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All about UPSC CSE-GS
Your complete guide to UPSC CSE-GS preparation.
What is UPSC CSE - GS?
UPSC CSE-GS 2022 Eligibility Criteria
UPSC CSE - GS 2022 Syllabus
Study Plan for UPSC CSE-GS 2022
What is UPSC CSE - GS?
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is one of the most competitive exams in India. The UPSC CSE-GS is the General Studies paper for this examination, conducted every year to test the intellectual acumen and academic expertise of candidates to appoint officers in All India Administrative Civil Services.
There are two stages of the UPSC examination - Prelims and Mains. While the Prelims comprises two GS papers, the Mains consists of four GS papers. Hence, there are a total of six GS papers that together comprise the largest share of the CSE examination marks.
UPSC CSE - GS Prelims
The UPSC CSE Prelims consists of General Studies (GS) Papers I and II. It is merely a screening test, meaning the marks obtained by the candidates are not counted towards the final score. But candidates have to score cut-off marks in the exam to qualify for the next stage, i.e. the UPSC CSE Mains exam.
Paper I - This covers current events (international and national), Indian History and National Movement, World and Indian Geography, Indian Polity, Economic Development, etc.
Paper II - Also known as the GS (CSAT) exam, Paper II covers topics such as problem-solving, decision-making, comprehension, general mental ability, basic numeracy, interpersonal skills, etc. Candidates need to obtain at least 33% marks in this paper to qualify for the UPSC CSE Mains exam.
UPSC CSE–GS Prelims are conducted offline at designated exam centres. The exam follows a 'pen n paper' mode and comprises objective type questions. Candidates need to mark the answers in an OMR sheet.
UPSC CSE–GS Mains
The UPSC Mains comprises two types of papers - Qualifying and Merit ranking. Paper A and B, namely the Language Paper and English Paper are qualifying exams. The marks obtained in these papers will not be considered to evaluate the merit. All other Papers (Paper I - Paper VII) will be evaluated for merit purposes. Paper II, III, IV, and V consist of the four General Studies or GS papers.
GS Paper II – Indian Heritage, History, Culture, Society, and Geography of the World
GS Paper III – Constitution, Governance, Polity, International Relations, and Social Justice
GS Paper IV - Technology, Biodiversity, Economic Development, Environment, Disaster Management, and Security
GS Paper V - Integrity, Aptitude, and Ethics
Candidates can choose the medium of writing for the UPSC CSE GS Mains exam. They can either opt for Hindi, English or pick any other language from the list of languages listed in the 8th schedule of the Indian Constitution. Candidates meeting the specified cut-off marks in the Mains exam are summoned by the UPSC for the final Personality Test/Interview Round.
UPSC CSE-GS 2022 Eligibility Criteria
Learners must fulfil specific eligibility criteria to appear for the UPSC CSE - GS examinations. The eligibility criteria are given below.
UPSC CSE – GS Eligibility Criteria
| Required Criteria | Details |
|---|---|
| Nationality |
|
| Age limit |
|
| Educational qualifications |
|
| Number of attempts |
|
| Restrictions |
|
| Physical standards |
|
UPSC CSE - GS 2022 Important Dates:
| Process | Date |
|---|---|
| UPSC CSE notification release |
|
| Application form availability |
|
| Last date for submitting online application forms |
|
| Prelims examination admit card |
|
| Prelims examination date |
|
| Prelims examination results |
|
| Main examination admit card |
|
| Main examination date |
|
| Final results announcement |
|
UPSC CSE - GS 2022 Syllabus
Learners who wish to appear for the UPSC CSE-GS papers can refer to the detailed exam syllabus available on the official website of UPSC. Unacademy also provides the complete UPSC CSE-GS syllabus to help Learners prepare comprehensively for the exams. They can download the complete syllabus to begin their preparation.
The UPSC CSE-GS syllabus consists of two parts - Prelims and Mains syllabus. The Preliminary syllabus consists of Indian History, National Movement, World Geography, Social and Economic Development, General Science, etc. The Mains syllabus consists of Ethics, Aptitude, Technology, Biodiversity, Disaster Management, Polity, Governance, Social Justice, Indian Heritage, Culture, and various other subjects.
