Syllabus of UPSC Mains Examination. The Main Examination will assess your intellectual traits as well as depth of the understanding rather than just information and memory. Marks in Main Examination and Personality Test ( Interview ) are considered for final selection and ranking.
UPSC Says “The nature and standard of questions in the General Studies papers (Paper II to Paper V) will be such that a well-educated person will be able to answer them without any specialized study.” It means, you don’t have to be a genius in those subjects but you should be thorough with the syllabus that UPSC has provided ( given below ).
The scope of the upsc mains syllabus for optional subject papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) for the examination is broadly of the honours degree level i.e. a level higher than the bachelors’ degree and lower than the masters’ degree.
Qualifying Papers on Indian Languages and English:
From above list of languages of Mains Papers 1. Paper A and 2. Paper B. Detailed information is as follows:
The aim of the paper is to test the candidates’ ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian language concerned.
The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows :
(i) Comprehension of given passages. (ii) Précis Writing. (iii) Usage and Vocabulary. (iv) Short Essays. Indian Languages:— (i) comprehension of given passages. (ii) Précis Writing. (iii) Usage and Vocabulary. (iv) Short Essays. (v) Translation from English to the Indian Language and vice-versa.
Note 1: The papers on Indian Languages and English will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature only. So this means these paper’s marks will not decide final rank. You just need passing score.
Note 2: The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).
Now, please click here for remaining details of Papers which will decide your final rank.