UPSC SYLLABUS

UPSC Civil Services Examination Syllabus

The Civil Services Examination (CSE), conducted by the Union Public Service Commission, selects officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services. It has three stages: Preliminary, Main (Written) and Personality Test (Interview).

Stage 1: Preliminary Examination

The Prelims is a screening test. Its marks are not counted in the final ranking. Both papers are objective (MCQ), two hours each, 200 marks each.

Paper I: General Studies (Merit-Ranking Paper)

Current affairs: national and international developments
History: Indian history and the national movement
Geography: physical, social and economic geography of India and the world
Polity and governance: Constitution, political system, Panchayati Raj, public policy and rights issues
Economy and society: sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, demographics and social sector initiatives
Environment: ecology, biodiversity and climate change (no specialised background needed)
General science

Paper II: CSAT (Qualifying Only)

Candidates must score at least 33%. The paper covers:

Reading comprehension
Interpersonal and communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision-making and problem-solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy and data interpretation (Class X level)
English comprehension (Class X level; these marks are not counted for merit)

Wrong answers carry negative marking (one-third of the question�s marks).

Stage 2: Main Examination

The Mains has nine descriptive papers. Seven count toward ranking (1,750 marks); two language papers are qualifying only.

Paper	Subject	Marks	Nature
A	Compulsory Indian Language	300	Qualifying
B	English	300	Qualifying
I	Essay	250	Ranking
II	General Studies I	250	Ranking
III	General Studies II	250	Ranking
IV	General Studies III	250	Ranking
V	General Studies IV	250	Ranking
VI	Optional Subject, Paper 1	250	Ranking
VII	Optional Subject, Paper 2	250	Ranking

Papers A and B: Language (Qualifying)

Both test comprehension, pr�cis writing, vocabulary, grammar and short essays. Candidates need 25% in each.

Essay

Candidates write essays on varied topics. The paper tests clarity of thought, organisation of ideas and concise expression.

General Studies I: Heritage, History, Geography and Society

Culture: art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times
Modern India: history from the mid-18th century, the freedom struggle, and post-independence consolidation and reorganisation
World history: the Industrial Revolution, world wars, colonisation and decolonisation, and political ideologies such as socialism, capitalism and communism
Indian society: diversity, women�s issues, population, poverty, urbanisation, globalisation, communalism, regionalism, secularism and social empowerment
Geography: world physical geography, distribution of natural resources, industrial location factors, geophysical events (earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, tsunamis), and changes in water bodies, ice caps, flora and fauna

General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

Constitution: evolution, features, amendments, basic structure, and comparison with other countries
Federalism: Union�State relations, devolution to local bodies and dispute-resolution mechanisms
Institutions: Parliament, State legislatures, Executive, Judiciary, constitutional, statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies, and the Representation of the People Act
Governance: government policies and their implementation, role of NGOs, SHGs and other stakeholders, e-governance, citizen charters, transparency, accountability and the role of civil services
Social sector: welfare schemes for vulnerable groups, health, education, human resources, poverty and hunger
International relations: India�s neighbourhood, regional and global groupings, effects of other countries� policies on India, the Indian diaspora, and international institutions

General Studies III: Technology, Economy, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Economy: planning, resource mobilisation, growth, employment, inclusive growth, budgeting, liberalisation, industrial policy and infrastructure (energy, ports, roads, airports, railways)
Agriculture: cropping patterns, irrigation, storage and marketing, subsidies, MSP, PDS, food security, land reforms, animal husbandry and food processing
Science and technology: recent developments, indigenisation, and awareness of IT, space, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and intellectual property rights
Environment: conservation, pollution, degradation and environmental impact assessment
Disaster management
Internal security: extremism, border management, cyber security, money laundering, organised crime and terrorism, and the role of security forces and agencies

General Studies IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

Ethics and human interface: dimensions of ethics, values from great leaders and thinkers, and the role of family, society and education
Attitude: its structure and functions, moral and political attitudes, and persuasion
Aptitude and values for civil service: integrity, impartiality, objectivity, empathy, tolerance, compassion and emotional intelligence
Moral thinkers: contributions from India and the world
Ethics in public administration: dilemmas, sources of ethical guidance, accountability, ethical issues in international relations and funding, and corporate governance
Probity in governance: public service concepts, transparency, RTI, codes of conduct, citizen charters, service delivery, use of public funds and corruption
Case studies

Optional Subject (Papers VI and VII)

Candidates choose one subject from the UPSC list, which includes Agriculture, Anthropology, Botany, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Commerce and Accountancy, Economics, Electrical Engineering, Geography, Geology, History, Law, Management, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Science, Philosophy, Physics, Political Science and International Relations, Psychology, Public Administration, Sociology, Statistics and Zoology, along with literature of various languages. Each has two papers of 250 marks.

