Welcome to the JPSC Mains Syllabus one-page guide covering Papers I to VI including: General Hindi & General English (Paper-I, qualifying: 30/100, 3 hours), Social Sciences—History (100) + Geography (100) (Paper-III), Indian Constitution & Polity; Public Administration & Good Governance (Paper-IV), Indian Economy, Globalization & Sustainable Development (Paper-V), and General Science, Environment & Technology Development (Paper-VI)
PAPER-I: GENERAL HINDI (50) & GENERAL ENGLISH (50) — 3 HOURS (QUALIFYING: 30/100)
A) GENERAL HINDI — 50 MARKS
• निबंध (लगभग 400 शब्द) — 15
• व्याकरण — 15
• वाक्य विन्यास — 10
• संक्षेपण (प्रेसिस/सार लेखन) — 10
B) GENERAL ENGLISH — 50 MARKS
• Essay (≈400 words) — 15
• Grammar & Usage — 15
• Comprehension — 10
• Precis — 10
Quick Tips & Books — Paper-I (Qualifying)
How to approach (common to both):
• Essay: intro–body–conclusion; 2–3 subheadings; examples/data; finish with way-forward.
• Precis/संक्षेपण: target ~1/3rd length; retain tone and key argument; avoid quotes/opinions.
• Grammar: revise tenses, subject–verb agreement, articles/prepositions, modifiers, punctuation; maintain an error log.
• Comprehension: read questions first, then passage; underline keywords; answer in your own words.
Hindi (recommended):
• Lucent’s Samanya Hindi (व्याकरण + Objective practice)
• Arihant Samanya Hindi (Topic-wise practice)
• रोज़ 1 निबंध (400 शब्द) + 1 प्रेसिस, और वर्तनी/समास/संधि/वाक्य-विन्यास पर 15 प्रश्न
English (recommended):
• Wren & Martin: High School English Grammar & Composition
• Objective General English – S.P. Bakshi (Arihant)
• Word Power Made Easy – Norman Lewis (10–15 min daily vocab)
Presentation tips:
• Keep clean handwriting, margins, short paragraphs, and bullet points where allowed.
• Use simple, precise language; avoid clichés; verify spellings (Hindi & English).
Paper-2 is the Optional Paper in JPSC Mains Exam. It consist of 15 languages. A Candidate could chose any one of them. It is of 150 Marks and one has to complete it in 3 Hours. To get the syllabus of each optional language paper. (Click Here)
PAPER-III: SOCIAL SCIENCES — HISTORY (100) + GEOGRAPHY (100) — 3 HOURS
SECTION A — HISTORY (100)
Ancient India
Indus Valley Civilization—origin, antiquity, extent, authorship, features
Origin of the Aryans; Vedic literature & its stratification
Early (Rig-Vedic) society, economy & religion
Republican polities—Licchavis etc.
Rise of Magadhan empire
Mauryas—extent; Kalinga War & impact; Aśoka’s Dhamma & foreign policy; Mauryan art & architecture
Kushanas—Kanishka; religious policy; art, architecture & letters
Guptas—extent; language & literature; art & architecture
Harsha—administration & culture
Cholas—maritime activity in South-East Asia; administration; art & architecture
Cultural achievements of the Pallavas
Medieval India
12) Arab invasion; Ghaznavid invasion
13) Delhi Sultanate—Alauddin Khalji’s market & military reforms; Muhammad-bin-Tughlaq’s utopian policies; Mongol context
14) Religious movements: Sufism & Bhakti
15) Indo-Islamic culture—architecture; growth of Urdu & Hindi
16) Mughals—First Panipat; Sher Shah’s achievements; consolidation of empire; mansabdari; Akbar’s religious & Rajput policies; Aurangzeb’s policies; Mughal architecture & painting; economy under Mughals
17) Rise of the Marathas—Shivaji; northward expansion & decline
Modern India
18) European settlements; EIC expansion; Plassey & Buxar; Mysore; Subsidiary Alliance; Doctrine of Lapse/Escheat
19) Resistance to colonial rule—peasant/tribal uprisings; cultural renaissance; Revolt of 1857
20) Social reform movements (Hindu society): Brahmo, Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Prarthana Samaj, Theosophical Society
21) Social reform in Muslim community—Wahabi; Aligarh Movement
22) Women’s reforms—abolition of sati, widow remarriage, consent bill, education
23) Land revenue systems—Permanent, Ryotwari, Mahalwari
24) Rise of nationalism—INC (Moderates/Extremists), Swadeshi, Home Rule, Khilafat
25) Gandhian movements—Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, Quit India
26) Partition & consequences; India after Independence (integration, linguistic re-organisation, non-alignment, Bangladesh liberation)
History of Jharkhand
27) Adi-dharma/Sarna tradition; concept of Sadan & rise of Nagpuri language
28) Tribal revolts & nationalist struggle in Jharkhand
