Free UPSC Mains syllabus decoder by Dr. Gaurav Sontake. The full syllabus of GS1, GS2, GS3 and GS4 is broken into topics and micro topics. Tap a paper, open each level, and see exactly what to prepare. No login needed.
GS1: Heritage, History, Society and Geography Indian Heritage and Culture Art Forms Temple architecture Nagara, Dravida and Vesara: features and examples Regional styles: Hoysala, Kalinga, Chalukya, Pala Evolution from Gupta rock-cut to Chola and Vijayanagara Sculpture and schools of art Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati: differences and influences Chola bronzes and Buddhist sculpture Stupa art: Sanchi, Bharhut, Amaravati Painting traditions Mughal, Rajput, Pahari and Deccan schools Folk and tribal art: Madhubani, Warli, Pattachitra, Gond Cave paintings: Ajanta, Bagh, Bhimbetka Performing arts Classical dances and their features Hindustani and Carnatic music, gharanas Theatre, puppetry and folk performance Literature and Language Sangam literature Tolkappiyam, Ettuthokai, Pattuppattu, Silappathikaram Social, economic and political picture of the Sangam age Bhakti and Sufi movements Alvars, Nayanars, Kabir, Nanak, Mirabai, Tukaram Sufi silsilas and their social role Impact on language, society and syncretism Language and policy Classical language status and criteria Three-language formula and language debates Scripts and linguistic diversity Architecture and Heritage Ancient and medieval architecture Indus Valley town planning, drainage and Great Bath Mauryan pillars and caves, Gupta temples Sultanate and Mughal architecture: features and synthesis Colonial and modern architecture Indo-Saracenic style and colonial planning (New Delhi) Post-independence planned cities: Chandigarh Heritage conservation UNESCO World Heritage sites in India Role of ASI, INTACH and National Monuments Authority Intangible heritage: yoga, Kumbh, Ramlila Modern Indian History Eighteenth Century and Expansion of British Rule Decline of the Mughals Causes of decline and Aurangzeb's role Rise of Marathas, Sikhs, Awadh, Bengal, Hyderabad British conquest Plassey and Buxar and their consequences Subsidiary Alliance and Doctrine of Lapse Anglo-Mysore, Anglo-Maratha and Anglo-Sikh wars Colonial Economy Land revenue systems Permanent Settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari compared Impact on peasants and zamindars Drain of wealth and de-industrialisation Drain theory and critique by Dadabhai Naoroji and R.C. Dutt Decline of handicrafts and ruralisation Commercialisation and famines Cash crops, indigo and opium Major famines and British response Railways and irrigation: aims and impact Social and Religious Reform Reform movements Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Prarthana Samaj Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophy, Aligarh movement Women and caste reform Sati abolition, widow remarriage, age of consent Phule, Ambedkar, Periyar and Self-Respect Movement Education reforms: Wood's Despatch, Hunter Commission Freedom Struggle Early Phase and Revolt of 1857 Revolt of 1857 Causes: political, economic, military, social Nature debate and reasons for failure Consequences and Government of India Act 1858 Moderates Methods and achievements of early Congress Economic critique of colonial rule Extremists and Swadeshi Swadeshi movement Partition of Bengal, Swadeshi and Boycott Surat split and Morley-Minto reforms Revolutionary and Home Rule movements Ghadar, Anushilan and Hindustan Republican Association Home Rule League and Lucknow Pact Gandhian Phase Early Gandhian movements Champaran, Kheda, Ahmedabad Rowlatt Satyagraha and Jallianwala Bagh Non-Cooperation and Khilafat Mass movements Civil Disobedience: Dandi March and Gandhi-Irwin Pact Quit India: causes, nature, suppression Gandhi's ideas Satyagraha, non-violence and constructive work Critique of modernity: Hind Swaraj Other Streams Revolutionaries and INA Bhagat Singh, HSRA and Chittagong Subhas Bose, INA and Azad Hind Government Left and mass movements Socialists, Communists and Kisan Sabha Tribal, peasant and labour movements Women and princely states Role of women in the freedom struggle Praja Mandal movements in princely states Constitutional Developments Acts and reforms Acts of 1909, 1919 and 1935: key features Simon Commission and Nehru Report Road to Partition Cripps Mission, Cabinet Mission, Mountbatten Plan Communalism and the Partition Important Personalities Gandhi and Nehru Gandhi's methods and ideas Nehru's vision of democracy, secularism and planning Patel and Ambedkar Patel and integration of states Ambedkar: constitution making, social justice Tagore and Bose Tagore on nationalism and education Bose: militancy and Azad Hind Post-Independence Consolidation Nation Building Integration of princely states Role of Patel and V.P. Menon Junagadh, Hyderabad, Kashmir Reorganisation of states Dhar and JVP Committees, Fazl Ali Commission States Reorganisation Act 1956 and later states Planning