UPSC Prelims GS Paper I Syllabus
General Studies Paper I is the Prelims paper that decides the cut-off: 100 multiple-choice questions for 200 marks, with negative marking for wrong answers. The syllabus below is split into 88 topics across 10 subjects, with how often each was asked from 2016 to 2025.
Most asked Prelims GS Paper I topics
- Gandhi & Mass Movements — NCM, CDM, Quit India MovementHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Temple Architecture — Nagara, Dravida, Vesara, Buddhist & Jain MonumentsHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Heritage Governance — UNESCO (WH/Intangible), ASI, GI Tags, PRASAD, HRIDAYHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Space Technology — ISRO Missions, Satellites, Planetary Science & Space EconomyHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Biotechnology — Genomics, GMO, Vaccines, CRISPR, Biosafety & Health TechHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Monsoon — Mechanism, ENSO, IOD, MJO & Indian ImpactHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Drainage System — Himalayan & Peninsular Rivers, River ProjectsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Transport Networks — Railways, Roads, DFCs, Waterways & Economic CorridorsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- World & Map-Based Geography — Countries, Straits, Passes, Features in NewsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Mauryan Empire — Chandragupta, Ashoka, Administration & EdictsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
Geography — Physical — 10 topics
- Earth's Interior, Structure & Seismic WavesHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes & VolcanoesHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Geomorphology — Landforms, Weathering & ErosionHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Atmospheric Circulation, Pressure Belts & Wind SystemsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Climatology — World Climates, Köppen, Tropical CyclonesHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Monsoon — Mechanism, ENSO, IOD, MJO & Indian ImpactHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Oceanography — Ocean Floor, Currents, Tides & Marine ZonesHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Biogeography — Biomes, Soils & Natural Vegetation ZonesHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Distribution of Continents, Oceans & Polar Vortexasked 2/10 yrs
- Solar System, Earth's Motions, Time & Magnetosphereasked 2/10 yrs
Geography — Indian — 12 topics
- Physiography of India — Himalayas, Plains, Peninsular Plateau, IslandsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Drainage System — Himalayan & Peninsular Rivers, River ProjectsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Climate of India — Monsoon Seasons, Regional Variations & WeatherHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Soils of India — Classification, Degradation & ConservationHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Natural Vegetation — Forest Types, Deforestation & ConservationHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Mineral & Energy Resources — Distribution & Critical MineralsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Agriculture — Crops, Agro-climatic Zones & Food Security GeographyHigh-yieldasked 3/10 yrs
- Industries — Iron/Steel, Textile, Chemical, Industrial Location TheoryHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Transport Networks — Railways, Roads, DFCs, Waterways & Economic CorridorsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Population & Demography — Distribution, Density, Migration, Census DataHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- World & Map-Based Geography — Countries, Straits, Passes, Features in NewsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Urbanisation, Smart Cities, Disaster Geography & Regional Developmentasked 3/10 yrs
Ancient History — 9 topics
- Prehistory, Protohistory & Sources of Ancient Indian HistoryHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Indus Valley Civilization — Sites, Features, Trade & DeclineHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Vedic Period — Rigvedic & Later Vedic, Society, Economy & ReligionHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Mahajanapadas, Second Urbanisation & Rise of Magadha (600–300 BCE)High-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Buddhism & Jainism — Origins, Councils, Texts, Sites & SpreadHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Mauryan Empire — Chandragupta, Ashoka, Administration & EdictsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Post-Mauryan Polities — Kushanas, Satavahanas, Indo-Greeks, Trade RoutesHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Gupta Empire — Administration, Economy, Art, Science & Post-GuptaHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Sangam Age, South Indian Kingdoms & Epigraphy/NumismaticsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
Medieval History — 7 topics
- Early Medieval India — Regional Kingdoms, Arab Invasions & Ghaznavid RaidsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Cholas & South Indian Kingdoms (850–1300 CE) — Administration, Culture, NavyHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Delhi Sultanate — Dynasties, Administration, Economy & Art (1206–1526)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Vijayanagara, Bahmani & Other Regional Kingdoms (14th–16th c.)asked 3/10 yrs
- Mughal Empire — Akbar to Aurangzeb, Administration, Art & ArchitectureHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Bhakti & Sufi Movements — Saints, Philosophy, Social ImpactHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Maratha Confederacy, Medieval Art & Architecture (Ports, Trade)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
Modern History — 9 topics
