UPSC Pondicherry Police Service Syllabus
The UPSC Pondicherry Police Service exam is conducted as part of the Civil Services Examination by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). The exam consists of three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test/Interview. The syllabus aligns with the general syllabus for the Civil Services Examination, but with a particular focus on law, order, and governance relevant to police service.
1. Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Examination consists of two objective-type papers designed to serve as a screening test.
Paper I: General Studies (200 Marks)
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, and Economic Geography of India and the World
- Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
- Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- General issues on Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity, and Climate Change
- General Science
Paper II: CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) (200 Marks)
- Comprehension
- Interpersonal skills including communication skills
- Logical reasoning and analytical ability
- Decision-making and problem-solving
- General mental ability
- Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) and data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc.)
2. Main Examination
The Main Examination is descriptive in nature and consists of nine papers, two of which are qualifying in nature, and seven are considered for merit.
Qualifying Papers
- Paper A: Indian Language (300 Marks) – (Qualifying)
- Paper B: English (300 Marks) – (Qualifying)
Papers Counted for Merit
Paper I: Essay (250 Marks)
- The essay paper requires candidates to write essays on multiple topics, with an emphasis on clarity of thought, articulation, and the ability to argue logically.
Paper II: General Studies I (250 Marks)
Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society
- Indian culture: Art forms, literature, architecture from ancient to modern times
- Modern Indian history: Significant events, personalities, issues from the 18th century
- The Freedom Struggle: Various stages and contributions
- Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
- History of the world: Events from the 18th century, industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, etc.
- Salient features of Indian society, diversity of India
- Role of women, population issues, urbanization, etc.
- 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 and India
- Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, Volcanic activity, cyclone, etc.
Paper III: General Studies II (250 Marks)
Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
- Indian Constitution: Historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments
- Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States
- Separation of powers between various organs, dispute redressal mechanisms
- Parliament and State legislatures: Structure, functioning, conduct of business
- Structure, organization, and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary
- Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act
- Government policies and interventions for development
- Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections, mechanisms, laws, institutions for the protection of vulnerable sections
- Role of civil services in a democracy
- India and its neighborhood: Relations
- Bilateral, regional, and global groupings and agreements involving India
- Effect of policies of developed and developing countries on India’s interests
- Important International institutions and their role
Paper IV: General Studies III (250 Marks)
Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management
- Indian Economy: Planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development, and employment
- Inclusive growth, Government Budgeting
- Major crops, cropping patterns, issues related to irrigation, storage, marketing, etc.
- Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies, minimum support prices, PDS, food security
- Food processing and related industries in India
- Land reforms in India
- Effects of liberalization on the economy
- Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.
- Investment models
- Science and Technology: Developments and their applications
- Conservation, environmental pollution, environmental impact assessment
- Disaster and disaster management
- Linkages between development and spread of extremism
- Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security
- Security challenges in border areas, organized crime, terrorism
- Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate
Paper V: General Studies IV (250 Marks)
Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
- Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants, and consequences of Ethics in human actions
- Attitude: Content, structure, function, its influence and relation with thought and behavior
- Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service, integrity, impartiality, non-partisanship, objectivity, empathy
- Emotional intelligence: Concepts and their utilities
- Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world
- Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration
- Probity in Governance: Information sharing, transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics
- Case Studies on the above issues
Paper VI & VII: Optional Subject (250 Marks each)
Candidates can choose one optional subject from a list provided by UPSC. The subjects include various disciplines such as:
- Law (Recommended for police service)
- Public Administration
- Sociology
- Political Science & International Relations
- Psychology
- Anthropology
- Geography
- Other subjects as mentioned in the general syllabus
3. Personality Test/Interview
The interview assesses the personal suitability of the candidate for a career in public service, focusing on qualities such as mental alertness, critical powers of assimilation, clear and logical exposition, balance of judgment, social cohesion, leadership, and integrity. It also evaluates the candidate’s knowledge of current affairs and general awareness, especially in areas relevant to law enforcement and public administration.