29) Birsa movement; Tana Bhagat movement; Freedom movement in Jharkhand
SECTION B — GEOGRAPHY (100)
Physical Geography (Principles)
Origin & evolution of earth; interior; continental drift (Wegener); plate tectonics; volcanoes, earthquakes & tsunamis
Rocks & landforms—fluvial, glacial, arid, karst; geomorphic processes (weathering, mass-wasting, erosion/deposition); cycles of erosion (Davis, Penck)
Atmosphere—composition & structure; insolation & heat budget; temperature distribution & inversion
Air masses & fronts; tropical/temperate cyclones
Humidity & condensation (dew, frost, fog, mist, clouds); rainfall types
Climate classification—Köppen & Thornthwaite; greenhouse effect & climate change
Hydrological cycle; oceans—temperature, salinity, waves, tides, currents; ocean floor relief
India: Physical & Human
8) Structure & relief; physiographic divisions; Himalayan & Peninsular drainage
9) Indian monsoon—mechanism, onset/retreat; climatic types (Köppen/Trewartha)
10) Natural vegetation—forest types/distribution; wildlife & conservation; biosphere reserves
11) Soils (ICAR classification)—distribution, degradation & conservation
12) Natural hazards—flood, drought, cyclone, landslide
13) Population—growth, distribution, density; age/sex ratio; rural–urban composition; population–development link
14) Settlements—rural/urban forms; morphology; functional classification; issues of urbanisation
Resources, Industry & Trade
15) Land use; major crops (rice, wheat, cotton, jute, sugarcane, rubber, tea, coffee)
16) Water resources/irrigation; scarcity; rainwater harvesting; watershed & groundwater management
17) Minerals & energy—iron ore, copper, bauxite, manganese; coal, petroleum, natural gas; hydro & non-conventional (solar, wind, biogas); conservation
18) Industry—types & locational factors; iron & steel, textiles, sugar, petro-chemicals; Weber’s theory; changing patterns
19) Transport & communication—roads, rail, waterways; bases & changing pattern of India’s foreign trade
Jharkhand: Geography & Resource Use
20) Geological history; landforms; drainage; climate; soils & forests
21) Agriculture & irrigation; Damodar/Subernarekha valley projects
22) Minerals—distribution, extraction & utilisation
23) Population—growth, density, distribution; tribal population & distribution; tribal development plans; customs, rituals, festivals
24) Industrial & urban development; major industries (iron, steel, cement) & cottage industries; urban settlement patterns; pollution issues
Quick Tips & Books — Paper-III
History (smart prep): Build a one-page timeline per era; use comparison tables (e.g., Permanent vs Ryotwari vs Mahalwari); add maps for empires & movements.
Books (History):
• NCERTs (VI–XII)
• R.S. Sharma (Ancient), Satish Chandra (Medieval), Bipan Chandra/Spectrum – A Brief History of Modern India (Modern)
• Jharkhand GK (Arihant/Lucid) for state-specific history
Geography (smart prep): Practice India & Jharkhand maps daily; memorize classifications (Köppen/ICAR) with mnemonics; connect current events (cyclones, heatwaves) to concepts.
Books (Geography):
• NCERTs (XI–XII: Physical & India)
• G.C. Leong – Certificate Physical & Human Geography
• Majid Husain (Indian/Physical)
• Oxford Student Atlas (maps)
PAPER-IV: INDIAN CONSTITUTION & POLITY; PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION & GOOD GOVERNANCE — 200 MARKS — 3 HOURS
Section A — Indian Constitution & Polity
• Preamble & philosophy (sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic)
• Salient features; Basic Structure; PIL
• Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, Fundamental Duties
• Union Government: Executive (President, VP, PM & Council of Ministers), Legislature (Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha—organisation, functions, committees, privileges), Judiciary (Supreme Court—role, powers, natural justice, rule of law, judicial review/activism)
• State Government: Executive (Governor, CM & Council), Legislature (organisation & functions) with reference to Jharkhand; High Court & subordinate judiciary
• Panchayats & Municipalities—powers/responsibilities; 73rd & 74th Amendments
• Centre–State relations—administrative, legislative, financial
• Administration of Scheduled Areas & Tribal Areas; reservations for SC/ST; services etc.
