GS 2 Syllabus For UPSC Mains, Important Topics, Tips & More

The IAS Exam, also known as the UPSC Civil Services Exam, is considered India's most difficult and renowned competitive exam. Officers for three categories of services are recruited using this exam: All India Services, Central Services, and State Services. The UPSC GS 2 Syllabus (UPSC IAS Mains Paper 3) includes topics like the Indian constitution, Governance and Polity, International relations, Justice, etc. The candidates should understand the UPSC Mains Syllabus to get clarity on the types of topics that can be asked in the UPSC GS Paper 2 of the mains exam. The UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Syllabus and Preparation for Applicants is detailed in the following article. Continue reading if you want to learn more about the GS Paper 2 Syllabus for UPSC, including books, preparation advice, and the test pattern.

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Official UPSC GS 2 Syllabus As Per Notification 2024

Candidates can have a look at the UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Syllabus as mentioned in the official UPSC Notification released on the website. This Official GS 2 Syllabus gives you a rough idea of the topics that need to be prepared for the IAS Mains GS Paper 2.

Candidates can check out UPSC Mains GS 2 Syllabus in Hindi here.

Detailed UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Syllabus

The UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Syllabus was released in the UPSC Notification which is as mentioned in the above image. Unfortunately, the syllabus mentioned in the notification does not give you a clear idea of the topics. So, let's have a look at the detailed UPSC GS Paper 2 Syllabus below. This topic-wise explanation of the GS 2 Syllabus will give candidates complete clarity which will allow them to prepare well for the IAS Mains GS Paper 2 (ie. Mains Paper 3).

Indian Constitution

• Historical underpinnings of the constitution
• Evolution of the Constitution
• Salient features
• Basic structure
• Amendments
• Significant provisions
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the states
• Separation of powers between various organs of the government
• Devolution of powers and finances up to the local government level
• Issues and challenges related to the Federal Structure
• Challenges in the devolution of power
• Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
• Comparison of India’s constitutional scheme with other countries

Governance & Polity

• Parliament and State Legislatures
  • Structure
  • Functioning
  • Conduct of Business
  • Powers & Privileges
  • Issues arising out of the Powers & Privileges of legislative bodies
• Executive and Judiciary
  • Structure
  • Organization
  • Functioning
  • Ministries and departments of the government
• Pressure groups
• Formal & Informal associations and their role in the polity
• Salient features of the People’s Representation Act

Governance

• Appointment to various constitutional posts
• Role of Civil Services in a Democracy
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability
• Role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
• Powers, functions and responsibilities of various constitutional bodies
• Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
• Issues arising out of the design and implementation of government intervention
• Government policies and interventions for the development of various sectors
• Development processes and the development of the industry
• e-Governance
  • Applications
  • Models
  • Successes
  • Limitations and potential
  • Citizens charters
  • Transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.

Social Justice

• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by centre and states
• The performance of welfare schemes
• Issues related to poverty and hunger
• Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of vulnerable sections of the population
• Issues related to the development and management of the social sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources

International Relations

• India and its neighbourhood
• Relations between India and neighbouring countries
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s Interests
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
• Indian diaspora
• Important International institutions, agencies and fora
  • Structure
  • Mandate

UPSC GS Paper 2 Syllabus & Paper Pattern 2024

Candidates who will be taking the exam should familiarise themselves with the UPSC GS Paper 2 Exam Pattern & Syllabus in advance. The UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 is also known as UPSC Mains Paper 3. It is one of the 9 papers of the mains exam stage. Have a look at the exam pattern of IAS Mains GS Paper 2 in the table below.

Have a detailed look at the UPSC CSE Exam Pattern here.

Important Points About UPSC Mains GS Paper 2

• There are 20 mandatory questions which must be answered in the language chosen on the application form (Hindi or English). Questions answered in a language other than English are not evaluated.
• The General Studies Paper 2 is for a total of 250 marks.
• The word limit for 10-mark questions is 150 words, while for 15-mark questions, it is 250 words.
• Governance and policy-related themes receive a lot of attention, and there's a lot of overlap with social justice and international affairs. The majority of polity problems concern the applicability of constitutional amendments, as well as the rights and relevance of certain provisions of the Constitution.

Also, check out UPSC Annual Calendar 2023 here.

How To Prepare For The UPSC GS Paper 2 Syllabus?

