Syllabus

The IAS Prelims serves as the initial phase of the Civil Services Examination. It is the first  stage you’ll have to cross to achieve your dream of becoming a civil servant. The Prelims is  an easy paper compared to the Mains; it is of a qualifying nature. So, keep that in mind when  you start your studies.  

Understanding the Prelims UPSC CSE syllabus is crucial for preparing for the UPSC exam. It  acts as a screening test determining a candidate’s qualification for the next stage – the Mains.  

Now, let’s have a look at UPSC exam syllabus for the Prelims: 

The UPSC Prelims is divided into two sections: the General Studies (GS) Paper-I and the  General Studies (GS) Paper II, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). 

The GS Paper – I include 100 questions and is worth 200 marks. On the other hand, the CSAT  has 80 questions and carries 200 marks. You will get two hours for each paper. Candidates  should also remember that there is a negative marking. For every wrong answer, one-third of  the total marks allocated to the question will be deducted. 

Now, coming to the syllabus, here’s what you should know: 

GS Paper-I includes Indian Polity, Geography, History, Economy, Science & Technology,  Environment, and International Relations. It’s a comprehensive test that covers a wide range  of knowledge. While your scores in this paper won’t be added to the final merit list, you must  perform well in this exam.  

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) is usually held between 2:30 PM and 04:30 PM.  The UPSC CSAT syllabus is designed to evaluate the candidate’s aptitude in solving  ‘Reasoning and Analytical’ questions. It also checks their ability in ‘Reading Comprehension’  and occasionally ‘Decision Making’. It’s worth noting that the ‘Decision Making’ questions  typically do not carry negative marks. 

CSAT also includes questions related to Data Interpretation and Orders of Magnitude. They  include data interpretation charts graphs tables data sufficiency, etc.