Preliminary Examination

Paper I – (200 marks) Duration: Two hours

 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 – that do not require subject specialization

 General Science

Paper II- (200 marks) Duration: Two hours

 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 – Class X level)

Note 1: Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a

qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%
Note 2: The questions will be of multiple choices, objective type.
Note 3: It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the Papers of
Civil Services (Prelim) Examination for the purpose of evaluation.

Mains Examination

Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English:

The aim of the paper is to test the candidate’s ability to read and
understand serious discursive prose, and express his ideas clearly and
correctly, in English and Indian Language concerned. The pattern of
questions would be broadly as follows :-

(i) Comprehension of given passages

(ii) Précis Writing

(iii) Usage and Vocabulary

(iv) Short Essays Indian Languages

(v) 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: The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian
Languages 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 will

be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their
ideas in orderly fashion and to write concisely. Credit will be given for
effective and exact 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, 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.

 History of the world will include events from 18th century such as
industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries,
colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism,
capitalism, socialism – their forms and effect on the society.

 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India. Role of women

and women’s organization, population and associated issues,
poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and
their remedies.

 Effects of globalization on Indian society Social empowerment,

communalism, regionalism & secularism.
  Salient features of 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, Tsunami,

Volcanic activity, cyclone , 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 development and management of Social

Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, 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 & 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, mandate

PAPER-IV (General Studies-III): Technology, Economic

Development, Bio diversity, 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 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 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 Achievement of Indians in science &
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 his
problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him 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 and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public
service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the 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 Case Studies on above issues.