UPSC Civil Services Syllabus 2027: Prelims and Mains Topics

The UPSC Civil Services syllabus is published by the Union Public Service Commission in Appendix I of every Civil Services Examination notification. It covers two written stages: the Preliminary Examination, with two objective papers, and the Main Examination, with nine descriptive papers. The interview that follows has no written syllabus.

The syllabus has stayed the same for the CSE 2026 cycle, and no change has been announced for CSE 2027, whose Prelims is scheduled for 23 May 2027. This page lists the official scope of every paper in plain language, points out where to start, shows which topics serve both stages, and ends with a phased plan for covering everything before the exam.

Table of Contents

UPSC Syllabus

Marks per question, timing and negative marking are covered on the UPSC Civil Services exam pattern page.

Key Points Before You Start

• The official list is short: UPSC describes each paper in a few lines. The depth comes from previous year questions, so read the syllabus alongside past papers.

• Current affairs run through everything: The first line of the Prelims syllabus is "current events", and almost every Mains paper asks about recent developments linked to static topics.

• CSAT is qualifying, not optional: You need 66 out of 200 in Paper II. Its syllabus is fixed at Class X level for numeracy and data interpretation.

• Mains has no negative marking: Some older pages still claim otherwise. Negative marking applies only to the two Prelims papers.

• 48 optional subjects: You choose one optional at the time of applying, and you can change it only in the next cycle's application.

Prelims Syllabus: General Studies Paper I

This paper has 100 questions and is the only Prelims paper that decides who reaches the Mains.

Polity, environment, economy and current affairs together account for a large share of questions in most recent papers. History is wide, so focus on modern India and art and culture first.

Prelims Syllabus: CSAT (Paper II)

Paper II has 80 questions. Many candidates neglect it and then miss the Mains despite clearing the GS cut-off.

If you come from a non-mathematics background, start CSAT practice at least six months before the Prelims and take a full paper every week in the last two months.

Mains Syllabus: Qualifying Language Papers

Paper A (an Indian language from the Eighth Schedule) and Paper B (English) test basic writing ability. Each carries 300 marks and needs 25% to qualify. Marks are not counted in merit, but the Essay, GS and Optional papers are evaluated only if you qualify in both.

• What is tested: Comprehension of passages, précis writing, usage and vocabulary, and short essays. Paper A also includes translation from English into the chosen language and back.

• Exemption: Paper A is not compulsory for candidates from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim, and for certain candidates with benchmark disabilities, as specified in the notification.

• How to prepare: Solve two or three previous papers under timed conditions about a month before the Mains. That is usually enough.

Mains Syllabus: Essay Paper

Candidates write two essays, usually one from each of two sections, on a range of subjects. UPSC expects an orderly, well-argued essay in concise language rather than a display of facts. Recent papers have mixed philosophical quotations with policy themes such as technology, environment, economy and society.

Practise one essay a week from the start of Mains preparation, and build a set of examples, data points and quotations from your GS reading that you can reuse across topics.

Mains Syllabus: General Studies Papers I to IV

GS Paper I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History, Geography and Society

• Indian culture: Art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times.

• Modern Indian history: Events, personalities and issues from about the middle of the 18th century to the present.

• Freedom struggle: Its stages and important contributors from different parts of the country.

• Post-independence India: Consolidation and reorganisation within the country.

• World history: Events from the 18th century, including the industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonisation and decolonisation, and political philosophies such as communism, capitalism and socialism.

• Indian society: Salient features and diversity; role of women and women's organisations; population, poverty and development; urbanisation; effects of globalisation; social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.

• Geography: Physical geography of the world; distribution of key natural resources; factors in the location of industries; earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and cyclones; changes in geographical features and their effects.

GS Paper II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations

• Constitution: Historical background, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

• Union and States: Functions and responsibilities, federal issues, devolution to local levels, separation of powers and dispute redressal; comparison with other countries' constitutions.

• Institutions: Parliament and state legislatures; executive and judiciary; ministries; pressure groups; the Representation of People's Act; constitutional, statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies.

• Governance and policy: Government policies and their design and implementation; the role of NGOs and self-help groups; transparency, accountability, e-governance and citizens' charters; the role of the civil services in a democracy.

• Social justice: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections; health, education and human resources; poverty and hunger.

• International relations: India and its neighbourhood; bilateral, regional and global groupings; effect of other countries' policies on India's interests; the Indian diaspora; important international institutions.

GS Paper III: Economy, Technology, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

• Indian economy: Planning, resource mobilisation, growth, development and employment; inclusive growth; government budgeting; liberalisation and industrial policy; infrastructure including energy, ports, roads, airports and railways; investment models.

• Agriculture: Cropping patterns, irrigation, storage, transport and marketing; farm subsidies and minimum support prices; public distribution system and food security; food processing; land reforms.

• Science and technology: Developments and their applications; indigenisation; awareness in IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology and intellectual property rights.

• Environment: Conservation, pollution and degradation, and environmental impact assessment.

• Disaster management: Disasters and their management.

• Internal security: Links between development and extremism; role of external state and non-state actors; communication networks, media and social networking; cyber security; money laundering; border management; organised crime and terrorism; security forces and their mandates.

GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

• Ethics and human interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of ethics; dimensions of ethics in private and public life; human values and the role of family, society and education.

• Attitude and aptitude: Attitude and its influence on behaviour; foundational values for the civil services such as integrity, impartiality, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy and compassion towards weaker sections.

• Emotional intelligence: Concepts and their use in administration and governance.

• Moral thinkers: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.

• Public service values: Ethical concerns and dilemmas; laws, rules and conscience as sources of guidance; accountability; ethical issues in international relations and corporate governance.

• Probity in governance: Information sharing and the Right to Information; codes of ethics and conduct; citizens' charters; work culture; quality of service delivery; use of public funds; challenges of corruption.

• Case studies: Situations based on the above areas, which form about half of the paper.

UPSC Optional Subject List

You choose one optional subject with two papers of 250 marks each. Any graduate can choose any subject from the list, whatever their degree, including the literature of a language.

Pick an optional by interest, your graduation background, the availability of material and guidance, and its overlap with GS. Read the full optional syllabus and five years of its question papers before deciding.

Overlap Between Prelims and Mains

Most General Studies topics serve both stages. Studying them once, first for concepts and then for answer writing, saves months.

Personality Test: Is There a Syllabus?

No. The interview of 275 marks has no prescribed syllabus. The board assesses suitability for public service, including mental alertness, clarity of expression, balance of judgement, leadership and intellectual and moral integrity. Questions usually come from your Detailed Application Form (DAF-II): your education, home state, hobbies, work experience and service preferences, along with current issues.

How to Cover the UPSC Civil Services Syllabus

A 12 to 14 month plan for a first serious attempt can be split into four phases:

1. Months 1 to 4, foundation: Read NCERT books for history, geography, polity, economy and science. Start a daily newspaper habit and monthly current affairs notes from week one.

2. Months 3 to 8, core and optional: Move to standard reference books for each GS subject and finish the first reading of your optional. Begin writing two Mains answers a day and one essay a week.

3. Months 6 to 10, Prelims focus: Take topic tests, then sectional and full-length GS Paper I tests. Add a CSAT paper every week. Revise static subjects twice.

4. Final phase, mocks and revision: Take full-length Prelims mocks, analyse them on the same day and revise from your error log. After the Prelims, switch fully to Mains answer writing, ethics case studies and optional revision.

Always check the syllabus in the latest notification on the official UPSC website.