What is the Syllabus of UPSC Mains Exam?

by Anujjindal UPSC Anujjindal.in

UPSC Mains Syllabus

Remember how I mentioned the Himalayan valley, reminding

me of the UPSC syllabus? It was the UPSC Mains syllabus that came to mind at the time.

The enormity of the IPS/IAS Mains syllabus is capable of sending even the most experienced applicants into nervous chills.

The key highlights from the UPSC Mains syllabus for IAS/IPS are provided in the image below:

Mains Syllabus Highlights

This is due to the fact that only those applicants who pass Phase 1, or the Prelims, are eligible to take the Phase 2 or Mains exam. In other words, only those applicants who pass the UPSC Prelims exam with a score higher than the UPSC cut-offs are eligible to take the Mains exam.

Fundamentally, the UPSC Mains exam is designed to evaluate your grasp of the many disciplines covered by the UPSC Mains syllabus, and it is designed to do so in a timed manner.

It's worth noting that, with the exception of the two language papers in the UPSC Mains curriculum, all of the papers can be written in any of the languages listed in Schedule 8.

Okay, now that we have already talked about the 2 language papers it’s time to look at the 7 main papers of the UPSC Mains exams. To help you better understand, I have provided a table listing all the subjects of the 7 papers comprising the Mains syllabus along with their weightage:

List of Papers in UPSC Mains Exam

Papers	Subjects	Marks
Paper A	Any Indian Language (compulsory) - qualifying paper	300
Paper B	English - qualifying paper	300
Paper 1	Essay (you can choose to write it in a medium of your choice)	250
Paper 2	General Studies 1 (Indian and World History, Culture, Heritage, & Geography)	250
Paper 3	General Studies 2 (Polity, Constitution, Governance, International Relations & Social Justice)	250
Paper 4	General Studies 3 (Economic Development, Technology, Disaster Management & Security, Biodiversity)	250
Paper 5	General Studies 4 (Aptitude, Ethics, & Integrity)	250
Paper 6	Optional Subject: Paper 1	250
Paper 7	Optional Subject: Paper 2	250

UPSC Syllabus for Language Papers: (Any Indian Language & English)

In these papers there’d be:

An essay question of 100 marks where you’d have to select one out of a few given topics.
5-6 questions related to reading comprehension: of a maximum of 60 marks.
Precis writing questions worth 60 marks which you’d have to attempt on special answer sheets with grid lines.
Translation-based questions: English to the chosen Indian language & vice versa for 20 marks each, totaling 40 marks.
Questions based on grammar, synonyms, sentence corrections, and basic language usage, of a total of 40 marks.

So, to fare well in the Language papers especially the English paper, read more books and newspapers.

Syllabus of UPSC Mains Essay (No topics prescribed)

The IPS/IAS Essay Syllabus for the Mains exam is not well specified. According to the UPSC, you must maintain a careful eye on the essay topic and organise and write your thoughts and ideas in a clear and succinct manner.

You will be required to produce two essays from a list of giving subjects for this paper. This paper has a maximum grade of 250.

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