UPSC Physics Syllabus: The UPSC Notification officially releases the UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus. Applicants who select physics as an elective should carefully review the syllabus to ensure they fully understand the subjects they will need to study.
The comprehensive subjects and subtopics from which exam questions are created are outlined in this UPSC Physics Syllabus. Given the high level of specialization in the Physics Optional UPSC Syllabus, it is advised that only candidates possessing a keen interest and comprehension select Physics as their optional subject for the UPSC Mains Exam.
UPSC Physics Syllabus
The UPSC Civil Services Mains Exam includes Physics as one of the optional subjects, which has two papers: Paper I and Paper II. This is the UPSC Physics syllabus for those who choose it as their optional subject.
Physics in the UPSC exam is very specialized and is best suited for candidates who have studied physics in college. The syllabus covers topics such as:
- Statics and dynamics
- Thermodynamics
- Relativity
- Electricity and magnetism
- Quantum theory
- Solid-state semiconductors
These are just some of the areas you will study if you choose Physics as your optional subject for the IAS exam.
UPSC Physics Syllabus for Paper 1
Below is the detailed Physics Syllabus for UPSC Paper 1. Students are advised to go through the syllabus carefully –
| Topic | Subtopics |
| Mechanics of Particles | Laws of motion; conservation of energy and momentum, applications to rotating frames, centripetal and Coriolis accelerations; Motion under a central force; Conservation of angular momentum, Kepler’s laws; Fields and potentials; Gravitational field and potential due to spherical bodies, Gauss and Poisson equations, gravitational self-energy; Two-body problem; Reduced mass; Rutherford scattering; Centre of mass and laboratory reference frames. |
| Mechanics of Rigid Bodies | System of particles; Centre of mass, angular momentum, equations of motion; Conservation theorems for energy, momentum, and angular momentum; Elastic and inelastic collisions; Rigid body; Degrees of freedom, Euler’s theorem, angular velocity, angular momentum, moments of inertia, theorems of parallel and perpendicular axes, equation of motion for rotation; Molecular rotations (as rigid bodies); Di and tri-atomic molecules; Precessional motion; top, gyroscope. |
| Mechanics of Continuous Media | Elasticity, Hooke’s law and elastic constants of isotropic solids and their inter-relation; Streamline (Laminar) flow, viscosity, Poiseuille’s equation, Bernoulli’s equation, Stokes’ law and applications. |
| Special Relativity | Michelson-Morley experiment and its implications; Lorentz transformations-length contraction, time dilation, the addition of relativistic velocities, aberration, and Doppler effect, mass-energy relation, simple applications to a decay process; Four-dimensional momentum vector; Covariance of equations of physics. |
| Waves and Optics | |
| (a) Waves | Simple harmonic motion, damped oscillation, forced oscillation and resonance; Beats; Stationary waves in a string; Pulses and wave packets; Phase and group velocities; Reflection and Refraction from Huygens’ principle. |
| (b) Geometrical Optics | Laws of reflection and refraction from Fermat’s principle; Matrix method in paraxial optics-thin lens formula, nodal planes, system of two thin lenses, chromatic and spherical aberrations. |
| (c) Interference | Interference of light-Young’s experiment, Newton’s rings, interference by thin films, Michelson interferometer; Multiple beam interference, and Fabry-Perot interferometer. |
| (d) Diffraction | Fraunhofer diffraction-single slit, double slit, diffraction grating, resolving power; Diffraction by a circular aperture and the Airy pattern; Fresnel diffraction: half-period zones and zone plates, circular aperture. |
| (e) Polarization and Modern Optics | Production and detection of linearly and circularly polarized light; Double refraction, quarter wave plate; Optical activity; Principles of fibre optics, attenuation; Pulse dispersion in step index and parabolic index fibres; Material dispersion, single mode fibres; Lasers-Einstein A and B coefficients; Ruby and He-Ne lasers; Characteristics of laser light-spatial and temporal coherence; Focusing of laser beams; Three-level scheme for laser operation; Holography and simple applications. |
| Electricity and Magnetism | |
| (a) Electrostatics and Magnetostatics | Laplace and Poisson equations in electrostatics and their applications; Energy of a system of charges, multiple expansion of scalar potential; Method of images and its applications; Potential and field due to a dipole, force and torque on a dipole in an external field; Dielectrics, polarization; Solutions to boundary-value problems-conducting and dielectric spheres in a uniform electric field; Magnetic shell, uniformly magnetized sphere; Ferromagnetic materials, hysteresis, energy loss. |
| (b) Current Electricity | Kirchhoff’s laws and their applications; Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s law, Faraday’s law, Lenz’ law; Self-and mutual-inductances; Mean and r m s values in AC circuits; DC and AC circuits with R, L, and C components; Series and parallel resonances; Quality factor; Principle of transformer. |
| Electromagnetic Waves and Blackbody Radiation | Displacement current and Maxwell’s equations; Wave equations in vacuum, Pointing theorem; Vector and scalar potentials; Electromagnetic field tensor, covariance of Maxwell’s equations; Wave equations in isotropic dielectrics, reflection and refraction at the boundary of two dielectrics; Fresnel’s relations; Total internal reflection; Normal and anomalous dispersion; Rayleigh scattering; Black body radiation and Planck’s radiation law, Stefan – Boltzmann law, Wien’s displacement law and Rayleigh-Jeans’ law. |
| Thermal and Statistical Physics | |