• Emergency provisions; CAG; Election Commission
• Political parties & pressure groups; party systems and reforms
Section B — Public Administration & Good Governance
• Meaning, scope & significance of Public Administration; public vs private administration
• Union Administration: Central Secretariat, Cabinet Secretariat, PMO; Finance/Planning bodies (as per syllabus wording)
• State Administration: State Secretariat; role of Chief Secretary & CMO; District Administration—evolution of DM/Collector; separation of judiciary at district level & effects
• Personnel administration: civil services recruitment, training, leadership; morale & productivity
• Delegation, centralisation & decentralisation; development administration
• Bureaucracy—merits/demerits; role in policy formulation/implementation; bureaucracy–politics nexus; generalists vs specialists
• Disaster management—causes & classification; immediate & long-term mitigation
• Good Governance—accountability, transparency, honesty, quick delivery; citizen participation & civil society; grievance redress (Lokpal/Lokayukta, CVC); Citizens’ Charter; RTI; Right to Education; Consumer Protection; Domestic Violence (Prevention); Old Age policy
• Human Rights—concept & evolution; UDHR; NHRC/SHRC; human rights & social issues; terrorism
Quick Tips & Books — Paper-IV
Smart approach:
• Make a one-page Constitution map (Preamble → FR/DPSP/Duties → Parliament/Executive/Judiciary → Federalism → Local bodies → Emergency).
• Prepare comparison tables: FR vs DPSP vs Duties; Centre vs State powers; Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha; Judicial review vs activism.
• For Good Governance, keep a toolkit list (RTI, Lokpal, CVC, Citizens’ Charter, RTE, Consumer Protection) with one-line purpose.
• Add Jharkhand-specific examples for local bodies, Scheduled Areas, and policing/judiciary at district level.
Books (concise):
• Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
• Introduction to the Constitution of India – D.D. Basu
• Our Constitution / Our Parliament – Subhash C. Kashyap
• Public Administration – Mohit Bhattacharya; Public Administration – Fadia & Fadia
• 2nd ARC Reports (Ethics, Local Governance, Public Order)
• IGNOU Public Administration notes (for crisp theory)
PAPER-V: INDIAN ECONOMY, GLOBALIZATION & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT — 200 MARKS — 3 HOURS
Group A — Basic Features of Indian Economy
• National income—concepts & methods (GDP, NDP, GNP, NNP at factor cost/current prices)
• Inflation—types, causes & control (monetary, fiscal, direct measures)
• Demography—workforce composition, demographic dividend; National Population Policy
• Agriculture & rural economy—production/productivity; causes of low productivity; Government measures; Green/Evergreen/Rainbow revolutions; WTO & agriculture; marketing/pricing of inputs/outputs
• Industrial economy—policy initiatives & changes
• Public finance—revenue (principles & types of taxes), VAT/GST concept; public expenditure (theories, growth & control); budget (principles & types—performance, zero-based, FRBM); fiscal policy—role in growth & stability
• Centre–State fiscal relations; Finance Commission; implications of 73rd/74th Amendments
• Monetary & banking system
• Foreign trade—composition & direction; Balance of Payments
Group B — Sustainable Development, Issues & Strategy
• Meaning & measurement of development; characteristics of under-development
• Indicators—HDI, GDI, GEM; India’s performance
• Role of foreign capital & technology
• Sustainable development—concept, indicators & policy; Green GDP
• Inclusive growth—meaning & strategy (esp. 11th–12th Plans)
• Development of marginalised sections—ST, SC, minorities, backward classes & women; Central/State schemes (incl. TSP/SCSP)
• Poverty & unemployment—measurement & trends; BPL identification; MPI/HPI
• Food & nutritional security—production/consumption trends; PDS, ICDS, Mid-Day Meal; procurement, storage & distribution
• Planning in India—objectives & strategy; decentralised planning (PRIs & ULBs)
Group C — Economic Reforms: Nature & Impact
• New Economic Policy—liberalisation, privatisation, globalisation; role of IMF/World Bank/WTO
• Financial & banking sector reforms; rural credit (sources/problems); SHG/microfinance; NABARD/RRBs; financial inclusion
• Globalisation—FDI/FII & sectoral impacts
• Agricultural reforms—prices, subsidies, public investment; agrarian crisis
• Industrial development & reforms—SMEs/PSUs; disinvestment/privatisation; post-reforms industrialisation
Group D — Economy of Jharkhand: Features, Issues & Strategies
• Growth & structure; sectoral composition; SDP/NSDP & per-capita trends; agriculture & industry
• Demographic features—population growth, sex ratio, density, literacy, workforce, rural/urban; Census 2001/2011; inter-district variations
• Poverty, unemployment, food security, malnutrition; flagship programmes (e.g., NRLM, PMGSY, IAY/PMAY-G, MGNREGA)
• Land, forest & environment—land reforms; tribal land alienation; displacement & rehabilitation; FRA implementation; environmental degradation & state policies
• Planning & public finance; industrial policy; TSP/SCSP; recent initiatives
Quick Tips & Books — Paper-V
Smart approach:
• Build a one-page glossary (GDP/GNP/NNP, CPI/WPI, BoP items, deficit types, FRBM).