Stage 3: Personality Test (Interview)

The interview carries 275 marks. A board assesses mental alertness, clarity of expression, balanced judgement, awareness of current affairs, leadership potential and suitability for a civil service career.

Final merit is based on Mains (1,750) plus Interview (275), a total of 2,025 marks.

Source: Always cross-check with the latest official notification at upsc.gov.in.

UPSC PRELIMS

UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination: Syllabus

The Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. It acts as a screening test: candidates who qualify are called for the Main Examination, and the marks obtained in the Preliminary Examination are not added to the final merit ranking.

Examination Pattern

Particulars	Paper I: General Studies	Paper II: CSAT
Type of paper	Objective (multiple choice)	Objective (multiple choice)
Number of questions	100	80
Maximum marks	200	200
Duration	2 hours	2 hours
Nature	Counted for the Mains qualifying cut-off	Qualifying only (minimum 33%)
Negative marking	One-third of the marks for each wrong answer	One-third of the marks for each wrong answer

Paper I: General Studies

1. Current Events of National and International Importance

Significant national developments, policies and government initiatives
Major international events, agreements, summits and organisations
Awards, reports, indices and places in the news

2. History of India and the Indian National Movement

Ancient, medieval and modern Indian history
Art, architecture, literature and cultural heritage
Socio-religious reform movements and the freedom struggle
Role of leaders and key events leading to independence

3. Indian and World Geography: Physical, Social and Economic

Physical features, climate, drainage, soils and natural vegetation of India
Agriculture, minerals, industries and transport in India
Population, settlement and urbanisation patterns
Major world physical features, climatic regions and resource distribution

4. Indian Polity and Governance

The Constitution: Preamble, fundamental rights, directive principles and fundamental duties
Union and State executive, legislature and judiciary
Panchayati Raj and local self-government
Constitutional and statutory bodies, public policy and rights issues

5. Economic and Social Development

Sustainable development, poverty and social inclusion
Demographics and the social sector: health, education and welfare initiatives
Basic concepts of the Indian economy: growth, banking, budgeting, inflation, trade and planning

6. Environment, Biodiversity and Climate Change

Ecology, ecosystems and biodiversity conservation
Environmental pollution and climate change
International conventions, protected areas and related policies
General issues that do not require specialised subject knowledge

7. General Science

Basic concepts of physics, chemistry and biology
Everyday applications of science and recent developments in science and technology

Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)

This paper is of a qualifying nature. A candidate must obtain at least 33% of the total marks. It evaluates aptitude and comprehension through the following areas:

Comprehension of passages
Interpersonal skills, including communication skills
Logical reasoning and analytical ability
Decision-making and problem-solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, magnitude and similar topics) and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables and data sufficiency), at Class X level
English language comprehension skills, at Class X level

Important Points for Candidates

Both papers are held on the same day, one in the morning session and one in the afternoon session.
Marks of Paper II are not used for ranking. However, a candidate who does not reach the qualifying score in Paper II is not considered, regardless of the Paper I score.
The Commission announces the cut-off for Paper I after the examination, depending on the number of vacancies.
Questions are asked in both Hindi and English, except for the English comprehension portion of Paper II.

Source: The number of questions, marks and rules may be revised by the Commission. Always cross-check with the latest official notification at upsc.gov.in.

GA MAINS

UPSC Mains General Studies Syllabus (GS I to IV)

The General Studies papers form the core of the Civil Services Main Examination. There are four papers, each testing a different area of knowledge, analysis and judgement. All four are descriptive and count toward the final merit ranking.

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
General Studies I	Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society	250	3 hours
General Studies II	Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations	250	3 hours
General Studies III	Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management	250	3 hours
General Studies IV	Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude	250	3 hours

General Studies Paper I

Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

Culture: salient aspects of art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times
Modern Indian history: significant events, personalities and issues from the middle of the eighteenth century to the present
Freedom struggle: its various stages and important contributors from different parts of the country
Post-independence India: consolidation and reorganisation within the country
World history: events from the eighteenth century, including the Industrial Revolution, world wars, redrawing of national boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation, and political philosophies such as communism, capitalism and socialism
Indian society: salient features, diversity, role of women and women�s organisations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation
Social trends: effects of globalisation on Indian society, social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism
Geography: salient features of the world�s physical geography, distribution of key natural resources, and factors responsible for the location of industries
Geophysical phenomena: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity and cyclones, along with changes in water bodies and ice caps and in flora and fauna

