RAS Mains: Paper I, General Studies I (History, Economics, Sociology, Management, Accounting and Auditing)
About this paper
Paper I is the first of the four papers of the RAS/RTS Main Examination conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC). RPSC heads it “General Knowledge and General Studies”. Its marks count for the final merit list.
- 200 marks, 3 hours.
- Descriptive/analytical, with brief, medium, long answer and descriptive type questions.
- A candidate must take all four Main papers. The four papers (800 marks) and the interview (100 marks) make the 900 marks of the final merit.
- To be called for the interview, a candidate needs at least 10% marks in each paper and 15% in the aggregate (SC/ST candidates get a 5% relaxation), as the advertisement states.
- Papers are answered in Hindi or in English; no paper may be answered partly in Hindi and partly in English unless specifically allowed.
RPSC's Scheme of Examination gives this unit-wise plan for Paper I:
| Unit | Questions | Marks | Word limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| I: History | 8 x 5 marks; 3 x 10 marks | 70 | 50; 150 |
| II: Economics | 6 x 5 marks; 3 x 10 marks | 60 | 50; 150 |
| III: Sociology, Management, Accounting & Auditing | 14 x 5 marks | 70 | 50 |
RPSC says this plan is only for general guidance and the unit-wise distribution of marks and questions may vary.
Official syllabus
The official syllabus has three units, each in parts. The full official text of each part is quoted on its sub-page.
- Unit I - HISTORY: Part A - History, Art, Culture, Literature, Tradition and Heritage of Rajasthan; Part B - Indian History & Culture; Part C - History of Modern World (up to 1991 A.D.)
- Unit II - ECONOMICS: Part A - Indian Economy; Part B - World Economy; Part C - Economy of Rajasthan
- Unit III - SOCIOLOGY, MANAGEMENT, ACCOUNTING & AUDITING: Part A - Sociology; Part B - Management; Part C - Accounting & Auditing
Subject-wise breakdown
- Rajasthan: History, Administration and Integration: Unit I, Part A (first three points): prehistoric sites, dynasties up to the 18th century, revenue system, 1857, peasant and tribal movements, Praja Mandals and integration.
- Rajasthan: Art, Culture, Religion and Heritage: Unit I, Part A (other six points): arts and crafts, architecture, fairs, tribes, heritage sites, language and literature, saints and folk deities.
- Indian History and Culture: Unit I, Part B: heritage, religious movements, British policies, the national movement, reform movements and post-independence India.
- History of the Modern World (up to 1991): Unit I, Part C: Renaissance to the end of the Cold War.
- Indian Economy: Unit II, Part A: growth, agriculture, industry, services, trade, public finance, banking and the social sector.
- World Economy: WTO, World Bank and IMF: Unit II, Part B.
- Economy of Rajasthan: Unit II, Part C: state income, budget, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, governance and welfare schemes.
- Sociology: Unit III, Part A: caste and class, social change, Indian social concepts and social problems.
- Management: Unit III, Part B: general management, organisational behaviour, marketing, HRM and strategy.
- Accounting and Auditing: Unit III, Part C: accounting principles, standards, financial statements, GST and audit.
How this paper connects
Rajasthan's history and culture, Indian history and the economy build on the Prelims syllabus; world history, the World Economy part, sociology, management and accounting are new at the Mains. Rajasthan's geography and resources are in Paper II, and polity, Panchayati Raj and public administration in Paper III. Several Essay themes in Paper IV (economy, society, Rajasthan's culture) draw on this paper.
Source: RPSC, Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive (Mains) Examination, Scheme & Syllabus, 9 January 2026, PDF; Scheme of Examination (unit-wise questions), PDF. Last checked 11 November 2026.