UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus 2024 in Detail with Pdf download

UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus

UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus Includes – Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society. Here we provide UPSC GS Paper 1 Syllabus 2024 in Detail.

You can also check UPSC Mains Syllabus for all subjects in detail.

General Studies Paper 1 Syllabus 2024

Culture of India

• Major aspects of the various Indian art forms, Architecture & literature of India, from ancient to modern India.

Modern Indian History

• Personalities from the mid-18th century to the present, issues, Important events, etc.
• Stages of the freedom struggle and the people who played a part in it.
• History from the post-independence perspective and the reorganization and consolidation of the Indian states following that.

World History

• World events from the 18th century onwards and their effects on society & the world at large. (Industrial Revolution, World Wars, delineation of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, effects of political philosophies like communism, capitalism, etc.)

Society

• Society of India, it’s diversity and important aspects.
• Population and issues related to it, the role of women and women-led organizations in Indian societies, poverty, and development-related issues, urbanization, problems due to it and solutions, etc.
• Communalism, regionalism, & secularism in India, social empowerment.
• Globalization and its effects on Indian society.

Geography

• Important natural resources around the globe especially in South Asia and the Indian Subcontinent; factors affecting the location of the primary, secondary and tertiary sector industries across the world along with India.
• Key geographical phenomena and their causes like tsunamis, earthquakes, cyclones, volcanic activities, etc.
• The various geographical features and their locations, changes of features with a location like water bodies and polar ice caps, and effects of these changes on flora and fauna.
• Key features of the planet’s physical geography.

UPSC Mains GS 1 Syllabus in Detail

Download UPSC General Studies Paper 1 Syllabus PDF

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Art & Culture

Major aspects of the various Indian art forms, Architecture & literature of India, from ancient to modern India.

Indian Art Forms

• Indian Paintings
  • Mural Paintings
  • Miniature Paintings
  • Mughal, Rajput, Pahari Paintings
• Dances in India
  • Classical Dance Forms
  • Folk Dance Forms
  • Modern Dance
• Music
  • Classical Music
  • Folk Music
• Puppetry
  • String Puppets
  • Shadow Puppets
  • Rod Puppets
  • Glove puppets
  • Modern Puppetry
  • Tribal Puppetry
• Pottery
  • Ochre Coloured Pottery(OCP)
  • Black and Red Ware (BRW)
  • Painted Grey Ware (PGW)
  • Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW)
  • Glazed and Unglazed Pottery
• Drama/Theatre
  • Classical Sanskrit Theatre
  • Regional Theatre
  • Modern Theatre
• Martial Arts
  • Thang Ta
  • Gatka
  • Kalaripayattu
  • Mallakhamb
  • Silambam
  • Other Important Martial Arts
• Visual Art
  • Sculptures of the Harappan Civilization
  • Sculptures of the Mauryan Age
  • Post-Mauryan Period
  • Jain Sculptures
  • Buddhist Sculpture
  • Gupta Sculpture
  • Medieval School of Sculpture
  • Modern Indian Sculpture
  • Bhakti & Sufi Movements
    • Spread of Bhakti and Sufi Movements
    • Women Poets of Bhakti

Literature

• Classical Sanskrit Literature
  • Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas
  • Books written by Kalidasa, Vishakhadatta etc
• Ancient Buddhist Literature
• Ancient Jainism Literature
• Early Dravidian Literature (eg Sangam Period)
• Medieval Literature
• Trends in Medieval Literature
• Modern Indian Literature

Architecture

• Harappan Architecture
• Mauryan Architecture
• Post-Mauryan Period Gupta Period
• Temple Architecture
  • Nagara Style
  • Dravida Style
  • Vesara Style
• Cave Architecture
  • Buddhist Cave
  • Jaina Caves
  • Gupta Period Caves
• Medieval and Indo-Islamic Architecture
  • Imperial Style Delhi Sultanate
  • Provincial Style
  • Mughal Style
  • Sikh Style of Architecture
  • Rajput Architecture
  • Salient features
• Colonial Architecture & Modern Architecture
  • European Influence
  • Indo-Saracenic Architecture
  • Post-Independence Period
• Contribution of Buddhism & Jainism to the Development of Indian Architecture
• Rock Cut Architecture
  • South Indian
  • Western Indian
  • Eastern Indian

