UPSC published the syllabus of UPSC Economics 2026 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 2026 has been released in the IAS notification. The IAS Economics syllabus 2026 will contain a list of important topics covered by Economics Paper 1 and Paper 2.
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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 2026 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.
The UPSC IAS 2026 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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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
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.
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
Union Public Service Commission also prescribes the UPSC IAS exam pattern 2026. As per the official UPSC IAS notification, the UPSC CSE prelims exam is an objective-type type in nature whereas the UPSC IAS mains exam is a 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 2026, check the tables below.
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
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)
As per the exam pattern of IAS 2026, each question in the prelims exam Paper 1 has 2 marks, while Paper 2 will carry 2.5 marks.
UPSC CSE exam has 26 optional subjects from which the candidates have to select one.
The IAS mains exam has nine papers in total.
The minimum age to appear for the UPSC IAS exam is 21 years.
On Question asked by student community
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The Arts/Humanities stream is most helpful
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