IAS UPSC 2021 Syllabus - Prelims & Mains: Download PDF

UPSC 2021 Syllabus for Prelims & Mains: With an ocean-wide syllabus and study material, complete knowledge of the defined UPSC (IAS) syllabus is a prerequisite for clarifying the exam. UPSC (IAS) exam syllabus for both prelims and mains exam is comprehensive as well as extensive. Hence the syllabus acts as a torchbearer for the IAS preparation as it sets the locus of the studies of every aspect of the IAS Exam. Right interpretations of the IAS Syllabus can increase the chances of success in the exam.

UPSC IAS Exam has three exam stages:

(i) Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination (Objective Type) for the selection of candidates for the Mains Exam.

(ii) Civil Services Mains Examination (Written) for the selection of candidates for the next level of the UPSC IAS Exam.

(iii) Civil Services Personality Test (PT)- The final stage for selection process.

The syllabus for all three stages of the exam is interlinked and hence needs a deeper look to understand the requirement of each stage of the IAS Exam. You can check the detailed exam pattern on the link provided below:

UPSC (IAS) Civil Services Exam Pattern 2021

UPSC IAS Prelims Syllabus 2021

In IAS Prelims, UPSC tests the analytical, logical, and reasoning ability of the candidates. The IAS Prelims Exam is divided into two parts:

(i) General Studies Paper-I

(ii) General Studies Paper-II

Both papers have a maximum time limit of two hours and the General Studies Paper-II, which is popularly known as CSAT, is only qualifying in nature. The exam is conducted on a single day with Paper 1 in the morning session and paper 2 in the evening session.

Check Subject-wise Study Material & Important Resources for UPSC (IAS) Prelims Exam 2021

Marks: 200

Duration:  2 hours

The UPSC does not follow any particular trend in its prelims question paper, hence it is tough to comprehend anything from the previous year question papers. But they can definitely give a clarity about what type of questions are asked in the UPSC IAS exam.

Marks: 200 marks

Duration: 2 hours

1. Reading Comprehension

2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability

4. Decision making and problem-solving ability

5. General mental ability

6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)

7. English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).

8. Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level (last item in the Syllabus of Paper-II) will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation thereof in the question paper.

Check  Tips & Strategy to Prepare CSAT (Paper 2)

UPSC IAS Main 2021 Syllabus

IAS Main Exam has four general studies papers, two compulsory language papers, one essay paper, and two papers of Optional subject. It is a descriptive type of exam and has a totally enhanced version of the IAS Prelims exam. It can be said that the IAS Main Syllabus is a mammoth expansion of the IAS Prelims Syllabus.

(Click on the subject to access its syllabus) 

(i) Agriculture

(ii) Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science

(iii) Anthropology

(iv) Botany

(v) Chemistry

(vi) Civil Engineering

(vii) Commerce and Accountancy

(viii) Economics

(ix) Electrical Engineering

(x) Geography

(xi) Geology

(xii) History

(xiii) Law

(xiv) Management

(xv) Mathematics

(xvi) Mechanical Engineering

(xvii) Medical Science

(xviii) Philosophy

(xix) Physics

(xx) Political Science and International Relations

(xxi) Psychology

(xxii) Public Administration

(xxiii) Sociology

(xxiv) Statistics

(xxv) Zoology

The literature of any one of the languages such as Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Manipuri, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English.

Once you have thoroughly assessed the syllabus, the next step is the right selection of reference books.

Also Check: Preparation Strategy for Optional Papers

UPSC IAS Mains Previous Years' Papers of all GS Papers