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Ancient History

Pre-Historic

• Stone Age 
• Chalcolithic Age 
• Iron Age 

Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) 

• Town Planning 
• Harappan Society 
• Characteristics of Major Centers 
• Harappan Art & Architecture 
• Decline of Harappan Culture 

Vedic Society 

• Original Home of Aryans 
• Socio- Economic Characters of Vedic Society 
• Vedic Literature 
• Social Organization and Varna System  
• Religion and Thought 

Pre-Mauryan Period 

• Mahajanpadas 
• Haryanka dynasty  
• Shishunaga dynasty  
• Nanda dynasty 

Jainism and Buddhism 

• Gautam Buddha 
• Mahavira  
• Growth of Jainism and Buddhism

Mauryan Empire 

• Chandragupta and Bindusara  
• Arthasastra (Book by Kautilya) 
• Megasthenes 
• Asoka and His Successors  
• Asoka’s Inscriptions and Sites  
• Asoka’ a Dhamma  
• Mauryan. Administration, Economy, Society and Art 
• Decline of Maurya 

Post-Mauryan India  

• Arrival of Indo-Greeks, Shakas, Parthians & Kushana 
• Satavahanas and Other Indigenous Dynasties 
• Schools of Art: Gandhara; Mathura; Amravati 
• Imperial Guptas
  • Political history of Guptas  
  • Gupta Administration  
  • Development of Art & Culture 
  • Age of Golden age 
  • Economic Conditions  
  • Urban centres in Gupta period 
• Harshavardana
  • Sources for Harsha’s Period  
  • Early life of Harsha 
  • Harsha’s Administration 
  • Important Officials of the empire 
  • Economy under Harsha 
  • Huen Tsang 
  • Society 
  • Religion 
• The Southern Dynasties
  • Satavahanas (230 BC TO AD 225)  
  • Pallavas (AD 330–796)  
  • Chalukyas (AD 535–1190) 
  • Pandyas of Madurai (AD 590–1323)  
  • Chola Dynasty (AD 850–1310)  
  • Rashtrakutas (AD 753–973)  

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Medieval History

Delhi Sultanate 

• Slave (Ghulam) or Mamluk Dynasty 
• Khilji Dynasty 
• Tughluq dynasty 
• Sayyid Dynasty 
• Lodi dynasty 

Struggle for Empire in North India (Afghans, Rajputs and Mughals) 

• Mughals 
  • Babur 
  • Humayun 
  • Akbar 
  • Jahangir 
  • Shah Jahan 
  • Aurangzeb 
  • Later Mughals 
  • The decline of the Mughal Empire
• Sur Dynasties
• Maratha Empire
• Deccan Sultanate 
  • Ahmednagar Sultanate 
  • Bijapur Sultanate 
  • Berar Sultanate 
  • Golconda Sultanate 
  • Bidar Sultanate 

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Modern History

Important Modern History Events Before 1857 

• Later Mughals  
• Regional powers in 18th  Century  
• Carnatic Wars 
• Battle of Plassey & Buxar  
• Anglo-Mysore War  
• Anglo Punjab War  
• Socio-economic Condition of People 
• European Penetration of India 
• British Conquest of India 
• British Policies & Their Impact – Economic, Administrative & Socio-cultural 
• Socio-cultural Reform Movements 
• Uprisings Against British Pre-1857 

Revolt of 1857 

• Causes, Leaders, and Nature of Revolt of 1857  
• Suppression of Revolt of 1857  
• Consequences of the Revolt of 1857 
• Act of Good Governance 1858 

Growth of Nationalism in India (1858-1905) 

