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UPSC Previous Year Question Paper, Download Last 10 Year PYQs PDF

UPSC Previous Year Question Paper will help in exam preparation. Download subject-wise and year-wise UPSC Previous Year Question Paper PDFs here.
authorImageAnil Solonki5 Feb, 2026
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UPSC PYQ Paper
UPSC PYQ Papers are useful resources that give an idea about the question paper pattern and difficulty of the Exam to candidates preparing for UPSC CSE Recruitment. The Union Public Service Commission annually conducts the  UPSC CSE exam to recruit candidates for top civil services. Candidates selected in this Exam become eligible for IAS, IPS, and IFS officer positions.

Practicing UPSC previous year question papers (PYQs) is essential for aspirants aiming to crack the Civil Services Examination, as they reveal exam patterns, question trends, and high-weightage topics across Prelims and Mains. These papers from the last 10 years help candidates gauge difficulty levels, improve time management, and identify recurring themes in General Studies, CSAT, and optional subjects. Regularly solving PYQs under timed conditions boosts accuracy, reduces exam anxiety, and allows self-assessment of strengths and weaknesses. Downloading these PDFs enables focused revision and bridges the gap between theoretical preparation and practical application. This resource is a proven strategy for top performers in UPSC CSE.

UPSC Previous Year Question Paper

UPSC PYQs provide insight into the structure and types of questions asked in both prelims and mains. PYQs serve as excellent revision tools, helping candidates reinforce their knowledge and assess their preparedness. Therefore, candidates must make it a habit to solve PYQs as part of their daily study routine. After attempting UPSC PYQs, analyze your answers to identify strengths and weaknesses and note down frequently asked subjects and themes. Here is UPSC PYQ Paper that will guide your preparation for the UPSC 2025 exam:

Books for UPSC Preparation

Last 10 Years UPSC Question Papers with Answers PDF

Over the years, it has been observed that prelims have emerged as one of the most challenging processes. Going through the last 10 years UPSC PYQ papers for prelims is recommended to catch the recurring themes that can not be ignored for upcoming exams. The table below has a direct link for UPSC prelims GS I and CSAT question papers for the upcoming exam:
UPSC Prelims Question Papers (2014-2025)
General Studies CSAT
UPSC GS Question Paper 2025 UPSC CSAT Questions Paper 2025
UPSC GS Question Paper 2024 UPSC CSAT Questions Paper 2024
UPSC GS Question Paper 2023 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2023
UPSC GS Question Paper 2022 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2022
UPSC GS Question Paper 2021 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2021
UPSC GS Question Paper 2020 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2020
UPSC GS Question Paper 2019 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2019
UPSC GS Question Paper 2018 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2018
UPSC GS Question Paper 2017 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2017
UPSC GS Question Paper 2016 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2016
UPSC GS Question Paper 2015 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2015
UPSC GS Question Paper 2014 UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2014
As soon as candidates start preparing for the UPSC exam, they must download at least the past 5 to 6 years' UPSC PYQ Papers and analyze them thoroughly. The UPSC Prelims and Mains question papers download link is provided here from 2019 to 2025. Go through these papers and identify high-priority areas to prepare. 

UPSC PYQ Paper PDF 2025

Download UPSC Prelims 2025 PYQs from here:

UPSC Question Papers 2025
 Stag Question Paper Link
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT

UPSC PYQ Paper PDF 2024

Here is a link to download UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ PDFs:

UPSC Question Papers 2024
Stage Question Paper Link
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT
Mains Question Papers Essay
General Studies I
General Studies II
General Studies III
General Studies IV

UPSC PYQ Paper PDF 2023

Here is a link to download UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ PDFs:

UPSC Question Papers 2023
Stage Question Papers
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT
Mains Question Papers Essay
General Studies I
General Studies II
General Studies III
General Studies IV

UPSC PYQ Paper PDF 2022

Here is a link to download UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ PDFs:

UPSC Question Papers 2022
Stage Question Papers
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT
Mains Question Papers Essay
General Studies I
General Studies II
General Studies III
General Studies IV

UPSC PYQ Paper 2021 PDF Link

Here is a link to download UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ PDFs:

UPSC Question Papers 2021
Stage Question Papers
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT
Mains Question Papers Essay
General Studies I
General Studies II
General Studies III
General Studies IV

UPSC PYQ Paper PDF 2020 Links

Here is a link to download UPSC Prelims and Mains PYQ PDFs:

UPSC Question Papers 2020
Stage Question Papers
Prelims Question Papers General Studies
CSAT
Mains Question Papers Essay
General Studies I
General Studies II
General Studies III
General Studies IV

UPSC Mains PYQ Papers (2024-2013)

Analysing the UPSC PYQ papers from 2013 to 2024 can be highly beneficial for answer writing practice. Candidates should download the previous question paper for UPSC Mains and analyse them. Click on the below link to access the Essay and General Studies previous question paper PDFs.

