Current events of national and international importance.
History of India and Indian National Movement.
Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, 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

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)

The aim of the paper is to test the candidates’ ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned.

The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:

(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.

(i) Comprehension of given passages.
(ii) Precis Writing.
(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.
(iv) Short Essays.
(v) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.

Note 1 :The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.

Note 2 :The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).

Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

(Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)

Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present – significant events, personalities, issues
The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country
Post-independence Consolidation and Reorganization within the country.
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.— their forms and effect on the society.
Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Role of Women and Women’s Organization, Population and Associated Issues, Poverty and Developmental issues, Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Effects of Globalization on Indian society.
Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism.
Salient features of World’s Physical Geography.
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).
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.

(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations)

Indian Constitution—Historical Underpinnings, Evolution, Features, Amendments, Significant Provisions and Basic Structure.
Functions and Responsibilities of the Union and the States, Issues and Challenges Pertaining to the Federal Structure, Devolution of Powers and Finances up to Local Levels and Challenges Therein.
Separation of Powers between various organs Dispute Redressal Mechanisms and Institutions.
Comparison of the Indian Constitutional Scheme with that of Other Countries.
Parliament and State Legislatures—Structure, Functioning, Conduct of Business, Powers & Privileges and Issues Arising out of these.
Structure, Organization and Functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; Pressure Groups and Formal/Informal Associations and their Role in the Polity.
Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Appointment to various Constitutional Posts, Powers, Functions and Responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
Statutory, Regulatory and various Quasi-judicial Bodies.
Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
Development Processes and the Development Industry — the Role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections of the population by the Centre and States and the Performance of these Schemes; Mechanisms, Laws, Institutions and Bodies constituted for the Protection and Betterment of these Vulnerable Sections.
Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Issues relating to Poverty and Hunge
Important Aspects of Governance, Transparency and Accountability, E-governanceapplications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; Citizens Charters, Transparency & Accountability and institutional and other measures.
Role of Civil Services in a Democracy.
India and its Neighborhood- Relations.
Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora.
Important International Institutions, agencies and fora – their Structure, Mandate.

(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
Indian Economy and issues relating to Planning, Mobilization of Resources, Growth, Development and Employment.
Inclusive Growth and issues arising from it.
Government Budgeting.
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.
Issues related to Direct and Indirect Farm Subsidies and Minimum Support Prices; Public Distribution System – Objectives, Functioning, Limitations, Revamping; Issues of Buffer Stocks and Food Security; Technology Missions; Economics of Animal-Rearing.
Food Processing and Related Industries in India- Scope’ and Significance, Location, Upstream and Downstream Requirements, Supply Chain Management.
Land Reforms in India.
Effects of Liberalization on the Economy, Changes in Industrial Policy and their Effects on Industrial Growth.
Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Investment Models.
Science and Technology- Developments and their Applications and Effects in Everyday Life.
Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology; Indigenization of Technology and Developing New Technology.
Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, Robotics, Nano-technology, Biotechnology and issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights.
Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
Disaster and Disaster Management.
Linkages between Development and Spread of Extremism.
Role of External State and Non-state Actors in creating challenges to Internal Security.
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
Security Challenges and their Management in Border Areas – Linkages of Organized Crime with Terrorism.
Various Security Forces and Agencies and their Mandate.

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered:

Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, Determinants and Consequences of Ethics in – Human Actions; Dimensions of Ethics; Ethics – in Private and Public Relationships. Human Values – Lessons from the Lives and Teachings of Great Leaders, Reformers and Administrators;
Role of Family Society and Educational Institutions in Inculcating Values.
Attitude: Content, Structure, Function; its Influence and Relation with Thought and Behaviour; Moral and Political Attitudes; Social Influence and Persuasion.
Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Service, Integrity, Impartiality and Non partisanship, Objectivity, Dedication to Public Service, Empathy, Tolerance and
Compassion towards the weaker-sections.
Emotional Intelligence-Concepts, and their Utilities and Application in Administration and Governance.
Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers from India and World.
Public/Civil Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration: Status and Problems; Ethical Concerns and Dilemmas in Government and Private Institutions; Laws, Rules, Regulations and Conscience as Sources of Ethical Guidance; Accountability and Ethical
Governance; Strengthening of Ethical and Moral Values in Governance; Ethical Issues in International Relations and Funding; Corporate Governance.
Probity in Governance: Concept of Public Service; Philosophical Basis of Governance and Probity; Information Sharing and Transparency in Government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work Culture, Quality of Service Delivery,
Utilization of Public Funds, Challenges of Corruption.
Case Studies on above issues.

