UPSC Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus 2024 for Paper 1 and 2

UPSC Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus 2024

The UPSC Commerce and Accountancy syllabus 2024 emphasizes advanced accounting, auditing, mercantile laws, cost accounting, income tax, economic policies, and capital markets. UPSC tests aspirants on their conceptual clarity and problem solving skills in these areas. The syllabus aims to assess if candidates can apply commerce and accountancy concepts in real-world governance and policymaking. Questions will evaluate analytical thinking, decision making, and data interpretation capabilities. Aspirants must study NCERTs, current affairs, government policies and schemes to prepare for the diverse UPSC questions that integrate concepts with context.

You can download the UPSC CSE Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus from the direct link given below.

UPSC Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus 2024 Overview

There is a list of optional subjects for mains in which there are 48 subjects, from which candidates can choose according to their choice. Commerce & Accountancy is one of the optional subjects for the Civil Services Exam conducted by UPSC. The optional paper is conducted for 250 marks. The UPSC CSE optional subject Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus has two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2.

Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus for UPSC CSE

If you opt for Commerce & Accountancy optional in UPSC mains, prepare it thoroughly. Go through the UPSC CSE Syllabus and previous years’ Commerce & Accountancy papers. Also study relevant Commerce & Accountancy books for UPSC preparation. The UPSC Commerce and Accountancy optional syllabus focuses heavily on management-related concepts. Chartered Accountants, candidates with commerce backgrounds, and finance professionals may find this the best optional choice. The syllabus covers advanced accounting, auditing, business laws, cost accounting, taxation, economic policies, and capital markets.

UPSC CSE Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus Paper 1

Accounting and Finance: Accounting, Taxation & Auditing

1. Financial Accounting:

• Accounting as a financial information system; Impact of behavioural sciences.
• Accounting Standards: e.g., Accounting for Depreciation, Inventories, Research and Development Costs, Long-term Construction Contracts, Revenue Recognition, Fixed Assets, Contingencies, Foreign Exchange Transactions, Investments, Government Grants, Cash Flow Statement, Earnings per Share.
• Accounting for Share Capital Transactions including Bonus Shares, Right Shares, Employees Stock Option, and Buy-Back of Securities.
• Preparation and Presentation of Company Final Accounts.
• Amalgamations, Absorption, and Reconstruction of Companies.

2. Cost Accounting:

• Nature and functions of cost accounting.
• Installation of Cost Accounting System.
• Cost Concepts related to Income Measurement, Profit Planning, Cost Control, and Decision Making.
• Methods of Costing: Job Costing, Process Costing, Activity Based Costing.
• Volume-cost-Profit Relationship as a tool of Profit Planning.
• Incremental Analysis/Differential Costing as a Tool of Pricing Decisions, Product Decisions, Make or Buy Decisions, Shut-Down Decisions, etc.
• Techniques of Cost Control and Cost Reduction: Budgeting as a Tool of Planning and Control, Standard Costing, and Variance Analysis.
• Responsibility Accounting and Divisional Performance Measurement.

3. Taxation:

• Income Tax: Definitions, Basis of charge, Incomes which do not form part of total income.
• Simple problems of Computation of Income (of individuals only) under various heads: Salaries, Income from House Property, Profits and Gains from Business or Profession, Capital Gains, Income from other sources, Income of other Persons included in Assessee’s Total Income.
• Set-off and Carry forward of Loss.
• Deductions from Gross Total Income.
• Salient Features/Provisions Related to VAT and Services Tax.

4. Auditing:

• Company Audit: Audit related to Divisible Profits, Dividends, Special investigations, Tax audit.
• Audit of Banking, Insurance, Non-Profit Organization, and Charitable Societies/Trusts/Organizations.

