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+91 8628927484 UPSC CSE Study Material for IAS Exam 2025-26
Table of Contents
A comprehensive Guide on Study Material
Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is one of the toughest examination in the country. It is generally said that “Everything under the sun will be asked in exam” but this is not more than myth. As UPSC has clearly defined syllabus for all the three stages of examination – Preliminary examination , Mains examination , Personality Test. Serious candidate must go through the syllabus in details to differentiate between what should be focussed upon & what should be avoided.
There are three important Pillars of Preparation :
- Syllabus
- Previous Year Question Papers
- Clear & concise Booklist
UPSC CSE Exam detailed Syllabus
Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts Civil Services Examination (CSE) every year to select the capable candidates from across the country who will be responsible for running the Administration of the country . UPSC Syllabus is not less than “Bible” for UPSC Aspirants. Serious candidate must understand the syllabus properly to know about the requirements of the exam. Civil Services examination is one of the Prestigious examination in the country which is conducted in 3 Phases :
PRELIMS
MAINS
INTERVIEW
UPSC Prelims 2024 – Exam Pattern
UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern , Syllabus , Booklist , Study Material , Strategy
As per UPSC 2024 notification ,Civil Services Examination(CSE) is to be conducted on May 26,2024 for which UPSC Notification has been released on Feb 14,2024 .The UPSC IAS Mains exam will be conducted in September 2024 . After the completion of each stage of examination (Prelims , Mains , Interview ) their result , cut-off marks (for each category ) , Answers Keys , Qualifying marks will be uploaded on upsc.gov.in.As per UPSC Notification 2024 ,the number of vacancies to be filled through the Civil Services Examination is expected to be approximately 1056.
The Examination shall comprise of two compulsory Papers of 200 marks each.
- Both the question papers will be of objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
- The General Studies Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33% ( 66 marks ).
- The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.
|
Upsc Cse Prelims Exam Pattern |
General Studies Paper 1 |
General Studies Paper 2 CSAT |
|---|---|---|
|
Number of Questions |
100 Questions
(Each question is of 2 marks)
|
80 Questions
(Each question is of 2.5 marks)
|
|
Negative Marking |
Yes (1/3rd of the maximum marks for the question) -0.66 marks for every incorrect answer |
Yes (1/3rd of the maximum marks for the question) -0.83 marks for every incorrect answer |
|
Duration of Exams |
2 hours |
2 hours |
|
Date of Examination |
16th June 2024 |
16th June 2024 |
|
Language of Examination |
English / Hindi |
English / Hindi |
|
Maximum marks |
200 Marks |
200 Marks |
|
Cut-off Marks |
Merit basis [varies every year] |
Qualifying in nature (33%) ( 66 marks out of 200 ) |
UPSC Prelims 2024 – Syllabus
UPSC Prelims examination comprises of 2 exams General Studies Paper 1 which is cut-off based & General Studies Paper 2 or Civil Services Aptitude test (CSAT) which is qualifying in nature .Both exams are of 200 marks & objective in nature.
UPSC CSE Prelims General Studies Paper 1 - (200 marks)
- Current Events of National and International Importance.
- 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, Biodiversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.
- General Science.
UPSC CSE Prelims General Studies Paper 2 - (200 marks)
- 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 CSE 2024 Mains Syllabus for IAS Exam
UPSC CSE Mains Exam Pattern , Syllabus , Booklist , Study Material , Strategy
The Mains Examination is subjective in nature. It comprises of 9 Papers of which two – English Compulsory and Indian Language Paper are qualifying in nature ( 75 marks {25%} out of 300 marks in both papers) & rest seven papers – Essay , GS Paper 1 , GS Paper 2 , GS paper 3 , GS PAPER 4 , Optional paper I & Optional paper-II are considered for merit basis . Only those students who have cleared UPSC Preliminary examination ( 1st stage ) are eligible to write Mains Examination. The UPSC Mains Examinations will be held from 20th September 2024 onwards.
UPSC 2024 Mains Exam Pattern
| Paper | Subject | Duration | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Paper A |
Compulsory Indian Language (mentioned in 8th schedule) |
3 hours |
300 Marks
(Qualifying in nature)
|
|
Paper B |
English Compulsory |
3 hours |
300 Marks
(Qualifying in nature)
|
|
Paper I |
Essay |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
|
Paper II |
General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
|
Paper III |
General Studies -II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
|
Paper IV |
General Studies -III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management) |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
|
Paper V |
General Studies -IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
|
Optional Paper I |
Optional Subject - Paper 1 |
3 hours |
3 hours 250 Marks |
|
Optional Paper II |
Optional Subject - Paper 2 |
3 hours |
250 Marks |
The Mains Examination is of total 1750 Marks out of which cut-off is prepared every year on merit basis from seven papers ( except 2 papers which are qualifying in nature ) but it is important to note here that if candidate fail to score atleast 75 marks (25%) out of 300 marks each in English compulsory & Indian Language compulsory paper then their remaining Answer sheets won’t be evaluated.
