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Exams   »   Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025

Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025 and Exam Pattern, Download PDF

The Punjab PCS 2025 Exam, conducted by PPSC, opens the gateway to prestigious administrative roles across the state. To crack this competitive exam, candidates must be well-versed with the latest syllabus and exam pattern for both Prelims and Mains. From Punjabโ€™s cultural legacy to national governance, the syllabus is a smart blend of local and global awareness. Download the detailed syllabus PDF and start your focused preparation today!

Punjab PCS Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025: Overview

Get a complete overview of the Punjab PCS Syllabus and Exam Pattern 2025 to boost your preparation for one of Punjabโ€™s most prestigious civil services exams.

Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025 and Exam Patternย 
Organization Name Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC)
Exam Name Punjab Civil Service Combined Competitive Exam-2025
Post Name Officer level posts
Category Syllabus
Selection Process Prelims, Mains, Interview
Official Website https://ppsc.gov.in/

Punjab PCS Detailed Syllabus 2025

To crack the highly competitive Punjab Civil Services Exam 2025, candidates must thoroughly understand the detailed syllabus for each stageโ€”Prelims and Mains. The syllabus not only covers general topics like History, Polity, Geography, Economy, and Environment but also gives special emphasis to Punjab-specific subjects, including its culture, governance, and current affairs.

A clear grasp of the subject-wise syllabus will help aspirants prepare strategically and improve their chances of success.

Syllabus for Punjab PCS Prelims Exam 2025

The Punjab PCS Prelims Syllabus 2025 covers a wide range of topics to test candidates’ general awareness, reasoning skills, and knowledge of Punjab-specific subjects.

Punjab PCS General Studies-I Syllabus

Punjab PCS General Studies-I
Subjects Topics
Everyday Science
  • States of matter, structure of atoms, versatile nature of carbon
  • Acids, bases, salts, corrosion in metals, action of soaps
  • Life on Earth:ย evolution, marine & terrestrial life
  • Human body and life processes, nutrition, diseaseโ€”its causes & prevention, infectious diseases, lifestyle diseases
  • Public health initiatives, mother and child health, immunization & vaccination, HIV-AIDS, TB, polio
  • Force-laws of motion & gravitation, Archimedes principle
  • Energy kinetics & potential
  • Lightโ€”reflection & refractionโ€”concepts and applications. Sound: propagation & reflectionโ€”concepts and applications. Electric current: concepts and applications
  • Computers and telecommunications: concepts and applications
Environmental studies
  • Composition and structure of the atmosphere. Solar system: heat balance & temperature
  • Atmospheric circulation & weather system, water cycle
  • Climate change: fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, renewable energy, clean development mechanisms, carbon credits.
  • Water: oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, groundwater, etc. Biodiversity & conservation
  • Soil: types, crops, food chain, etc. Pollution and toxicity
Political Theory & International order
  • Basic concepts of freedom, equality, social justice, rights & duties, citizenship, nationalism, secularism, etc.
  • United Nations and its organs/agencies, other international organizations like the World Bank, IMF, WTO, EU, G20, BRICS, etc. and their role in world peace, trade, & development.ย 
Indian Polity
  • Basic features, provisions, schedules of the Indian Constitution, key amendments
  • Panchayati Raj. Electionsโ€”Peopleโ€™s Representation Act, electoral reforms. Rise of regionalism and coalition politics
  • Armed challenges to the Indian state since independence
History of India
  • The Indus Valley Civilization
  • The Aryan and the Vedic age. Jainism and Buddhism
  • The Maury and Gupta periods
  • The advent of Islam and Sultanate period (political, social, & cultural). The Bhakti Movement
  • The Mughals (political, social, & cultural till Aurangzeb)
  • The coming of the European powers and the advent of British rule. The Mutiny of 1857
  • The British rule and the Indian National Movement (1857โ€“1947)
World History
  • The Renaissance and the Industrial Revolution in Europe. The American Revolution 1776
  • The French Revolution, 1789
  • The Russian Revolution 1917
  • World Wars I & II
Indian Economy
  • Indian economic development (1950-1991): key economic policies, public sector dominance, bank nationalization, etc
  • Five-year plans: key goals and main achievements
  • Liberalization, privatization and globalization era since 1991: key policies, decisions and results
  • Performance of Indian economy since 1991: growth, fiscal & revenue deficits, trade, commerce & balance of payments, inflation, growth of service sector
  • Key challenges and responses: agriculture and food security, industrialization, poverty alleviation & employment, rural & urban infrastructure, social sector (health, education, etc.)
Geography
  • Population: distribution, density, growth, and comparison. Migration: types, causes and consequences
  • Human development. Human settlements. Land resources and agriculture
  • Water resources
  • Mineral and energy resources. Manufacturing industries
  • Planning and sustainable development in India. Transport and communication
  • International trade
  • Geographical perspective on selected issues and problems
Punjab-related
  1. Geography: Geographical and Agro-climatic regions, rivers, water resources, sharing of waters, demographics, human development indices
  2. People, Society, and Cultur3: Major personalities in history of Punjab, religious movements, major religions & spiritual personalities, Punjabi literature, folk or performing arts, fine arts and crafts
  3. History:
  4. Sufis, saints and gurus, Lodhis and Mughals, Sikh rulers, the British period, nationalist movement in Punjab, Punjab in independent India
  5. Economy: Agriculture, animal husbandry, industrial & service sectors, major occupations, development & economic growth, public finance (including central-state fiscal issues), public sector institutions, cooperatives, etc.
Current Events of national and international importance

