ias general studies - startergy @ namma ias

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An effort to remove the myth that UPSC CSE syllabus is not bound. This

work identifies the topics which are expected to be covered completely

by the candidates.

Namma IAS

#12/23 , 2nd cross , Gummiah Layout

Padmanabhanagar , Bangalore -560070

09844042465

080-26393374

Defining Scope of GS for CSE 2

“Namma IAS” Blog :http://nammaias.blogspot.com Contact:09844042465

Table of Contents

Topics Page Nos

Introduction 3

Economy 4-10

Polity 11-20

History 21

Art and Culture 22-23

Geography 24

India Year Book 25

Manorama Year Book 26

Current Affairs 27

Science and technology 28

A final word 29



Introduction

Civil Service Examination is in fact only examination where students from

different streams like arts , science or literature enjoy same footing . You may be

a IIT-JEE topper or a topper throughout your academics, but this will not ensure

you success at CSE . It needs a strategy and dedication more than any mathematic

intelligence . It demands “art of reasoning” of science as well as “empathy and

expression “ of arts .

The major myth in mind of the aspirant who starts his preparation is that General

Studies is “arbit” and could include anything under the sun . This perception is

wrong . GS may be huge but there is a boundary and this work is to make

aspirants know the boundaries , scope and source for their study .

In this examination 9/10 people “fail” . Hence it is but obvious that there will be

lot of pessimism about the examination . So a word of advice would be not to

heed to any pessimistic comments and keep your belief intact . “Belief in thyself”

is the only key to success . Be optimistic and hold a positive look for life .

“Success is sweet but it demands sweat” .

All the best …………………………

XSatish TJ

(Be in touch...)



Economy

Economy for Civil Services will be divide into 2 phases of study . The stratergy is to

understand the basics first which is the crux of the first phase and later how these

basic parameters are varying in Economic Survey .

Sources of lecture :

Indian Economy Issues 11th

std NCERT Indian Economy

Macro Economy Issues NCERT

Current Issues IC . Dhingra and Internet

Economy Phase – I

Topics Issues Covered Theme of

lecture

Human

Development

Report

HDI

“Indices are

the

dimensions of

measurement

”

HPI – I and II

TAI

GDI

PQLI

Development Paradigm. Focus of

paradigm

Measurement

“Money is

only a means

to an end –

Education.

Health”

Economic

Growth

Quantity GDP ( is this

real ??)

ED Narrow Gini Coefficient

Broad PQLI

HD capability HDI,GDI,HPI

Sustainable

Development

sustainability Green GDP,

Genuine

savings, green

index

Poverty and

Unemploymen

Defining poverty and recent estimates on

poverty .



t A multidimensional problem .

“Poor is a

poor because

he is poor”

Absolute , relative poverty etc ..

Poverty gap .

Poverty Alleviation programs.

Jobless Growth , employment elasticity ,

disguised and seasonal unemployment ,

Government measures to reduce

unemployment and recent reports.

Banking

RBI Facts

Monetary Policy ( BR, CRR, SLR , OMO

[ Repo , Reverse Repo , LAF ]

)

Qualitative Measures

Money M0, M1 , M2 , M3 , M4 , concept of High

powered money .

Banking PLR , LIBOR, MIBOR

Credit Info Bureau , Asset Reconstruction Co ,

CAR/ CRAR , BASEL – II , Sarfesi Act.

Deposits ( Time , Demand).

An Institutional overview. SCB , RRB etc .

Lead Bank scheme , Differential Interest

scheme , service area approach , priority sector

, Non – performing assets and Asset

Reconstruction fund .

Fiscal Policy

Taxation 1. Direct and Indirect taxes.

2. Ad valonum and Specific Tax .



3. Progressive vs Regressive Tax.

Understanding Budget preparation .

Understanding Deficits

5types

• Revenue deficit

• Budget deficit

• Fiscal deficit

• Primary deficit

• Monetized deficit

India’s Tax structure and reforms

• IT , Corp Tax , Service Tax , FBT

• MODVAT / CENVAT/VAT

• STT , BTT

• MAT

• Customs and Excise , Tonnage tax

• GST

Kelkar Task force

• FRBM Act

Outcome Budgeting , Finance Commission (

13th

??)

Inflation • Causes ( Push , pull)

• Stag , galloping , core

• Deflation , recession

• Monetary , fiscal and Administrative

polices .

• CPI , WPI , PPI

• Recent RBI reports on these indices



WTO

• Differences and similarities between

GATT and WTO .

