The UPSC Prelims (Civil Services Preliminary Examination) is the first stage of the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India. The Prelims consist of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT – Civil Services Aptitude Test). Here’s a broad overview of the UPSC Prelims syllabus for both papers:

General Studies Paper-I:

  1. Current events of national and international importance: This includes current affairs, events, and issues in India and around the world. Focus on political, economic, social, and cultural events.
  2. Indian History and National Movement of India: Topics cover ancient, medieval, and modern Indian history, as well as the struggle for independence.
  3. Indian and World Geography: Understand the physical, economic, and social aspects of geography. Topics include Indian and world geography, environmental ecology, biodiversity, and climate change.
  4. Indian Polity and Governance: Study the Indian Constitution, political system, public administration, and governance.
  5. Economic and Social Development: This section covers Indian economy, sustainable development, social issues, demographics, poverty, and inclusive growth.
  6. General Science: Basics of science and technology, physics, chemistry, biology, and their application in daily life.
  7. Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change: Understand the environment, ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and climate change.
  8. Current Affairs: Be updated on current events and developments in various fields.

General Studies Paper-II (CSAT):

  1. Comprehension: Reading and understanding passages, interpreting data, and answering questions based on them.
  2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills: Testing your ability to interact and communicate effectively.
  3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability: Analytical and logical reasoning abilities are tested in this section.
  4. Decision-making and problem-solving: Evaluating your decision-making skills.
  5. General mental ability: Assessing your cognitive abilities.
  6. Basic numeracy: Testing your numerical and mathematical skills.
  7. English language comprehension skills: Understanding and interpreting English language passages.

Please note that Paper-II (CSAT) is qualifying in nature and the marks obtained in this paper are not counted for determining the merit list. However, you need to score at least 33% in CSAT to qualify for the Mains examination.

It’s important to thoroughly study and understand the syllabus for both papers, focus on current affairs, and practice solving previous years’ question papers and mock tests to prepare effectively for the UPSC Prelims. Additionally, stay updated with any changes or updates to the syllabus by referring to the UPSC official website or notifications.