UPSC CSE Previous Year Questions

Apr 25, 2023, 16:45 IST

Getting a passing mark on the Civil Services Examination requires the right approach, a significant amount of hard work, sincerity, and commitment. However, one's enormous efforts will only bear fruit if they are focused in the right direction; for this, one must understand the UPSC CSE Exam question pattern. Thus, it is essential to look over the upsc cse previous year question paper to analyse the evolving pattern of UPSC IAS papers and direct your preparation in the right direction.

The goal of an aspirant is always to clear the UPSC IAS exam, not simply to gain knowledge. Here, the past year's papers have played an important role. They are a reliable resource for evaluating the UPSC CSE Prelims and Mains examination question pattern. By analysing previous year, you may determine the importance of various topics, and the number of static and dynamic questions asked over the years.

Moreover, solving past UPSC questions can help you manage your time because you'll know just what to study and for how long. Self-evaluation is essential for a UPSC aspirant, and in this regard, solving previous year's examinations and mock tests will help assess one's performance.

This article includes the previous year's upsc prelims question paper and upsc mains question paper. Attempting and scoring well on these exams will improve a candidate's confidence and help them identify the most important topics for the civil services examination.

UPSC CSE Prelims Previous Year Question Papers

The UPSC IAS Preliminary Exam consists of two objective-type multiple-choice question papers. The first exam is General Studies 1, followed by General Studies 2 (CSAT). Both papers are for 200 marks, for a total of 400 marks. The CSAT is a qualifying exam. The answer sheet for GS Paper 1 will be evaluated for candidates who obtain the minimum needed CSAT score.

Their performance on GS Paper 1 determines candidates' eligibility for the UPSC IAS Mains Exam. The preliminary exam is, therefore, of a qualifying nature. The upsc prelims question paper will help candidates score well and advance in the UPSC IAS selection process.

These papers are highly recommended for increasing your knowledge and exam preparation. To boost their chances of passing the preliminary exam, candidates must practise using the UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Papers.

UPSC CSE Mains Previous Year Question

The mains exam is the second phase of the UPSC IAS Recruitment selection process. It has a total of nine papers. Two of these nine papers are qualifying papers, while the remaining seven are merit papers. The two qualifying examinations are English and a compulsory Indian language.

The remaining seven papers consist of General Studies I, II, III, IV, V, Optional Papers I and II, and an Essay. The duration of each of these papers is three hours. The UPSC CSE Mains Exam has a total weightage of 1750 marks. To pass the mains test, solving the upsc cse previous year question paper

is crucial.

How to Analyze UPSC Previous Year Question Papers?

Candidates may need clarification on how to correctly analyse the UPSC Previous Year Paper to gain knowledge from it. For the convenience of the students, we have provided the following analysis tips for the UPSC Previous Year Question Papers.

Take a printout of the UPSC Previous Year Paper you intend to analyse.
First, carefully read the paper and try to understand the questions.
Mark the questions you know or have an idea about on the second reading.
Then, begin answering the questions and set a timer according to the question paper's timeframe.
Visualise yourself in the actual test room and answer the questions accordingly.
Be composed and calm when answering the questions.
Don't panic if you don't know the answer to a question; simply mark them and proceed to solve the rest.
Once complete, analyse and mark your answers.
Examine your weaknesses and correct them. Find the solutions to the remaining questions in the books and study materials and prepare them.

After analysing your performance, attempt again. Remember that practice makes perfect; as a UPSC candidate, you must be willing to experience failure before success.

By analysing UPSC CSE Previous Year Papers, candidates can assess their level of preparation, address any weaknesses, and have a comprehensive UPSC Exams preparation.

Why Should You Solve The UPSC Past Year Question Papers?

