Topics Covered

GS Mains (Advance) 2019

Note: The following session plan is only indicative of the issues and the topics to be covered in
different sessions; actual coverage of issues would be far wider and similarly the sequence of sessions
is also indicative and may vary as per schedule’s requirement.

Art & Culture

Core Topic Topics Details

Religion & Philosophy in Vedic Period, Buddhism, Jainism, Post Vedic Hinduism, Islaam,
India Bhakti Movement, etc.; Charvak, Yoga, Sankhya, etc.

Architecture & Sculpture Harrapan to Mughal, British, etc.; Temple Architecture, etc.

Painting Kangra, Madhubani, Cave Art, Western Style, Tribal Art, etc.

Music Hindustani Classical Music, Dravidian Classic Music, Folk

Music, Musical Instruments, etc.

Dance Classical Dances, Folk Dances, etc.

World History
Industrial Revolution and its impact on world

The political revolutions - French, Russian, American

World war and their impact; colonization and decolonization

Core Topics
Cold war and its impact; UN system and its working and outcome

Post cold war world; globalization; emergence of EU; unipolar world; arrival
of China

indian society
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Vulnerable sections of society Women issues, children issues; elderly issues

Education and Health

Urbanization urban flooding; urban planning; urban poverty; pollution;

public transport

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Social issues Development leading to displacement; Moral policing;
Euthanasia; vigilantism; Sexual misconduct and Idea of
naming and shaming; communalism
Global slavery index report; Right to privacy judgement;
SC verdict on SC/ST atrocities bill; Human trafficking rules
in India; bill; Manual Scavenging; Mob lynching and Rule of
Law; Issue related to Undertrials

Geography
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Climatology - 1 dust storms in India, forest fires in Uttarakhand, etc.

Climate change, Urban heat islands,
Ocean currents and movements and its impact on weather;
El-nino and la-Nina
Oceans heat cycle;   Rising sea level of Indian Ocean; Ocean
Acidification and Electro geochemistry; coral bleaching

Geophysical Phenomenon Sensitive zones in India, Himalayan earthquakes, Tsunami

- Earthquakes; Tsunami; dangers for India
volcanic activity; Cyclone, etc. Cyclones in Bay of Bengal

Resource Distribution: India & soil salinity, desertification; Industrial Locations and their
World - Soil, Minerals, Crops, mapping with raw material
& Water water scarcity, ecologically suitable crops for different
regions

Human Geography - Migration and development dynamics; urban issues; census;

population distribution; women issues
education, health, language
distribution

PIC 
Integration of princely states and partition issues

Core Topic linguistic division of state boundaries and reorganization

Democratic troubles and emergency period

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POLITY
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Fundamental rights; DPSP; Uniform civil code; triple talaq; right to life; right of refuges;
separation of powers; right of culture (sabrimala, jalikattu, santhara, etc.); euthanasia;
national register of citizens

basic structure; amendments RTI; MNREGS

to constitution, new bills

Legislature Rajya Sabha relevance debate; role of speaker; parliamentary

committees; disruption of house proceedings; Leader of
opposition; parliamentary privileges

Executive Ordinance abuse; role of president; role of governor debate;

office of profit

Judiciary Judicial activism, Judicial reforms; shortage of judges; NJAC;

collegium system; contempt of court; undertrials issue; justice
delivery in time.
Contempt of court; master of rooster; witness protection

Elections Electoral reforms, NOTA, right to recall, simultaneous

elections, etc.

Statutory and non-statutory Role of CAG; 14th Finance Commission: Analysis; 7th Pay
bodies; quasi-judicial bodies Commission Report and Repercussions; AFSPA and Second
ARC; Inter-State River Water Dispute: Cauvery dispute; Role
of Niti Aayog

Center-state issues; local Inter-state council; water sharing disputes; Gorkhaland;

bodies Bodoland; etc.

GOVERNANCE
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Good governance Aadhar debate; public-centric governance

Policies and civil services RTI; MNREGS

Civil services and Democracy

- problem and Issues

Governance Reforms DBT, VIP culture curbs, educational reforms; autonomy

Whistleblowers protection, BCCI and sports administration,

healthcare reforms

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Environmental Governance NGO, civil society and SHG; Greenpeace

Development Issues

International Relations
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Foreign policy of India; Nuclear policy and deal, Pivot to Asia, Diaspora rise, pio and
Diaspora oic card; labour camps in gulf and human rights abuse

Iran nuclear issue; Chabahar port; Enerty Security; Saudi-Iran

conflict; Qatar Issue; challenges to India in Africa; Indo-China
West Asia and Africa
rivalry for resources in Africa; India-Africa growth corridor;
TAPI

South China sea issue; trade deficit with China; Rohingya

Indo pacific
issue; Maritime silkroad, etc

CPEC; power change in Pakistan; dams and regional security;

South Asia
Chinese footprint in Nepal; BBIN

Defence procurement; India-USA issues- H1B; India-Russia

India and great powers
issues, etc.

International organizations
Trade war; MTCR; Bimstec; SAARC; IAEA; Australia Group
and Global issues

economy
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Resource mobilization and Gold Bond scheme

fiscal policy

Budgetary process and center- Change in base year and new statistics series; finance
state distribution commission

Planning and Economic Niti Aayog; FRBM act; GST; MPC, etc.
Reforms

Monetary Policy and financial Financial inclusion; Jan Dhan Yojana; twin Balance sheet;
sector - 1 financial repression, etc.

