Electrical Engineering Optional Syllabus

Here is the official UPSC Electrical Engineering Optional syllabus for Paper I and Paper II, arranged paper by paper and unit by unit. Under each unit we give the official text first, then break it into numbered topics, so you can track your preparation and match every previous year question to its topic.

Source. UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 notification (Examination Notice No. 05/2026-CSE, dated 04.02.2026, revised file of 06.02.2026, pp. 63–65), upsc.gov.in. The Electrical Engineering syllabus has been unchanged in recent years.

Scheme. Two papers of 250 marks each (total 500), 3 hours each. Each paper has two sections (A and B) of four questions each; Questions 1 and 5 are compulsory, and three more are attempted with at least one from each section. The syllabus itself is not divided into sections. Paper I has eight units (Circuits—Theory; Signals and Systems; E.M. Theory; Analog Electronics; Digital Electronics; Energy Conversion; Power Electronics and Electric Drives; Analog Communication). Paper II has six (Control Systems; Microprocessors and Microcomputers; Measurement and Instrumentation; Power Systems: Analysis and Control; Power System Protection; Digital Communication).

Syllabus at a glance

Paper	Unit	Topics
Paper I	1. Circuits—Theory	8
Paper I	2. Signals and Systems	6
Paper I	3. E.M. Theory	3
Paper I	4. Analog Electronics	8
Paper I	5. Digital Electronics	7
Paper I	6. Energy Conversion	5
Paper I	7. Power Electronics and Electric Drives	5
Paper I	8. Analog Communication	5
Paper II	1. Control Systems	6
Paper II	2. Microprocessors and Microcomputers	4
Paper II	3. Measurement and Instrumentation	5
Paper II	4. Power Systems: Analysis and Control	8
Paper II	5. Power System Protection	4
Paper II	6. Digital Communication	5

Paper I

1. Circuits—Theory

1.1 Circuit elements, network graphs, KCL and KVL

• Circuit components
• Network graphs
• KCL, KVL

1.2 Nodal and mesh analysis

1.3 Network theorems

• Basic network theorems and applications

1.4 Transient analysis

• RL, RC and RLC circuits

1.5 Sinusoidal steady state and resonance

• Sinusoidal steady state analysis
• Resonant circuits

1.6 Coupled circuits

1.7 Balanced 3-phase circuits

1.8 Two-port networks

2. Signals and Systems

2.1 Signals and LTI systems

• Continuous-time and discrete-time signals and systems
• LTI systems

2.2 Convolution and time-domain analysis

• Convolution
• Impulse response
• Differential/difference equations

2.3 Fourier transform

2.4 Laplace transform and transfer function

• Laplace transform
• Transfer function

2.5 Z-transform

2.6 Sampling, DFT and FFT

• Sampling and recovery of signals
• DFT, FFT
• Processing of analog signals through discrete-time systems

3. E.M. Theory

3.1 Maxwell’s equations

3.2 Plane waves and boundary conditions

• Wave propagation in bounded media
• Boundary conditions
• Reflection and refraction of plane waves

3.3 Transmission lines

• Travelling and standing waves
• Impedance matching
• Smith chart

4. Analog Electronics

4.1 Semiconductor devices and equivalent circuits

• Diode, BJT, JFET and MOSFET characteristics
• Large- and small-signal equivalent circuits

4.2 Diode circuits

• Clipping
• Clamping
• Rectifiers

4.3 Biasing and bias stability

4.4 Transistor and FET amplifiers

• FET amplifiers
• Single and multi-stage amplifiers
• Frequency response of amplifiers

4.5 Differential, feedback and power amplifiers

• Current mirror
• Differential amplifiers
• Feedback amplifiers
• Power amplifiers

4.6 Op-amp circuits and filters

• OPAMP circuits
• Filters

4.7 Oscillators and wave-shaping circuits

• Criterion for oscillation
• Transistor and OPAMP oscillators
• Function generators and wave-shaping circuits

4.8 Power supplies

• Linear power supplies
• Switching power supplies

5. Digital Electronics

5.1 Boolean algebra and logic gates

• Boolean algebra
• Minimisation of Boolean functions
• Logic gates

5.2 Digital IC families

• DTL, TTL, ECL, MOS, CMOS

5.3 Combinational circuits

• Arithmetic circuits
• Code converters
• Multiplexers and decoders

5.4 Sequential circuits

• Latches and flip-flops
• Counters
• Shift-registers

5.5 Comparators, timers and multivibrators

5.6 Sample and hold circuits, ADCs and DACs

5.7 Memories and programmable logic

• Semiconductor memories
• ROM, PLA, FPGA

6. Energy Conversion

6.1 Electromechanical energy conversion

• Torque and emf in rotating machines

6.2 DC machines

• Characteristics and performance analysis
• Starting and speed control

6.3 Transformers

• Principles of operation and analysis
• Regulation and efficiency
• 3-phase transformers

