Part B—Main Examination
understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of
their information and memory.
The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies
papers (Paper II to Paper V) will
be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer
them without any specialized study.
The questions will be such as to test a candidate’s general
awareness of a variety of subjects, which
will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The
questions are likely to test the candidate’s
basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to
analyze, and take a view on conflicting
socio-economic goals, objectives and demands. The candidates
must give relevant, meaningful and
succinct answers.
Syllabi of the papers included in the scheme of Civil
Services (Main) Examination are given as
follows :—
QUALIFYING PAPERS ON INDIAN LANGUAGES AND ENGLISH
The aim of the paper is to test the candidates’ ability to
read and understand serious
discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and
correctly, in English and Indian language
concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows :
(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Précis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
Indian Languages:—
(i) comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Précis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
(v) Translation from English to the Indian Language and
vice-versa.
Note 1: The papers on Indian Languages and English will be
of Matriculation or equivalent
standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks
obtained in these papers will not be
counted for ranking.
Note 2: The candidates will have to answer the English and
Indian Languages papers in English
and the respective Indian language (except where translation
is involved).
PAPER-I
Essay: Candidates may be required to write essays on
multiple topics. They will be expected to
keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their
ideas in orderly fashion, and to write
concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact
expression.
PAPER-II
General Studies-I :
Indian Heritage and Culture, History and
Geography of the World and
Society.
Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms,
literature and Architecture from
ancient to modern times.
Modern Indian history from about the middle of the
eighteenth century until the presentsignificant 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 18th century
such as industrial revolution,
world wars, redrawal 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 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, cyclone
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.
PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity,
Social Justice and International
relations.
Indian Constitution—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 scheme with that of
other countries.
Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning,
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 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-governanceapplications, models, successes, limitations, and
potential; citizens charters, transparency &
accountability and institutional and other measures.
Role of civil services in a democracy.
India and its neighborhood- 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.
PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio
diversity, 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, role of media and social
networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of
cyber security; 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.
PAPER-V
General Studies- IV: 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 his
problem solving approach to various issues and
conflicts faced by him 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; role of
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 non-partisanship,
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 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, challenges of corruption.
Case Studies on above issues.
PAPER-VI & PAPER VII
Optional Subject Papers I & II
Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the
List of Optional Subjects given
in Para 2.
