Science and Technology Syllabus for UPSC

In prelims, science is a single line of General Studies Paper I: "General Science". In the mains, General Studies Paper III, whose title begins with technology, has lines on developments in science and technology and their effects in everyday life, on the achievements of Indians and the indigenisation of technology, and on awareness in fields such as IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology, together with intellectual property rights.

In our reading, the basics of cyber security, from the internal security lines of the same paper, belong here as well. This page puts all of these together in UPSC's words from the CSE 2026 notice.

The science and technology syllabus, paper by paper

UPSC groups its syllabus by paper, not by subject, so the choice of which lines count as science and technology is Decode Civils' reading of the official syllabus. The lines themselves are quoted exactly. One line can belong to more than one subject; in the line shared with internal security, the words on cyber security are highlighted.

How UPSC asks about science and technology

• Prelims gives no list. "General Science" is the whole line. It does not name technology or any branch of science.
• Mains starts from everyday life. The first mains line is about developments in science and technology "and their applications and effects in everyday life".
• India is at the centre. One line is about the achievements of Indians in science and technology, the indigenisation of technology and developing new technology.
• "Awareness" is the key word. The line on IT, space, computers, robotics, nanotechnology and biotechnology asks for awareness in these fields, along with issues relating to intellectual property rights.
• Issues sit beside the science. Intellectual property rights share a line with the new technologies, and cyber security sits in the security lines, so the syllabus places technology next to the problems it raises.

For all the mains GS papers, the notice says the questions are such that a well-educated person can answer them without any specialised study. So aim to understand what a technology does and why it matters, rather than its engineering detail.

How to prepare from the science and technology syllabus

• Refresh school science. For "General Science", the basics of physics, chemistry and biology, especially the ones you meet in daily life, make a sensible base.
• Make a card for each technology. Note what it is, how India uses it, what it changes in everyday life, and the issues it raises, such as cost, privacy, ethics or intellectual property.
• Track Indian programmes. Follow official announcements on space, IT and biotechnology, and note what each programme has achieved; the syllabus names the achievements of Indians directly.
• Learn the basics of intellectual property rights. The syllabus names them in the same line as the new technologies.
• Link technology to security. Cyber security sits in the internal security lines, so read it with both subjects in mind.

Related guides

For each paper's complete syllabus, see the prelims syllabus and the GS Paper 3 syllabus. Cyber security is also covered in our internal security guide.

Several science subjects, among them Physics, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology, are offered as optional subjects; see the full list of optional subjects.