UPSC Geologist Syllabus 2027 - Download Prelims & Mains Exam Syllabus

Subjects

Topics

General Studies

• General Science

• Current events of national & international importance

• History of India

• Indian & World Geography

• Indian Polity

• Economy

• Social Development

• Indian National Movement, etc.

Geology/Hydrogeology

(Questions asked will be of degree level)

• Physical Geology - Principle of uniformitarianism, origin, differentiation & internal structure of the Earth, the origin of atmosphere, earthquakes, volcanoes, continental drift, sea-floor spreading, isostasy, orogeny, plate tectonics, geological

• Structural Geology - 16 Stress, strain, rheological properties of rocks, planar, linear structures, folds and faults, Mohr's circle, shear in rocks, the study of toposheets, V-rules

• Mineralogy - Elements of symmetry, notations, indices, Bravais lattices, chemical classification of minerals, isomorphism, polymorphism, solid solution, silicate structures; physical and optical properties of common rock-forming minerals

• Igneous Petrology - Magma types & their evolution, IUGS classification, forms, structures & textures of igneous rocks, applications of binary & ternary phase diagrams in petrogenesis, magmatic differentiation

• Metamorphic Petrology - Limits, types & controls of metamorphism, metamorphic structures- slate, schist and gneiss; metamorphic textures, geothermal gradients, facies series, plate tectonics

• Sedimentology - Origin, sedimentary textures, grain-size scale, primary sedimentary structures, classification of sandstone & carbonate rocks

• Paleontology - Fossils & processes of fossilization, the concept of species, binomial nomenclature, morphology, classification of invertebrates, evolution in Equidae and Hominidae, microfossils-Foraminifera, Ostracoda, Gondwana flora

• Stratigraphy - Law of superposition, stratigraphic nomenclature- lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy & chronostratigraphy, Archaean cratonic nuclei of Peninsular India, Proterozoic mobile belts, Purana sedimentary basins, Phanerozoic stratigraphy of India, Spiti, Kashmir, Damodar valley, Kutch, Trichinopoly, Siwaliks and Indo-Gangetic alluvium

• Economic Geology - Properties of mineral deposits- form, mineral assemblage, texture, rock-ore association & relationship, magmatic, sedimentary, metamorphic, hydrothermal, supergene and weathering related processes of ore formation, processes of formation of coal & petroleum; distribution & geological characteristics of major mineral & hydrocarbon deposits of India

• Hydrogeology: Groundwater occurrence, aquifer characteristics, porosity, permeability, hydraulic conductivity, Darcy's Law in homogeneous & heterogeneous media, Bernoulli equation, Reynolds' number, the composition of groundwater, artificial recharge of groundwater, etc

Subjects

Topics

Geology 1

• Physical geology and remote sensing - Evolution of Earth, Earth’s internal structure, earthquakes, volcanoes, principles of geodesy, isostasy, weathering processes

• Structural geology - Principles of geological mapping, kinematic & dynamic analysis of deformation, stress-strain for elastic, plastic & viscous materials, measurement of strain in deformed rocks

• Sedimentology - Classification of sedimentary rocks, sedimentary textures, grain size, roundness, sphericity, shape & fabric, quantitative grain size analysis, carbonate diagenesis and dolomitisation, sedimentary environments and facies, carbonate platforms, stratigraphy

• Paleontology - Fossil record & geological time scale, modes of preservation of fossils and concept of taphonomy, organic evolution, Ediacara Fauna, morphology & time range of Graptolites, Trilobites, evolutionary trends in Trilobites, Lamellibranchs, Gastropods & Cephalopods, micropaleontology, evolution in Proboscidea, Equidae and Hominidae

• Stratigraphy - Principles of stratigraphy, lithostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, chronostratigraphy & magnetostratigraphy, principles of stratigraphic correlation, characteristics of Archean granite-greenstone belts; Indian stratigraphy, etc

Geology 2

• Mineralogy - Symmetry, motif, Miller indices, the concept of unit cell & Bravais lattices, 32 crystal classes, types of bonding, Pauling’s rules & coordination polyhedra

• Geochemistry and isotope geology - Chemical composition & characteristics of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, geochemical cycles; meteorites-types and composition, Goldschmidt’s classification of elements, Nernst’s partition coefficient, Nernst-Berthelot partition coefficient and bulk partition coefficient, Fick’s laws of diffusion & activity composition relation

• Igneous petrology - Viscosity, temperature, and pressure relationships in magmas, IUGS classification of plutonic & volcanic rocks, nucleation & growth of minerals in magmatic rocks, development of igneous textures, magmatic evolution, mantle metasomatism, hotspot magmatism, and large igneous provinces of India

• Metamorphic petrology - Limits & physicochemical controls of metamorphism, the concept of zones, facies, isograds and facies series, geothermal gradients & tectonics of orogenic belts, structures, microstructures & textures of regional & contact metamorphic rocks, representation of metamorphic assemblages, Gibbs free energy

• Geodynamics - Phase transitions & seismic discontinuities in the Earth; seismic waves and relation between Vp, Vs & density, seismic and petrological Moho, rheology of rocks & fluids, heat flow and heat production of the crust.

Geology 3

• Economic geology - Ore minerals & industrial minerals, physical & optical properties of ore minerals, ore textures & paragenesis, characteristics of mineral deposits, hydrothermal deposits, sedimentary deposits, supergene deposits, metamorphic & metamorphosed deposits (Mn, graphite)

• Indian mineral deposits and mineral economics - Distribution of mineral deposits in the Indian shield, geological characteristics of important industrial mineral & ore deposits in India, Strategic, critical & essential minerals, India’s status in mineral production, National Mineral Policy, Mineral Concession Rules, marine mineral resources & laws of the sea

• Mineral exploration - Stages of exploration, scope, objectives & methods of prospecting, regional exploration & detailed exploration, geological, geochemical and geobotanical methods; litho-, bio-, soil geochemical surveys, geophysical methods

• Fuel geology and Engineering geology - Coal & its properties, proximate & ultimate analysis, different varieties & ranks of coal, concept of coal maturity, peat, lignite, bituminous & anthracite coal, origin of coal, engineering properties of rocks, geological investigations in construction of dams, reservoirs, tunnels, bridges, highways & coastal protection structures; geologic considerations of construction materials

• Environmental geology and Natural hazards - Stefan Boltzmann equation & planetary temperature, cause & effects of global climate change, Earth’s radiation budget, greenhouse gases & effect, examples of positive & negative feedback 22 mechanisms, biogeochemical cycle of carbon, causes & consequences of earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunami, floods, landslides, coastal erosion, droughts and desertification; application of remote sensing & geographic information systems (GIS) in environmental management, etc

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

General studies

100

2 hrs

Paper 2

Geology/Hydrogeology

300

2 hrs

Papers

Subjects

Marks

Duration

Paper 1

Geology

200

3 hrs

Paper 2

Geology

200

3 hrs

Paper 3

Geology

200

3 hrs