• Political, Economic & Administrative Unification of the Country 
• Role of Western Education 
• Role of Press 
• Rediscovery of India’s Past 
• Early Political Movements 
• Formation of INC 
• Era of Moderates 

Growth of Militant Nationalism & Revolutionary Activities (1905-1918) 

• Swadeshi & Boycott Movement 
• Surat Split 
• International Influence 
• Morley – Minto Reforms 
• Growth of Communalism 

Beginning of Mass Nationalism (1919-1939) 

• Mahatma Gandhi – His Ideas & Leadership 
• Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms 
• Rowlatt Act, Satyagrah and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre 
• Non-cooperation & Khilafat Movement 
• Swarajists & No-Changers 
• The emergence of New Forces – Socialistic Ideas, Youth & Trade Unionism 
• Revolutionary Activity 
• Simon Commission & Nehru Report 
• Civil Disobedience Movement 
• Round Table Conferences 
• Communal Award & Poona Pact 
• Participation in Elections to Central Legislature (1934) & Provincial Assemblies (1937) 
• Government of India Act, 1935 

Towards Freedom & Partition (1939-1947) 

• National Movement During World War II 
• August Offer 
• Individual Satyagraha 
• Growth of Communalism 
• Peasant Movements 
• State People’s Struggle 
• Cripps Mission 
• Quit India Movement 
• Wavell Plan 
• INA & Subhash Chandra Bose 
• Cabinet Mission 
• Nationalist Upsurge Post-World War II 
• Independence with Partition 

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Post-Independence History

Nation Building

• Partition and Its Aftermath
• Integration of Princely States
  • Linguistic Regionalism in India
• Reorganisation of States
• Issue of Official Language
• Tribal Consolidation
• Regional Aspirations

Foreign Policy

• Non-Aligned Movement
• Panchsheel
• Wars with Pakistan & China
• Nuclear Policy

Economy

• Planned Development
• Green Revolution, Operation Flood & Cooperatives
• Agrarian & Land Reforms
• Industrial Reforms
• LPG Reforms

Polity

• The era of One-Party Dominance
• Emergence of Opposition Parties
• Emergency: Crisis of Democratic Order
• Rise of Regional Parties
• Coalition Era

Social

• Popular Movements
• Communalism
• Indian Women Since Independence
  • Issue of Women and Evolution of Women’s Movement
• Naxalism

Post-Independence Policy of Science And Technology

• India’s Policy in the Field of the Science and Technology
• Impact of Economic Reform on the Science and Technology in India

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for World History

Beginning of the Modern World

• Renaissance
• Discovery of Sea Routes
• Reformation
• Counter-Reformation
• Industrial Revolution
• European Nations Settle North America
• Rise of Slave Trade
• American War of Independence
  • Foundation of American Colonies
  • The Independence of the United States of America
  • The American Revolutionary War
  • What was the impact of the American Revolution?
  • US Civil War
  • Impact of Civil War on the USA
  • Global Impact of the US Civil War
  • Impact on India
• French Revolution
  • Causes
  • The Revolution in France
  • France under Napoleon
  • Impact of revolution
  • Significance of revolution
• Nationalism in Europe
  • Rise of the nation-state system
  • Unification of Italy
  • Unification of Germany
• Rise of Capitalism, Colonialism & Imperialism
  • Colonialism
  • The Age of Imperialism (1870-1914)
  • Imperialism in Asia
  • Analysis of Colonialism

World War I

• Causes of the War
• Scope & Course of the War
• Russian Revolution
  • Major events in pre-revolution Russia
  • Causes
  • Course of revolution
  • Consequences
  • The aftermath of the war
  • Post-Lenin Russia
• End of the War & Peace Treaties
• Consequences of the War
• League of Nations

World Between the Two Wars

• Europe After the War – Fascism & Nazism
• The Great Depression
• Emergence of the Soviet Union
• Nationalist Movements in Asia & Africa
• US as a Strong Power

