
One of the most prevalent exams led by UPSC is the Civil Services Examination (CSE), also known as the IAS exam. Candidates who wish to appear for the IAS Exam must check the UPSC Age Limit before applying online. So, let us know about the exam pattern-There are three stages in the UPSC exam-
UPSC Preliminary Exam
This UPSC prelims syllabus comprises two mandatory exams-
- General Studies I
- and General Studies II (CSAT)
Both the exams are for 200 marks, General Studies I is 100, and General Studies II is 80. They consist of objective-type questions, and there is a negative marking of .5 for every wrong answer. Both exams are for 2 hours each. For General Studies I, 9.30 am to 11.30 am, the CSAT starts at 2.30 pm and goes on until 4.30 pm.
Syllabus for General Studies
- National & International Current events
- Indian & World Geography
- Indian Polity & Governance- this comprises knowledge about the constitution of India, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Political System, Rights Issues, etc.
- Indian History & Indian National Movement.
- Economic & Social Development– It includes knowledge of sustainable development, Social Sector Initiatives, Demographics, Poverty of the country, etc.
- Issues about the Environmental ecology, Biodiversity & climate transformation
- General Science.
Syllabus for General Studies II
- Comprehension
- General mental ability
- Decision making & problem-solving
- Basic numeracy
- Logical reasoning & analytical ability
- Interpersonal skills include communication skills.
It is mandatory to appear for both exams to qualify for the next stage. The above-mentioned is the UPSC prelims syllabus. Now let us understand the mains syllabus and UPSC age limit.
UPSC Mains Exam
There are nine papers in the mains, out of which two are qualifying subjects. The two qualifying exams are for 300 marks, and the others are for 250 each.
| Qualifying Papers | Marks | |
| Paper-A | One Indian Language is to be chosen by the prospect from the Languages comprised in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution (Translation from the English language to other language and vice versa, Precis Writing, short essays, usage & vocabulary and comprehension of the passages) | 300 |
| Paper-B | English (Precis Writing, short essays, usage & vocabulary, and comprehension of the passages) | 300 |
| Papers to be Counted for Merit | ||
| Paper-I | Essay (You need to write multiple essays, it can be from any niche) | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies-I (Indian Culture & Heritage, History, Freedom, Struggle and Geography of the World and Society, Globalization, Indian Society, etc.) | 250 |
| Paper-III | General Studies-II (Governance, Indian Constitution, Polity, parliament & State legislatures, Social Justice, government policies, and International relations) | 250 |
| Paper-IV | General Studies-III (Technology, Government Budgeting, Economic Development, Indian Economy, Biodiversity, Environment, Investment Models and Security and Disaster Management) | 250 |
| Paper-V | General Studies-IV (Ethics, Emotional intelligence, Integrity, Public & Civil service values, and Aptitude) | 250 |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject – Paper 1 (Every optional subject has 2 compulsory papers) | 250 |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject – Paper 2 (Every optional subject has 2 compulsory papers) | 250 |
The first two are qualifying exams, and the final selection will not consider these marks. Every exam will be for 3 hours. The question papers will come in both English and Hindi Language.
What is the UPSC Age limit?
The minimum age to apply for the UPSC exam is 21.
The upper age limit is
- 32 for the General Merit category
- For Other Backward classes, it is 37
- For Scheduled Classes and Tribes, it is 37
There may be some more relaxation for special cases.
The UPSC exam needs the right strategy and complete dedication. You will require at least six months to prepare, so it’s advisable to start with your preparations as early as possible to clear the exam.
