UPPCS Mains: General Studies IV

About this paper

General Studies IV is one of the eight compulsory papers of the UPPCS Main (Written) Examination, the second of the examination's three stages. It is the ethics paper of the Main Examination. There are no optional papers.

• The paper is written, not multiple choice; the advertisement does not prescribe negative marking for the Main Examination.
• Its marks count for merit: selection is made on the total marks of the Main (Written) Examination and the Interview.
• The question paper is set in English and Hindi. Candidates may answer in English (Roman script), Hindi (Devanagari script) or Urdu (Persian script).
• The standard is what a holder of a university Bachelor's degree is expected to know.
• Marks may be deducted for handwriting that is not easily legible.
• Candidates scoring less than 40% in the Main Examination (35% for SC and ST candidates) are not placed in the merit or select list.

Official syllabus

General Studies IV

• Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human action, 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.
• Attitude: Content, structure, function, its influence and relation with thought and behavior, moral and political attitudes, social influence and persuasion.
• Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public services, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
• Emotional Intelligence: concept and dimensions, its utility and application in administration and governance.
• Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
• Public/Civil Service values and ethics in Public Administration: status and problems, ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions, laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance, accountability and ethical governance, strengthening of moral values in governance, ethical issues in international relations and funding, corporate governance.
• Probity in Governance: concept of public service, philosophical basis of governance and probity, information sharing and transparency in government. Right to Information, codes of ethics, codes of conduct, citizen's charter, work culture, quality of service delivery, utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
• Case studies on above issues.

Subject-wise breakdown

• Ethics and Human Interface: what ethics is, what shapes it and what follows from it; its dimensions; ethics in private and public relationships.
• Human Values: Leaders, Reformers, Administrators and Institutions: lessons from great leaders, reformers and administrators; the role of family, society and educational institutions.
• Attitude: the content, structure and functions of attitudes, their link with thought and behaviour, moral and political attitudes, social influence and persuasion.
• Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Service: integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
• Emotional Intelligence: the concept and main models of emotional intelligence, and its use in administration and governance.
• Moral Thinkers and Philosophers: India and the World: Indian and world thinkers, from the Upanishads, the Buddha and Kautilya to Gandhi, Ambedkar, Kant, Mill and Rawls.
• Public Service Values and Ethics in Public Administration: status and problems, dilemmas, sources of ethical guidance, accountability, ethics in international relations and funding, corporate governance.
• Probity in Governance: public service, transparency and the Right to Information, codes of ethics and conduct, citizen's charter, service delivery, public funds and corruption.
• Case Studies: how the areas above are tested through situations, and the kinds of situations they lead to.

How this paper connects

• General Studies II covers transparency and accountability, e-governance, citizens charters and the role of civil services in a democracy; this paper asks about the ethical side of the same institutions.
• General Studies V covers good governance, eradication of corruption, the Lokayukta, citizen charters, e-governance, the Right to Information and redressal policy in Uttar Pradesh.
• Essay: the values and thinkers of this paper are useful material for essays.
• Interview: the Commission's Personality Test looks at character and general suitability for the service.
• The syllabus follows, almost word for word, the ethics paper (General Studies IV) of the UPSC Civil Services Main Examination, so the same preparation serves both.

Source: UPPSC Advertisement No. A-1/E-1/2026 (25 June 2026), Appendix-2 and Appendix-4, UPPSC website. Last checked 11 November 2026.