UPSC Prelims: most asked topics and weightage

Subjects ranked by share of marks

Share of the exam's marks that the pattern gives to each subject, and the topics it covers in the official syllabus.

1. 1.Current events of national and international importance

   14% of marks

   National affairs · International relations and events · Government schemes and reports

2. 2.History of India and Indian National Movement

   14% of marks

   Ancient India · Medieval India · Modern India and the national movement · Art and culture

3. 3.Indian and World Geography

   14% of marks

   Physical geography of India and the world · Social geography · Economic geography

4. 4.Indian Polity and Governance

   14% of marks

   Constitution · Political system · Panchayati Raj · Public policy · Rights issues

5. 5.Economic and Social Development

   14% of marks

   Sustainable development · Poverty and inclusion · Demographics · Social sector initiatives · Macro-economy: growth, money, banking, fiscal policy

6. 6.Environmental ecology, biodiversity and climate change

   14% of marks

   Ecology and ecosystems · Biodiversity and conservation · Climate change

7. 7.General Science

   14% of marks

   Physics · Chemistry · Biology and health · Science and technology: space, IT, biotech, defence

8. 8.CSAT (General Studies Paper II)

   1% of marks

   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 (Class X) · Data interpretation: charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency (Class X)

Section-wise questions and marks