UPSC MAINS GENERAL STUDIES PAPER – 1 PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
2024 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. Underline the changes in the field of society and economy from the Rig Vedic to the later Vedic period. (10)
2. Estimate the contribution of Pallavas of Kanchi for the development of art and literature of South India. (10)
3.What were the events that led to the Quit India Movement? Point out its results. (10)
4. What is sea surface temperature rise? How does it affect the formation of tropical cyclones? (10)
5. Why do large cities tend to attract more migrants than smaller towns? Discuss in the light of conditions in developing countries. (10)
6. What is the phenomenon of ‘cloudbursts’? Explain. (10)
7. What is the concept of a ‘demographic winter’? Is the world moving towards such a situation? Elaborate. (10)
8. Distinguish between gender equality, gender equity and women’s empowerment. Why is it important to take gender concerns into account in programme design and implementation? (10)
9. Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss. (10)
10. In dealing with socio-economic Issues of development, what kind of collaboration between government, NGOs and private sector would be most productive? (10)
11. “Though the great Cholas are no more yet their name is still remembered with great pride because of their highest achievements in the domain of art and architecture”. Comment. (15)
12. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of balance of power? (15)
13. How far was the Industrial Revolution in England responsible for the decline of handicrafts and cottage industries in India? (15)
14. The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India? (15)
15. What are aurora australis and aurora borealis? How are these triggered? (15)
16. What is a twister? Why are the majority of twisters observed in areas around the Gulf of Mexico? (15)
17. What is regional disparity How does it differ from diversity? How serious is the issue of regional disparity in India? (15)
18. Despite comprehensive policies for equity and social justice, underprivileged sections are not yet getting the full benefits of affirmative action envisaged by the Constitution. Comment. (15)
19. Globalization has increased urban migration by skilled, young, unmarried women from various classes. How has this trend impacted upon their personal freedom and relationship with family? (15)
20. Critically analyse the proposition that there is a high correlation between India’s cultural diversities and socio-economic marginalities. (15)
2023 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. Explain the role of geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India. (10)
2. What was the difference between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore in their approach towards education and nationalism? (10)
3.Bring out the socio-economic effects of the introduction of railways in different countries of the world. (10)
4.Discuss the consequences of climate change on the food security in tropical countries. (10)
5.Why is the world today confronted with a crisis of availability of and access to freshwater resources? (10)
6.How are the fjords formed? Why do they constitute some of the most picturesque areas of the world? (10)
7.Why is the South-West Monsoon called Purvaiya' (easterly) in Bhojpur Region? How has this directional seasonal wind system influenced the cultural ethos of the region? (10)
8.Do you think marriage as a sacrament is loosing its value in Modern India? (10)
9.Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society. (10)
10.Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. (10)
11.What are the main features of Vedic society and religion? Do you think some of the features are still prevailing in Indian society? (15)
12.What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence the Indian society? (15)
13.How did the colonial rule affect the tribals in India and what was the tribal response to the colonial oppression? (15)
14.Comment on the resource potentials of the long coastline of India and highlight the status of natural hazard preparedness in these areas. (15)
15.Identify and discuss the factors responsible for diversity of natural vegetation in India. Assess the significance of wildlife sanctuaries in rain forest regions of India. (15)
16.Why did human development fail to keep pace with economic development in India? (15)
17.From being net food importer in 1960s, India has emerged as a net food exporter to the world. Provide reasons. (15)
18.Does urbanization lead to more segregation and/or marginalization of the poor in Indian metropolises? (15)
19.Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static? (15)
20.Discuss the impact of post-liberal economy on ethnic identity and communalism.(15)
2022 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. How will you explain the medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of those days? (10)
2. Why did the armies of the British East India Company – mostly comprising of Indian soldiers – win consistently against the more numerous and better equipped armies of the Indian rulers? Give reasons. (10)
3. Why was there a sudden spurt in famines in colonial India since the mid-eighteenth century? Give reasons. (10)
4. Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks.(10)
5. Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone prone areas given by India Meteorological department. (10)
6. Discuss the natural resource potentials of ‘Deccan trap’. (10)
7. Examine the potential of wind energy in India and explain the reasons for their limited spatial spread. (10)
8. Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work From Home’ on family relationships. (10)
9. How is the growth of Tier 2 cities related to the rise of a new middle class with an emphasis on the culture of consumption? (10)
10. Given the diversities among the tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? (10)
11. The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples. (15)
12. Discuss the main contributions of Gupta period and Chola period to Indian heritage and culture. (15)
13. Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art and architecture. (15)
14. What are the forces that influence ocean currents? Describe their role in fishing industry of the world. (15)
15. Describing the distribution of rubber producing countries, indicate the major environmental issues faced by them. (15)
16. Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. (15)
17. Troposphere is a very significant atmospheric layer that determines weather processes. How? (15)
18. Analyze the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion. (15)
19. Are tolerance, assimilation and pluralism the key elements in the making of an Indian form of secularism? Justify your answer. (15)
20. Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India. (15)
