UPSC Prelims PYQs with explanations
Real questions from official papers, mapped to syllabus topics. Attempt each one; the answer and the reason appear instantly.
Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ?
Answer (c) & explanation
The sub-indices are Access, Usage and Quality (c). The RBI launched the FI-Index in August 2021. It covers banking, investments, insurance, postal services and pension, and gives one value between 0 and 100. Its three parameters are Access (35%), Usage (45%) and Quality (20%). Options (a), (b) and (d) list areas or ideas that are not its sub-indices; GDP contribution and affordability are not parameters.
Notice the logic: usage has the most weight, because an account that is never used does not mean real inclusion. Quality includes financial literacy and consumer protection. The index is published every July, and it has risen steadily, helped by Jan Dhan (2014) and UPI.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
How is deflation done? Most countries use a method called ‘double deflation’, where input and output prices are deflated separately. Consider a manufacturer importing oil for use in production. If oil prices fall, output prices do not and quantities remain the same, real value added should not change. But if the same deflator is used for inputs and outputs, as in India, it would look as if the manufacturer had become more productive.
Which of the following statements is/are correct?
- 1. Real value should not change in the instance of static output cost and unchanged quantities against falling oil prices.
- 2. Deflators are to be used separately for inputs and outputs, and this is a practice universally adopted by all economies.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
Neither statement is correct (d). Step 1: the passage says if oil prices fall while output prices and quantities stay the same, real value added should not change. Statement 1 changes this to "real value" and "static output cost", which distorts the idea. So 1 is not correct as worded. Step 2: statement 2 says separate deflators are used "universally" by all economies. But the passage says India uses the same deflator for both. So 2 is false. Step 3: options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: in economic passages, exact terms matter: "value added" is not "value", and "price" is not "cost". "Universally" is disproved by a single exception, here India.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements :
Every red is blue. Every blue is green. Every green is yellow.
Which of the following statements denoted by P, Q and R are correct?
P. Every blue is yellow.
Q. Every red is green.
R. Every red is yellow.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
All three, P, Q and R, are correct (d). Step 1: "Every red is blue" means red is inside blue. Likewise blue is inside green, and green is inside yellow. So red ⊂ blue ⊂ green ⊂ yellow, like circles nested one inside another. Step 2: P: blue sits inside green, which sits inside yellow, so every blue is yellow ✓. Q: red ⊂ blue ⊂ green, so every red is green ✓. Step 3: R: red sits inside all the larger circles, so every red is yellow ✓. Options (a), (b) and (c) leave one out.
Tip: "every A is B" chains pass along: if A is inside B and B inside C, then A is inside C. Draw nested circles to check.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
A shopkeeper employs a delivery boy and gives him a motorcycle for home delivery. For every delivery, the boy is given ₹ 5. At the end of the day, he also gets ₹ 2 for every kilometre of the distance covered in the day. The boy wants to earn more than ₹ 500 a day, but does not want to travel more than 100 km. Which of the following numbers of deliveries would definitely meet his target?
Answer (d) & explanation
The question cannot be answered due to insufficient data (d). Step 1: earnings = 5 × deliveries + 2 × km, and km can be anything from 0 to 100. Step 2: with 90 deliveries, he earns 450 + 2k. That crosses ₹500 only if he rides more than 25 km. With 80 or 85 deliveries he needs even more km. Step 3: we are not told how far he travels. So no option is definitely enough. Options (a), (b) and (c) would work only with enough kilometres.
Tip: "definitely" means it must work in the worst case. Here the worst case is very few kilometres, and then 101 or more deliveries would be needed.
the word "definitely" decides it. "Possibly" would give a different answer.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India ?
