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UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper, Download Now!

PWOnlyIAS September 19, 2024 03:32 1838 0

UPSC Mains previous year question paper can be handy for candidates preparing for UPSC mains exam. Download mains questions papers from the last five years from here!

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper, Download Now!

The UPSC Mains previous year question paper is easily the best available tool to understand the exam pattern and the difficulty level of the exam. Candidates can get an idea of the types of questions that can be asked in the UPSC Mains exam. Candidates preparing for the UPSC Mains exam 2024 which is set to be conducted between the 20th & 29th of September 2024 can go through the previous years’ question paper provided here.

By analyzing the UPSC mains previous year’s question paper, candidates can identify themes that are repeated multiple times in the UPSC mains exam. This strategy is applicable for both optional subjects and general studies papers. Candidates can read more about UPSC Mains previous year question papers and also download question papers from the last few years to prepare for the exam in a holistic manner!

UPSC Mains Previous Years’ Question Paper

UPSC mains exam is descriptive in nature, and candidates have to attempt nine papers as part of the exam. Before, checking the UPSC Mains PYQs, candidates must understand the UPSC Mains exam pattern to comprehend the exam marking scheme better. The marks scored in seven of these papers will be considered to calculate their standings on the merit list. The details about the UPSC mains exam are given below:

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Exam Name UPSC Civil Services (Main) Exam
Eligibility Qualify Prelims
UPSC Mains Exam Date 2024 Between 20 September & 29 September 2024
Exam Format Descriptive Paper
Number of Papers 9
Duration 3 hrs each
Qualifying Papers Paper A (Indian Language)

Paper B (English)

Qualifying Marks for Language Papers 25 % or 75 Marks
Papers used for Calculating Merit
  • Essay
  • General Studies 1
  • General Studies 2
  • General Studies 3
  • General Studies 4
  • Optional Paper 1
  • Optional Paper 2
Total Marks 250 X 7 = 1750
Cutoff marks Varies (741 for General in 2023)

Also Read: UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Paper

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper 2023

Candidates preparing for UPSC 2024 and beyond can download UPSC mains previous year question paper 2023 from the link below:

Subject Question Paper Link
Paper A: Indian language
Paper B: English Download
Essay Download
General Studies 1 Download
General Studies 2 Download
General Studies 3 Download
General Studies 4 Download
Optional Paper 1
Optional Paper 2

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper 2022

Aspirants can prepare better for the exam by analyzing UPSC mains previous year question paper 2022 from the links given below:

Subject Question Paper Link
Paper A: Indian language
Paper B: English Download
Essay Download
General Studies 1 Download
General Studies 2 Download
General Studies 3 Download
General Studies 4 Download
Optional Paper 1
Optional Paper 2

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper 2021

Candidates can download the UPSC Mains previous year question paper 2021 from the given links below.

Subject Question Paper Link
Paper A: Indian language
Paper B: English Download
Essay Download
General Studies 1 Download
General Studies 2 Download
General Studies 3 Download
General Studies 4 Download
Optional Paper 1
Optional Paper 2

Also Read: UPSC Mains 2023 Analysis

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper 2020

Given below are the links that aspirants can use to download UPSC mains previous year question paper 2020 so that they get an insight into the mentality of the examiner.

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Subject Question Paper Link
Paper A: Indian language
Paper B: English Download
Essay Download
General Studies 1 Download
General Studies 2 Download
General Studies 3 Download
General Studies 4 Download
Optional Paper 1
Optional Paper 2

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper 2019

Candidates can use the links given in the table below to download UPSC mains previous year question paper 2019 for a better shot at clearing UPSC mains 2024.

Subject Question Paper Link
Paper A: Indian language
Paper B: English Download
Essay Download
General Studies 1 Download
General Studies 2 Download
General Studies 3 Download
General Studies 4 Download
Optional Paper 1
Optional Paper 2

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper Subject-wise

The General Studies subject can be broken down into subtopics for better analysis of the question paper. The below mentioned table contains links to UPSC mains previous year question paper subject-wise breakdown.

Paper Subject Question Paper Link
General Studies 1 Geography Download
World History Download
Medieval History Download
Post-Independence History Download
Modern History Download
Indian Heritage and Culture Download
Social Issues Download
General Studies 2 Indian Polity  Download
Governance Download
Social Justice Download
International Relations Download
General Studies 3 Economy and Growth Download
Science and Technology Download
Environment and Ecology Download
Disaster Management Download
Internal Security Download
General Studies 4 Ethics Download
Case Studies Download

Also Read: UPSC Mains Cutoff

What is the Significance of UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper?

Analysis of UPSC mains previous year question paper is of utmost importance for any candidate aiming to score high marks in mains examination. Below are reasons why analysis of UPSC mains previous year question paper is paramount.

  • Identify Trends: Candidates can get an idea of the trends followed by the examiner while framing questions for Mains examination.
  • Identify Important Sub Topics: Candidates can identify sub-topics that are repeatedly asked in UPSC mains by analyzing previous year questions.
  • Confidence Booster: If candidates are able to solve the previous year’s questions, it boosts their confidence level, and they can perform well in the actual exam. You can also refer to PW Onlyias UPSC Mains PYQ Book with solved answers to practice well for the exam.
  • Develop Question Understanding Skill: Candidates will have a better chance to understand the questions and answer accordingly if they are exposed to the language used by UPSC.
  • Streamline Preparation: By analyzing the previous year’s questions, you can understand your level of preparation. You can modify your approach to get better results.

Enroll now for UPSC Online Course

Aiming for UPSC 2025? Enhance your preparation by joining the best courses from Physics Wallah! Enroll Now!

Must Read
NCERT Notes For UPSC UPSC Daily Current Affairs
UPSC Blogs UPSC Daily Editorials
Daily Current Affairs Quiz Daily Main Answer Writing
UPSC Mains Previous Year Papers UPSC Test Series 2024

 

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Paper FAQs

Candidates can download UPSC mains previous year question papers from the official website of UPSC.

Analysis of previous year question papers will help candidates to identify important themes that can be asked in the exam.

Candidates have to divide the question papers into sub topics and then analyse these topics to get a clear picture.

No. UPSC usually does not repeat questions in mains examination. However, themes can be repeated.

UPSC mains exam is descriptive in nature. Candidates have to write descriptive answers to the questions within the given time period.
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Quick Revise Now !
AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD SOON
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध
Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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