2021 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti Literature and its contribution to Indian culture. (10)
2. Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj. (10)
3. Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian Princely States. (10)
4. Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (10)
5. Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product(GDP) in percentage. Discuss. (10)
6. what are the environmental implications of the reclamation of the water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. (10)
7. Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (10)
8. Why is India considered as a sub-continent? Elaborate your answer. (10)
9. Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. (10)
10. Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (10)
11. To what extent did the role of the moderates prepare a base for the wider freedom movement? Comment. (15)
12. Bring out the constructive programmes of Mahatma Gandhi during Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. (15)
13. ” There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. (15)
14. Briefly mention the alignment of major mountain ranges of the world and explain their impact on local weather conditions, with examples. (15)
15. How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain. (15)
16. Discuss the multi-dimensional implications of uneven distribution of mineral oil in the world. (15)
17. What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? (15)
18. Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (15)
19. What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also? (15)
20. How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. (15)
2020 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of early Indian art and history. Discuss. (10)
2. Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate. (10)
3. Evaluate the policies of Lord Curzon and their long term implications on the national movements. (10)
4. Discuss the geophysical characteristics of Circum- Pacific Zone. (10)
5. The process of desertification does not have climate boundaries. Justify with examples. (10)
6. How will the melting of Himalayan glaciers have a far- reaching impact on the water resources of India? (10)
7. Account for the present location of iron and steel industries away from the source of raw material, by giving examples. (10)
8. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations. (10)
9. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (10)
10. Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue. (10)
11. Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss. (15)
12. Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (15)
13 Since the decade of the 1920s, the national movement acquired various ideological strands and thereby expanded its social base. Discuss. (15)
14. The interlinking of revivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods and interrupted navigation. Critically examine. (15)
15. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures. (15)
16. India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its developments. Elaborate. (15)
17. Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate change. (15)
18. Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer. (15)
19. Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (15)
20. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer. (15)
2019 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco Bactrian elements in the Gandhara art. (10)
2. The 1857 uprising was the culmination of the recurrent, big and small local rebellions that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British rule. Elucidate. (10)
3. Examine the linkages between the nineteenth century’s ‘Indian Renaissance’ and the emergence of national identity. (10)
4. Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples.(10)
5. Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology. (10)
6. Can the strategy of regional resource-based manufacturing help in promoting employment in India? (10).
7. Discuss the factors for localisation of agro-based food processing industries of North-West India. (10)
8. What makes the Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss. (10)
9. “Empowering women is the key to control population growth.” Discuss. (10)
10. What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism? (10)
11. Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate. (15)
12. Assess the role of British imperial power in complicating the process of transfer of power during the 1940. (15)
13. Explain how the foundations of the modern world were laid by the American and French Revolutions.(15)
14. What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? (15)
15.How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism? (15)
16. How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development in India? (15)
17. How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and coastal environment? Give suitable examples. (15)
18. Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate with examples. (15)
19. What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space? (15)
20. Are we losing our local identity for the global identity? Discuss. (15)
2018 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Comment (10)
2. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India. (10)
3. Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times. (10)
4. Why is Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) needed? How does it help in navigation? (10 )
5. Why is India taking keen interest in the Arctic region? (10)
6. Define mantle plume and explain its role in plate tectonics. (10)
7. What are the consequences of spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystem? (10)
8. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (10)
9. ‘Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. (10)
10. How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. (10)
11. The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss. (15)
12. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India. (15)
13. Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to their colonies? have they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (15)
14. “The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas? (15)
15. Defining blue revolution, explain the problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India. (15)
16. What is the significance of Industrial Corridors in India? Identifying industrial corridors, explain their main characteristics. (15)
17. Mention core strategies for the transformation of aspirational districts in India and explain the nature of convergence, collaboration and competition for its success. (15)
18. ‘Women’s movement in India has not addressed the issues of women of lower social strata.’ Substantiate your view. (15)
19. ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate.
20. ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (15)
2017 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times? (150 words)
2. Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the specter of a fragmented polity. (150 words)
3. Why did the ‘Moderates’ failed to carry conviction with the nation about their proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century? (150 words)
4. What problems are germane to the decolonization process in the Malay Peninsula? (150 words)
5. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth? (150 words)
6. “Inspite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development”. Discuss (150 words)
7. Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulses because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by United Nations. (150 words)
8. How does the cryosphere affect global climate? (150 words)
9. In the context of the diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your view point. (150 words)
10. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes(STs)? (150 words) (250 words)
11. The spirit of tolerance and love is not only an interesting feature of Indian society from very early times, but it is also playing an important part at the present. Elaborate. (250 words)
12. Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy. (250 words)
13. Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian Independence since the twenties of the last century. (250 words)
14. Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects. (250 words)
15. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications. (250 words)
16. In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India? (250 words)
17. What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the world population residing in Monsoon Asia? (250 words)
18. The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What are the major issues and debates concerning women in that period? (250 words)
19. Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words)
20.“The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues of employment, but has also created new problems”. Substantiate this statement with examples (250 words)
2016 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
Answer all the following questions. Each question is to be answered in not more than 200 words. Each question carries equal marks.
1. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate. 12.5 marks
2. Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss. 12.5 marks
3. Explain how the Uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India. 12.5 marks
4. Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase. 12.5 marks
5. Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom. 12.5 marks
6. Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause of Indian Unity? 12.5 marks
7. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine. 12.5 marks
8. To what extent globalization has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain. 12.5 marks
9. "An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from the process of deprivation." Substantiate this statement with suitable examples. 7+5.5=12.5 marks
10. Why are the tribals in India referred to as 'the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major 1 in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. 4.5+8=12.5 marks
11. With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the 'Smart City Programme'. 4+8.5=12.5 marks
12. What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. 3.5+9=12.5 marks
13. Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes. 12.5 marks
14. "The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides." Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. 12.5 marks
15. The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain. 12.5 marks
16. South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment. 12.5 marks
17. Major cities of India are becoming more vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. 12.5 marks
18. Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations. 12.5 marks
19. Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India. 12.5 marks
20. In what way micro-watershed development projects help in water conservation in drought-prone and semi-arid regions of India? 12.5 marks
2015 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
Instructions: Answer the following questions in not more than 200 words each. Contents of the answers are more important than their length. All questions carry equal marks.
Note: Each question carries 12.5 Marks (12.5 x 20 = 200 Marks )
1. The ancient civilization in Indian sub continent differed from those of Egypt , Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without breakdown to the present day. Comment (12.5M)
2. Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment. (12.5M)
3. How difficult would have been the achievement of Indian independence without Mahatma Gandhi? Discuss.
4. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B R Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate. (12.5M)
5. It would have been difficult for the Constituent Assembly to complete its historic task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India in just three years, but its experience gained with the Government of India Act, 1935 .Discuss.(12.5M)
6. Why did the industrial revolution first occur in England? Discuss the quality of life of the people there during the industrialization. How does it compare with that in India at present times?
7. To what extend can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically.
8. Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity.
9. Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the mains cause of population increase in India.
10. How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes?
11. Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades.
12. Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India?
13. Debate the issue whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.
14. Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. How do they influence regional climates, fishing and navigation?
15. Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three Mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious probelm in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?
16. India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity.
17. The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of econological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate.
18. How far do you agree that the behaviour of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscape? Discuss.
19. Smart cities in India cannot sustain without smart vilages. Discuss this statement in the backdrop of rural urban integration.
20. What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environemental consequences?
2014 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER I PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION PAPER
1. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss.
2. Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain.
3. Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense. Discuss.
4. The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761. Why were so many empire-shaking battles fought at Panipat?
5. Sufis and medieval saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu/ Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.
6. Examine critically the various facets of economic policies of the British in India from mid-eighteenth century till independence.
7. In what ways did the navel mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations in India?
8. What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial in India?
9. What were the events that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956? How did it deal a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power?
10. The New Economic Policy – 1921 of Lenin had influenced the policies adopted by India soon after independence. Evaluate.
11. How does patriarchy impact the position of a middle class working woman in India?
12. Why do some of the most prosperous regions of India have an adverse sex ratio for women? Give your arguments.
13. The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than social values. Discuss.
14. Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India.
15. How do the Indian debates on secularism differ from the debates in the West?
16. Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree?
17. Why are the world’s fold mountain systems located along the margins of continents? Bring out the association between the global distribution of fold mountains and the earthquakes and volcanoes.
18. Explain the formation of thousands of islands in Indonesian and Philipines archipelagos.
19. Tropical cyclones are largely confined to South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?
20. Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.
21. Whereas the British planters had developed tea gardens all along the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas from Assam to Himachal Pradesh, in effect they did not succeed beyond the Darjeeling area. Explain.
22. Why did the Green Revolution in India virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of water?
23. Account for the change in the spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel industry in the world.
24. Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.
25. How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resources rich Africa?