General Studies Paper II

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

Constitution: historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
Federal structure: functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels
Separation of powers: dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
Comparative study: the Indian constitutional scheme compared with that of other countries
Institutions: Parliament and State legislatures (structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges), and structure and functions of the Executive and the Judiciary
Elections and bodies: Representation of the People Act, and constitutional, statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies
Governance: government policies and interventions for development, their design and implementation, and issues arising from them
Stakeholders: role of civil services in a democracy, and role of pressure groups, NGOs, self-help groups and associations
Transparency: e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens� charters, transparency and accountability, and institutional measures
Social sector: welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, mechanisms, laws and institutions for their protection, and issues relating to health, education and human resources
Poverty and hunger: issues relating to development and management of the social sector and services
International relations: India and its neighbourhood, bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India, and the effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India�s interests
Diaspora and institutions: the Indian diaspora, and important international institutions, agencies and forums, with their structure and mandate

General Studies Paper III

Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

Economic planning: Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment
Inclusive growth: issues arising from it, government budgeting, and effects of liberalisation on the economy
Industry and infrastructure: changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth; infrastructure such as energy, ports, roads, airports and railways; investment models
Agriculture: major crops and cropping patterns, irrigation systems, storage, transport and marketing of produce, and related constraints
Farm support: e-technology in aid of farmers, direct and indirect subsidies, minimum support prices, public distribution system, food security and buffer stocks
Rural economy: technology missions, economics of animal rearing, food processing and related industries, land reforms
Science and technology: developments and their applications and effects in everyday life; achievements of Indians; indigenisation of technology and new technologies
Emerging fields: awareness in IT, space, computers, robotics, nano-technology and bio-technology; issues relating to intellectual property rights
Environment: conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, and environmental impact assessment
Disaster management
Internal security: linkages between development and the spread of extremism; role of external state and non-state actors in creating security challenges
Security challenges: communication networks, media and social networking sites, basics of cyber security, money laundering, border area security, organised crime and terrorism, and the mandate of various security forces and agencies

General Studies Paper IV

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

This paper includes questions to test the candidate�s attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and handling of ethical problems in dealing with society. Case studies are used to check problem-solving ability.

Ethics and human interface: essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships
Human values: lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values
Attitude: content, structure and function; its influence on thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion
Aptitude and foundational values: integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion toward the weaker sections
Emotional intelligence: concepts and their utilities and application in administration and governance
Thinkers: contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world
Public and civil service values: ethics in public administration, with its status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions
Ethical guidance: laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance
International ethics: ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance
Probity in governance: concept of public service; philosophical basis of governance and probity; information sharing and transparency; Right to Information; codes of ethics and conduct; quality of service delivery; utilisation of public funds; challenges of corruption
Case studies on the above issues

Source: The Commission may revise the syllabus or pattern. Always cross-check with the latest official notification at upsc.gov.in.

SOCIOLOGY

UPSC Optional Subject: Sociology Syllabus

The optional subject carries two papers of 250 marks each (500 marks in total) in the Civil Services Main Examination, and both papers are descriptive. Candidates choose one subject from the list prescribed by UPSC.

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Fundamentals of Sociology	250	3 hours
Paper 2	Indian Society: Structure and Change	250	3 hours

Paper 1: Fundamentals of Sociology

1. Sociology as a Discipline

Modernity and the social changes in Europe that gave rise to sociology
Scope of the subject and its comparison with other social sciences
Sociology and common sense

2. Sociology as Science

Science, the scientific method and its critique
Major theoretical strands of research methodology
Positivism and its critique; fact, value and objectivity; non-positivist methodologies

3. Research Methods and Analysis

Qualitative and quantitative methods; techniques of data collection
Variables, sampling, hypothesis, reliability and validity

4. Sociological Thinkers

Karl Marx: historical materialism, mode of production, alienation, class struggle
Emile Durkheim: division of labour, social fact, suicide, religion and society
Max Weber: social action, ideal types, authority, bureaucracy, the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism
Talcott Parsons: social system and pattern variables
Robert K. Merton: manifest and latent functions, anomie, conformity and deviance, reference groups
G. H. Mead: self and identity

