UPPSC Prelims Exam Pattern

Name of Exam UPPSC PCS Preliminary Exam

1. Paper 1 – General Studies I

No. of Papers (2)
2. Paper 2 – General Studies II (CSAT)

Duration of Exam Both papers conducted on the same day, they are of two hours each

Maximum Marks Both Papers will be of 200 marks each.

 *Paper-I: 150 questions

Number of Questions
 *Paper-II: 100 questions

Type of Exam Offline (Pen-paper) OMR sheets

Negative Marking NIL

Nature of Questions All questions will be of Objective type (MCQs)

UPPSC Prelims Syllabus: Paper I

1. Current events of National and International importance: On Current
Events of National and International Importance, candidates will be
expected to have knowledge about them.
2. Indian History: Ancient, Medieval, Modern: In History emphasis should
be on broad understanding of social, economic and political aspects of
Indian History. In the Indian National Movement, the candidates are
expected to have a synoptic view of the nature and character of the
freedom movement, growth of nationalism and attainment of
Independence
3. Indian and World Geography- Physical, Social, Economic geography of
India and the World: In World Geography only a general understanding
of the subject will be expected. Questions on the Geography of India will
relate to the Physical, Social & Economic Geography of India.
4. Indian Governance and Polity: It covers details of Indian Polity,
Economic and Culture, questions will test knowledge of country's political
system including Panchayati Raj and Community Development, broad
features of Economic policy in India and Indian Culture Political System,
Constitution, Public Policy, Panchayati Raj, Rights issues, etc.
5. Social and Economic 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.
6. Environmental Ecology, Climate Change, and Biodiversity – general
issues that do not require subject specialization: The questions will be
in respect to problems and relationship between Population, Environment
and Urbanisation. General Issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity
and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization, General
awareness of the subject is expected from candidates.

UPPSC Prelims Syllabus: Paper 2

1. Comprehension
2. Interpersonal skills (including communication skills)
3. Analytical Ability & Logical Reasoning
4. Problem Solving & Decision Making
5. General Mental Ability
6. Elementary Mathematics (class X level – Algebra, Statistics, Geometry and
Arithmetic)
7. General English (class X level)
8. General Hindi (class X level)
UPPSC Mains Exam Pattern
Candidates who qualified for the PCS and ACF/ RFO prelims exam are called for
the mains exam. The UPPSC Mains Exam Pattern is given below. The marks of
the mains exam will be considered for the final selection of the candidates. The
UPPSC Mains Exam comprises of eight papers that are descriptive in nature. The
UPPSC Mains Exam is a merit deciding round, it holds a great weightage as it is
of 1500 marks.
There are two major changes in the UPPSC main exam pattern.
UPPSC does away with the objective type papers and re-introduced the
descriptive type papers as in the past but with the increase in the number of
papers.
UPPSC introduced the ‘Ethics’ paper which was not there earlier.

Name of Exam UPPSC PCS Mains (Written) Examination

1. General Hindi
2. Essay
3. General Studies I
4. General Studies II
Number of Papers (8)
5. General Studies III
6. General Studies IV
7. Optional Subject – Paper 1
8. Optional Subject – Paper 2

Duration of Exam Papers will be conducted over a week’s duration;

Morning Session – 9.30 AM – 12.30 AM

Sessions
Afternoon Session – 2 PM – 5 PM

1. General Hindi – 150 marks

2. Essay – 150 marks
Maximum Marks 3. All General Studies papers and Optional subject papers will be
of 200 marks each
4. Total – 1500 marks

Type of Exam Offline (Pen-paper)

Nature of Questions Essay/descriptive type

Negative Marking NIL

Optional Subjects As per the new UPPSC exam pattern, candidates have to select only one
 optional subject (2 papers) now, from the list given.

UPPSC Syllabus: PCS Mains Syllabus

The UPPSC Mains Exam comprises eight papers. The marks secured in the
UPPSC PCS main exam are the deciding factor in the final selection.

UPPSC Syllabus: Mains Paper II

There will be three sections in the question paper of Candidates who will have to
select an Essay. One topic from each section and they are required to write an
essay in 700 words on each topic. In the three sections, the topics of the essay
will be based on the following sphere:
Section A: Literature and Culture, Social sphere, Political sphere.
Section B: Science, Environment and Technology, Economic Sphere Agriculture,
Industry, and Trade.
Section C: National and International Events, Natural Calamities, Landslide,
Earthquake, Deluge, Drought, etc. National Development programs and projects.