- 1. Submergence of parts of the western coast due to tectonic activity
- 2. Presence of residual mountain ranges such as the Veliconda hills and Mahendragiri hills
- 3. Deep, V-shaped river valleys formed by fast-flowing rivers
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Features 1 and 2 belong to the Peninsular Block (b). The Peninsula is an old, stable block. Item 1 is right: faulting submerged parts of the west coast. Item 2 is right: long erosion left residual hills such as the Veliconda and Mahendragiri. Item 3 is wrong: Peninsular rivers are mature, with broad, shallow valleys; deep V-shaped valleys belong to the young Himalayan rivers. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice other Peninsular traits: Gondwana coal, Deccan Traps basalt, rift valleys of the Narmada and Tapi, which flow west into the Arabian Sea, and old block mountains like the Aravallis, among the world's oldest. Rivers here are rain-fed, not snow-fed.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists :
| List I (Project Supported by India) | List II (Country)
| A. Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project | 1. Maldives
| B. Restoration of Stor Palace | 2. Afghanistan
| C. District Hospital at Dickoya | 3. Bhutan
| D. Institute of Security and Law Enforcement Studies | 4. Sri Lanka
Code :
Answer (b) & explanation
The correct match is A-3, B-2, C-4, D-1 (b). Mangdechhu (720 MW) is an India-built hydro project in Bhutan (A-3). India restored the Stor Palace in Kabul, Afghanistan (B-2), opened in 2016. The Dickoya hospital is in the hill country of Sri Lanka (C-4), serving the Indian-origin Tamil community. The Institute of Security and Law Enforcement Studies was built for the Maldives police (D-1). Options (a), (c) and (d) mix these up.
Notice the pattern: India's Neighbourhood First policy relies on such development partnership projects. In Afghanistan, India also built the Parliament building and the Salma Dam (Afghan–India Friendship Dam). Bhutan's hydropower, including Chukha and Tala, sells surplus power to India.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements about the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India :
- 1. NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits.
- 2. All the NBFCs operating in India have to be registered with the RBI.
- 3. NBFCs form part of the payment and settlement system and can issue cheque drawn on itself.
- 4. Deposit insurance facility of Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC) is not available to the depositors of deposit taking NBFCs.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Statements 1 and 4 are correct (a). The RBI lists how an NBFC differs from a bank. Statement 1 is right: NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits. Statement 4 is right: depositors of NBFCs get no DICGC insurance cover. Statement 3 is wrong: NBFCs are not part of the payment and settlement system and cannot issue cheques drawn on themselves. Statement 2 is wrong: not every NBFC registers with the RBI; insurers report to IRDAI, merchant bankers and brokers to SEBI, and chit funds to State governments. So options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice the current rules: since 2021, the RBI regulates NBFCs through a Scale-Based Regulation in four layers: Base, Middle, Upper and Top. DICGC covers bank deposits up to ₹5 lakh.
"All the NBFCs" in statement 2. Many finance companies have another regulator.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
When SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in 2019, it was a truly novel virus for the world. At that time, no one in the world had been exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or had specific immunity against it. In contrast, people across the world have been exposed to HMPV for decades and the virus is well-studied. HMPV and SARS-CoV-2 belong to two very different virus families with fundamentally different characteristics and epidemiology, with strong seasonality seen in HMPV, unlike SARS-CoV-2. Both viruses cause different severity of symptoms, particularly over the long term, and the affected population segments do not fully overlap. In general, HMPV causes milder illness with deaths being very rare and with no long-term post-viral symptoms.
Which of the following reflect the intent of the writer in the above passage?
- 1. To evolve methodologies for objective analysis of the two viruses
- 2. To establish the epidemiological similarities and differences between the two viruses
- 3. To offer a better understanding of the remedies of HMPV when analysed in conjunction with SARS-CoV-2
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (d) & explanation
None of the three reflects the writer's intent (d). Step 1: the writer only contrasts the two viruses: HMPV is old and well-studied, seasonal and usually mild; SARS-CoV-2 was new. The aim is to show they are different, easing fear about HMPV. Step 2: statement 1, evolving methods of analysis, is not the aim. Statement 2 speaks of similarities and differences, but the passage stresses only differences. Step 3: statement 3, remedies for HMPV, is never discussed. So options (a), (b) and (c) fail.
Tip: intent questions ask "why did the writer write this?" Here, the answer is reassurance through contrast, which none of the statements captures.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
If the product of the HCF and LCM of two distinct numbers is the cube of one of the numbers, then which of the following statements is/are correct?
- I. The difference of the numbers is an even number.
