UPSC CSE Syllabus — Mapped to Notes
The complete UPSC Civil Services Examination syllabus and pattern — Prelims GS Paper I, CSAT and Mains GS Papers I–IV — with every syllabus area linked to its notes.
Every page on UPSC Notes starts from a line of the official syllabus. This page is the map: the exam’s structure, then each paper’s syllabus with links to the notes that cover it. Always confirm against the latest official notification on upsc.gov.in.
Exam Structure
The Civil Services Examination has three stages.
| Stage | Papers | Marks | Counted for merit? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary (objective) | GS Paper I | 200 | Screening only |
| GS Paper II (CSAT) | 200 | Qualifying at 33% | |
| Main (descriptive) | Paper A — Indian language | 300 | Qualifying (25%) |
| Paper B — English | 300 | Qualifying (25%) | |
| Essay | 250 | Yes | |
| GS Papers I–IV | 250 each | Yes | |
| Optional Papers I–II | 250 each | Yes | |
| Personality Test (interview) | — | 275 | Yes |
The final merit list is out of 2,025 marks (1,750 written + 275 interview). Prelims marks only decide who goes on to Mains. Both Prelims papers are two hours long and carry negative marking of one-third of the marks for a question.
Prelims — GS Paper I
| Syllabus area | Notes |
|---|---|
| Current events of national and international importance | Current Affairs |
| History of India and the Indian National Movement | History & Culture |
| Indian and World Geography — physical, social, economic geography of India and the world | Geography |
| Indian Polity and Governance — Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights issues | Polity & Governance |
| Economic and Social Development — sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics, social-sector initiatives | Indian Economy, Indian Society |
| General issues on environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change | Environment & Ecology |
| General Science | Science & Technology |
Prelims — GS Paper II (CSAT)
Comprehension; interpersonal skills including communication skills; logical reasoning and analytical ability; decision making and problem solving; general mental ability; basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class X level). All of it lives in CSAT.
Mains — GS Paper I
Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
- Indian culture, art forms, literature and architecture; modern Indian history; the freedom struggle; post-independence consolidation; world history → History & Culture
- Salient features of Indian society; women; population; poverty; urbanisation; globalisation; social empowerment; communalism, regionalism and secularism → Indian Society
- World physical geography; distribution of natural resources; location of industries; geophysical phenomena → Geography
Mains — GS Paper II
Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations.
- Constitution, federalism, separation of powers, Parliament, executive, judiciary, constitutional and statutory bodies, governance, welfare schemes and social justice → Polity & Governance
- India and its neighbourhood, groupings and agreements, diaspora, international institutions → International Relations
Mains — GS Paper III
Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
- Planning, growth, budgeting, agriculture, food security, infrastructure, investment → Indian Economy
- Science and technology developments, IT, space, biotechnology, IPR → Science & Technology
- Conservation, pollution, environmental impact assessment → Environment & Ecology
- Internal security, cyber security, border management, money laundering, disaster management → Internal Security & Disaster Management
Mains — GS Paper IV
Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude — ethics and human interface, attitude, aptitude, emotional intelligence, moral thinkers, public service values, probity in governance, and case studies → Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude
Where to Start
Follow the week-by-week study plan, take the Daily Challenge every day, and test yourself with mock tests.