Past year UPSC CSE Exam Paper are of crucial relevance for UPSC preparation. Here are a few reasons why you should not neglect to solve the UPSC Previous year's question papers:

Determine the nature of the questions asked

Studying the upsc cse previous year question paper for the UPSC at the beginning of preparing for the exam will help candidates to analyse the question types. This will help you determine the exam-specific relevance of any news article or information. You will be able to divide the knowledge pool based on its relevancy. It will also help you sift through huge amounts of information and select the relevant facts from which the question may be asked.

Recognise the importance of a specific topic

UPSC's Previous year's questions also provide insight into the importance of the specific issues. There are numerous topics on the syllabus. Nevertheless, certain subjects are more important than others. When experts discuss significant themes in classroom sessions, they always refer to the previous year's papers as their source of information. Therefore, if you are preparing without expert guidance or coaching, you must thoroughly read last year's papers to gain this understanding.

Determine the subjects' priority order

Now, what we stated about the topics also applies to the subjects. For example, the General Studies-I section of the UPSC preliminary examination syllabus lists all basic subjects. But does this imply that they will all have equal weight? NO! The relative importance of each subject is not equal. You may view the Prelims analysis for 2017 and 2018. There you will observe that certain topics are more crucial than others from the perspective of the Prelims. It may be different for the Mains questions; a look at the upsc cse previous year question paper will provide some crucial insights that will successfully enhance your preparation.

Understand how to answer questions in the Mains Exam.

One of the most effective ways to begin practising answer writing is to check the copies of answers written by topper students. In addition, you will need to review the upsc cse previous year question paper and answers provided by the top scorers. Such an analysis of what to include in your answers is only possible through thoroughly examining the previous year's exams.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

Q1. Are IAS Questions tough?

Ans. Compared to other exams that require an understanding of only one or two subjects, this exam is comprehensive and contains a wide range of subjects. If you analyse the IAS exam's success rate, you will see why it is considered one of the most difficult examinations in India and, according to some, the world. But with the proper preparation and dedication, it is achievable.

Q2. What kind of questions are asked in the IAS interview?

Ans. The IAS interview is more challenging than other phases of the CSE exam because panellists frequently ask questions that take time to prepare. Aspiring Candidates should remember that the only aim of the interview is to test, not to assess your knowledge. The panel is a prominent personality in their field. The IAS interview questions are designed to examine a candidate's suitability for a career in the administrative service. The IAS interview generally lasts between 20 and 25 minutes and reflects a discussion with the UPSC panel.

Q3. Is IAS paper MCQ?

Ans. The Preliminary examination will comprise objective-type questions. It involves two multiple-choice examinations conducted on a single day. General studies paper 1 consists of 100 questions for two marks each. General Studies paper-2 (CSAT) consists of eighty questions, each for 2.5 marks. In comparison, the UPSC Mains examination is a written examination comprising detailed answer questions. The candidate's personality will be examined in the third and final stage.

Q4. How to approach UPSC’s previous years’ papers?

Ans. The UPSC CSE examination is sometimes referred to as an "UNPREDICTABLE" examination. However, if you examine the previous year's question papers, you will notice that many questions and topics are repeated. After completing the NCERTs, candidates can solve preliminary examinations and then match their answers with the official answer keys. For the main exam, aspirants can first attempt to solve the previous year's questions and then reference solutions to UPSC's main exam questions.

Q5. When should one start preparation for UPSC 2023?

Ans. It requires at least one year to prepare for the UPSC IAS 2023. If a candidate wants to take the Prelim exam in 2023, preparations should begin in June of the existing year. Moreover, a candidate should start preparing for the Main Exam parallel with the IAS Prelim exam.

Q6. Is there any penalty for incorrect answers on the written examination?

Ans. Yes, there is a negative marking on the preliminary exam's General Studies (GS) Paper I. Each wrong answer would result in a loss of one-third of the marks to that question. For Paper II of the preliminary examination, a negative marking of one-third and a passing score of 33 percent or 66 marks are required.

Q7. Are last year's questions papers available online?

Ans. Yes, candidates can get PDFs of the previous year's exam questions from the official website or other online portals that are freely accessible. You may also visit UPSC Wallah for questions from past years.