and agrarian change Five Year Plans and Mahalanobis model Green Revolution and White Revolution Land reforms and their outcomes Political developments Emergency: causes, impact, Shah Commission Regional movements and the coalition era World History Revolutions and Wars Industrial Revolution Causes in Britain and spread to Europe Impact on society, colonies and urbanisation American and French Revolutions Causes, ideas and consequences Influence on nationalism and democracy Russian Revolution 1917 revolutions and the Bolshevik rise Rise of socialism and Soviet system World War I and II Causes, course and results Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations, UN Rise of fascism and Nazism Decolonisation and Cold War Decolonisation Asia and Africa: patterns and causes Role of nationalism, WWII and world opinion Cold War Blocs, arms race, proxy wars, detente, end of Cold War Non-Aligned Movement and India's role Political philosophies Communism, capitalism, socialism, fascism compared Redrawing of national boundaries after wars Indian Society Diversity and Social Structure Diversity Unity in diversity: religion, language, region Caste, class and tribes Communalism, regionalism and secularism Causes and consequences of communalism Regionalism and demands for new states Indian secularism vs Western secularism Women and Social Empowerment Women Role of women and women's organisations Safety, workforce participation, political representation Laws and schemes for women Marginalised groups Empowerment of SC, ST and minorities Reservation: debates and judgments Population, Poverty and Urbanisation Population Demographic dividend and ageing Migration and its issues Population policy and sex ratio Poverty and development Measures of poverty and multidimensional poverty Regional disparities and inequality Urbanisation Slums, urban sprawl, urban governance Smart Cities and AMRUT Globalisation and Society Globalisation Impact on culture, family and values Impact on employment, informal sector and identity World and Indian Geography Physical Geography Geomorphology Earth interior and plates Earthquakes and volcanoes Plate tectonics and landforms Geomorphic processes Weathering, erosion and landform types Fluvial, glacial, aeolian landforms Climatology Monsoon Mechanism, jet streams and break monsoon El Nino, La Nina and Indian Ocean Dipole Weather and climate change Cyclones, western disturbances and heat waves Climate change impacts and global warming Oceanography Ocean movements Currents, tides and salinity Effects on climate and fishing Marine resources Coral reefs, mangroves and marine hazards Biogeography Soil and vegetation Soil types and degradation Vegetation types and biomes Biodiversity Hotspots and distribution Resources and Industries Resources Distribution of water, mineral and energy resources Resource conflicts and sustainable use Industrial location Factors of location and recent shifts Industrial regions and corridors Economic activity Primary, secondary and tertiary patterns Natural Hazards Geological and atmospheric hazards Earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes Cyclones, floods, droughts, landslides New hazards Heat waves, cloudbursts, glacial lake outburst floods Melting of the Arctic and ice caps: impact on geography Indian Geography Agriculture Cropping patterns and irrigation by region Agro-climatic zones Population and urbanisation Distribution of population and urban growth Rivers and water Drainage systems and river disputes River interlinking GS2: Governance, Constitution, Polity and International Relations Indian Constitution Features and Amendments Making and evolution Historical underpinnings and Constituent Assembly debates Acts that shaped the Constitution Salient features Preamble: meaning and role Fundamental Rights and their reasonable restrictions DPSP, Fundamental Duties and their balance Basic structure doctrine Kesavananda Bharati and evolution of the doctrine Elements of basic structure Amendments and judgments 42nd, 44th, 73rd, 74th, 101st, 103rd Amendments Landmark cases: Golaknath, Maneka Gandhi, Minerva Mills Federalism Union and State functions Seventh Schedule and legislative relations Role of Governor and President's Rule Centre-State relations Financial relations and Finance Commission Administrative relations and Inter-State Council GST Council and cooperative federalism Federal issues Demand for new states and special status Inter-state water and border disputes Local governance 73rd and 74th Amendments and their implementation Panchayat and municipal finance and functions Separation of Powers and Dispute Redressal Separation of powers Legislature, executive and judiciary: overlaps and checks Dispute redressal Courts, tribunals, Lok Adalats, ombudsman Comparative constitutions India vs USA, UK, Canada, South Africa Parliament and State Legislature Structure and Functioning Functioning of Parliament Sessions, question hour, zero hour, business