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UPSC Question Paper 2018 PDF, Download Solved Prelims & Mains PYQs

UPSC Question Paper 2018 has an important role to play in gaining insight into exam structure. The UPSC Question Paper 2018 PDFs are provided here for prelims and mains exams.
authorImageDeeksha Dixit20 Apr, 2024
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UPSC Question Paper 2018

UPSC Question Paper 2018: The UPSC Civil Services Examination (UPSC CSE) is considered highly challenging and candidates must have a foolproof strategy to crack this exam. In designing a good study plan, solving previous question papers such as the UPSC Question Paper 2018 can be significantly useful.

The UPSC 2018 question papers are a reliable source to understand the exam pattern, structure of each stage, and format of questions. Go through the article to find the download link to UPSC Question Paper 2018, solved questions papers for prelims and mains, and analysis of UPSC 2018 PYQs.

UPSC Question Paper 2018 PDF Download

UPSC exam is conducted in three rounds, of the first two are pen and paper based exams. The UPSC Prelims has 2 objective type papers and UPSC Mains has 9 descriptive type papers. The former stage is qualifying in nature while the latter’s score is considered for the final result of the UPSC exam. Candidates must download UPSC Question Paper 2018 PDFs for each stage to know the exam. The UPSC 2018 question papers download link is active on the official website of the commission. Have an overview of the exam here:
UPSC Exam Pattern - Overview
Particulars Details
Exam UPSC CSE Exam 2018
Authority Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
Stages
  1. Prelims
  2. Mains
  3. Interview
UPSC Prelims 2018 3 June 2018
UPSC Prelims Papers
  1. General Studies I - 100 Questions
  2. General Studies II (CSAT) - 80 Questions
Nature of Exam Qualifying
UPSC Mains 2018 28 September to 6 October 2018
Papers
  1. Compulsory Language - 300 Marks
  2. English - 300 Marks
  3. Essay - 250 Marks
  4. General Studies I - 250 Marks
  5. General Studies II - 250 Marks
  6. General Studies III - 250 Marks
  7. General Studies IV - 250 Marks
  8. Optional Paper I - 250 Marks
  9. Optional Paper II - 250 Marks
Nature of Exam Merit (1750 Marks)
Official Website upsc.gov.in

UPSC Question Paper 2018 Prelims

The UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2018 was made available soon after the exam process was completed on 3rd June. The Prelims followed the traditional pattern with two papers: General Studies I in the morning shift and General Studies II in the afternoon shift. The CSAT (GS 2) as usual was qualifying in nature where candidates need to score 33% marks. Download link of UPSC Question Paper 2018 with answer keys is given below:
UPSC Prelims Question Papers 2018
Paper Question Papers Answer Key
General Studies I Download GS l Paper GS Answer Key
General Studies II (CSAT) Download CSAT Paper CSAT Answer Key

UPSC Question Paper 2018 Mains

The UPSC Mains 2018 exam, as usual, had nine papers in total. Of these compulsory English and Indian language papers worth 300 marks, it was mandatory to score 25% marks in these papers. For the remaining 7 papers, this criteria stayed at 10% out of 250 marks. However, these 7 papers are considered for making a merit list; therefore, analysing and solving them becomes paramount in preparation. The UPSC Question Paper 2018 for Mains stage can be downloaded from the table below:
UPSC Mains Question Papers 2018
Question Papers Download Link
Compulsory English Click Here
Essay Click Here
General Studies I Click Here
General Studies II Click Here
General Studies III Click Here
General Studies IV Click Here

UPSC Question Paper 2018 with Answers

It has been observed that UPSC questions often repeat. This is why experts and toppers advise aspirants to not just attempt UPSC previous-year question papers but also analyse them in detail. This includes searching for all related dimensions of question papers, such as all options for a particular GS question, and going through model answers to the mains. In this exercise, the PDF of the UPSC Question Paper 2018 with answers can help. Download the solved UPSC 2018 question papers for prelims and mains from the below direct link:
UPSC Question Paper 2018 with Answers
Question Paper Link
UPSC Prelims Solved Question Paper Click Here
UPSC Mains Solved Question Paper Click Here

UPSC Question Paper 2018 Analysis

The UPSC Question Paper 2018 was overall moderate for both prelims and mains. There were significant application-based questions in the prelims. Similarly, in the main GS papers, a few questions were indirect and required an applied approach to multiple topics to cover more dimensions. The UPSC Prelims 2018 analysis suggests that the static portal was almost 50%, with the CA section having more dynamic questions. An analysis of the UPSC Question Paper 2018 prelims is given in the below table:
UPSC GS Paper 2018 Analysis
Subjects Number of Questions
History + Culture 22
Polity 13
Economy 18
Environment & Ecology 13
Geography 10
Science & Technology 10
CA on International Organisations/Reports 10
Government Schemes + Misc. 4
Total 100
The UPSC Question Paper 2018 of the CSAT was surprising for candidates who appeared that year, with a total of 14 questions in the Data Interpretation (DI) section. Also, the RC section had short but complex passages. The analysis of the UPSC CSAT Question Paper 2018 is given in the below table:
UPSC CSAT Paper 2018 Analysis
Subjects Number of Questions
Reasoning Ability 22
Reading Comprehension 26
Numerical Ability 18
Data Interpretation 14
Total 80
The UPSC 2024 exam is approaching. Get ready to ace with top-notch PW upsc online courses . Enroll now!

UPSC Question Paper 2018 FAQs

Which type of questions are asked in the UPSC question paper?

The topics mentioned in the syllabus of the UPSC are asked in the question papers for prelims and mains. In prelims, objective-type questions are asked, and in mains, descriptive questions are asked.

What is the importance of UPSC Question Paper 2018?

It will help in understanding the exam pattern, also the themes of UPSC Question Paper 2018 might be repeated in the upcoming exam.

Was the UPSC 2018 CSAT question paper difficult?

Yes, the UPSC 2018 CSAT question paper was comparably difficult than previous years. Overall, it was very tough due to the RC and DI sections.

Where can I get solved UPSC Question Paper 2018?

The solved UPSC Question Paper 2018 from the official website of Physics Wallah.

How can I download the UPSC question paper of the past 10 years?

Candidates can download the UPSC question paper of the past 10 years from the official website ‘upsc.gov.in’ and ‘pw.live’.
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