UPSC CSE 2026
Examination at a glance
The Civil Services Examination is conducted in stages. The Preliminary Examination is a screening stage; the Main Examination consists of written papers; candidates who qualify the written stage are called for the Personality Test.
Stage 01
Preliminary Examination
Two objective papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT).
Stage 02
Main Examination
Qualifying language papers plus Essay, four General Studies papers and two Optional papers.
Stage 03
Personality Test
Assessment of suitability, personality, judgement, awareness, communication and qualities relevant to public service.
Important: Always cross-check the syllabus and examination rules against the
latest UPSC notification before relying on them for an application or examination.
UPSC publishes the 2026 Civil Services Preliminary and Main examination information on its official website.
01
UPSC Prelims — General Studies Paper-I
200 marks • Objective type • Screening paper
1. Current Events of National & International Importance
- Major national developments and government initiatives.
- International relations and major global developments.
- Important reports, indices, institutions and international organisations.
- Science, technology, environment, economy and social issues in the news.
- Important places, personalities, agreements, conventions and events.
2. History of India & Indian National Movement
- Ancient Indian history, culture and civilisation.
- Medieval India and major political, social and cultural developments.
- European expansion and British rule.
- Economic, administrative and social impact of colonial rule.
- Revolt of 1857 and subsequent developments.
- Indian nationalism and formation of the national movement.
- Major movements, leaders, organisations and constitutional developments.
- Freedom struggle, partition and independence.
3. Indian & World Geography
- Physical geography of India and the world.
- Geomorphology, climatology and oceanography.
- Natural resources and their distribution.
- Agriculture, industries and transport.
- Population, migration, settlements and urbanisation.
- Indian monsoon, rivers, soils and natural vegetation.
- Earthquakes, volcanoes, cyclones, floods, droughts and other phenomena.
4. Indian Polity & Governance
- Indian Constitution and its features.
- Preamble, Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Fundamental Duties.
- Union and State executive and legislature.
- Judiciary and constitutional mechanisms.
- Federalism and Centre-State relations.
- Panchayati Raj and Municipalities.
- Constitutional and statutory bodies.
- Public policy, governance, rights issues and social justice.
5. Economic & Social Development
- Sustainable development and inclusive growth.
- Poverty and unemployment.
- Demographics and population-related issues.
- Social-sector initiatives.
- Health, education and human-resource development.
- Financial inclusion and vulnerable sections.
- Basic economic concepts and major policy developments.
6. Environment, Ecology, Biodiversity & Climate Change
- Basic concepts of ecology and ecosystems.
- Food chains, food webs, ecological pyramids and nutrient cycles.
- Biodiversity and conservation.
- Protected areas and wildlife conservation.
- Pollution and environmental degradation.
- Climate change, mitigation and adaptation.
- Major environmental conventions and institutions.
7. General Science
- Basic Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
- Everyday applications of science.
- Health, nutrition and disease-related basics.
- Space, defence and communication technology.
- Biotechnology, genetics and emerging technologies.
- Digital technology, AI and other contemporary scientific developments.
02
UPSC Prelims — CSAT
General Studies Paper-II • 200 marks • Qualifying
Detailed CSAT Syllabus
Comprehension
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Logical reasoning
Analytical ability
Decision making
Problem solving
General mental ability
Basic numeracy — Class X level
Numbers and their relations
Orders of magnitude
Data interpretation — Class X level
Charts and graphs
Tables
Data sufficiency
Qualifying requirement: CSAT is a qualifying paper. The UPSC syllabus notification specifies a minimum qualifying threshold of 33%. Candidates must appear in both Preliminary papers for evaluation.
03
UPSC Mains Examination
Written examination • Qualifying + Merit papers
| Paper | Subject | Marks | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Indian Language | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper B | English | 300 | Qualifying |
| Paper I | Essay | 250 | Merit |
| Paper II | General Studies-I | 250 | Merit |
| Paper III | General Studies-II | 250 | Merit |
| Paper IV | General Studies-III | 250 | Merit |
| Paper V | General Studies-IV | 250 | Merit |
| Paper VI | Optional Subject — Paper I | 250 | Merit |
| Paper VII | Optional Subject — Paper II | 250 | Merit |
Mains approach: UPSC states that the Main Examination is intended to assess overall
intellectual traits and depth of understanding rather than merely the range of information remembered.
General Studies questions are designed for a well-educated candidate without specialised study of every subject.
04
Essay Paper
250 marks • Merit
What to prepare
Philosophical themesIdeas, values, human nature, knowledge, freedom and society.
Social issuesWomen, education, health, poverty, inequality, diversity and social change.
Governance & politicsDemocracy, institutions, rights, accountability, federalism and public policy.