of the house Money Bill and legislative process Decline of legislative debate and disruptions Privileges and conduct Parliamentary privileges and issues Powers and role of Speaker and Chairman Anti-defection and Governor Tenth Schedule and its loopholes Governor's discretion and role in government formation Committees Standing and select committees: role and reform Executive and Judiciary Executive Ministries and departments Union Cabinet, PMO and Cabinet Secretariat Role of Ministries and Departments Pressure groups Formal and informal associations and their influence Judiciary Structure and functioning Supreme Court, High Courts and subordinate courts Collegium system and judicial appointments Judicial review and activism Judicial review, activism, overreach Public Interest Litigation: uses and misuse Judicial reforms Pendency of cases, judicial vacancies, e-courts Tribunals and ADR Tribunal reforms, mediation, arbitration Constitutional and Statutory Bodies Bodies Constitutional bodies Election Commission, CAG, UPSC, Finance Commission Role, independence and issues Rights bodies NHRC, NCW, NCSC, NCBC: powers and limits Anti-corruption and information CIC and RTI Act, CVC and Lokpal Regulators SEBI, TRAI, CCI, IBBI: role and accountability Elections Representation of the People Act Qualifications, disqualifications, electoral offences Electoral reforms Electoral bonds and political funding Criminalisation of politics One Nation One Election Government Policies and Welfare Policies and Interventions Policy design Government policies and issues in design and implementation Mechanisms for vulnerable sections Laws and institutions for SC, ST, women, children Schemes for minorities, elderly and disabled Social Sector Health Ayushman Bharat and public health system Nutrition: POSHAN, anaemia, stunting Education NEP 2020: key features and issues Higher education reforms and skilling Poverty and hunger PDS and National Food Security Act Multidimensional poverty index Governance Good Governance Transparency and accountability RTI Act: significance and dilution concerns Citizen Charters and social audit E-governance Digital India, DBT, JAM, UPI Limitations: digital divide, privacy Civil services Role in democracy, neutrality and political interface Civil service reforms: Mission Karmayogi, lateral entry Civil society NGOs, SHGs, private sector and CSR in governance International Relations India and Neighbourhood Neighbours Pakistan, China: border, trade, strategic concerns Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Afghanistan Policies Neighbourhood First, Act East, Connect Central Asia SAGAR and Indian Ocean strategy Groupings and Agreements Regional and global groupings QUAD, BRICS, SCO, ASEAN, SAARC, BIMSTEC, G20 I2U2, IMEC and new connectivity initiatives Indo-Pacific India's approach and strategic partnerships Global Institutions International institutions UN, WTO, IMF, World Bank, WHO: role and reform UNSC reforms and India's claim Diaspora and Global Impact Indian diaspora Role in economy, soft power and foreign policy Policies of other countries US, EU and China policies and impact on India Visa, tariff and energy policy shocks GS3: Economy, Agriculture, Science, Environment and Security Indian Economy Planning and Growth Planning and resource mobilisation From Planning Commission to NITI Aayog Resource mobilisation: tax, non-tax, disinvestment Growth and inclusion Growth vs development and inclusive growth Inequality, regional disparity, jobless growth Employment Demographic dividend, informal sector, gig economy Labour codes and skilling Government Budgeting Fiscal policy FRBM, fiscal deficit and public debt Subsidies and rationalisation Taxation Direct and indirect tax reforms, GST Budget structure and Finance Commission Money, Banking and External Sector Monetary policy Repo, CRR, SLR and inflation targeting RBI's role and digital currency Banking and finance NPAs, IBC, bank mergers and financial inclusion Capital markets and insurance reforms External sector Balance of payments, rupee, FDI and FPI WTO issues and trade agreements Infrastructure Sectors Energy, roads, railways, ports, airports, logistics Investment models PPP, InvIT, National Infrastructure Pipeline Industry Industrial policy, MSMEs, Make in India, PLI Agriculture Agriculture and Allied Crops and productivity Cropping patterns, irrigation and productivity Soil health, micro-irrigation, fertilizer subsidy Agricultural marketing MSP, APMC, e-NAM, contract farming Farm laws debate and market reforms Land and credit Land reforms, tenancy, farm credit FPOs and cooperatives Allied sectors Animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries Food Security PDS and food policy PDS reforms, buffer stocks, food security issues WTO subsidies and peace clause Food processing Scope, supply chain, cold storage, value addition Science and Technology Developments and Applications Space ISRO missions, Gaganyaan, Chandrayaan