UPSC IAS Economics Syllabus 2024 - Topic Wise & Chapter wise Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

UPSC IAS Economics Syllabus 2024 - Topic Wise & Chapter wise Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

Updated on Feb 14, 2024 05:52 PM IST | #UPSC CSE
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UPSC published the syllabus of UPSC Economics 2024 for the mains online on their official website. The IAS economics syllabus can be downloaded in the form of a PDF from UPSC.gov.in. the IAS Syllabus 2024 is released in the IAS notification. The IAS Economics syllabus 2024 will contain a list of important topics covered by Economics Paper 1 and Paper 2.
Download - IAS syllabus 2024 for Economics

This Story also Contains
  1. UPSC Economics Syllabus 2024 - For IAS Mains Paper 1
  2. UPSC Economics Syllabus 2024 - For IAS Mains Paper 2
  3. UPSC IAS Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam
UPSC IAS Economics Syllabus 2024 - Topic Wise & Chapter wise Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2
UPSC IAS Economics Syllabus 2024 - Topic Wise & Chapter wise Syllabus for Paper 1 & 2

UPSC Economics is one of the 48 optional subjects offered in the IAS exams. Candidates can use the UPSC Economics optional syllabus to go through important topics such as Advanced Microeconomics, Money-Banking Finance, International Economics and Growth & Development.

Candidates can use the IAS economics syllabus as a guide to get a better understanding of the topics covered in the next IAS Economics optional and the types of questions asked. Candidates can also solve past IAS 2024 Economics Question papers to better prepare for the Economics optional UPSC exam. Candidates can consult the material below for details pertaining to the Economics UPSC syllabus.

UPSC Economics Syllabus 2024 - For IAS Mains Paper 1

The UPSC IAS 2024 mains exam has 9 papers out of which two are of optional subjects. For applicants who have opted for Economics as an optional subject, the syllabus for the IAS exam Economics Paper 1 has units like MicroEconomics, MacroEconomics, Money-Banking and finance, Tariff & quota, International Economics, and more which cover a wide range of topics within. To know more about the IAS Economics syllabus for mains Paper 1 refer to the table below.

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UPSC Economics syllabus for Paper 1

Chapters

Topics

Advanced MicroEconomics

A. K. Sen’s Social Welfare Function, Duopoly, Oligopoly, Ricardo, Kaldor, Kaleeki, Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem, Marshallian & Varrasiam Approach to Price determination, Alternative Distribution Theories; Markets Structure: Monopolistic Competition, Modern Welfare Criteria: Pareto Hicks & Scitovsky

Advanced Macro Economics

New classical, Keynes curve, Theories of Interest Rate determination & Interest Rate Structure, Approaches to Employment Income & Interest Rate determination, Classical, Neoclassical synthesis,

Money-Banking & Finance

Public expenditure and its effects, Public Finance & its Role in Market Economy, Sources of Government revenue, Forms of Taxes and Subsidies, Goals & Instruments of Monetary Management in Closed and Open Economies, Proposal for the ceiling on the growth rate of money, The relation between the Central Bank and the Treasury, Demand for & Supply of Money, Money Multiplier Quantity Theory of Money & Keynes Theory on Demand for Money, their incidence and effects

International Economics

Theories of underdevelopment in an open economy, Terms of Trade and Offer Curve, Product Cycle and Strategic Trade Theories, Trade as an engine of growth, Old & New theories of International Trade, Comparative advantage

Forms of Protection: Tariff & quota

Trade Policy and Developing Countries, WTO, Floating Rates and their Implications for Developing, Trade Blocks & Monetary Unions, income adjustments under fixed exchange rates, Currency Boards, BOP, Alternative Approaches, Price versus income, Balance of Payments Adjustment, Theories of Policy Mix, Exchange rate adjustments under capital mobility, adjustments & Policy Coordination in open economy macro model, Speculative attacks

Growth & Development

The changing role of Markets & Planning, Harrod’s model theory, Environmental Degradation, Planning & Economic, Intergenerational equity development, Role of Agriculture in Economic Development of less developed countries, Investment, Role of MNCs, PPP, Welfare indicators & measures of growth, Human Development Indices. The basic needs approach, Development & Environmental Sustainability, Renewable and Non-renewable Resources, Economic Development & International Trade, Process of Economic Development of less developed countries

Also read: Information about category-wise career exams

UPSC Economics Syllabus 2024 - For IAS Mains Paper 2

The IAS Economics mains Paper 2 exam has topics related to the pre-liberalization era, the post-liberalization era and more. To know more about the syllabus of the UPSC Economics Paper 2 mains exam check the table below.

