PAPER‐II

General Studies‐I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World
and Society

HISTORY [5] 1. Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art
Forms, literature and Architecture [A,L,A] from
ancient to modern times.
2. Modern Indian history from about the middle of the
eighteenth century until the present-significant
events, personalities, issues.[SE,P,I]
3. The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and
important contributors/contributions from different
parts of the country
4. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization
within the country.
5. History of the world will include events from 18th
century such as industrial revolution, world wars,
redrawal of national boundaries, colonization,
decolonization, political philosophies like
communism, capitalism, socialism etc.[C,C,S]— their
forms and effect on the society.

SOCIETY [4] 6. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

7. Role of women and women’s organization,
population and associated issues, poverty and
developmental issues, urbanization, their problems
and their remedies.
8. Effects of globalization on Indian society
9. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism &
secularism. [C,R,S]

GEOGRAPHY [3] 10. Salient features of world’s physical geography.

11. Distribution of key natural resources across the
world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-
continent); factors responsible for the location of
primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in
various parts of the world (including India).
12. Important Geophysical phenomena such as
earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
geographical features and their location-changes in
critical geographical features (including water-bodies
and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects
of such changes.
 PAPER‐III

General Studies‐ II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.

CONSTITUTION [4] 1. Indian Constitution—historical underpinnings, evolution,

features, amendments, significant provisions and basic
structure. [H,E,F,A,SP,B]
2. Functions and responsibilities [F,R] of the Union and the States,
issues and challenges [I,C] pertaining to the federal structure,
devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and
challenges therein.
3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal
mechanisms and institutions.[DRMI]
4. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of
other countries.
POLITY[5] 5. Parliament and State legislatures—structure, functioning,
conduct of business, powers & privileges [S,F,C,PP] and issues
arising out of these.
6. Structure, organization and functioning [S,O,F] of the Executive
and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the
Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations
and their role in the Polity.
7. Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
8. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions
and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
9. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

GOVERNANCE (4) 10. Government policies and interventions for development in

various sectors and issues arising out of their design and
implementation.
11. Development processes and the development industry
[DP,DI]—the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and
associations, donors, charities, institutional [D,C,I] and other
stakeholders.
12. Important aspects of governance, transparency and
accountability [GTA], e-governance-applications, models,
successes, limitations, and potential[AMSLP]; citizens charters,
transparency & accountability and institutional [C,T,A,I]and
other measures.
13. Role of civil services in a democracy.
SOCIAL JUSTICE [3] 14. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by
the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes;
mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies [M,L,I,B] constituted
for the protection and betterment [P,B] of these vulnerable
sections.
15. Issues relating to development and management of Social
Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human
Resources.[H,E,H]
16. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
IR[4] 17. India and its neighborhood- relations.
18. Bilateral, regional and global [B,R,G] groupings and agreements
involving India and/or affecting india’s interests.
19. Effect of policies and politics [PP] of developed and developing
countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora. [II,ID]
20. Important International institutions[I3], agencies and fora-
their structure, mandate.[AFSM]
 Paper-IV

General studies-III-: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT [7] 1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,

mobilization, of resources [PMR], growth,
development and employment.[GDE]
2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
3. Government Budgeting
4. Land reforms in India.
5. Effects of liberalization on the economy,
changes in industrial policy and their effects on
industrial growth.
6. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports,
Railways etc. [E,P,R,A,R]
7. Investment models.
AGRICULTURE [3] 8. Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts
of the country, - different types of irrigation and
irrigation systems storage, transport and
marketing of agricultural produce and issues and
related constraints; e-technology in the aid of
farmers.
9. Issues related to direct and indirect farm
subsidies and minimum support prices; Public
Distribution System- objectives, functioning,
limitations, revamping[O,F,L,R]; issues of buffer
stocks and food security; Technology missions;
economics of animal-rearing.
10. Food processing and related industries in India-
scope’ and significance, location, upstream and
downstream requirements, supply chain
management.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY [3] 11. Science and Technology- developments and
their applications and effects in everyday life.
12. Achievements of Indians in science &
technology; indigenization of technology and
developing new technology
13. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers,
robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology
[ISCRNB] and issues relating to intellectual
property rights
ENVIRONMENT AND BIODIVERSITY [1] 14. Conservation, environmental pollution and
degradation, environmental impact assessment.

DISASTER MANAGEMENT [1] 15. Disaster and disaster management.

INTERNAL SECURITY [5] 16. Linkages between development and spread of
extremism.
17. Role of external state and non-state actors in
creating challenges to internal security.
18. Challenges to internal security through
communication networks, role of media and
social networking sites in internal security
challenges, basics of cyber security; money-
laundering and its prevention
19. Security challenges and their management in
border areas - linkages of organized crime with
terrorism.
20. Various Security forces and agencies and their
mandate.