UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025

UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 has been released by the UPSC along with the exam notification in the information brochure. Candidates who wish to become a civil servant of the nation, during their preparation they must thoroughly go through the UPSC syllabus 2025 mentioned by the exam officials.

The exam officials have designed the UPSC IAS syllabus 2025 in such a manner to test candidates’ domain knowledge, aptitude, cognitive and analytical skills in two stages of syllabi: UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus 2025 and UPSC CSE Mains Syllabus 2025.

To ace the exam, don’t just skim the UPSC CSE syllabus. The exam authority can delve deep into any topic, candidates need to have a crystal-clear understanding.

Think of the UPSC syllabus as just the starting point and explore each topic thoroughly. Analyzing UPSC CSE previous year question papers will give you a real sense of how much depth you need to prepare.

Candidates can download the UPSC Syllabus PDF 2025 here in the article.

UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus: Overview

UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus consists of two compulsory papers which are screening test in nature. The UPSC CSE exam 2025 is conducted to shortlist the candidates for the UPSC CSE Main Exam 2025. Check out the UPSC Syllabus Prelims overview here:

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025

Check out the UPSC syllabus 2025 for Preliminary examination from here:

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025: General Paper

• 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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.  
• General Science.  

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025: CSAT Paper

• 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).

NOTE: Paper 2 or CSAT of the UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 is qualifying in nature with

minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%. The candidate must appear in both the Papers of Civil Services Prelims Exam for evaluation. Therefore a candidate will be disqualified in case he/she does not appear in both the papers of UPSC Prelims 2025. 

UPSC CSE Mains Syllabus: Overview

The UPSC IAS Mains Syllabus 2025 includes 9 theory papers, out of which there are only 7 theory papers whose score contributes to the UPSC Final Merit List 2025. The remaining two papers are language papers, English and Indian Language which are only qualifying in nature.

UPSC Mains Syllabus 2025

Check out the UPSC syllabus 2025 for Mains examination from here:

UPSC Mains Syllabus 2025: Qualifying Papers (Indian Languages and English)

Check out the UPSC Mains syllabus 2025 for qualifying language papers from here:

English Language:

• Comprehension of given passages.
• Precise Writing.
• Usage and Vocabulary.
• Short Essays.

Indian Languages:

• Comprehension of given passages.
• Precise Writing.
• Usage and Vocabulary.
• Short Essays.
• Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

NOTE: The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be qualifying purpose only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

UPSC Mains 2025 Essay Syllabus

The exam officials has not mentioned any specific syllabus details for the UPSC Mains Essay syllabus. However, candidates are 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

UPSC GS I Syllabus 2025

The UPSC Mains GS 1 syllabus consists of topics from Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World, and Society. Check out the important topics to be studied from here:

1. Indian culture; Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
2. Modern Indian history 
3. The Freedom Struggle 
4. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country. 
5. History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars.
6. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
7. Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues
8. Effects of globalization on Indian society.
9. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
10. Salient features of world’s physical geography.
11. Distribution of key natural resources across the world
12. Important Geophysical phenomena .

UPSC GS 2 Syllabus 2025

The UPSC Mains GS 2 syllabus consists of topics from Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations. Check out the important topics to be studied from here:

7. Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings
8. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States.
9. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
10. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
11. Parliament and State legislatures—structure
12. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government
13. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
14. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions 
15. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
16. Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
17. Development processes and the development industry —the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
18. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States.
19. Issues relating to the development and management of the Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
20. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
21. Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications.
22. Role of civil services in a democracy.
23. India and its neighborhood- relations.
24. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
25. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
26. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

UPSC GS 3 Syllabus 2025

The UPSC Mains GS 3 syllabus consists of topics from Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management. Check out the important topics to be studied from here:

1. Indian Economy and issues 
2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
3. Government Budgeting.
4. Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country
5. Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives
6. Food processing and related industries in India- scope’ and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
7. Land reforms in India.
8. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
9. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
10. Investment models.
11. Science and Technology.
12. Achievements of Indians in science & technology
13. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
14. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
15. Disaster and disaster management.
16. Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
17. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
18. Challenges to internal security through communication networks
19. Security challenges and their management in border areas- linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
20. Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. 

UPSC GS 4 Syllabus 2025

The UPSC Mains GS 4 syllabus consists of topics from Ethics. Check out the important topics to be studied from here:

Candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts 

The following broad areas will be covered:

4. Ethics and Human Interface
5. Attitude
6. 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.
7. Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
8. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
9. Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration.
10. Probity in Governance: Concept of public service.
11. Case Studies on above issues.

UPSC Mains Optional Syllabus 2025

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List of Optional Subjects given below: 

UPSC Agriculture Syllabus

UPSC Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science Syllabus

UPSC Anthropology Syllabus

UPSC Botany Syllabus

UPSC Chemistry Syllabus

UPSC Civil Engineering Syllabus

UPSC Commerce and Accountancy Syllabus

UPSC Economics Syllabus

UPSC Electrical Engineering Syllabus

UPSC Geography Syllabus

UPSC Geology Syllabus

UPSC History Syllabus

UPSC Law Optional Syllabus

UPSC Management Syllabus

UPSC Maths Optional Syllabus

UPSC Mechanical Engineering Syllabus

UPSC Medical Science Syllabus

UPSC Philosophy Syllabus

UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus

UPSC PSIR Optional Syllabus

UPSC Psychology Syllabus

UPSC Public Administration Optional Syllabus

UPSC Sociology Optional Syllabus

UPSC Statistics Syllabus

UPSC Zoology Syllabus

UPSC Literature Syllabus of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.

Each Optional Subject has 2 compulsory papers.