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UPSC Essay Topics - Important Essay Topics for UPSC Mains 2023

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Understanding UPSC Essay Topics holds significant importance as it evaluates the candidate's ability to analyse, present arguments, and communicate effectively. In this article, we will explore the diverse range of UPSC essay topics, their significance, and essential tips to excel in this section. Get ready to enhance your writing and analytical skills and make a strong impression on the evaluators with well-crafted essays.

UPSC Essay Paper

The Essay paper in the UPSC Mains examination requires candidates to write multiple essays , each on a different topic, chosen from a given list of options. The essay topics for UPSC cover a wide range of issues, including social, economic, political, cultural, and philosophical aspects, both national and international.

The essay paper holds significant weightage in the UPSC Mains examination, contributing 250 marks out of the total 1750 marks . Scoring well in this section can have a considerable impact on the overall ranking and selection for the coveted civil services.

Weekly UPSC Essay Topics By Vajiram & Ravi

The UPSC Essay Paper is an opportunity for candidates to demonstrate their proficiency in expressing ideas and analysing complex issues. Vajiram & Ravi Pensive-Weekly Essay Writing Programme provides you with two Essay Topics every Saturday based on the previous year's question papers and the changing trends analysis. You can submit your Essay for peer evaluation on vajiramandravi.com. This will help you nourish your writing skills, give you clarity of thought, and build the capacity to express opinions in a logical and coherent manner.

Important Essay Topics for UPSC 2023

The purpose of the essay paper is to assess the candidate's ability to critically analyse a topic, present well-structured arguments, and communicate their ideas effectively. It also evaluates their knowledge of various issues, their clarity of thought, and their capacity to express opinions in a logical and coherent manner.

Some of the Important Essay Topics to prepare for the UPSC Mains Examination 2023 are:

• Gender Equality
• Environment/Urbanization
• Economic Growth
• Federalism/Decentralization
• Agriculture
• Economics 

UPSC Essay Topics on Philosophy

Every year, UPSC typically provides you with two or more essay topics centred around philosophical thoughts, Indian philosophical schools, or quotes from notable personalities. To effectively address these philosophical topics, you should refer to Philosophy Books to gain a foundational understanding. Here is a list of UPSC Essay Topics on Philosophy :

• Everything comes to him, who hustles while he waits.
• We are always blind as we want to be.
• You cannot step twice in the same river.
• A disciplined mind brings happiness.
• The price of Greatness is Responsibility.
• People would rather Believe than Know.
• Mind - A beautiful Servant? Or a dangerous Master?

UPSC Essay Topics on Art and Culture

The UPSC Essay Topics related to Indian society, art, and culture cover a wide range of subjects, offering great diversity. To gain knowledge about the static content on these topics, you should rely on fundamental books on society, as recommended for the exam. Here is a list of UPSC Essay Topics on Indian Art and Culture :

• Culture changes with economic development.
• Culture is what we are, Civilization is what we have.
• Social reform is a myth if places of worship are open only to all castes and not to all genders.
• Impact of Globalization on Indian Art and Culture.
• Caste System - India’s Enduring Curse.
• Godmen - A Threat to Indian Art and Culture?

UPSC Essay Topics on Science and Technology

UPSC essay topics on Science and Technology can largely be addressed through current affairs. You may also benefit from consulting a Science and Technology Book for UPSC to compose a comprehensive and well-rounded essay. Here are some UPSC Essay Topics on Science and Technology:

• Deglobalisation is good for the world.
• Science is organised Knowledge. Wisdom is Organised life.
• Technology is a Weapon against Poverty.
• Prioritising Education Technology for Global Growth.
• Technology is the silent factor in International Relations.
• Scientific and Technological Progress cannot be equated with Human Progress.

UPSC Essay Topics on Education

Education stands as one of the preferred UPSC Essay Topics, with an essay related to this subject often appearing in the paper each year. To tackle this topic effectively, you should stay abreast of Current Affairs , incorporating significant changes and advancements in the field. Let's explore some of the Essay topics for UPSC centred around education:

• Self Education is a lifelong curiosity.
• Education Breeds Peace.
• Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.
• Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking.
• Schooling is not Education.

UPSC Essay Topics on Polity and Governance

To comprehensively address Polity and Governance topics, you should acquire fundamental knowledge from Polity Books for UPSC and Current Affairs. These resources offer static information about relevant issues and their historical context, which proves valuable while writing UPSC Essay Topics on Polity. Here are some Essay Topics on Polity and Governance:

• The Role of Politics in Development.
• Should Youth in India Consider Politics as a Career?
• Art, Freedom and Creativity will change society faster than politics.
• The politics of Identity is the Politics of the Weak.
• People should not be afraid of their Government. The Government should be afraid of its people.
• Government Surveillance - Good or Bad?

UPSC Essay Topics on Economy

Essays concerning economic growth are frequently included in the Essay Paper. To tackle these topics effectively, you should refer to Economy Notes for UPSC to gain a comprehensive understanding. Once the fundamentals are grasped, you can enhance their essays by incorporating examples, data, and statistics to create a multidimensional perspective. Here is a list of UPSC Essay Topics on Economy:

• We don't have to sacrifice a Strong Economy for a Healthy Environment.
• India, a $5 trillion Economy - Dream or Reality?
• Digital Economy: A leveller or a source of Economic Inequality?
• Innovation is the key determinant of social welfare and economic growth.
• Labour Reforms in India and its Role in Economic Growth.

UPSC Essay Topics on Social Issues

Social issues are a significant aspect of the UPSC essay paper, reflecting the candidates' understanding of societal challenges and their ability to propose viable solutions. These essays provide a platform for candidates to analyse, critique, and suggest measures for pressing social concerns. Topics related to social issues in the UPSC Essay paper may include:

• Inclusivity and Plurality are the hallmarks of a Peaceful Society.
• A Gender-sensitive Indian Society is a prerequisite for Women and Child Empowerment.
• The weaker sections of Indian Society - are their Rights and Access to Justice getting Better?

