UPSC - CSE · Prelims and Mains
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GS I01
Geography
Physical Geography, Economic Geography, Human Geography, World Geography 115 articles→
GS I02
History
Modern India, World History, Art and Culture 207 articles→
GS II03
Polity
Constitution, Judiciary 22 articles→
GS III04
Economy
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GS III05
Environment
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GS I06
Society
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Prelims and Mains08
Current Affairs
Explained against the syllabus, month by month 170 articles→
Preparation guides
How to prepare, step by step
Practical guides on planning, sources, practice and revision for UPSC - CSE.
01
How to practise for Prelims
A weekly routine of reading, PYQs and timed tests, and how to review a test you have taken.
In preparation
02
How many questions come from each subject
Subject-wise question counts from recent Prelims papers, and what they mean for your time.
In preparation
03
What to read for each subject
The standard sources, subject by subject, and the order to read them in.
In preparation
04
How to use previous-year questions
Reading a PYQ for its demand, and turning it into revision notes.
In preparation
05
How to read current affairs for the exam
Linking a news item to the syllabus, and what to leave out.
In preparation
06
How to start Mains answer writing
Structure, word limits and a first month of practice.
In preparation
Prelims Test Series 2027
Read here, then test yourself under exam conditions
Sectional tests to build each subject, monthly current affairs tests, and full-length mocks, with every option explained.
- 47tests
- 15sectional
- 12current affairs
- 20full-length
Sample pack
₹49for two full papers
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- One current affairs paper of 100 questions
- The ₹49 is adjusted against any package
Polity Powers of the Governor: Executive, Legislative, Ordinance, Assent and Discretion
Powers of the Governor for UPSC: appointments, Assembly sessions, assent under Article 200, ordinances, pardons, discretion, floor tests and 2025 rulings.
Polity Governor of a State: Appointment, Tenure, Removal and Special Responsibilities (Articles 153 to 162)
Governor of a State for UPSC: appointment, qualifications, immunities, removal after B. P. Singhal, Fifth and Sixth Schedule duties and commission reports.
Polity Union Council of Ministers: Cabinet, Collective Responsibility and the Attorney-General
Council of Ministers for UPSC: ranks, the 15 per cent cap, Cabinet committees, collective responsibility, parliamentary control and the Attorney-General.
Polity Prime Minister of India: Appointment, Powers, Role and Relationship With the President
Prime Minister of India for UPSC: appointment under Article 75, Article 78 duties, powers, PMO and Cabinet Secretariat, confidence votes and past papers.
Polity Vice-President of India: Election, Rajya Sabha Chairmanship, Acting President and Removal
Vice-President of India for UPSC: election by both Houses of Parliament, Rajya Sabha Chairman's powers, acting President, removal and the 2025 poll.
Polity Ordinance, Pardon and Emergency Powers of the President: Articles 123, 72, 352 to 360
Emergency powers of the president for UPSC: Articles 352, 356 and 360, ordinances under Article 123 and the pardoning power under Article 72.
Polity Powers of the President of India: Executive, Legislative, Assent and Veto
Powers of the President of India for UPSC: Article 74 advice, appointments, sessions, assent and veto types, Article 143 and the 2025 opinion.
Polity President of India: Election, Qualifications, Term and Impeachment (Articles 52 to 62)
President of India for UPSC: electoral college, value of votes, qualifications, term, vacancy, impeachment under Article 61, and India versus France.
Polity Federal Features of the Indian Constitution: Parliamentary System, Courts and Rights
Federal features of the Indian Constitution for UPSC: strong Centre, cooperative federalism, parliamentary system, integrated judiciary, rights, emergency.
Polity Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: Sources, Amendment and Basic Structure
Salient features of the Indian Constitution for UPSC: length, twelve Schedules, sources by country, Article 368 amendment routes and basic structure.
