UPSC & UP-PCS Syllabus

• Comprehension of a given prose passage with questions and answers.
• Precis writing (summarization).
• Writing of government and semi-government letters, telegrams, office orders, notifications and circulars.
• Word knowledge and usage: use of prefixes and suffixes; antonyms; one word for a phrase; spelling and sentence correction.
• Proverbs and idioms.

The paper has three sections. Candidates select one topic from each section and write an essay of 700 words on each.

• Section A: Literature and Culture; Social sphere; Political sphere.
• Section B: Science, Environment and Technology; Economic sphere; Agriculture, Industry and Trade.
• Section C: National and International events; Natural calamities (landslide, earthquake, deluge, drought, etc.); National development programmes and projects.

• History of Indian culture: salient aspects of art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian history (A.D. 1757 to A.D. 1947): significant events, personalities and issues.
• The Freedom Struggle: its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country (till 1965 A.D.).
• History of the world from the 18th century to the middle of the 20th century: French Revolution of 1789, Industrial Revolution, World Wars, redrawing of national boundaries, Socialism, Nazism, Fascism, etc., their forms and effect on society.
• Salient features of Indian society and culture.
• Role of women in society and women's organizations; population and associated issues; poverty and developmental issues; urbanization, their problems and remedies.
• Meaning of liberalization, privatization and globalization and their effects on economy, polity and social structure.
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.
• Distribution of major natural resources of the world (water, soils, forests) with reference to South and South-East Asia and India; factors responsible for the location of industries (with special reference to India).
• Salient features of physical geography: earthquake, tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclone, ocean currents, winds and glaciers.
• Oceanic resources of India and their potential.
• Human migration and the refugee problem of the world, with focus on India.
• Frontiers and boundaries with reference to the Indian sub-continent.
• Population and settlements: types and patterns, urbanization, Smart Cities and Smart Villages.

• Indian Constitution: historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure; role of the Supreme Court in the evolution of basic provisions of the Constitution.
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States: issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
• Role of the Finance Commission in Centre-State financial relations.
• Separation of powers, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions; emergence and use of alternative dispute redressal mechanisms.
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other major democratic countries.
• Parliament and State legislatures: structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges, and concerned issues.
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary: Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the polity; Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
• Salient features of the Representation of People's Act; appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities.
• Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies including NITI Aayog, their features and functioning.
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design, implementation and Information Communication Technology (ICT).
• Development processes: the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for their protection and betterment.
• Issues relating to development and management of social sector/services relating to health, education and human resources.
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger, and their implication on the body politic.
• Important aspects of governance: transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens' charters and institutional measures.
• Role of civil services in a democracy in the context of emerging trends.
• India and its relationship with neighbouring countries.
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests; Indian diaspora.
• Important international institutions and agencies: their structure, mandate and functioning.
• Current affairs and events of regional, national and international importance.

• Economic planning in India, objectives and achievements; role of NITI Aayog; pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• Issues of poverty, unemployment, social justice and inclusive growth.
• Components of government budgets and the financial system.
• Major crops, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce, e-technology in the aid of farmers.
• Direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System: objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; buffer stocks and food security; technology missions in agriculture.
• Food processing and related industries in India: scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
• Land reforms in India since independence.
• Effects of liberalization and globalization on the economy; changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
• Infrastructure: energy, ports, roads, airports, railways, etc.
• Science and Technology: developments and applications in everyday life and in national security; India's Science and Technology policy.
• Achievements of Indians in science and technology; indigenization of technology; developments of new technologies, transfer of technology, dual and critical use technologies.
• Awareness in the fields of ICT and space technology, computers, energy resources, nano-technology, microbiology, bio-technology; issues relating to intellectual property rights (IPR) and digital rights.
• Environmental security and ecosystems, conservation of wildlife, biodiversity, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
• Disaster as a non-traditional security and safety challenge; disaster mitigation and management.
• Challenges of international security: nuclear proliferation, causes and spread of extremism, communication networks, role of media and social networking, basics of cyber security, money laundering and human trafficking.
• India's internal security challenges: terrorism, corruption, insurgency and organized crime.
• Role, kind and mandate of security forces; higher defence organizations in India.
• Issues in agriculture, horticulture, forestry and animal husbandry.

• Ethics and human interface: essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human action; 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, function, its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
• Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service: integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
• Emotional intelligence: concept and dimensions, its utility and application in administration and governance.
• Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
• Public/civil service values and ethics in public administration: status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of moral values in governance; 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 in government, Right to Information, codes of ethics, codes of conduct, citizen's charter, work culture, quality of service delivery, utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
• Case studies on the above issues.

• History, civilization, culture and ancient cities of UP.
• Architecture, its significance and maintainability; museums, archives and archaeology of UP.
• Contribution of UP in the pre- and post-1857 freedom struggles of India.
• Eminent freedom fighters and personalities of UP.
• Rural, urban and tribal issues: social structure, festivals, fairs, music, folk dances, literature and languages/dialects, social customs of UP.
• Political system of UP: governance, Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, State Assembly and State Council, Centre-State relations.
• Public service, Public Service Commission, auditing, Advocate General, High Court and its jurisdiction in UP.
• Special state selection criteria, official language, Consolidated Fund and Contingency Fund, political parties and State Election Commission of UP.
• Local self-government: urban and Panchayati Raj, public policy, rights-related issues in UP.
• Good governance, eradication of corruption, Lokayukta, citizen charters, e-governance, Right to Information, redressal policy.
• Land reforms and their impact in UP.
• Issues related to security in UP: linkage between development and spread of extremism; role of external, state and inter-state actors in creating challenges to internal security through communication networks, media and social networking sites; basic rules of cyber security, money laundering and its prevention; various security forces and agencies and their mandate; security challenges and their management in border areas, linkage of organized crime with terrorism.
• Law and order and civil defence in UP.
• Medical and health issues in UP.
• State education system of UP.
• Contribution of UP in the development of India.
• Current affairs of UP.
• Implementation of the Jal Shakti Mission and other central welfare schemes in UP.
• NGOs in UP: issues, contribution and impact.
• Tourism in UP: issues and prospects.
• Emphasis on innovation in various fields in UP: issues and its impact on employment and socio-economic development of society.

• Overview of the economy of UP: main features of the economy and State Budgets; infrastructure and importance of physical resources.
• Trade, commerce and industries of UP.
• UP Government schemes, projects and planned development for the welfare of people, human resources and skill development.
• Investment in UP: issues and impact.
• Public finance and fiscal policy, tax and economic reforms; One District One Product policy of the UP Government.
• Planning and management of renewable and non-renewable energy resources of UP.
• Demography, population and censuses of UP.
• Commercialization of agriculture and production of agricultural crops in UP.
• UP New Forest Policy.
• Agro and social forestry in UP.
• Agricultural diversity, problems of agriculture and their solutions in UP.
• Developmental indices of UP in various fields.
• Geography of UP: geographical location, relief and structure, climate, irrigation, minerals, drainage system and vegetation.
• National parks and wildlife sanctuaries in UP.
• Transport network in UP.
• Power resources, infrastructure and industrial development of UP.
• Pollution and environmental issues in UP; Pollution Control Board and its functions.
• Natural resources of UP: soil, water, air, forests, grasslands, wetlands.
• Climate change and weather forecasting issues in UP.
• Habitat and ecosystem, structure and function, adjustment, flora and fauna with reference to UP.
• Science and Technology: its issues, advancements and efforts in UP.
• Aquaculture, viticulture, sericulture, floriculture, horticulture and arboriculture in UP and their impact on the development of UP.
• Evolvement of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for the development of UP.