UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Prelims, Mains, and Interview
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has released the CSE Syllabus 2025 on its official website, upsc.gov.in. Aspirants can easily download the UPSC CSE syllabus PDF from the site. To understand the detailed exam pattern, syllabus, and preparation strategies for the UPSC Civil Services Exam, often called the IAS exam, refer to the comprehensive guide below.
Known for its intense competition and extensive syllabus, the UPSC CSE Exam 2025 is one of the toughest exams in India. Therefore, candidates aspiring to clear the exam must dedicate themselves to consistent and thorough preparation.
A strong preparation strategy begins with a clear understanding of the CSE Syllabus 2025. This article provides an in-depth breakdown of the syllabus for both the preliminary and mains stages of the exam. As one of the most prestigious exams in the country, the UPSC recruits candidates for high-ranking roles like CSE and IPS, attracting lakhs of aspirants every year.
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025
The UPSC CSE syllabus outlines the subjects and topics required to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2025. A clear understanding of the syllabus significantly increases a candidate’s chances of success in this highly competitive exam.
The syllabus primarily focuses on two of the three stages of the UPSC CSE 2025. The official notification, including the detailed syllabus in PDF format, is set to be released on January 22, 2025. Below, you can find an overview of the prelims and mains syllabus.
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 Overview
Check the overview of UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 in the table below:
| UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 Overview | |
| Particulars | Details |
| Name of exam | Civil Services Exam (UPSC CSE) |
| Conducting Body | Union Public Service Commission |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
| Number of Stages |
|
| Number of papers in UPSC Exam | Prelims: 2
Mains: 7 |
| Time Duration of UPSC CSE exam | Prelims: 2 hours (Each paper) total 4 hours |
| Mains: 3 hours (Each paper), a total 27 hours conducted across various days | |
| Type of questions | Prelims: Objective type |
| Mains: Subjective type | |
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Prelims
The UPSC prelims and mains syllabi are released separately in the official IAS 2025 notification. The prelims consist of two papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2. These papers cover a range of topics, including general social sciences, reasoning, interpersonal skills, and basic data interpretation.
The prelims act as a screening stage, where a large number of candidates are filtered out. Therefore, thorough preparation for all topics in the UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 is essential to advance to the next phase of the examination.
Below, you will find the detailed UPSC CSE 2025 syllabus for both prelims papers. Candidates are encouraged to refer to this syllabus as they prepare effectively for the exam.
| UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Prelims | ||
| Paper | Key Topics | Description |
| Paper 1 (GS 1) | Current Events | Issues of national and international importance. |
| Environment and Ecology | Biodiversity, climate change, green energy, solar inventions, and related topics. | |
| Economic and Social Development | Sustainable development, poverty, inclusion, government schemes, demographics, and social sector initiatives. | |
| General Science | Fundamental scientific concepts and their applications. | |
| Indian and World Geography | Social, physical, and economic geography of India and the world. | |
| Indian Polity and Governance | Political system, Constitution, roles of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, Vidhan Sabha, Governor, and President, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, and more. | |
| Paper 2 (GS 2 CSAT) | Interpersonal Skills | Focus on communication and interpersonal abilities. |
| Comprehension | Understanding and interpreting written text. | |
| Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability | Reasoning-based and problem-solving questions. | |
| Basic Numeracy | Class 10th level mathematics, including orders of magnitude and numerical relationships. | |
| Decision-Making and Problem-Solving | Practical, scenario-based questions. | |
| General Mental Ability | Cognitive skills assessment through relevant questions. | |
| Data Interpretation | Analyzing graphs, charts, tables, and data sufficiency (Class 10th level). | |
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Mains
Aspirants can access the detailed UPSC CSE Mains Syllabus 2025 in the official notification. The IAS Mains syllabus for 2025 is extensive, covering a wide range of subjects across multiple papers.
