RPSC Exam Syllabus – Mains

• 12 Jan 2026

Click Here for Prelims Syllabus

The Mains Examination of the Rajasthan State and Subordinate Services Combined Competitive Examination or RPSC- RAS is designed to comprehensively assess candidates' knowledge, analytical abilities, and understanding of diverse subjects relevant to the state, nation, and global affairs.  

The syllabus emphasizes a balance of theoretical understanding and practical application across varied domains, fostering a holistic evaluation of aspirants' competencies.

Scheme and Syllabus of Examination:  

• The number of candidates to be admitted to the Main Examination will be 15 times the total approximate number of vacancies to be filled in the year.  
• The written examination will consist of the four papers which will be descriptive /analytical. The standard of General Hindi and General English will be that of Sr. Secondary Level. The time allowed for each paper shall be 3 hours. 

The detailed syllabus for the Mains Examination is provided below for the reference. 

Paper I: General Studies - I

Unit I - History
Part A - History, Art, Culture, Literature, Tradition and Heritage of Rajasthan	Prehistoric culture, important historical sites and their significance Major landmarks in Rajasthan’s history from pre-historic times to the 18th century, including dynasties, administrative, and revenue systems.  Salient events of the 19th and 20th centuries: Revolt of 1857, Peasant and Tribal Movements, Political Awakening, Freedom Movement, and Integration of Rajasthan. Heritage: Performing and fine arts, handicrafts, architecture, World Heritage sites, fairs, festivals, folk music, and dance, folk traditions. Tribes and their traditions  Important works of Rajasthani Literature and Dialects.  Saints, Lok Devtas, and eminent personalities of Rajasthan.
Part B - Indian History & Culture	Indian Heritage: Fine art, performing art, architecture, and literature from the Indus Civilization to the British Era.  Religious movements and philosophy in Ancient and Medieval India.  British policies and their political, economic and administrative impact Indian National Movement: Various stages and contributions from different regions.  Socio-religious reform movements in the 19th and 20th centuries.  Post Independence consolidation and reorganisation – Accession of princely states & Linguistic reorganisation of the states, science & technology, women empowerment and Women’s Social Reform Movement.
Part C - History of the Modern World (up to 1950 AD)	Renaissance and Reformation.  American War of Independence, French Revolution (1789), and Industrial Revolution and Russian Revolution. Nazism in Germany and Fascism in Italy Impact of World Wars. World during Cold War
Unit II - Economics
Part A - Indian Economy	Economic Growth and Development – Concept and measurement; income perspective; Human Development Index (HDI) and other related indices; climate change and environmental degradation. Agriculture: Growth, productivity trends, food processing, and management, land reforms.  Industrial Sector: Policies, finance, liberalization, globalization, and privatization, MSMEs.  Service Sector, Infrastructure and economic growth International Trade and Balance of Payments – Foreign aid and investment. Fiscal Policies: Centre-State financial relations, Finance Commission, and tax reforms.  Reserve Bank of India and Monetary Management – Reforms in India’s banking and financial sector. Social Sector: Poverty, unemployment, healthcare, education policies, and state roles in economic development.
Part B - World Economy	Global economic issues and trends.  Role of World Bank, IMF, and WTO.
Part C - Economy of Rajasthan	Economic Development Indicators of Rajasthan – Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), per capita income and inclusive growth; Developed Rajasthan 2047 vision; green growth and environmental sustainability; Rajasthan’s position in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Agriculture: Production, productivity, irrigation, and marketing, government welfare schemes for farmers.  Rural Development: Panchayati Raj, infrastructure, and State Finance Commission.  Industrial growth, and public-private partnership (PPP) projects.  Major development projects, state budget, fiscal management, and welfare schemes.  Digital Transformation – For effective delivery of governance and public services. Education, health services, and sustainable development goals.
Unit III - Sociology, Management, Accounting & Auditing
Part A - Sociology	Development of sociological thought in India.  Caste and Class: Nature, origin, functions, and challenges.  Social Change Processes: Sanskritization, Westernization, Secularization, and Globalization.  Concepts related to Indian social system: Theory of karma, religion, Purusharthas and Ashrama system. Challenges: Dowry, corruption, poverty, unemployment, drug addiction, and  impact of cyber crime and social media on Indian society. Problems related to weaker sections of Indian society (with special reference to Rajasthan)
Part B - Management	Marketing: Concepts, mix (product, price, place, promotion). Organizational Behavior: Leadership, motivation, team building, and conflict management.  General Management: Managerial concepts; managerial skills and levels; functions of management; MBO; decision-making process; techniques and models. Human Resource Management: Concept and scope; human resource planning; recruitment; selection; placement and training; performance appraisal systems; modern trends in HRM. Strategic Management: Concept and scope; business environment and SWOT analysis; strategy formulation and implementation; strategic control and evaluation.
Part C - Accounting & Auditing	Auditing: Social, performance, efficiency audits, and government audits.  Theoretical foundation of Accounting: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAPs) and basic accounting concepts. Accounting Standards: Basic knowledge of accounting standards. Company Financial Statements; techniques of analysis of financial statements; Cash Flow Statement; basic knowledge of Social Accounting and Human Resource Accounting. Computerised Accounting: features and accounting software packages. Basic knowledge of Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Paper II: General Studies - II 