5. Stratification and Mobility

Concepts: equality, inequality, hierarchy, exclusion, poverty and deprivation
Theories of stratification: structural-functionalist, Marxist and Weberian
Dimensions: class, status groups, gender, ethnicity and race
Social mobility: open and closed systems, types, sources and causes

6. Work and Economic Life

Social organisation of work in slave, feudal and industrial or capitalist societies
Formal and informal organisation of work; labour and society

7. Politics and Society

Sociological theories of power; power elite, bureaucracy, pressure groups and political parties
Nation, state, citizenship, democracy, civil society and ideology
Protest, agitation, social movements, collective action and revolution

8. Religion and Society

Sociological theories of religion
Types of religious practice: animism, monism, pluralism, sects and cults
Religion in modern society: religion and science, secularisation, revivalism and fundamentalism

9. Systems of Kinship

Family, household and marriage; types and forms of family
Lineage and descent; patriarchy and the sexual division of labour; contemporary trends

10. Social Change in Modern Society

Sociological theories of social change; development and dependency
Agents of social change; education, science and technology and social change

Paper 2: Indian Society: Structure and Change

A. Introducing Indian Society

Perspectives on the study of Indian society: Indology (G. S. Ghurye), structural-functionalism (M. N. Srinivas) and Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai)
Impact of colonial rule: social background of Indian nationalism, modernisation of tradition, protests and movements, social reforms

B. Social Structure

Rural and agrarian structure: the idea of the Indian village and village studies; evolution of land tenure and land reforms
Caste system: perspectives of Ghurye, Srinivas, Louis Dumont and Andre Beteille; features of caste; untouchability
Tribal communities: definitional problems, geographical spread, colonial policies, integration and autonomy
Social classes: agrarian and industrial class structure; the middle classes
Kinship: lineage and descent, kinship types, family and marriage, household dimensions, patriarchy and entitlements
Religion and society: religious communities and the problems of religious minorities

C. Social Change in India

Visions of change: development planning and the mixed economy; Constitution, law and social change; education and social change
Rural and agrarian transformation: rural development programmes, cooperatives, poverty alleviation, the Green Revolution, changing modes of production, rural labour, bondage and migration
Industrialisation and urbanisation: evolution of modern industry, growth of urban settlements, the working class, the informal sector, child labour, slums
Politics and society: nation, democracy and citizenship; parties, pressure groups and elites; regionalism and decentralisation; secularisation
Social movements: peasant and farmer, women's, backward class and Dalit, environmental, ethnic and identity movements
Population dynamics: size, growth, composition and distribution; birth, death and migration; population policy; ageing, sex ratio, child and infant mortality, reproductive health
Challenges of transformation: displacement and sustainability, poverty and inequality, violence against women, caste and ethnic conflict, communalism, illiteracy and educational disparities

Source: Topics are summarised in original wording from the official UPSC scheme. The Commission may revise the syllabus, so always cross-check with the latest official notification at upsc.gov.in.

ANTHROPOLOGY

UPSC Optional Subject: Anthropology Syllabus

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Fundamentals of Anthropology	250	3 hours
Paper 2	Indian Anthropology and Tribal Studies	250	3 hours

Paper 1: Fundamentals of Anthropology

1. Meaning, Scope and Development of Anthropology

Relationship with social, behavioural, life, medical and earth sciences and the humanities
Main branches: social-cultural, biological, archaeological and linguistic anthropology
Human evolution: biological and cultural factors; Pre-Darwinian, Darwinian, post-Darwinian and synthetic theories; brachiation, bipedalism and tool making

2. Primates and Human Fossils

Primate characteristics, adaptations, taxonomy and behaviour; Tertiary and Quaternary fossil primates
Comparative anatomy of man and apes; skeletal changes due to erect posture
Australopithecines, Homo erectus, Neanderthal, Rhodesian man and Homo sapiens (Cro-Magnon, Grimaldi, Chancelade)

3. Biological Basis of Life

Cell, DNA structure and replication, protein synthesis, gene, mutation, chromosomes and cell division

4. Prehistoric Archaeology

Principles of prehistoric archaeology; relative and absolute dating
Prehistoric cultures: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Copper-Bronze and Iron Age

5. Culture, Society and Institutions

Culture and civilisation; ethnocentrism and cultural relativism
Society, social institutions, groups and stratification
Marriage: forms, rules, functions and marriage payments
Family: types, functions and the effect of urbanisation, industrialisation and feminism
Kinship: descent principles and groups, terminology, filiation and alliance

