UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here

Deshamena RachanaUpdated on 18 Sep 2025, 04:11 PM IST

The Commission mentioned the UPSC IAS 2026 prelims syllabus in the official notification. The IAS preliminary exam syllabus can be downloaded from the upsc.gov.in. Candidates preparing for the UPSC IAS exam must check the detailed prelims syllabus. With the help of the UPSC IAS 2026 exam syllabus, candidates can make an effective preparation strategy for the exam.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 & 2 - Download PDF here
UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2026

Applicants can also check important topics and chapters from where the questions will be asked in the UPSC IAS prelims exam. Along with the syllabus, candidates can also check the previous year's UPSC question papers for their preparation. The IAS prelims syllabus pdf comprises topics asked in GS paper 1 and GS paper 2. Applicants can also download the UPSC prelims syllabus in Hindi here.

The UPSC IAS 2026 prelims exam will be conducted in offline mode. For more details about the UPSC IAS prelims syllabus, candidates can check the article given below.

Also read: Information about category-wise career exams

UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Papers 1 & 2

Paper

UPSC syllabus

General Studies Paper 1

  • Current events of national and international importance

  • History of India and the Indian National Movement

  • Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World

  • Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

  • Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.

  • General issues on Environmental ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization

  • General Science.

CSAT Paper 2

  • Comprehension

  • Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

  • Logical reasoning and analytical ability;

  • Decision-making and problem-solving;

  • General mental ability;

  • Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level);

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UPSC CSE preparation strategy along with best books for prelims as well as mains exam for sure success.
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UPSC IAS Exam Pattern 2026

Union Public Service Commission released the IAS 2026 exam pattern in the official notification. Along with the exam pattern, candidates must also check the UPSC prelims IAS syllabus for their preparations. With the help of the UPSC 2026 prelims syllabus, candidates can make their preparation strategy to score well in the exam. For more details, candidates can check the tale below.

IAS Prelims 2026 Exam Pattern

Paper

Number of questions

Maximum marks

Duration

GS Paper (Prelims Paper 1)

100

200

2 hours

CSAT Paper (Prelims Paper 2)

80

200

2 hours

Also read: UPSC Mock Tests Series for UPSC

UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern 2026 - Important Points

  • Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.

  • The questions will be of multiple choice, objective type in both papers

  • It is compulsory to appear for both UPSC IAS prelims GS papers.

UPSC Prelims Preparation Tips 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the selection process of IAS 2026?
A:

The IAS selection 2026 process comprises the prelims exam, mains exam and personal interview.

Q: What are the details required to download the admit card of IAS 2026?
A:

Candidates can download UPSC IAS 2026 admit card through their registration number and date of birth.

Q: How will UPSC result 2026 be released?
A:

The UPSC IAS result 2026 will be released in PDF form having details of all the qualified candidates.

Q: Can I challenge the UPSC IAS answer key 2026?
A:

No, candidates are not allowed to challenge UPSC IAS answer key 2026.

Q: What are the 7 papers of UPSC 2026?
A:

There are 9 papers in UPSC out of which 2 papers are qualifying in nature. The IAS 2026 Prelims exam consists of GS 1 and GS 2. The UPSC Mains 2026 paper consists of Paper A – Compulsory Indian Language Paper , Paper B – English Language Paper , Paper I – Essay , Paper II - Paper V – General Studies, Paper VI – Paper VII – Optional Paper II.


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Questions related to UPSC CSE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

Hello Aspirant

As your question is not clear, you are asking how to become an IAS, which course or degree you should pursue, and all the related details regarding the IAS. So, I can suggest you choosing the right stream in Intermediate is important.
The Arts/Humanities stream is most helpful because many subjects match the UPSC syllabus.
You will study History, Geography, Political Science, and Economics—core topics for IAS. This stream also gives you more time to build the reading and writing skills needed for UPSC.

For more details and preparation tips, just click here: CLICK HERE

Hello Aspirant

All colleges are the best, and selection mainly depends on you and your consistency. But I can help you regarding this :

After the 10th, you can join PU (11–12th) colleges that offer strong academics and an early IAS foundation.
Some good options are Delhi’s Rajendra Prasad Sarvodaya Vidyalaya (Civil Services Wing), Bangalore’s BASE/Deeksha, Hyderabad’s Sri Chaitanya/Narayana, and Kota’s Allen Pre-Foundation programs.
Choose a college that gives a strong focus on NCERTs, writing skills, and current affairs along with your 11th–12th stream.
The best choice is the one that keeps you disciplined, consistent, and supported with IAS foundation classes.

ALL THE BEST!!!

Hello

If you want to become an IAS officer, you can choose any group CEC, MPC, or BiPC as IAS does not require a specific subject stream.
However, many students prefer CEC (Commerce, Economics, Civics) or MPC (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) because they help build analytical and general knowledge skills useful for the IAS exam.
CEC helps with subjects like economics and polity, which are important for the IAS syllabus.
MPC develops problem-solving skills and logical thinking, also useful for the exam. BiPC (Biology group) is less common for IAS aspirants, but still possible if you prefer life sciences.

Hello, it’s wonderful to see such clarity at such a young age. Becoming an IAS officer requires consistent preparation, strong general knowledge, and excellent analytical skills. Right now, your main focus should be building a strong base in academics, especially in subjects like History, Geography, and Economics. Start reading NCERT textbooks from class 6 to 12 for these subjects. Make it a habit to read a good newspaper like The Hindu or Indian Express daily to improve your current affairs knowledge. Practice writing short essays on important topics it will help you in the Mains stage later. Participate in debates, quizzes, and discussions to improve your speaking and thinking skills. After 12th, choose a graduation subject that you enjoy but also overlaps with UPSC syllabus. Most importantly, stay consistent and avoid distractions. You have plenty of time to prepare, so start slowly and build steadily.

Wishing you success in your IAS dream, and thank you for sharing.


The choice of your graduation path – integrated BSc BEd (Zoology), BTech CS, or integrated BS-MS at IISER Thiruvananthapuram – to pursue the dream of becoming an IAS officer requires careful consideration.

A Bachelor of Arts degree, particularly in subjects like Political Science, History, or Economics, is often considered the most aligned with the CSE syllabus, covering crucial topics relevant to General Studies papers.

However, a science background, especially with a BTech CS degree, develops analytical and logical reasoning skills beneficial for the CSAT paper and could be advantageous for certain optional subjects like Mathematics or potentially Engineering disciplines.

Even if you choose a science or engineering stream, you can still select humanities-based optional subjects that overlap with the General Studies papers like Anthropology, Sociology, or Public Administration, which many engineers have successfully opted for.The integrated BSc BEd (Zoology) offers a strong foundation in science and a backup career in teaching, but the primary focus of the BEd component may not be directly relevant to the UPSC syllabus. The integrated BS-MS at IISER offers a strong research focus and academic excellence, potentially leading to diverse career paths in science, academia, industry, or even government agencies But still it is not connected with your ias dream.

Among all b.tech is best as many successful candidates from engineering backgrounds, have utilized their analytical skills and knowledge to crack the exam.