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Prelims Exam Analysis 2025 has been provided here in detail, as the exam was conducted on May 25, 2025. The analysis includes the difficulty level, good attempts, and question types.
PWOnlyIAS
May 25, 2025
Prelims Exam Analysis 2025: The UPSC Prelims Exam 2025 is one of the most awaited and competitive stages in the Civil Services Examination. Lakhs of aspirants appear every year, and success in Prelims depends not only on preparation but also on strategy and understanding the paper pattern. Here we have provided a detailed Prelims Exam Analysis 2025, covering difficulty level, subject-wise weightage, and trend analysis for both General Studies (GS Paper 1) and CSAT (Paper 2).
The UPSC Prelims consists of two papers:
Both papers are objective in nature and are conducted on the same day in two shifts. The GS Paper 1 decides whether a candidate clears Prelims, while CSAT must be cleared to qualify.
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UPSC Prelims Question Paper & Answer Key 2025 |
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| UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 | Download Link |
| UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2025 | Download Link |
| UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2025 with Solution | Download Link |
The General Studies Paper 1 this year was balanced overall. Some subjects like Polity and Geography were relatively easier compared to Economics or History. There was also a fair share of questions from current affairs, environment, and science & technology.
Here is the subject-wise analysis of GS Paper 1. The actual question distribution will be updated shortly here.
| Subject | Total Questions | Difficulty Level | Nature of Questions |
| Ancient India | 6 | Easy to Moderate | Factual and concept-based; from standard NCERT sources. |
| Medieval India | 2 | Easy to Moderate | Straightforward factual questions; NCERT level. |
| Modern India | 9 | Easy to Moderate | Revolved around the freedom struggle and important events. |
| Art & Culture | To be updated | Easy to Moderate | Static-based with occasional link to current events. |
| Indian Polity | 14 | Moderate | Conceptual with situational and applied polity questions. |
| Indian Economy | 14 | Easy to Moderate | A mix of static and current economy; conceptual clarity needed. |
| Environment | 7 | Moderate | Conceptual and current-linked; biodiversity-focused. |
| Geography | To be updated | Moderate to Difficult | Map-based and conceptual; required deeper understanding. |
| Science & Technology | 13 | Easy to Moderate | Current affairs linked; tech developments and basics. |
| Current Affairs & Miscellaneous | 23 | Moderate | Diverse range of national/international events; analytical. |
| Total | 100 | Moderate | To be updated |
The UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 (2025) witnessed several noteworthy trends that aspirants must take note of. From changes in format to subject-wise weightage shifts and recurring themes, the paper offered valuable insights into UPSC’s evolving exam strategy. Here are the key observations:
Rollback to Previous Format: The 2025 question paper followed the traditional structure, with only around 15 match-the-following type questions, unlike the assertion-reason or tricky MCQs seen in recent years.
Increased Weightage to Polity, Geography & Environment: Polity (18 questions) and Geography & Environment (31 questions) together dominated a significant portion of the paper, reinforcing their importance for prelims preparation.
New Topics Introduced: Questions covered calculation-based aspects of the Economy, along with sports-related questions, marking a shift toward diverse and dynamic themes.
Repetition from Previous Papers: A noticeable question on the SAHEL region from the 2023 paper made a comeback, indicating the importance of revising previous years’ question papers.
Overall Difficulty Level: The paper was relatively easier, especially for candidates with strong conceptual clarity and regular current affairs revision.
CSAT continues to be a qualifying paper, but in recent years, it has seen a steady increase in difficulty. Many aspirants will be expected to face longer comprehension passages and the candidates wil required quick calculations for math questions.
Here is the subject-wise analysis of CSAT Paper 2. The actual question distribution will be updated shortly here.
| Section | Questions | Good Attempt | Difficulty Level |
| Reasoning Ability | TBU | TBU | TBU |
| Reading Comprehension | TBU | TBU | TBU |
| Numerical Ability | TBU | TBU | TBU |
| Total | 80 | TBU | TBU |
Candidates need at least 66 marks (33%) to qualify CSAT.
To better understand the pattern and approach of UPSC, it’s important to review how the Prelims 2024 examination was conducted and how aspirants perceived the paper. This helps identify trends in question distribution, difficulty level, and subject focus areas.
The General Studies Paper I of UPSC Prelims 2024 was held in the morning shift (9:30 AM to 11:00 AM). The paper consisted of 100 questions and covered a broad mix of topics including Polity, Geography, Economy, Environment, and Current Affairs.
Overall, the paper was considered moderate, with a mix of static and application-based questions. Many students felt the paper followed a more traditional UPSC pattern, without too many surprises or extremely difficult questions.
| Subjects | Total Questions | Difficulty Level | Type |
| Polity | 18 | Easy to Moderate | Application Based |
| Economy | 15 | Moderate | Application Based |
| History | 9 | Moderate to Difficult | Static |
| Science & Technology | 9 | Easy | Application Based |
| Geography | 19 | Easy to Moderate | Static |
| Environment | 10 | Moderate | Application Based |
| Current Affairs / Misc. | 20 | Easy to Moderate | Application Based |
| Total | 100 | Moderate Overall | Mostly Application Based |
The CSAT Paper (General Studies Paper II) will be held in the afternoon shift (2:30 PM to 4:30 PM). It consisted of 80 questions for a total of 200 marks, with the minimum qualifying marks set at 33% (66 marks).
Most candidates found the CSAT paper moderate, with no drastic increase in complexity compared to previous years. Reading comprehension passages were a bit lengthy, while reasoning and numerics were manageable with consistent practice.
| Subjects | Total Questions | Good Attempt | Difficulty Level |
| Reasoning Ability | 35–40 | 21–26 | Moderate |
| Reading Comprehension | 22–24 | 14–17 | Moderate |
| Numerical Ability | 23–25 | 15–18 | Moderate |
| Total | 80 | 50–61 | Moderate Overall |
UPSC Prelims 2024 exam analysis provides valuable insights into what to expect and how to refine your preparation strategy. By comparing 2024 and 2025 patterns, aspirants can make informed choices about focus areas, difficulty levels, and exam techniques.
Ready to boost your UPSC 2025 preparation? Join PW’s UPSC online courses today!
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