UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management Syllabus

General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management in UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Indian Economy and Development

   5 topics

   • Planning, Mobilisation of Resources and Growth
     • From Five-Year Plans to NITI Aayog
     • Inclusive growth and issues arising from it
   • Government Budgeting
     • Fiscal policy, deficits and FRBM
     • Taxation and GST
   • Monetary Policy and the Financial System
     • RBI, banking sector and NPAs
     • Inflation and money supply
   • Effects of Liberalisation on the Economy
   • Industrial Policy and Investment Models
     • Changes in industrial policy and their effects
     • Infrastructure and PPP models
2. 2

   Agriculture and Food Management

   5 topics

   • Cropping Patterns and Major Crops
     • Irrigation systems and water management
     • Storage, transport and marketing of produce
   • Minimum Support Price, Subsidies and PDS
     • Buffer stocks and food security
     • Technology missions and e-technology for farmers
   • Land Reforms in India
   • Food Processing and Allied Industries
     • Scope, significance, location and supply-chain requirements
   • Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cooperatives
3. 3

   Science, Technology and Innovation

   5 topics

   • Developments and Applications in Everyday Life
   • Indigenous Technology and New Technologies
     • Achievements of Indians in science and technology
     • Developing, absorbing and indigenising technology
   • Space and Nuclear Technology
     • ISRO missions and applications
     • Nuclear energy and India's programme
   • Awareness in Emerging Fields
     • IT, robotics and artificial intelligence
     • Biotechnology and nanotechnology
   • Intellectual Property Rights and Issues
4. 4

   Environment, Ecology and Biodiversity

   5 topics

   • Ecosystems and Biodiversity Conservation
     • Biodiversity hotspots and protected areas
     • Wildlife conservation programmes
   • Environmental Pollution and Degradation
   • Climate Change and International Cooperation
     • UNFCCC, Paris Agreement and IPCC
     • India's climate commitments
   • Environmental Impact Assessment and Legislation
   • Conservation of Resources and Sustainable Development
5. 5

   Internal Security and Defence

   5 topics

   • Linkages of Development with Spread of Extremism
   • Role of External State and Non-State Actors
     • Challenges to internal security
     • Border management and coastal security
   • Security Challenges in Cyberspace and Communication Networks
     • Cybersecurity and basics of cyber crime
     • Role of media and social networking sites
   • Money Laundering and Organised Crime
     • Money laundering and its prevention
     • Linkages of organised crime with terrorism
   • Security Forces, Agencies and their Mandate
6. 6

   Disaster and Disaster Management

   3 topics

   • Types of Disasters and Vulnerability Profile
   • Disaster Management Framework and Institutions
     • Disaster Management Act and NDMA
     • Sendai Framework
   • Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness and Response

General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management flashcards for UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)

19 of 51 cards from the General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three major sectors of an economy used to classify economic activity?

   Primary (agriculture, mining, extraction of natural resources), Secondary (manufacturing/industry), and Tertiary (services).

2. Differentiate between economic growth and economic development.

   Economic growth is a quantitative rise in real GDP/national income. Economic development is broader and qualitative, including growth plus improvements in living standards, health, education, equity and reduction of poverty.

3. In planning, what is the difference between domestic and external sources of resource mobilisation?

   Domestic sources include taxation, public sector surpluses, household savings and domestic borrowing; external sources include foreign aid, external commercial borrowings, FDI and FII inflows.

4. What is the formula for the Incremental Capital Output Ratio (ICOR) and what does a higher value indicate?

   ICOR = Investment (as % of GDP) / Growth rate of GDP. A higher ICOR indicates lower efficiency of capital, i.e., more investment is needed to produce one unit of additional output.

5. What body replaced the Planning Commission in India and in what year?

   NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), established on 1 January 2015, replaced the Planning Commission (which was set up in 1950).

6. Define gross domestic savings and list its three components by sector.

   Gross domestic savings is the part of GDP not consumed. Its three components are household sector savings, private corporate sector savings, and public sector savings.

7. What are the three main components/types of a government budget classification by impact?

   Revenue budget (revenue receipts and revenue expenditure) and Capital budget (capital receipts and capital expenditure); together they form the annual financial statement.

8. Define fiscal deficit and give its formula.

   Fiscal deficit = Total expenditure - Total receipts (excluding borrowings). It represents the total borrowing requirement of the government in a year.

9. Define revenue deficit.

   Revenue deficit = Revenue expenditure - Revenue receipts. It indicates that the government's current/recurring expenditure exceeds its current revenue, leading to borrowing to meet consumption needs.

10. Define primary deficit and how it relates to fiscal deficit.

    Primary deficit = Fiscal deficit - Interest payments. It shows the government's borrowing requirement excluding interest obligations on past debt.

11. What does the FRBM Act stand for and what is its objective?

    Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (2003). It aims to institutionalise fiscal discipline, reduce fiscal/revenue deficits and ensure long-term macroeconomic stability.

12. Distinguish between direct and indirect taxes with one example each.

    Direct taxes are levied directly on income/wealth and cannot be shifted (e.g., income tax, corporate tax). Indirect taxes are levied on goods and services and can be shifted to the consumer (e.g., GST, customs duty).

13. What is the difference between revenue expenditure and capital expenditure?

    Revenue expenditure does not create assets or reduce liabilities (e.g., salaries, subsidies, interest). Capital expenditure creates assets or reduces liabilities (e.g., building infrastructure, loans to states).

14. What is the primary objective of monetary policy in India and which body conducts it?

    The primary objective is price stability while keeping in mind growth, conducted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Since 2016 a Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) sets the policy rate with a CPI inflation target of 4% (+/- 2%).

15. Define the repo rate and reverse repo rate.

    Repo rate is the rate at which the RBI lends short-term funds to commercial banks against securities. Reverse repo rate is the rate at which the RBI borrows from banks, absorbing liquidity from the system.

16. What are CRR and SLR?

    Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the percentage of a bank's net demand and time liabilities (NDTL) kept as cash reserves with the RBI. Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is the percentage of NDTL banks must maintain in liquid assets like cash, gold and approved securities.

17. Distinguish between quantitative and qualitative tools of monetary policy.

    Quantitative (general) tools affect overall money supply: CRR, SLR, repo rate, open market operations. Qualitative (selective) tools direct credit to specific sectors: margin requirements, moral suasion, credit rationing, direct action.

18. What is the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF)?

    MSF is a window where banks can borrow overnight from the RBI against approved securities (including dipping into SLR) at a rate slightly above the repo rate, used for emergency liquidity needs.

19. What is the difference between the money market and the capital market?

    The money market deals with short-term funds (less than one year) such as treasury bills and commercial paper. The capital market deals with long-term funds (over one year) such as shares, bonds and debentures.

See more General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management flashcards →

Planning General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management for UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)

General Studies III: Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, Security & Disaster Management (UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)) FAQ