6. Economic, Political and Religious Organisation

Economic anthropology: formalist and substantivist debate; reciprocity, redistribution and market; economies of hunter-gatherers, pastoralists and cultivators; globalisation
Political organisation: band, tribe, chiefdom, kingdom and state; power, authority and legitimacy; social control and law
Religion: approaches to its study; sacred and profane; myth and ritual; animism, totemism and related forms; religion, magic and science; religious functionaries

7. Anthropological Theories

Classical evolutionism, historical particularism and diffusionism
Functionalism and structural-functionalism; structuralism
Culture and personality; neo-evolutionism; cultural materialism
Symbolic, interpretive and cognitive theories; postmodernism

8. Language and Research Methods

Nature and origin of language; verbal and non-verbal communication
Fieldwork tradition; technique, method and methodology
Tools: observation, interview, schedule, questionnaire, case study, genealogy, life history, oral history and participatory methods; analysis and presentation of data

9. Human Genetics and Growth

Methods of genetic study: pedigree, twin, cytogenetic, biochemical and immunological methods, DNA and recombinant technology
Mendelian inheritance, genetic polymorphism, Hardy-Weinberg law, mutation, isolation, migration, selection and genetic drift
Consanguinity and genetic load; growth and development from prenatal life to senescence; menarche and menopause

10. Human Variation, Adaptation and Applied Anthropology

Human variation and the concept of race; racial criteria and ethnic groups
Demographic and epidemiological anthropology: fertility, mortality, migration, health and disease
Ecological anthropology and biological and cultural adaptation to heat, cold and high altitude
Applications: anthropology of sports, nutritional anthropology, equipment design for defence and other uses, forensic anthropology and personal identification
Applied human genetics: paternity diagnosis, genetic counselling, DNA technology in disease diagnosis

Paper 2: Indian Anthropology and Tribal Studies

1. Evolution of Indian Culture and Civilisation

Prehistoric cultures of India: Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic-Chalcolithic; ethno-archaeology
Protohistoric Indus Civilisation: pre-Harappan, Harappan and post-Harappan cultures; contributions of tribal cultures to Indian civilisation
Palaeo-anthropological evidence from the Siwaliks and Narmada basin

2. Demographic Profile and Social System

Ethnic and linguistic elements in the Indian population and their distribution; factors shaping population growth
Traditional social system: Varnashram, Purusharthas, Karma, Rina and rebirth
Caste system: structure, varna and caste, theories of origin, dominant caste, mobility, Jajmani system and tribe-caste continuum
Sacred complex and the nature-man-spirit complex; impact of Buddhism, Jainism, Islam and Christianity on Indian society

3. History of Anthropological Studies in India

Contributions of eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth century scholar-administrators
Contributions of Indian anthropologists to tribal and caste studies
Village studies: the Indian village as a structural-functional unit and changes in village India

4. Tribal India

Bio-genetic variability, linguistic and socio-economic features and distribution of tribal populations
Problems of tribals: land alienation, poverty, indebtedness, low literacy, unemployment, health and nutrition
Developmental projects and their impact on tribal and rural populations

5. Social Change and Tribal Development

Exploitation and deprivation of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes; constitutional safeguards
Impact of democratic institutions, development programmes, industrialisation and urbanisation on tribal societies; pseudo-tribalism
Tribal movements, ethnicity and ethnic movements; tribe and nation-state; globalisation and indigenous peoples
Tribal development: Tribal Sub-Plan, particularly vulnerable tribal groups, the Panchsheel policy, role of NGOs and of anthropology in development

PSYCHOLOGY

UPSC Optional Subject: Psychology Syllabus

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Foundations of Psychology	250	3 hours
Paper 2	Psychology: Issues and Applications	250	3 hours

Paper 1: Foundations of Psychology

1. Introduction

Definition of psychology; historical background and trends of the twentieth century
Psychology and scientific methods; relation to other social and natural sciences
Application of psychology to societal problems

2. Methods of Psychology

Types of research: descriptive, evaluative, diagnostic and prognostic
Methods: survey, observation, case study and experiment; experimental, non-experimental and quasi-experimental designs
Focus group discussions, brainstorming and grounded theory approach

3. Research Methods and Statistics

Characteristics of psychological research; data collection, analysis and interpretation, both qualitative and quantitative
Descriptive statistics, parametric and non-parametric tests, correlation, regression, ANOVA, factor analysis

4. Human Development

Growth and development and their principles; role of heredity and environment
Influence of culture on socialisation; life-span development, its tasks and hazards

5. Sensation, Attention and Perception

Thresholds, signal detection and vigilance; factors influencing attention
Perceptual organisation, constancy, illusions, space, depth and movement perception; theories of perception
Cultural factors in perception; perception of time

