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UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level for the 2025 exam will be shared once the exam is over.
How tough was the UPSC Prelims 2024?
The 2024 Prelims was moderately difficult, with balanced questions across subjects and a moderately challenging CSAT paper.
Which year had the most difficult UPSC Prelims paper recently?
The 2023 paper is widely considered one of the toughest due to its factual nature and unconventional questions.
Is the CSAT paper getting tougher?
Yes, recent years have shown a gradual increase in CSAT’s difficulty, especially in reasoning and comprehension sections.
Has the focus on Current Affairs increased in recent years?
Absolutely. UPSC now frames questions that test the application and implications of current events, not just facts.
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level, Year Wise Trends
UPSC Prelims difficulty level varies year to year, but it is generally moderate to tough. Read on for subject wise UPSC Prelims difficulty level trends from the past five years.
Deeksha Dixit17 May, 2025
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UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level: Understanding the changing difficulty level of the UPSC Prelims over the years can significantly shape your preparation. As the first stage of the Civil Services exam, this stage demands a balance of factual understanding and analytical reasoning.
Over the years, UPSC Prelims have emerged as a challenging stage with cut off usually below 100 marks. Find year-wise difficulty trends of the UPSC Prelims from 2020 to 2024 to plan a strategy that aligns with the evolving pattern for the upcoming exam.
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level 2025 (Expected)
Since theUPSC Prelims 2025 is yet to be held, a detailed analysis will be conducted by PW educators after the exam. Based on past trends, the paper is expected to include a mix of factual, conceptual, and application-based questions. The difficulty level will be updated here for both papers:
UPSC Prelims Paper 1 - General Studies
The General Studies paper tests candidates across a wide range of subjects, including Polity, Economy, History, Science & Technology, Geography, Environment, and Current Affairs. The table below will be updated after the exam with subject-wise difficulty levels based on expert analysis:
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Polity
To be updated
Economy
To be updated
History
To be updated
Science & Technology
To be updated
Geography
To be updated
Environment
To be updated
Current Affairs /Misc.
To be updated
Overall
To be updated
UPSC Prelims Paper 2 - CSAT
CSAT evaluates a candidate’s comprehension, logical reasoning, and numerical ability. While it is qualifying in nature, the difficulty level has seen a noticeable rise in recent years. The following table will be updated post-exam with a detailed analysis of each section.
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Reasoning Ability
To be updated
Reading Comprehension
To be updated
Numerical Ability
To be updated
Overall
To be updated
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level - Year Wise Trends
The difficulty level of the UPSC Prelims fluctuates each year depending on the nature of questions, weightage of subjects, and depth of current affairs. Below is a general overview of the trend observed in recent years:
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level 2024
The 2024 Prelims was considered moderately challenging. The General Studies paper was well-balanced with a mix of direct and analytical questions, particularly from Polity, History, Economy, and Environment. Here is Prelims difficulty level last year:
The 2023 Prelims stood out as one of the toughest in recent years. GS Paper 1 leaned heavily towards tough questions, particularly the CSAT paper was tougher than usual, with dense comprehension passages and intricate reasoning problems:
Paper 1 (GS)
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Polity
Easy to Moderate
Economy
Moderate to Difficult
Modern History
Moderate to Difficult
Ancient, Medieval History and Culture
Difficult
Science & Technology
Moderate
Geography
Moderate
Environment
Moderate to Difficult
Current Affairs /Misc.
Moderate
Overall
Difficult
Paper 2 (CSAT)
Reasoning Ability
Moderate to Difficult
Reading Comprehension
Moderate
Numerical Ability
Difficult
Overall
Difficult
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level 2022
In 2022, the paper was moderately tough. Questions in GS Paper 1 were evenly distributed, with a heavy reliance on comprehension of Current Affairs and core concepts.
Paper 1 (GS)
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Polity
Moderate to Difficult
Economy
Moderate to Difficult
Modern History
Moderate
Ancient and Medieval History
Difficult
Art & Culture
Difficult
Science & Technology
Moderate
Geography
Moderate
Environment
Moderate
International Relations
Moderate
Overall
Moderately Tough
Paper 2 (CSAT)
Reasoning Ability/Data Sufficiency
Moderate to Difficult
Reading Comprehension
Easy to Moderate
Numerical Ability
Moderate to Difficult
Overall
Moderate to Difficult
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level 2021
The 2021 Prelims was relatively more manageable. The questions were more straightforward, with a significant focus on factual knowledge from Polity, Environment, and Modern History.
Paper 1 (GS)
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Polity
Easy to Moderate
Economy
Moderate
History
Difficult
Art & Culture
Difficult
Science & Technology
Moderate to Difficult
Geography+Agriculture
Easy to Moderate
Environment
Moderate to Difficult
Sports/Misc. Current Affairs
Difficult
Overall
Moderately Tough
Paper 2 (CSAT)
Reasoning Ability
Moderate
Reading Comprehension
Moderate to Difficult
Numerical Ability
Difficult
Misc.
Moderate to Difficult
Overall
Moderately Tough
UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level 2020
The 2023 Prelims posed a significant challenge to candidates. However, GS Paper 1 featured abstract and tricky questions, particularly in the Economy and Environment. On the other hand, CSAT was slightly more doable.
Paper 1 (GS)
Subjects
Difficulty Level
Polity
Easy to Moderate
Economy
Moderate to Difficult
History and Art, and Culture
Moderate to Difficult
Science & Technology
Easy to Moderate
Geography
Moderate to Difficult
Environment
Moderate to Difficult
Current Affairs
Moderate to Difficult
Overall
Moderate
Paper 2 (CSAT)
Reasoning Ability
Easy to Moderate
Reading Comprehension
Moderate to Difficult
Numerical Ability
Moderate to Difficult
Overall
Moderate
Over the years, the UPSC Prelims difficulty level has varied, but one consistent theme has been the importance of both depth and breadth in preparation. Aspirants must develop a smart strategy that blends revision, practice, and current affairs coverage to stay ahead.