World War II

• Fascist Aggression & Response of Western Democracies
• The outbreak of the War
• Theatres of the War
• US Entry into the War
• Global Nature of the War
• The Holocaust
• Resistance Movements
• After-effects of the War

Decolonisation & Redrawal of National Boundaries

• Europe after World War II
• Cold War
• Rise of Asia & Africa
• Developments in West Asia & North Africa
• Spread of Communism
• Korean War
• Vietnam War
• Cuban Crisis
• The collapse of Soviet Union

Concept, Types & Social Impact of Political Philosophies

• Communism
• Capitalism
• Socialism

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for Indian Society

Salient Features of Indian Society, Diversity of India

• Features of Indian society
• Diversity (Types – caste, linguistic, social and religious, race, tribe and ethnicity, culture)
• Challenges Posed by Diversity
• Unity
• Pluralism
• Unity in Diversity
• Inequality and Exclusion
• Family System
• Examples of the above.

Role of Women and Women’s Organizations

• Women’s organizations in Indian history
• Types of Women’s Organizations
• Level of penetration
• 19th-Century Social Reform Movements and Early Women’s Organisations –
  • Agrarian Struggles and Revolt
  • Participation in Freedom Struggle
• Women’s organization (With Examples)
• Problems Faced by Women’s Organizations
• Is a larger vocal role possible and ways to achieve the same
• Role of SHGs, Microfinance Institution

Population and Associated Issues

• Basic Demography of India
• Population Trends in India and Their Implications
• Causes and Effects of OverPopulation
• Challenges of Population Explosion
• Changing Age Structure of the Indian Population
• Demographic Dividend: Boon or Bane for India
• Population Aging in India
• India’s Population Policy & Initiatives

Poverty and Developmental Issues

• Concept of Development and Poverty
• Types of Poverty
• Measurement of Poverty – Poverty Line
• Causes of Poverty
• Poverty as a Social Problem
• Socio-economic Spread of Poverty
• Consequences of Poverty –
  • Inequality
  • Continuation of Vicious Cycle
  • Who is worst affected by poverty?
• The Problem of Rising Urban Poverty
• Poverty Alleviation Initiatives
• Policy shifts from “Trickle Down” Economics to Inclusive or Pro-poor Development to Reduce Poverty
• Relation between Poverty Reduction and Development: Poverty-Inequality-Development Nexus

Urbanization, their problems and their remedies

• Urbanisation Trends in India and Their Implications – Demographic and Social Dimensions
• Factors Driving Urbanisation
• State of Service Delivery and Challenges Posed by Urbanisation
• Problems of Urban Areas
• Social Consequences of Urbanisation
• Impact of Urbanisation in Rural Areas
• Urban Planning and Role of Urban Local Bodies (ULBs)
• Reforms Required and Government Initiatives Taken So Far
• Problems of Slums

Effects of Globalization on Indian society

• Understanding Globalisation – Its Different Dimensions
• Globalisation & Culture – Homogenisation vs. Glocalisation
• Factors Driving Globalisation
• Globalisation & India
• Impact of Globalisation on India – Socio-cultural, economic, on women, agrarian sector etc.
• Does Globalisation Cause Poverty?

Social Empowerment

• Which are the Socially Disadvantaged Groups?
• Meaning and Concept of social empowerment
• Dimensions of Social Empowerment
• Why do we need social empowerment?
• Government Initiatives to Aide Social Empowerment
• Empowerment in Reality and India’s Experience

Communalism

• Communalism – Its Characteristics
• Communalism in India in the Past
• Communalism in Contemporqary India
• Causes of Communalism
• Consequences of Communalism
• Measures to Control & Eradicate Communalism
• Secularism as an Antidote to Communalism

Regionalism

• Concept of Region & Regionalism
• Different Forms of Regionalism
• Regionalism in India
• Causes of Regionalism
• Concept of ‘Sons of Soil’
• Consequences of Regionalism
• Federalism & Regionalism
• Role of Regional Parties
• Measures to Contain Regionalism
• Regionalism in the International Sphere