UPSC IAS Mains Syllabus 2024
UPSC CSE Mains examination is subjective in nature .The main objective of Mains examination is to check indepth understanding and knowledge of a candidate in the variety of subjects. A candidate can answer questions easily without any specialized knowledge if he hasgeneral understanding of the issues, good writing skills, equipped wih factual data, ability to analyze & take decision objectively precisely. For Optional Subject, the candidate should be equipped with comprehensive knowledge which is basic requirement of the examination and this knowledge or understanding should be more thanbachelors’ degree and less than the masters’ degree.
Subjects Included in UPSC Mains Examination are as follows:
- Paper A - Compulsory Indian Language (mentioned in 8th schedule)
- Paper B - English Compulsory
Paper I – Essay ( Included Sociological & Philosophical essays )
Paper II – General Studies Paper 1
- Ancient History
- Medieval History
- Modern History
- Post Independence History
- World History
- Geography of India & World
- Society
Paper III – General Studies Paper 2
- Polity & Constitution
- Governance
- Social Justice
- International Relation
Paper IV – General Studies Paper 3
- Economics
- Environment
- Science & Technology
- Disaster Management
- Security
Paper V – General Studies Paper 4
- Ethics Integrity & Aptitude
Paper VI – Optional Subject Paper I
Paper VII – Optional Subject Paper II
UPSC Syllabus for IAS Interview 2024
Though UPSC does not have any specific syllabus for Interview but as a serious candidate one should prepare for each stage of examination seriously, especially for Interview as it is final stage of exam . All those student who have manage to secure their name in Mains merit list are called for an Interview by UPSC.Main focus of Interview is to gaze your personality , ability to withstand the arduous situationsof Public pressure , Political pressure , work load that candidate is going to face in his/her career ahead.
Interview is not a test of Intellectual qualities of a candidate but the test of social interest , interest in current affairs , Emotional Intelligence.
The syllabus of the Interview can be described under two heads:
- Qualities that candidate should Possess
- Detailed Application form (DAF)
Qualities that candidate should Possess
Detailed Application form (DAF) – In all 3 stages of examination, Candidate have to fill DAF two times- DAF I & DAF II when candidate clear Prelims (to apply for Mains examination ) and Mains examination (to apply for Interview ) respectively.
DAF I is filled by a candidate who has cleared prelims and applying for Mains examination which include general information about candidate such as along with scanned
- Documents/certificates in support of date of birth
- Category specification {viz. SC/ST/ OBC (without OBC Annexure)}
- EWS [Economically Weaker Sections] (without EWS Annexure) /PwBD / Ex-Serviceman}
- Educational qualification
- Parental Information
- Work experience information (if any )
DAF II – Candidates who will clear Mains examination are required to fill the
DAF II in order to apply for Interview. In this candidate is required to fill following information :
- To mandatorily indicate order of preferences only for those services for which candidate is interested to be allocated to.
- Further, the candidates who wish to indicate IAS/IPS as their Service preference are advised to indicate all the Zones and Cadres in the order of preference in their on-line DAF-II as per the Cadre Allocation Policy.
- Candidate is also required to upload documents/certificates for higher education, achievements in different fields, service experience, OBC Annexure (for OBC category only), EWS Annexure [for EWS Category only], etc.
| No. | Qualities | How to use in Interview ? |
|---|---|---|
|
01 |
Mental Alertness |
|
|
02 |
Balance of Judgement |
|
|
03 |
Variety and depth of Interest |
|
|
04 |
Ability for social cohesion and leadership |
|
|
05 |
Critical powers of assimilation |
|
|
06 |
Clear and logical exposition |
|
|
07 |
Intellectual and moral integrity |
|
UPSC CSE Previous Year Question Papers for IAS Exam
Previous year question papers are best source to understand the psyche of examiner. It tells us what are important areas to give more focus to, depth of understanding required for exam , which part of syllabus is less emphasized upon so that candidate can strategize accordingly as per their strength & weakness. Previous YearQuestion papers must be integral part of daily studies of serious candidate to keep check on what type of questions are being asked.
