Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

• Salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times (Indian Culture)
• Modern Indian History from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
• The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
• History of the world will include events from 18th century such as the industrial revolution, world wars, re-drawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society
• Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
• Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies
• Effects of globalization on Indian society
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
• Salient features of the world’s physical geography
• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
• Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclones etc., geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes

• Constitution of India: historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein
• Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional settings with other countries
• Parliament and State legislatures: structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary: Ministries and Departments of the Government, pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity
• Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
• Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies, statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
• Development processes and the development industry: role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
• Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures
• Role of civil services in a democracy
• India and its neighborhood relations
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora
• Important International institutions, agencies and fora: their structure, mandate.

• Indian economy: planning, mobilization, growth, development, and employment issues
• Inclusive growth and related issues
• Government budgeting
• Major crops and cropping patterns, different types of irrigation, storage, transport, and marketing of agricultural produce, e-technology for farmers
• Direct and indirect farm subsidies, minimum support prices, Public Distribution System, buffer stocks, food security, economics of animal-rearing
• Food processing and related industries in India, location, supply chain management
• Land reforms in India
• Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy, infrastructure (energy, ports, roads, airports, railways)
• Investment models
• Science and technology developments, their applications, and effects in everyday life, achievements of Indians in science and technology, indigenization and development of new technology
• IT, space, computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, intellectual property rights
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
• Disaster management
• Linkages between development and extremism
• External state and non-state actors’ role in creating challenges to internal security, communication networks, role of media and social networking sites, cybersecurity, money laundering prevention
• Security challenges and management in border areas, linkages of organized crime with terrorism, mandate of various security forces and agencies.