Polity Constituent Assembly of India: Composition, Committees and Making of the Constitution
Constituent Assembly of India for UPSC: Cabinet Mission plan, 389 seats, committees and chairs, Drafting Committee, adoption in 1949 and the 1935 Act.
Polity Preamble to the Indian Constitution: Ideals, 42nd Amendment and Court Rulings
Preamble to the Indian Constitution for UPSC: text, five words on the State, four ideals, the 42nd Amendment, Kesavananda and the 2024 ruling.
Polity Fundamental Duties in India: Article 51A, Part IVA and Verma Committee
Fundamental Duties for UPSC: all eleven duties of Article 51A, the 42nd and 86th Amendments, Verma Committee, enforcing laws, court rulings and PYQs.
Polity Directive Principles of State Policy: Articles 36 to 51, Amendments and UCC
Directive Principles for UPSC: Articles 36 to 51, Article 37, amendments, Fundamental Rights conflict, Article 31C, Article 39(b) and uniform civil code.
Polity Citizenship in India: Articles 5 to 11, Citizenship Act, CAA and OCI
Citizenship in India for UPSC: Articles 5 to 11, the Citizenship Act 1955, modes of acquisition and loss, Section 6A, the CAA 2019 and OCI rules.
Current Affairs EOS-05 and GSLV-F17: India’s First Geosynchronous Imaging Satellite
ISRO launched EOS-05 on GSLV-F17 on 4 September 2026, India's first imaging satellite in geosynchronous orbit, after a pause of nearly eight months.
Current Affairs The 26th SCO Summit at Bishkek: India’s Security, Connectivity and Opportunity Pillars
India attended the 26th SCO Summit at Bishkek on 1 September 2026, the grouping's 25th anniversary, pressing security, connectivity and opportunity.
Current Affairs The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025: India’s New Rural Employment Guarantee Replacing MGNREGA
The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 took effect on 1 July 2026, repealing MGNREGA and raising the rural employment guarantee from 100 to 125 days per…
History The Sufi Silsilas of India: Chishti to Naqshbandi
The Sufi silsilas for UPSC: the Chishti order of Moinuddin Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliya and Amir Khusrau, and the Suhrawardi, Qadiri and Naqshbandi orders.
History The Sufi Movement: Origins, Doctrines and Institutions
The Sufi movement for UPSC: the origins of tasawwuf, its arrival in India, the doctrines of fana, baqa, dhikr and sama, the wahdat debate, and the…
History Regional, Vernacular and Women’s Bhakti Traditions
Regional bhakti movements for UPSC: the Varkari of Maharashtra, Chaitanya's Bengal Gaudiya tradition, Shankaradeva's Assam, Mirabai, Lal Ded and women saints.
History North Indian Saguna Bhakti: Ram and Krishna Devotion
North Indian saguna bhakti for UPSC: Tulsidas and the Ramcharitmanas, Surdas and the Sursagar, the Ashtachhap of the Pushtimarg, Ram and Krishna devotion.
History North Indian Nirguna Bhakti: Kabir, Nanak and the Sant Tradition
North Indian nirguna bhakti for UPSC: Kabir, Guru Nanak, Ravidas and the Sant tradition, the formless God, the divine Name, and the assault on caste and…
History The Vedanta Acharyas and the Lingayat Reform Movement
The Vedanta acharyas and Lingayat movement for UPSC: Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka and Vallabha, the four Vedanta schools, and Basava's Virashaiva reform.
History Nayanars and Alvars: The South Indian Origins of Bhakti
The Nayanars and Alvars for UPSC: the Shaiva and Vaishnava poet-saints of Tamil south India, the Tevaram and Divya Prabandham, and the origins of Bhakti.
History Roots and Philosophy of the Bhakti Movement in Medieval India
The Bhakti movement for UPSC: the meaning and origin of bhakti, its saguna and nirguna philosophy, the causes of its rise, and its core features.
Current Affairs India’s National Quantum Mission: Building Quantum Computing, Communication and Sensing
National Quantum Mission for UPSC: India's quantum computing, communication and sensing mission, its outlay, four thematic hubs and qubit targets.