Previous Year UPSC Essay Topics

Practising previous year's essay topics will help you become familiar with the UPSC exam pattern , word limit, and the types of essay questions frequently asked in the Mains Examination. Analysing past essay topics will also allow you to identify recurring themes and trends, enabling you to prioritise their preparation accordingly. Regular practice with past essay topics will instil confidence in you, helping you feel more comfortable and prepared for the actual exam.

• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence.
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man.
• A ship in the harbour is safe, but that is not what a ship is for.
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

Tips to Excel in UPSC Essay Paper

• Understand the Topics: Thoroughly comprehend the essay topics, including the keywords and instructions. Choose a topic that aligns with your strengths and interests.
• Plan and Structure: Devote some time to plan your essay. Create an outline and organise your thoughts in a structured manner, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion.
• Be Objective: Present balanced arguments and avoid a biased or one-sided approach. Consider multiple perspectives and present a holistic view.
• Provide Examples and Evidence: Support your arguments with relevant examples, data, quotes and evidence to strengthen your essay.
• Maintain Clarity: Write in a clear and concise manner. Use simple language and avoid jargon or overly complex vocabulary.
• Practice Regularly: Regular practice is essential to improve Essay writing skills. Write essays on diverse topics to enhance your versatility.
• Time Management: Allocate appropriate time for planning, writing, and revising each essay to manage time effectively during the examination.
• Revise and Edit: Review your essays for coherence, grammar, and structure. Make necessary edits to refine your work.

FAQs on UPSC Essay Topics

What are the important UPSC Essay Topics?

Here is a list of UPSC Essay Topics asked in Mains Examination previously:

• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have.
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
• What is research but a blind date with knowledge?
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for society.
• Wisdom finds truth.
• Ships don’t sink because of water around them, ships sink because of water that gets into them.
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality.
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations.

How do I Prepare for the UPSC Essay?

To prepare for the UPSC essay, focus on understanding the essay syllabus and past topics to identify recurring themes. Regularly practise writing essays on various topics to improve your writing skills and time management. Structure your essays with a clear introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Which is the best source to practise UPSC Essay Topics?

The best sources to prepare Essay for UPSC include official UPSC materials, newspapers, and magazines like The Hindu, Yojana , and Kurukshetra for current affairs, standard books on diverse subjects, government reports and publications, online platforms like PIB and PRS India, UPSC previous year papers for understanding the exam pattern, and regular practice of essay writing on various topics.

© 2024 Vajiram & Ravi. All rights reserved

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Essay Paper UPSC 2021 (Mains): Question Paper and Analysis

Last updated on January 8, 2022 by Alex Andrews George

UPSC conducted the  Essay Paper , as part of the Civil Services Main Exam 2021 on 07-01-2022.

There were 8 Essay topics, out of which candidates were asked to write on two topics in 3 hours.

Candidates were supposed to answer about 1000 words for each essay (about 10-12 pages).

Table of Contents

Essay Paper UPSC 2021 Instructions

• Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
• The essay must be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in the medium other than the authorized one.
• Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
• Any page or portion of the page left blank, must be struck off clearly.

Essay Question Paper – UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2021

Write  two  essays, choosing  one  topic from each of the following Sections A and B, in about 1000-1200 words each:

1. The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.

2. Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.

3. Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.

4. The real is rational and the rational is real.

5. Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

6. What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!

7. History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

8. There are better practices to “best practices”.

Most of the essays topics this year were philosophical and open to the interpretation of the candidates. However, considering the philosophical base of the questions, most candidates found the questions tricky. It was not easy to write 1000 words on each topic within the time constraints.

UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.

A philosophical theme is clearly evident in most of the essay topics in Section A as well as Section B. This was the case in 2020 as well. However, this year it became much more prominent. It is a clue about what UPSC expects from the essay paper.

Rather than asking candidates to write on topics most aspirants are familiar or trained with, UPSC is now evaluating the essay writing skills of aspirants by providing them with abstract or philosophical topics.

The reason for such a shift in the pattern should be the change in the focus of the Commission.

All the 8 topics presented this year will test spontaneous thinking, comprehension, writing skills, and time-management of aspirants.

Repeated questions from previous years

The importance of the previous year UPSC questions cannot be stressed more.

Just like prelims, in mains too many questions came directly repeated from previous year question papers. Also, there were themes you often see in many essay books.

One such question was Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

Thinkers, Philosophers, and their Quotes

Let’s analyse the source of some of the question topics.

Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.

This essay topic was a quote going rounds on the internet. The quote is attributed to “Coach Bobbi” [Bobbi Chegwyn] on Facebook.

Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.

This essay topic was connected with J.K. Mehta’s Theory of Wantlessness!

This has also connections with Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy.

The real is rational and the rational is real.

This is a quote by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel .

As per Hegel, something can be real, yet it may not exist. Also, something may not be real, it may still exist. For Hegel, reality does not mean existence.

Among philosophers, Hegel is one whose thought is extremely difficult to understand. Often to understand Hegel’s thoughts, we need to grasp his ideas, not in isolation but together with his dialogue with other philosophers, in particular, Aristotle and Kant.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World” is a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world. The poem was first published in 1865 under the title “ What Rules the World “.

What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!

This is a quote by Will Harvey . Will Harvey (born 1967) is an American software developer and Silicon Valley entrepreneur.

History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

It was Karl Marx who said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.

First, it’s a tragedy because it shouldn’t have happened. Then it’s a farce (joke) because we didn’t learn from our mistakes the first time around. This is Marx’s version of dark humour.

What should aspirants preparing for next year do for an essay paper?

First of all, you should take the essay paper seriously.

Unless properly trained, it is not easy to write 10-12 pages on an abstract or philosophical topic.

You need to polish your comprehension and analytical skills.

Read different kinds of essays – particularly philosophical essays.

Give stress to the thoughts of philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Friedrich Niche, Karl Marx etc. Start writing essays on famous quotes.

Also, be prepared to write essays touching other areas like society, polity, economy, or technology. UPSC is known for surprises.

Remember that there is nothing like a constant trend with respect to UPSC questions.

What you get by analysing the previous year question papers are clues. And only those are what you need from UPSC questions!

Aim IAS, IPS, or IFS?

