If you’re reading this, you’re probably gearing up for the UPPCS Mains 2023. The syllabus has undergone a significant shift this year, with the removal of the optional subject and the introduction of two new UP special papers, GS 5 and GS 6. This guide will help you navigate this new territory and plan your preparation strategy accordingly. Let’s dive in!
Understanding the New Syllabus
Before we start discussing preparation strategies, it’s crucial to familiarize ourselves with the new syllabus. Both GS 5 and GS 6 are UP Special papers, meaning they will focus specifically on the state of Uttar Pradesh. The syllabus is comprehensive, covering everything from the history, architecture, and culture of UP to the state’s economy, infrastructure, and environmental issues.
General Studies – V
1- History, Civilization, Culture and Ancient Cities of UP.
2- Architecture, their significance and maintainability, museum, archive and archaeology of UP.
3- Contributions of UP in Pre and post 1857 freedom struggles of India.
4- Eminent freedom fighters and personalities of UP.
5- Rural, Urban and Tribal issues: social structure, festivals, fairs, music, folk dances, literature and languages/dialects, social customs of UP.
6- Political System of UP: Governance, Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, State Assembly and State Council, Center-State Relation.
7- Public Service, Public Service Commission, Auditing, Advocate General, High Court and its jurisdiction in UP.
8- Special State Selection Criteria, Official Language, Consolidated Fund and Contingency fund, Political Parties and State Election Commission of UP.
9- Local Self Government: Urban and Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Right related issues in U P.
10- Good Governance, Eradication of Corruption, Lokayukta, Citizen Charters, EGovernance, Right to Information, Redressal Policy.
11- Land Reforms and its impact in UP.
12- Issues Related to Security in UP.
- Linkage between development and spread of extremism.
- Role of External, State and Interstate actors in creating challenges to internal security through communication networks, media and social networking sites.
- Basic rules of cyber security, money- laundering and its prevention.
- Various security forces and agencies and their mandate.
- Security challenges and their management in border areas, linkage of organized crimes with terrorism.
13- Law and Order and Civil Defense in UP.
14- Medical and Health issues in UP
15- State Education System of UP.
16- Contribution of UP in development of India.
17- Current Affairs of UP.
18- Implementation of Jal Shakti Mission and other central welfare scheme in UP.
19- NGOs in UP: Issues, Contribution and Impact.
20- Tourism in U P: Issues and prospects.
21- Emphasis on Innovation in various fields in UP: Issues and it’s impact on employement and socio-economic development of the society.
General Studies – VI
1- Overview of Economy of UP: Main features of economy and State Budgets, Infrastructure and importance of Physical Resources.
2- Trade, Commerce and industries of UP.
3- UP Government Schemes, Projects and Planned Development for welfare of People, Human Resources and Skill Development.
4- Investment in U P: Issues and Impact
5- Public Finance and Fiscal Policy, Tax and Economic Reforms, One District One Product Policy of UP Government.
6- Planning and management of renewable and non-renewable energy resources of UP.
7- Demography, Population and Censuses of UP.
8- Commercialization of agriculture and production of agricultural crops in UP.
9- UP New Forest Policy.
10- Agro and Social Forestry in U.P
11- Agricultural Diversity, Problems of agriculture and their solutions in UP.
12- Developmental Indices of U Pin various fields.
13- Geography of UP: Geographical Location, Relief and Structure, Climate, Irrigation, Minerals, Drainage System and Vegetation.
14- National Parks and Wild Life Sanctuaries in UP.
15- Transport Network in UP.
16- Power Resources, Infrastructure and Industrial Development of UP.
17- Pollution and Environmental Issues in U P, Pollution Control Board and its functions.
18- Natural Resources of UP- Soil, Water, Air, Forests, Grasslands, Wetlands.
19- Climate Change and Weather Forecasting issues in UP.
20- Habitat and Ecosystem, structure and function, adjustment; Flora and Fauna with reference to UP.
21- Science and Technology: Its issues, advancements and efforts in U P.
22- Aquaculture, Viticulture, Sericulture, Floriculture, Horticulture, Arboric culture in up and its impact on development of UP.
23- Evolvement of Public-Private Partnership (PPP) for development of UP.
How to Prepare for GS-V (UP Special: Paper 1)
This paper is a mix of history, culture, polity, governance, social issues, security, and current affairs specific to Uttar Pradesh. It also has some issues related to economy, which is mostly covered in paper 6. Here are some steps to prepare for it:
1. Learn About UP’s History and Culture: To understand the state’s culture, refer to resources such as the Uttar Pradesh Tourism website and books on UP’s folk dances, music, and literature. There is no single book about history of UP, but Rakesh Saraswat has a decent summary as of now. We shall be releasing a book soon, which treats the topic in a more comprehensive manner. Watch this space.
2. Understand UP’s Governance and Political System: Get a thorough understanding of the state’s governance structure. Read about the roles and responsibilities of the Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, State Assembly, etc., which you already cover in Constitution. However, focus on UP specific issues.
3. Keep Up With Current Affairs: Regularly read local newspapers and follow reputable news websites to stay updated on the current affairs of UP. Be specially observant about the schemes and policies of UP. Also, don’t forget to cover the budget and economic survey of UP. That will supply the data for this paper, as well as paper 6(Up Paper 2)
4. Research on UP’s Contributions: Be well-versed with the role UP played in the freedom struggle, its contributions in the development of India, and the state’s notable personalities, specially freedom fighters and revolutionaries.
5. Prepare for Topic Specific Issues: Specific topics like land reforms, medical and health issues, implementation of central welfare schemes in UP will require dedicated study. Refer to UP Government reports, and central government reports for these topics.
How to Prepare for GS-VI (UP Special: Paper 2)
This paper focuses more on the economy, infrastructure, environmental issues, and geography of UP.
1. Gain an Overview of UP’s Economy: Understand the key features of UP’s economy, its state budgets, and main industries. Economic survey released by the UP government could be useful in this regard and will supply much needed data.
2. Study UP’s Infrastructure and Resources: Learn about UP’s infrastructure, its power resources, and the state’s plans for renewable and non-renewable energy. New projects in this regard should also be covered.
3. Learn About UP’s Environment and Geography: For this, refer to textbooks on physical geography and environmental studies. Don’t forget to focus on UP’s new forest policy, its national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries.
4. Understand UP’s Agricultural Sector: Get a clear picture of UP’s agricultural scenario, problems faced, and their solutions. Learn about the agricultural crops produced and the state’s plans for agroforestry.
5. Be Aware of Current Schemes and Projects: Keep up to date with current government schemes and projects for welfare, human resources, and skill development in UP.
General Tips for Preparation
1. Study Material: Make use of good quality study materials like govt reports, reliable books and notes. Oracle IAS will bring a book by end of July for this purpose.
2. Make a Schedule: Break down the syllabus and allot specific time for each topic based on your strengths and weaknesses. Stick to your schedule diligently.
3. Answer Writing Practice: Since these are Mains papers, writing practice is crucial. Try answering previous years’ questions and participate in mock tests to understand the pattern and improve speed. Join our answer writing practice programme for a comprehensive coverage of UP.(contact 9997453844 for more)
4. Newspaper Reading: Regularly reading local and national newspapers will help you understand UP’s current affairs and socio-economic issues. It will also enhance your understanding of the topics in the syllabus.
5. Revise Regularly: Given the vastness of the syllabus, regular revision is necessary to keep all topics fresh in your mind.
6. Maintain Physical and Mental Health: Don’t forget to take care of your health. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and ensure you get enough sleep.