Ocean Salinity · Part 8 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 8: Comparative Themes and Geography Optional Analytical Synthesis
Ocean Salinity Part 8 for UPSC: comparing the three oceans, temperature and salinity, why cyclones cluster, and a full synthesis of the salinity story.
Ocean Salinity · Part 7 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 7: Economic, Environmental, and Anthropogenic Impacts
Ocean Salinity Part 7 for UPSC: desalination, salt and minerals from the sea, ocean resources, marine pollution, the brine problem, and the sustainable blue economy.
Ocean Salinity · Part 6 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 6: Water Masses, Oceanographic Processes, and Salinity Fronts
Ocean Salinity Part 6 for UPSC: water masses and the T-S diagram, the thermal structure, sea surface temperature and cyclones, double diffusion, and salinity fronts.
Ocean Salinity · Part 5 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 5: The Indian Ocean and the Indian Context
Ocean Salinity Part 5 for UPSC: the Indian Ocean's monsoon drift, the salty Arabian Sea, the fresh Bay of Bengal, water masses, observation, and India's coast.
Ocean Salinity · Part 4 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 4: Marine Ecosystems, Estuaries, and Salinity Stress
Ocean Salinity Part 4 for UPSC: osmoregulation, coral and mangrove salinity tolerance, estuary types and productivity, red tides, and spreading dead zones.
Ocean Salinity · Part 3 of 8 Ocean Salinity Part 3: Climate System, Monsoons, ENSO, and Climate Change
Ocean Salinity Part 3 for UPSC: salinity in the climate system, the monsoon coupling, ENSO, the Indian Ocean Dipole, and the warming water cycle.
The Mughals · Part 14 of 14 The Decline and Disintegration of the Mughal Empire
The Mughal decline for UPSC: the causes after Aurangzeb, the later emperors, Nadir Shah's 1739 invasion, the Panipat of 1761, and the successor states.
The Mughals · Part 13 of 14 Mughal Art, Architecture and Painting
Mughal art for UPSC: the architecture from Humayun's Tomb to the Taj Mahal, the painting at its zenith under Jahangir, Nastaliq, and the decorative arts.
The Mughals · Part 12 of 14 Mughal Administration, Society and Economy
Mughal society and economy for UPSC: the classes from noble to peasant, the agrarian base, the textiles, Surat the Babul Makka, and the European companies.
The Mughals · Part 11 of 14 The Rivals of the Mughals: the Marathas, the Sikhs and the Rajputs
The rivals of the Mughals for UPSC: Shivaji and the Marathas, the Ashtapradhan, the Sikhs from Guru Hargobind to the Khalsa of 1699, and the Rajput…
The Mughals · Part 10 of 14 Aurangzeb and the Turn of the Empire
Aurangzeb for UPSC: the reign 1658 to 1707, the jizya re-imposed in 1679, the conquest of Bijapur and Golconda, and the start of the long Mughal…
The Mughals · Part 9 of 14 Shah Jahan and the Zenith of Mughal Splendour
Shah Jahan for UPSC: the reign 1628 to 1658, the Taj Mahal and Red Fort, the Peacock Throne, and the succession war won by Aurangzeb over…
The Mughals · Part 8 of 14 Jahangir and Nur Jahan
Jahangir and Nur Jahan for UPSC: the reign of 1605 to 1627, Nur Jahan and her family, Sir Thomas Roe and Hawkins, and the first English…
The Mughals · Part 7 of 14 Akbar: Religion, the Din-i-Ilahi and Sulh-i-kul
Akbar's religion for UPSC: sulh-i-kul and toleration, the Ibadat Khana of 1575, the mahzar of 1579, and the Din-i-Ilahi of 1582 with its few followers.
The Mughals · Part 6 of 14 Akbar: Administration, Mansabdari and the Revenue System
Akbar's administration for UPSC: the four central ministers, the mansabdari with zat and sawar, the dahsala revenue of Todar Mal, and the provincial units.