Punjab PCS Prelims Paper II Syllabus

Paper Topics
Civil Services Aptitude Test
  • Reading comprehension; Punjabi and English language comprehension, antonyms and synonyms, grammar, and sentence formation
  • Interpersonal skills, including communication skills
  • Logical reasoning, analytical and mental ability
  • Basic numerical skills; numbers, magnitudes, percentages, numerical relation appreciation
  • Data analysis: graphic presentations, charts, tables, and spreadsheets

Syllabus for Punjab PCS Mains Exam 2025

The syllabus for each subject included in Punjab PCS Mains Exam has been discussed in the below section.

English Language Paper

Section Topics Total Marks
Section-A Comprehension (Unseen Passage) (An unseen passage followed by Questions to be answered) 10 Marks
Precis writing (Passage to be summarized to 1/3rd) 10 Marks
Letter writing (200 words) 10 Marks
Essay writing (Any general topic 300 words) 10 Marks
ย Translation 10 Marks
Section-B Grammar 50 Marks
Total 100 Marks

Punjabi Language Paper

S. No. ย เจชเฉเจฐเจธเจผเจจ (Topics) เจ…เฉฐเจ• (Marks)
1 Comprehension Passage (Read the passage and answer the questions) [เจ…เจจเฉเจคเจฟเจจเจพ เจชเฉ‹เจ เจพ (เจชเฉ‡เจชเจฐ เจจเฉ‚เฉฐ เจชเฉœเฉเจน เจ•เฉ‡ เจชเฉเจฐเจธเจผเจจเจพเจ‚ เจฆเฉ‡ เจ‰เฉฑเจคเจฐ เจฆเจฟเจ“)] 10 marks
2 Summary Writing (Write a summary using the given title within the prescribed word limit) [เจธเฉฐเจ–เฉ‡เจช เจฐเจšเจจเจพ (เจชเฉ‡เจชเจฐ เจฆเจพ เจญเฉเฉฑเจ–เจตเจพเจ‚ เจถเจฟเจฐเจฒเฉ‡เจ– เจฆเจฟเฉฑเจคเฉ‡ เจนเฉ‹เจ เจ‡เฉฑเจ• เจตเจฟเจนเจพเจˆ เจธเจผเจฌเจฆเจพเจ‚ เจตเจฟเฉฑเจš เจธเฉฐเจ–เฉ‡เจช เจฐเจšเจจเจพ)] 10 marks
3 Application or Letter in 200 Words [เจ…เจฐเจœเฉ€ เจœเจพเจ‚ เจชเฉฑเจคเจฐ 200 เจธเจผเจฌเจฆเจพเจ‚ เจตเจฟเฉฑเจš] 10 marks
4 Essay Writing (Within 400 Words) [เจฒเฉ‡เจ– เจฐเจšเจจเจพ (400 เจธเจผเจฌเจฆเจพเจ‚ เจตเจฟเฉฑเจš)] 10 marks
5 Translation [เจ…เจจเฉเจตเจพเจฆ] 10 marks
6 Grammar [เจตเจฟเจตเจพเจ•เจฐเจฃ] 50 marks
Total Marks 100 Marks

