APPSC Syllabus Changed: Know Revised Syllabus 2025

The APPSC Syllabus Changed for 2025, bringing significant updates to both Prelims and Mains. The Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (APPSC) has made these changes to align the exam pattern with evolving governance, administration, and contemporary issues. Aspirants preparing for state services now need to carefully understand the revised structure to ensure success.

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Why the APPSC Syllabus Changed in 2025

The APPSC Syllabus changed because the commission wanted to make the examination more relevant to present-day administration and policy challenges. By introducing new topics like environmental governance, digital governance, and sustainable development, the revised syllabus prepares aspirants to become well-rounded administrators. The change also reflects the broader demand for analytical ability, ethical decision-making, and policy awareness.

Download official Notification PDF

Exam Structure & Pattern

• The exam is conducted in three stages: Prelims → Mains → Interview/Personality Test. 
• Prelims: Two objective (MCQ) papers (General Studies + CSAT / Aptitude). Mains: Eight descriptive (essay / conventional) papers: one qualifying English paper, six merit papers (Essay + 4 GS + 2 optional). 
• Interview / Personality Test: Final assessment of the candidate’s suitability. (Marks added to main score) 

Revised APPSC Prelims Syllabus 2025

Paper	Subject & Marks	Key Topics / Themes
Paper I	General Studies  ( 200 )	• Current events (National & International)• History of India & Indian National Movement• Indian & World Geography• Indian Polity & Governance• Economic & Social Development• Environmental ecology, biodiversity, climate change (general issues)• General science• (Also topics specific to North East / Arunachal Pradesh)
Paper II	CSAT / Aptitude Test ( 200 )	• Comprehension• Interpersonal skills, communication• Logical reasoning & analytical ability• Decision making & problem solving• General mental ability• Basic numeracy (Class 10 level)• Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables)• (Qualifying in nature; 33% required)

The APPSC Syllabus for Prelims introduces a sharper focus on current affairs, economy, and governance. The updated Prelims will continue to have two papers.

• There is negative marking in Prelims (⅓ mark for wrong answer) in both papers.
  
• The Prelims exam is a screening test; marks do not count toward final ranking, but you must clear cutoffs to proceed to Mains.

Enhance your preparation by taking advantage of the free APSC mock test offered by SPM IAS Academy. This test simulates the actual exam environment and helps candidates assess their readiness for the Prelims.

Revised APPSC Mains Syllabus 2025

The APPSC Syllabus Changed for Mains is designed to test in-depth knowledge and administrative awareness. The structure includes five compulsory papers and two language papers.

The Arunachal Pradesh PSC Mains exam has 8 descriptive papers. Paper I (Essay – 250 marks, 3 hrs), GS I–IV (250 marks each, 3 hrs each), and two Optional Subject papers (250 marks each, 3 hrs each) form the core. There is also a qualifying English paper (300 marks, 3 hrs). In total, the exam carries 1750 marks. Along with national-level topics, special focus is given to Arunachal Pradesh’s history, culture, economy, and governance.

Qualifying Paper

There are two English qualifying papers which aim to test the candidates’ eligibility to understand serious discursive prose, and to express their ideas clearly and correctly. Here is the complete structure of the paper : 

• English (300 marks, 3 hours) — This is a qualifying paper; marks here are not counted for ranking.

Syllabus includes:

• Comprehension , Precise writing , Usage & vocabulary ,  Short essays , (English grammar / functional use) 

Merit / Ranking Papers

Paper	Subject	Key Topics
Essay	Essay writing	Topics related to National and International topics, including one abstract topic. Also , it includes Arunachal Pradesh’s Social and Cultural issues, including burning current issues in part II of the paper.
GS Paper I	Indian Heritage, Culture, History, Geography	• Indian art, literature, and architecture• Modern Indian history (mid-18th century to present)• Freedom struggle• World history: Industrial revolution, world wars, decolonization• Society, diversity, social issues• Geography of the world & society
GS Paper II	Polity, Governance, International Relations, Social Issues	• Indian Constitution, fundamental rights, amendments• Structure of government, separation of powers• State & central relations, local governance• Regulatory bodies, public policy• Welfare schemes, social justice• International relations, treaties, global institutions
GS Paper III	Polity, Governance, International Relations, Social Issues	• Indian economy, development, growth, resource mobilization• Agriculture, industry, services• Science & technology applications• Environment, climate change, biodiversity• Internal security, disaster management, technology & society issues
GS Paper IV	Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude	• Ethics in public life• Moral philosophy, values• Probity, governance ethics• Decision making, dilemmas, case studies• Aptitude and attitude topics
Optional Subject Paper I	Optional subject	According to the optional subject chosen by the candidate.
Optional Subject Paper II	Optional subject	Continuation of the optional subject syllabus.

• The total marks for Mains (merit part + optional + essay + GS) sum up (excluding English qualifying) to 2050 marks in the current pattern.
  
• Note: Some older versions of the syllabus mention a total of 1750 marks (in the older pattern) for mains merit papers.

Optional Subjects

You must choose two optional subject papers. Some commonly offered optional subjects include:

• Agriculture
  
• Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science
  
• Botany
  
• Chemistry
  
• Civil Engineering
  
• Mathematics
  
• Commerce & Accountancy
  
• Economics
  
• Medical Science
  
• Anthropology
  
• Electrical Engineering
  
• Geography
  
• Geology
  
• History
  
• Zoology
  
• Law
  
• Management
  
• Mechanical Engineering
  
• Philosophy
  
• Physics
  
• Political Science & International Relations
  
• Public Administration
  
• Sociology
  
• Statistics
  
• Psychology
  
• Literature in English or Hindi

The optional subject papers ask descriptive questions based on the detailed syllabus of that subject (aligned to the university standard)

Interview / Personality Test

• After the Mains exam, candidates who qualify are called for an interview/personality test.
  
• The interview assesses communication skills, overall personality, presence of mind, attitude, general awareness, etc.
  
• The marks of the interview are added to the Mains score to prepare the final merit list. 

Impact of the APPSC Syllabus Change on Aspirants

The new APPSC Syllabus makes the exam more analytical and less about rote learning. Aspirants now need to focus on dynamic areas like sustainable development, governance reforms, and digital technology. With this change, you must also balance conceptual clarity with practice in essay writing, comprehension, and ethics case studies. The syllabus now strongly resembles the UPSC framework, giving aspirants an edge if they also plan to attempt national-level exams.

Relevance to UPSC and Other Exams

The APPSC Syllabus aligns it more closely with the UPSC, particularly in subjects such as polity, economy, ethics, and current affairs. This alignment benefits aspirants preparing for both exams. For instance, topics related to governance, disaster management, and sustainable lifestyles overlap directly with the UPSC General Studies papers. Therefore, APPSC preparation will now help aspirants strengthen their UPSC foundation as well.

A structured study plan is key to succeeding in the APSC Prelims. SPM IAS Academy offers a month-by-month preparation guide to help candidates stay on track and focus on important topics.

Conclusion

The APPSC Syllabus Change in 2025 marks a decisive shift towards a more analytical, dynamic, and holistic examination framework. By including governance reforms, sustainable development, and ethics, the revised syllabus ensures that future administrators are better prepared for real-world challenges. Aspirants must now move beyond memorisation and build conceptual clarity, writing skills, and problem-solving ability. With its growing similarity to the UPSC pattern, the APPSC exam is no longer just a state-level test but also a strong stepping stone for national-level competitive examinations.

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