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UPSC Mains GS Paper Exam Analysis 2025 provides a detailed subject-wise review of GS Papers 1, 2, 3, and 4, helping aspirants understand question trends, difficulty levels, and weightage. Download the official question papers and stay updated with detailed insights to boost your UPSC Mains preparation.
UPSC Mains GS Paper Exam Analysis 2025 will be published soon after the Mains examination scheduled from August 22 to 31, 2025. The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially announced that the Mains examination will begin on 22nd August 2025 with the Essay Paper, followed by General Studies (GS) Papers on 23rd and 24th August 2025.
The detailed subject-wise analysis of GS Paper 1, GS Paper 2, GS Paper 3, and GS Paper 4 will be provided by the PWOnlyIAS academic team once the examination concludes. Keep a thorough check to know about the latest updates.
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Check UPSC Mains GS Paper Analysis |
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| UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis | UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Analysis |
| UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 Analysis | UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 Analysis |
UPSC Mains examination consists of nine descriptive papers, of which two are qualifying in nature. The marks obtained in the remaining seven papers decide the merit ranking. Out of these, the four GS papers carry a combined weightage of 1000 marks, making their performance crucial for success in the Mains.
| UPSC Mains GS Paper Exam Overview | ||
| Date | Forenoon Session (9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon) | Afternoon Session (2:30 PM – 5:30 PM) |
| 22 August 2025 (Friday) | Paper I: Essay | No Paper |
| 23 August 2025 (Saturday) | Paper II: General Studies I | Paper III: General Studies II |
| 24 August 2025 (Sunday) | Paper IV: General Studies III | Paper V: General Studies IV |
| 30 August 2025 (Saturday) | Paper A: Indian Language | Paper B: English |
| 31 August 2025 (Sunday) | Paper VI: Optional Subject – Paper 1 | Paper VII: Optional Subject – Paper 2 |
UPSC Mains GS Paper Exam Analysis 2025 provides an in-depth review of all four General Studies papers, each carrying 250 marks and covering subjects like History, Polity, Economy, and Ethics. With a combined weightage of 1000 marks, GS plays a decisive role in success at the Mains stage. Candidates scoring around 400 marks have a strong chance of qualifying for the Personality Test. PWOnlyIAS experts offer topic-wise insights, trends, and preparation strategies through their comprehensive analysis.
| UPSC Mains GS Paper Exam Analysis 2025 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper Name | Nature of Paper | Subjects | Marks | Duration |
| General Studies 1 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Geography
History Indian Heritage and Culture Social Issues |
250 | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 2 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Polity and Governance
Constitution Social Justice International Relations |
250 | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 3 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Economy and Growth
Science and Technology Environment and Ecology Disaster Management Internal Security |
250 | 3 hrs |
| General Studies 4 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude | 250 | 3 hrs |
UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Exam Analysis 2025 was available on 23rd August 2025 (Forenoon session). This paper covers History, Geography, and Indian Society. PWOnlyIAS team released the full analysis with difficulty level and question distribution.
The table below presents the distribution of questions across major topics in GS Paper I from 2018 to 2024. This detailed breakdown enables aspirants to identify recurring themes and evaluate how the focus areas of UPSC have evolved over the past five years.
| Topic | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Art and Culture | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| History | 3 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 3 |
| Society | 10 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
| Geography | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Once the UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Exam is conducted, we will attach a detailed UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Exam Analysis below. Candidates can check the video to know about the paper and its difficulty.
UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 Exam Analysis 2025 will be shared after 23rd August 2025 (Afternoon session). This paper focuses on Polity, Constitution, Governance, Social Justice, and International Relations.
The following table highlights the number of questions asked from different sections of GS Paper II between 2018 and 2024. By examining this data, candidates can better understand the weightage of governance, polity, international relations, and other segments over recent years.
| Topic | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Polity | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| Governance | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Social Justice | 3 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| International Relations | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 Exam Analysis 2025 will be available on 24th August 2025 (Forenoon session). Questions are expected to be current-affairs driven, focusing on the Economy, Environment, Science & Tech, and Internal Security.
The table provides a year-wise distribution of questions in GS Paper III for the period 2018–2024. This analysis helps aspirants recognize the shifting emphasis on economy, environment, science and technology, and internal security within the UPSC examination framework.
| Table | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Economics | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Agriculture and allied sector | 4 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Environment/Science and Technology/ Disaster | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Internal Security | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 Exam Analysis 2025 will be updated on 24th August 2025 (Afternoon session). The paper will include both theory and case studies in Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude.
Stay tuned to check the first reaction of UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper and its detailed analysis done by the PWOnlyIAS experts.
The question-wise data for GS Paper IV from 2018 to 2024 is summarized in the table below. Reviewing this trend allows aspirants to assess the consistent importance of ethics, integrity, and aptitude, and to align their preparation strategy accordingly.
| Topic | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Basics and Thinkers | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Family and Society | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Work and Office | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Public Organization | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Private Organization | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Case Studies | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
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It will be published shortly after the Mains examination concludes, starting from 23rd August 2025.
GS Paper 1 includes History, Geography, Indian Heritage & Culture, and Social Issues.
The four GS papers carry a combined weightage of 1000 marks.
Previous year question papers are available via the “Click Here” links provided for each GS paper.
Yes, PWOnlyIAS will release detailed live video analysis for each GS paper after the exam.
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