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88
2024
84
2023
86
2022
82
2021
80
2020
GI bleeding — upper vs lower, peptic ulcer, varices
Frequency: Every year
Trauma and ATLS protocols
Frequency: Every year
Surgical oncology — breast, colorectal, thyroid
Frequency: Every year
Hernia — inguinal anatomy, femoral, ventral
Frequency: Often
Acute abdomen — perforation, obstruction, appendicitis
Frequency: Often
Burn management — parkland formula, resuscitation
Frequency: Often
Urology — BPH, renal stones, prostate cancer
Frequency: Sometimes
Vascular surgery — DVT, aortic aneurysm
Frequency: Sometimes
Bailey & Love's Short Practice of Surgery
Williams et al. · 28th
Standard UPSC CMS surgery reference. Covers general surgery, GI, trauma, oncology and urology at the right depth.
SRB's Manual of Surgery
Sriram Bhat M · 6th
Indian exam-oriented surgery text. Operations list, surgical anatomy, instruments and viva topics — directly aligned with UPSC expectations.
Sabiston Textbook of Surgery
Townsend et al. · 21st
Deep-dive reference for pathophysiology of surgical disease. Use when Bailey is too brief.
"HOSPITAL" — Hepatitis, Obstruction (stones / stricture), Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, Pancreas (head mass / pseudocyst), Hemolysis, Inflammatory cholangitis, Tumors (cholangiocarcinoma / ampullary), Autoimmune, Liver (cirrhosis).
UPSC CMS Paper II contains ~88 General Surgery questions (out of 120 in Paper II). Surgery carries roughly 36% of total marks.
For most candidates, Bailey & Love paired with SRB's Manual covers UPSC CMS Surgery. Add Sabiston only for deep-dive topics.
GI bleeding, trauma/ATLS, surgical oncology, hernias, and acute abdomen appear every year. Burn management and urology appear often.
Yes — UPSC asks anatomy-based MCQs (inguinal canal, biliary tree), instruments, suture materials, and standard incision choices alongside clinical scenarios.
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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.