6. Learning

Behaviourist, Gestalt and information-processing theories of learning
Extinction, discrimination and generalisation; programmed and self-instructional learning
Reinforcement schedules, escape, avoidance, punishment, modelling and social learning

7. Memory

Encoding, storage, retrieval and transfer; working and long-term memory
Theories of forgetting; ways of enhancing memory

8. Thinking and Problem Solving

Piaget's theory of cognitive development; concept formation; information processing
Reasoning, problem-solving and decision-making; creative thinking and its fostering

9. Motivation and Emotion

Psychological and physiological bases and measurement of motivation and emotion
Intrinsic and extrinsic motivation; emotional competence

10. Intelligence and Aptitude

Theories of intelligence: Spearman, Thurstone, Guilford, Vernon, Sternberg and J. P. Das
Emotional and social intelligence; fluid and crystallised intelligence; measurement of mental abilities
Aptitude and its measurement; intellectual deficiency and giftedness; heredity and environment

11. Personality

Theories: psychoanalytic, socio-cultural, interpersonal, developmental, humanistic, behaviourist, trait and type
Measurement: projective and pencil-and-paper tests; the Big Five; Indian approaches to personality and the notion of self

12. Attitudes, Values and Interests

Formation, maintenance, measurement and change of attitudes; theories of attitude change
Stereotypes and prejudice; strategies for fostering values; theories of attribution

13. Language and Communication

Properties and determinants of language; biological and socio-cultural influences on language development
Bilingualism and multilingualism; barriers and facilitators of communication

14. Issues and Perspectives in Contemporary Psychology

Computer applications and artificial intelligence in psychology
Consciousness: sleep-wake cycles, dreams, meditation, hypnosis, intuition and sleep disorders

15. Psychometrics

Types of psychological tests; test construction; reliability, validity, norms and item analysis

Paper 2: Psychology: Issues and Applications

1. Individual Differences and Testing

Nature of individual differences; characteristics and construction of standardised tests
Uses, misuse and limitations of tests; ethical issues in testing

2. Well-being and Mental Disorders

Health and ill health; positive health, well-being, lifestyle and quality of life
Causes of anxiety disorders, mood disorders, schizophrenia and delusional disorders; happiness disposition

3. Therapeutic Approaches

Psychodynamic, behavioural, client-centred and cognitive therapies
Indigenous therapies such as yoga and meditation; biofeedback
Prevention and rehabilitation of the mentally ill; fostering mental health

4. Work Psychology and Organisational Behaviour

Personnel selection and training; use of tests in industry; human resource development
Work motivation theories (content and process); leadership and participatory management
Advertising and marketing; stress and its management; ergonomics; entrepreneurial behaviour
Organisational development, restructuring and change

5. Psychology in Education

Guidance and counselling; use of tests in schools
Identifying and training the gifted, mentally retarded and learning disabled
Psychological problems in different educational settings; population education

6. Community Psychology

Concept of community psychology; use of small groups in social action
Arousing community consciousness to handle social issues; role of social agencies

7. Rehabilitation Psychology

Rehabilitation of persons with intellectual, mental, visual, hearing and motor disabilities
Rehabilitation in cases of substance abuse, crime and delinquency, violence and HIV/AIDS; role of social agencies

8. Psychology of Disadvantaged Groups

Concepts of disadvantage and deprivation; their social, physical, cultural and economic consequences
Educational and psychological problems of the disadvantaged; theories and planning of social change; role of psychologists in social development

9. Social Integration

Caste, class, religion and language conflicts; in-group and out-group prejudice and its causes
Psychological strategies to handle conflict and prejudice; role of mass media in integration

10. Information Technology and Mass Media

Role of psychologists in IT; selection and training for the IT industry; training in the use of IT
Effects of media, including television violence

11. Psychology and Economic Development

Achievement motivation and economic development; entrepreneurial behaviour and training
Consumer rights and awareness; government policies promoting entrepreneurship, including women entrepreneurs

12. Environment and Related Fields

Environmental psychology: effects of noise, pollution and crowding
Population psychology: consequences of population explosion; motivation for the small family norm; impact of unemployment

13. Other Applied Fields

Military psychology: selection tests, training and promoting positive health among defence personnel
Sports psychology: performance, motivation, anxiety and training of athletes
Forensic psychology: crime, police work, juvenile delinquency and correctional settings

14. Psychology of Gender

Issues of discrimination and gender roles; gender-related violence and management of related problems

