UPSC Public Administration Syllabus 2024 - Detailed Syllabus & Exam Pattern Here

UPSC Public Administration Syllabus 2024 - Detailed Syllabus & Exam Pattern Here

Updated on 14 Feb 2024, 05:56 PM IST

UPSC published the syllabus of IAS Public Administration 2024 for prelims and mains exams in online mode on their official website. Candidates can find the public administration optional syllabus in the Official Notification, downloadable in the form of a PDF on upsc.gov.in.

This Story also Contains

  1. IAS Public Administration Syllabus 2024 For Prelims Exam
  2. IAS Optional Public Administration Syllabus 2024 For Mains Exam
  3. IAS CSE Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam
UPSC Public Administration Syllabus 2024 - Detailed Syllabus & Exam Pattern Here
UPSC Public Administration Syllabus 2024

Candidates can go through the official UPSC Optional Public Administration papers to get a better idea of the exam pattern of the Public Administration 2024 exam and the types of questions asked. The UPSC Optional 2024 Public Administration syllabus must also be referred to so that candidates can familiarize themselves with the topics covered by the Public Administration Optional. IAS exam for mains will be conducted on September 20, 2024.

LiveUPSC CSE Mains 2025 LIVE: Day 5 shift 1 exam begins for IAS option paper 6; exam analysis soonAug 31, 2025 | 11:52 AM IST

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will conclude the UPSC MAINS 2025 day 5 shift 1 at 12 pm today. The commission will commence the shift 2 for option subject from 2:30 pm.

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The official syllabus for the UPSC Public Administration 2024 exam prescribed by the UPSC is provided with the aim of helping candidates better prepare for the exam. The UPSC Public Administration Syllabus achieves this by giving candidates an idea of the type of questions to be expected, and the difficulty level of questions asked in the IAS exam. It also gives candidates an idea of the IAS 2024 exam pattern. Candidates can learn more about the public administration syllabus for UPSC by going through the material given below.

IAS Public Administration Syllabus 2024 For Prelims Exam

The UPSC IAS 2024 preliminary exam has two papers. In UPSC Paper 1, General Studies 1, questions are asked from every spectrum of life including topics such as general science, current affairs/ events, Indian and world geography, Indian polity, economy, Indian National Movement and more. In Paper 2, General Studies 2, questions are asked from topics like reasoning, English and Hindi language, and mental ability.

IAS Optional Public Administration Syllabus 2024 For Mains Exam

The IAS mains exam has nine subjects. These include general English, a language paper, an essay, four general studies papers & two optional papers. As per the UPSC IAS 2024 notification, the Mains exam is descriptive in nature. The UPSC Public Administration syllabus is released beforehand along with the syllabi of other subjects to enable candidates to prepare for the Public Administration Optional. Applicants can check the detailed UPSC IAS public administration syllabus 2024 for the IAS mains paper 1 and 2 exams below.

IAS Public Administration Paper 1 Syllabus

Chapters

Topics

Introduction

Meaning, scope & significance of Public Administration (PA), Evolution of PA & its present status, Public Choice approach, Wilson’s vision of PA, New Public Administration, New Public Management, Challenges of liberalization, Privatisation and globalisation, Good Governance;

Administrative Thought

Scientific Management & Scientific Management movement; Classical Theory, Dynamic Administration, Human Relations School, etc.

Administrative Behaviour

Communication, Motivation Theories, Process & techniques of decision-making, Morale and more

Organisations

Regulatory Authorities; Headquarters & Field relationships; Theories systems, contingency; Structure & forms; Public Private Partnerships

Accountability & Control

Concepts of accountability & control; Legislative, Executive & Judicial control over administration; Citizen & Administration; Role of media, and more

Administrative Law

Administrative Tribunals, Scope, Meaning, & significance; Delegated legislation; Dicey on Administrative law

Comparative Public Administration

Ecology & administration; Comparative Public Administration; Historical & sociological factors affecting administrative systems; Riggsian models, Administration & politics in different countries; etc.

Development Dynamics

Anti-development thesis; Bureaucracy & development; Concept of development; Changing profile of development administration; Strong state versus the market debate, etc.

Personnel Administration

Administrative ethics, Importance of human resource development; Recruitment, training, career advancement, discipline, performance appraisal, promotion and more

Public Policy

Processes of conceptualisation, Models of policy-making; planning, implementation, evaluation, review, limitations & more

Techniques of Administrative Improvement

Organisation & methods, Work study & management; e-governance & IT; Management aid tools like network analysis, etc.

Financial Administration

Monetary & fiscal policies, Budgets types & forms; Budgetary process; Financial accountability; Accounts & audit

IAS Public Administration syllabus for paper 2

Chapters

Topics

Evolution of Indian Administration

Legacy of British rule in administration, Kautilya Arthashastra, Mughal administration, etc.

