UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students | Best BA Honours Subject for UPSC Exam Preparation
By BYJU'S Exam Prep
Updated on: November 14th, 2023
The aspirants with a Bachelor of Arts must know about the UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students before appearing for the UPSC 2023. Though the syllabus for UPSC Exam is not restricted to a particular field, however, choosing arts for graduation can be a helping hand for the candidates. The UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students is similar to the syllabus studied during graduation. Thus, getting familiar with the syllabus will aid the students in preparing for the exam.
To help the aspirants, we have mentioned the UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students and Important BA Subjects for UPSC, along with the preparation tips below in this article. The candidates preparing for the Exam can refer to the below-mentioned syllabus and start their preparation.
Table of content
UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students
The UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students is divided into two sections- UPSC Prelims Syllabus and UPSC Mains Syllabus. The UPSC Prelims Syllabus is further divided into two parts: CSAT Syllabus and GS paper I Syllabus. The UPSC Syllabus for Prelims is designed to judge the basic understanding of an individual, while the UPSC Mains Syllabus judges the professional knowledge of an individual. However, If you are an aspirant who is a Bachelor in Arts and wish to clear the UPSC Cutoff on the first attempt, then you must know that you have an extra edge as compared to individuals who are from another background.
☛ You can check – How to Clear UPSC in First Attempt?
Important BA Subjects for UPSC
The UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students includes the following BA Subjects:
- GS I – Geography, History
- GS II – Public Administration, Polity
- GS III – Science & Tech, Environment, Ecology, Economics
- GS IV – Psychology/ Philosophy (Ethics)
Humanities is the major BA Subject for UPSC. The aspirants, in their graduation, can take up Philosophy, Public Administration, Political Science, Geography, History, etc. According to Subject experts, Ethics is considered one of the most scoring subjects in the UPSC Mains Exam. However, if you are interested in Economics, you can also choose economics as your optional subject. Studying Economics at the college level will help the aspirants to clear a basic understanding of the concepts.
Choosing Philosophy will help the aspirants score well in the Mains Exam. It forms a major section in GS Paper IV. Along with this, it holds great significance as the UPSC Essay Topics. However, every student must analyze their interest before choosing an optional subject. Mostly, aspirants with BA as their graduation degree opt for Humanities and achieve a good score in the UPSC Exam. Many UPSC toppers have cleared the exam by choosing Humanities among the Important BA Subjects for UPSC.
Also check:
When to Start Preparing BA Subjects for UPSC Exam?
UPSC Exam is conducted every year by the Union Public Service Commission to recruit individuals for the reputed posts of IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS etc. The minimum criteria to appear in the exam includes:
- UPSC Age Limit – 21 -32 Years (maximum age varies for categories)
- Nationality- Indian
- UPSC Qualification Criteria- a graduate from a recognized university
- UPSC Attempt Limit- For general category, it is 6 attempts.
- Time needed for UPSC Preparation: Approximately 1 to 1.5 years
☛ What is the UPSC Age Limit for SC and ST Candidates?
Thus, according to the official notification released by the Union Public service commission, a candidate is eligible to appear in the exam even in his final year of graduation, as well as after completing graduation. However, it is advised by the expexts and the UPSC toppers that you should start preparing for the UPSC syllabus for art subject during your college to have enugh time for preparation.
UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students – Preparations Tips
Though UPSC Syllabus for Arts Students is almost similar to the syllabus in BA, you need to prepare for the UPSC Exam 2023 with sheer dedication and effective strategies. You can also refer to the UPSC IAS First Attempt Toppers. Here are certain tips that will help you in scoring good marks in the exam:
- Get familiar with the Syllabus: Before starting with the preparation, the aspirant must conform to the UPSC Syllabus. Being the most difficult exam in the country, the aspirants are required to prepare themselves mentally and physically. Analyze and make strategies for how to study with a plan.
- Time Table is a must: Preparing for the exam doesn’t only account for understanding the topics but also includes time management. You need to prepare a well-organized daily routine, along with a approachable Time-table for UPSC Preparation..
- Choose Optional Wisely: Wait! If you think of choosing a good scoring subject as an optional without having the basic knowledge of the topics, then you must think twice. Go for a subject that you are familiar with. Never choose an optional subject randomly. You can refer to – How to Choose Optional Subjects for UPSC.
- Study from Important Books: Yes, NCERT books for UPSC gives the basic idea about a subject, but you cannot rely wholly on them for your preparations. You can refer to UPSC Study Material, UPSC Notes and other important for UPSC to sharpen your preparation.
- Make Notes: To cut your time while doing revision, the experts advise you to make notes of the topics as per your understanding. Try to use different notebooks or files for different subjects.
- Answer Writing Practice: The UPSC Mains Exam includes descriptive papers that test the communicative, critical, and analytical skills of an individual. Thus, preparing for the exam by doing the answer writing practice exercises will be of great help.
- Solve UPSC Previous Year Question Papers: The aspirants can judge their preparations by solving UPSC Previous Year Question Papers.