Candidate may choose any optional subject from amongst the List of Optional Subjects given below:

UPSC Civil Services Optional Subjects/Optional List for UPSC:

1. Agriculture
2. Animal Husbandry and Veterinary science
3. Anthropology
4. Botany
5. Chemistry
6. Civil Engineering
7. Commerce & Accountancy
8. Economics
9. Electrical Engineering
10.Geography
11.Geology
12.History
13.Law
14.Management
15.Mathematics
16.Mechanical Engineering
17.Medical Science
18.Philosophy
19.Physics
20.Political Science & International Relations
21.Psychology
22.Public Administration
23.Sociology
24.Statistics
25.Zoology

List of Literature Optional Subjects

1. Assamese
2. Bengali
3. Bodo
4. Dogri
5. Gujarati
6. Hindi
7. Kannada
8. Kashmiri
9. Konkani
10.Maithili
11.Malayalam
12.Manipuri
13.Marathi
14.Nepali
15.Oriya
16.Punjabi
17.Sanskrit
18.Santhali
19.Sindhi
20.Tamil
21.Telugu
22.Urdu
23.English

Like we mentioned above, personality development takes time. The strategy given below will ensure that you can include personality development in your CSE preparation without much effort. Personality development can be a subconscious effort and the strategy we have devised can be followed subconsciously by just remembering the basic guidelines.

You will need to follow the following four steps while preparing exclusively for the personality test. This works best if you have ample time to begin with, for example those who are only starting with their CSE preparation. You need to follow these steps because the results of these exercises will get subsumed into your consciousness and will become part of who you are.

Step 1:

Read – Read books, blogs, newspapers, magazines etc. Read widely and make it a habit. Rather than restricting yourself to just reading text books, read novels, poetry, articles, newspapers, biographies, social commentaries etc and keep in mind that you are not reading to pass an exam, but to develop your own inner self. After you have read something, ponder on it, add your own thoughts to it, make it personal and most importantly reflect on it keeping the CSE in mind. Over the course of time, your vocabulary, ideas and perception on a matter will widen and you will start noticing changes in your thought pattern.

What type of books would help in the CSE interview?

There are actually two aspects to this answer.

First is the current events part which make it mandatory for you to read newspapers and magazines, watch TV news and discussions and if possible take part in group-discussions and mock interviews. These mockinterviews and prep tests will help not only in familiarizing with interviews in general but they also point to events that a candidate should have a basic understanding of. Such an exercise can be helpful because it will provide the much needed insight into one’s preparation. Once the preparation for current events gets on track, you should concentrate on the next part:

Expanding your knowledge:Read books by renowned Indian authors, international best-sellers, highly rated books on subjects like history and foreign policy, biographies of important people such as “My Experiments with Truth” by Gandhi . A well-read person is always instantly recognizable. He will be able to connect various topics with ease and weave intricate webbings of knowledge that is both interesting and appealing. The only way to achieve that ennobled tag of being well read is to start the reading habit early in your CSE preparation

Step 2:

Speak – Speak your heart out. First choose your language for the personality test – English or Native Language and then stick to it. It is very important that you speak fluently, confidently and without any hitches. In order to achieve this, practice the simple exercise of speaking to a mirror. It helps in three ways, first it will boost your self-confidence, second it will help connect your speech to facial expressions and third it will remove any inhibitions you may have inarticulating out your emotions. After you have gained some confidence from this exercise, you should proceed to replacing the mirror with people, like your friends, relatives, teachers, colleagues or even strangers. You will notice that all it takes for fluency is practice and clarity of thought. It is highly recommended that you go for public speaking and participate in healthy debates and discussions. Once these barriers are broken, speaking fluently in the CSE interview will be a cakewalk.

Step 3:

Behave – Imbibe the right behavior. It is nearly impossible to learn new behaviors, let alone follow them. But for the sake of our betterment we must not leave it at that. Firstly, we must identify what is good behavior and what type of behavior is expected from a bureaucrat. Yes, we all have notions on what good behavior is & the problem is not in identification of such behaviors but following them. Also we must identify what sort of behavior is expected from a bureaucrat. Some of the generally accepted we behaviorare- truthfulness, honesty, calmness, empathy, compassion, respectful, self-control, non-reactionary, careful and
responsible. To top this, basically a bureaucrat must be hard-working, thoughtful and not corrupt at any cost. How do we go about imbibing these values into ourselves? Here is a little secret – recognize good behaviors, consciously follow them as a rule and remind yourself every time you break a rule. Over time you should be able to collect more than enough traits to reflect in your day-to-day activities, in your body language and your involuntary habits. Armed with such self-affirming knowledge, one should be able to impress not only the CSE interview board but also everyone who comes in contact.

