SYLLABUS FOR GENERAL STUDIES FOR
CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION
General Studies- I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History
and Geography of the World and Society.
Indian Heritage and Culture, History
·
Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of
Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
·
Modern Indian history from about the middle of
the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities,
issues
·
The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and
important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.
·
Post-independence consolidation and reorganization
within the country.
·
History of the world will include events from
18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national
boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like
communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
Society
Ø
Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of
India.
Ø
Role of women and women’s organization,
population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues,
urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Ø
Effects of globalization on Indian society
Ø
Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism
& secularism.
Geography
- Salient features of world’s physical geography.
- Distribution of key natural resources across 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)
- Important Geophysical phenomena such as
earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
- Geographical features
and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including
waterbodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such
changes.
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity,
Social Justice and International relations
Constitution and Polity
ü
Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings,
evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
ü
Functions and responsibilities of the Union and
the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure,
devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
ü
Separation of powers between various organs, dispute
redressal mechanisms and institutions.
ü
Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme
with that of other countries
ü
Parliament and State Legislatures - structure,
functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising
out of these.
ü
Structure, organization and functioning of the
Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government;
pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
ü
Salient features of the Representation of
People’s Act.
ü
Appointment to various Constitutional posts,
powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
ü
Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial
bodies
Governance and Social
Justice
Ø
Government policies and interventions for
development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation.
Ø
Development processes and the development
industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors,
charities, institutional and other stakeholders
Ø
Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the
population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;
mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and
betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Ø
Issues relating to development and management of
Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Ø
Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
Ø
Important aspects of governance, transparency
and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations,
and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional
and other measures.
Ø
Role of civil services in a democracy.
International Relations
ü
India and its neighborhood- relations.
ü
Bilateral, regional and global groupings and
agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
ü
Effect of policies and politics of developed and
developing countries on India’s interests
ü
Indian diaspora
ü
Important International institutions, agencies
and fora- their structure, mandate.
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development,
Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
Economic Development
ü
Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,
mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
ü
Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
ü
Government Budgeting.
ü
Major crops cropping patterns in various parts
of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage,
transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints;
e-technology in the aid of farmers
ü
Issues related to direct and indirect farm
subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives,
functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
ü
Food processing and related industries in India-
scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply
chain management.
ü
Land reforms in India.
ü
Effects of liberalization on the economy,
changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
ü
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports,
Railways etc.
ü
Investment models.
Technology, Bio diversity, Environment, Disaster
Management
ü
Science and Technology- developments and their applications
and effects in everyday life
ü
Achievements of Indians in science &
technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
ü
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers,
robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual
property rights.
ü
Conservation, environmental pollution and
degradation, environmental impact assessment
ü
Disaster and disaster management.
Security
ü
Linkages between development and spread of
extremism.
ü
Role of external state and non-state actors in
creating challenges to internal security.
ü
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
ü
Security challenges and their management in
border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism
ü
Various Security forces and agencies and their
mandate
General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
This paper will include questions to test the candidates’
attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life
and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him
in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to
determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.
Ø
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; role of family, society and educational
institutions in inculcating values.
Ø
Attitude:
content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and
behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Ø
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.
Ø
Emotional
intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in
administration and governance.
Ø
Contributions
of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
Ø
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.
Ø
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.
Ø
Case
Studies on above issues.
You can download it here: http://www.scribd.com/doc/156536839/GS-Syllabus