• Original 6 point agenda

� Free Trade

� Abolition of MFA

� TRIPS

� TRIMS

� GATS

� AOM

� Market Access

� Reduction of Subsidies

� Patenting of Agriculture

[ Product patent , Super 301, Special 301,

Amber , Green and Blue box subsidies ,

Deminimus Support and Sui Genisis , Swizz

formula ]

• Singapore Issues ( 4 issues)

� Competition policy

� Trade facilitation policy

� Transparency in govt procurement

� MAI

• Doha Meet

� New negotiations

� TRIPS and Public Health

� Reduction of Agriculture

Subsides

� Reduction of Industrial Tariffs

� S&DT

� Environment and labor issues

• Latest meet updates



World Bank

and IMF

IDA and IFC , SDR’s.

FDI and FII

FDI

Routes Automatic Route ,

FIPB , Through NRI .

Magnitude , Source ,

Sectors , Benefits ,

dangers /demerits ,

promotion

MLIGA , FERA ,

FEMA , FIIA , FIFA

FPI

Routes FII, GDR and ADR ,

offshore funds ,

Tobin Tax

Hedge Funds PN

Stock Market Primary and Secondary market , Bulls and Bears

, Merchant Banking , SEBI, De-mat , NSDL ,

CDSI, SDT , Badla , Rolling settlement , Short

selling , buy back , Employee stock options ,

derivatives , NIFTY/SENSEX , NASDAQ , CRISIL

,ICRA , CARE ,NSE , BSE.

Industry

• Corporatization , Disinvestment ,

Privatization

• MRTP ( 69) and CCI ( 2002)

• Corporate Governance and Social

Responsibility

• Power Sector – 11th

FYP

• IIFCL

• PPP

� SPV , Brownfield , Greenfield ,

dovetailing ,



� BOT ( Toll) , BOT ( Annuity) , DBFOT

Exports • Foreign Trade Policy

• Tariff Rationalization

� Peak Rate of Customs duty

� Rationalization of duty structure

� Types of duties ( Addl duties of

customs [ countervailing duty]

� Anti – Dumping and safeguard

duty ( NAMA !!)

� Duty Drawback Scheme , Duty

Exemption Scheme , DEPB etc

• SEZ , AEZ , EPZ .

• FOCUS-LAC , FOCUS- AFRICA .

Economic Co-

operation

Agreements

5 levels .

Level 1 : PTA

Level 2: FTA

Level 3: Customs Union

Level 4: Common Market

Level 5: Economic Union

Exchange Rate

Management

Full float , dirty float, pegged , crawled peg,

Dollarized .

Balance of

payments

Current Account Deficit , Capital account

deficit.

Forex Reserves The importance of it .

Planning Perspective , Rolling , Indicative , Greesham’s

law .

Different

curves

1. Philips curve .

2. Gini and Loren’z curve.

3. Lafer curve .



REPORTS OF

CURRENT

INTERSTS

Current updates as it comes .

Economy Phase –II

In this phase we will be analyzing the Economic Survey which is released by

Government of India during Feb every year . The above concepts which we learn

in phase-I can be seen in application . This is the most important aspect for the

Mains . One has to be prepare with Economic survey before Mains .



Polity

Indian Polity would expect you to know important issues and main articles .

Though 2008 civils exam did not emphasis much on polity , a command on polity

is appreciated which would supplement you efforts in subjects like public

administration and political science .

Sources :

1. DD Basu

2. Wizard polity .

Topic Issues

Introducing

Constitution

and What is

India ? Who

are Indians

• Difference between written and

unwritten constitution .

• Defining India

• Citizenship , OCI , PIO

Federalism • What makes any constitution federal

• Federal characteristics

• Anti-federal characteristics

� Mode of formation

� Position of states vs Union

� Nature of polity

Centre –

State

Legislative

Relations

• Territorial extent and its limitations.

• Distribution of legislative powers

• When can Union legislate over State

list ?

• Doctrine of Pith and Substance and

Doctrine of Colorable legislation.

Centre –

State

Administrati

ve relations

• Distribution of Executive powers

• When can union give direction to State

� .Normal Times



� Emergency

� Mutual Understanding

Centre –

State

Financial

Relations

• Difference btw power of levying a tax

and power to appropriate the tax .

• Limitations on State to impose tax in

certain cases .

• Taxes belonging exclusively to centre ,

taxes belonging exclusive to State ,

Taxes shared .