| (a) Thermodynamics | Laws of thermodynamics, reversible and irreversible processes, entropy; Isothermal, adiabatic, isobaric, isochoric processes and entropy changes; Otto and Diesel engines, Gibbs’ phase rule and chemical potential; vander Waals equation of state of a real gas, critical constants; Maxwell-Boltzman distribution of molecular velocities, transport phenomena, equi-partition, and virial theorems; Dulong-Petit, Einstein, and Debye’s theories of specific heat of solids; Maxwell relations and applications; Clausius- Clapeyron equation; Adiabatic de-magnetisation, Joule-Kelvin effect and liquefaction of gases. |
| (b) Statistical Physics | Macro and micro states, statistical distributions, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Bose-Einstein, and Fermi-Dirac distributions, applications to specific heat of gases and black body radiation; Concept of negative temperatures. |
UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus – Paper 2
Here’s the UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus for Paper 2:
| Topic | Subtopics |
| Quantum Mechanics | Wave-particle duality; Schroedinger equation and expectation values; Uncertainty principle; Solutions of the one-dimensional Schroedinger equation; Reflection and transmission by potentials; Angular momentum; Hydrogen atom; Spin half particles |
| Atomic and Molecular Physics | Stern-Gerlach experiment; Electron spin; Fine structure of hydrogen atom; L-S coupling, J-J coupling; Spectroscopic notation; Rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra; Raman effect; Laser Raman spectroscopy; Fluorescence, Phosphorescence |
| Nuclear and Particle Physics | Basic nuclear properties; Semi-empirical mass formula; Ground state of deuteron; Meson theory; Shell model of the nucleus; Parity violation; Gamma decay; Mossbauer spectroscopy; Nuclear fission and fusion; Classification of elementary particles |
| Conservation laws; Quark structure; Field quanta of interactions; Physics of neutrinos | |
| Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics | Crystal structure; X-ray diffraction; Band theory of solids; Thermal properties; Magnetism; Superconductivity; Semiconductors; Transistors; Amplifiers and oscillators; Digital electronics; Microprocessors |
UPSC Physics Syllabus Exam Pattern 2024
Here’s the UPSC Physics Optional Exam Pattern for 2024:
| Mains Papers | Subject | Marks |
| Paper VI | UPSC Physics Optional Paper-I | 250 |
| Paper VII | UPSC Physics Optional Paper-II | 250 |
| Total | 500 | |
| Time duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
Applicants selecting Physics as an optional subject are required to appear for both Optional Paper-I and Optional Paper-II, each carrying 250 marks. The total marks for the Physics optional papers amount to 500. The duration for each paper is 3 hours (180 minutes).
Steps to Prepare UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus
Preparing for UPSC Physics Optional requires a structured approach and thorough understanding of the syllabus. Here are some steps to prepare effectively:
Understand the Syllabus: Begin by thoroughly understanding the UPSC Physics Optional syllabus. Identify the different sections and topics covered to create a study plan accordingly.
Refer to Standard Books: Choose one standard book for each section of the syllabus. Some recommended books include “Concepts of Physics” by H.C. Verma for Mechanics, “Introduction to Electrodynamics” by David J. Griffiths for Electromagnetism, and “Modern Physics” by Arthur Beiser for Quantum Mechanics.
Make Summary Notes: Create summary notes for each topic containing key concepts, formulas, and important points. These notes will be helpful for quick revision before the exam.
Practice Numerical Problems: Physics is a subject that requires practice, especially in solving numerical problems. Allocate regular time for practicing numerical problems from each topic to strengthen your understanding and problem-solving skills.
Solve Previous Year’s Papers: Practice solving previous year’s question papers to familiarize yourself with the exam pattern and the type of questions asked. Analyze your performance and identify areas where you need improvement.
Focus on Answer Writing: Develop the skill of effective answer writing by practicing writing concise and to-the-point answers. Structure your answers logically, include relevant diagrams or graphs, and highlight key points to enhance readability.
Stay Updated with Current Affairs: While the UPSC Physics Optional syllabus mainly covers core physics topics, it’s essential to stay updated with recent developments and advancements in the field. This can help in providing contemporary examples or applications in your answers.
Revision and Consolidation: Regularly revise and consolidate your learning by revisiting your summary notes and practicing mock tests. Focus on areas of weakness and allocate more time for revision in those areas.
By following these steps and maintaining consistency in your preparation, you can effectively tackle the UPSC Physics Optional syllabus and increase your chances of scoring well in the exam.
Books to Prepare UPSC Physics Optional Syllabus
Here’s the booklist for both papers of UPSC Physics Optional syllabus:
| Booklist for Paper 1 | Booklist for Paper 2 |
| Mechanics: JC Upadhyay | Quantum Mechanics: HC Verma |
| Electromagnetism: Satya Prakash | Atomic and Molecular Physics: Rajkumar |
| Thermodynamics: Garg, Bansal, Ghosh | Nuclear and Particle Physics: SB Patel |
| Optics: Brijlal and Subramaniam | Solid State Physics: Puri and Babbar |
These books cover the essential topics and provide comprehensive coverage of the UPSC Physics Optional syllabus.
Important Topics in UPSC Physics Syllabus
Here are some important topics from both Paper 1 and Paper 2 of the UPSC Physics Optional syllabus:
Paper 1:
- Classical Mechanics
- Wave Motion
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Geometric Optics
- Electromagnetic Theory
- Thermal Physics
- Special Relativity
- Statistical Physics
- Physical Optics
Paper 2:
- Quantum Physics
- Electronics
- Modern Physics
While every topic is crucial, focusing on these areas can help candidates strengthen their understanding and preparation for the exam.