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96
2024
92
2023
90
2022
94
2021
92
2020
Cardiovascular emergencies — STEMI, ACLS, arrhythmias
Frequency: Every year
Infectious diseases — TB, malaria, leptospirosis, HIV
Frequency: Every year
Endocrinology — diabetes complications, thyroid, adrenal
Frequency: Every year
Nephrology — AKI, CKD, electrolyte disorders
Frequency: Often
Hematology — anemia workup, transfusion medicine
Frequency: Often
Respiratory — COPD, asthma, ILD
Frequency: Often
Neurology — stroke, seizures, Parkinson's
Frequency: Sometimes
Gastroenterology — cirrhosis, IBD, GI bleeding
Frequency: Sometimes
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine
Loscalzo et al. · 21st
Gold-standard internal medicine reference. Read the chapters on cardiovascular disease, endocrinology, infectious disease and nephrology in full. UPSC CMS questions often test pathophysiology Harrison explains best.
Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine
Ralston et al. · 24th
Best mid-level reference for Indian PG exams. Cleaner Harrison summary for clinical features and management. Use for revision after Harrison.
API Textbook of Medicine
Yash Pal Munjal · 11th
Indian-context medicine text — covers tropical diseases, TB protocols per Indian guidelines, and NHP topics UPSC asks.
"Pregnant Ladies Often Pee Frequently" — Pregnancy, Liver cirrhosis, AV fistula, Obesity, Paget's disease, Fever (severe anaemia / thyrotoxicosis). High cardiac output states that strain the ventricle.
UPSC CMS Paper I contains ~96 General Medicine questions (out of 120 in Paper I). Medicine consistently carries ~40% of total marks across both papers.
Harrison is the gold standard but dense. For UPSC CMS, pair Harrison with Davidson for cleaner clinical features, and add the API Textbook for Indian-context topics (TB protocols, NHM guidelines).
Cardiovascular emergencies, infectious diseases (TB/malaria), endocrinology (diabetes, thyroid), and nephrology appear every year. Read these chapters first.
Yes — exact and concept-level repeats are common. Practising the last 10 years of UPSC CMS Medicine PYQs covers ~60% of conceptual patterns.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Ananya Reddy, MBBS, AIIMS New Delhi (2018), UPSC CMS AIR-1 (2024). Last reviewed 21 July 2026.