• Grant – in Aids .

• Finance Commission and Planning

Commison , issues of conflict btw

them.

• Borrowing power of Union and State .

• GST and Coalation era

• Non-justicible rights of State .

Conflict

Resolution

mechanism

btw Centre

and State

• InterState Councils

• Zonal Councils

• NIC

• NDC

Preamble • Why is preamble just a decorative

element ?

• Ideals and aspiration found in

preamble

• Use of preamble

• Is preamble amendable

Fundamenta

l Rights

• Difference btw English , US and Indian

concept

• What is State

• FR – not really fundamental !!

• Classification of FR

• Doctrine of Basic feature.

Important cases

• SajjanSingh

• Golaknath

• Keshavanada

Bharati



• Suspension of FR .

• Doctrine of Eclipse and some more

Doctines !!

• FR for army and amending power of

Parliament .

• Minnerva

Mills

• Gopalan

• Maenaka

Gandhi

Art 14 � Difference btw

“Equality before

law” and “Equal

protection of law” .

� Exceptions

Art 15 RRCSP

Art 16 � Equal

opportunity

for

employment.

� Mandal – I

and Mandal –

II.

Art 17 What is

untouchability

Art 18 Issue surrounding

Bharat Ratna .

Art 19 • Different

freedoms and

their

limitations

• Freedom for

Press , RTI

Art 20 • Arrested ??

Art 21 Wide interpretation by

SC



Religious

Rights

• Secularism ,

• Controversy of

Conversion

Minorites • Who is a minority ,

their rights and

recent issues

regarding

admissions to higher

education

institutions.

Constituti

on

Remedies

Habeas Corpus ,

Prohibition ,

Certiorari, Quo-

warranto ,

Mandamus .

DPSP • Uses of DPSP.

• Relation between FR and DPSP and

Doctrine of Harmonization .

• Why is DPSP not justicible ?

• Discussions of individual articles of

DPSP

• Champakam

Derairajan vs

SOM

• Kerala

Education

Bill

Fundamenta

l Duties

• 11 fD

President • What is executive power .

• Election of Prez,Dispute resolution ,

Term of office .

• Veto powers .

• Position of President ( Is he a rubber

stamp)

• Powers of President

• Summoning , dissolving Ls , Ordinace ,

pardon etc .

• Ram Jawya

• Samsher

Singh .

• UN Rao vs

Indira

Gandhi .

•



• Discretionary power of Prez.

COM • Difference btw Cabinet , MOS and

deputy Minister . Parliamentary

Secretary .

• Collective responsibility , Individual

Responsibility and Legal Responsibility

PM • His powers and position

Forms of

Government

• Parliamentary vs Presidential

• PM form of Govt .

• Cabinet form of Govt.

• Caretaker form of Govt .

• Interim form of Govt.

• Minority form of Govt .

• Coalation Govt .

• National Govt.

• Shadow Govt .

Conventions • Differnet types of conventions in polity

Parliament RS

• RS , Composition , election

• Powers belonging exclusive to RS

• Its relevance , federal character and

non – federal character

• Domicile issue and open ballot issue .

LS

• Composition , election

• Powers belonging exclusive to LS

• Tenure , should there be a fixed

tenure

Representation of States and Delimitation



Women and Reservation

Speaker

• Special powers , speaker pro-term ,

Casting vote and other officers of

Parliament .

Sessions of Parliament

• Spl session of Parliament vs special

session of LS .

• Prorogation , Adjournment and

Dissolution

Qualification for MP and Disqualification

and privelges .

4 kinds of Bills

• Ordinary Bill , Money Bill , Finance Bill ,

Constitution Amendment Bill .

Budget

• Contingency Fund , Consolidated Fund

of India and public account

• Process of Budget , Appropriation and

Financial Bill

• Expenditure charged on CFI

• Token Cut vs Policy Cut vs Economy

cut .

• Vote on account

• Committees ( COPU , Estimates etc)

• Motions Vs Resolution

• Procedure of passing Bills,

CAG ,

Advocate

General

•

Governor • Arguments for and against Nomination

• Changing position of governor in



coalation .

• Powers

• Discretionary powers of Governor .

� Special Responsibility

� Discretion in practice

• Can Governor dismiss CM?

State

Legislature

• How to create a LC ? composition (

Remember the co-operative

movement)

• Qualification , Disqualification and

privelges .