Secularism

• Concept of Secularism
• Indian Model of Secularism
• Secularism in India
• Nature & Practice of Secularism in India
• Uniform Civil Code
• Challenges Faced by Secularism in India
• Measures to Make India Truly Secular

UPSC GS 1 Syllabus for World and Indian Geography

Salient Features of the World’s Physical Geography

• Geomorphology
  • Origin & Evolution of Earth
  • Interior of the Earth
  • Distribution of Continents & Oceans
  • Plate Tectonic Theory
  • Distribution of Earthquakes & Volcanoes
  • Rocks & Rock Cycle
  • Geomorphic Processes – Endogenic & Exogenic
  • Landforms & their Evolution
  • Geological Time Scale
• Oceanography
  • Hydrological Cycle
  • Seafloor Spreading
  • Ocean Floor Configuration
  • Temperature & Salinity of Oceans
  • Movement of Oceans – Waves, Tides, Currents
• Climatology
  • Earth’s Atmosphere – Composition & Structure
  • Solar Radiation, Heat Budget & Temperature
  • Atmospheric Circulation & Weather Systems
  • World Climate (examples)
• Soil Geography
  • Soil & Soil Contents
  • Process of Soil Formation
  • Soil Forming Factors
  • Types of Soils (examples)
  • Soil Erosion & Conservation

Distribution of Key Natural Resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)

• Types of Resources
  • On the Basis of Origin, Ownership, Exhaustability etc.
• Land Resources
  • Land Utilisation
  • Land Use Pattern
  • Land Degradation & Conservation
• Forest Resources
  • Types & Distribution – Grasslands, Forests etc.
  • Causes of Depletion
  • Conservation of Forests
• Water Resources
  • Marine & Freshwater
  • Water Scarcity & Need For Conservation
  • Integrated Water Resources Management
• Agricultural Resources
  • Types of Farming
  • Cropping Patterns
  • Contribution to Economy, Employment & Output
  • Food Security
• Mineral & Energy Resources
  • Classification of Minerals – Ferrous & Non-Ferrous
  • Occurrence of Minerals
  • Conservation of Minerals
  • Classification of Energy Resources – Conventional & Non-Conventional
  • Occurrence of Energy Resources
  • Conservation of Energy Resources

Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)

• Classification of Industries
• Location & Distribution of the Industries on the Basis of
  • Raw Material
  • Labour
  • Market
  • Capital
  • Land
  • Grants & Financial Incentives
  • Power
  • Transport
  • Water
  • Communication
• Distribution of Major Industries – Iron & Steel, IT, Cotton Textile
• Agglomeration & Footloose Industries

Important Geophysical Phenomena

such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclones 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

• Earthquakes
  • Why Does Earth Shake?
  • Earthquake Waves
  • Shadow Zone
  • Types of Earthquake
  • Measuring Earthquake
  • Effects of Earthquake
• Tsunami
  • What Causes Tsunami
  • Effect of Tsunami
  • Mitigating the Impact of Tsunami
• Volcanoes
  • Types of Volcanoes
  • What Causes Volcanoes?
  • Volcanic Landforms
  • Intrusive volcanic Landforms
  • Extrusive Volcanic Landforms
  • Distribution of Volcanoes
• Cyclone
  • Tropical Cyclones
  • Anti-Cyclone
  • Extra-Tropical Cyclones
• Factors Causing Changes in Critical Geographical Features
• Examples of Changing Geographical Features – Melting of Ice Sheets, Desertification etc.
• Impact of Changing Geographical Features
• Physical Geography of India
  • Physiography of India
  • Drainage System
  • Climate
  • Soils in India
  • Natural Vegetation
• Human Geography
  • Demography
  • Urbanization
  • Census
• Economic Geography
  • Agriculture
  • Mineral resource
  • Energy resources
  • Industry
  • Transport and Communication