UPPSC PCS Exam Preparation - Booklist, Strategies

Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) conducts the Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) exam. The three stages – Preliminary, Mains, and Interview have a defined syllabus. In this article, an aspirant will get to know the detailed UPPSC PCS exam preparation strategy and a comprehensive booklist for the upcoming PCS Prelims 2023. There are a few books that will work for both UPPSC Prelims and Mains and then there are few that will exclusively work for each Exam.

UPPSC PCS Booklist 2023:- Download PDF Here

Aspirants can check all the UPPSC PCS related links in the table below:

UPPSC PCS Preparation

The civil services examination is an eminent one and the standard of papers designed for it, are such that it tests analytical and conceptual clarity of the candidates.

Few tips that can help candidates track their preparation are:

• Each topic that finds its place in UPPSC syllabus is important and an aspirant should never skip any of those.
• For State Service Exams, a candidate should read the state board textbooks as these give pertinent information on various topics mentioned in the syllabus.
• Each topic like History, Geography, Polity, etc. should also be read keeping in mind the state’s aspects.
• Source of practice is past years’ question papers. Find those in the official websites.

UPPSC PCS Prelims has the following topics:

1. Current events of National & International importance
2. Indian History and National Movement
3. Indian and World Geography
4. Indian Governance and Polity
5. Social and Economic Development
6. Environmental Ecology, Climate Change, and Biodiversity
7. General Science

The sources to prepare UPPSC Prelims 20223 are given in the table below:

For aptitude exam, i.e. UPPSC PCS Prelims Paper-II, aspirants should practise reading comprehensions, logical reasoning and English grammar more as questions from these sections are asked in aptitude exam in the majority. Some reference books for PCS Prelims Paper-II are:

1. M.K Pandey’s Analytical Reasoning
2. R.S Aggarwal’s Quantitative Aptitude
3. For section, Reading Comprehensions, follow the previous year question papers.

Aspirants who are preparing for UPPSC PCS exams and also targeting for UPSC 2021 may check the linked article to align their preparation accordingly.

Note: 

The PCS admit card will be released for both the exams tentatively three weeks prior to the date of the examination. The admit card is a hall ticket that is to be carried along by each candidate to their examination centres. The date of the release of the admit card is not yet out. The details of the UPPSC PCS Admit Card can be checked in the linked article.

UPPSC Mains 2023

The major topics given in UPPSC Syllabus are History, Geography, Polity, Economics and Current Affairs.

UPPSC Preparation books for Mains are:

• History- Bipin Chandra
• Polity- Laxmikant
• Geography- Lexicon or Majid Hussain or G.C. Leong
• Economy- School Textbooks or Ramesh Singh
• Current Affairs- The Hindu/ Monthly Compilation of any good magazine

Apart from the books above, a few other recommended reading sources are:

1. Budget and Economic Survey
2. State Board books
3. NCERT books – Download NCERT books PDF here (only English medium)
4. For current affairs:
   1. PIB Summary
   2. Gist Of Yojana
   3. Gist of RSTV (Rajya Sabha TV)
   4. The Hindu Video Analysis
5. To prepare for the compulsory paper number I and II where knowledge of Bengali language is significant, candidates should practice report-writing and translations from school textbooks and Bengali newspapers.

PCS Material

The UPPSC is going to conduct PCS Mains 2020 in January 2021. Aspirants preparing for UPPCS 2022 examination can refer to a few important questions that have been asked in PCS Mains 2019 to get an idea of the demand of the paper. We are giving some important questions asked in Paper 3-6 in Mains examination 2019, and along with that, we will be providing BYJU’S notes on those topics.

Let us see some important questions that were asked in UPPSC PSC Mains 2019 GS Paper 1; that are general in nature and can overlap with UPSC notes:

1. Critically examine the effects of the British Industrial Revolution on India’s economic life.
2. Evaluate the main problems of the empowerment of the Scheduled Tribes in India.
3. Tropical cyclones originate on the oceanic parts and as soon as they reach the terrestrial parts, these storms gradually weaken and end.” Explain with reasons.
4. Explain the role of Quit India movement in the freedom movement of India.
5. The politics of religion and ethnic violence is basically the politics of secularism and secularisation. Critically analyse the statement.
6. Define Urbanization. Discuss the problems caused by the face pace of urbanization.

The table below will provide you with the broad topics that cover the demand for the questions. Aspirants should know the none of question directly comes from the topic and the content has to be modified as per the questions’ demands.

Let us see some important questions that were asked in UPPSC PSC Mains 2019 GS Paper 2; that are general in nature and can overlap with UPSC notes:

1. Describe the objectives and impact of Atal Bhujal Yojana.
2. Briefly state the role of National Human Rights Commission in India.
3. What are the main irritants in Indo-Nepal bilateral relations?
4. Write a note on the citizen’s charter.
5. Critically examine the main elements of the Representation of People’s Act.
6. Describe the main provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.
7. What is meant by digital India? Discuss its various pillars and challenges.
8. Write a note on the role and importance of Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan.
9. What do you understand by the doctrine of basic structure? Analyse its importance for the Indian Constitution.

The table below will provide you with the broad topics that cover the demand for the questions. Aspirants should know the none of question directly comes from the topic and the content has to be modified as per the questions’ demands.

Let us see some important questions that were asked in UPPSC PSC Mains 2019 GS Paper 3; that are general in nature and can overlap with UPSC notes:

1. Armed Forces Special Powers Act of the Parliament of India has come under criticism by the states as being draconian and sometimes as unconstitutional. Examine analytically.
2. What do you mean by inclusive growth? How inclusive growth is helpful in reducing poverty and inequalities in India? Explain.
3. Explain the impact of the green revolution on small and marginal farmers.
4. Discuss how poverty is measured in India. Examine the steps taken to overcome rural poverty in India.
5. Define biodiversity.
6. What is new in the new industrial policy. In this context, state the features of new industrial policy and explain its effects on industrial growth.
7. Explain the challenges of food security in India. How can they be removed? Explain.
8. Evaluate in brief the agricultural marketing reforms in India. Are they adequate?

The table below will provide you with the broad topics that cover the demand for the questions. Aspirants should know the none of question directly comes from the topic and the content has to be modified as per the questions’ demands.

For PCS Mains GS 4 which is broadly about ethics, integrity and aptitude; a candidate can opt for the strategy that IAS aspirants opt for UPSC Mains GS Ethics.

Some important points to keep in mind regarding UPPSC Exam Preparation:

1. Practice previous years’ question papers
2. Do MCQ solving practice for Prelims
3. Do answer writing practice for Mains

For UPPSC PCS preparation, there are a few terms in many subjects that confuse aspirants. Hence, we have collated a list of 100 such differences between articles where you can understand the basics of important terms.

The PCS Exam is conducted annually or when announced by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC.) The vacancies are introduced under:

• General recruitment
• Special recruitment
• Assistant Conservator of Forest
• Range Forest Officer

For other PSC Exams and notifications regarding the same, an aspirant can check the below-mentioned articles:

Aspirants preparing for multiple state examinations can go through preparation articles for important PSC exams below: