If you’re preparing for the UPPSC PCS Exam 2025, knowing the full syllabus is the first step to success. Here’s a simplified and student-friendly guide to help you understand the Prelims, Mains, and Interview stages of the exam.
🔹 Stage 1: Prelims Exam (Objective Type)
The Preliminary exam is only a qualifying round. It consists of two objective-type papers.
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Studies I | 200 | 2 hours |
| Paper 2 | General Studies II (CSAT) | 200 | 2 hours |
📘 Paper 1: General Studies I – Syllabus
- Current affairs (National & International)
- Indian History & Freedom Movement
- Geography of India & the world
- Indian Constitution & Governance
- Economy, Development, and Social Issues
- Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, Climate Change
- General Science
📘 Paper 2: CSAT – Syllabus (Qualifying – 33% required)
- Comprehension & English understanding
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- General mental ability
- Basic maths (up to Class 10 level)
- Data interpretation
- Decision making and problem solving
✅ Note: Paper 2 is only qualifying in nature. Marks are not counted in merit.
🔹 Stage 2: Mains Exam (Written – Descriptive Type)
The UPPSC Mains Exam consists of 8 papers. Each paper is descriptive and carries different marks.
| Paper | Subject | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | General Hindi | 150 |
| Paper 2 | Essay | 150 |
| Paper 3 | General Studies I | 200 |
| Paper 4 | General Studies II | 200 |
| Paper 5 | General Studies III | 200 |
| Paper 6 | General Studies IV | 200 |
| Paper 7 | Optional Subject Paper I | 200 |
| Paper 8 | Optional Subject Paper II | 200 |
📝 Paper 1: General Hindi
- Essay writing
- Precis writing
- Vocabulary, Grammar & comprehension
📝 Paper 2: Essay
- Two essays (around 700 words each)
- Topics from culture, politics, society, environment, science, economy, etc.
🔍 General Studies Papers Breakdown
📘 Paper 3: General Studies I
- Indian history (ancient to modern)
- Indian culture and heritage
- World history (till 18th century)
- Indian society & role of women
- Globalization and social changes
- Indian & world geography
📘 Paper 4: General Studies II
- Indian Constitution & governance
- Political system
- Judiciary and Parliament
- Government schemes and policies
- International relations
- Role of Civil Services
📘 Paper 5: General Studies III
- Indian economy & development
- Agriculture and industries
- Infrastructure
- Science & Technology
- Disaster management
- Environment and ecology
- Internal and national security
📘 Paper 6: General Studies IV (Ethics)
- Ethics, integrity, and aptitude
- Emotional intelligence
- Moral values and thinkers
- Public administration ethics
- Case studies on real-life problems
📘 Paper 7 & 8: Optional Subjects (Choose One Subject)
You must select one optional subject from the list provided by UPPSC. It will have 2 papers, each carrying 200 marks.
Popular Optional Subjects:
- History
- Geography
- Sociology
- Political Science
- Agriculture
- Philosophy
- Anthropology
- Public Administration
- Hindi Literature
(Full list available in the official UPPSC notification)
🔹 Stage 3: Interview / Personality Test
- Total Marks: 100
- Purpose: To test your personality, awareness, communication, and suitability for administrative service.
- Topics: General knowledge, current events, hobbies, and background.
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Q1: Is the CSAT paper important?
Yes, you need to score at least 33% in Paper 2 (CSAT) to qualify the Prelims.
Q2: Is Hindi compulsory in the Mains exam?
Yes, General Hindi is a mandatory paper. It is qualifying in nature.
Q3: How many optional subjects can I choose?
Only one optional subject is allowed, but it has two papers.