The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the most prestigious examinations in India. It is conducted in three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Interview.
### UPSC Syllabus
#### Preliminary Examination (Prelims)
The Prelims consists of two papers, each of 200 marks.
**1. General Studies Paper I:**
- Current events of national and international importance.
- History of India and Indian National Movement.
- Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
- Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.
- General Science.
**2. General Studies Paper II (CSAT):**
- Comprehension.
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills.
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability.
- Decision-making and problem-solving.
- General mental ability.
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. - Class X level).
#### Main Examination (Mains)
The Mains consists of nine papers, including two qualifying papers.
**Qualifying Papers:**
- Paper A: One of the Indian languages to be selected by the candidate from the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. (300 marks)
- Paper B: English (300 marks)
**Papers to be Counted for Merit:**
- Paper I: Essay (250 marks)
- Paper II: General Studies I - Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society (250 marks)
- Paper III: General Studies II - Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations (250 marks)
- Paper IV: General Studies III - Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management (250 marks)
- Paper V: General Studies IV - Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude (250 marks)
- Paper VI: Optional Subject Paper I (250 marks)
- Paper VII: Optional Subject Paper II (250 marks)
#### Interview/Personality Test
- The interview carries 275 marks (with no minimum qualifying marks).
### Notes and Preparation Resources
For effective preparation, it's important to refer to a combination of standard textbooks, reference materials, and current affairs sources. Here’s a brief guide:
#### General Studies Paper I
- **History:** "India's Struggle for Independence" by Bipan Chandra, "A Brief History of Modern India" by Spectrum.
- **Geography:** "Certificate Physical and Human Geography" by G.C. Leong, NCERT textbooks (Class 6-12).
- **Polity:** "Indian Polity" by M. Laxmikanth.
- **Economics:** "Indian Economy" by Ramesh Singh, Economic Survey, and Budget documents.
- **Environment:** "Environment" by Shankar IAS.
- **Current Affairs:** Newspapers (The Hindu, Indian Express), magazines (Yojana, Kurukshetra), online resources (PIB, PRS).
#### General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
- **Comprehension and Logical Reasoning:** Practice previous years’ question papers, reference books like "Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning" by R.S. Aggarwal.
#### General Studies Papers II-IV
- **Governance, Polity, International Relations:** Same resources as Polity in Prelims, along with additional readings from ARC reports and relevant sections of newspapers.
- **Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security:** Standard books, government reports, and current affairs.
- **Ethics:** "Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude" by Subba Rao and P.N. Roy Chowdhury, case studies from newspapers and internet sources.
#### Optional Subjects
Choose based on your background, interest, and scoring potential. Standard textbooks and coaching material are often used.
### Online Resources
- **UPSC official website**: [UPSC] https://www.upsc.gov.in
- **Current Affairs:** Insights on India, ForumIAS, VisionIAS.
- **Mock Tests and Practice Papers:** Various coaching institutes provide these resources.
A disciplined approach, regular revisions, and staying updated with current affairs are key to succeeding in the UPSC examination.