Along with the required syllabus books, Learners can also use the reference books recommended in the UPSC CSE-GS study material.
UPSC CSE-GS 2022 Exam Pattern
UPSC CSE - GS Prelims Exam Pattern
The UPSC CSE-GS Prelims consists of two papers - Paper I and II.
Paper I- Paper 1 consists of 100 questions with multiple choice answers
- This is an objective-type paper with a total of 200 marks
- Each wrong answer carries a negative marking of 1/3 of the allotted marks for that question. Any question with multiple answers is treated as a wrong answer too
- There is no negative marking for questions not attempted by the candidate
- It is mandatory for the candidate to appear for this paper
- Paper 2 consists of 80 questions with multiple choice answers
- This objective-type paper is of 200 marks
- There is negative marking for wrong answers. Each wrong answer will have a negative marking of 1/3 of the allotted marks for that question
- Providing multiple answers to a question is considered a wrong answer
- Learners must appear for this paper compulsorily
- Paper 2 is a qualifying examination, where Learners must obtain 33% or higher to clear it
UPSC CSE - GS Mains Exam Pattern
The UPSC CSE-GS Mains consists of nine papers, out of which two papers are only qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in seven papers and the interview together are considered for preparing the final merit list.
Paper A- Compulsory Indian Language Paper with a total of 300 marks
- It is a qualifying exam
- English Language Paper with a total of 300 marks
- It is a qualifying exam
- Essay type exam consists of 250 marks
- General Studies Paper I consists of 250 marks
- General Studies Paper II consists of 250 marks
- General Studies Paper III consists of 250 marks
- General Studies Paper IV consists of 250 marks
- Optional Paper I consists of 250 marks
- Optional Paper II consists of 250 marks
UPSC CSE-GS 2022: Previous Years' Question Papers with Solutions
Learners preparing for the UPSC CSE-GS 2022 can download previous years’ questions papers from the official website of UPSC. The website consists of question papers along with the solutions. These will help aspiring Learners prepare well for the examinations and understand the overall weightage of the syllabus. Additionally, they can also undertake mock tests on Unacademy to get an idea about their preparation status.
Study Plan for UPSC CSE-GS 2022
UPSC CSE-GS is one of the most prestigious examinations in the country. However, it is incredibly difficult to qualify for the exam. Learners must formulate an efficient strategy to prepare sufficiently and ace the examination. By creating a timetable, Learners can prioritise the syllabus based on their convenience and understand which topics are easier or more challenging to learn. In such cases, choosing the right guidance to prepare for the UPSC CSE - GS exam will be extremely helpful. Unacademy is a learning platform where Top Educators help Learners qualify the UPSC CSE - GS exam through Interactive Live Classes and over 40 exams. With the help of the right study material, previous years’ question papers, and mock tests on Unacademy, Learners can master the subjects comprehensively and excel in the GS exams.