As per the exam pattern, candidates are required to attempt a total of seven papers, including two optional subjects. Below are some key topics from the UPSC CSE syllabus for Papers 1 to 5.
| UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Mains | ||
| Paper | Key Topics | Description |
| Paper 1: Essay | Essay Writing Skills | Articulating thoughts clearly and effectively on a variety of topics. Focus on coherence, structure, and analytical abilities. |
| Paper 2: GS 1 | Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society |
|
| Paper 3: GS 2 | Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations |
|
| Paper 4: GS 3 | Economic Development, Technology, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management |
|
| Paper 5: GS 4 | Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude |
|
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 for Interview
The UPSC Interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the examination. Unlike the earlier stages, there is no specific syllabus for the interview.
The questions asked cover a broad range of topics, including both current events and static subjects. The goal of the interview is to evaluate the candidate’s overall suitability for a career in civil services, and it is conducted by an impartial panel.
The Interview is worth 275 marks, while the written examination carries 1750 marks, bringing the total possible marks to 2025. This total determines the final rank in the merit list.
UPSC CSE Optional Subject 2025
The final two papers of the UPSC CSE Mains exam are dedicated to optional subjects. Applicants need to select their optional subjects while filling out UPSC CSE 2025 application form. Candidates preparing for the UPSC 2025 exam can choose from the following optional subjects:
- Agriculture
- Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science
- Anthropology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Commerce and 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
Additionally, candidates may opt for Literature from one of the following languages:
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, or English.
UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2025
The UPSC releases the CSE 2025 exam pattern along with the syllabus. Before starting your preparation, it’s crucial to understand the exam pattern. The pattern for both the Prelims and Mains is given separately.
The Prelims stage is worth a total of 500 marks, while the Mains stage carries 600 marks. You can find more details about the UPSC CSE exam pattern in the table below.
UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern 2025
Check the table below for the UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2025 for the prelims exam:
| UPSC CSE Prelims Exam Pattern 2025 | |
| Number of papers | GS 1 AND GS 2 |
| Language of paper | English |
| Hindi | |
| Duration of exam | 4 hours (2 hours each) |
| Number of questions | General studies paper 1: 100
General studies paper 2: 80 |
| Maximum marks | 400 (200 each) |
| Qualifying marks | 33% for Paper 2 |
UPSC CSE Mains Exam Pattern 2025
Check the table below for the UPSC CSE Exam Pattern 2025 for the mains exam:
| UPSC CSE Mains Exam Pattern 2025 | |
| Number of papers | 9 |
| Language of paper | English |
| Hindi | |
| Descriptive paper | |
| Duration of exam | 3 hours each |
| Subjects | Compulsory Indian language
English Essay
|
| Number of questions | Part A and B: 300 each
General Studies and Optional Paper: 250 each |
| Maximum marks | 1750 |
UPSC CSE Exam 2025 Preparation Tips
Preparing for the UPSC CSE 2025 exam requires careful planning and dedication. The following are the tips for boost your preparation:
Understand the Syllabus and Exam Pattern: Start by thoroughly reading the UPSC IAS 2025 syllabus and exam pattern. This will help you understand the structure and all the topics that need to be covered.
Create a Study Schedule: Design a detailed study plan that assigns specific time slots for each subject. Consistency is essential, so stick to your schedule every day.
Choose the Right Study Material: Select standard, recommended books and study resources. Quality materials are crucial for effective learning and preparation.
Take Notes and Revise Regularly: While studying, make brief, clear notes that you can quickly refer to later. Revising these notes consistently will help improve your retention and understanding.
Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve as many previous UPSC IAS question papers as you can. This will improve your time management skills and help you get used to the exam format.
UPSC CSE Syllabus 2025 FAQs
What is the UPSC CSE 2025 exam pattern?
The UPSC CSE 2025 includes three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview, with objective and subjective papers.
What subjects are included in the UPSC CSE 2025 Mains exam?
The Mains exam consists of 9 papers, including General Studies, Essay, and optional subjects.
How many papers are there in the UPSC CSE 2025 Prelims?
The Prelims consist of 2 papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT).
When will the UPSC CSE syllabus 2025 be available?
The detailed UPSC CSE syllabus 2025 will be released on January 22, 2025.
How can I choose my optional subject for UPSC CSE 2025?
You can select your optional subject from a list of disciplines when filling out the UPSC CSE 2025 application.