• Make tables for taxes (direct/indirect), budget types (performance/zero-based), Centre–State transfers, and scheme snapshots (aim–instrument–beneficiary–challenge).
• Link concepts to simple data points (e.g., examples of FDI/FII, MSP basics) and add Jharkhand notes (district-wise minerals/industries, flagship schemes).
Books (concise & effective):
• NCERT Economics (XI–XII) — Macroeconomics; Indian Economic Development
• Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh (concept + policy overview)
• Indian Economy Key Concepts – Sanjiv Verma (quick revision)
• Economic Survey & Union Budget (for concepts/examples)
• Jharkhand Economic Survey/Statistical Handbook (state facts)
• For SD/indicators: Shankar IAS Environment (selective chapters on SDGs, climate, indicators)
PAPER-VI: GENERAL SCIENCE, ENVIRONMENT & TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT — 200 MARKS — 3 HOURS
(Section-I: 20 objective questions × 2 = 40; Sections II–VI: one descriptive question from each Group A–E, 32 marks each)
Group A — Physical Science
• Units (MKS, CGS, SI); speed, velocity, gravity, mass, weight, force, work, power, energy
• Solar system; earth–moon–sun relations; planetary motions; eclipses
• Nature of sound; wavelength & frequency; infra-/ultrasonic—sources, characteristics & applications
Group B — Life Science
• The living world; cell—structure & functions; diversity of organisms
• Biomolecules—carbohydrates, proteins, fats; vitamins & deficiency diseases; enzymes; plant/animal hormones
• Cell cycle—mitosis & meiosis
• Genetics—Mendelian inheritance (mono-/di-hybrid), sex linkage, sex determination
• DNA—structure/function; replication; protein synthesis; gene regulation; molecular basis of differentiation
• Evolution of life on earth, including human evolution
Group C — Agriculture Science (Jharkhand Focus)
• Agro-climatic zones of Jharkhand; rainfall pattern; abiotic stresses
• Rain-fed agriculture; diversification to horticulture & allied sectors; climate-resilient practices; rainwater harvesting; fish farming
• Soil fertility; FYM & vermi-compost; nitrogen-fixing bacteria; concept of organic farming
• Agro-forestry; wasteland reclamation; Government schemes for farmers
Group D — Environmental Science
• Ecosystem—concept, structure & function
• Natural resources—renewable & non-renewable; conservation (in-situ & ex-situ)
• Pollution—air, water, soil, noise; solid-waste management
• Biodiversity—concept, hotspots, threats
• Global environmental issues—climate change, global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, desertification
• Environmental laws—Environment (Protection) Act; Air Act; Water Act; Forest Conservation Act
Group E — Science & Technology Development
• National S&T policy; India’s energy demand; conventional & non-conventional energy; nuclear energy (merits/demerits); NPT & CTBT (basics)
• Space programme; satellites & applications; Indian missile programme; remote sensing & GIS—uses (weather, disaster, water/soil/mineral mapping)
• Biotechnology—uses (agriculture, animal breeding, pharma, food tech, environmental conservation) & possible adverse effects
• Information technology—computers & data processing; cybercrime & cyber laws
• National Health Policy & major disease-control programmes (malaria, leprosy, TB, cancer, AIDS, blindness, etc.)
Quick Tips & Books — Paper-VI
Smart approach:
• Draw clear diagrams (cell, DNA, ecosystems, cycles, instruments) and label—fetches easy marks.
• Keep a one-page sheet of units & formulas and laws/definitions (force–work–energy, sound terms).
• Link topics to Jharkhand context (agro-climatic zones, rain-fed practices, schemes).
• Use current examples for Environment & S&T (climate events, missions, GIS uses, public health drives).
Books (crisp & effective):
• NCERT Science (VI–X); selective XI–XII chapters (Physics/Chemistry/Biology basics)
• Lucent General Science (for quick revision)
• Shankar IAS Environment (biodiversity, laws, climate)
• ISRO/PIB factsheets for Space & S&T notes (for examples)