The main Examination is intended to assess the
overall intellectual traits and depth of 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.
The scope of the syllabus for optional subject
papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is
broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level
higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’
Syllabi of the papers included in the scheme of
Civil Services (Main) Examination are given as follows:-
PAPER-I
Essay: Candidates will be required to write
an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. 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.
English Comprehension & English Precis will be
to test the English language Comprehension and English
précis writing skills (at 10th standard level).
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 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 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 subcontinent); 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
waterbodies 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-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 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
