General Studies 3 Paper Syllabus – Civil Services Mains Exam UPSC

General Studies 3 Paper Syllabus for UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam consists of the below major areas: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.

General Studies 3 Paper Syllabus for UPSC Civil Services Mains

The detailed syllabus as provided by UPSC is as below:

Economic Development

• Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
• Government Budgeting.
• Land reforms in India.
• 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.

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.

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
• Issues relating to intellectual property rights.

Biodiversity and Environment

• Conservation
• Environmental pollution and degradation
• Environmental impact assessment

Disaster and disaster management

• 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.

Reference Books for General Studies Paper 3 [Suggestions by ClearIAS.com]

The basic book list recommended by many toppers is provided in the link IAS Books for UPSC Mains.

If you need additional books/weblinks for reference, the below-mentioned links might be useful.

1. NCERT Class X – Understanding Economic Development, NCERT Class XI – Indian Economic Development (All Chapters 1 to 10) and NCERT Class XII – Macroeconomics, NCERT Class VIII Geography text, Resources and Development.
2. A book like Science &Technology for Civil Services Examinations by A.K. Singh.
3. Science and Technology in India (Spectrum).
4. Security Management: UPSC Civil Services Main Examination by Shamna Hussain.
5. India’s National Security: A Reader. (Internal Security – GS3)
6. Challenges to Internal Security of India. (Internal Security – GS3)
7. Biodiversity, Environment and Disaster Management: UPSC Civil Services Main Examination by Shamna Hussain
8. Newspapers like The Hindu Business Line, Business Standard or Economic Times.
9. Five-Year Plan from Planning Commission Website : https://planningcommission.nic.in.
10. Budget from https://indiabudget.nic.in/.
11. Economic Survey. (Economy)
12. Science and Technology in India – TMH. (Science and Technology)
13. Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure – Rajagopalan. (Environment)
14. Environment for Civil Services Prelims and Mains – Khuller. (Environment)
15. India Year Book (Current Affairs)
16. Manorama Yearbook. (Current Affairs)
17. ‘State of India Agriculture’ reports on https://agricoop.nic.in.
18. Union Ministries of Water Resources (https://wrmin.nic.in).
19. Union Ministry of Power (https://powermin.nic.in).
20. Ministry of Science and Technology.
21. Food Security Aspects: https://www.nfsm.gov.in.

Additional Links:

1. Useful Civil Services Books.
2. Civil Services Study Materials for Online Preparation.
3. IAS Question Papers.