General Studies 1 Paper Syllabus for IAS

General Studies 1 Paper Syllabus for UPSC Civil Services Mains

General studies 1 paper syllabus  is vast and this consists of 250 marks under topics such as Indian Heritage and culture, History and Geography of the world and society.

Detailed syllabus is listed below:

  • Indian Culture: different aspects of art forms, Literature of ancient and modern times.
  • Events, personalities, and issues of modern Indian History.
  • Our Freedom fight: Different stages and how people contributed to it.
  • Post-independence settlements and reorganization in the country.
  • World history which includes Industrial revolution, national boundaries, colonization, communism, Capitalization -their rise and effect on society.
  • Features of Indian society.
  • Women Liberalization-Role of women in modern day society.
  • Globalization and its effect on Indian Society.
  • World’s Geography.
  • Distribution of natural resources across the world.
  • Major geographical changes due to earthquakes, Tsunami, Cyclone etc.

Topics of History in General Studies Paper 1 UPSC mains:

  • Indian Heritage and Culture

    • Indian Art forms

      • Indian Paintings
      • Classical Dance Forms
      • Folk Dance Forms
      • Classical Music
      • Puppetry
      • Drama/Theatre
      • Pottery
      • Martial Arts

    • Literature

      • Ancient Indian Literature
      • Classical Sanskrit Literature
      • Literature in Pali and Prakrit
      • Early Dravidian Literature
      • Women Poets of Bhakti
      • Trends of Medieval Literature
      • Modern Indian Literature

    • Architecture

      • Harrapan Architecture
      • Temple Architecture
      • Cave Architecture
      • Indo-Islamic Architecture
      • Medieval Architecture
      • Modern Architecture
      • Contribution of Buddhism & Jainism to the development of Indian Architecture
      • Rock Cut Architecture
      • Colonial Architecture and the Modern Period.

    • Modern Indian History

      • Socio-Economic Condition of People
      • Middle of the Eighteenth Century Until the Present
      • European Penetration of India
      • British Conquest of India
      • British Policies and their Impact
      • Socio-Cultural Reform Movements
      • Uprisings Against British Pre-1857
    • The Freedom Struggle
      • Growth of Nationalism in India (1858-1905)
      • Political, Economic and 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 and Revolutionary Activities (1905-1918)

      • Swadeshi and Boycott Movement
      • Surat Split
      • International Influence
      • Morley-Minto Reforms
      • Growth of Communalism

    • Beginning of Mass Nationalism

      • Mahatma Gandhi-ideas and leadership
      • Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms
      • Rowlett Act, Satyagraha and Jallianwala Bagh Massacre
      • Non Cooperation Movement
      • Swarajists and No-changers
      • Emergence of New forces
      • Revolutionary Activity
      • Simon Commission and Nehru Report
      • Civil Disobedience Movement
      • Round Table Conferences
      • Communal Award and Poona Pact
      • Participation in Elections to Central Legislature (1934) and Provincial Assemblies (1937)
      • Government of India Act,1935

    • Towards Freedom and 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 and Subhash Chandra Bose
      • Cabinet Mission
      • Nationalist Upsurge Post-World War II
      • Independence with Partition

    • Post-Independence Consolidation

    • History of the world

    • Indian Society

      • Salient features of Indian Society
      • Role of Women and Women Organizations
      • Population and associated Issues
      • Poverty and developmental issues
      • Urbanization
      • Effect of Globalization in Indian Society
      • Social Empowerment
      • Communalism
      • Regionalism
      • Secularism

Topics of Geography:

  • Salient features of World’s Physical Geography

    • Geomorphology

      • Origin and Evolution of Earth
      • Interior of the Earth
      • Distribution of Continents and Oceans
      • Plate Tectonic Theory
      • Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanoes
      • Rocks and Rock Cycle
      • Geomorphic Processes-Endogenic and Exogenic
      • Landforms and their Evolution

    • Oceanography

      • Hydrological Cycle
      • Seafloor Spreading
      • Ocean Floor Configuration
      • Temperature and Salinity of Oceans
      • Movement of Oceans

    • Climatology

      • Earth’s Atmosphere
      • Solar Radiation, heat Budget and Temperature
      • Atmospheric Circulation and Weather Systems
      • World Climate

    • Soil Geography

      • Soil and Soil Contents
      • Process of Soil Formation
      • Soil Forming Factors
      • Types of Soils
      • Soil Erosion and Conservation

    • Important Geophysical Phenomenon

      • Earthquakes
      • Tsunami
      • Volcanoes
      • Cyclone

    • Distribution of Key Natural Resources Across the World

      • Types of Resources
      • Land Resources
      • Forest Resources
      • Water Resources
      • Agricultural Resources
      • Mineral and Energy Resources