UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Syllabus 2026: Prelims and Mains
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• Updated on 8 Sep, 2026, 4:31 PM, by Nishad Anjum
UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist syllabus covers General Studies and stream-specific subjects including Geology, Geophysics, Chemistry and Hydrogeology. The exam has Prelims, Mains and Personality Test stages.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination for recruitment to various Geologist, Geophysicist, Chemist and Hydrogeology-related posts. The examination is conducted in three stages: Preliminary, Main and Personality Test.
The UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist syllabus covers General Studies in the Preliminary stage and stream-specific subjects such as Geology, Geophysics, Chemistry and Hydrogeology. Candidates can check the detailed syllabus and exam pattern below.
UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist 2026: Key Details
UPSC Geo-Scientist Prelims Exam Pattern 2026
The Preliminary Examination consists of two objective-type papers. Paper I is General Studies and is common to all streams, while Paper II is based on the candidate's selected discipline. Each paper is conducted for two hours. The Preliminary Examination carries 400 marks in total.
There is negative marking for incorrect answers. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every wrong response.
UPSC Geo-Scientist Prelims Syllabus 2026
General Studies
The General Studies paper includes:
- Current events of national and international importance
- History of India and the Indian National Movement
- Indian and World Geography
- Indian Polity and Governance
- Economic and Social Development
- Environmental Ecology, Biodiversity and Climate Change
- General Science
The standard of the General Studies paper is expected to be at the level of a science graduate.
Geology and Hydrogeology
Candidates appearing for the relevant stream need to prepare topics including physical geology, structural geology, mineralogy, petrology, stratigraphy, palaeontology, economic geology and hydrogeology. Hydrogeology preparation covers groundwater occurrence and distribution, groundwater movement, wells, exploration, quality and management.
Geophysics
The Geophysics syllabus covers areas such as solid Earth geophysics, earthquake seismology, mathematical methods, geophysical inversion and other discipline-specific topics.
Chemistry
The Chemistry syllabus covers advanced topics prescribed for the Combined Geo-Scientist Examination and is designed around the standard expected at the postgraduate level.
UPSC Geo-Scientist Mains Exam Pattern 2026
The Main Examination consists of three descriptive papers for each stream. Each paper carries 200 marks and has a duration of three hours. The total marks for the written Mains examination are 600.
The Mains papers are conventional/descriptive in nature and test candidates' understanding of their specialised subjects.
UPSC Geo-Scientist Personality Test
Candidates who qualify in the Main Examination are called for the Personality Test. The interview carries 200 marks. The final selection is based on the prescribed written examination and Personality Test.
UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Syllabus 2026 PDF
Candidates can download the detailed UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist syllabus PDF to check the complete topic-wise syllabus for Prelims and Mains. The official UPSC website should be treated as the final authority for the syllabus and examination rules.
UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Syllabus 2026 FAQs
How many stages are there in the UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Examination?
The UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Examination has three stages: Preliminary Examination, Main Examination and Personality Test.
How many marks is the UPSC Geo-Scientist Prelims?
The Preliminary Examination carries 400 marks, with General Studies carrying 100 marks and the stream-specific paper carrying 300 marks.
How many papers are there in UPSC Geo-Scientist Mains?
The Mains Examination has three descriptive papers for each stream. Each paper carries 200 marks, making the written examination worth 600 marks.
Is there negative marking in UPSC Geo-Scientist Prelims?
Yes. One-third of the marks assigned to a question is deducted for every incorrect answer in the objective Preliminary Examination.
What subjects are covered in the UPSC Geo-Scientist syllabus?
The syllabus covers General Studies along with specialised subjects including Geology, Geophysics, Chemistry and Hydrogeology, depending on the selected stream.
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