Space economy and private participation IT and emerging tech AI, quantum, semiconductors, 5G Cyber and robotics Biotech and health Genome editing, mRNA, biosimilars Nano-technology applications Defence technology Missiles, indigenisation and DRDO IPR Intellectual property Patents, GI tags, TRIPS, compulsory licensing Technology transfer and indigenisation Environment and Disaster Management Environment Pollution and degradation Air, water, plastic and e-waste Laws and institutions: NGT, CPCB Environmental impact assessment EIA process and criticism Climate change COP outcomes, NDCs, net-zero and carbon markets Adaptation, mitigation and climate finance Biodiversity Wildlife and forest conservation, Project Tiger, rewilding Wetlands and coastal regulation Disaster Management Framework Disaster Management Act, NDMA, NDRF Sendai Framework Preparedness Earthquakes, floods and cyclones: mitigation and early warning Internal Security Threats and Linkages Extremism and terrorism Left Wing Extremism: causes and response Insurgency in the North East and J&K Terror financing and counter-terrorism laws Organised crime Linkages of organised crime, money laundering, terror Border and Cyber Security Border management Border areas: China, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar Coastal security External actors Role of state and non-state actors Cyber and communication Cyber crime, data protection, social media threats Cyber security framework Forces and agencies CAPFs, intelligence agencies and their mandate GS4: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude Ethics and Human Interface Essence and Determinants Essence of ethics Meaning, essence and consequences of ethics in human action Determinants: values, laws, conscience Dimensions Ethics in private and public relationships Ethics vs morality vs law Human Values Lessons from great leaders Gandhi, Ambedkar, Kalam, Mother Teresa and administrators Inculcating values Role of family, society and educational institutions Attitude Attitude and Persuasion Attitude Content, structure and function of attitude Link between attitude and behaviour Types of attitudes Moral and political attitudes Persuasion Social influence, persuasion and prejudice Changing attitudes Aptitude and Foundational Values Civil Service Values Core values Integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity Service values Dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance, compassion Aptitude Aptitude for civil services and foundational values Emotional Intelligence EI Concepts Emotional intelligence Components: self-awareness, regulation, empathy, social skills Application EI in administration, decision making and conflict handling Moral Thinkers and Philosophers Contributions Indian thinkers Gandhi, Kautilya, Buddha, Mahavira, Vivekananda Tagore, Ambedkar and the Gita on duty Western thinkers Aristotle, Kant, Mill, Rawls Virtue, duty and utility ethics compared Public Service Ethics Ethics in Public Administration Status and problems Ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions Sources of guidance Laws, rules, regulations and conscience Accountability Ethical governance and strengthening values Ethics in international relations Ethical issues in aid, funding and diplomacy Corporate governance and CSR Probity in Governance Probity Public service and governance Philosophical basis of governance and probity Transparency tools RTI, codes of ethics, citizen charters Service delivery Work culture, quality of delivery, use of public funds Corruption Causes, effects and remedies Whistle-blower protection Case Studies Approach to Case Studies Method Identify stakeholders, issues and values in conflict List options with pros and cons and pick the best Answer structure Decision, ethical reasoning, implementation and safeguards Common themes Conflict of interest, whistle-blowing, misuse of authority Gender issues, corruption, personal vs public duty
How to use the Mains GS decoder
Pick a paper: GS1, GS2, GS3 or GS4.
Tap a topic to open its sub topics, level by level.
At the last level, read the “What to prepare” checklist.
Use Previous and Next to move through topics, or search from the first screen.
What is covered
GS1: Indian heritage and culture, history, society, geography
GS2: Polity, governance, social justice, international relations
GS3: Economy, agriculture, science and technology, environment, security, disaster management
GS4: Ethics, integrity and aptitude
After preparing a topic, practise with UPSC Mains PYQ model answers and get your answers checked through UPSC answer evaluation .
FAQ
How many papers are there in UPSC Mains?
Nine: two qualifying language papers, Essay, GS1 to GS4, and Optional Paper I and II. Each GS paper carries 250 marks.
Is this decoder free?
Yes. It is free and needs no login.
Does it replace the official syllabus?
No. It organises the official syllabus into preparable topics. Always check the UPSC notification as well.
