UPSC NOTES

Why Choose 99Notes UPSC Notes for Your UPSC Journey?

Preparing for the Civil Services Examination demands not just hard work but also the right resources . At 99Notes , we understand the challenges aspirants face — from gathering accurate content to organizing a vast syllabus. Our UPSC Notes are curated by experts and subject specialists to offer precise, exam-focused, and regularly updated content . Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned aspirant, our notes help you build a strong conceptual foundation and stay aligned with UPSC’s evolving demands.

With crisp explanations, structured presentation, topic-wise segregation, and complete coverage of both static and dynamic portions, 99Notes UPSC Notes ensure that your preparation is smart, comprehensive, and result-oriented.

Why are GS (General Studies) Subjects Crucial for the UPSC Exam?

The General Studies papers form the core of both Prelims and Mains stages in the Civil Services Examination. They test an aspirant’s awareness, analytical ability, and in-depth understanding of subjects that impact governance, society, economy, environment, and international relations.

GS subjects are not just about academic knowledge — they are about how you perceive, analyze, and write about real-world issues. A strong hold over GS subjects enhances your essay writing, ethics papers, and even the personality test.

Mastering GS ensures you're not just preparing for the exam but also training to become a well-informed, responsible future administrator.

Subject	Subjects
GS 1	History
	Society
	Geography
GS 2	Indian Polity
	Governance
	International Relation
GS 3	Indian Economy
	Agriculture
	Science and Technology
	Environment
	Internal Security
GS 4	Ethics and Human Interface
	Attitude
	Aptitude for Civil Services
	Emotional Intelligence
	Moral Thinkers and philosophers
	Civil Service Values
	Corporate Governance
	Probity in Governance

Importance and Weightage of Each GS Paper (GS 1 to GS 4) in the Mains Examination

The UPSC Mains includes four GS papers , each carrying 250 marks , totaling 1000 marks — making them a decisive component in your final merit. Here's a breakdown:

GS Paper 1 – Indian Heritage, History, Society & Geography

Weightage : 250 Marks
Importance : Builds your foundational understanding of India’s past and its socio-cultural structure.
Subjects Covered :
- Indian Art & Culture
- Modern Indian History & Freedom Struggle
- Post-Independence Developments
- World History (selective)
- Indian Society & Social Issues
- Geography of India & the World (Physical, Human, Economic)

GS Paper 2 – Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations

Weightage : 250 Marks
Importance : Tests your understanding of India's constitutional setup, governance challenges, and international affairs — vital for a future civil servant.
Subjects Covered :
- Indian Constitution & Polity
- Governance Mechanisms & Reforms
- Social Justice & Welfare Schemes
- Important Bills & Acts
- International Relations & Agreements

GS Paper 3 – Economy, Science & Tech, Environment, Security & Disaster Management

Weightage : 250 Marks
Importance : Highly dynamic; demands strong command over current affairs. Also evaluates decision-making and problem-solving in real-life economic and security scenarios.
Subjects Covered :
- Indian Economy & Budgeting
- Agriculture, Infrastructure, & Inclusive Growth
- Science & Technology (incl. IT, Space, Biotech)
- Environmental Ecology & Climate Change
- Internal Security & Disaster Management

GS Paper 4 – Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude

Weightage : 250 Marks
Importance : Evaluates your moral compass, values, and attitude as a public servant. This paper is qualitative in nature and can become a major differentiator in final ranking.
Subjects Covered :
- Ethics & Human Interface
- Attitude, Aptitude & Emotional Intelligence
- Civil Service Values & Probity
- Case Studies on Ethical Dilemmas

Why 99Notes GS Notes Make the Difference

Each GS paper demands a distinct strategy . At 99Notes , we provide:

Subject-wise segregated notes with conceptual clarity.
Current affairs integration across GS papers.
Mind-maps, flowcharts, answer writing tips , and case studies .
Updated content aligned with the latest UPSC trends .

Whether you want to revise quickly or build depth in a subject, our GS notes ensure that you are always one

List of UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers from 2020 to 2024

YEAR	TOPPERS NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
2020	Shubham Kumar	Anthropology
2021	Shruti Sharma	History
2022	Ishita Kishor	PSIR
2023	Aditya Srivastava	Electrical Engineering
2024	Shakti Dubey	PSIR

List of Top 10 UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers of 2024

AIR RANK	TOPPER NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
1	SHAKTI DUBEY	PSIR
2	HARSHITA GOYAL	PSIR
3	DONGRE ARCHIT PARAG	Philosophy
4	SHAH MARGI CHIRAG	Sociology
5	AAKASH GARG	Sociology
6	KOMAL PUNIA	Physics
7	AAYUSHI BANSAL	Sociology
8	RAJ KRISHNA JHA	Geography
9	ADITYA VIKRAM AGARWAL	Anthropology
10	MAYANK TRIPATHI	Anthropology

List of Top 10 UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers of 2023

AIR RANK	TOPPERS NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
1	Aditya Srivastava	Electrical Engineering
2	Animesh Pradhan	Sociology
3	Donuru Ananya Reddy	Anthropology
4	P K Sidharth Ramkumar	Anthropology
5	Ruhani	Economics
6	Srishti Dabas	Sociology
7	Anmol Rathore	Anthropology
8	Ashish Kumar	Sociology
9	Zufishan Haque	Sociology
10	Kush Motwani	Mathematics

List of Top 10 UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers of 2021

AIR RANK	TOPPERS NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
1	Shruti Sharma	History
2	Ankita Agarwal	PSIR
3	Gamini Singla	Sociology
4	Aishwarya Verma	Geography
5	Utkarsh Dwivedi	PSIR
6	Yaksh Chaudhary	Sociology
7	Samyak Jain	PSIR
8	Ishita Rathi	Economics
9	Preetam Kumar	Mathematics
10	Harkeerat Singh Randhawa	PSIR

List of Top 10 UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers of 2022

AIR RANK	TOPPERS NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
1	Ishita Kishore	PSIR
2	Garima Lohia	Commerce & Accountancy
3	Uma Harathi N	Anthropology
4	Smriti Mishra	Zoology
5	Mayur Hazarika	Anthropology
6	Gahana Navya James	PSIR
7	Waseem Ahmad Bhat	PSIR
8	Aniruddh Yadav	PSIR
9	Kanika Goyal	PSIR
10	Rahul Srivastava	Geography

List of Top 10 UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) Toppers of 2020

AIR RANK	TOPPERS NAME	OPTIONAL SUBJECT
1	Shubham Kumar	Mathematics
2	Jagrati Awasthi	Physics
3	Ankur Kaushik	Public Administration
4	Ananya Das	Sociology
5	Anmol Jain	Geography
6	Vishal Sah	Sociology
7	Ajit Kumar Yadav	Physics
8	Abhijit Kumar Sinha	Economics
9	Shikha Goel	Sociology
10	Arushi Mishra	Political Science

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