6.4 Induction machines

• Characteristics and performance analysis
• Speed control

6.5 Synchronous machines

• Characteristics and performance analysis

7. Power Electronics and Electric Drives

7.1 Power semiconductor devices and triggering

• Diode, transistor, thyristor, triac, GTO and MOSFET
• Triggering circuits

7.2 Phase-controlled rectifiers

• Phase control rectifiers
• Fully-controlled and half-controlled bridge converters

7.3 Choppers and DC-DC converters

7.4 Inverters

• Thyristor inverters
• Switch mode inverters

7.5 Electric drives

• Speed control of dc motor drives
• Speed control of ac motor drives
• Applications of variable-speed drives

8. Analog Communication

8.1 Probability and random variables

• Random variables
• Probability functions
• Statistical averages
• Probability models

8.2 Random signals and noise

• White noise
• Noise equivalent bandwidth
• Signal transmission with noise
• Signal to noise ratio

8.3 Amplitude modulation

• DSB, DSB-SC and SSB
• Modulators and demodulators

8.4 Angle modulation

• PM and FM signals
• Narrow band FM
• Generation and detection of FM and PM
• Pre-emphasis and de-emphasis

8.5 Receivers

• Superheterodyne, AM, FM and SSB receivers
• Phase locked loop
• SNR of AM and FM receivers

Paper II

1. Control Systems

1.1 Control system basics and block diagrams

• Elements and components of control systems
• Block-diagram representation
• Open-loop and closed-loop systems
• Feedback

1.2 Time-domain and transform-domain analysis

1.3 Stability: Routh–Hurwitz and root locus

• Routh Hurwitz criterion
• Root-loci

1.4 Frequency response

• Bode plots
• Polar plots
• Nyquist’s criterion

1.5 Compensators and controllers

• Lead-lag compensators
• P, PI and PID controllers

1.6 State-variable analysis

2. Microprocessors and Microcomputers

2.1 PC organisation and CPU

• PC organisation
• CPU
• Register set
• Timing diagram

2.2 Instruction set and programming

2.3 Interrupts

2.4 Memory and I/O interfacing

• Memory interfacing
• I/O interfacing
• Programmable peripheral devices

3. Measurement and Instrumentation

3.1 Error analysis

3.2 Measurement of electrical quantities

• Current, voltage, power, energy and power-factor
• Resistance, inductance, capacitance and frequency

3.3 Bridge measurements

3.4 Signal conditioning and electronic instruments

• Signal conditioning circuit
• Multimeter, CRO, digital voltmeter, frequency counter
• Q-meter, spectrum-analyser, distortion-meter

3.5 Transducers

• Thermocouple, thermistor
• LVDT, strain-gauge
• Piezo-electric crystal

4. Power Systems: Analysis and Control

4.1 Transmission lines and cables

• Steady-state performance of overhead lines and cables

4.2 Power transfer, per-unit system and network matrices

• Active and reactive power transfer and distribution
• Per-unit quantities
• Bus admittance and impedance matrices

4.3 Load flow

4.4 Voltage control and reactive power

• Voltage control
• Power factor correction
• Static VAR system

4.5 Economic operation

4.6 Symmetrical components and fault analysis

• Symmetrical components
• Symmetrical faults
• Unsymmetrical faults

4.7 Power system stability

• Swing curves
• Equal area criterion

4.8 HVDC transmission

5. Power System Protection

5.1 Overcurrent, differential and distance protection

5.2 Relays

• Solid state relays
• Numeric relays
• Application of DSP to protection

5.3 Circuit breakers

5.4 Apparatus protection

• Computer aided protection
• Line, bus, generator and transformer protection

6. Digital Communication

6.1 Pulse modulation

• PCM
• DPCM
• Delta modulation

6.2 Digital modulation

• ASK, PSK, FSK

6.3 Error control coding

• Error detection and correction
• Linear block codes
• Convolution codes

6.4 Information measure and source coding

6.5 Data networks

• 7-layer architecture

Total: 79 numbered topics across 14 units.

Last updated: 30 October 2026