About Alex Andrews George

Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and social entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training , Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped many aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

Reader Interactions

January 8, 2022 at 11:36 am

Upsc has chosen right path to evaluate person.one person read, listen ,rember and write in exam.He qualify exam.He is just like computer.worthy less people selected by upsc every year.They are not thinker.so our country is intellectually insolvent.civil services requires thinker to. progess country and welfare of common man.These types of question evaluate intellectual for the welfare of human being.

January 9, 2022 at 1:44 pm

You are putting the quality of a leader and a literate society in such a person who just has to follow his supremes.He/She must be a good analyst. That’s it!!!

June 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

in the bureaucracy – there is no space for logical thinking.

once you clear the exams and get appointed – you have to follow the “protocol’ or “procedures” – its difficult to be analytical and innovative – bcos the system demands obedience and adherence to the protocol. If you follow the protocol – and even if lot of people are severely affected – you wont be taken to task. But if you are innovative – and even if ONE person gets affected – you will be punished.

January 8, 2022 at 4:02 pm

Yeah!I’ve passed upsc .

January 25, 2022 at 2:21 pm

I have written Essay on three topics..how may I share?

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Important Essay Topics for UPSC Mains Exam

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With every passing day, the democratic setup of India is strengthening, so are its administrative wings where transparency and accountability are evident. Well, it gives credibility to the fact that there are top administrative officers whose brilliant performance is at par excellence. Amid rigorous competition, UPSC ( Union Public Service Commission ) gets efficient candidates on-board who crack this toughest exam in India to serve the nation. This competitive examination includes 3 steps, Prelims, Mains and Personal Interview. Nevertheless, it’s a daunting task to crack such exam without meticulous preparation and strategies. In this blog, we have collated information related to the UPSC essay writing topics and their related components. It is paramount to have a tap on all those important UPSC Essay Topics which have been widely asked in previous years question papers .

Let’s take a look at important UPSC essay writing topics , you need to start practicing:

Social Topics

• Literacy and education.
• Modernization and Westernization in India
• Gender Equality-problems and perspectives
• Information Revolution and its increasing effects
• Consumerist culture and its effects.
• Reservation: Need, problems and solutions
• The issue of child labour: what to do?
• The mentality of misusing freedom
• Composite culture of India
• Rewriting of History
• The problem of conversion and its solution
• Uniform Civil Code: Need and perspective
• Sustainable Development
• Population Explosion:  Problem and solution
• Indian nationalism: Nature and perspectives
• The freedom of expression and its limitations.
• Socialism: An irrelevant ideology
• The responsibilities of Journalism
• Human Rights: Need of every human being        
• Corruption: A part of our way of life
• The problem of language and its solution             
• Need of saving childhood
• Youth unrest: Causes and solutions
• The problem of vulgarity
• Need for a youth and culture policy
• Indian culture: Unity in Diversity.

Like above questions Mirant Parikh, IAS(AIR 67, CSE 2016) has written Essay on one of above questions:

Click here for Full Copy

Political topics.

• India as a soft state
• The Constitutional Review: need and perspective
• The need of interaction between administration and public
• Every right is attached with a duty.
• The criminalization of politics
• Political instability: A hurdle in national development
• Achievements and failures of Democracy in India
• Is India really a secular state?
• Parliamentary Democracy: situation, problems and solutions
• Corruption in politics
• Judicial Activism
• The need of sensible administration
• National Security: Challenges and hopes
• Democracy: A way of life
• Kashmir problem: Need of a proper solution
• Coalition politics: past, present and future
• The gifts of Democracy: Casteism, Regionalism and Communalism.

Economic Topics

• India in the age of privatization, liberalization and globalization.
• New economic policies and the ideal of Democratic Socialism
• Poverty and socialism: the Indian contradiction
• New economic policies: oceans of poverty and islands of wealth
• Regional imbalance in development
• Human resource development and management.

International Topics

• The problems of third world countries
• The problem of international terrorism
• India's contribution to the world
• United Nations: Evaluation
• Human Rights: A universal propaganda
• Indian foreign policy: Need of restructuring
• India and its neighboring countries
• Idealism and pragmatism in foreign policy.

Mock answer by Mirant Parikh, IAS (AIR 67, CSE 2016)

Click here for full copy

Philosophical/imaginative topics.

• God is a subject of belief, not of reason
• The philosophy of post-modernism in context of India
• India's basic philosophy and its effect on our society
• Religion and Politics: the professions without capital
• 'Who cares’: the basic of youth culture.

Other topics

• New concepts of alternative medicine: Realities about them
• Natural disasters: the management of rescue
• Need of a sport policy for India
• Environment Protection: problem and solution.

Essay Preparation Strategy By: Mirant Parikh (AIR 67, CSE 2016)

Apart from these topics, candidates should browse through articles, columns, features of newspapers, magazines, journals for the preparation of good essays. Regular clippings and jotting down of important points on the side of clipped topics will ease your time and tension while giving a cursory look during the UPSC IAS examination period.

Verifying, please be patient.

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UPSC CSE MAINS 2022 ESSAY PAPER ANALYSIS

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on September 16 conducted the first paper of CSE Mains 2022 that is the Essay Paper.

Essay Paper UPSC 2022 Instructions

• Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
• The essay must be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in the medium other than the authorized one.
• Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
• Any page or portion of the page left blank, must be struck off clearly.

Write two essays, choosing one topic from each of the following Sections A and B, in about 1000-1200 words each:

• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence.
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man.
• A ship in the harbour is safe but that is not what a ship is for.
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• You cannot step twice in the same river.
• Smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

UPSC CSE Main 2022 essay paper analysis

• There has been a trend of increased number of philosophical essays in the past couple of years however this time around the benchmark was higher than the previous few years. However, considering the philosophical base of the questions, most candidates found the questions tricky. It was not easy to write 1000 words on each topic within the time constraints.
• UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.
• Rather than asking candidates to write on topics that most candidates are familiar with or have practiced with, UPSC now assesses candidates' essay writing skills by providing them with abstract or philosophical topics.
• This year most of the themes were either proverbs or famous quotes.
• All 8 topics this year will test applicants' spontaneous thinking, understanding, writing and time management.
• Topics required broad interpretation
• Themes asked:
• Poetic language as a tool to re-institute order in human society. 
• Getting out of one’s comfort zone 
• Do the right things at the right time
•  You won’t get the exact time/experience twice.
• Importance of smile
• Theme related to choices and decision making

It is necessary to know that why essay paper is required in a competitive exam?