UPSC Mains PYQ Papers (2024 - 2013)
Year Essay GS Papers
2024 Download PDF Download PDF
2023 Download PDF Download PDF
2022 Download PDF Download PDF
2021 Download PDF Download PDF
2020 Download PDF Download PDF
2019 Download PDF Download PDF
2018 Download PDF Download PDF
2017 Download PDF Download PDF
2016 Download PDF Download PDF
2015 Download PDF Download PDF
2014 Download PDF Download PDF
2013 Download PDF Download PDF

Subject-wise UPSC Previous Year Question Paper

While every subject is equally important, certain subjects require special focus. This is where subject-wise UPSC Previous Year Question Papers can be helpful. At Physics Wallah, candidates can access the subject wise question papers for prelims and mains prepared by experts.

UPSC Prelims Question Papers Subject Wise

In UPSC Prelims, subjects like History, Geography, Polity, and Environment are asked. Candidates can unlock the previous questions asked in each subject of the UPSC Prelims syllabus by clicking on the links below:
Subject Wise UPSC Prelims PYQs with Solution (2013-2024)
Subject Link
Ancient & Medieval History Download PDF
Environment and Ecology Download PDF
Modern History Download PDF
Geography Download PDF
Art and Culture Download PDF
Indian Economy Download PDF
Polity Download PDF
Science & Technology Download PDF

UPSC Mains Subject-wise Previous Year Papers

In UPSC Mains the four General Studies papers can be further divided into multiple subjects. Analyzing the UPSC Mains Subject-wise previous year papers is an ideal way to prepare for each GS paper. Check the below table for subject-wise question papers of UPSC Mains:
UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers Subject-wise PDFs
Paper Subject PDF Link
GS I Modern History Click Here
Art and Culture Click Here
Medieval History Click Here
World History Click Here
Post-Independence India Click Here
Indian Society Click Here
Geography Click Here
GS II Indian Polity Click Here
Governance Click Here
International Relations Click Here
Social Justice Click Here
GS III Indian Economy Click Here
Environment Click Here
Disaster Management Click Here
Internal Security Click Here
Science & Technology Click Here
GS IV Ethics (Section A) Click Here
Ethics (Section B) Click Here

Why Solve UPSC PYQ Paper?

The previous years' UPSC question papers are beneficial for many reasons. Candidates should keep the printout of the UPSC Previous Year Question Paper PDFs at their study desk during preparation. The importance of the previous year's question papers of prelims and mains stages is given below:
  • Understanding Exam Pattern: The previous year's question papers help in comprehending the structure of the prelims and mains. This is a must for beginners to stay aligned with the UPSC exam pattern.
  • Find Trends of Topics: The syllabus of UPSC is vast, which is why analyzing UPSC's previous year question papers will guide in identifying the trends of important topics of the syllabus.
  • Comprehension of Questions: By multiple reading of the question papers, candidates will be able to comprehend the questions on the exam day, particularly for the CSAT paper.
  • Evaluate Learning: For better results, candidates should solve subject-wise question papers of UPSC soon after completion of the syllabus, which facilitates examining the progress.
  • Practice for Exam: While the role of mock tests can not be ignored the UPSC question papers are the best way to start practicing for the exam with actual questions.
  • Be Prepared for Difficulty: The UPSC exam is evolving year after year, this is why candidates should grasp the previous year questions to be prepared for the difficulty level.
  • Learn Skills and Tricks: Candidates can learn crucial skills and tricks like decision making and time management by solving the UPSC previous year question paper for D’day.

Ready to boost your UPSC 2026 preparation? Join PW's UPSC online courses today!

UPSC Related Articles
UPSC Prelims Analysis NCERT for UPSC Exam 2025 UPSC Prelims Most Repeated PYQs
UPSC Exam Pattern UPSC Prelims Books UPSC Result

UPSC Previous Year Question Paper FAQs

Are the previous year's question papers enough for UPSC?

No, the previous year's question papers are important tools to prepare for the exam but they are not sufficient and candidates also require quality study material and mock tests in their preparation.

Are previous year's questions repeated in the UPSC Prelims?

Yes, it has been observed that many questions are repeated in the UPSC Prelims.

How many years of question papers are enough for UPSC?

Candidates must solve at least the past 10 years' question papers for the UPSC exam.

Why is it important to solve UPSC previous year's question papers?

Solving previous years' question papers helps in understanding patterns, identifying major themes, and learning methods to solve question papers.

How to analyze the previous year papers for the UPSC exam?

Candidates should go through question papers multiple times and solve them in exam-like conditions. Later they should highlight repeating themes and topics from which questions are mostly asked.
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