- II. One of the numbers is a perfect square.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (c) & explanation
Both statements are correct (c). Step 1: for any two numbers, HCF × LCM = product of the numbers. So a × b = a³ (the cube of one of them), giving b = a². Step 2: statement II: b = a² is a perfect square. True. Step 3: statement I: the difference is a² − a = a(a − 1), the product of two consecutive numbers. One of any two consecutive numbers is even, so the product is always even. True. Example: 3 and 9: HCF 3 × LCM 9 = 27 = 3³; difference 6 is even, and 9 is a square. Options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Tip: remember HCF × LCM = a × b for two numbers. It turns many HCF-LCM puzzles into simple algebra.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Which of the following pairs of ancient and modern names of rivers is/are correctly matched ?
- 1. Vitasta : Chenab
- 2. Asikni : Jhelum
- 3. Parushni : Ravi
- 4. Yavyavati : Beas
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (c) & explanation
Only pair 3 is correctly matched (c). In the Rigveda, Parushni = Ravi, so pair 3 is right. Pairs 1 and 2 are swapped: Vitasta = Jhelum, and Asikni = Chenab. Pair 4 is wrong: Yavyavati is usually taken as the Zhob, a western river; the Beas is the Vipas. So options (a), (b) and (d) fail.
Notice the full list: Shutudri = Sutlej, Sindhu = Indus, Kubha = Kabul, Gomati = Gomal, and Sarasvati, often linked to the Ghaggar-Hakra. The Battle of Ten Kings (Dasarajna), won by Sudas of the Bharatas, was fought on the Parushni. These rivers form the "Sapta Sindhu" region.
Pairs 1 and 2 swap the right names, which catches a hurried reader.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Which of the following statements with regard to Green Hydrogen is/are correct ?
- 1. It is decarbonized hydrogen obtained from natural gas reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS).
- 2. It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy.
- 3. National Green Hydrogen Mission of India aims for abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Statements 2 and 3 are correct (b). Statement 2 is right: green hydrogen comes from splitting water by electrolysis, using renewable power. Statement 3 is right: the National Green Hydrogen Mission (2023) targets 5 MMT of green hydrogen a year by 2030 and about 50 MMT of avoided CO₂-equivalent emissions each year. Statement 1 is wrong: hydrogen from natural gas with carbon capture is blue hydrogen. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice the colours: grey hydrogen from gas without capture (most hydrogen today), brown from coal, and pink from nuclear power. The mission's SIGHT programme supports electrolyser making. Uses include fertilisers, refineries, steel and shipping fuel.
1 says "decarbonized", which sounds green. Gas with CCS is blue.
One trap spotted is one mark saved. The PYQ Book lines up every trap UPSC has set, so you walk in prepared. Try the free sample
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany visited India in January, 2026. Which of the following is/are not correct in terms of outcomes of this visit ?
- 1. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and the University of Hamburg
- 2. Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Youth Hockey Development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation
- 3. Establishment of a bilateral dialogue mechanism on the Indo-Pacific
- 4. Opening of an Honorary Consul of Germany in Lucknow
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Outcomes 1 and 4 are not correct (b). Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited India on 12–13 January 2026. Item 1 is wrong: the Ayurveda MoU was between the All India Institute of Ayurveda and Charité University, Berlin, not Hamburg. Item 4 is wrong: Germany's new Honorary Consul was opened in Ahmedabad, not Lucknow. Item 2 is a real outcome: an MoU on youth hockey development between Hockey India and the German Hockey Federation. Item 3 is a real outcome: a new bilateral dialogue on the Indo-Pacific. So options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice the method: for visit questions, UPSC copies the MEA's "List of Outcomes" and changes one word, here a city name. India and Germany have been strategic partners since 2000.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
‘Kalagram’, the cultural village set up at the Maha Kumbh Mela, unfolded as a mosaic of India’s diverse regions, each represented by seven meticulously crafted ‘Sanskriti Angans’—stepping through the grand portal was like entering another world. These thematic zones, inspired by iconic temples like the Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and the Brahma Mandir, were treasure troves of regional artistry. Bengal’s Pattachitra paintings, Assam’s bamboo crafts, Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur paintings, and Madhya Pradesh’s tribal sculpture—all were showcased in these living galleries where 230 master artisans breathed life into them using age-old techniques, their hands shaping India’s ancient history into creations to behold.