UPSC notification says that “candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay, to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.”

What can one make out from this? The following quote of Abraham Lincoln very aptly answers the question…..

‘Writing’ (essay) of the aspirant works as a window, for the highly experienced examiner, to the thought process of the candidate. Examiner will not only evaluate the content of the aspirant but also his thought process, viewpoints on critical matters, clarity in thinking, ability to explain his view point concisely and effectively, ability of coherence and putting his ideas in an orderly fashion, language. In a nutshell, it acts as a mean to bring out the traits of a potential civil servant and to evaluate if he is fit to be one.

Having discussed about the importance of the paper, it is essential to clear the misconceptions associated with essay paper before moving to how to prepare for it.

• There is no preparation required for essay paper-GS and optional knowledge will suffice.

Truth. This is wrong way of thinking. In GS marks will be awarded just for content. But in essay, examiner will pay attention to more than content as explained above.

• One needs to be champion in English-use technical jargons, vocabulary.

Truth. It is worth noting that in UPSC CSE, the simpler the language the better it is. There is no need of flowery jargons and expressions. 

•   There is no difference between language paper essay and ‘Essay’ paper.

Truth. This is highly misconceived notion on the part of aspirants to treat the essay paper just like essays asked in the language papers. The importance of both is vastly different. One is aimed to judge the language of the aspirant whereas the other is aimed to bring out the true traits of a potential Civil Servant. 

• Essay paper can’t be prepared so easily.

Truth. This is again a misconception. There have been candidates who have drastically increased their marks from scores like 100-110 to 150-160 with proper strategy and preparation. It is worth noting that essay paper requires relatively lesser effort to improve as compared to GS papers. The rate of investment is quite high.

From where to prepare for the essay paper?

• GS and optional preparation will give content.
• Reading non-fiction: will help to develop thinking process.
• Anecdotes, stories, quotes, facts and figures: A separate notebook should be kept for the same.
• Referring to magazines: Yojana, Kurukshetra, EPW, Economic Survey, DowntoEarth.
• Newspaper editorials, relevant lines said by eminent/constitutional posts like President, PM etc.
• Essay transcripts of previous year toppers.

How to prepare for the essay?

• Firstly read the transcripts of previous year toppers to get a feel of what comprises a well-written essay. 
• A separate notebook for essay should be prepared where fodder collected from the above mentioned sources should be written in point format. 
• An aspirant should prepare material on all the general topics that have been asked in the exam previously. This should include quotations, facts/ figures, anecdotes, sayings, case studies, government schemes.
• Give stress to the thoughts of philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Friedrich Niche, Karl Marx etc. Start writing essays on famous quotes.
• Whenever aspirant takes a particular topic, he should to try to think of all the possible themes/ dimensions of it. For eg: Consider the topic “With great power, comes great responsibility”. Aspirant can think of the topic from SPECLIH perspective- Social, Political, Economic, Cultural, Legal, International and Humanistic. This is one way of covering multiple dimensions.
• Read different kinds of essays – particularly philosophical essays. Give stress to the thoughts of philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Friedrich Niche, Karl Marx etc. 
• Next step is to write essays. Pick up the previous year papers and practice them at home in exam conditions. Self-evaluate and get a feedback from mentors, peers and teachers.

How to approach an essay? 

• Aspirant should have clear cut plan ready for attempting the essay paper. It should be clear in his mind before entering the examination hall how he is going to manage the time. The answers to following questions should be ready beforehand. 
• How much time will be devoted in choosing the topic?
• How much time will be devoted in interpreting the topic?
• How much time will be devoted in making a rough skeleton of the essay?
• How much time will be devoted in attempting the essay?
• How much time will be devoted in revising and underlining the keywords?
• Aspirant should always keep a buffer of 10 minutes in order to meet any exigency.

Eg: Topic Selection: 5 minutes, Brainstorming: 10-15 minutes, writing: 1 hour, revision: 5 minutes.

• First thing is choosing the right topic from each section. This will depend upon the aspirant’s holistic understanding of the topic. Do not get swayed by the fact that since it is an easy topic I won’t choose it. I will choose unconventional topic just to impress the examiner. This is wrong way of thinking.
• Next thing is to interpret the topic. One should understand the theme of the topic. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT ESSAY WRITING IS PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE TOPIC AND “WRITING ON THAT TOPIC”. DOING THIS MUCH ENSURES THAT ONE WILL NOT GET BELOW ANERAGE MARKS.
• Brainstorm and prepare skeleton of the topic:
• Every essay should have an introduction, body and conclusion.
• Introduction: can be a fictitious story, real life anecdote, quote, a paragraph on what all is going be covered in the essay.
• Themes/ dimensions to be covered eg: SPECLIH, temporal, sectoral, walks of life, problem and solution format.
• Quotes, sayings, anecdotes, facts/ figures.
• Conclusion: it should always be on a futuristic and optimistic note. Summarize the essay in 4 to 5 lines and then write the vision for future. Some saying, quote, lines of eminent personalities can be used.
• Structuring of the essay:
• Language should  be  simple and clear
• Keep the sentences short and powerful
• An occasional use of powerful word or jargon can give the essay an edge
• Proper subheadings
• Transition smoothly from one para to the next through a link sentence/ through a question

What to avoid in the essay?

• Aspirant should never give one-sided arguments or viewpoints which are against constitutional spirit.
• Never focus excessively on only one dimension or theme.
• Always write what is asked not what one knows.
• Do not give disproportionate amount of time to one essay avoiding the other one.
• Avoid criticizing the government, its policies and schemes.
• Avoid being seen as a person belonging to a particular ideology.
• Avoid writing in bullets, making diagrams, figures, charts. Essay should always be in continuous para format.