PSIR

UPSC Optional Subject: Political Science and International Relations (PSIR) Syllabus

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Political Theory and Indian Politics	250	3 hours
Paper 2	Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics	250	3 hours

Paper 1: Political Theory and Indian Politics

Section A: Political Theory

Political theory: meaning and approaches
Theories of the state: liberal, neo-liberal, Marxist, pluralist, post-colonial and feminist
Justice: Rawls' theory and its communitarian critique
Equality: social, political and economic; equality and freedom; affirmative action
Rights: meaning, theories and kinds; the concept of human rights
Democracy: classical and contemporary theories; representative, participatory and deliberative models
Power, hegemony, ideology and legitimacy
Political ideologies: liberalism, socialism, Marxism, fascism, Gandhism and feminism
Indian political thought: Dharmashastra, Arthashastra and Buddhist traditions; Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Sri Aurobindo, M. K. Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar and M. N. Roy
Western political thought: Plato, Aristotle, Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, J. S. Mill, Marx, Gramsci and Hannah Arendt

Section B: Indian Government and Politics

Indian nationalism: political strategies of the freedom struggle from constitutionalism to mass satyagraha; militant, revolutionary, peasant and workers' movements; liberal, socialist, Marxist, radical humanist and Dalit perspectives
Making of the Constitution: colonial legacies and differing social and political perspectives
Salient features: Preamble, fundamental rights and duties, directive principles, parliamentary system, amendment, judicial review and basic structure
Union and State organs: envisaged role and actual working of the executive, legislature and judiciary
Grassroots democracy: Panchayati Raj and municipal government; the 73rd and 74th Amendments; grassroots movements
Statutory bodies: Election Commission, CAG, Finance Commission, UPSC and the national commissions for SCs, STs, women, human rights, minorities and backward classes
Federalism: constitutional provisions, changing centre-state relations, regional aspirations, inter-state disputes
Planning and development: Nehruvian and Gandhian perspectives, the public sector, Green Revolution, land reforms, liberalisation
Caste, religion and ethnicity in politics; party system, coalitions, pressure groups, trade unions and interest groups
Social movements: civil liberties and human rights, women's and environmental movements

Paper 2: Comparative Political Analysis and International Politics

Section A: Comparative Politics and International Relations

Comparative politics: nature, major approaches, political economy and political sociology perspectives, limits of the comparative method
The state in comparative perspective: capitalist and socialist economies, advanced industrial and developing societies
Politics of representation and participation: parties, pressure groups and social movements
Globalisation: responses of developed and developing societies
Approaches to IR: idealist, realist, Marxist, functionalist and systems theory
Key concepts: national interest, security and power, balance of power, deterrence, transnational actors, collective security, world capitalist economy
Changing international order: superpower rivalry, bipolarity, arms race and the Cold War; Non-Aligned Movement; collapse of the Soviet Union, unipolarity and American hegemony; relevance of non-alignment today
International economic system: from Bretton Woods to the WTO, North-South dialogue, dependency theory and neo-liberalism
United Nations: envisaged role and record, specialised agencies, need for reform
Regionalisation of world politics: EU, ASEAN, APEC, SAARC and NAFTA
Contemporary global concerns: democracy, human rights, environment, gender justice, terrorism and nuclear proliferation

Section B: India and the World

Indian foreign policy: determinants, institutions of policy-making, continuity and change
India and the Non-Alignment Movement: different phases and current role
India and South Asia: SAARC, South Asia as a free trade area, the Look East policy, and obstacles such as river-water disputes, illegal migration, ethnic conflicts and border disputes
India and the Global South: relations with Africa and Latin America; demand for a new international economic order
India and global centres of power: USA, EU, Japan, China and Russia
India and the UN system: peacekeeping role and the demand for a permanent Security Council seat
India and the nuclear question: changing perceptions and policy
Recent developments: India's position on Afghanistan, Iraq and West Asia, relations with the US and Israel, and the vision of a new world order

GEOGRAPHY

UPSC Optional Subject: Geography Syllabus

Paper Pattern

Paper	Title	Marks	Duration
Paper 1	Principles of Geography	250	3 hours
Paper 2	Geography of India	250	3 hours

Paper 1: Principles of Geography

Physical Geography: Geomorphology

Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and exogenetic forces
Origin and evolution of the earth's crust; geomagnetism; interior of the earth; geosynclines
Continental drift, isostasy, plate tectonics, mountain building, vulcanicity, earthquakes and tsunamis
Geomorphic cycles, denudation chronology, channel morphology, erosion surfaces and slope development
Applied geomorphology: geohydrology, economic geology and environment

