IAS Exam Syllabus 2024 for CSE Prelims & Mains Exams: Download PDF

Union Public Service Commission mention the syllabus in the official notification in the form of topics only. The candidates are required to interpret the syllabus topics by relating them with the real events happening around them. They should be able to recognise the real problem behind any current event. Anything in the world do not exist in isolation and everything is linked. The candidates should search about the background of an event from historical, geographical, political, economical, and sociological perspectives.  

The IAS 2024 notification was released on February 14, 2024. The last date to apply for the exam was March 6, 2024. The Commission mentioned the UPSC CSE IAS 2024 syllabus in the official notification. The candidates check here the IAS notification 2024 and take a printout of the IAS syllabus for their preparation.  IAS previous year's question papers work as the torchbearer in understanding the scope of the IAS syllabus. UPSC IAS toppers suggest that the Civil Service exam syllabus is the most important document to refer to in the IAS preparation. 

The candidates should focus on the IAS prelims exam from February onwards if they have qualified for the IAS prelim in the past. The candidates who have cleared the prelims can start preparing for the IAS prelims from March onward. There are no separate topics for the prelims preparation. The candidates should consult the previous year's IAS question papers to get the real depth of the UPSC IAS syllabus. The IAS prelims exam is a multiple-choice question-based exam where the candidates are required to select the right answer from the given options. The IAS prelims exam has two papers. The General Studies Paper-II CSAT paper is qualifying only and needs not be discussed in detail. The UPSC IAS prelims syllabus as given in the UPSC notification is:

IAS Syllabus for Prelims Exam

IAS Syllabus (Prelims) - General Studies Paper I

IAS prelims exam is the filtering exam to reduce the number of candidates for the main exam. The passing percentage of the IAS prelims exam is very low hence all the IAS toppers and mentors suggest the concentrated effort of at least two months for the prelims exam. IAS prelims exam tests the conceptual clarity of the candidates where they have to choose the right answer from the closely associated options. IAS prelims exam is the most important part of the selection process as most of the candidates are eliminated at this stage only. Let us see the topics given in the official syllabus below.

• Current events of national and international importance (Current Affairs)
• History of India and Indian National Movement
• Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World
• Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc
• Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc
• General issues on environmental ecology, bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization
• General Science

It is important to note that the UPSC has given the top spot to current affairs in the IAS syllabus for the prelims exam. We can say that this can be a factor in deciding the orientation of the IAS preparation. The IAS aspirants should study all the topics in light of the current events of national and international importance. 

All the other topics are equally important for the IAS prelims exam, but the candidates should develop a habit of leaving irrelevant topics in the IAS preparation. Indian Politics is one such topic where the candidates end up wasting time reading about the political statements of the leaders. But we suggest restricting this habit and limiting it to the constitutional functionaries only. 

Also Read: How to prepare Current Affairs?

IAS Syllabus (Prelims) - General Studies Paper-II (CSAT)

The general studies paper-II, also known as Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT), is qualifying only and the marks secured in this paper is not considered for the prelims result. The topics mentioned in the official syllabus are as follows:

• Comprehension
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision-making and problem-solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.)(Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. — Class X level)

UPSC IAS main as the name suggest is the main exam where the marks scored by the candidates are considered for the final result. The IAS syllabus for the main exam is explained in the official IAS notification. The IAS main exam is a descriptive type (conventional) paper-based exam in which the candidates need to write long answers to the questions. In addition to general studies papers, there is an essay paper in which the candidates need to write two essays. Following are the IAS main papers and their marks.

The candidates can see here the IAS exam pattern detail. IAS selection is based on the marks got in the IAS main (written) and IAS main (personality test) only. UPSC provides the IAS syllabus topic list in the official notification. The UPSC syllabus is provided in a paper-wise format and the candidates need to prepare for the IAS exam in the same manner.

UPSC IAS Syllabus for Main's Essay Paper

IAS Essay paper is the only paper where the candidates can show their imagination and their worldview without any limitations. UPSC does not mention the essay paper syllabus. It only defines the broad outline. But the expectation from the candidates has been mentioned in the notification, "They will be expected to keep close to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression."  The candidates can see here the IAS Essay preparation tips and strategy.

UPSC always gives topics from Philosophy, Public Administration and International scenarios. The worldview of the candidates is tested through these essays. UPSC tests 'How the candidate sees the engrossed problems and how they suggest the solution to the problems.

Also Read: Important UPSC Essay Topics

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IAS Syllabus for Mains General Studies Paper-I

IAS main paper-I is the paper which can be said a static part of General Studies. Here the candidates need to prepare the History, Geography and World History topics.

Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

• Salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times (Indian Culture)
• Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, 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
• History of the world will include events from 18^th century such as the industrial revolution, world wars, re-drawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society
• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
• Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies
• Effects of globalization on Indian society
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
• Salient features of the world’s physical geography
• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
• Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes

Also Read: Most important topics for IAS 2024

IAS Syllabus for Mains General Studies Paper-II

This paper is most dynamic as the questions have been asked from the Current events of national and international importance.

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

• Constitution of India - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
• 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
• Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional settings with other countries
• Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, the conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
• 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
• Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
• Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
• Development processes and the development industry —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 the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
• Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
  Issues relating to poverty and hunger
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures
• Role of civil services in a democracy
• India and its neighbourhood relations
• 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, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate

Also Read: Current Affairs 2024 Topics for IAS Exam

IAS Syllabus for Mains General Studies Paper III

This paper requires constant up-gradation of the notes because of the dynamic topics given in the IAS main syllabus.

Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management 

• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment
• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it
• Government Budgeting
• Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
• Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing
• Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management
• Land reforms in India
• Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth
• Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc
• Investment models
• Science and technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
• Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology
• Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment 
• Disaster and disaster management
• Linkages between development and spread of extremism
• Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security
• Challenges to internal security through communication networks, the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cybersecurity; money laundering and its prevention
• Security challenges and their management in border areas - linkages of organized crime with terrorism
• Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

The ethical aptitude of the candidates is tested through this paper. It was introduced recently in the IAS main exam scheme.

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude 

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered: 

• Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in-human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics - in private and public relationships. Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; the 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 nonpartisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections. 
• Emotional intelligence: Concepts, and their utilities 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 ethical and 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 Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, and challenges of corruption. 
• Case Studies on the above issues.

There are 25 optional subjects in the IAS main exam and the candidates need to choose only one out of them. The optional subject carries 500 out of 1750 marks. It is around 30 per cent of the total score. So the candidates are suggested to select the optional subject very carefully because it can make or break their dream of becoming an IAS officer.

The following is the official list of IAS main optional subjects. The candidates can choose any one subject as the optional subject.

IAS Optional Subject List

IAS Optional Subjects  - Literature as Optional Subject

The candidates can choose the Literature of any one of the following languages as their optional subject:

The candidates are suggested to take the printout of the IAS syllabus and paste on the study table for ready reference. The candidates can download the IAS syllabus below:

Download the official UPSC IAS Syllabus PDF.

The candidates can see here the questions related to the IAS syllabus.