Is management a subject in UPSC?

No, "Management" is not a separate subject in the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination. However, it is offered as an optional subject for the civil services mains examination. Candidates who have a background or interest in management can choose it as one of their optional subjects.

Is management a good option for UPSC?

Yes, management can be a good optional subject for the UPSC exam for candidates with a background or interest in the field. It offers a comprehensive understanding of various management principles and practices, which can be beneficial for candidates aspiring for administrative roles in the civil services.

What is the marks of management in UPSC?

In the UPSC Civil Services Exam, the optional subject of Management carries a total of 500 marks. It consists of two papers: Paper 1 and Paper 2, each carrying 250 marks. The marks obtained in the optional subject are added to the overall score of the candidate to determine their final ranking in the exam.

How to download the UPSC Management Optional Syllabus PDF?

To download the UPSC Management Optional Syllabus PDF, visit the official website of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). Go to the examination section, locate the syllabus for Management Optional, and click on the download link to access the PDF file.

UPSC Management Syllabus 2024, Check Optional Subject for Mains

Table of Contents

The management knowledge acquired during IAS preparation proves valuable across various professional domains beyond the confines of the IAS Exam. Individuals with management degrees or managerial experience would particularly benefit from opting for management as their optional subject. Conversely, Management is a popular choice due to its reputation for being a scoring subject.

The UPSC Management Syllabus comprises two papers, Optional Paper I and Paper II, forming part of the Mains stage of the IAS Exam, which encompasses a total of nine papers. Below you can check the syllabus for the Management optional subject in the Mains examination.

UPSC Management Syllabus 2024

The UPSC Civil Services Examination includes management-related topics as part of the General Studies Paper in the Main Exam. The syllabus covers management concepts and theories, human resource management, organizational behaviour, business environment, strategic management, and marketing management.

Candidates are expected to have a good understanding of these topics, including principles of management, HR practices, organizational culture, economic policies, strategic planning, and marketing principles. Aspirants need to refer to the official UPSC syllabus and study materials to cover these topics thoroughly and stay updated with current trends in management.

UPSC Management Syllabus 2024 for Mains

The Management subject consists of two papers, each worth 250 marks, a total of 500 marks. Each paper is divided into two sections, with a total of 8 questions asked in the exam. Students need to answer five questions out of the given eight, with one compulsory question from the last three. A strong performance in the Management exam can significantly boost the overall score of an IAS aspirant in the UPSC Mains.

UPSC Management Syllabus for Optional Paper 1

The UPSC Management Syllabus for Paper 1 consists of a broad spectrum of management concepts and principles. It evaluates candidates’ grasp of theories and practices, emphasizing their practical application. Subjects range from principles of management to business ethics, requiring candidates to demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

The paper aims to assess candidates’ understanding of management fundamentals and their adaptability to diverse organizational settings.

Subject Area	Topics
1. Managerial Function and Process	– Concept and Foundations of Management – Evolution of Management Thoughts – Managerial Functions: Planning, Organizing, Controlling – Decision making – Role of Manager, Managerial skills – Entrepreneurship – Management of innovation – Managing in a global environment – Flexible Systems Management – Social responsibility and managerial ethics – Process and customer orientation – Managerial processes on direct and indirect value chain
2. Organizational Behaviour and Design	– Conceptual model of organization behaviour – The individual processes: personality, values and attitude, perception, motivation, learning and reinforcement, work stress and stress management – The dynamics of organization behaviour: power and politics, conflict and negotiation, leadership process and styles, communication – The Organizational Processes: decision making, job design – Classical, Neoclassical and Contingency approaches to organizational design – Organizational theory and design: organizational culture, managing cultural diversity, learning organization; organizational change and development – Knowledge-Based Enterprise: systems and processes; Networked and virtual organizations
3. Human Resource Management	– HR challenges – HRM functions – The future challenges of HRM – Strategic Management of human resources – Human resource planning – Job analysis – Job evaluation – Recruitment and selection – Training and development – Promotion and transfer – Performance management – Compensation management and benefits – Employee morale and productivity – Management of organizational climate and Industrial relations – Human resources accounting and audit – Human resource information system – International human resource management
4. Accounting for Managers	– Financial accounting: concept, importance and scope, generally accepted accounting principles, preparation of financial statements with special reference to the analysis of a balance sheet and measurement of business income, inventory valuation and depreciation, financial statement analysis, fund flow analysis, the statement of cash flows – Management accounting: concept, need, importance and scope; Cost accounting: records and processes, cost ledger and control accounts, reconciliation and integration between financial and cost accounts; Overhead cost and control, Job and process costing, Budget and budgetary control, Performance budgeting, Zero-base budgeting, relevant costing and costing for decision-making, standard costing and variance analysis, marginal costing and absorption costing
5. Financial Management	– Goals of the finance function – Concepts of value and return – Valuation of bonds and shares – Management of working capital: Estimation and financing; Management of cash, receivables, inventory and current liabilities – Cost of capital – Capital budgeting – Financial and operating leverage – Design of capital structure: theories and practices – Shareholder value creation: dividend policy, corporate financial policy and strategy, management of corporate distress and restructuring strategy – Capital and money markets: institutions and instruments; Leasing, hire purchase and venture capital; Regulation of capital market – Risk and return: portfolio theory; CAPM; APT; Financial derivatives: option, futures, swap; Recent reforms in financial sector
6. Marketing Management	– Concept, evolution and scope – Marketing strategy formulation and components of marketing plan – Segmenting and targeting the market – Positioning and differentiating the market offering – Analyzing competition – Analyzing consumer markets – Industrial buyer behaviour – Market research – Product strategy – Pricing strategies – Designing and managing Marketing channels – Integrated marketing communications – Building customer satisfaction, Value and retention – Services and non-profit marketing – Ethics in marketing – Consumer protection – Internet Marketing – Retail management – Customer relationship management – Concept of holistic marketing

