CGPSC Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains Topic-wise Guide

The CGPSC syllabus covers two Prelims papers and seven descriptive Mains papers in the State Service Examination run by the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission. Prelims tests General Studies with a strong Chhattisgarh section, plus an Aptitude Test. Mains goes much deeper, with a Language paper, an Essay and five General Studies papers that cover history, polity, science, economy, geography, philosophy, sociology and welfare laws.

This page lists the topics paper by paper, shows where Prelims and Mains overlap, and gives a phased plan for covering everything. The topic lists follow the scheme used in the SSE 2025 cycle. In July 2026, CGPSC asked candidates for suggestions on revising the Mains syllabus for future exams, so check the next notification for any change before you finalise your plan.

Table of Contents

• CGPSC Syllabus at a Glance

• Key Changes to Know

• CGPSC Prelims Syllabus

• CGPSC Mains Syllabus

• Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

• High-Return Topics and Study Sources

• Is There a Syllabus for the CGPSC Interview?

• How to Cover the CGPSC Syllabus

CGPSC Syllabus at a Glance

Key Changes to Know

• Mains syllabus under review: In July 2026, CGPSC invited online suggestions from candidates on a revised Mains syllabus. As reported, the ongoing SSE 2025 cycle follows the existing syllabus, and any new version applies to later exams.

• Paper II does not count for merit: The Aptitude Test is qualifying. Only Paper I marks decide who moves to Mains, but you still need the minimum in Paper II.

• Language sections stay in their language: Hindi and Chhattisgarhi questions in Prelims Paper II and in Mains Paper I are set in those languages, without translation.

• Older pages can mislead: Some sites still show an old Mains layout with separate Mathematics or Science and Technology papers. Follow the paper names in the current notification.

CGPSC Prelims Syllabus

Paper I: General Studies

Paper I has two broad parts: general studies at the national level and general knowledge of Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh part is often decisive, because many candidates are strong on national topics but thin on state topics.

Chhattisgarh general knowledge (within Paper I)

Paper II: Aptitude Test

Paper II looks easy, but the Hindi and Chhattisgarhi sections can trouble candidates who do not use these languages daily. Take a timed previous year Paper II early to see where you stand.

CGPSC Mains Syllabus

Paper I: Language (200 marks)

• General Hindi: Comprehension, precis, synonyms and antonyms, word and sentence correction, idioms and proverbs, prefixes and suffixes, letter and application writing.

• General English: Comprehension, precis, vocabulary, idioms, tenses, prepositions, active and passive voice, sentence correction and rearrangement.

• Chhattisgarhi: Knowledge and history of the language, sentence structure, grammar, translation and usage.

Paper II: Essay (200 marks)

A good CGPSC essay states the problem, its causes, the present status with data and practical solutions. Keep a file of state-level data on agriculture, health, tribal welfare and industry.

Paper III: General Studies I

• History of India: Ancient India, Mauryan and Gupta periods, medieval kingdoms and movements, British expansion and its economic effects, socio-religious reforms, the freedom struggle, Independence and Partition.

• Constitution and Public Administration: Constitutional development, Preamble, rights and duties, Union and State institutions, Centre-State relations, emergency provisions, amendments, public administration concepts, good governance, Lokpal and Lokayukta, RTI and local government.

• History of Chhattisgarh: Prehistory, ancient dynasties, Kalachuri administration, Maratha and British rule, princely states, the 1857 revolt and the state's role in the freedom movement.

Paper IV: General Studies II

• General Science: Chemistry (reactions, metals and non-metals, metallurgy, corrosion, alloys, organic materials), physics (energy sources, light, electricity, photoelectric effect, solar cells, semiconductors) and biology (human systems, photosynthesis, heredity, evolution).

• Aptitude, logical reasoning and mental ability: Number system, ratio and proportion, percentages, profit and loss, interest, time and distance, mensuration, probability, data interpretation and reasoning.

• Applied and behavioural science: IT in rural development, energy resources, agricultural science, biodiversity and conservation, pollution and waste management.

Paper V: General Studies III

• Economy of India and Chhattisgarh: National income, sectoral change, reforms, poverty and unemployment, banking and monetary policy, public finance, welfare of weaker sections, rural credit and cooperatives.

• Geography of India: Physical features, drainage, climate, soils, forests, population, agriculture, irrigation, minerals, energy and industries.

• Geography of Chhattisgarh: Physical regions, climate, forests and wildlife, population, agriculture and irrigation, minerals, energy, industries and transport.

Paper VI: General Studies IV

• Philosophy: Indian schools such as Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Jain, Buddhist and Charvaka thought; Gandhian and reformist thinkers; selected Western philosophers; ethics in public administration and corruption.

• Sociology: Basic concepts, social institutions, stratification, social processes, social control and change, social problems and research methods.

• Social aspects of Chhattisgarh: Tribal society and development, folk arts, festivals, tourism, heritage sites and social reformers of the state.

Paper VII: General Studies V

• Welfare, development programmes and laws: Key social, rights, consumer, environment and information laws, and central and state welfare schemes.

• International and national organisations and sports: UN bodies, international financial institutions, regional groupings, WTO, and major sporting events and awards.

• Education and human development: Skilled manpower, employment trends, national education and research institutions, technical education and access issues.

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

Philosophy, Sociology and most of GS V appear only in Mains. Start them early if you are aiming beyond Prelims, because they take longer for most graduates.

High-Return Topics and Study Sources

The syllabus is wide, so it helps to know where effort pays back fastest. The points below are based on the structure of the papers and on the kind of questions asked in previous years. Use them as a working priority list, not as an official weightage.

Topics that pay back across stages

• Chhattisgarh history and culture: Dynasties, freedom fighters, tribes, festivals and folk arts appear in Prelims and in GS I and GS IV, so one solid set of notes serves three papers.

• Chhattisgarh geography and economy: Rivers, forests, minerals, power plants, crops and irrigation projects are asked as facts in Prelims and need data in GS III answers.

• Constitution and public administration: Articles, institutions, local government and accountability bodies are steady scorers in Prelims and form a full part of GS I.

• State schemes and laws: Welfare schemes and key laws link Prelims current affairs to GS V and essays.

Where to study from

Keep the number of sources small. Reading one book three times usually works better than reading three books once.

Is There a Syllabus for the CGPSC Interview?

No. The interview has no fixed syllabus. It tests your personality, awareness of the state and current affairs, understanding of the post you want, and how you handle questions under pressure. CGPSC uses a faceless format, in which the board is not given your personal details. Prepare from your detailed application form, your graduation subject, Chhattisgarh current affairs and the duties of your preferred posts.

How to Cover the CGPSC Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8, foundation: Read school-level books on history, geography, polity, economy and science. Start a Chhattisgarh GK notebook from day one.

2. From week 3, current affairs: Spend 30 to 40 minutes a day on national and state news. Make monthly notes, with a separate page for Chhattisgarh schemes and data.

3. From week 6, topic tests: Take topic-wise and sectional tests for Paper I, and one timed Paper II set every week.

4. From week 10, Mains subjects: Add Philosophy, Sociology and GS V. Write five to ten short answers a day in the 30, 60 and 100-word formats.

5. Final phase, full-length practice: Take full Prelims mocks under exam timing, analyse them the same day and revise from your error log.

For timed practice in the current pattern, you can attempt CGPSC topic-wise and full-length tests on Testkart and use the section-wise analysis to plan your revision. Pair them with previous year papers from the official website to understand the real difficulty level.

Before you finalise your plan, check the latest notification on the official website: https://psc.cg.gov.in/