It is often seen that aspirants do not give the necessary attention to the essay paper. They spend months preparing for the optional and the GS papers but hardly give dedicated time to essay paper. This leads them to score poorly in the exam and they fail to get the edge which they could have easily achieved with a proper strategy and preparation for the essay paper. If one compares GS papers score with that of essay one can find out that it is difficult to achieve a score of 120-125 marks in the former whereas aspirants touch 150 and even 160 in the essay paper which gives them an edge of almost 30 marks. CSE topper 2017 scored just 100 marks in the essay paper of CSE 2015 whereas after making the necessary effort and rectifying his mistakes he was able to score 155 in CSE 2017.

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Essay Topics and Previous papers for UPSC Civil service exam

List of essay topics.

• [Essay] No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man. — HERACLITUS
• [Mock] Essay Paper for UPSC Mains-2016: Identity Groups vs Democracy, Chakra vs Charkha, Wisdom vs Force, UBI vs Skill Development
• [Mock] Essay Paper for UPSC Mains-2016: Role of Educator, Taste for Literature, Cost of Liberty, Success in Dictionary
• [Essays] February Week2: Equidistant diplomacy, Strategic Autonomy without Military Alliance, Censorship & Moral responsibility
• [Essays] February Week1: Censorship of Ideas, Acts of Kindness, Childhood to Adulthood, consciously secular society
• [Essays] January Week4: Socialist Preamble, Democracy without participation, women-the deities of household fire
• [Essays] January Week3: Ideological Colonization, Dovish vs Hawkish Foreign Policy, limits of free speech
• [Essays] January Week2: competitive vs. cooperative federalism, God above all gods, Suicide- a social shame
• [Essays] January 2015 Week1: Religion-A form of Enslavement, Market Oriented Education, Constructive Criticism
• [Essays] December Week4: Apoplectic Secularism, Syncretism, Spiritual Alzheimer, Pragmatic Diplomacy
• [Essays] December Week1: Social suffocation, true Sovereignty, Arc of revanchist states
• [Essays] November Week4: Classical Arts, Security Trilemma, Think in India, Soullessness of men
• [Essays] November Week3: Garrison Governance, Dignity of Labour, Rationalist Thinking, Age of Knowledge
• [Essays] November Week2: Nehru legacy, knowledge society, age of discontinuity (only Topiclists)
• [Essays] November Week1: New Urbanism, Regional Chauvinism, Majoritarian Populism
• [Essays] October Week4: End of American Century, Activism vs Restrain, Censorship vs Lynching
• [Essays] October Week3: Militant Atheism, Rational Consumption, Ecocide, Prosperity without Morality
• [Essays] October Week2: Corruption, Child Labour, Probity, Good Governance, Injustice, Optimism
• [Essays] October Week1: Colonization, Gandhiism, Volunteerism, Personification, Social Transformation
• [Essays] September Week4: De-bureaucratizing the executive, Hidden Euthanasia, Gender equality
• [Essays] September Week3: India-China, Zero Sum Game, Parliamentary minority, Daughter aversion
• [Essays] September Week2: 21 Topics for UPSC Mains: Fanaticism, Colonizing Culture, Age of Loneliness, piecemeal WW-III
• [Essays] September Week1: 16 Topics for UPSC Mains- Expansionism, Buried Justice, India-the Model international citizen
• [Download] Essay 2013 Question Paper of UPSC Civil Service Mains
• [Essay Tip for Newcomers] What to write & What not to write in Mains IAS exam?

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UPSC Civil Services Mains 2022 Essay Paper

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• UPSC Mains 2022 General Studies Paper 2
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• UPSC Mains 2023 General Studies Paper 1 - PDF Available
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UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2022: The Union Public Service Commission started the UPSC Civil Services Main Exam 2022 on September 16, 2022. The UPSC mains exam started on September 16, 2022 , and will be held on 17, 18, 24, and 25, 2022, at various locations around the country. GeeksforGeeks have brought the UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2022 to make your exam preparation perfect. 

The highest score in the Mains Written level is crucial since 7 out of 9 papers are counted for merit ranking. Preliminary level marks, on the other hand, are not counted for merit ranking. As a result, the candidate’s attention should not only be on passing the exam but also on obtaining the best and highest possible grades. 

To gain a notion of Important Essay Topics for UPSC 2023 , one needs at least to look at the previous seven years of UPSC Essay Topics. Practicing the UPSC Essay Topics of Previous Years helps throughout the UPSC Mains exam, and the aspirant may ace the essay paper with enough preparation.

UPSC 2022 Mains Essay Question Paper:

The UPSC Essay paper is divided into two portions. Section A and Section B are the two. Each segment has four questions. Candidates must select one topic from each section, resulting in a total of two essay questions.

The word count for each question should be between 1000 and 1200 . Each question is worth 125 marks , thus the total number of marks is 250. The question paper will be evaluated on merit.

The Essay Topics asked in the UPSC Mains 2022 are given below:

1) Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence.

2) Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.

3) History is a series of victorious won by the scientific man over the romantic man.

4) A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what a ship is for. 

1) The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. 

2) You cannot step twice in the same river. 

3) A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities. 

4) Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

Aspirants can evaluate and plan their approach for the Civil Services Examination’s Mains level based on the question paper of 2022. UPSC Mains 2022 Essay Paper UPSC Mains 2022 GS Paper 1 UPSC Mains 2022 GS Paper 2 UPSC Mains 2022 GS Paper 3 UPSC Mains 2022 GS Paper 4

UPSC Mains Essay Previous Year Question Paper:

• UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2021
• UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2020
• UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2019
• UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2018
• UPSC Mains Essay Paper 2017
• UPSC Mains Essay Paper  2016 

How to Score Marks on UPSC Mains Essay Topics?

Writing provides insight into your cognitive process. This is precisely what the examiner looks at when reading your answer script. An essay is essentially a well-organized collection of ideas on any given topic. Mastering the skill of getting the highest possible grade on a test involves a lot of effort and dedication. The UPSC Mains essay is more than just a test of factual knowledge; it is also a test of creativity and confidence. 

