UPSC IAS Study Material PDF: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) every year to recruit candidates for various posts in the government sector. The UPSC IAS exam is a highly competitive exam and requires a thorough understanding of various subjects and topics. One of the most effective ways to prepare for the UPSC CSE is to use UPSC IAS study material.
UPSC IAS notes are well-structured study materials that provide comprehensive coverage of all the crucial topics and essential concepts necessary to crack the Civil Services Exam (CSE). These notes are prepared by experts and experienced teachers who possess profound knowledge of the UPSC CCE pattern and syllabus.
Overview of UPSC IAS Study Material PDF
For a comprehensive understanding of the UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), we have compiled important information in the table below. Candidates are urged to refer to the following table for crucial details about UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE):
Benefits of Using NCERT Gist PDFs for UPSC IAS Exam Preparations:
Comprehensive yet Concise: NCERT Gist PDFs condense vast amounts of information from the NCERT textbooks into a concise format. This allows aspirants to grasp the core concepts quickly, saving valuable study time and avoiding information overload.
Clear Understanding of Fundamentals: Competitive exams often test candidates on their fundamental knowledge of subjects. NCERT Gist PDFs offer a clear understanding of fundamental concepts, laying a strong foundation for more advanced topics.
Alignment with Exam Syllabus: UPSC IAS Exam follows the NCERT syllabus to a significant extent. Using Gist PDFs ensures that candidates cover the essential topics and remain aligned with the prescribed syllabus.
Time Management: Aspirants preparing for UPSC CSE often juggle multiple subjects and topics simultaneously. NCERT Gist PDFs help streamline the study process, enabling effective time management and reducing study stress.
Revision and Quick Recall: NCERT Gist PDFs are designed for quick revision. They help candidates revise important concepts and facts swiftly, enhancing their ability to recall information during the exam.
Language Clarity: NCERT textbooks are known for their lucid language and simplicity. The Gist PDFs retain this clarity, making it easier for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to grasp the content effectively.
Recommended Books for the UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam Preparation
Subject
Name of the book
Author/ Publication
Description
General Studies (Both Papers)
General Studies
McGraw Hill
Great for those who want to learn everything about topics under General Studies.
NCERT General Studies
McGraw Hill
One of the best books for General Studies.
Indian Heritage, Art, and Culture
Madhukar Kumar Bhagat
Provides comprehensive coverage of all the topics of Indian Heritage
Geography of India
Majid Husain
A very handy book for Geography
A Modern Approach to Logical Reasoning
R.S. Aggarwal
One of the finest books for logical reasoning concepts.
Recommended Books for the UPSC IAS Mains Exam Preparation
Subject
Name of the book
Author/ Publication
Description
General Studies (All Papers)
General Studies
McGraw Hill
Great for those who want to learn everything about topics under General Studies
NCERT General Studies
McGraw Hill
One of the best books for General Studies
Indian Heritage, Art, and Culture
Madhukar Kumar Bhagat
Provides comprehensive coverage of all the topics of Indian Heritage
Indian Polity
M. Laxmikanth
In-depth coverage of Indian Polity
Indian Economy
Uma Kapila
Great for understanding the Indian Economy
Geography of India
Majid Hussain
All geographical details of India, curated for overall knowledge
Ethics
Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
Santosh Ajmera, Nanda Kishore Reddy/ McGraw Hill
One of the most renowned books of Ethics for competitive exams.
Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
R.K Gupta, IRS
A very handy book for learning about Ethics and Integrity for competitive exams.
English
Objective General English
S.P. Baksi
A good book for brushing up on English knowledge.
Objective General English
RS Aggarwal
Consists of all the topics that are commonly covered in the exam.
Objective General English
SJ Thakur, SK Rout
All the topics are arranged and explained such that they are easily grasped.
General Knowledge
General Knowledge
Manohar Pandey
Comprehensive topic coverage has been provided.
UPSC Exam Pattern
UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern
Before going to check UPSC Syllabus, candidates should understand the pattern of the UPSC CSE (Civil Service Examination).
Paper
Subjects
Marks
No. of Question
Duration
I
General Studies (GS)
200
100
2 hours (9:30 AM to 11:30 AM)
II
CSAT
200
80
2 hours (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM)
Important Points:
For every incorrect answer, 1/3rd mark of the total mark will be deducted.
For the blank answers, no marks will be deducted.
In General Studies (Paper I), each question is of 2 marks and there is a negative marking of 0.66 marks
In CSAT (Paper-II), each question is of 2.5 marks and a negative marking of 0.833 marks for each wrong answer.
The prelims marks will not be included in the final result (merit list).
Paper II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
UPSC IAS Mains Exam Pattern
The Mains exam comprises 09 papers and candidates have to score minimum qualifying marks in each subject. Language papers are of qualifying marks and the rest of the papers will be scored.
Qualifying Papers
Marks
Paper-A
One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution
300
Paper-B
English
300
Papers Counted for Merit
Paper-I
Essay
250
Paper-II
General Studies-I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)
250
Paper-III
General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)
250
Paper-IV
Genera Studies-III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)
250
Paper-V
General Studies-IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)
250
Paper-VI
Optional Subject – Paper 1
250
Paper-VII
Optional Subject – Paper 2
250
Sub Total (Written Test)
1750
Personality Test
275
Grand Total
2025
Important Points:
There are two qualifying papers in the mains exam, Namely “Paper A” and “Paper B” of 300 marks each.
Two Qualifying Papers are “Any Indian Language from Eight Schedule ” and “English Language Paper”.
Candidates need to score 25% in both qualifying papers i.e., 75 marks each.
All other seven papers are scoring in nature their marks will be included in the final merit list.
Candidates can answer all the scoring subjects in English or any of the eight schedule languages.
Candidates have to select any one subject from the table as their Optional subject for Paper VI and Paper VII.
