CSE Mains Syllabus

General Studies Paper I (Indian Heritage and Culture, History

and Geography of the World and Society)
Indian culture will cover the 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 or

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 womens 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 worlds physical geography.

Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the
Indian subcontinent); 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.

General Studies Paper II (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 Peoples 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 or 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 & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Role of civil services in a democracy.

India and its neighbourhood- relations.

Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or
affecting Indias interests.

Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on Indias

interests, Indian diaspora.

Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

General Studies Paper III (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, bio-

technology 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.

General Studies Paper IV (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, Citizens Charters, Work culture,
Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.

Case Studies on above issues.

Geography Optional
Paper - I

Principles of Geography Physical Geography: (all by Savindra Singh)

1. Geomorphology: Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and

exogenetic forces; Origin and evolution of the earths crust; Fundamentals of
geomagnetism; Physical conditions of the earths interior; Geosynclines; Continental drift;
Isostasy; Plate tectonics; Recent views on mountain building; Vulcanicity; Earthquakes and
Tsunamis; Concepts of geomorphic cycles and Landscape development ; Denudation
chronology; Channel morphology; Erosion surfaces; Slope development ; Applied
Geomorphology : Geohydrology, economic geology and environment.

2. Climatology: Temperature and pressure belts of the world; Heat budget of the earth;
Atmospheric circulation; atmospheric stability and instability. Planetary and local winds;
Monsoons and jet streams; Air masses and fronto genesis, Temperate and tropical
cyclones; Types and distribution of precipitation; Weather and Climate; Koppens,
Thornthwaites and Trewarthas classification of world climates; Hydrological cycle; Global
climatic change and role and response of man in climatic changes, Applied climatology
and Urban climate.

3. Oceanography: Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans;

Temperature and salinity of the oceans; Heat and salt budgets, Ocean deposits; Waves,
currents and tides; Marine resources: biotic, mineral and energy resources; Coral reefs,
coral bleaching; sea level changes; law of the sea and marine pollution.

4. Biogeography: Genesis of soils; Classification and distribution of soils; Soil profile; Soil
erosion, Degradation and conservation; Factors influencing world distribution of plants and
animals; Problems of deforestation and conservation measures; Social forestry; agro-
forestry; Wild life; Major gene pool centres.

5. Environmental Geography: Principle of ecology; Human ecological adaptations;

Influence of man on ecology and environment; Global and regional ecological changes and
imbalances; Ecosystem their management and conservation; Environmental degradation,
management and conservation; Biodiversity and sustainable development; Environmental
policy; Environmental hazards and remedial measures; Environmental education and
legislation.

Human Geography:

1. Perspectives in Human Geography: Areal differentiation; regional synthesis;

Dichotomy and dualism; Environmentalism; Quantitative revolution and
locational analysis; radical, behavioural, human and welfare approaches; Languages,
religions and secularisation; Cultural regions of the world; Human development index.

2. Economic Geography: World economic development: measurement and problems;

World resources and their distribution; Energy crisis; the limits to growth; World
agriculture: typology of agricultural regions; agricultural inputs and productivity; Food and
nutrition problems; Food security; famine: causes, effects and remedies; World industries:
locational patterns and problems; patterns of world trade.

3. Population and Settlement Geography: Growth and distribution of world

population; demographic attributes; Causes and consequences of migration; concepts of
over-under-and optimum population; Population theories, world population problems and
policies, Social well-being and quality of life; Population as social capital. Types and
patterns of rural settlements; Environmental issues in rural settlements; Hierarchy of
urban settlements; Urban morphology: Concepts of primate city and rank-size rule;
Functional classification of towns; Sphere of urban influence; Rural - urban fringe; Satellite
towns; Problems and remedies of urbanization; Sustainable development of cities.

4. Regional Planning: Concept of a region; Types of regions and methods of

regionalisation; Growth centres and growth poles; Regional imbalances; regional
development strategies; environmental issues in regional planning; Planning for
sustainable development.

5. Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography: Systems analysis in Human

geography; Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models; Central Place
theories of Christaller and Losch; Perroux and Boudeville (Growth Pole theory); Von
Thunens model of agricultural location; Webers model of industrial location; Rostovs
model of stages of growth.; Heartland and Rimland theories; Laws of international
boundaries and frontiers.

Paper II

Geography of India

1. Physical Setting: Space relationship of India with neighbouring countries; Structure

and relief; Drainage system and watersheds; Physiographic regions; Mechanism of Indian
monsoons and rainfall patterns, Tropical cyclones and western disturbances; Floods and
droughts; Climatic regions; Natural vegetation; Soil types and their distributions.

2. Resources: Land, surface and ground water, energy, minerals, biotic and marine
resources; Forest and wild life resources and their conservation; Energy crisis.

3. Agriculture: Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power; Institutional factors:

land holdings, land tenure and land reforms; Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity,
agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability; Agro and social forestry; Green
revolution and its socioeconomic and ecological implications; Significance of dry farming;
Livestock resources and white revolution; aqua - culture; sericulture, apiculture and
poultry; agricultural regionalisation; agro-climatic zones; agro- ecological regions.

4. Industry: Evolution of industries; Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and
steel, aluminium, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and
agro-based industries; Industrial houses and complexes including public sector
undertakings; Industrial regionalisation; New industrial policies; Multinationals and
liberalization; Special Economic Zones; Tourism including eco -tourism.

5. Transport, Communication and Trade: Road, railway, waterway, airway and

pipeline networks and their complementary roles in regional development; Growing
importance of ports on national and foreign trade; Trade balance; Trade Policy; Export
processing zones; Developments in communication and information technology and their
impacts on economy and society; Indian space programme.

6. Cultural Setting: Historical Perspective of Indian Society; Racial, linguistic and ethnic
diversities; religious minorities; major tribes, tribal areas and their problems; cultural
regions; Growth, distribution and density of population; Demographic attributes: sex-ratio,
age structure, literacy rate, work-force, dependency ratio, longevity; migration (inter-
regional, intra- regional and international) and associated problems; Population problems
and policies; Health indicators.

7. Settlements: Types, patterns and morphology of rural settlements; Urban

developments; Morphology of Indian cities; Functional classification of Indian
cities; Conurbations and metropolitan regions; urban sprawl; Slums and associated
problems; town planning; Problems of urbanization and remedies.

8. Regional Development and Planning: Experience of regional planning in India; Five

Year Plans; Integrated rural development programmes; Panchayati Raj and decentralised
planning; Command area development; Watershed management; Planning for backward
area, desert, drought prone, hill, tribal area development; multi-level planning; Regional
planning and development of island territories.

9. Political Aspects: Geographical basis of Indian federalism; State reorganisation;

Emergence of new states; Regional consciousness and inter state issues; international
boundary of India and related issues; Cross border terrorism; Indias role in world affairs;
Geopolitics of South Asia and Indian Ocean realm.

10. Contemporary Issues: Ecological issues: Environmental hazards: landslides,

earthquakes, Tsunamis, floods and droughts, epidemics; Issues relating to environmental
pollution; Changes in patterns of land use; Principles of environmental impact assessment
and environmental management; Population explosion and food security; Environmental
degradation; Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion; Problems of agrarian and
industrial unrest; Regional disparities in economic development; Concept of sustainable
growth and development; Environmental awareness; Linkage of rivers; Globalisation and
Indian economy.