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper I Syllabus

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper I Syllabus
Subjects Topics
History
  • History of the world: Events from 18th century; industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like Communism, Capitalism, Socialism
  • Indian culture- Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times
  • Modern Indian history from the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities and issues
  • Socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Punjab
  • The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country with special reference to Punjab
  • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country
  • History of Punjab: Ranjit Singhโ€™s rise to power, civil and military administration and relations with the British, Annexation of Punjab with special reference to the causes and consequences of the Anglo-Sikh wars
Geography
  • Physical Geography: Salient features of the worldโ€™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, cyclones etc., 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
  • Geography of Punjab: Physiographic details of Punjab; Geomorphic features of Punjab, Punjabโ€™s strategic location with reference to International Border
  • Crops of Punjab; Modern concepts of Farming; Problems faced by Agriculturists/ Issues in Agriculture: Depletion of groundwater
Society
  • Salient Features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
  • Role of women and womenโ€™s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their ย problems and their remedies
  • Effects of globalization on Indian society
  • Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism
  • Ethics and Society: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships
  • Human Values โ€“ Role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values; lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders and reformers- Gautam Buddha, Mahavira, Kabir, Guru Nanak; Swami Vivekananda, Jyotibha Phule, Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar and Mahatma Gandhi
  • Vulnerable sections of the population – Welfare schemes by the Centre and State of Punjab and their performance; Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for their protection and betterment
  • Issues relating to the development and management of the Social Sector- Health, Education, and Human Resources; Issues relating to Poverty and Malnutrition

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper II Syllabus

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper II Syllabus
Subjects Topics
Indian Constitution & Polity
  • 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 & 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 Peopleโ€™s Act
  • Appointment to various Constitutional posts; Powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies
  • District Administration – Evolution of District Administration; Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies
Governance
  • 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 organizations- the role of NGOs, SHGs, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholder
  • Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance applications, models, successes, limitations and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures; Role of civil services in a democracy; Changing trends in Governance
  • Values and Ethics in Governance- 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
  • Probity in Governance: Concept of Governance; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; corporate governance; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizenโ€™s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption
International Relations
  • India and its neighborhood- relations; Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting Indiaโ€™s interests
  • Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on Indiaโ€™s interests, Indian Diaspora
  • Important International institutions, agencies and forum- their structure and mandate.

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper III Syllabus

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper III Syllabus
Subjects Topics
Indian Economy
  • Issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment; sustainable development; Inclusive growth and issues arising from it; Government Budgeting.
  • Major crops, cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems; storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce- issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers; Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Technology missions; economics of animal rearing
  • Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
  • 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
  • Human Resource Development: Importance of Human capital in economic development, Nature, types and problems of unemployment in India, Trends of Employment in India, Skill Development and demographic dividend
Punjab Economy: Planning Statistical analysis, graphs and diagrams This part will test the candidateโ€™s ability to draw conclusions from information presented in the statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to interpret the same.
Issues related to Security
  • Linkages between development and spread of extremism; Role of external, State and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security; Challenges to internal security through communication networks; 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

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper IV Syllabus

Punjab PCS Mains General Studies Paper IV Syllabus
Subjects Topics
Science and Technology
  • Developments and applications of science and technology and their effects on everyday life
  • Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and development of new technology
  • Recent developments in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nanotechnology, etc
  • Issues relating to intellectual property rights
  • Modern Trends in Life Sciences
  • Progress of Agricultural Science and its impactโ€“ Introduction to Biotechnology and its applications; Veterinary and Animal Sciences- latest
    developments
  • Introduction to and Applications of Genetic Engineering & Stem Cell Research
  • Human Diseases and Microbial infections; Common infections and preventive measures; preventive measures during out breaks; Immunity and vaccination
Environment
  • Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, Issues related to Climate change; environmental impact assessment
  • Water management- Issues in India; Present scenario, Methods and importance of water conservation
  • Definition, nature, types and classification of disasters
  • Natural Hazards: Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, etc., Risk reduction and mitigation measures
Situations in Civil Service -Problem Solving and Decision Making
  • Tackling situations of Natural disasters, Major Accidents and Law and order, Controlling riots, Handling public protests, Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation, Designing Projects
  • Implementation of National Flagship Schemes and Programmes, Public Private Partnership in effective service delivery, Managing and financing Municipal services e.g. Solid waste management, Conservation of natural resources- water, forests
  • Pollution control, Reviving a loss-making PSU, Planning and target achievement, Gender sensitization and women empowerment Empowerment of vulnerable sections of the society
  • Improving Education and Enhancing Skill development, Urban settlement-Slums and Housing issues
  • Managing Issues related to Urban/ Rural drinking water supply and sanitation

