The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2025 is the first stage of the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other civil services recruitment. This guide covers the complete UPSC Prelims 2025 syllabus for both General Studies (Paper I) and CSAT (Paper II), based on the latest official UPSC notification.

📌 UPSC Prelims 2025 Exam Pattern

The Prelims consists of two objective papers, both conducted on the same day. Only candidates who clear the cut-off in GS Paper I and score 33% in CSAT qualify for the Mains.

Paper Subjects Questions Marks Duration
GS Paper I General Studies 100 200 2 hours
CSAT (Paper II) Aptitude 80 200 2 hours

✅ GS Paper I**: Merit-based — marks count for final selection.
✅ CSAT**: Qualifying only — 33% (66 marks) required to pass.

📚 UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025 – GS Paper I

GS Paper I covers a wide range of subjects. Questions are designed to test awareness, analytical ability, and integration of knowledge.

1. Current Affairs

  • National & international events of last 12–18 months
  • Government schemes, policies, and bills
  • Science & tech developments (ISRO, AI, health)
  • Environment & ecology (COP, biodiversity, pollution)

2. History of India & Indian National Movement

  • Ancient & Medieval India (culture, architecture, empires)
  • Modern Indian History (1757–1947)
  • Indian Freedom Struggle (leaders, movements, acts)
  • Post-independence consolidation

3. Indian & World Geography

  • Physical geography (landforms, climate, ocean currents)
  • Indian geography (rivers, soils, crops, industries)
  • World geography (major countries, resources, disasters)
  • Map-based questions (locations, rivers, mountains)

4. Indian Polity & Governance

  • Constitution (Preamble, FRs, DPSP, Amendments)
  • Parliament, President, Judiciary, Panchayati Raj
  • Important articles, schedules, and commissions
  • Welfare schemes and governance challenges

5. Economic & Social Development

  • Budget, fiscal policy, taxation
  • Inflation, GDP, NITI Aayog, Economic Survey
  • Poverty, inclusion, demographics
  • Banking, financial inclusion, digital economy

6. Environment & Ecology

  • Biodiversity (hotspots, species, conservation)
  • Climate change (NDCs, net zero, IPCC)
  • Environmental laws (Wildlife Act, EPA)
  • Renewable energy, pollution control

7. Science & Technology

  • Space tech (ISRO missions, satellites)
  • Biotech (vaccines, GM crops)
  • IT & AI (DPDPA, semiconductor mission)
  • Defence tech (missiles, drones)

8. International Relations

  • India’s neighbors (SAARC, BIMSTEC)
  • Global groupings (UN, G20, BRICS, QUAD)
  • Bilateral relations (USA, Russia, China)
  • Diaspora & soft power

🧠 CSAT (Paper II) Syllabus

CSAT tests basic aptitude. While only qualifying, it eliminates many aspirants who ignore it.

  • Comprehension (27–30 questions)
  • Interpersonal & Communication Skills
  • Logical Reasoning & Analytical Ability
  • Decision Making & Problem Solving (no negative marking!)
  • General Mental Ability
  • Basic Numeracy (Class X level: percentages, ratios, averages)
  • Data Interpretation (charts, graphs, tables)

🎯 Preparation Tips for UPSC Prelims 2025

  • ✅ Integrate NCERTs + Current Affairs — e.g., link COP30 to Environment syllabus
  • ✅ Practice 25+ MCQs daily across all GS subjects
  • ✅ Take weekly mocks to build speed & accuracy
  • ✅ Don’t ignore CSAT — solve 10 questions daily
  • ✅ Focus on elimination technique for ambiguous questions

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Note: This syllabus is based on the official UPSC Civil Services Notification 2025. Always refer to upsc.gov.in for updates.