Financial Management, Financial Institutions and Markets

1. Financial Management:

• Finance Function: Nature, Scope, and Objectives of Financial Management, Risk and Return Relationship.
• Tools of Financial Analysis: Ratio Analysis, Funds-Flow and Cash-Flow Statement.
• Capital Budgeting Decisions: Process, Procedures, and Appraisal Methods. Risk and Uncertainty Analysis and Methods.
• Cost of Capital: Concept, Computation of Specific Costs and Weighted Average Cost of Capital. CAPM as a Tool of Determining Cost of Equity Capital.
• Financing Decisions: Theories of Capital Structure—Net Income (NI) Approach, Net Operating Income (NOI) Approach, MM Approach, and Traditional Approach. Designing of Capital structure: Types of Leverages (Operating, Financial, and Combined), EBIT-EPS Analysis, and other Factors.
• Dividend Decisions and Valuation of Firm: Walter’s Model, MM Thesis, Gordon’s Model, Lintner’s Model. Factors Affecting Dividend Policy.
• Working Capital Management: Planning of Working Capital. Determinants of Working Capital. Components of Working Capital—Cash, Inventory, and Receivables.
• Corporate Restructuring with a focus on Mergers and Acquisitions (Financial aspect only).

2. Financial Markets and Institutions:

• Indian Financial System: An Overview.
• Money Markets: Participants, Structure, and Instruments. Commercial Banks. Reforms in the Banking Sector. Monetary and Credit Policy of RBI. RBI as a Regulator.
• Capital Market: Primary and Secondary Market. Financial Market Instruments and Innovative Debt Instruments; SEBI as a Regulator.
• Financial Services: Mutual Funds, Venture Capital, Credit Rating Agencies, Insurance and IRDA.

UPSC CSE Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus Paper 2

Organisation Theory and Behaviours, Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations Organisation Theory and Behaviour

1. Organisation Theory:

• Nature and Concept of Organisation; External Environment of Organisation—Technological, Social, Political, Economic, and Legal; Organizational Goals: Primary and Secondary Goals, Single and Multiple Goals; Management by Objectives.
• Evolution of Organisation Theory: Classical, Neo-classical, and System Approach.
• Modern Concepts of Organisation Theory: Organisational Design, Organisational Structure, and Organisational Culture.
• Organisational Design—Basic Challenges; Differentiation and Integration Process; Centralization and Decentralization Process; Standardization/Formalization and Mutual Adjustment. Coordinating Formal and Informal Organizations. Mechanistic and Organic Structures.
• Designing Organizational structures—Authority and Control; Line and Staff Functions, Specialization and Coordination. Types of Organization Structure—Functional, Matrix Structure, Project Structure. Nature and Basis of Power, Sources of Power, Power Structure and Politics. Impact of Information Technology on Organizational Design and Structure.
• Managing Organizational Culture.

2. Organisation Behaviour:

• Meaning and Concept; Individual in Organization: Personality, Theories, and Determinants; Perception: Meaning and Process.
• Motivation: Concepts, Theories, and Applications. Leadership—Theories and Styles.
• Quality of Work Life (QWL): Meaning and its impact on Performance, Ways of its Enhancement. Quality Circles (QC)—Meaning and their Importance.
• Management of Conflicts in Organizations. Transactional Analysis, Organizational Effectiveness, Management of Change.

Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations

1. Human Resources Management (HRM):

• Meaning, Nature, and Scope of HRM
• Human Resource Planning
• Job Analysis: Job Description, Job Specification
• Recruitment Process
• Selection Process
• Orientation and Placement
• Training and Development Process
• Performance Appraisal and 360° Feedback
• Salary and Wage Administration
• Job Evaluation
• Employee Welfare
• Promotions, Transfers, and Separations

2. Industrial Relations (IR):

• Meaning, Nature, Importance, and Scope of IR
• Formation of Trade Union
• Trade Union Legislation
• Trade Union Movement in India
• Recognition of Trade Unions
• Problems of Trade Unions in India
• Impact of Liberalization on Trade Union Movement
• Nature of Industrial Disputes: Strikes and Lockouts, Causes of Disputes, Prevention, and Settlement of Disputes
• Worker’s Participation in Management: Philosophy, Rationale, Present Day Status, and Future Prospects
• Adjudication and Collective Bargaining
• Industrial Relations in Public Enterprises
• Absenteeism and Labour Turnover in Indian Industries and their Causes and Remedies
• ILO and its Functions

Important Links	Important Links
UPSC CSE 2024 Apply Online	UPSC CSE 2024 Notification
UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria	UPSC CSE Syllabus
UPSC CSE Exam Pattern	UPSC CSE Selection Process

UPSC Commerce & Accountancy Syllabus 2024 FAQs