Step 4:

Dress – Wear anything comfortable yet formal. A certain degree of formality is expected of potential bureaucrats and the clothes you choose to wear determine whether you are being formal or informal. If you dress casually most of the time, then you should familiarize yourself with dressing formally with a shirt and tie. Women may wear traditional attires or formal wear which are not very bright or colorful – dressing in sober colors can be safely recommended here. On the day of interview you may choose not to wear suits or ties but even then you will have to wear well ironed, clean and good fitting formal shirt and trousers. In case you have got a new suit, wear it at least once before the day of the interview to get rid of any awkwardness or feeling of discomfort.

Now let us wrap up part one of the strategy and get to the part where we see how to exclusively prepare for the CSE interview after the Mains are over. As is well known, the interview is a personality test where more thanyour knowledge, your personality is assessed. But that doesn’t mean one can completely ignore most of the questions that will be asked by the interview board. You will at least have to answer a few questions correctly. Even though confidence is key to scorein the interview, it would be pointless to say no to most questions put by the interview board regardless of the level of confidence you exhibit. Therefore as a rule of
thumb, it is always better to answer correctly with confidence than to not answer with the same confidence. Only if the question is completely out of your purview, say ‘I don’t know the answer to this question’. Otherwise follow the rule of thumb religiously.

The CSE personality test has two important aspects to it which can be turned into advantages if these aspects are properly understood and prepared. These are the Detailed Application Form (DAF) and the generic questions (for example, why do you want to join the CSE? etc).

The possibility of questions being asked from a candidate’s background (as detailed in the DAF) is high. Therefore we will guide you step-by-step on how to prepare from the DAF.

As a rule, always read up on the meaning of your name and surname, the significance of your place of birth or hometown and the political&administrative who’s-who of your residing state and district (who is the CM, DM, DSP etc). For the place of birth or hometown dig deep into its
history, demography, economy etc and for your name look up its origins (esp. if mythologically important) and the message it conveys (if any).
Questions have been asked about the places a candidate has lived in. For example, if you have moved out of your hometown for studies then questions can be put on your knowledge of the place you have moved to. Typical questions on this topic are on comparisons between your hometown and place of study (or work etc) and on urban-rural considerations if the situation arises. Therefore it is best if you prepare on all the places you have listed in the DAF.
Next comes a candidate’s parents (job profile, business etc), familybackground and profession (if any). Questions asked here are not in the form of a scrutiny but only informative in character. For example, it is expected that a candidate know what profession his parents are in or what their job profile entail. Also if a candidate has been working prior to appearing in the CSE, sufficient knowledge is expected in that area.
One of the most important topics to prepare from the DAF is on one’s education and career. Often questions are asked on the subjects a candidate had chosen for their graduation. Also, questions have been asked on favorite subjects, on why a candidate has selected an optional subject which is different from the one they have graduated in. For example – If an engineering student chooses a Humanities subject as an optional, there may be a question related to this switch of the stream.
If a candidate has a professional degree or job, questions maybe asked on why the candidate has not chosen to pursue that professional career or on what drove the candidate to leave their old profession to join the CSE.
The questions on one’s hobbies are common and can be tricky so, it is best to prepare this topic carefully. It is very important you take a look at the box titled ‘hobbies’ for an understanding on how to prepare on hobbies.
Service preferences can also be a source for questions in the personality test. The general preference is IAS, IFS, and IPS and if this preference hierarchy breaks then a question can be asked on it. For example, if a candidate has selected IPS as first preference then it is best if that decision can be skillfully explained during the interview.
Preferences on cadre are also very important. Things like why has the candidate selected a particular state first and another last can trigger questions that has the potential to change the course of the interview. So, it is best that a candidate has all the answers to all the questions he can think of regarding state preferences

Hobbies

Select hobbies carefully and prepare them exhaustively.
If you do not have a hobby then carefully evaluate what is it that you love doing the most or have been doing for a long time – anything that you have more than a passing interest in. An example would be ‘taking long walks in the evening’.
Hobbies should not be too openended. If you mention ‘reading’ as a hobby, it is best you specify what type of reading. Instead of ‘reading’ a proper hobby would be ‘reading mystery novels’. Doing this lowers the amount of preparation needed to cover the hobby and also lowers the chances of facing generic questions like ‘why do you read’ or ‘what books one shouldn’t read’ etc.
In any case do not put too many hobbies on the DAF. We would recommend that you do not mention more than three hobbies if possible.
Also prepare generic questions on hobbies. If your hobby is very time consuming or involving then it might raise the curiosity of the interview board. A typical generic question on hobbies can be like this – How did you balance pursuing your hobbies while preparing for the CSE?

