📜 UPSC Prelims Syllabus (with micro-topic checklist)

Two papers, both objective, same day. Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying (33% = 66.67/200). Paper I score decides the cut-off. Negative marking: 1/3 of the marks assigned to a question for each wrong answer.

Paper I — General Studies

1. Current events of national and international importance

• [ ] National: schemes, bills/acts, appointments, indices, reports, defence exercises
• [ ] International: summits, organizations, treaties, conflicts, groupings (G20, BRICS, QUAD, SCO)
• [ ] Sports, awards, culture in news; species/places in news

2. History of India and Indian National Movement

• [ ] Ancient: Prehistoric, IVC, Vedic age, Mahajanapadas, Buddhism/Jainism, Mauryas, post-Mauryan, Guptas, Sangam age, South Indian kingdoms
• [ ] Medieval: Delhi Sultanate, Vijayanagara/Bahmani, Mughals, Marathas, Bhakti-Sufi movements, regional kingdoms
• [ ] Modern: Advent of Europeans, British expansion, 1857, socio-religious reforms, INC phases, Gandhi era, revolutionaries, constitutional developments (1773–1947), partition & independence
• [ ] Art & Culture: architecture (temple styles, Indo-Islamic, colonial), sculpture, paintings, music, dance, theatre, literature, festivals, GI tags

3. Indian and World Geography

• [ ] Physical: geomorphology, climatology (winds, monsoon, cyclones, El Niño/La Niña), oceanography, biogeography, soils
• [ ] India: physiography, rivers, climate, natural vegetation, minerals, agriculture, irrigation, industry, transport
• [ ] World: continents, important straits/canals/seas, countries in news, resources
• [ ] Mapping: rivers, mountains, national parks, tiger reserves, ports, cities on rivers

4. Indian Polity and Governance

• [ ] Constitution: historical background, making, preamble, features, amendments (esp. 42nd, 44th, 73rd/74th, 101st, 103rd)
• [ ] Fundamental Rights, DPSP, Fundamental Duties; citizenship
• [ ] Union & State executive, Parliament & state legislatures (bills, motions, committees)
• [ ] Judiciary: SC/HC, judicial review, PIL, basic structure
• [ ] Federalism, Centre–State relations, emergency provisions
• [ ] Local government: Panchayati Raj, municipalities
• [ ] Constitutional & statutory bodies: EC, CAG, UPSC, FC, AG, NHRC, CIC, Lokpal, NITI Aayog
• [ ] Public policy, rights issues, RPA, e-governance

5. Economic and Social Development

• [ ] Basics: national income, inflation (CPI/WPI), money & banking, RBI & monetary policy, fiscal policy & budget, taxation (GST), deficits, FRBM
• [ ] External: BoP, FDI/FPI, exchange rates, WTO, IMF/World Bank
• [ ] Markets: SEBI, capital markets, financial inclusion
• [ ] Growth & development, poverty, unemployment, HDI, SDGs, demographic dividend
• [ ] Agriculture: MSP, PDS, subsidies, schemes; industry & infrastructure schemes; social sector schemes (health, education)

6. Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change

• [ ] Ecology basics: ecosystems, food chains, biogeochemical cycles, succession
• [ ] Biodiversity: hotspots, IUCN Red List, protected area network, WPA 1972, CITES, Ramsar, conservation projects (Tiger, Elephant, Dolphin, Cheetah)
• [ ] Climate change: UNFCCC/COPs, Paris Agreement, IPCC, carbon markets, India's NDCs, Mission LiFE
• [ ] Pollution: air (NAAQS, NCAP), water, soil, plastic, e-waste; EIA; acts (EPA 1986, Air Act, Water Act, CAMPA)
• [ ] Institutions: NGT, CPCB, NBWL; international bodies (UNEP, GEF)

7. General Science

• [ ] Physics & chemistry applications in daily life
• [ ] Biology: cell, genetics (DNA/RNA, gene editing), human physiology, diseases, vaccines, nutrition
• [ ] Science & Tech current: space (ISRO missions), defence, IT (AI, 5G/6G, quantum, blockchain), biotech, nanotech, energy (nuclear, hydrogen, solar)

Paper II — CSAT (qualifying)

• [ ] Comprehension (reading passages)
• [ ] Interpersonal skills including communication skills
• [ ] Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• [ ] Decision making and problem solving
• [ ] General mental ability
• [ ] Basic numeracy (numbers and relations, orders of magnitude — Class X level)
• [ ] Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables — Class X level)

Note: Decision-making questions carry no negative marks. All others: −1/3.

How to use this file

Tick each micro-topic only when you have (a) read it, (b) noted it, and (c) solved its PYQs. Re-print this checklist for each revision cycle.