UPSC Management Syllabus for Optional Paper 2

The UPSC Management Syllabus for Paper 2 assesses candidates’ comprehension of management concepts, practices, and issues within India’s economic and social milieu. It covers subjects like managerial economics, financial management, marketing management, human resource management, industrial relations, labour laws, international business, and emerging management trends.

Candidates are expected to grasp these topics thoroughly and understand their implications in the Indian context. The paper evaluates candidates’ ability to analyze and resolve management problems, make informed decisions, and acknowledge the challenges and opportunities inherent in Indian management practices.

Subject Area	Topics
1. Quantitative Techniques in Decision Making	– Descriptive statistics: tabular, graphical and numerical methods; introduction to probability, discrete and continuous probability distributions; inferential statistics sampling distributions, central limit theorem; hypothesis testing for differences between means and proportions; inference about population variances; Chi-square and ANOVA; simple correlation and regression; time series and forecasting; decision theory; index numbers – Linear programming: problem formulation, simplex method and graphical solution, sensitivity analysis
2. Production and Operations Management	– Fundamentals of operations management; Organizing for production; Aggregate production planning, capacity planning, plant design: process planning, plant size and scale of operations, Management of facilities; Line balancing; Equipment replacement and maintenance; Production control; Supply chain management – vendor evaluation and audit; Quality management; Statistical process control, Six Sigma; Flexibility and agility in manufacturing systems; World class manufacturing; Project management concepts, R&D management, Management of service operations; Role and importance of materials management, value analysis, make or buy decision; Inventory control, MRP; Waste management
3. Management Information System	– Conceptual foundations of information systems; Information theory; Information resource management; Types of information systems; Systems development – Overview of systems and design; System development management life-cycle, Designing for online and distributed environments; Implementation and control of project; Trends in information technology; Managing data resource – Organizing data; DSS and RDBMS; Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Expert systems, e-Business architecture, e-Governance; Information systems planning, Flexibility in information systems; User involvement; Evaluation of information systems
4. Government Business Interface	– State participation in business, Interaction between Government, Business and different Chambers of Commerce and Industry in India; Government’s policy with regard to Small Scale Industries; Government clearances for establishing a new enterprise; Public Distribution System; Government control over price and distribution; Consumer Protection Act (CPA) and The Role of voluntary organizations in protecting consumers’ rights; New Industrial Policy of the Government: liberalization, deregulation and privatization; Indian planning system; Government policy concerning development of Backward areas/regions; The Responsibilities of the business as well as the Government to protect the environment; Corporate Governance; Cyber Laws
5. Strategic Cost Management	– Business policy as a field of study; Nature and scope of strategic management, Strategic intent, vision, objectives and policies; Process of strategic planning and implementation; Environmental analysis and internal analysis; SWOT analysis; Tools and techniques for strategic analysis – Impact matrix: The experience curve, BCG matrix, GEC mode, Industry analysis, Concept of value chain; Strategic profile of a firm; Framework for analyzing competition; Competitive advantage of a firm; Generic competitive strategies; Growth strategies – expansion, integration and diversification; Concept of core competence, Strategic flexibility; Reinventing strategy; Strategy and structure; Chief Executive and Board; Turnaround management; Management of strategic change; Strategic alliances, Mergers and Acquisitions; Strategy and corporate evolution in the Indian context
6. International Business	– International Business Environment: Changing composition of trade in goods and services; India’s Foreign Trade: Policy and trends; Financing of International trade; Regional Economic Cooperation; FTAs; Internationalization of service firms; International production; Operation Management in International companies; International Taxation; Global competitiveness and technological developments; Global e-Business; Designing global organizational structure and control; Multicultural management; Global business strategy; Global marketing strategies; Export Management; Export- Import procedures; Joint Ventures; Foreign Investment: Foreign direct investment and foreign portfolio investment; Cross-border Mergers and Acquisitions; Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure Management; World Financial Markets and International Banking; External Debt Management; Country Risk Analysis