EconomyGrowth, employment, inclusion, technology, development and sustainability.
EnvironmentClimate change, biodiversity, sustainability and human-environment relations.
International affairsGlobalisation, geopolitics, peace, security and India's role in the world.
Core answer-writing skills
- Interpret the exact demand of the topic before writing.
- Build a clear introduction, logical body and forward-looking conclusion.
- Use examples, constitutional values, data and contemporary illustrations where relevant.
- Maintain balance, nuance and a coherent line of argument.
05
General Studies Paper-I
Indian Heritage & Culture • History • Geography • Society
Indian Heritage & Culture
- Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
- Indian classical and folk dance traditions.
- Indian music traditions and major schools.
- Painting, sculpture, handicrafts and other cultural traditions.
- Religious and philosophical traditions and their cultural influence.
- Bhakti and Sufi traditions.
- Architecture: temple, Buddhist, Indo-Islamic, colonial and modern developments.
- Cultural heritage, preservation and conservation issues.
Modern Indian History
- Significant events, personalities and issues from the eighteenth century to the present.
- Expansion and consolidation of British power.
- Economic impact of colonialism and changes in Indian society.
- Revolt of 1857 and its causes, course and consequences.
- Indian national movement and major stages.
- Moderates, Extremists, revolutionary activities and Swadeshi movement.
- Gandhian movements: Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience and Quit India.
- Constitutional developments, partition and independence.
Post-Independence India
- Consolidation and reorganisation within the country.
- Integration of princely states.
- Linguistic reorganisation and major political developments.
- Economic and social policy developments after independence.
- Nation-building challenges and regional issues.
World History
- Industrial Revolution.
- World Wars and their consequences.
- Nationalism and formation of nation-states.
- Colonialism and decolonisation.
- Political philosophies such as communism, capitalism and socialism.
- Major changes in world society, politics and economies since the eighteenth century.
Indian Society
- Salient features of Indian society and diversity of India.
- Role of women and women's organisations.
- Population and associated issues.
- Poverty and developmental issues.
- Urbanisation, problems and remedies.
- Effects of globalisation on Indian society.
- Social empowerment and communalism.
- Regionalism and secularism.
- Social movements and issues affecting vulnerable groups.
Geography
- Salient features of world's physical geography.
- Distribution of key natural resources and factors responsible for their location.
- Primary, secondary and tertiary sector activities and geographical patterns.
- Important geophysical phenomena: earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity and cyclones.
- Geographical features and their location, including changes in critical geographical features.
- Changes in water bodies, ice-caps and flora/fauna and effects of such changes.
06
General Studies Paper-II
Governance • Constitution • Polity • Social Justice • International Relations
Constitution & Polity
- Indian Constitution: historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments and significant provisions.
- Basic structure doctrine and constitutional interpretation.
- Union and its territory; citizenship and constitutional provisions.
- Functions and responsibilities of Union and States.
- Federalism, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels.
- Challenges and issues arising from federal design.
- Separation of powers and dispute-redressal mechanisms.
- Comparison of India's constitutional scheme with other countries.
- Parliament and State Legislatures: structure, functioning, conduct of business and privileges.
- Executive and Judiciary: structure, organisation and functioning.
- Pressure groups, formal/informal associations and their role in polity.
- Representation of the People Act and electoral processes.
- Constitutional posts and constitutional bodies.
- Statutory, regulatory and quasi-judicial bodies.
Governance
- Government policies and interventions for development.
- Issues arising from design and implementation of policies.
- Development processes and development industry.
- Role of NGOs, SHGs, groups, associations, donors and other stakeholders.
- E-governance: applications, models, successes, limitations and potential.
- Transparency and accountability.
- Right to Information.
- Citizen Charters and institutional measures.
- Role of civil services in a democracy.
Social Justice
- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections and performance of these schemes.
- Mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies for protection of vulnerable sections.
- Issues relating to development and management of social-sector services.
- Health, education and human resources.
- Poverty and hunger.
- Issues related to inclusion, accessibility and social empowerment.
International Relations
- India and its neighbourhood relations.
- Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India.
- Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests.
- Indian diaspora and its significance.
- Important international institutions, agencies and fora.
- Structure, mandate and functioning of international organisations.
- Contemporary geopolitical developments and India's strategic interests.
07
General Studies Paper-III
Economy • Agriculture • Science & Technology • Environment • Security • Disaster Management
Indian Economy
- Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilisation of resources, growth, development and employment.
- Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
- Government budgeting.
- Major crop patterns and irrigation systems.
- Agricultural marketing, transport and storage.
- Issues related to farm subsidies and minimum support prices.
- Public Distribution System, food security and technology missions.
- Food processing industries and supply-chain management.