Unit I - Administrative Ethics
Ethics and Human Values	Lessons from lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers, and administrators.  Role of family, society, and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Ethical Concepts	Rit and Rin.  Concept of Duty, Good, and Virtue.
Ethics in Relationships	Ethics in private and public relationships.  Behaviour, moral and political attitudes of administrators.  Philosophical basis of Integrity.
Specific Ethical Teachings	Ethics of Bhagavad Geeta in administration.  Gandhian Ethics.
Moral Thinkers and Philosophers	Contributions from Indian and global moral thinkers.
Administrative Challenges	Ethical concerns, dilemmas, and challenges in administration.  Ethical decision-making and contributing factors.  Social justice, humanitarian concerns, accountability, and code of ethics.
Practical Applications	Case studies on the above topics.
Unit II - General Science & Technology
Chemistry in Everyday Life	States of Matter, Atomic Structure, and Metallurgical Principles.  Acid, Base, and Salts; pH and Buffers.  Important Drugs, Antioxidants, Preservatives, Insecticides, Pesticides, Herbicides, Fertilizers, and Sweeteners.  Carbon compounds and their applications.  Radioactivity concepts and applications.  Green Chemistry and its applications.
Physics in Everyday Life	Motion, work, power and energy, Gravitation, Heat, Light and its properties, Electricity, Magnetism, Sound, and Electromagnetic Waves.  Applications of physics in medical diagnostics, Fission, and Fusion, Radiation safety.
Biology in Everyday Life	Human systems: Reproductive, Excretory, Respiratory, Circulatory, and Digestive.  Blood groups, Hormones, Genetics, Lifestyle Diseases, Communicable and Non-communicable Diseases.  Plant parts, Plant growth regulators, Medicinal Plants (Rajasthan), Organic Farming, and Biotechnology.  Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI) related to Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs); New Technologies- Vaccination, CRISPR, mRNA technique, Artificial organs
Computer Science & IT	Frequency spectrum; Mobile telephony, Recent developments in information and communication technology- Artificial intelligence;  Machine Learning; Big data, Cloud and Edge computing, Internet of things, Block Chain and Digital currency, Augmented and Virtual reality, OTT platforms and Social media and their impacts
Scientific Developments	Robotics, Nanotechnology, Quantum Computing.  Contributions of Indian scientists and Rajasthan’s development in Science and Technology.  Digital India initiatives, Cyber Security and Data Protection.
Space & Defence Technology	Indian space program, Satellites, Remote sensing, and Launch vehicles.  Defence technology: Missiles, Indian missile program, Drone Technology, Chemical and Biological weapons.
Unit III - Earth Science (Geography & Geology)
Part A - World	Structure of the Earth and Geological Time Scale.  Broad physical features: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Deserts.  Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Types, distribution, and impact.  Major environmental issues.  Climate – Insolation, Atmospheric Circulation, Humidity, and Precipitation
Part B - India	Major rivers and physiographic divisions.  Climate: Monsoon, Rainfall distribution, Climatic regions.  Natural resources: Water, Forest, Soil, Rocks, and Minerals.  Population: Growth, distribution, density, sex ratio, literacy, urban and rural population.
Part C - Rajasthan	Physical features: Mountains, Plateaus, Plains, Deserts.  Major rivers, lakes, and climatic classifications.  Major crops and their distribution.  Minerals: Metallic, Non-metallic, and their industrial uses.  Demographic characteristics, major tribes, wildlife, and biodiversity.  Concept of UNESCO Geo-parks and Geo-heritage sites. Tourism

 

