The Main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory. The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V) will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study. The questions will test a candidate’s general awareness of a variety of subjects relevant to a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to assess the candidate’s basic understanding of all relevant issues, ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives, and demands. Candidates must provide relevant, meaningful, and succinct answers.

Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English

The aim of these papers is to test the candidate’s ability to read and understand serious discursive prose and to express ideas clearly and correctly in both English and the Indian language.

The pattern of questions will be as follows:

1. Comprehension of given passages.
2. Precis Writing.
3. Usage and Vocabulary.
4. Short Essays.

For Indian Languages:

1. Comprehension of given passages.
2. Precis Writing.
3. Usage and Vocabulary.
4. Short Essays.
5. Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

Note 1: The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

Note 2: Candidates must answer the English and Indian Language papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).

Paper I: Essay

Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They are expected to stay closely aligned with the subject of the essay, arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion, and write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and precise expression.

Paper II: General Studies I

Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society

• Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present—significant events, personalities, and issues.
• The Freedom Struggle—its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
• World history including events from the 18th century such as the industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism, etc., and their effects on society.
• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
• Role of women and women’s organizations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems, and their remedies.
• Effects of globalization on Indian society.
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism, and secularism.
• Salient features of the world’s physical geography.
• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
• Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, cyclones, etc.; geographical features and their location—changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Paper III: General Studies II

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations

• Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure.
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels, and challenges therein.
• Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms, and institutions.
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
• Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers, privileges, and issues arising out of these.
• Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the polity.
• Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
• Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions, and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
• Statutory, regulatory, and various quasi-judicial bodies.
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
• Development processes and the development industry—the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions, and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
• Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, and Human Resources.
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
• Important aspects of governance, transparency, and accountability, e-governance—applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency, and accountability and institutional and other measures.
• Role of civil services in a democracy.
• India and its neighborhood relations.
• Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
• Important International institutions, agencies, and fora—their structure and mandate.

Paper IV: General Studies III

Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management

• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development, and employment.
• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
• Government Budgeting.
• Major crops—cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems, storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce, and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
• Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System—objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
• Food processing and related industries in India—scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
• Land reforms in India.
• Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
• Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
• Investment models.
• Science and Technology—developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
• Achievements of Indians in science and technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
• Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
• Disaster and disaster management.
• Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
• Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
• Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.
• Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
• Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

Paper V: General Studies IV

Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life, and their problem-solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced in dealing with society. Questions may utilize the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:

• Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values—lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators; role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values.
• Attitude: Content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behavior; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
• Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Service: Integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, and compassion towards weaker sections.
• Emotional Intelligence: Concepts and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
• Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from India and World.
• Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations, and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
• Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
• Case Studies on the Above Issues.