Mains
Mains · GS Paper I · 220 questions
GS Paper I: Heritage & culture, history & geography of the world and society
UPSC's official syllabus for this paper, line by line — how many questions each line has drawn since 2016. Open a line to read them all, with an approach for each.
- Women, population, poverty & urbanisation“Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.” 30 questions
- Resources & industrial location“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).” 30 questions
- Indian art, literature & architecture“Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.” 26 questions
- Geophysical phenomena & changing features“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.” 24 questions
- Indian society & diversity“Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.” 19 questions
- World physical geography“Salient features of world’s physical geography.” 19 questions
- Modern Indian history“Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.” 14 questions
- Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism“Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.” 14 questions
- The freedom struggle“The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.” 13 questions
- Globalisation & Indian society“Effects of globalization on Indian society.” 12 questions
- Post-independence consolidation“Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.” 7 questions
- World history“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.” 7 questions
Source of the syllabus text: UPSC Exam Notice No. 05/2026-CSP (Civil Services Examination, 2026), Section III, pp. 32–36 (PDF ↗).