Punjab PCS Exam Pattern 2025

The Punjab PCS Exam Pattern 2025 is structured in three phases: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. Each stage assesses different skill sets, with only Mains and Interview marks counting toward the final merit list.

Punjab PCS Prelims Exam Pattern 2025

The Punjab PCS Prelims 2025 consists of two objective-type papers of 200 marks each, conducted in English and Punjabi (Gurmukhi script), except for language questions.

  • No negative marking in either paper.
  • Paper I (General Studies) determines merit.
  • Paper II (CSAT) is qualifying with a 40% minimum cutoff.
  • Each paper is of 2 hours, with 40 extra minutes for PwD candidates.
Paper Subjectย  Total Questions Marking Scheme Total Marks Time Duration
Paper 1 General Studies 100 2 marks for each correct answer 200 2 hours
Paper 2 Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) 80 2.5 marks for each correct answer 200 2 hours

Punjab PCS Mains Exam Pattern 2025

The Punjab PCS Mains Exam includes seven papers: Punjabi, English, Essay, and four General Studies papers (Iโ€“IV).

  • Punjabi & English are compulsory, each carrying 100 marks.
  • Essay Paper is worth 150 marks.
  • General Studies Papers Iโ€“IV carry 250 marks each.
    Candidates who qualify the Mains will appear for the Interview, which carries 150 marks.
S. No. Name of Paper Maximum Marks
1 Punjabi (in Gurumukhi Script) Compulsory (of 12 Standard) 100
2 English Compulsory (of 12 standard) 100
3 Essay 150
4 General Studies Paper-I (History, Geography and Society) 250
5 General Studies Paper-II (Indian Constitution & Polity, Governance and International Relations) 250
6 General Studies Paper-III (Economy, Statistics and Security issues) 250
7 General Studies Paper-IV (Science & Technology, Environment, Problem Solving and Decision Making) 250
8 Interview 150
Total Marks 1500

Punjab PCS Selection Process 2025

The Punjab PCS 2025 selection process is conducted in three key stages โ€” a Preliminary Exam, a Main Written Examination, and a Personal Interview.

  • The Prelims act as a qualifying round featuring objective-type questions designed to shortlist candidates for the next stage. However, scores from this stage do not contribute to the final ranking.
  • Candidates who qualify move on to the Mains, which is descriptive in nature, followed by a personal interview.
  • The final merit list is prepared based on the combined performance in the Mains and Interview rounds.

Punjab PCS Syllabus PDF Download

Preparing for the Punjab Civil Services Exam 2025 requires a solid understanding of the latest syllabus and exam structure. To make your preparation more focused and time-efficient, itโ€™s essential to have the official and updated syllabus at your fingertips. Whether you’re targeting the Preliminary screening stage or aiming to ace the Mains and Interview, this syllabus PDF includes everything โ€” from subject-wise breakdowns to paper patterns and topic coverage.

To make things easier, weโ€™ve provided a direct download link below so you can access the Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025 PDF in just one click. Use it as your go-to reference throughout your preparation journey!

Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025

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Also check
Punjab PCS Salary
Punjab PCS Previous Year Question Paper
Punjab PCS Selection Process 2025

FAQs

How many stages are there in the Punjab PCS 2025 selection process?

The selection process includes three stages: Preliminary Exam, Main Written Exam, and Interview.

Punjab PCS Syllabus 2025 and Exam Pattern, Download PDF_5.1

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