Paper III: General Studies - III 

Unit I - Indian Political System, World Politics and Current Affairs
Origin, Structure and Major Principles of the Indian Constitution	Framing, Features, Amendments, Basic Structure.  Basic Structure Doctrine, amendment procedure, and major constitutional amendments Recent constitutional developments and judicial decisions; constitutional morality and transformative constitutionalism
Ideological Contents	Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Duties.
Institutional Framework and System of Governance	Parliamentary System, President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Parliament.  Changing trends of federalism in India Supreme Court, High Courts, judicial review, judicial activism, Public Interest Litigation (PIL), e-Courts and e-Committees
Dynamics of Indian Politics	Contemporary changes in Indian democracy through the development of the party system; regionalism and coalition realignment Shift from Western-centric politics to inclusive politics, along with the rise of identity politics; social–political implications of Artificial Intelligence–enabled political campaigning Voting behaviour, electoral reforms, and the functioning of India’s electoral process Developed contemporary institutions in Indian politics Internal security: terrorism, mandate and role of security forces and agencies, and challenges of internal security management
Institutional Framework - II	Federalism, Centre-State relations, Supreme Court, High Courts, Judicial Review, Judicial Activism.
State Politics and Governance Rajasthan	Patterns of political participation, leadership, and voting behaviour Role of political parties and coalition politics in the state Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Self-Government—structure, issues, and challenges New dimensions and challenges in Rajasthan’s politics Formulation of public policy in Rajasthan: institutions, processes, stakeholders, and implementation-related constraints Major e-Governance Initiatives: Achievements and Challenges
Emerging World Order	Post-Cold War era, USA’s hegemony and resistance.  UN, Regional Organizations, International Economy, Terrorism, Environmental Issues.
India and International Affairs	Changes after the Cold War, U.S. dominance, multipolarity, global political economy, and international terrorism Determinants and characteristics of India’s foreign policy; India’s relations with major global powers and neighbouring countries; Indian diaspora and cultural diplomacy India’s role in regional and global forums — UN, WTO, EU, ASEAN, BRICS, G-20, QUAD, I2U2, AUKUS, DAKSHIN Climate change and green diplomacy in India’s foreign policy (COP Summits, International Solar Alliance (ISA), Mission LiFE) Contemporary strategic challenges in India’s foreign policy
Contemporary Issues and Events	Important contemporary events, issues, and major developments Major public welfare schemes and government initiatives of Rajasthan Awards, major literary contributions, and significant progress in science, technology, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Sports policies of India and Rajasthan; major institutions, important sports events, and achievements Role of yoga in health, well-being, and stress management
Unit II - Concepts, Issues and Dynamics of Public Administration and Management
Administration and Management	Meaning, nature, significance, and role in developed/developing societies.  Role of public administration in developing and developed societies,  Evolution of Public Administration, New Public Administration, New Public Management, Good Governance, New Public Service.
Thinkers and Approaches	Scientific Management, Human Relations Approach, Behavioural Approach, Structural–Functional Approach, Ecological Approach
Principles of Organization	Hierarchy, Span of Control, Unity of Command, Division of work, delegation, Centralisation and decentralisation, Coordination, Authority and responsibility, Accountability.
Administrative Behaviour	Leadership, Communication, Motivation.
Union Government and Administrative Institutions	Administrative Institutions: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Election Commission of India, Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), Finance Commission, Lokpal, NITI Aayog Personnel Administration: Recruitment, Training, Promotion, Neutrality and anonymity in civil services, Code of conduct Issues in Administration: Centre–State relations, Minister–civil servant relations, Generalists vs Specialists, Administrative reforms, Social audit Control over Administration: Legislative control, Executive control, Judicial control
Comparative Public Administration	Features of administrative systems of the USA, UK, France, and China
Administrative Setup of Rajasthan	Administrative setup, administrative culture in Rajasthan: Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, State Secretariat, Directorates and Chief Secretary, State Human Rights Commission, State Election Commission, Rajasthan Public Service Commission, Role of Directorates, Police administration, Local self-government
District Administration	Role of District Collector, District Magistrate, Law and order administration, Revenue administration, Development administration
Unit III - Sports and Yoga, Behavior and Law
Part B - Behavior	Intelligence: Cognitive, Social, Emotional, Cultural, appreciative and Spiritual.  Leadership Profile: Theories, types and styles; their challenges and effectiveness in the workplace; future leaders; their opportunities and challenges. Communication in the Workplace: Models and networks of communication and their effectiveness; barriers and distortions of communication; electronic and destructive communication - cyberslacking, cyberloafing, moonlighting etc. Excellence in the Workplace: Qualities and strengths, RAISEC model and person-fit environment. Burnout, Stress and Coping in the Workplace: Occupational stress; sources and coping styles; personality and stress; gender issues in the workplace.
Part C - Law	Concepts of Law: Ownership, Possession, Personality, Liability, Rights, Duties.  Contemporary Legal Issues: RTI, IT Law, Cyber Crimes, IPR.  Crimes against Women/Children: Domestic Violence, Sexual Harassment, POCSO Act (2012).  Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (2007).  Important Land Laws in Rajasthan: Rajasthan Land Revenue Act (1956), Rajasthan Tenancy Act (1955).  Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023

 

Paper IV: General Hindi and General English 

General Hindi	Details
Part A	General Hindi Grammar
Part B	Precise Writing, Translation, etc.
Part C	Letter Writing
General English	Details
Part A - Grammar & Usage (20 Marks)	Correction of sentences: 10 sentences with errors related to:   Prepositions Phrasal Verbs & Idioms  One Word Substitutes  Words Often Confused or Misused
Part B - Comprehension, Translation & Precis Writing (30 Marks)	Comprehension of an unseen passage (approximately 250 words):   5 questions based on the passage (Q5 preferably on vocabulary)  Translation of 5 sentences from Hindi to English.
Part C - Composition & Letter Writing (30 Marks)	Elaboration of a given theme: Any 1 out of 3 topics (approximately 150 words).  Letter Writing/Demi-Official/ Official Memorandum or Report Writing (approximately 150 words).
Essay (40 marks)	Candidates are required to write an essay of approximately 600 words in either Hindi or English language. The essay topics will be based on the following six subjects: Language, Literature, and Cultural Heritage Society, Governance, and Public Affairs Science, Technology, Environment, and Sustainable Development Economy, Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce Current Events, Disasters, and National Development Initiatives Tourism, Culture, and Contemporary Issues in the Context of Rajasthan