MAINS ANALYSIS 2013

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1ST OF ALL, ALL THE BEST FOR THE STUDENTS WHO QUALIFIED PRILIMS..... LETS MOVE TO ANALYSIS OF MAINS

Mains Exam: Change of format

Before (upto 2012)After (2013)
PaperMarksPaperMarks
Compulsory
language
papers		Regional language paper.
Marks not counted in merit.		300Same as Earlier300
English Paper. But marks
not counted
in final merit list.		300same as earlier300
EssayYes200Yes250
General Studies2 papers6004 papers (new topics included)1000
First optional2 papers6002 papers500
Second optional2 papers600Removed0
InterviewYes300Yes but marks reduced275
total2900
Merit from 2300.		2900
Merit from 2025

What is removed from general studies?

  1. Statistics and data interpretation topic removed from General Studies (Mains).
  2. Public Health, Health education and ethical concerns regarding health-care, medical research and pharmaceuticals topic removed. (It is no longer Explicitly mentioned under syllabus, although doesn’t prevent UPSC from asking this under GS3!)

GS1: Culture History Geography

#1: History and Culture

  1. Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Same as usual. NIOS, IGNOU tourism studies, Spectrum book on Culture.
  1. Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
  2. The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.
Same as usual. Bipin Chandra +/- Spectrum +/- GS Manual.

#2: History of World

  1. events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national boundaries,
  2. colonization, decolonization,
  3. political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
  1. NCERT.
  2. http://Mrunal.org/history
  3. Selective reading of IGNOU BA History.
  4. IGNOU MA history

#3: Socio stuff

  1. Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
  1. Starting point is IGNOU MPS 003 India democracy and Development.
  2. Then there is Decent material scattered inIGNOU Sociology, political science and Public Administration (BA, MA).
  1. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
  1. Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
  1. Effects of globalization on Indian society
  1. Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

#4: Geography

General StudiesBefore change2013
Preliminary examGeography = Physical + World  + IndiaSame
MainsGeography = only Indian Geography.Now Geography = Physical + World  + India.
Now, Let’s check the syllabus of geography (general studies)

Physical Geography

TopicsComment
  1. Salient features of world’s physical geography.
Starting point is NCERTS / GS Manual.
  1. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
  2. geographical features and their location.
  3. changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Starting point is NCERTS + GS Manual + NIOS biodiversity + selective reading of IGNOU Disaster  Management.+Majid/Spectrum

India and World Geography

Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent
  1. Starting point NCERTs
  2. click me for more
factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)

GS2: Polity, Yearbook, IR

#1: Polity + rights issue

Basic Constitution
  1. Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions basic structure.
  2. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States,
  3. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
  4. Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
  5. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
  6. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.
  7. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
  • Starting point is: yes you guessed it right, the great M.Laxmikanth. Then DD Basu if you’ve time and mood.
  • +net digging and newspapers for new stuff e.g. right to education.
  • Also Mrunal.org/polity
Advanced topics
  1. issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure,
  2. Devolution of powers + finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
  3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
  4. Pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
  5. Representation of People’s Act: Salient features
Starting point is (again) IGNOU MPS 003. Then again lot of good stuff scattered around in IGNOU Public Administration, Political science and sociology.Also newspapers, columns, net digging from current affairs point of view (e.g. Pressure groups –> Lokpal)
Rights issue
  1. Vulnerable sections: protections, Betterment: mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies.
  2. Vulnerable Sections: Welfare schemes.
  • Starting point again our good old Laxmikanth.
  • For welfare schemes, INDIA Yearbook, list of topics given here click me
  • + newspaper + official websites of respective ministries.

Yearbook, Welfare schemes

  1. Ministries and Departments of the Government;
  2. Government policies for development in various sections.
  3. Social Sector development: Health, Education, Human Resources.
  4. Poverty and hunger: Issues relating to
Basic functions and overview of policies given in India yearbook. After that, Newpapers, Yojana Kurukshetra, official sites of respective ministries.12th Five Yearplan PDFs click me. (they contain truckload of fodder points).

