UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination Syllabus 2025

Paper 1

  1. Current events of national and international importance.
  2. History of India and the Indian National Movement.
  3. Indian and World Geography: Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World.
  4. Indian Polity and Governance: Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
  5. Economic and Social Development: Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
  6. General issues on Environmental ecology, biodiversity, and Climate change do not require subject specialization.
  7. General Science.

Paper 2

  1. Comprehension Skills.
  2. Communication and interpersonal skills.
  3. Decision-making and problem-solving.
  4. Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
  5. General mental ability.
  6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level)
  7. Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. — Class X level)

Here is a more detailed breakdown of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination Syllabus.

Paper 1

History:

  1. Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History of India.
  2. The Indian National Movement, including significant personalities, events, and freedom struggles.

Geography:

  1. Physical Geography: Landforms, climate, vegetation, soil types, and environmental changes.
  2. Human Geography: Population, migration, and urbanization.
  3. Economic Geography: Resources, industries, and agricultural patterns.
  4. Geography of India: Political boundaries, states, rivers, and key geographical features.

Indian Polity and Governance:

  1. Indian Constitution: Features, amendments, and significant provisions.
  2. Political System: Functioning of the executive, legislature, and judiciary.
  3. Panchayati Raj: Decentralization and local governance.
  4. Public Policy: Government schemes and policies.
  5. Rights Issues: Fundamental rights and human rights concerns.

Economic and Social Development:

  1. Sustainable Development: Goals and practices.
  2. Poverty and Inclusion: Government initiatives and policies.
  3. Demographics: Population studies and health.
  4. Social Sector Initiatives: Education, health, and welfare programs.

Environment and Ecology:

  1. Environmental Ecology: Ecosystems, biodiversity, and conservation efforts.
  2. Climate Change: Global warming, impacts, and mitigation strategies.
  3. General issues and initiatives in environment protection.

General Science:

  1. Basic concepts of physics, chemistry, biology.
  2. Recent developments in science and technology.

Current Events

  1. National and international significance events that have occurred recently.

Paper 2

Comprehension:

  1. Reading passages and answering questions based on them.

Interpersonal Skills:

  1. Communication skills and understanding interactions.

Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability:

  1. Problem-solving using reasoning.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving:

  1. Scenarios requiring judgment and decision-making.

General Mental Ability:

  1. Numerical and logical reasoning questions.

Basic Numeracy:

  1. Numbers, orders of magnitude, and basic math skills up to Class X level.

Data Interpretation:

  1. Analyzing data in charts, graphs, and tables.

Preparation Tips

  1. Regular Updates on Current Affairs: Follow reliable sources for the latest national and international news.
  2. Thorough Study of NCERT Books: For foundational knowledge in history, geography, economics, and polity.
  3. Mock Tests and Previous Year Papers: Practice under exam conditions to improve speed and accuracy.
  4. Focus on Weak Areas: Identify and strengthen topics where you are less confident.
  5. Remember to refer to the official UPSC notification for the specific year of the examination for any updates or changes in the exam pattern.
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