Follow these strategies to get high marks in the UPSC Mains Essay paper:

1. Choose your topic carefully

The UPSC Essay paper 2022 is divided into two portions, and applicants must write one essay from each area. Both essays are worth 125 points and are 1000-1200 words long. Before choosing a topic, consider if it is too contentious or whether you have enough facts to write about it.

2. Think about the subject

Once you’ve decided on a topic, think about it and jot down the essential keywords you’ll use in your essay. Try to take a multifaceted approach to the essay and stick to a decent format of introduction, body, and conclusion.

3. Structure the essay in a proper manner

The opening paragraph is the heart of the essay and should provide a clear overview of the issue. The main focus should be on your thoughts on the subject. The primary body of the essay should be broken into little paragraphs that are interconnected nicely. The essay’s wording should be simple, clear, and easy to grasp. 

The UPSC Mains essay assesses your critical thinking abilities rather than your use of fancy language. Facts and statistics should be supplied whenever necessary. The use of quotations and sayings strengthens the essays. The final paragraph should speak for itself. Candidates should aim to write the essay in an unbiased or balanced manner.

Economic Growth, women empowerment, art & culture, media & society, social justice or poverty, education, renowned quotes from notable individuals , and other themes are among the UPSC Essay Topics.

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UPSC Essay Topics 2024 - Topic-Wise Essay Questions

• Application
• Eligibility
• Selection Process
• Preparation Tips
• Exam Pattern

The UPSC Civil Services mains exam includes UPSC essay topics paper out of 9 papers. Candidates can check trending UPSC CSE essay topics here. These UPSC Essay questions range from multiple topics like Economic Growth, Art & Culture, Women Empowerment, Media & Society, etc. UPSC IAS essay topics are significant for candidates to clear the mains paper 1 of UPSC IAS exam .

New:  UPSC IAS 2023 final Result & Toppers List | UPSC CSE 2023 cutoff

Latest: UPSC CSE sample papers | Complete guide | UPSC IAS 2024 application OUT; Direct link

Also See:  UPSC IAS Mains question papers (2016-23)

UPSC IAS essay exam topics play a vital role in UPSC IAS exam. UPSC IAS mains paper carries 250 marks and aspirants are asked to write at least 2 essays between 1000 to 1200 words in 3 hours. Aspirants need to analyse UPSC essays from last year's question papers to get an idea about UPSC CSE Essay topics. Practising IAS topics from previous years' papers assists candidates to clear the UPSC IAS exam 2024 easily. Candidates are required to read daily newspapers to get a clear idea about UPSC IAS essay 2024 exam topics.

UPSC IAS Essay Topics 2024

UPSC CSE essay paper is one of the 9 papers of the UPSC IAS mains examination. The IAS essay paper analysis is the perspective of aspirants on economic, social and political issues. UPSC usually takes IAS essay questions either from Current Affairs or affecting present society to a large extent. A few of the engaging UPSC CSE 2024 essay questions can be asked from the UPSC 2024 IAS exam.

Social Media

Surveillance/Privacy

Urbanisation

Globalisation

Bureaucracy

Water Security

Media Tourism

Constitution

Food Hunger/Poverty/Security

Human Resources - Employment

Development

Higher Education/Education/Foreign University in Higher Education

UPSC CSE Essay Questions - Previous Years

Aspirants must be aware of the latest trends of the IAS exam pattern 2024 for mains. Candidates will come to know about the types of IAS essay topics asked and important recent essay questions. The UPSC CSE essay topics asked in the IAS Mains exam in previous years are detailed below.

UPSC IAS Essay Topic 2023

Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team.

Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic.

Not all who wander are lost.

Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.

Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands - two equally harmful disciplines.

Mathematics is the music of reason

A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity

Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

Previous year

Poets are the harmony of the world.

Forests can be the main area of discussion for economic excellence.

History of battle between scientific man and romantic man.

Ship in the Harbour is secured but not for that case.

When the sun shines, the roof needs repair.

Move twice on the same river.

A smile is a solution to all problems.

Topic-Wise UPSC IAS Essay Questions

Every year, the Union Public Service Commission tends to give two or more essays from one of the 9 subjects in the UPSC CSE 2024 exam. To write about these IAS essay questions, candidates must go through reference books on these subjects to get a clear picture of the CSE Essay topics.

1. Environment/Urbanization

Protection of Ecology and Environment

Urbanisation and its side-effects

Must a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in the tribal areas?

Brave human laws can’t resist natural laws.

2. Economic Sectors/MNCs

Multinational Corporations

BPO boom in India.

Special Economic zone - boon or bane?

Globalisation would finish small sectors.

Are traditional handcrafts finishing up slowly?

The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model of development is more than a boon in the Indian Context.

Tourism can be the next big thing for India.

3. Education

Restructuring of the Indian Education System

Irrelevance of the classroom

Privatisation of Higher Education in India

Modern technological education and human values

What is real education?

The new emerging women's power

Greater political power will not wash out women’s plight

The woman is God’s best creation

Challenges and Prospects of Women's Empowerment

Empowerment cannot help our women

Whether women’s emancipation

If women ruled the world

The hand that rocks the cradle

Women’s reservation bill

Managing Work and Home

If development is not engendered, it is endangered.

The fulfilment of a ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.

5. Character

Attitude makes habit, habit makes character and character makes a man.

Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin.

The character of an Institution is reflected in its leader.

Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.

Joy is the easiest form of Gratitude.

A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both

Custom morality can be a path to modern life.

6. Globalisation

Modernisation and Westernisation are not similar concepts.

The implication of globalisation in India.

The world of the 21st century.

Nationalism vs Globalization.

Globalisation and its effect on Indian culture.

The masks of new imperialism

My vision of the ideal world order.

Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role.

7. Science and Technology

The modern doctor and its patients.

Value-based education and science

Spirituality and scientific temper

The lure of space.

The march of Science and erosion of human values.

Science and Mysticism

Science and Technology are the panaceas for the growth and security of the nation.

Technology cannot replace manpower.

Alternative technology for a climate change resilient India.

8. International Organizations/Relations

Significance of Indo-US nuclear agreement.

Good fences make good neighbours.

Restructuring of UNO reflects present realities.

Has the Non-Alignment Movement lost its relevance in the multipolar world?