• Difference btw RS and LC in powers

• Difference btw Veto powers of

Governor and Veto of President

• Difference btw Ordinance making

powers of Gov and Prez

• Difference btw Pardon powers of Gov

and Prez

Judiciary Supreme Court

• Appointment of Judges .

• Qualification .

• Removal of a judge

• Independence

• SC as a federal court , as a court of

appeal , as a guardian court .

• Original Jurisdiction , Appelate ,

Appeal by special leave , Advisory

judistriction , Miscelleaneous

High Court

• Constitution , Apptmt of judge,

Qualification for a judge .

• Independence of judge and difference

btw SC and HC judge ( after



retirement)

• Control of Union over HC

• Original , Appellate jurisdiction

• NJC

• Regional Benches

• Court of Record and contempt of court

• PIL and Judicial Activism

J&K , Delhi

special

status

• Reasons and what these special status

are

Elections • 326, 325 , 327,328,329

• Election Commission .

� Composition

� CEC and ECs , are they same

� Powers of EC ( Consti , Statutory

and plenary powers)

• Election reforms

� RP Amendment 1988

� Goswami committee

� RP Ammendment 1996

� Recognition of political party

� Criminalisation of politics .

(Sanjay Dutt case and Navjot

Singh Sidhu case)

� Opinion poll vs Exit poll

� EVM

• Election Terms

� Presiding officer

� Who is a Civil servant in context

of elections

� Returning officer

� Special voter



� Loss of security

� Right to recall

� MCC

� Referendum vs Plebiscite

• Different Electoral systems

• Defining democracy and its

components

Emergency

powers

• Art 352 before 44th

Amendment and

after 44th

Amendment .

• Art 356 , 355 , 365

• Bommai case

• Financial emergency

• Difference btw Art 352 and 356

Bommai case

Freedom of

Inter-State

trade and

commerce

• Art 301 to 307

• Diff btw art 19 1(g) and Art 301

• Concept of compensatory and

regulatory tax

Service

under union

& State

• Article 310 , 311 the reservoir of

corruption ??

• Doctrine of “pleasure “ and its

exemptions

• UPSC and its provisions

Languages ,

Minorites ,

SC , ST

• Provisions and respective commissions

Miscellaneo

us

• Fast Tract Courts

• Lok Adalats

Schedules • The case of Oaths , can a minster take

oath in name of CM ??



• Schedule 9 – the blanket for JR

• Anti-Defection

• Schedule 5 vs Schedule 6

Reports • NCWRC, 2nd

ARC

Polity – phase 2

In this phase we will deal with the current events of relevance which have

occurred . This phase will be held after prelims .



History

History has 3 parts namely

1. Modern India

2. Ancient India

3. Medieval India

However the question will be predominantly from Modern India . One has to see

through Arts and Culture from remaining two parts .

Sources

1. Spectrum Modern India

2. Selected chapters from Bipin Chandra’s “India’s struggle for

Independence”

3. Goroover and Goroover selected chapters especially some quotations.

Topic Focus Comments

1857-1905 Pre-congress Institutions ,

Congress and its initial

agenda , Bengal split ,

Swaraj movement ,

Moderates

1905 - 1919 The Extremists and

Revolutionary Terrorism

1919 - 1922 NC

1922 - 1930 ML and Jinnah and

Lahore Congress

1930-35 Civil Disobedience and

RTC

1937 Elections

1942 Quit India

Post 1940 developments August Offer to Mount

Batten

Spectrum is a must read cover to cover .



Art and culture .

Religion and

Philosphy

Hinduism • Meaning of Hinduism

• Vedas(Rig , Yajur, Sam , Atharva)