Which of the following conclusions are valid?
- 1. Seven Sanskriti Angans, representing different regions of India, had been showcased in Kalagram.
- 2. Regional artistry was recognised via the inspiration drawn from iconic temples.
- 3. India’s ancient history had been crafted by the contemporary craftsmanship of 230 artisans into creations to behold.
- 4. Art forms from all regions of India had been showcased in these living galleries.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (a) & explanation
Conclusions 1 and 2 are valid (a). Step 1: the passage says Kalagram had seven "Sanskriti Angans" representing India's diverse regions (1 is valid). Step 2: it says these thematic zones were inspired by iconic temples like Dakshineshwar Kali Temple and Brahma Mandir, and were treasure troves of regional artistry (2 is valid). Step 3: conclusion 3 calls the craft "contemporary", but the artisans used "age-old techniques". Conclusion 4 says art from "all regions"; only some are named. So options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: watch for single-word changes: "age-old" became "contemporary", and "diverse" became "all". Kalagram was set up by the Ministry of Culture at the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj (13 January–26 February 2025).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
In an objective type question paper, 5 marks are awarded for a correct answer and 2 marks are deducted for a wrong answer. A student attempted all the questions and got a score of 69. Had he been awarded 4 marks for a correct answer and 1 mark deducted for a wrong answer, he would have scored 84. How many questions were there in the question paper?
Answer (b) & explanation
There were 81 questions (b). Step 1: let c be correct and w wrong answers. First scheme: 5c − 2w = 69. Second scheme: 4c − w = 84. Step 2: from the second, w = 4c − 84. Put it in the first: 5c − 2(4c − 84) = 69, so 5c − 8c + 168 = 69, giving 3c = 99 and c = 33. Then w = 132 − 84 = 48. Step 3: he attempted all questions, so total = 33 + 48 = 81. Check: 165 − 96 = 69 ✓; 132 − 48 = 84 ✓. Options (a), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: two marking schemes give two equations. Solve, then check both before answering.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
| Candidate | Score in component 1 | Score in component 2 | Score in component 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 |
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 |
| 5 | 8 | 8 | 2 |
In a recruitment process, the selection of candidates is based on their performance in three components. The weightages of the components 1, 2 and 3 are 0·2, 0·3 and 0·5, respectively. Use the data given below and find the cutoff score if exactly three candidates are to be selected :
Answer (a) & explanation
The cutoff score is 5.1 (a). Step 1: weighted score = 0.2 × (component 1) + 0.3 × (component 2) + 0.5 × (component 3). Candidate 1: 1.0 + 1.2 + 3.0 = 5.2. Candidate 2: 0.8 + 1.8 + 2.5 = 5.1. Candidate 3: 0.6 + 0.6 + 4.0 = 5.2. Step 2: candidate 4: 1.8 + 1.2 + 1.5 = 4.5. Candidate 5: 1.6 + 2.4 + 1.0 = 5.0. Step 3: the top three are 5.2, 5.2 and 5.1. The cutoff is the third score, 5.1. Options (b), (c) and (d) would select too few.
Tip: the cutoff is the lowest score that still gets selected. Calculate every weighted score carefully before ranking.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
In what way(s) does the Vizhinjam International Seaport represent a structural shift in India's maritime trade and logistics policy ?
- 1. By functioning exclusively as a domestic cargo hub to reduce reliance on coastal shipping and eliminate the need for foreign collaborations.
- 2. By focusing primarily on passenger cruise tourism and heritage shipping to increase Kerala's profile as a maritime heritage destination.
- 3. By leveraging its natural deep draft and strategic location to reduce dependence on foreign trans-shipment ports, enhance revenue retention, and reposition India in regional maritime trade.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Answer (d) & explanation
Only statement 3 explains the shift (d). Statement 3 is right: Vizhinjam, in Kerala, is India's first deep-water container trans-shipment port, built on a PPP model and opened in 2025. It sits close to the main East-West shipping lane with a natural depth of about 18–20 m, so giant mother ships can call here instead of at Colombo, Singapore or Dubai. That keeps freight earnings at home. Statement 1 is wrong: it is an international cargo port. Statement 2 is wrong: it is not a cruise port.