UPPSC Syllabus: Mains Paper III

1. History of Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms,
literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
2. Modern Indian history (from A.D.1757 to A.D. 1947): Significant events,
personalities and issues, etc.
3. The Freedom Struggle- its various stages and important
contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
4. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
(till 1965A.D.).
5. The history of the world will include events from 18 century to the middle
of the 20 century such that as the French revolution of 1789, the industrial
revolution, the World Wars, the redraw of national boundaries, Socialism,
Nazism, Fascism etc-their forms and effect on the society.
6. Salient features of Indian Society and culture.
7. Role of Women in society and women's organization, population and
associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their
problems and their remedies.
8. Meaning of liberalization, privatization and globalization and their effects
on the economy, polity and social structure.
9. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
 10.Distribution of major natural resources of World- Water, Soils, Forests in
reference to South and South-East Asia with special reference to India.
Factors responsible for the location of industries (with special reference to
India).
11.Salient features of Physical Geography- Earthquake, Tsunami, Volcanic
activity, Cyclone, Ocean Currents, winds and glaciers.
12.Oceanic resources of India and their potential.
13.The human migration-refugee problem of the World with focus on India.
14.Frontiers and boundaries with reference to the Indian sub-continent.
15.Population and Settlements- Types and Patterns, Urbanization, Smart
Cities and Smart Villages.

UPPSC Syllabus: Mains Paper IV

1. Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features,
amendments, significant provisions and basis structure, Role of Supreme
Court in the evolution of basic provisions of Constitution.
2. 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.
3. Role of Finance Commission in Centre-State financial relations.
4. Separation of powers, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
Emergence and use of alternative dispute redressal mechanisms.
5. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other major
democratic countries.
6. Parliament and State legislatures- structure, functioning, the conduct of
business, powers and privileges and concerned issues.
7. 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. Public Interest
Litigation (PIL).
8. Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.
9. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, Powers, functions and their
responsibilities.
10.Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies including NITI
Aayog, their features and functioning.
11.Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors
and issues arising out of their design, implementation and Information
Communication Technology (ICT).
12.Development processes- the role of Non-Governmental Organizations
(NGOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), various groups and associations, donors,
charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
 13.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.
14.Issues relating to the development and management of Social
Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
15.Issues relating to poverty and hunger, their implication on body politic.
16.Important aspects of governance. Transparency and accountability, e-
governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential,
citizens, charters and institutional measures.
17.Role of Civil Services in a democracy in the context of emerging trends.
18.India and its relationship with neighbouring Countries.
19.Bilateral, Regional and Global groupings and agreements involving India
and/ or affecting India's interest.
20.Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on
India's interests- Indian diaspora.
21.Important International Institutions, Agencies their structure, mandate
and functioning.
22.Specific knowledge of Uttar Pradesh regarding Political, Administrative,
Revenue and Judicial System
23. Current affairs and events of Regional, State, National and International
importance.

UPPSC Syllabus: Mains Paper V

1. Economic planning in India, objectives and achievements. Role of NITI
Aayog, Pursuit of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).
2. Issues of Poverty, Unemployment, Social justice and inclusive growth.
3. Components of Government Budgets and Financial System.
4. Major Crops, Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage,
transport and marketing of agricultural produce, e-technology in the aid
of farmers.
5. 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
in agriculture.
6. Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance,
location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain
management.
7. Land reforms in India since independence.
8. Effects of liberalization and globalization on the economy, changes in
industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
 9. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
10.Science and Technology-developments and applications in everyday life
and in National Security, India’s Science and Technology Policy.
11.Achievements of Indians in science & technology, indigenization of
technology. Developments of New technologies, transfer of technology,
dual and critical use technologies.
12.Awareness in the fields of Information and Communication Technology
(ICT) and Space Technology, Computers, Energy resources,
nanotechnology, microbiology, biotechnology. Issues relating to
intellectual property rights (IPR), and digital rights.
13.Environmental security and Ecosystems, Conservation of Wildlife,
Biodiversity, Environmental pollution and degradation, environmental
impact assessment,
14.Disaster as a Non-traditional security and safety challenge, disaster
mitigation and management.
15.Challenges of International Security: Issues of Nuclear proliferation,
Causes and spread of extremism, Communication networks, the role of
media and social networking, Basics of cyber security, money laundering
and human trafficking.
16.India’s internal security challenges: Terrorism, corruption, insurgency and
organized crimes.
17.The role, kind and mandate of security forces, Higher defence
organizations in India18- Specific knowledge of Uttar Pradesh Economy:-
Overview of UP Economy: State Budgets. Importance of Agriculture,
Industry, Infrastructure and physical resources. Human Resources and
Skill development. Government Programmes and Welfare Schemes.
18.Issues in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Animal Husbandry.
19.Law and Order and Civil Defence with special reference to U.P.

UPPSC Syllabus: Mains Paper VI

1. Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of
Ethics in human action, dimensions of ethics, ethics in private and public
relationships. Human Values-lessons from the lives and teachings of great
leaders, reformers and administrators, role of family, society and
educational institutions in inculcating values.
2. Attitude: Content, structure, function, its influence and relation with
thought and behavior, moral and political attitudes, social influence and
persuasion.
3. Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality
and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public services, empathy,
tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
4. Emotional Intelligence- concept and dimensions, its utility and application
in administration and governance.
5. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
6. 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 moral
values in governance, ethical issues in international relations and funding,
corporate governance.
7. Probity in Governance: the 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 charter, work culture, quality of service delivery, utilization of
public funds, challenges of corruption.
8. Case studies on above issues.