IAS Syllabus | All you need to know about the 2022 syllabus

The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the executive branch’s permanent bureaucracy. It is one of the three All India Services, and its members can work for the Union Government, state governments, and non-profit organizations. 

Before beginning the registration process, candidates should familiarize themselves with the examination’s prerequisites, such as the UPSC IAS syllabus, pattern, eligibility criteria, application method, and other pertinent information. 

In this blog, we will give the details on IAS Syllabus 2022 for both the UPSC prelims and mains exams. So let’s get started!

About the IAS Examination 

The Indian Administrative Service examinations are administered by the Union Public Service Commission. The UPSC Civil Service Exam is held on an annual basis at the national level and is formally known as the UPSC Civil Service Exam. 

The three stages of the IAS exam are- 

• The IAS Prelims
• IAS Mains
• UPSC Personality Test (IAS Interview)

During the three rounds of the IAS test, the commission evaluates applicants’ expertise in a wide range of subjects, from aptitude to general studies.

The IAS (UPSC CSE) 2022 tests are open to candidates who have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university and are between the ages of 21 and 30. 

IAS 2022 Exam Pattern 

There are three stages to the IAS Exam-

• Preliminary
• Main
• Interview

The UPSC uses it to select applicants for positions in the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other related services. Candidates who pass all three stages are eligible to work for the Indian government. It is mandatory to clear each stage, in case you fail to do so, you are disqualified from the exam. 

Understanding IAS Exam Pattern thoroughly will aid in organizing candidates’ time so that they may prepare more successfully for the UPSC IAS examinations. 

The IAS exam pattern for Prelims, Mains, and Interview is as follows-

IAS (UPSC CSE) Prelims 2022 

The two exams comprise-

• The Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) 
• The IAS Prelims Test (General Studies)

While the CSAT is a qualifying exam, the selection for UPSC Mains is determined by candidates’ performance on the General Studies test. It shows that the Prelims cutoff will also be based on candidates’ performance in the General Studies Paper. 

In Prelims, there is a negative marking for incorrect answers. One-third of the marks for that question will be deducted if the answer is incorrect. However, there are no negative markings if candidates’ do not attempt a particular question.

The IAS 2022 Prelims Exam Pattern 

IAS (UPSC CSE) 2022 Mains 

There are 2 types of papers in the IAS mains exam-

• Qualifying 
• Merit-ranking

Paper A and Paper B, which will qualify in nature, are the language and English papers, respectively. The grades you receive on these papers will not be included in the grades that determine your rank. The remaining articles are judged on their own merits. 

The IAS mains exam pattern 2022

Paper A

• Subject- Compulsory Indian language
• Marks- 300
• Duration- 3 Hours
• Nature of the paper- Qualifying 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper B

• Subject- English 
• Marks- 300
• Duration- 3 Hours
• Nature of the paper- Qualifying 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper I

• Subject- Essay 
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper II

• Subject- General Studies I 
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper III

• Subject- General Studies II
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper IV

• Subject- General Studies III
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper V

• Subject- General Studies IV
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper VI

• Subject-  Optional I 
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

Paper VII

• Subject-  Optional II
• Marks- 250
• Duration- 3 Hours 
• Nature of the paper- Merit 
• Paper type- Descriptive

IAS (UPSC CSE) 2022 – Interview 

• The interview test will consist of 275 marks. 
• The total mark of the written examination is 1750 marks. 
• Therefore, the total of 2025 marks 

Evaluation of the candidate is based on qualities such as: 

• Analytical thinking 
• Critical thinking 
• Mental acuity 
• Crisis management skills 
• Risk assessment skills 
• Intellectual and moral integrity 
• Leadership qualities

Preparation for the IAS Exam 2022 

The UPSC IAS exam syllabus is comprehensive and covers a wide range of topics. To have a reasonable chance of passing the test, candidates must be well prepared and have a full understanding of all topics. 

The UPSC IAS Syllabus for both the Prelims and Mains exams is listed below. 

IAS Prelims Syllabus – 2022 

Prelims Syllabus: General Ability Test (GAT) Paper I 

• National and worldwide current affairs 
• Indian history and the Indian National Movement 
• Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World 
• Indian Polity & Governance (Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc). 
• Economic and Social Development (Poverty, Sustainable Development, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc). 
• Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change are all general topics that do not require subject specialization. 
• General Science 

Prelims Syllabus: Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper-II 

• Interpersonal skills 
• Communication skills 
• Logical reasoning 
• Decision-making 
• Analytical thinking 
• Problem-solving 
• Mental acuity 
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) 
• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc) 

IAS Mains Syllabus – 2022 

The IAS Mains exam consists of-

• 9 theoretical papers for the UPSC IAS (UPSC CSE) Exam
  • 4 general studies papers
  • 2 language papers
  • 1 essay paper
  • 2 optional subject papers 

The Syllabus of the IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains Exam

Language Papers for IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains: Indian Language and English Syllabus 

In the IAS (UPSC CSE) Mains exam 2022, two language papers are qualifying in character. As a result, to qualify, applicants must get a score of at least 25% in both. 

• One essay question is worth 100 marks, and applicants must choose one of the topics provided. 
• There are 60 marks available for reading comprehension. 
• Precis writing for 60 marks: Answers must be written in a distinct grid structure. 
• Translation from English to the chosen language. This segment is worth 20 marks. 
• The translation from the selected language to English is worth 20 marks.
• The grammar & basic language section contains a total of 40 marks (synonyms, sentence correction, etc.) 

Essay Paper for IAS (UPSC CSE) 2022 Mains 

The essay paper is worth 250 marks out of a total of 1250 marks. It accounts for 12.5% of the total score. The essay should be between 1000 and 1200 words long. 

IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper I Syllabus 

• Indian Culture 
• Modern Indian History 
• World History 
• Society 
• Geography 

IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper-II Syllabus 

• Polity 
• Governance 
• Social Justice 
• International Relations 

IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper III Syllabus 

• Economics 
• Science & Technology 
• Biodiversity 
• National Security
• Disaster Management 

IAS (UPSC CSE) General Studies Paper IV Syllabus 

• Ethics and Human Interface 
• Attitude 
• Emotional Intelligence 
• Public Administration 
• Probity in Governance 

Takeaways 

• The IAS preliminary examination, or UPSC prelims, is an objective type exam for the selection of candidates for the main examination. 
• The IAS Main Examination or UPSC Main Examination consists of a Written Exam and an Interview for the selection of candidates for various services and posts, as mentioned in the official notification. 
• The entire IAS Exam process, from Prelims and Mains to Personality Development Test or Interview, takes about a year. 

We hope you found this blog informative. Don’t forget to comment below and share your thoughts! You can also get in touch with us if you have any doubts. 

Liked this blog? Read: UPSC syllabus | 8 Amazing tips to prepare for the exam

FAQs 

1. What are the important dates for IAS 2022? 

Answer – The IAS 2022 registration dates are-  

• February 02, 2022 
• The application deadline is February 22, 2022. 
• IAS prelims examination date- June 5, 2022. 

2. What is the IAS 2022 age limit? 

Answer – A candidate must be between the ages of 21 and 32 to be eligible for the IAS 2022 test. 

3. Is a year of UPSC IAS preparation sufficient? 

Answer – Yes, one year is more than enough for IAS preparation if you are committed and focused. 

4. Is height important in an IAS interview? 

Answer – No, height and weight do not matter for the IAS interview.

WRITTEN BY

Samantha Andrade

Study Abroad Expert

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