UPSC CSE Booklist 2024 for IAS Exam
As per the analysis of Previous year question papers, it can be concluded that candidate must have in-depth understanding of each concepts mentioned in Syllabus. To clear the exam in least possible attempts candidate must have clear and concise Booklist for Examination. The Booklist for UPSC CSE Examination can be divided in two parts :
NCERTs are most significant part of Preparation as they are designed in such a manner so that it can be easily understood even by school going students. Serious candidates must start their Preparation with NCERTs to polish their basic concepts. As per Previous year question papers it can be seen that most of the questions are often asked from NCERTs directly thus it clearly demonstrate that NCERTs are in sync with the demand of UPSC. But one must know which NCERTs are to be done as it is very important to keep limited resources for Preparation.Here Digitalshikshaics has Shortlisted the must done NCERTs for Aspirants to make their preparation easy.
| S.No. | Subjects | NCERTS |
|---|---|---|
|
1 . |
Ancient History |
Old NCERT Class 11th , By R.S. Sharma |
|
2. |
Medieval History |
Old NCERT Class 11th By Satish Chandra |
|
3 . |
Modern History |
Old NCERT Class 12th By Bipin Chandra |
|
4 . |
Post-independence History |
Class 12th Politics in India Since Independence |
|
5 . |
World History |
Class 8th NCERT By Arjun Dev |
|
6 . |
Geography |
Class 11th NCERT Physical Geography Class 11th NCERT India : Physical Environment Class 12th NCERT Fundamentals of Human Geography Class 12th NCERT India People & Economy |
|
7 . |
Society |
Class 11th Understanding Society Class 12th Indian Society |
|
8 . |
Polity & Constitution |
Class 11th Indian Constitution at work Class 11th Political Theory |
|
9 . |
Social Justice |
Class 12th Social Change & Development in India |
|
10 . |
International Relation |
Class 12th Contemporary World Politics |
|
11 . |
Economics |
Class 11th Indian Economics Development Class 12th Introductory Microeconomics Class 12th Introductory Macroeconomics |
|
12 . |
Environment & Ecology |
Class 12th Biology ( Last 4 chapters only ) Mainly News Focussed |
|
13 . |
Science & Technology |
Science & Technology Class 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th NCERTS |
Tips for candidate
Once candidate has completed all the NCERTs it is expected that now candidate has basic & clear understanding of all the Subjects in UPSC CSE Syllabus. Now the time has come to construct a building of your dream with Standard books on the solid knowledge base of NCERTs.
Digitalshikshaics hasdedicated team of Experienced Faculties & Experts which has prepared Comprehensive and enriched Booklets for all subjects of Examination to ace your preparation. These books, unlike other books, include Static & Dynamic concepts which will help the candidate to form forward & backward linkages & understand the concepts in holistic manner for long term.
- Before NCERTs candidate must go through the Previous year question papers to know key areas of importance & type of question asked.
- Notes can be made from NCERTs like some data , fact , study which can directly be used in Mains examination.
- If candidate’s basics are weak or have no knowledge & background then one must start from Class 6th NCERT for all subjects & if not then candidate can start from Class 11th& Class 12th NCERTs.
| Books Structure | Books Features | Why These Books? |
|---|---|---|
|
|
🎯This book stands out from other books as it is One stop solution for Civil Services Aspirants. ⌚Practice questions for Preliminary & Mains Examination along with Comprehensive solution have been provided at one place. 🚀Previous Year questions have been included after every topic to make your Preparation more effective . 🔥In case you do not understand the concept you can scan the QR beside every topic to understand it with help of Lecture.
|
UPSC CSE Online Resources for IAS Examination
Press Information Bureau (PIB)
It is nodal agency of Govt. of India to disseminate Policy , Programme , Initiative & Achievement in print & Electronic media. It is best source for updated & authentic Current Affairs.
PRS India
PRS India is non profit organization established in 2005 to improve the efficiency of Legislature in India. It is helpful for candidate to get concise and in-depth understanding of any topic debated , discussed in Legislative Body of India.
Vikaspedia.in
3) Vikaspedia.in is an initiative developed as a part of National level initiative. It is helpful for candidate to prepare welfare schemes & measures for different sections of syllabus.
NITI Ayog reports
NITI Ayog reports such as 3 year Action Agenda & Annual Reports can be used by candidate to make their answer more effective & unique.
Newspaper & Current Affairs
Every year majority of questions asked from newspaper directly or influenced by any news is testimony of importance of newspaper. Newspaper must be an integral part of daily studies of candidate to clear exam in least possible attempts . Digitalshikshaics release daily News & Editorial Analysis which is compilation of all important resources to ease preparation which can be referred by candidate. Three important Sources for Current Affairs that can be referred for Preparation of Civil Services Examination are:
- The Hindu
- The Indian Express
- Digitalshikshaics Daily News & Editorial Analysis
UPSC CSE Mock Test for IAS Examination 2024
“Practise makes Perfect” said by “Bruce Lee” is absolutely correct for all the spheres of life whether it is sports or education ; same is the case with Civil Services Exam Preparation. While preparation we often think that we have covered each & everything related to exam. Test series gives us the reality check by showcasing candidates their key areas of strength & weakness and guide them to improve scores.
