UKPSC CSE 2023 Complete Syllabus

There are two levels of written exam in UKPSC PCS Exam 2023. We have covered the UKPCS syllabus 2023 for both Prelims and Mains. Make your preparation strategy for the exam based on the UKPCS Syllabus 2023 given here.

UKPSC PCS Preliminary Exam Pattern & Syllabus 

The first round of the selection process is the preliminary examination. The exam consists of two papers, General Studies and General Aptitude. Each paper is of 150 marks. The duration of the exam is 2 hours. Qualified candidates will appear for main exam.
S.No. Subject Total Questions Marks Time
1 General Studies 150 (Each 1 marks question) 150 2 hours
2 General Aptitude 100 (Each 1.5 marks question) 150 2 hours
Total 300 4 hours

UKPSC PCS Preliminary Syllabus 

Here we have presented the UKPCS Prelims Syllabus for both papers. Candidates can check the General Studies and General Aptitude Syllabus in the table.
Subject Syllabus
General Studies
  • 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 – Demographics, Sustainable Development,  Inclusion,  Social Sector initiatives, Poverty, etc
  • General issues on Environmental Bio-diversity, Ecology and Climate Change
  • General Science
General Aptitude
  • Comprehension
  • General mental ability
  • Interpersonal skills including communication skills
  • Decision-making and problem solving
  • Logical reasoning and analytical ability

UKPSC PCS Main Exam Pattern & Syllabus

The UKPCS syllabus for all the papers of the UKPSC PCS Mains exam is discussed here. Candidates can check the paper-wise syllabus of the main exam in the table.
Paper Syllabus
General Studies I
  • Art Forms, Architecture and Literature  from ancient to modern times
  • Freedom Struggle – Its Various Phases and Important Contributors/Contributions from Different Parts of the Country
  • Modern Indian History from the middle of the eighteenth century to the present – important events, personalities, issues
  • Salient features of Indian Society
  • India’s diversity, role of women and women’s organization, population and related issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanisation, their problems, and their remedies
  • Effects of globalization on Indian society Communalism, Social empowerment,  secularism & regionalism &
  • The history of the world will include events from the 18th century such as the industrial revolution, colonization, world wars, decolonization, redrawing of national boundaries,   political philosophies like capitalism, communism,  socialism, etc.- their forms and effect on the society
  • Important Geophysical phenomena such as Tsunami, Volcanic activity, earthquakes,   cyclones, etc.
  • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
  • Salient  features of physical geography of the world Distribution of major natural resources around the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent)
  • Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
  • Geographical features and their location- Changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
General Studies 2
  • Indian Constitution- historical, evolution, underpinnings,  features, amendments, significant provisions, and basic structure.
  • Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges relating to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances to the local level, and challenges therein.
  • 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
  • The structure, organization and functioning of the executive and judiciary ministries and departments of the government; Pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in politics
  • Separation of powers between various organs disputes redressal mechanisms and institutions.
  • Development Processes and Role of Development Industry NGOs, Self Help Groups, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
  • Welfare schemes and performance of these schemes by the Center and the States for the weaker sections of the population; Mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
  • Comparison of Indian Constitutional Plan with Parliament and State Legislatures of other countries – Structure, functions, conduct of business, powers and privileges, and issues arising out of these
  • Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
  • Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Human Resources, Education
  • Issues relating to poverty and hunger
  • Important International agencies, institutions,  and fora, their structure, mandate
  • India and its Neighborhood- Relations Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or India’s interests affecting India’s interests, the impact of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on the Indian diaspora.
General Studies 3
  • Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
  • Cropping patterns of major crops in different parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems for storage, transportation and marketing of agricultural products and issues and related constraints; Issues related to e-technology direct and indirect agriculture subsidies and minimum support prices to help farmers
  • Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development, and employment.
  • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
  • Government Budgeting.
  • Food Processing and Related Industries in India- Scope and Importance, Location, Upstream and Downstream Requirements, Supply Chain Management. Land Reforms in India.
  • Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy, and their effects on industrial growth.
  • Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food 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; The relationship of organized crime with terrorism to various security forces and agencies and their mandates
  • Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
  • Infrastructure: Airports, Roads, Energy, Railways, Ports, etc. Investment models. Science and technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
  • Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology
  • Conservation, environmental pollution, and degradation, environmental impact assessment
  • Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
  • Disaster and disaster management.
General Studies 4
  • 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; the 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.
  • 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 corruption Case Studies on above issues.
  • Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the 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.
  • 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.
Important Points:

1. Papers in Indian Languages and English (Paper A and Paper B) will be of qualifying nature and marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

2. Papers in Indian Languages and English (Paper A and Paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent level.

3. Papers of Essay, General Studies, and Optional Subjects will be taken into consideration only of such candidates who obtain 25% marks in ‘Indian Language’ and 25% in ‘English’ as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.

4. Marks obtained by the candidates for Paper I-VII only will be counted for merit ranking.

5. The question papers for the main examination will be of conventional (essay) type and each paper will be of 3 hour duration.

6. Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the Qualifying Language Papers, Paper-A and Paper-B, in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India or in English.

7. The question papers (other than the literature of language papers) will be set in Hindi and English only.

8. Compensatory time of twenty minutes per hour will be allowed for Blind candidates and candidates with locomotor disability and cerebral palsy, where both the effectiveness (writing) is affected to the extent of slowing down the performance of the task (minimum 40% impairment) in Civil Services (Preliminary) as well as Civil Services (Main) Examination.

UKPSC Selection Process FAQs

How many attempts of UKPSC PCS exam can a candidate give?

Candidates can attempt the UKPSC PCS exam any number of times. There is no bar on the number of attempts.

How many papers are in UKPSC PCS Prelims exam?

There are two papers in the UKPSC PCS prelims exam. The papers are general knowledge and general studies.

Is the UKPSC PCS selection process involves Interview?

Yes, the UKPSC PCS exam involves interviews. Candidates who qualify in the mains exam will be called for the Interview.

How many stages are there in the UKPSC PCS selection process?

The UKPSC PCS has three stages of exams. The stages are prelims, mains, and interviews.

Can I give UKPSC PCS interview in Hindi language?

Yes, the aspirants can give an interview in either Hindi or English language.

Is there a physical test in the UKPSC PCS selection process?

Yes, there is are some posts that involve physical tests in the UKPSC PCS exam.