Each year, UPSC publishes the Civil Services exam syllabus on its official website. You can visit the site and download it directly. The exam is divided into three stages: two written exams followed by a personal interview. In the Preliminary exam, you'll face multiple-choice questions, while the Main exam has descriptive questions.

UPSC Prelims Exam 2025 Syllabus:

The Preliminary exam has two papers, both worth 200 marks, with a two-hour time limit for each.

Paper I:

• Current affairs, both national and international
• India’s history and freedom struggle
• Geography of India and the world
• Indian Politics, the Constitution, public policy, and Panchayati Raj
• Indian economy (including micro and macroeconomics), poverty, and social sector reforms
• Environmental issues, biodiversity, and climate change
• General science (up to the Class 10 level)

Paper II:

• Comprehension and communication skills
• Decision-making and problem-solving
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• General mental ability
• Basic math (up to Class 10 level) and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables)

For more details, you can always check the complete syllabus on the UPSC website.

UPSC Mains Exam 2025 Syllabus:

The Main exam is designed to test a candidate's understanding and intelligence. It consists of seven papers, including two optional subjects.

Papers:

• Paper I: Essay
• Paper II: Indian history, culture, heritage, geography, and society
• Paper III: Indian politics, constitution, administration, social justice, and international relations
• Paper IV: Environment, technology, economics, biodiversity, disaster management
• Paper V: Ethics, integrity, and aptitude
• Paper VI: Optional subject 1
• Paper VII: Optional subject 2

You can choose two optional subjects from a list of languages and graduation-level topics.

Key to Cracking the Exam:

Success in the UPSC exam heavily relies on how well you understand the syllabus. Keeping the IAS syllabus in mind will help you stay focused in your preparation. It's a good idea to regularly visit the UPSC website for updates or any changes. Memorizing the syllabus for General Studies (GS) and the optional papers will help you with both current affairs and answer writing in the Main exam.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What does the UPSC syllabus for 2025 include?

Answer: The UPSC syllabus for 2025 covers a wide range of subjects. It is divided into two stages: the Preliminary Exam (Prelims) and the Main Exam (Mains).

• Prelims: This is an objective exam with two papers. Paper 1 focuses on General Studies, including history, geography, politics, economics, and current affairs. Paper 2, called CSAT, tests your aptitude in reasoning, comprehension, and basic math skills.
• Mains: This is a written exam with nine papers, including subjects like essay writing, Indian heritage, governance, science, ethics, and optional subjects like Geography, Public Administration, or others you can choose from. It also includes papers to test your English and one Indian language.

2. Are there any changes in the UPSC syllabus for 2025?

Answer: The exam pattern remains the same with Prelims, Mains, and an Interview. However, small adjustments could happen in topics like current affairs or government policies, since these depend on recent events.