Generic questions are questions that can be asked irrespective of a candidate’s background, optional subject or gender. These types of questions can make or break a candidate’s selection in the final merit list. The reason why such questions can be asked is simply that these types of questions allow the interviewer to gauge
the candidate’s inner thoughts without explicitly asking for it. The secret is to prepare on as many generic questions one can think of and devise answers that reflect the candidate’s own personality and academic background. As a hint of caution it is best if candidates do not try to be overly creative or unique while
devising answers to such questions. Moreover, since such questions test the candidate’s presence of mind and the ability to think outside the box it is best if a candidate is comfortable with answering extempore.

After the DAF and the generic questions, what remains are knowledge of current events and development of opinions on these events. Read the newspaper religiously, with special focus on editorials and columns but exercise your own opinion on most matters. Go for simple solutions and if possible ignore ideological and political leanings – stay on the middle path when in doubt. Combine these opinions with your education and life experience. Make these opinions your own and share them with confidence.

A common prevailing myth about civil services interview is that while some boards are very liberal others are very conservative in awarding marks. It is also a misplaced notion that some panels unnecessarily grill candidates by asking very factual questions which cannot be answered usually. But the reality is quite different. Basically all boards are cordial and fair and all of them give marks ranging from very low to very high. Even if a board tries to put pressure on a candidate, it is only to check his/her attitude under demanding situations. An interviewee who maintains calm and answers honestly according to one’s understanding is perceived in good light by the panel. So, it is pointless and self harming for a candidate to develop preconceived notions with respect to the various interview boards.

Examples of generic questions that can be asked in the CSE interview

Why do you want to join the Civil Services?
What would you do if you are not selected in the Civil Services?
Why should we select you for Civil Services?
Tell us about yourself.
Why have you selected this optional? (Especially if your university subjects differ from optional subjects, for example an engineer appearing with psychology)
Can one serve society only through Civil Services?
Do you think bureaucracy is corrupt? OR What is your opinion on corruption in bureaucracy? (Any recent topic relating to UPSC or bureaucracy that has moral-ethical dimensions to it)
Did you take any coaching for your preparation? What are your opinions on coaching? What role does coaching play in CSE success?
Who have inspired you the most in your life?
(During the interview) Are you nervous?
(For married candidates esp. women candidates) How did you manage different engagements while preparing for this exam?

What to do and more importantly what not to do during the CSE interview

Think before you speak: In the interview, there is ample time for thought but there is not enough time in the universe to make up for regrettable utterances. So, be careful on what you say. Also, try and avoid interjections as much as possible. Speak naturally without accent.
Do not bluff: ‘I don’t know’ is a far better substitute to a false and unnecessary answer. A false answer will not only fetch zero marks but may make a negative impression on the interview board.
Be honest with the interview board: Imagine a situation where you are speaking to your friend’s father. That situation requires you be free and frank and yet be formal and respectful. Speak with the interview board in same manners.
How you say it is as important as what you say: Always check the tone of your voice and never raise your voice or lose eye contact while making a point or when ambushed by the board (yes, they can do that sometimes). If possible avoid scoring points. Instead speak as if you are personally invested in the issue and that its solution will help you too, more than anyone else, in your life. Always remember that the ability to keep a cool head in a crisis situation is a very highly sought after and a very well rewarded quality.
Be expressive but not to the extent that you do not filter anything. Your expressiveness should be very well filtered and kind-hearted, focused on reality with an attitude towards problem-solving
Nothing can be more serious during the interview than the display of a moral compass that does not point north. When answering questions, always as a rule, keep humanity above everything else. For example, you can follow this hierarchy from top to bottom – human life, lives of other animals and plants, the planet earth, social and economical institutions, man-made organizations…basic requirements for survival, consumerist things, things that satisfy our greed, hedonistic pleasures… corruption, crime, murder etc. From the above example, if there is a choice to be made between saving human lives and saving a legal-economic institution, choose human lives. Human life trumps everything else in this universe.
Lastly, be polite, humble and engaging. There must be a visible amount of enthusiasm in your replies. A laid-back attitude will work against you in the interview. Instead be curious and creative, be spontaneous and intelligent, don’t be over-smart or casual and most importantly be enthusiastic and show that you are eager to learn even during the most important interview of your life! Remember these three golden rules – don’t get nervous, don’t bluff and be your natural self