- 1857 Revolt — Causes, Nature, Consequences & British ResponseHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Socio-Religious Reform Movements — Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Aligarh etc.High-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Indian National Congress — Formation, Moderate/Extremist Phase, Surat SplitHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- British India's Foreign & Frontier Policy (Afghan Wars, Tibet, NWFP)asked 3/10 yrs
- Gandhi & Mass Movements — NCM, CDM, Quit India MovementHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Revolutionary Movements, Peasant & Tribal RebellionsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Labour Movements, Left Politics & Communal Organisations (1920–47)asked 2/10 yrs
- World War II, INA, Road to Freedom & Partition (1939–47)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Post-Independence — Integration of Princely States, Reorganisationasked 2/10 yrs
Art & Culture — 5 topics
- Temple Architecture — Nagara, Dravida, Vesara, Buddhist & Jain MonumentsHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Indo-Islamic & Regional Architecture — Forts, Stepwells, Mughal/Rajput StylesHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Classical & Folk Art — Dance, Music, Theatre, Painting Schools, SculptureHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Literature, Languages & Religio-Cultural Traditions (Bhakti/Sufi/Buddhist)asked 3/10 yrs
- Heritage Governance — UNESCO (WH/Intangible), ASI, GI Tags, PRASAD, HRIDAYHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
Polity & Constitution — 12 topics
- Evolution of Constitution — Charter Acts, GoI Acts 1858/1919/1935, Independence ActHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Constituent Assembly — Objectives, Key Committees & Drafting ProcessHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Preamble, Basic Structure & Salient Features of Indian ConstitutionHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Fundamental Rights (Art.12-35) — Scope, Exceptions & Recent JudgmentsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- DPSP, Fundamental Duties & their Interplay with FRHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Parliament — Structure, Sessions, Procedures, Money/Finance Bills, OrdinancesHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- President, Vice-President & Governor — Powers, Discretion & AppointmentsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Supreme Court, High Courts, Judicial Review & Recent Landmark JudgmentsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- State Legislature, Centre-State Relations & Federal Structure (Art.245-263)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- 73rd/74th Amendment, PESA, Local Governance & Finance DevolutionHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Constitutional Bodies — CIC, CVC, CAG, NHRC, EC, Finance Commission, UPSCHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Types of Majority, Emergency Provisions & Anti-Defection (10th Schedule)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
Economy — 12 topics
- Basic Economics — Demand, Supply, Market Types, Elasticity & Price ControlHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- National Income — GDP, GNP, GVA, NNP, Growth Models & MeasurementHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- RBI, Monetary Policy, Banking System & Financial Sector ReformsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Fiscal Policy, Budget, Deficit Types, FRBM & Public FinanceHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Inflation — Types, Causes, Price Indices (CPI/WPI), Phillips CurveHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Poverty, Unemployment, Inclusive Growth & Welfare Schemes (MGNREGA, PM-KISAN etc.)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- International Trade, BoP, Exchange Rate, IMF, WTO & Trade AgreementsHigh-yieldasked 3/10 yrs
- GST, Direct/Indirect Taxes, Tax Reforms & Resource MobilisationHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Financial Markets — Capital Markets, SEBI, Insurance, Pension & NBFCsasked 2/10 yrs
- Agriculture — MSP, APMC, Irrigation, Credit, Food Processing & PDSHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Indian Economic Planning — Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, Five Year PlansHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Infrastructure — Roads, Railways, Ports, Energy, PPP & Investment ModelsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
Environment & Ecology — 6 topics
- Ecosystem & Ecology — Food Chains, Energy Flow, Ecological PyramidsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Biodiversity — Hotspots, Threatened Species, Conservation (In-situ/Ex-situ)High-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- Climate Change — GHGs, UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, NDCs, Carbon MarketsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Pollution — Air, Water, Soil, Noise, Plastic & Waste Management LawsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Environmental Laws & Bodies — EPA, WPA, FCA, EIA, CPCB, CAMPA, NGTHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- Protected Areas, Wildlife, Wetlands (Ramsar) & International ConventionsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
Science & Technology — 6 topics
- General Science — Physics Basics (Light, Sound, Electricity, Magnetism, Nuclear)High-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
- General Science — Chemistry (Elements, Reactions, Acids/Bases, Everyday Chemistry)High-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
- General Science — Biology (Cell, Genetics, Disease, Nutrition, Human Body)High-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
- Space Technology — ISRO Missions, Satellites, Planetary Science & Space EconomyHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Biotechnology — Genomics, GMO, Vaccines, CRISPR, Biosafety & Health TechHigh-yieldasked 7/10 yrs
- Emerging Tech — AI, Semiconductors, Quantum, Cybersecurity, ICT & StandardsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs
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