Given below is a detailed, seven-month study plan to help UPSC CSE-GS Learners prepare strategically for the papers:
Month 1:| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Physical Geography, Ancient History of India GS Paper II - Reading Comprehensions |
| GS Paper I - Human Geography, Medieval History of India GS Paper II - Number and Alphabetical Series, Number System |
| GS Paper I - Economic Geography, Modern History (1857 - 1947) GS Paper II - Mathematical Operations, Coding and Decoding, Ratio and Proportion |
| GS Paper I - World Geography, Indian National Movement GS Paper II - Venn Diagram, Syllogism, Distance, Time, Speed |
| Topics to Cover for Mains |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Indian History, Heritage, Culture, Geography of the World, Society |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Basic Principles of Indian Economy, Union Executives GS Paper II - Blood Relationship, Time and Work, Alligation and Mixture |
| GS Paper I - Social Schemes of Government, State Executives GS Paper II - Age-based Average Problems, Seating Arrangements |
| GS Paper I - Social Development, Federalism in India GS Paper II - Hindi/English Comprehension, Data Interpretation (Table, Bar Graphs, and Charts) |
| GS Paper I - Economic Empowerment, Judicial System GS Paper II - Compound and Simple Interest, Direction Sense, Ranking |
| Topics to Cover for Mains |
|---|
| GS Paper II - Constitution, Governance, Polity, International Relations, and Social Justice |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Demographics, Panchayati Raj GS Paper II - English Language Comprehension, Discount, Profit and Loss |
| GS Paper I - General Principles Physics, Biology, Technology, and Chemistry, Ecology and Environment (general principles) GS Paper II - Statement, Algebra, Conclusions |
| GS Paper I - Current Affairs, Climate Change, Conferences, Climate Summits GS Paper II - Fractions, Decimals, HCF, LCM, Statement, Assumptions, Argument |
| GS Paper I - Current Affairs (with all dimensions), Latest Technological and Science Development GS Paper II - English Vocabulary and Grammar, Data Interpretation (Table, Bar Graphs, Charts) |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Union Budget 2021, Global Warming GS Paper II - Venn Diagram, Syllogism, Geometry |
| GS Paper I - British Expansion in India, Economic Survey 2020-21 GS Paper II - Analogy, Mensuration, Classification |
| GS Paper I - Judicial Appointments, Constituent Assembly, Making of the Constitution GS Paper II - Number and Alphabetical Series, Elementary Statistics |
| GS Paper I - Volcanoes and Earthquakes, Earth and the Universe GS Paper II - Puzzles, Data Interpretation (Bar Graphs, Table, Charts) |
| Topics to Cover for Mains |
|---|
| GS Paper III - Economic Development, Technology, Environment, Biodiversity, Disaster Management, Security |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Revise all current affairs, Advent of European Powers GS Paper II - Blood Relationship and Percentage |
| GS Paper I - Study all the important topics from the Technology and Science Section GS Paper II - Seating Arrangements, Proportion and Ratio |
| GS Paper I - Indian Constitution, Modern India History Topics GS Paper II - Coding, Decoding, Average, Mathematical Operations |
| GS Paper I - Recent developments in science, sports, culture, environment, Recent schemes by Indian Government and PM Modi GS Paper II - English Fillers, Data Interpretation (Charts, Table, Bar Graphs), Comprehension, Para Jumbles |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| GS Paper I - Practice GS questions for UPSC CSE-GS Prelims, Revise Ecology and Environment subject GS Paper II - Direction Sense, Algebra, Ranking |
| GS Paper I - Revise Indian Polity GS Paper II - Discount, Profit and Loss, Statement-Arguments, Conclusions, Assumptions |
| GS Paper I - Revise History and Geography Subjects GS Paper II - Distance, Time, Speed, Venn Diagram, Syllogism |
| GS Paper I - Revise Indian Economy and Current Affairs Topics GS Paper II - Revise Maths, Reasoning, Hindi/English Comprehension |
| Topics to Cover for Mains |
|---|
| GS Paper IV - Aptitude, Ethics, Integrity |
| Topics to Cover for Prelims |
|---|
| Practice UPSC CSE - GS Previous Years’ Question Papers and Enrol for Mock Exams |
| Topics to Cover for Mains |
|---|
| Practice UPSC CSE - GS Previous Years’ Question Papers and Enrol for Mock Exams |
How to choose the right Live Class for UPSC CSE - GS 2022?
When preparing for a crucial exam like UPSC CSE-GS, appropriate guidance is critical. The long road to success begins with laying a firm foundation and that includes choosing Top Educators for precise learning. Enrolling in Live Classes on Unacademy can help Learners take the first step to prepare for the UPSC exam. Through Unlimited Access to Interactive Live Classes, Unacademy provides well-structured and exceptional academic expertise to help Learners get a firm grasp over the exam syllabus.
Here are a few critical factors to consider when choosing the correct online learning platform and Educators for UPSC CSE-GS:
Syllabus and study material available on the platform
Before enrolling for a Live Class, make sure you check whether the platform provides the latest syllabus and study material. In addition, get all the necessary information about how to appear for the mock tests, access the study material, get the latest and updated syllabus before enrolling for the course.
Success record
Understanding the platform’s success record is essential in evaluating if it will help you excel in the exam. Check its track record by taking feedback from current and past students, inquiring about the platform’s study materials, facilities, mock exams, and how they’ve helped them succeed in acing the UPSC CSE-GS papers.
