The IAS mains exam comprises nine theory papers and marks in seven of those papers are taken into consideration for preparing the final merit list. The other two papers, English and Indian Language, are qualifying in nature (candidates have to score 25% or above to be eligible for selection).
The Main examination of UPSC is designed to test a candidate's academic expertise and the ability to present his/her knowledge in a consistent manner. The UPSC Mains exam intends to assess the overall intellectual traits and understanding of the concept by the candidates. The Civil Services Main examination is designed to test the academic talent of the aspirant, also his/her ability to present his/ her knowledge in a clear and coherent manner.
So, the UPSC Mains syllabus can also be called the Phase 2 syllabus.
This is because only the candidates that are able to successfully clear the Phase 1 or the UPSC Prelims, are allowed to appear for the Phase 2 or UPSC Mains exam. In other words, only the candidates that are able to score above the UPSC cut-offs for the Prelims are then allowed to take the UPSC Mains papers.
Moreover, the UPSC Mains exam consists of 9 subjective type papers out of which 2 are qualifying language papers, one English, and any other Indian language of 300 marks each.
The rest of the 7 papers have a maximum mark of 250. Also, it should be noted that not qualifying in the 2 language papers will cause the rest of your 7 papers to be disbarred from further evaluation. The minimum qualifying mark in the language papers is 25%.
The UPSC Mains exam, fundamentally, is designed to test your understanding on the various subjects falling under the purview of the UPSC Mains syllabus, and it is designed to make you do so in a time-bound fashion.
An important thing to note is that all the papers except for the 2 language papers included in the UPSC Mains syllabus can be written in any of the languages mentioned in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution.
Okay, now that we have already talked about the 2 language papers it’s time to look at the 7 main papers of the UPSC Mains exams. To help you better understand I have given below a table listing the 7 main papers included in the Mains syllabus of UPSC:
| Papers | Subjects | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Paper A | Any Indian Language (compulsory) - qualifying paper | 300 |
| Paper B | English - qualifying paper | 300 |
| Paper 1 | Essay (you can choose to write it in a medium of your choice) | 250 |
| Paper 2 | General Studies 1 (Indian and World history, Culture, heritage, & Geography) | 250 |
| Paper 3 | General Studies 2 (Polity, Constitution,Governance, International Relations & Social Justice) | 250 |
| Paper 4 | General Studies 3 (Economic developement, Technology, Disaster Management & Security, Biodiversity) | 250 |
| Paper 5 | General Studies 4 (Aptitude, Ethics, & Intergrity) | 250 |
| Paper 6 | Optional Subject : Paper 1 | 250 |
| Paper 7 | Optional Subject : Paper 2 | 250 |
In the table given above, you can see the various papers that are included in the UPSC syllabus for the Mains exam. Now let us go through each in detail.
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Source by: https://www.anujjindal.in/upsc-syllabus-for-ias-exam/