The Mughals · Part 5 of 14 Akbar: The Rajput Policy and the Nobility
Akbar's Rajput policy for UPSC: the Amber alliance of 1562, the Battle of Haldighati and Maharana Pratap, the abolition of the jizya, and the Navaratnas.
The Mughals · Part 4 of 14 Akbar: The Conquests and the Expansion of the Empire
Akbar's conquests for UPSC: the Second Battle of Panipat against Hemu, Chittor, Gujarat, Bengal, Kashmir and the Deccan, and the empire at its height.
The Mughals · Part 3 of 14 Sher Shah Suri and the Sur Interregnum
Sher Shah Suri for UPSC: his defeat of Humayun at Chausa and Kannauj, the silver rupiya, the Grand Trunk Road, the sarais, and his great Sasaram…
The Mughals · Part 2 of 14 Humayun and the Struggle for the Throne
Humayun for UPSC: his loss of the empire to Sher Shah at Chausa and Kannauj, his long exile in Persia, his recovery of Delhi in 1555,…
The Mughals · Part 1 of 14 Babur and the Founding of the Mughal Empire
Babur for UPSC: the founding of the Mughal Empire at the First Battle of Panipat in 1526, the battles of Khanwa, Chanderi and Ghaghra, and the…
Medieval Deccan · Part 10 of 10 The Architecture of the Deccan Sultanates
Deccan Sultanate architecture for UPSC: the Gol Gumbaz of Bijapur, the Charminar of Hyderabad, the Golconda fort, and the Indo-Islamic art of the Deccan.
Medieval Deccan · Part 9 of 10 The Art and Architecture of Vijayanagara: Hampi
Vijayanagara art and architecture for UPSC: the Dravidian style, the Virupaksha and Vitthala temples of Hampi, the Lotus Mahal, and the UNESCO heritage.
Current Affairs NISAR: The NASA-ISRO Radar Satellite Watching Earth’s Changing Surfaces
NISAR for UPSC: the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar satellite, its dual-band radar, how it works, and its uses in disaster management and agriculture.
Medieval Deccan · Part 8 of 10 Vijayanagara: Administration, Society and the Travellers
Vijayanagara administration and society for UPSC: the nayankara and amaram system, the army, the position of women, and the famous foreign travellers.
Medieval Deccan · Part 7 of 10 The Battle of Talikota, 1565, and the Fall of Vijayanagara
The Battle of Talikota of 1565 for UPSC: the alliance of four Deccan Sultanates, the fall of Vijayanagara, the sack of Hampi, and the Aravidu survival.
Medieval Deccan · Part 6 of 10 The Five Deccan Sultanates
The five Deccan Sultanates for UPSC: Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmadnagar, Berar and Bidar, the heirs of the Bahmani, their dynasties, capitals and Mughal end.
Medieval Deccan · Part 5 of 10 Krishnadevaraya and the Zenith of Vijayanagara
Krishnadevaraya for UPSC: the Tuluva king of Vijayanagara's zenith, the Battle of Raichur, the Amuktamalyada, the Ashtadiggajas, and his administration.
Medieval Deccan · Part 4 of 10 Mahmud Gawan and the Height of the Bahmani Sultanate
Mahmud Gawan for UPSC: the Persian wazir of the Bahmani Sultanate, the reform of the tarafs, the capture of Goa, the Bidar madrasa, and his fall…
Medieval Deccan · Part 3 of 10 The Sangama and Saluva Dynasties and the Deccan Conflict
The Sangama and Saluva dynasties of Vijayanagara for UPSC: Harihara, Deva Raya II, the two usurpations, and the long Deccan wars over the Raichur doab.
