The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the prestigious organization that conducts a variety of examinations in India to recruit candidates for different government jobs. The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) exam is one of the most coveted exams conducted by UPSC. This exam has recently undergone a revision in its syllabus, which aims to make the exam more efficient and comprehensive. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about the revised UPSC IRS syllabus.
The primary aim of revising the UPSC IRS syllabus is to make it more relevant and in line with the latest developments in India’s economy and taxation laws. The new syllabus reflects the changing trends of the Indian tax system and includes topics that are crucial for aspiring IRS officers to understand.
The revised syllabus has been divided into two parts, namely, the Preliminary Examination and the Main Examination, which we will discuss in detail below.
Preliminary Examination
The Preliminary Examination consists of two papers, Paper I: General Studies and Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). The revised syllabus of Paper I includes the following topics:
• Current events and national and international issues
• Indian history and culture
• Geography of India and the world
• Indian polity and governance
• Economic and social development
• General science
• Environmental ecology, biodiversity, and climate change
The revised syllabus of Paper II: Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) includes the following topics:
• 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.) (Class X Level)
• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency, etc. – Class X level)
Main Examination
The Main Examination is held after the Preliminary Examination, and it consists of a written exam and an interview. The revised syllabus of the Main Examination includes the following topics:
• Paper I: Direct Taxes – This paper covers the income tax act, tax laws, and tax computations.
• Paper II: Indirect Taxes – This paper covers goods and services tax (GST) and custom laws.
• Paper III: English – This paper tests the candidate’s writing and comprehension skills in English.
• Paper IV: Essay – This paper tests the candidate’s writing skills and ability to articulate ideas on various topics.
• Paper V: General Studies I – This paper covers Indian heritage and culture, history, and geography of the world and India.
• Paper VI: General Studies II – This paper covers the Indian polity, governance, and international relations.
• Paper VII: General Studies III – This paper covers technology, economic development, and biodiversity.
• Paper VIII: General Studies IV – This paper covers ethics, integrity, and aptitude.
• Paper IX and X: Optional Subject – Candidates can choose any one of the 26 optional subjects offered by UPSC.