• Brahmana , Aranyaka and Upanishad

• Early Vedic vs later vedic

• Varna , ashrama

• Six system of Hindu philosophy

• Bhagavadgita , puranas , itihasa

Bhakti • Yaksha and Nagas

• Vasudeva – Bhagawata cult

• Alvars

• Prabandhas

• Nammaalvar and Tirumalisai Alvar

• Saivism , Nayanars, Agamarta , Sudha, vira-siva

• Shakti-cult

• Shankaracharya,kaplilakas,Ramanuja,Vishistadvaitha,

Bhaktimarga, Dvaitha

Jainism and

Buddhism

Sikhism Khalsa ,Akali, SKS

Islam Sunni and Shia

Sufism • Silsilah

• Chisti order , Suhrawardi ,

Qadiri,shattari,Firdausi,Naqshbandi

Christianity Trinity

Zorastrianism

Judaism Talmud , Torah

Ideas and • Advaita , Akal Takath , Bodhisatva, Din-I illahi , Dvaita ,



Thoughts Hijrah, Lokayata , Mimamsa, Nirankari, Nyaya ,

Sankhya,Shariah,Tantricism , Tirthankara, urs ,

uttaramimamsa , Vaishavika , vishistadvaitha,Yoga

Personalites • Andal , Arjan Dev Guru , Chaitanya , Chandidas, Kwaja

Muinuddin Chisti, Shaik Nizamuddin Auliya , Shaikh

salim,

• Eknath , Gokulnath , Gobind Singh , Jnana Deva , Kabir ,

Lokacharya , Mirabai, Nagarjuna , Guru Nanak, Ramana

Maharshi , Ramdas , Sankar , Tukaram , Tulsidas .

Festivals

Music • Basics

• Hindustani vs carnatic

• Compositions

• Modern Developments

• Personalites

Dance • Origin

• Basics

• Classical folk dance

• folkdance

Drama • Beginnings

• Classical theme

• Dramatists of Antiquity

• Folk theatre

• Modern Drama

• Some Modern developments

Art • Architecture and sculpture

• Metal sculpture

• Painting

• Places of cultural interest

Language and

Literature

• Origin

• Literary personalites

Govt and

culture

• Institutions

• Cultural policy



Geography

Geography is divided into 4 sections . Geography concepts, World Geography and

Indian Geography , People and Economy .

Sources

1. NCERT for World Geography

2. New NCERT for Indina and its 22 maps

3. People and Economy , new NCERT .

A detailed study of above NCERTS along with India Year Book is a must .



India Year Book

This book is released by government and available for free download from

Ministry of Information and Boardcasting .

Of late the trend is that student is expected to know IYB cover through cover .

There are many strategies to become a master of this book mainly

1. Using a diagrammatic picturization.

2. Mnemonics

3. Forming a question to get the paragraph as the answer .

Further details will be made available in the classes .



Manorama Year Book .

This is a excellent book on general knowledge . Only selective reading is necessary

and relevant page numbers and boxes will be made available to students in

February along with memory aids for the same .



Current Affairs

This is the most important part of the examination . One has to develop the knack

of reading newspaper for the same .

Sources

1. The Hindu newspaper

2. Wizard’s 1000 questions for prelims and Mains .

3. Vajiram’s Current affairs material for prelims and Mains.

4. Websites of Government

Art of reading a Newspaper.

The world is evolutionary and not revolutionary in its occurrence of events .Hence

a good background of the event is essential for understanding importance of any

topic . Newspapers have to be read like any notes and one has to make notes

about the same . A student is advised to keep 3 books for the purpose of making

notes form Newspaper . Whenever you are reading newspaper make sure you

make notes from the same .

1. India and the World(A complete book)

Most of editorial articles and front page articles . There is no use of

one cutting and pasting a article without reading it . One has prepare

a good notes understanding the crux of the article and also take a

stand if the occurrence of particular event in India’s interest or

otherwise .

2. Personalities , Books in News ,Awards

3. Energy , Environment , polity 1 book

4. Science and Technology ,sports

5. Social Issues ( A complete book)

orm which month to which month should current affairs be covered

The trend generally is that from May to Feb for Prelims and Sep to Sep for Mains .



Science and Technology

This part is of major significance for “Mains” and Wizard’s Science and Technology

along with Newspaper reading is sufficient . Some concepts will be built during

the backgrounder classes to help people grasp some concepts especially

regarding nuclear technology and space .

This component has following sections

1. Nano-Technology

2. Space Technology

3. Bio-Technology

4. Robotics

5. Intellectual Property Rights

6. Internet

7. Nuclear Energy and its technology



A final word…..

UPSC Civil Service exam is a exam where 9 / 10 fail hence it is but obvious to hear

lot of negative comments regarding the same . One should keep his faith on the

examination which he would build and in fact enjoy during the course of his

preparation .

There is no better competitor than yourself . Be a better person today than what

you were yesterday . This simple process transforms a person to a learned and

gentle man .

UPSC never gives questions outside the syllabus . However without 100%

preparation one may not be able to crack the exam to his potential .

“Namma IAS” will be with you to help and guide you any time any day .

All the Best …

“Sail in the ship of ambition and anchor at the harbor of success “

ias general studies - startergy @ namma ias

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