Notice the problem it solves: earlier, about three-quarters of India's trans-shipped cargo was handled at foreign ports. The Adani group runs it. Galathea Bay in Great Nicobar is planned as another trans-shipment hub.
words like "exclusively" and "primarily" in statements 1 and 2. A trans-shipment port lives on foreign ships, so "eliminate foreign collaborations" cannot be right.
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Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following statements about the provisions pertaining to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in India :
- 1. Provisions regarding the administration of the Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are given in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
- 2. Some tribes of India are entitled to exemption from paying Income Tax on certain incomes.
- 3. The Constitution of India provides for reservation of seats in Panchayats for women belonging to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct ?
Answer (a) & explanation
Two statements, including statement 2, are correct (a). Statement 1 is wrong: tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are governed by the Sixth Schedule, with Autonomous District Councils; the Fifth Schedule covers Scheduled Areas in other States. Statement 2 is right: Section 10(26) of the Income-tax Act exempts certain income of ST members living in specified north-eastern areas and Ladakh. Statement 3 is right: Article 243D reserves Panchayat seats for SCs and STs, with at least one-third of them for SC and ST women. So options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Notice the memory trick for the Sixth Schedule: "AMTM". The Fifth Schedule's Tribes Advisory Council and Governor's special powers apply in States like Jharkhand and Odisha.
Fifth and Sixth Schedule swapped. In class I say: Sixth is for the four north-east states, ATMM (Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India's 'Open Network for Digital Commerce' (ONDC) initiative ?
Answer (c) & explanation
ONDC aims to break the dominance of large platforms (c). The Open Network for Digital Commerce, a DPIIT initiative (2021-22), is an open set of rules, like UPI for shopping. A buyer on one app can buy from a seller listed on another app. This interoperability lets small sellers reach buyers without joining a giant platform. Option (a) is wrong: it does not give the government control of transactions. Option (b) is wrong: private players can join; they are not replaced. Option (d) is wrong: it does not force UPI payments.
Notice ONDC's design: it is a not-for-profit company and part of India's Digital Public Infrastructure, along with Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker. It now covers food, groceries and mobility too.
options (a), (b) and (d) use strong words: "all", "replace", "mandate". A public digital platform usually opens a market; it does not take it over.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Read the passage
How is deflation done? Most countries use a method called ‘double deflation’, where input and output prices are deflated separately. Consider a manufacturer importing oil for use in production. If oil prices fall, output prices do not and quantities remain the same, real value added should not change. But if the same deflator is used for inputs and outputs, as in India, it would look as if the manufacturer had become more productive.
Which of the following assumptions is/are valid?
- 1. Deflation strategies can be used to make manufacturers appear to be doing better than they actually are.
- 2. When input and output prices are both deflated against a single input price, it is referred to as ‘double deflation’.
Select the answer using the code given below.
Answer (a) & explanation
Only assumption 1 is valid (a). Step 1: the passage says that using one deflator for inputs and outputs, as in India, makes it "look as if the manufacturer had become more productive". So deflation methods can make firms appear better than they are (1). Step 2: assumption 2 says double deflation means deflating both against a single price. But the passage defines double deflation as deflating inputs and outputs separately. So 2 reverses the definition. Step 3: options (b), (c) and (d) fail.
Tip: check definitions word for word against the passage. Deflating means removing the effect of price changes to find real growth, as in real GDP.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
How many times does 5 appear in all two-digit positive integers?
Answer (b) & explanation
The digit 5 appears 19 times (b). Step 1: 5 in the tens place: 50, 51, …, 59 = 10 times. Step 2: 5 in the units place: 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95 = 9 times (05 is not a two-digit number). Step 3: total = 10 + 9 = 19. The number 55 has two 5s, and both are counted. Option (a), 18, counts 55 once. Options (c) and (d) wrongly add 05 or 5.
Tip: count place by place. The question asks how many times the digit appears, not how many numbers contain it (that would be 18).
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.