NPSC Civil Services Examination (NCS, NPS & Allied Services)

The subjects and topics to be covered:

• General Science: general appreciation and understanding of science, including matters of everyday observation and experience, as may be expected of a well-educated person who has not made a special study of any scientific discipline.
• History: broad general understanding of the subject in its social, economic and political aspects; social and cultural heritage of India, emphasizing unity in diversity.
• Nagaland: political, economic, social, cultural and heritage of its people.
• Geography: geography of India including the physical, social and economic geography, and the main features of Indian agricultural and natural resources.
• Indian Polity and Economy: the country's political, executive and judicial system, local bodies, rural and community development, and economic planning in India.
• Indian National Movement: nature and character of the nineteenth-century resurgence, growth of nationalism and attainment of independence.
• General Mental Ability Test: analysis of classified data, logical and behavioural reasoning, analogies, basic arithmetic, numerical ability and basic concepts of computers.
• Current Events: latest developments in all the fields above, including science and technology and environmental awareness.

• Indian culture: the salient aspects of art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times.
• Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present - significant events, personalities, issues.
• The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
• Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
• History of the world: events from the 18th century such as the industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism - their forms and effect on society.
• Salient features of Indian society; diversity of India.
• Role of women and women's organizations, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization - their problems and remedies.
• Effects of globalization on Indian society.
• Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism and secularism.
• Salient features of the world's physical geography.
• Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
• Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic activity and cyclones; geographical features and their location; changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna, and the effects of such changes.

• Indian Constitution - historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States; issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure; devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
• Separation of powers between various organs; dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
• Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries.
• Parliament and State legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges, and issues arising out of these.
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the polity.
• Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.
• Appointment to various constitutional posts; powers, functions and responsibilities of various constitutional bodies.
• Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors, and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
• Development processes and the development industry - the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders.
• Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
• Issues relating to the development and management of the social sector/services relating to health, education and human resources.
• Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
• Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability; e-governance - applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens' charters, transparency and accountability, and institutional and other measures.
• Role of civil services in a democracy.
• India and its neighbourhood - relations.
• Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interests.
• Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests; the Indian diaspora.
• Important international institutions, agencies and fora - their structure and mandate.

• Indian economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
• Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
• Government budgeting.
• Major crops and cropping patterns in various parts of the country; different types of irrigation and irrigation systems; storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce, and related issues and constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
• Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
• Food processing and related industries in India - scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.
• Land reforms in India.
• Effects of liberalization on the economy; changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.
• Infrastructure: energy, ports, roads, airports, railways, etc.
• Investment models.
• Science and technology - developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
• Achievements of Indians in science and technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
• Awareness in the fields of IT, space, computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology, and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
• Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
• Disaster and disaster management.
• Linkages between development and the spread of extremism.
• Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
• Challenges to internal security through communication networks; the role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges; basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.
• Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
• Various security forces and agencies and their mandate.

• Ethics and human interface: essence, determinants and consequences of ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships; human values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
• Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
• Aptitude and foundational values for the civil service: integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections.
• Emotional intelligence - concepts, and their utility and application in administration and governance.
• Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world.
• Public/civil service values and ethics in public administration: status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
• Probity in governance: concept of public service; philosophical basis of governance and probity; information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, codes of ethics, codes of conduct, citizen's charters, work culture, quality of service delivery, utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
• Case studies on the above issues.

Nagaland in all aspects - history, art and culture, geography, economy, polity and governance, society, and current affairs.

• History of Nagaland: from the 19th century onward till the attainment of statehood, including wars between the British and the Naga villages; the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873; the advent of Christianity in the Naga Hills; the Naga Club; the Naga Nationalist movement and the various agreements signed; the lead-up to the formation of Nagaland as a State of the Indian Union.
• Art and Culture: festivals and historical places; customary law including the administration of justice; tribal institutions like the Morung, the clan system, the khel, the monarchical (Angh) system, the village chieftain system and the Village Council.
• Economy (rural and urban): agriculture system; land tenure system; trends and challenges including industry and commerce, infrastructure, start-up policy, schemes, etc.
• Geography, Environment and Biodiversity: physical geography; demographic trends; economic resources including mineral resources and hydro projects; environment conservation; biodiversity; infrastructure projects and their impact on environment and ecology; community conservation practices, forest governance, and sustainable development in hill regions.
• Polity and Governance: the role of the state legislature; Acts and legislation; special provisions like Article 371A; urban and rural governance including ULBs, Village Councils and VDBs; district administration in all its aspects.
• Society: vulnerable sections of society such as women and children; gender issues; women empowerment; the issue of the drug menace.
• Nagaland current affairs.

• English comprehension and grammar - objective type.
• Essay: two essays of 50 marks each, with a word limit of not more than 1,200 words for each essay.