The UPSC General Studies Paper 2 Syllabus covers Indian polity and constitution, miscellaneous topics, governance and international relations in general, and their topic-wise preparation tips have been mentioned below:

Indian Polity and Constitution Section

• Polity and Constitution have a vast curriculum. So begin your preparation at least six months in advance, so that you can cover the entire curriculum of the General Studies Paper-I in the first three months.
• Start your politics preparation with NCERT books if you are a newbie. These are written in a simple manner and are useful for clarifying basic concepts.
• When you've mastered the fundamentals, move on to the advanced books, which will provide you with a greater depth of knowledge.
• Begin your Advanced study with Laxmikant's books.
• Read the articles in their entirety. This will assist you in gaining a fundamental grasp of each Article.
• It is really vital to read the passage 4-5 times. The more time you have, the better.
• The main goal will be to extract information without delving too far.
• Prepare short notes with highlighted keywords and incorporate current events in a practical way to make your work more contemporary.
• Nowadays, the UPSC does not ask about current events directly; instead, it inquires about prior knowledge of any subject or issue. As a result, recent events concerning the polity and constitution must be noted.
• Most importantly, review the prior year's exam papers. Look at the types of questions that are being asked and how they are being posed.
• Practising past year questions and sample question papers will help you identify your weak spots and areas where you make mistakes.

Governance Section

• To prepare the Governance Section, set aside four weeks.
• Keep track of every recent scheme and detail of governance. UPSC has a habit of posing a question based on recent events.
• Prepare this portion with frequent revision in order to uncover parallels that will assist you to speed up your work.
• Analyzing prior years' question papers reveals that certain types of questions are likely to be repeated.
• Make a timeline of the most important topics so you may work through them step by step, according to your comfort level.
• Making your own notes with standard terminology for issues like social audit, e-governance, SHGs, and other contemporary initiatives is critical.
• Keep in mind that examples are quite important in this work. As a result, pay attention to the examples and use them to help you write your responses.
• It's also crucial to look into government programmes that help the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised members of society.
• Because the word limit for answers to 10 mark questions is 150 words, do not prepare notes that are around 250 words long.

International Relations Section

• Aspirants Should make it a habit to read newspapers on a regular basis and should be aware that this curriculum will not be completed in a week because it will be a continuous process.
• In the newspaper, pay special attention to paragraphs about international affairs.
• Make a list of all major international events from the previous year in which India played a role.
• To provide coverage of the Indian diaspora Understand core concepts such as OCI, PIO, NRI, and citizenship issues first, then relate current issues to conventional subjects.
• Global, provincial, and internal growth all have an impact on policy. As a result, current events are extremely significant.
• India's global, regional, and domestic environments have become exceedingly complex, providing several problems to the country's foreign policy.
• The static/traditional element of India's Foreign Relations following independence is covered in detail by IGNOU.
• Don't place too much emphasis on the dates of your visits.
• Keep a word limit of 150-250 words in mind when taking notes, depending on the number of questions.

Miscellaneous Tips

• The IAS Mains General Studies 2 Paper is a high-scoring one. Making sure you're prepared for each section can help you get the most out of it.
• Following current events closely is a key to success in this section.
• Depending on your educational background and intellectual capacity, the challenge level ranges from easy to moderate.
• This section should not be tackled initially.
• After completing the preceding sections, you will be familiar with the majority of the issues in the Miscellaneous area, which will save you time.
• It is extremely usual and expected to read paper copies and make notes when you schedule current affairs in your everyday life.
• Make notes from internet sources if possible. This will double your normal speed.
• Read the sources that are both economical and valuable to you.
• Read newspapers that are more concerned with national and international issues than with political issues.
• Last but not least, because this is a non-technical paper, you must practise answering questions so that you can be more productive and speed up in the IAS Exam hall.

Download & Practice UPSC Previous Year Question Papers here.

Best Books For UPSC GS 2 Syllabus

It is important that the candidates should prepare for the UPSC Mains General Studies Paper 2 Syllabus from reliable sources and good study material. To keep the preparation at its best the candidates can use the below-mentioned books to ace the exam.

We hope this article on UPSC GS Paper 2 Syllabus help well in your IAS Preparation. You can also take advantage of the Testbook app's by getting access to free mock tests, live classes, study materials and much more!

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