UPSC Mains: General Studies III (Technology, Economic Development, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)

Main Examination: General Studies III. Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management. In UPSC's numbering this is Paper IV: Paper I is the Essay, and General Studies I to IV are Papers II to V. At a glance: • 250 marks, 3 hours. Counted for merit (the final ranking), provided you reach 25% in both qualifying language papers (Indian Language, unless you are exempt from it, and English). The Commission may also fix qualifying marks in this paper. • Descriptive written answers, not multiple choice. • The question paper is in Hindi and English. You answer in the medium you chose in your application: English or one of the 22 Indian languages of the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, such as Hindi. What the questions test: The main Examination is intended to assess the overall intellectual traits and depth of understanding of candidates rather than merely the range of their information and memory. 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. The questions will be such as to test a candidate's general awareness of a variety of subjects, which will have relevance for a career in Civil Services. The questions are likely to test the candidate's basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability to analyze, and take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives and demands. The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers. Economy: • Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it. • Government Budgeting. Agriculture: • Major crops; cropping patterns in various parts of the country; different types of irrigation and irrigation systems; storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers. • Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System: objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing. • Food processing and related industries in India: scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management. • Land reforms in India. Industry and infrastructure: • Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth. • Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc. • Investment models. Science and technology: • Science and Technology: developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. • Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology. • Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights. Environment and disaster management: • Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment. • Disaster and disaster management. Internal security: • Linkages between development and spread of extremism. • Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security. • Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention. • Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism. • Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate. Source: UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026, Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, 4 February 2026.