Philosophical & Constitutional framework of Government

Constitutionalism, Political culture, Salient features & value premises, Bureaucracy, democracy & development, etc.

Public Sector Undertakings

Public Sector Undertakings, Problems of autonomy, accountability & control, Public sector in modern India, Impact of liberalization & privatization, etc.

Union Government & Administration

Intra-governmental relations, Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Executive, Parliament, Judiciary - structure, functions & work processes, Ministries and departments, Commissions, Attached offices, etc.

Plans & Priorities

Indicative planning, Constitutional Amendments (1992), National Development Council, Machinery of planning, Process of plan formulation at Union and state levels, etc.

State Government & Administration

Chief Minister (CM), Council of Ministers, Chief Secretary, State Secretariat, Directorates, Union State administrative, legislative & financial relations, Role of the Finance Commission, Governor, etc.

District Administration since Independence

Imperatives of development management, Union State local relations, District administration, the Changing role of the Collector, Democratic decentralization, etc.

Civil Services

Good governance initiatives, Code of conduct & discipline, Constitutional position, Political rights, Grievance redressal mechanism, Staff associations, Structure, recruitment, training & capacity building, Civil service neutrality & activism, etc.

Administrative Reforms since Independence

Reforms in financial management, Human resource development, Major concerns, Problems of implementation, Important Committees and commissions, etc.

Significant Issues in Indian Administration

National Human Rights Commission, Citizen administration interface, Values in public service, Corruption & administration, Regulatory Commissions, Problems of administration in coalition regimes, Disaster management, etc.

Rural Development

Rural development programmes, Institutions & agencies since Independence, 73rd Constitutional amendment, Decentralization & Panchayati Raj, etc.

Urban Local Government

74th Constitutional Amendment, New localism, Development dynamics, Global-local debate, Municipal governance: structures, main features, finance & problem areas, Politics & administration with special reference to city management

Law & Order Administration

Role of Central and State Agencies, Investigative agencies, British legacy, Police-public relations, National Police Commission, Criminalisation of politics & administration, Reforms in Police and more

IAS CSE Exam Pattern 2024 - For Prelims & Mains Exam

The UPSC IAS exam pattern 2024 is also prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission. As per the official UPSC IAS 2024 notification, the IAS prelims exam is objective type in nature whereas the IAS mains exam is descriptive in nature. The IAS prelims exam holds 400 marks in total having two papers whereas the mains holds 2350. For more details on the 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

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

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When is the UPSC IAS 2024 application form released?
A:

IAS application form 2024 was released on 14th February 2024. 

Q: How can I cover public administration optional in UPSC?
A:

You can prepare for the IAS Public Administration Optional by going through the UPSC Public Administration Syllabus and framing a proper study plan to consult so you can revise the topics regularly.

Q: How many exams are in UPSC?
A:

 The UPSC exam has 3 stages, the UPSC Prelims, the Mains and the interview round. 

Q: Is the UPSC IAS exam conducted online or offline?
A:

Both IAS prelims and mains exams are conducted in offline mode.

Q: How many papers does the IAS mains exam have?
A:

IAS mains exam has nine papers and all are descriptive in nature.

Q: What is the minimum education qualification required to appear for the UPSC IAS exam?
A:

The minimum education qualification required to be eligible for the IAS exam is graduation.

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Questions related to UPSC CSE

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to UPSC CSE ?

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.

Hello

This is the typical schedule of the IAS Exam (UPSC CSE):

Notification Release: February
Online Application Window: February to early March
Prelims Exam: May or June
Mains Exam: September/October

As for 2025, the registration date is already gone, so you have to see for 2026 now. The registration will open most probably in February 2026 so stay tuned.

To know more about the IAS Exam: UPSC CSE

Hope this answer helps! Thank You!!!

A candidate who has undergone heart surgery can be eligible for the IAS post if they are medically fit and can perform the required duties without any serious health problems The UPSC allows candidates to appear for the exam if they meet the general physical and mental fitness criteria After clearing the main examination and interview all selected candidates must undergo a detailed medical examination by a government medical board If the candidate has recovered well from heart surgery and there are no complications they can be declared fit for service However if the surgery has caused any permanent disability and if it is certified under the benchmark disability rules then the candidate may be eligible for reservation under the persons with disabilities category Final eligibility depends on the report given by the medical board during the selection process

If a person has undergone heart surgery for ASD which means Atrial Septal Defect and is now medically fit then they can apply for the IAS exam There is no restriction for such candidates if their physical and mental condition is stable and they can perform the duties required in civil services However selection to IAS also depends on passing the medical test conducted after clearing the main exam and interview If the person has any lasting disability due to the heart condition and it is certified by a government medical board then they may be considered under the benchmark disability category as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act In such cases the candidate may come under reservation for persons with disabilities in the specific category mentioned by the medical authority It is always advised to check the official UPSC notification and consult with a government hospital for proper disability certification before applying