UPSC Economics syllabus for Paper 2

Chapters

Topics

The Pre-Liberalization Era

Broad factors determining National Income & distribution, Role of the public & private sector, Land Reforms & land tenure system, Industry trends in composition & growth, Trends in poverty & inequality, Contribution of Vakil, Gadgil & V.K.R.V. Rao, Green Revolution and capital formation in agriculture, small scale and cottage industries, National income, Per capita income, Measures of poverty

The Post-Liberalization Era

Employment Guarantee Scheme, From central Planning to indicative planning, Fiscal Federalism & Fiscal Consolidation, Intellectual property rights, Agricultural prices & public distribution system, Food processing, Role of RBI under the new regime, Subsidies, Rural wages, Employment Generation, New Economic Reform & Agriculture & WTO, Impact of public expenditure on agricultural growth, New Economic Policy & Industry, New Economic Policy & Trade, New Exchange Rate Regime, Fiscal Responsibility Act, Twelfth Finance Commission & New Economic Policy and Monetary System, 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments, Employment & poverty, Poverty alleviation schemes

UPSC Subject-wise Questions for Various Subjects

UPSC IAS Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam

Union Public Service Commission also prescribes the UPSC IAS exam pattern 2024. As per the official UPSC IAS notification, the UPSC CSE prelims exam is objective type in nature whereas the UPSC IAS mains exam is descriptive in nature. The Civil Services prelims exam is of 400 marks in total whereas the mains is of 2350 marks out of which 600 marks are assigned to qualifying subjects like general English and language. For more details on the prelims and mains, IAS exam pattern 2024 check the tables below.

IAS prelims exam pattern

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

General studies 1

200

2 hrs

Paper 2

General studies 2

200

2 hrs

Also read: UPSC Mock Tests Series for UPSC

UPSC IAS mains exam pattern

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

General English

300

3 hrs

Paper 2

Language (regional language)

300

3 hrs

Paper 3

Essay

250

3 hrs

Paper 4

General Studies 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 5

General Studies 2

250

3 hrs

Paper 6

Optional subject 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 7

Optional subject 1

250

3 hrs

Paper 8

Optional subject 2

250

3 hrs

Paper 9

Optional subject 2

250

3 hrs

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How many optional subjects are there in the IAS examination?

UPSC CSE exam has 26 optional subjects from which the candidates have to select one.

2. When is the UPSC IAS 2024 application going to be released?

IAS application form 2024 will be released on February 14, 2024, on the UPSC website.

3. How many papers are there in the IAS mains exam?

The IAS mains exam has nine papers in total.

4. What is the minimum age to appear for the IAS exam?

The minimum age to appear for the UPSC IAS exam is 21 years.

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Questions related to UPSC CSE

Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

Hello!
IRAS (Indian Railway Accounts Service) officers can be posted in both cities and rural areas since Indian Railways has offices and operations nationwide. They typically work in divisional offices, zonal offices, workshops, and production units. Transfers do happen but are usually not very frequent and depend on government policies and organizational needs.

Hope this helps!

To become an IAS officer, you must clear the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and then undergo training at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). While any bachelor's degree is acceptable, choosing a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus, particularly in humanities and social sciences, can be advantageous.

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE):

This is the primary exam for becoming an IAS officer, involving three stages: Preliminary, Main, and Personality Test (Interview).

Any Bachelor's Degree:

A graduate degree from a recognized university is the basic requirement to be eligible for the CSE.

Beneficial Degrees:

Degrees in humanities and social sciences, such as Bachelor of Arts (BA), can be helpful due to the syllabus overlap with subjects like History, Political Science, Sociology, and Economics.

Optional Subject:

You can choose an optional subject in the Mains exam, and a BA degree can provide a wide range of options.

Hope it helps!!

Hello!!

That's a great goal—and your background as a research scholar can actually be a big asset in preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), which is the path to becoming an IAS officer.

Step-by-Step Guide to Become an IAS Officer:

1. Understand the Exam Structure

The UPSC CSE has three stages:

Prelims: Objective (GS Paper + CSAT)

Mains: Descriptive (9 papers)

Interview: Personality Test

2. Check Eligibility

Age: 21 to 32 (for General category)

Degree: Any graduate degree (you already qualify)

3. Choose Your Optional Subject

Choose something you’re comfortable with (can be from your research field if it's available).

Popular optionals: Sociology, Geography, PSIR, Anthropology, etc.

4. Build a Study Plan

Since you're a research scholar, time management is key.

Daily 4–6 hours of focused study can work if you're consistent.

Focus on:

NCERTs (6th–12th)

Standard books (like Laxmikanth for Polity, Spectrum for History)

Current Affairs (The Hindu, Indian Express, or PIB + Monthly compilations)

5. Join a Test Series (Optional but Helpful)

For Prelims and Mains: to build speed, writing skills, and clarity.

6. Practice Answer Writing

Mains is all about articulation. Practice with previous year questions and mock tests.

7. Appear for the Exam

Notification comes out around February.

Prelims is in May/June, Mains in September, and Interview early next year.

How to Align This With Your Research Schedule:

Create a realistic time-table that includes 2–3 hours on weekdays, and more on weekends.

Use your research experience for deeper understanding and essay writing.

If your goal is to become an IAS officer, choose a degree that supports UPSC preparation and also provides a good backup:

BA in Political Science, History, Geography, or Economics is ideal for IAS.
BSc or BCom is fine too, but you'll need to study humanities separately for UPSC.
For backup, pick a subject with good job prospects like BBA or Computer Science.

KCET is required only if you're planning professional courses like Engineering or Agriculture. It's not needed for BA or general degrees.

After 10th for IAS

Hello aspirant,

For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.

To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:

https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse

All the best!!

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