Monetary Policy and financial Mission Indradhanush; NPA issue; Basel - III
sector - 2

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Agriculture land reforms; evergreen revolution; FCI, APMC, PDS, Subsidy

Industry and Infrastructure Ease of doing Business, PPP, Labour laws, Exit policy, Make in
india; crony capitalism; Bibek Debroy committee

External sector Foreign Trade policy; trade pacts

international black money Flows; Doha round at WTO; World
bank; IMF reforms; trade war, currency war

Welfare, poverty, sustainable Unified labour code; jobless growth

development, labour

Environment
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Biodiversity and threats to it Increasing urbanization; man animal conflict; poaching

Environmental conservation “Namami Gange Programme, Initiatives for

organic farming, Draft Wetland Management
Rule, Draft National Wildlife Action Plan,
Initiatives to enhance green cover, National Off Shore Wind
Energy Policy, Compensatory Afforestation Fund Bill, etc. “

forest cover in india Deforestation; agricultural expansion, tourism

Pollution and its control Institutional structure; plastic ban; microplastics; stubble
burning

Climate change Issues “Programmes and Policies Initiated for Mitigating Climate
Change; Paris Agreement; International Solar Alliance
Ethical issue involved in climate change; Concept of Green
Finance; Green Climate Fund; Carbon Tax

Disaster Management
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Disaster Threats for India Urban flooding; drought; mining accidents, forest fire, etc.

Agency Structure to deal with Multi agency approach

disaster

Disaster Mitigation Migration due to disasters; roadside assistance

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INTERNAL SECURTY 
Core Topic Contemporary Issues

Terrorism, LWE and regional unrests
Doctrine of hot pursuit; surgical strike; Joint military
exercises
Strategy to deal with Maoists and stone pelters,
controversy of pellet guns; peace talks - Naga
peace Accord

Internal security structure - Armed “Make in India in Defence; OROP; Scorpene leak
forces, defence procurement and Indian maritime security; Indian Navy role in
internal security“

Police structure; paramilitary; coastal Mountain corps; Police reforms

security, etc.;

Cyber Security UID and Aadhar vs right to privacy

Black Money; money laundering, Fake currency issue, demonetization; organized

smuggling, human trafficking crime and terrorism

Role of media and other stake holders

(citizen) in internal security

Ethics
Core Topic Topic Details

Understanding grey areas of syllabus of paper 4 with

Ethics in context
reference to concept and context co-relation

Basic concept of ethics, morality and value

Ethics and human interface
Determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions,
Dimensions of ethics, Ethics in public life, Ethics in Economic
Life, Nature of morality, individual Personality and Value,
Values and Skill, Holistic view of excellence and personal
interest, Affluence and Poverty
Various theories important of ethic

Moral dilemmas, various natures of conflicts, doctrine of

Ethics in practice
double effect etc. and various cases

Case study Case study Test + discussion

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 Human value & Socialization, Democratic values,
Professional values, Role of ethical value in governance
and society, Significance of value in civil services, Lessons
from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers
Human values
and administrators, Role of family, Society and educational
institutions in inculcating values, Value crisis in contemporary
Indian society, Values in work life and professional ethics,
Enlightened citizenship and democracy

Principle of public life and public standard, Ethics in

Foundational value for civil
services
administration, Foundational values for Civil Service,
people first concept, Public Interest and, Citizen Centric
administration, Integrity, Impartiality and Non-partisanship,
Dedication to public service, Empathy, tolerance and,
compassion towards the weaker-sections, Ethical concerns
and dilemmas in government and, private institutions,
Laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical
guidance
+ cases related to this chapter

Answer writing Test + discussion of section A of syllabus covered

Attitude: content, structure, function, Understanding self and

personality, Self-esteem, Personal goals, Eternal happiness,
Self-regulation and self-control ,Positive traits, Leadership and
professionalism, Virtue and strength of character, Altruism
Attitude and EI
and pro-social behaviour, moral and political attitudes, Social
influence, Persuasion, Emotional intelligence - concepts, and
utilities, Emotional skills, Consequences of high and low EQ,
EQ and managing Human Resource, EQ and le

leadership behaviour, Emotional intelligence in

administration.

Topic continue Continue

Probity in Governance, Philosophical basis of governance

and probity, State of public service delivery in India,
Information sharing and transparency in government, Right
to Information
Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Corruption

Ethical Governance Corruption in India: extent, dimension, and response,

Corruption as a social evil, Probity in public life, corrupt
practice among civil servants and official misconduct,
exposing corruption: Civil Society initiatives and role of
Whistle-blower Act, Tackling corruption: Role of government
and institutions of governance, Controlling corruption:
Various approaches and efficacy

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 Corporate Governance: The economic man, Market
and capitalism, Ethical choices in business, Corporate
governance, Value in business management, Corporate
Social Responsibility

Session continue Topic continue

Case study -3 Test + discussion

Answer writing Test+ discussion

Contributions of moral
thinkers and philosophers Various thinkers + related question discussion
from India and the world