9. Security

Tourism and World Peace

Are we in a ‘soft’ state?

Both human intelligence and technical intelligence are important in combating terrorism.

10. Internet/IT

The cyberworld: its charm and challenges.

Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to human civilization in the long run.

Social media is inherently is selfish medium

A rapid increase in computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanised society.

11. Media & Society

Misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India.

Mass Media and Cultural Invasion.

Responsibility of media in a democracy.

How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets?

Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it?

Is string operation an invasion of privacy?

How to Bring a Good Score on UPSC IAS Essay Topics?

Writing is a way to improve your thought process. It should be exactly what the examiner needs while accessing your written UPSC essay answer scripts. An essay is a well-structured collection of thoughts on any specific topic. The art to score high on the UPSC IAS mains paper 1 requires immense practice and perseverance. The UPSC Essay is never merely a test of factual knowledge but a test of creativity and spirit. To score good marks in UPSC CSE essay questions, follow the steps given below.

1. Choose IAS Essay Topics Carefully

The UPSC IAS Essay paper comprises two sections and candidates need to write one essay from each of the two given sections. Both UPSC essays are of 125 marks each of 1000-1200 words. Before choosing a UPSC essay topic, think over the topic whether it is controversial or you have enough data to write it.

2. Ponder the topic

While selecting the UPSC IAS essay question, think over the topic and select the main keywords that you are going to use during writing the essay. Implement a multi-dimensional approach to it and try to curate a good structure intro body and conclusion.

3. Curate Well

The introduction paragraph is the heart of the UPSC CSE essay topics and must have a concise and clear thought about the topic. The basic theme should be to talk about your views on the topic. The main body of the UPSC Essay should be divided into small paragraphs but must be well interlinked. The UPSC essay topic language should be lucid, convenient and easy to understand. The essay must evaluate your critical thinking ability rather than using decorative words. If needed, candidates must use data and facts. The usage of sayings and quotes adds weight to the UPSC Essay questions. The conclusion paragraph must be seen as self-explanatory. Candidates must have a balanced approach to UPSC IAS essay questions.

4. Go through ABC of Essay Writing

The ABC of UPSC essay writing must stand for appropriateness, brevity and consistency of UPSC essay topics. Following this rule will assist candidates while writing the UPSC CSE essay questions.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

UPSC Essay question papers have two sections with 4 to 5 essays each. A candidate must write two UPSC IAS essay topics, one from each section consisting of 1000-1200 words. The UPSC Essay paper is 250 marks and each essay contributes 125 marks.

A score of 125 and above is considered a good mark in Essay topics UPSC while a score between 100-120 is average. However, it’s not easy to score marks on paper if you haven’t prepared well enough. So, prepare well in the best possible method for UPSC IAS essay questions.

To start practising UPSC IAS essay topics, candidates must keep the following points in mind.

Read the best UPSC daily newspapers.

Highlight crucial lines or quotes and write them differently.

Practise one previous year's UPSC essay topic for at least a week and obtain it for peer review.

Use normal creative language while writing.

Implement integrated attitude thinking.

UPSC IAS 2023 essay topics can be divided into four categories - argumentative, expository, narrative and descriptive essays. The essay must be written in such a way that it would provide meaningful information to the reader.

Most of the UPSC IAS essay topics asked in the UPSC IAS exam are taken from Democracy and Bureaucracy, Administration, Politics, Economic Growth, Judiciary, Poverty, Indian Culture, Media, Justice, Environmental Pollution, Quotes, Women, Education, Globalization, Science & technology, etc. Candidates must pay attention more to these subjects while preparing UPSC CSE essay questions.

To write a good essay, you need to understand the topic properly so that you will be able to explain it in a proper way. During preparation, keep making notes and read the newspaper daily. You can listen to podcasts on various topics to develop a deep understanding.

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Questions related to UPSC CSE

I assume you want to know the eligibility criteria to becoming an IAS. First of all, to become an IAS,  one has to clear UPSC CSE examiner. There are certain eligibility criteria for applying in this examination and they are as follows:

• Bachelor's degree from any recognised college.
• Age between 21-32; with some relaxation for reserved categories.
• Citizen of India ora subject of Nepal/ Bhutan or Tibetan refugee who came to India, to permanently settle here before January 1, 1962, or People of Indian origin who migrated from Uganda, Burma, Pakistan, Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania, Malawi, Sri Lanka, East African Countries of Kenya, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam to permanently settle in India.

For more information, please visit the website by clicking on the link given below:

https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc-ias-eligibility-criteria#toc_1

And other government jobs, the eligibility test is different for different jobs. It would have been if you could mention the government job you are interested in.

Hope this answers your query. Thank you

Dear aspirant !!

Hope you are doing good !

Yes it will be considered because Bachelor in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (BASLP) is a 4-year degree course . It is a multi-disciplinary profession with core subjects including speech pathology, language pathology, and audiology.

Hope it helps you ;

Dear Aspirant !

Hope you are fine!

The main subjects for the UPSC Exam are Indian Politics, Indian Economy, International Relations, Science and Technology, Geography, History, Environment and Ecology, and related Current Affairs . There are 25 subjects and 23 literature optional that one can choose from in addition to this..

Hello aspirant,

With the help of the IAS Answer Key 2024, applicants can estimate their potential score for the IAS preliminary exam, learn about the various IAS question types, gauge the exam's difficulty, and much more.

To get the answer key, you can visit our website by clicking on the link given below.

https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc-ias-answer-key

Hope this information helps you.

Hope you are doing good !!

The syllabus of these papers includes subjects like Modern Indian History, World Geography, International Relations, Indian Economic development, Disaster Management and Ethics, Aptitude and Integrity . To know all the subjects in detail, you can check UPSC syllabus 2024 for CSE in the given link below ;-

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://competition.careers360.com/articles/upsc-ias-syllabus&ved=2ahUKEwiYh_iZ_byEAxXLhlYBHf8GC1EQFnoECBEQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0LptyFY3WnS35rKlE8MAhL .