Physical Geography: Climatology

Temperature and pressure belts; heat budget; atmospheric circulation, stability and instability
Planetary and local winds, monsoons, jet streams, air masses, fronts, temperate and tropical cyclones
Precipitation types and distribution; weather and climate; Koppen, Thornthwaite and Trewartha classifications
Hydrological cycle; global climatic change; applied and urban climatology

Physical Geography: Oceanography

Bottom relief of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; temperature and salinity; heat and salt budgets
Ocean deposits; waves, currents and tides; marine biotic, mineral and energy resources
Coral reefs and bleaching; sea-level change; law of the sea; marine pollution

Physical Geography: Biogeography

Soil genesis, classification, distribution and profile; soil erosion, degradation and conservation
Factors influencing the distribution of plants and animals; deforestation, conservation, social forestry, agro-forestry and wildlife; gene pool centres

Physical Geography: Environmental Geography

Principles of ecology; human ecological adaptation; human influence on environment; ecological imbalances
Ecosystem management; environmental degradation and conservation; biodiversity and sustainable development
Environmental policy, hazards, education and legislation

Human Geography: Perspectives and Economic Geography

Perspectives: areal differentiation, regional synthesis, dualism, environmentalism, quantitative revolution, radical, behavioural, humanistic and welfare approaches; cultural regions; Human Development Index
World development and resources, energy crisis and limits to growth
World agriculture: regions, inputs, productivity; food security and famine; world industries and trade patterns

Human Geography: Population, Settlement and Planning

World population growth, distribution, attributes and migration; over-, under- and optimum population; population theories and policies
Rural settlement types, patterns and issues; urban hierarchy, morphology, primate city, rank-size rule, functional classification, urban influence, rural-urban fringe and town planning
Regional planning: concept of region, regionalisation, growth centres and poles, regional imbalance, sustainable development planning

Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography

Systems analysis; Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models
Central place theories (Christaller, Losch), Perroux and Boudeville, Von Thunen, Weber and Rostow's stages of growth
Heartland and Rimland theories; laws of international boundaries and frontiers

Paper 2: Geography of India

1. Physical Setting

India's spatial relationship with neighbours; structure, relief and physiographic regions
Drainage and watersheds; monsoon mechanism and rainfall; cyclones, western disturbances, floods and droughts
Climatic regions, natural vegetation and soils

2. Resources

Land, surface and ground water, energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources
Forest and wildlife conservation; energy crisis

3. Agriculture

Irrigation, seeds, fertilisers and power; land holdings, tenure and reforms
Cropping pattern, productivity, intensity, crop combination and land capability
Green Revolution and its effects; dry farming; livestock and the White Revolution; aquaculture, sericulture, apiculture and poultry; agro-climatic zones and agricultural regionalisation

4. Industry

Evolution of industry; location factors of cotton, jute, iron and steel, aluminium, fertiliser, paper, chemical, pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro-based industries
Industrial complexes and public sector undertakings; industrial regionalisation; new industrial policy, multinationals, liberalisation, Special Economic Zones; tourism and eco-tourism

5. Transport, Communication and Trade

Road, rail, waterway, air and pipeline networks; ports and foreign trade; trade balance and policy; export processing zones
Communication and IT and their impact; Indian space programme

6. Cultural Setting

Racial, linguistic and ethnic diversity; religious minorities; tribes, tribal areas and their problems; cultural regions
Population growth, density, sex ratio, age structure, literacy, workforce, dependency ratio and longevity; migration; population policy and health indicators

7. Settlements

Rural settlement types and patterns; morphology and functional classification of Indian cities
Conurbations, metropolitan regions, urban sprawl, slums, town planning, problems of urbanisation

8. Regional Development and Planning

Regional planning experience and Five Year Plans; integrated rural development; Panchayati Raj and decentralised planning
Command area development, watershed management, planning for backward, desert, drought-prone, hill and tribal areas; multi-level planning; island territories

9. Political Aspects

Geographical basis of Indian federalism; state reorganisation and new states; regional consciousness and inter-state issues
International boundaries and related issues; cross-border terrorism; India's role in world affairs; geopolitics of South Asia and the Indian Ocean

10. Contemporary Issues

Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts and epidemics; pollution and changing land use
Environmental impact assessment and management; population explosion and food security; deforestation, desertification and soil erosion
Agrarian and industrial unrest; regional disparities; sustainable development; river linking; globalisation and the Indian economy