UPSC CSE Syllabus 2027: Prelims, Mains & Optional Topics

The UPSC CSE syllabus covers two objective papers in the Prelims and nine descriptive papers in the Mains, so knowing exactly what each paper expects saves months of unfocused reading. The Union Public Service Commission prints the syllabus in Section III of its Examination Notice, and this page follows that official text, grouped so that you can study from it.

The Commission lists topic areas rather than chapter-wise units. The tables and lists below are a working checklist built from the official wording, not a replacement for it. Check the latest notice and the revised syllabus and scheme page on upsc.gov.in before you finalise your plan.

UPSC CSE Syllabus at a Glance

Key Changes to Know

• Optional subjects were revised: The notice states that periodic revision has been done in several subjects, so older optional syllabus PDFs may be out of date.

• CSAT is qualifying only: Paper II needs 33 per cent, but its marks do not decide your Prelims shortlisting.

• Language papers act as a filter: Your Essay, General Studies and optional papers are evaluated only if you score 25 per cent in both Paper A and Paper B.

• Older pages mislead: Some websites still carry outdated marks totals or optional subject counts, so treat the official notice as the final reference.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus

General Studies Paper I

Paper I tests awareness and understanding across seven broad areas. The Commission does not publish a chapter list, so the "start with" column is a suggested order based on how these areas support the Mains.

Polity, economy and environment link directly to Mains General Studies II and III, so time spent on them pays off twice.

General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

The numeracy level is Class X, so the difficulty is usually in speed and accuracy rather than concepts.

UPSC Mains Syllabus

Qualifying Language Papers

Paper A (a language from the Eighth Schedule) and Paper B (English) are of Matriculation standard. They test whether you can read serious prose and express ideas clearly. Questions follow this broad pattern: comprehension of passages, precis writing, usage and vocabulary, and short essays. The Indian language paper adds translation from English into that language and back. Paper A is not compulsory for candidates from Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim.

Paper I: Essay

There is no topic list. You may be asked to write essays on multiple topics, and credit goes to effective, exact expression and the ability to arrange ideas in order and stay close to the subject.

Paper II: General Studies I

This paper covers Indian heritage and culture, the history and geography of the world, and society.

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

• History: Modern India from the mid-eighteenth century, the freedom struggle and its contributors, post-independence consolidation, and world history from the eighteenth century (industrial revolution, world wars, decolonisation, political philosophies).

• Society: Diversity of India, the role of women and women's organisations, population, poverty, urbanisation, effects of globalisation, social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.

• Geography: World physical geography, distribution of key natural resources, factors behind the location of industries, and geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and cyclones, along with changes in water bodies, ice caps, flora and fauna.

Paper III: General Studies II

This paper covers governance, the Constitution, polity, social justice and international relations.

• Constitution and federalism: Historical underpinnings, features, amendments, basic structure, Union and State functions, devolution up to local levels, separation of powers and comparison with other countries.

• Institutions: Parliament and State legislatures, the Executive and Judiciary, constitutional posts and bodies, statutory and quasi-judicial bodies, and key provisions of the Representation of People's Act.

• Governance and welfare: Government policies and their design issues, the role of NGOs and self-help groups, welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, health, education and human resources, poverty and hunger, transparency, e-governance, citizen's charters and the role of civil services in a democracy.

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

Paper IV: General Studies III

This paper covers technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security and disaster management.

• Economy: Planning, resource mobilisation, growth, employment, inclusive growth, government budgeting, effects of liberalisation, industrial policy, infrastructure and investment models.

• Agriculture: Cropping patterns, irrigation, storage and marketing, farm subsidies, minimum support prices, the Public Distribution System, food security, food processing, animal rearing and land reforms.

• Science and technology: Developments and their everyday effects, achievements of Indians, indigenisation, IT, space, robotics, nano-technology, biotechnology and intellectual property rights.

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

• Internal security: Links between development and extremism, external state and non-state actors, cyber security, money laundering, border area challenges, organised crime and terrorism, and the mandate of security forces and agencies.

Paper V: General Studies IV

This paper tests your attitude and problem-solving approach to integrity, probity and conflicts in public life. Case studies are likely.

UPSC Optional Subject Syllabus

You choose one optional subject, studied in two papers of 250 marks each. The scope is broadly honours degree level, which is higher than a bachelor's and lower than a master's. For engineering, medical science and law, the level matches a bachelor's degree. The notice lists these options:

The full paper-wise syllabus for each subject is in the official notice, and it runs to many pages. Read your shortlisted subject's syllabus in full before you commit, and compare it with your graduation background.

Overlap Between Stages and Subjects

Personality Test Syllabus

The interview has no syllabus. The board has your career record and asks questions of general interest, as a purposeful conversation rather than a cross-examination. It assesses mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgement, variety and depth of interest, social cohesion, leadership, and intellectual and moral integrity. It does not retest the knowledge already examined in the written papers.

How to Cover the UPSC CSE Syllabus

1. Weeks 1 to 8: Cover core subjects (polity, geography, history, economy, environment) at a basic level and read a newspaper every day.

2. From week 3: Add current affairs for 30 to 40 minutes a day and keep monthly notes.

3. From week 6: Take topic-wise tests and short CSAT sets.

4. From week 10: Begin timed answer writing for General Studies and the essay, and revise your UPSC study notes weekly.

5. Final phase: Take full-length mocks, review them the same day and revise from an error log.

Use previous year papers to see how the Commission turns these topic areas into actual questions. The UPSC CSE syllabus rewards depth in a few areas more than shallow reading of everything, so revise what you study at least three times.