Medieval Deccan · Part 2 of 10 The Bahmani Sultanate: Foundation and the Deccan Throne
The Bahmani Sultanate for UPSC: founded in 1347 by Hasan Gangu, the capitals of Gulbarga and Bidar, and the long war with Vijayanagara of the Hindu…
Medieval Deccan · Part 1 of 10 The Rise of the Vijayanagara Empire
The rise of the Vijayanagara Empire for UPSC: the founding of 1336 by Harihara and Bukka, the capital Hampi on the Tungabhadra, and the four dynasties.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 10 of 10 Indo-Islamic Architecture of the Delhi Sultanate
Indo-Islamic architecture of the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC: the true arch and the dome, the Qutb Minar, the Alai Darwaza, and the Tughlaq and Lodi styles.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 9 of 10 Society, Religion and Culture: The Sufis and the Bhakti Movement
Society, religion and culture of the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC: the Sufi orders, the Bhakti saints Kabir and Guru Nanak, and the poet Amir Khusrau of…
Delhi Sultanate · Part 8 of 10 The Economy of the Delhi Sultanate: Agriculture, Trade and Coinage
The economy of the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC: agriculture and the kharaj, the new technologies like the spinning wheel and paper, trade, and the coinage.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 7 of 10 The Government of the Delhi Sultanate: The Iqta System and the Army
The government of the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC: the Sultan, the central diwans, the iqta system (a revenue assignment, not a fief), and the standing army.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 6 of 10 The Sayyids, the Lodis and the Fall of the Sultanate
The Sayyids, the Lodis and the fall of the Sultanate for UPSC: the Afghan Lodi sultans and the First Battle of Panipat, in 1526, against Babur…
Delhi Sultanate · Part 5 of 10 The Tughlaqs: Muhammad bin Tughlaq and Firoz Shah
The Tughlaqs for UPSC: Muhammad bin Tughlaq, his transfer of the capital to Daulatabad and his token currency, and the great canals of Firoz Shah Tughlaq.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 4 of 10 The Mongol Invasions and the Conquest of the Deccan
The Mongols and the Deccan for UPSC: how Alauddin Khalji repelled the Mongols at Delhi and how Malik Kafur carried the war to the deep south…
Delhi Sultanate · Part 3 of 10 Alauddin Khalji: The Conquests and the Market Control
Alauddin Khalji for UPSC: the Khalji revolution, the conquests of Gujarat, Ranthambore, Chittor and Malwa, and the famous market and price-control system.
Delhi Sultanate · Part 2 of 10 The Later Slave Sultans: Razia Sultana and Balban
The later Slave sultans for UPSC: Razia Sultana, the first woman ever to rule Delhi, the Chahalgani or Forty, and Balban with his high theory of…
Delhi Sultanate · Part 1 of 10 The Foundation of the Delhi Sultanate: Qutb-ud-din Aibak and Iltutmish
The foundation of the Delhi Sultanate for UPSC: the Ghurid conquest, Qutb-ud-din Aibak the first sultan, and Iltutmish, who consolidated the new state.
Peninsular · Part 7 of 7 Society, Religion, Administration and Legacy in the Peninsula
The peninsular society and legacy for UPSC: the nadu and village assemblies, the Bhakti saints, the three languages, and the Pallava and Chalukya legacy.
Peninsular · Part 6 of 7 The Pallava Temples: Mamallapuram and Kanchipuram
The Pallava temples for UPSC: the Pancha Rathas and Descent of the Ganges at Mamallapuram, the structural Shore Temple, and the Kanchipuram Kailasanatha.
Peninsular · Part 5 of 7 The Chalukya Temples: Badami, Aihole and Pattadakal
The Chalukya temples for UPSC: the Badami caves, Aihole the cradle of the temple, Pattadakal the Heritage Site, and the Nagara, Dravida and Vesara styles.
Peninsular · Part 4 of 7 The Pallava-Chalukya Conflict
The Pallava-Chalukya conflict for UPSC: the long war of Vatapi and Kanchipuram, the sack of Vatapi in 642, the Gangas and the Pandyas, and the outcome.
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