Importance of Test Series can be summarized as follow:
Time & Stress
Management
Exam like
Simulation
Advanced Answer
writing skills
Performance
tracking
SWOT
Analysis
Highlights strengths & weaknesses
Test Series can be sub-divided into 4 sections
01. Prelims Test Series
Prelims is 1st stage of examination attempted by around 13 lakh people in 2023 out of which 14624 candidates are eligible for Mains Examination. This data show that Prelims is most difficult stage of Examination which needs an effective strategy and practise to clear Prelims. Here comes the role of Prelims Test Series which mirrors the preparation of candidate and show candidates their areas of strengths& weaknesses.
How many candidates qualified UPSC CSE examination ? – Trend Analysis
| Year | Number of Candidates applied | Number of Candidates Students who appeared for Prelims | Number of Candidates who cleared Prelims | Number of Candidates who cleared Mains Examination | Number of Candidates who Cleared the Exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2014 |
947428 |
446623 |
16706 |
3308 |
1122 |
|
2015 |
945908 |
465882 |
15008 |
2797 |
1236 |
|
2016 |
1128262 |
459659 |
15382 |
2961 |
1078 |
|
2017 |
969065 |
462848 |
13300 |
2564 |
1056 |
|
2018 |
1065552 |
500484 |
10419 |
1992 |
--- |
|
2019 |
1135261 |
493972 |
11845 |
2034 |
829 |
|
2020 |
1057948 |
4,82,770 |
10,564 |
2,053 |
796 |
|
2021 |
1093948 |
508619 |
10000 |
--- |
761 |
|
2022 |
11,35,697 |
5,73,735 |
13,090 |
2,529 |
933 |
|
2023 |
13,00,000 |
---- |
14624 |
2916 |
--- |
02. Mains Test Series
As of 2023 out of 13 lakhs candidates who applied for Prelims examination 14624 candidates were selected for Mains examination. These candidate are among the best brains of nation. To clear Mains examination it requires lot of Answer writing skills which can be acquired only after lot of Practice. As said by Bruce Lee “Practise makes perfect”.
03. Sectional Test Series
After attempting Prelims & Mains test series candidates came to know about their strengths & weaknesses; candidate can utilize sectional test series to work on their weak sections of syllabus & to make their strong concepts more stronger.
04. Optional Test Series
Optional is most scoring among all other subjects of mains examination. Candidates have freedom to choose their optional as per their interest. Optional Test Series help candidate to make their Answer writing skills more advanced to score good in exam as compare to others. As “Richard Branson” says ‘Chance favours the prepared mind. The more you practise the luckier you become’.
Important Tips for UPSC CSE Preparation
UPSC CSE is one of the toughest examination in the country which can be cleared with effective & clear strategy. Serious candidate must have a plan to clear the exam in least possible attempts with good scores. Some of the things which must be taken into account for preparing are as follows:
- Before starting the preparation candidate must go through the syllabus thoroughly and understand the demand of syllabus.
- Then next step is to analyse the Previous year question papers of last 10 years to know types of questions asked and key areas of importance.
- After analysing the syllabus and previous year questions properlycandidate should shortlist effective booklist for their preparation. One must keep in mind to keep limited resources. Digitalshikshaics booklets are best source for UPSC IAS preparation as these books provides static & dynamic concepts along with relevant PYQs at one place.
- Now time has come to make an effective strategy for Civil Services Exam preparation. Candidate must have macro as well as micro plan.
- Macro plan include the year long preparation.
- Micro plans are the plans which are made for weekly & daily targets.
- Revision is very important though neglected part of the preparation. To complete such a vast syllabus in hurry candidate neglects revision which reduce the chance of selection. Then what can be done ? To ensure effective revision candidate must have proper slot for revision daily and weekly to increase the chances of selection.
- Newspaper and currents Affairs are important pillars of the preparation as majority of the questions are asked from Current Affairs & Newspaper. Candidate must refer to Digitalshikshaics Daily News & Editorial Analysis which are made as per the need of examination.
- After completion of the syllabus serious candidate must attempt as many Test Series as he can which will eventuallyreflects the preparation loopholes and direct the candidate to improve his mistakes.
- Prelims Test Series is beneficial to mark correct answer with precision with proper time management.
- Mains Test Series helps in Advanced Answer writing skills , Exam like simulations.
- After attempting both Prelims & Mains Test Series and knowing their weaknesses& strengths candidate must go for Sectional Test Series as it plays a crucial role in improving weaker sections of syllabus of a candidate.
- Candidate must focus on Trio of Essay , Ethics & Optional. As per analysis of previous year questions it can be said that these are most scoring sections of Mains examination. Candidate must give attention to all these sections equally as per Previous year questions.
Essay
Ethics
