UPSC IAS

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

This paper includes questions to check the candidate’s’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his/her problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him/her while dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects and covers area:

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

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

Economic Development

• 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.

Technology

• Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
• Achievements of Indians in science and technology;Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
• Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology
• Issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Bio Diversity

• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
• Disaster and disaster management.

Security

• 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

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations:

Governance, Constitution, Polity

• 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 and 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

Social Justice

• 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 hunger
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency and accountability and institutional and other measures
• Role of civil services in a democracy

International Relations

• 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

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

History

• Indian culture covers the salient features of Literature, Art Forms, and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian history include the significant events, personalities, issues during the middle of the eighteenth century until the present
• Various stages and important contributors and contributions from different parts of the country in ‘The Freedom Struggle’
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
• History of the world includes events, forms and effect on the society from 18th century like world wars, industrial revolution, colonization, redrawal of national boundaries, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc-their forms and effect on society

Society

• Salient aspects of Diversity of India and Indian Society
• Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and remedies
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism

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
• Effects of globalization on Indian society
• 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
• Salient features of world’s physical geography

• 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

• Current events of national and international importance.1
• 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, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialisation General Science 

 

Prelims Analysis

Current Affairs Distribution

Prelims Analysis

Current Affairs Distribution

Prelims Analysis

Current Affairs Distribution

Prelims Analysis

Current Affairs Distribution

Prelims Analysis

Current Affairs Distribution