UPSC Management Syllabus 2024: Check Optional Subject for Mains
The management concepts learned during IAS Exam preparation apply in various professional areas outside of the exam. Those with management degrees or expertise in management would also benefit from selecting management as an elective. Furthermore, due to its significance as a subject that can be scored, management is a popular choice.
Both Optional Paper I and Paper II, which are part of the Mains stage of the IAS Exam, are included in the UPSC Management Syllabus. Nine papers in all are part of the Mains stage. This is the Mains examination syllabus for the optional Management topic.
UPSC Management Syllabus 2024
The UPSC CSE Exam 2024 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 behavior, 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 Structure
There are two 250-mark papers in the management subject, for a total of 500 marks. There are two portions to each paper, and there are eight questions altogether. Out of the eight questions provided, students must respond to five of them; one question from the final three is required. An IAS candidate’s overall score in the UPSC Mains might be considerably increased with a strong showing in the Management exam.
UPSC Management Mains 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 Areas and Topics
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
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
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
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
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
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 Mains 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, labor 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 Areas and Topics
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
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
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
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 the development of Backward areas/regions; The Responsibilities of the business as well as the Government to protect the environment; Corporate Governance; Cyber Laws
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 the 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
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: The process of internationalization and modes of entry; International Business Analysis framework; Structuring international transactions; Trade barriers, duties, and quotas; Regulations of international trade; Trading blocks, Dealing with Global Competition; Export Marketing; Export Finance; Export Procedures; Documents and trade fairs; Export Assistance: Tax benefits, Exemption of Export profits from income tax, Corporate Governance, and Restructuring
Preparation Strategy
- Understanding the Syllabus: Grasp the syllabus content comprehensively.
- Study Materials: Use standard textbooks and UPSC-recommended materials.
- Current Affairs: Stay updated with current business and economic trends.
- Practice Papers: Solve previous years’ question papers and sample papers.
- Time Management: Allocate time wisely to cover all topics.
- Revision: Regularly revise concepts and theories.
- Mock Tests: Take mock tests to assess understanding and improve speed.
By adhering to a structured approach and utilizing the appropriate resources, candidates can effectively prepare for the UPSC Management Optional Papers, enhancing their chances of success in the exam.
Feel free to ask if you need more information or further details on any specific topic within the UPSC Management syllabus.