UPSC Syllabus 2023 and Exam Pattern, Know Important Topics

Vaishnavi Kumari

10 months ago

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UPSC Syllabus 2023

Starting the preparation journey for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) requires a thorough understanding of its syllabus and exam pattern. We will break down the details of the UPSC CSE by providing a comprehensive overview of its syllabus and exam pattern. From the three stages of the examination to the detailed subjects and topics covered, we will provide you with the knowledge necessary to navigate this rigorous selection process successfully. In this blog, we will provide you with the UPSC Syllabus 2023 and Exam Pattern.

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UPSC Exam Pattern 2023

UPSC CSE exam is held in three phases in order to arrive at a merit list for the available vacancies. The three phases are:

UPSC Prelims
UPSC Mains
Interview

The exam pattern of each exam is presented in a tabular format as follows

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern

Paper	No. of Qs.	Marks	Exam Duration
General Studies Paper-I (GS Paper 1)	100	200 Marks	2 Hours
CSAT- Paper–II	80	200 Marks	2 Hours

Note: UPSC Prelims Paper 1 marks will be counted to determine the merit list whereas the CSAT Paper-II will be of qualifying in nature (33% marks required).

UPSC Mains Exam Pattern

Paper	UPSC Mains Exam Papers	Duration	Marks
Paper – A	Compulsory Indian Language (One of the Indian Languages to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution)	3 Hours	300 Marks
Paper – B	Compulsory English	3 Hours	300 Marks
Paper – I	Essay	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper-II	General Studies–I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society)	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper – III	General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations)	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper – IV	General Studies– III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper – V	General Studies– IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude)	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper – VI	Optional Paper– I (Candidates may choose any one of the optional subjects)	3 Hours	250 Marks
Paper – VII	Optional Paper-II	3 Hours	250 Marks
Total	1750 Marks

Test	Marks
Personality Test/Interview	275 Marks

Note: Papers A & B is of Qualifying in Nature (25% i.e. 75 marks required). Whereas marks of Paper I to VII will be counted to determine the final order of merit.

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UPSC Interview

Candidates who have cleared the UPSC Mains Exam are called for an interview or a personality test, here the candidates are interviewed by a board that is appointed by the UPSC.
The candidate will be interviewed by a board based on the details and interests updated by him/her in the Detailed Application Form (DAF).
The objective of the interview is to assess the suitability of the candidate for civil services
In the personality test, the candidates must be very well versed in their field of study as well as current affairs both at the national and international levels.
This interview is more of a conversation that is aimed at gauging the mental as well as the analytical ability of the candidate.
The grand total is arrived at by adding the marks obtained in the mains exam and the interview out of the maximum possible marks of ( 1750 +275 = 2025). Based on this number, the merit list is prepared.

UPSC Syllabus

UPSC released the official notification on 1st February 2023 and a detailed syllabus was also released along with the notification. Candidates must check the syllabus for both the prelims and mains in order to have a clear understanding of the exam.

UPSC CSE Prelims Syllabus 2023

UPSC prelims consist of 2 papers:

Paper 1 – General Studies
Paper 2 – CSAT

download the UPSC CSE Notification 2023

Note* Download the notification for the detailed list of topics for each paper

Syllabus for UPSC General Studies Paper (Paper I)

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
General Science.

Syllabus for UPSC CSAT Paper (Paper-II)

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)

UPSC Mains Syllabus 2023

UPSC Syllabus for Mains Examination consists of the syllabus of GS papers and Optional papers. UPSC Mains Syllabus 2023 is mentioned in detail in the official notification.

Paper	Subject
Paper – I	Essay (can be written in the medium of the candidate’s choice)
Paper-II	General Studies – I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History & Geography of the World & Society)
Paper – III	General Studies – II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations)
Paper – IV	General Studies – III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security & Disaster Management)
Paper – V	General Studies – IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude)
Paper – VI	Optional Subject – Paper I
Paper – VII	Optional Subject – Paper II

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We hope this blog gave you a better understanding of the UPSC Syllabus 2023. To read more such blogs, visit the Oliveboard website!

UPSC Syllabus 2023 – Frequently Asked Questions

Q.1 Is UPSC Preliminary examination qualifying in nature?

Ans. Yes, UPSC Preliminary examination is qualifying in nature and the marks obtained in this exam will not be considered for the final merit list.

Q.2 Will there be negative markings in the UPSC Prelims?

Ans. Yes, only the prelims of UPSC CSE have a negative marking.

Q.3 From where can I check the UPSC Syllabus 2023?

Ans. Candidates can check the detailed UPSC Syllabus 2023 in this blog.

Vaishnavi Kumari

Hey everyone, I’m Vaishnavi Kumari, an edtech writer and a dedicated aspirant for government exams, including banking and SSC exams. Having worked with several edtech platforms, I am committed to providing you with essential and accurate information to ace these exams. With my experience as both a writer and an aspirant, I understand your needs and challenges, and my aim is to make your preparation journey smoother. I’ll focus on specific sections of the exams, compiling comprehensive and helpful content that covers the crucial topics, tips, and strategies you need to succeed. Let’s conquer these exams together!

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