- Land reforms.
- Liberalisation and effects of industrial policy changes.
- Infrastructure: energy, ports, roads, airports, railways etc.
- Investment models and public-private partnerships.
Agriculture & Allied Sectors
- Cropping patterns and changes in cultivation practices.
- Major crops and regional distribution.
- Irrigation and water-resource management.
- Agricultural pricing, procurement and marketing.
- Farm mechanisation and agricultural technology.
- Animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries.
- Organic and sustainable agriculture.
- Food processing and value addition.
- Storage, logistics and supply chains.
Science & Technology
- Developments and applications of science and technology in everyday life.
- Achievements of Indians in science and technology.
- Indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
- Awareness in IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology.
- Issues relating to intellectual property rights.
- Defence technology and strategic technologies.
- Artificial intelligence, quantum technology and emerging digital systems.
Environment & Biodiversity
- Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
- Environmental impact assessment.
- Climate change and related policy responses.
- Biodiversity conservation and protected-area systems.
- Wetlands, forests, marine ecosystems and species conservation.
- International environmental conventions and institutions.
- Sustainable development and environmental governance.
Disaster Management
- Disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
- Mitigation, response, recovery and rehabilitation.
- Institutional mechanisms and community participation.
- Floods, droughts, cyclones and earthquakes.
- Urban and industrial disasters.
- Early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure and disaster financing.
Internal Security
- Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
- Role of external and non-state actors in internal security.
- Challenges to internal security through communication networks.
- Basics of cyber security and money laundering.
- Security challenges and management in border areas.
- Organised crime and terrorism.
- Various security forces and agencies and their mandate.
08
General Studies Paper-IV
Ethics • Integrity • Aptitude • Case Studies
Ethics & Human Interface
- Essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions.
- Dimensions of ethics.
- Ethics in private and public relationships.
- Human values from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators.
- Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Attitude
- Content, structure and function of attitude.
- Influence of attitude on thought and behaviour.
- Attitude toward social influence and persuasion.
- Moral and political attitudes and social cognition.
Civil Service Values
- Integrity.
- Impartiality and non-partisanship.
- Objectivity.
- Dedication to public service.
- Empathy and tolerance.
- Compassion towards weaker sections.
Emotional Intelligence
- Concept of emotional intelligence.
- Utilities and application in administration and governance.
- Self-awareness and self-management.
- Empathy, social awareness and relationship management.
Thinkers & Philosophers
- Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
- Ethical theories and their application to public administration.
- Values, justice, duty, rights and consequences.
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 and codes of conduct.
- Citizen Charters.
- Work culture and quality of service delivery.
- Utilisation of public funds and challenges of corruption.
Case Studies — What to Practise
Stakeholder identification
Ethical dilemma analysis
Conflict of interest
Public interest
Accountability
Transparency
Leadership decisions
Administrative feasibility
Short-term and long-term consequences
Constitutional and legal values
09
Optional Subject
Two papers • 250 marks each • 500 marks total
Optional Subjects Available
Choose one optional subject and prepare both Paper-I and Paper-II according to the UPSC syllabus for that subject.
Agriculture
Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
Anthropology
Botany
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Commerce & Accountancy
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Geography
Geology
History
Law
Management
Mathematics
Mechanical Engineering
Medical Science
Philosophy
Physics
Political Science & International Relations
Psychology
Public Administration
Sociology
Statistics
Zoology
Literature subjects listed by UPSC
For the exact paper-wise syllabus of the selected optional, use the latest UPSC notification and subject-specific syllabus.
10
Personality Test / Interview
Final stage of the Civil Services Examination
PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT
Prepare beyond factual knowledge.
The interview is not simply another factual examination. Candidates should develop informed opinions, balanced judgement, communication skills and an understanding of issues around them.
DAF & Personal Profile
- Educational background and academic subjects.
- Work experience and professional exposure.
- Home district, state and region.
- Hobbies, interests and extracurricular activities.
- Achievements and experiences mentioned in the application.
Current Affairs & Public Issues
- National and international developments.
- Governance, economy and social issues.
- Environment, science and technology.
- India's foreign policy and strategic interests.
- Major issues affecting your state, district and local area.
Personality qualities to demonstrate
- Clear and logical thinking.
- Balanced and reasoned judgement.
- Integrity and honesty.
- Awareness without unnecessary exaggeration.
- Ability to listen and respond directly.
- Respect for differing viewpoints.
- Leadership, empathy and suitability for public service.
QuizBox UPSC Preparation
Turn the syllabus into a preparation plan.
Use the syllabus as your master checklist, then practise topic-wise questions, previous-year questions, current affairs and full-length tests through QuizBox.
Official reference: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2026 • UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026