Public Administration related

  1. Governance: Important aspects of
  2. Development processes and the development industry
  3. the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
  4. transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
  5. e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;
  6. Citizens charters
  7. Role of civil services in a democracy.
  • Respective chapters from IGNOU BA, MA Public Administration.
  • 2nd ARC reports click me (selective reading).

IR / Diplomacy

  1. India and its neighborhood- relations.
  2. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
  3. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests,
  4. Indian diaspora.
  5. Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.
Approach remains same as earlier.
  • Starting point is selected topics on international relations from IGNOU BA (Political Science) click me
  • Dispora strategy given separately click me
  • Then IGNOU MA (Political Science) MPS 002 click me
  • + newspapers, magz, net digging And
  • Mrunal.org/diplomacy

GS3: Economy, Environment, S&T, Agro, Disaster and Security

For a paper worth 250 marks, UPSC has packed way too many topics here!

#1: Economy

  1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
  2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
  3. Government Budgeting.
12th FYP plan PDF files.Basic of budgeting is explained in Laxmikanth, Ramesh Singh etc. But hardly any direct-static questions come in mains. So this is mostly yearbook, IGNOU (Economics) newspaper and current affairs.+Mrunal.org/economy
  1. Effects of liberalization on the economy.
Basic given in NCERT Class 11 economics. More can be found in
  1. IGNOU BA Economics.
  2. IGNOU MA Economics
  1. changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
  2. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
  3. Investment models
Basic given in India Yearbook.Then IGNOU (Economics BA, MA) selective reading, Newspaper columns, 12th FYP pdfs for more fodder points.

#2: SnT + Environment

  1. Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
  2. Achievements of Indians in science & technology;
  3. Indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
  4. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
  1. Starting point is India Yearbook.
  2. Then The Hindu’s Sci-tech portion, net digging and
  3. www.Mrunal.org/snt
  4. +/- Spectrum’s book on Science Tech.
  1. Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
  1. NIOS, IGNOU material on Environment-Biodiversity.
  2. India Yearbook
  3. Official site of MoEF
  4. Newspaper columns, Yojana, Kurukshetra.

#2: Agro

Now this is a new topic introduced in 2013.
  1. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country,
  2. Irrigation: different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage,
NCERT geography,  GS Manual+ Majid Hussain/Spectrum etc.
  1. e-technology in the aid of farmers
  2. Farm subsidies: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies
  3. minimum support prices;
  4. Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
  5. Technology missions;
  6. Land reforms in India.
  • Starting point is INDIA Yearbook, List of topics given here: click me
  • Official website of Agriculture ministry.
  1. transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints;
  2. Animal rearing: economics of
  3. Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain managemen

Disaster

1.         Disaster and disaster management.Selective reading IGNOU MPA 018

Security

1. Various Security forces and agencies and their mandateThis is given in India Yearbook. Click me for the topicwise list
2. basics of cyber securityAlso given in India yearbook. More stuff can be found in IGNOU’s PG Law program material.click me
For the remaining topics:
  1. Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
  2. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
  3. Challenges to internal security through communication networks,
  4. role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges,
  5. money-laundering and its prevention
  6. border areas: Security challenges and their management
  7. linkages of organized crime with terrorism
^mostly newspaper and net digging.

GS4: Ethics

Lot of vague topics added. Anyways, first let’s check the topics for which exact material is available

Probity in Governance:

  1. Concept of public service;
  2. Philosophical basis of governance and probity;
  3. Information sharing and transparency in government,
  4. Right to Information,
  5. Codes of Ethics,
  6. Codes of Conduct,
  7. Citizen’s Charters,
  8. Work culture,
  9. Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds,
  10. Challenges of corruption.

Ethics in Public Administration

  1. Status and problems;
  2. ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions;
  3. laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance;
  4. accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance;
For ^above topics, you’ll find content scattered in around in
  1. IGNOU MPA 011
  2. IGNOU MPA 013
  3. 2nd ARC reports.

Remaining topics

  1. Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.  Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values
  2. Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
  3. Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.
  4. Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
  5. Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
  6. corporate governance.
  7. ethical issues in international relations and funding.
  8. +Case studies

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