Available faculty members
As mentioned before, proper guidance is the paramount. Learners need to look for Top Educators who can guide them the right way to ace the UPSC CSE-GS exam. The Educators on Unacademy offer essential tips and teach through Interactive Live Classes so that Learners acquire the proper knowledge to ace the GS papers.
Books to Refer for the UPSC CSE - GS Prelims Preparation 2022
History- Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
- India's Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra
- NCERT XII (Modern Indian History)
- NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval)
- World Atlas (Orient Black Swan)
- NCERT VI – X (Old Syllabus)
- Certificate Physical Geography – G C Leong
- NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus)
- NCERT IX-XII
- Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth
- NCERT XI
- Economic Development and Policies in India – Jain & Ohri
- Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania
- Contemporary World Politics (NCERT XII)
- Current Affairs
- Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning by R S Aggarwal
- Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual
- IAS GS Prelims Solved Papers by Vishal Publications
Books to Refer for the UPSC CSE - GS Mains Preparation 2022
GS Paper I- Social Change and Development in India (NCERT)
- Ancient History by R.S Sharma (Old NCERT)
- The modern history of Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
- The spectrum of modern India by Rajiv Ahir
- Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania
- Politics in India since Independence (NCERT)
- Indian Society (NCERT)
- World History NCERT by Arjun Dev (Old NCERT)
- Fundamentals of Physical Geography (NCERT)
- India: Physical Environment (NCERT)
- Fundamentals of Human Geography (NCERT)
- India since Independence by Bipin Chandra (Old NCERT)
- India People and Economy (NCERT)
- India Year Book
- Indian Constitution at Work (NCERT)
- Introduction to the Constitution of India by D.D. Basu
- Indian Polity by Laxmikanth
- Governance in India by Laxmikanth
- Contemporary World Politics (NCERT)
- Indian Economy for Civil Services Exam by Ramesh Singh
- Indian Economy NCERTs of class 11th and 12th
- Indian Economy by Uma Kapila
- India People and Economy (NCERT)
- For Science and Technology
- Economic Survey and Fiscal Budget
- ARC Report on Disaster Management
- India Year Book
- Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude for Civil Services Examination by G. Subba Rao
- IGNOU Study Material for Ethics Course
- Justice: What's the right thing to do? - By Michael Sandel
- Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude for IAS General Studies by Niraj Kumar
- Psychology NCERT class 12th book
- Administrative Reforms Commission Report on Ethics
Mantras for Cracking UPSC CSE - GS 2022
Cracking a competitive examination like UPSC CSE-GS requires a considerable amount of grit and intellect. Here’s a list of tips and tricks to ease the tension of aspirants and help them increase the possibilities of cracking the UPSC CSE-GS 2022.
Formulating a strict schedule
Time management is a major ‘make it or break it’ factor when it comes to the UPSC CSE - GS papers. But with a steady focus and rigorous schedule, Learners can work hard every day to prepare effectively and increase their chances of success. This may include studying notes for a few hours each day for a particular duration, starting preparation from months ahead, etc.
Evaluating and understanding the examination pattern
The UPSC portal mentions the complete examination pattern. Go through it, familiarise yourself with the syllabus, question patterns, and structure your preparation plan accordingly.
Structuring your study plan efficiently
Given how vast the UPSC CSE-GS syllabus is, the preparation process may differ for everyone. Some may entail follow-ups with specific study material; others may need particular notes to understand better. It is, therefore, crucial to choose the amount of material you can comfortably fit into your schedule and structure your studying plan accordingly.
Practise tests
Solving previous years’ question papers and undertaking mock tests on Unacademy is significantly helpful. These regular tests will help you familiarise yourself with the UPSC CSE-GS examination patterns and analyse the areas that require improvement, and help you prepare more efficiently.
Updating your current affairs knowledge
Several questions in the UPSC CSE-GS papers are based on current affairs. You must be well-versed with the latest happenings and have up-to-date awareness of both national and international affairs. Developing a habit of reading daily newspapers, surfing news websites, etc., can help in this significantly.
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