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UPSC Essay Topics

The Upsc Essay Topics change every year, and aspirants are never sure what they will be. They can be about things like how the economy is doing, how women can be stronger, art and culture, or how the media affects us. Moreover, it’s a good idea to look at the essay questions from previous years to get an idea of what might be asked. This will help you practice writing essays and do well in the exam. With enough practice, you can become good at writing essays for the UPSC exam .

Furthermore, the IAS Essay section is very important in the UPSC exam. It contains 250 marks, and you must write two essay questions in three hours, each 1000 to 1200 words. Additionally, to prepare, it’s a good idea to look at previous upsc essay papers to understand what essay topics upsc might come up in the exam.

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UPSC Essay Topics 2024

The UPSC essay paper is one of the nine papers in the UPSC Mains exam . It’s a chance for candidates to share their opinions on social, economic, and political issues. UPSC usually chooses topics that are either related to current events or have a big impact on society. Moreover, some important IAS essay topics for the UPSC exam could include:

• Development
• Urbanisation
• Globalisation
• Bureaucracy/Civil Service
• Constitution
• Water Security
• Poverty/Hunger/Food Security
• Human Resources- Employment
• Social Media
• Privacy/Surveillance

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UPSC Essay Topics: Previous Year Question Paper

Having access to the previous year’s essay topics can be useful. It gives you an idea of the types of essays asked in previous years. Moreover, That’s why we’ve provided the UPSC essay topics from the previous year’s UPSC question paper below.

• UPSC Essay Topics for year 2022
• UPSC Essay Topics for year 2021
• UPSC Essay Topics for year 2020
• UPSC Essay Topics for year 2019
• UPSC Essay Topics for year 2018

You can also check for how to write an essay for upsc .

UPSC Essay Topics: Topic wise

Here, we will discuss different UPSC Essay Topics that are frequently asked in the UPSC Examination.

UPSC Essay Topics on Administration 

If you want to prepare for Polity and Administration topics for the UPSC exam, you can start by reading books on Polity and Public Administration. Moreover, these books provide basic information about relevant issues and their history, which can be useful when writing essay questions on Polity and Public Administration for the UPSC exam. Some UPSC essay topics on these topics could include:

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• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanisation?
• Politics without ethics is a disaster.
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy.
• The language politics in India: its past, present, and future.
• Is a better disaster management system need of the hour?
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality.
• Need for transparency in public administration.
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy.

UPSC Essay Topics on Science and Technology

To write an essay on Science and Technology topics for the UPSC exam, you can start by following current affairs related to this field. You can also refer to books on Science and Technology for UPSC to get a multidimensional perspective. Moreover, some possible Science and Tech UPSC essay topics could include:

• The modern doctor and his patients.
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
• Alternative technologies for a climate change-resilient India.
• Technology cannot replace manpower.
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium.
• Value-based science and education.
• Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilisation in the long run.
• The lure of space.
• Spirituality and scientific temper.
• The march of science and the erosion of human values.
• The cyberworld: Its charms and challenges.
• Science and Mysticism: Are they compatible?

UPSC Essay Topics on Women Empowerment

UPSC encourages gender equality in the workplace and often includes essay topics related to women. The UPSC Essay topics aims to understand the candidate’s level of critical thinking and ability to express their thoughts. Including data, references, and real-life examples can help earn extra marks while writing essays. Moreover, some possible UPSC essay topics related to women and women empowerment could include:

• Challenges and Prospects of Women Empowerment
• Ground realities of the new emerging women power
• Fulfillment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.
• Is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal- Managing work and home?
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
• What if all the developed countries had women as their heads?
• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight.
• Whither women’s emancipation?

UPSC Essay Topics on Indian Culture & Society

The UPSC essay topics related to Indian society, art, and culture are always diverse. To prepare for these topics, candidates can read basic books on society that are typically referred to during the exam. Moreover, you can also use Art & Culture Notes for UPSC to help with your preparation. Some possible UPSC essay topics related to Indian culture and society are:

• Are new cults and godmen threats to the traditional religion?
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values.
• Indian society is at a crossroads.
• The composite culture of Indian society
• Where the Youth culture of today is heading towards
• As civilisation progresses, culture declines.

UPSC Essay Topics on Philosophical Type

Every year, UPSC includes two or more UPSC essay topics related to philosophical thoughts, Indian philosophical schools, or quotes from famous personalities. Students can refer to Philosophy Books for UPSC to prepare for these topics to gain a basic background. Moreover, some possible UPSC essay topics related to philosophy or quotes from famous personalities are:

• Be the change you want to see in others.
• Reality does not conform to the ideal but confirms it.
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.
• If youth knew if age could.
• Useless life is an early death.
• Search for truth can only be attained through spiritual means.
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
• Words are sharper than a two-edged sword

UPSC Essay Topics on Education

Education is a popular UPSC essay topics , and almost every year, an essay related to education is asked in the paper. Moreover, to prepare for this topic, staying updated with current affairs and major changes and developments related to the field is important. Some possible UPSC essay topics related to education for UPSC could include:

• Privatisation of the higher education system in India.
• Does growth in literacy correspond to growth in education?
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather make a man a more clever devil.
• Concept of Real Education
• Restructuring of the Indian education system with respect to the NEP
• The destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.
• Education for all”: myth or reality.

UPSC Essay Topics on Economic Growth

UPSC frequently includes IAS essay topics on economic growth, development, and the MNC (multi-national corporation) sector. To prepare for these topics, candidates can refer to Economy Notes for UPSC to get a general overview of the subject. Moreover, once you grasp the basics well, you can add examples, data, and figures to make your essay more multi-dimensional. Some possible UPSC essay topics related to economics for UPSC could include:

• Can tourism be the next big thing for India?
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) should be the right indices for judging the well-being of a country.
• Are the Multinational corporations saviours or saboteurs?
• Is the Digital economy a leveller or a source of economic inequality?
• Is it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
• Future of BPO Culture in India
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic.
• Is the near jobless growth in India an anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms?

You can also check for UPSC Calendar 2023 .

Upsc Essay Topics: Things to keep in mind

Writing is a way to show how you think. When an examiner reads your essay, they can understand your thought process. An essay is a well-structured set of ideas on a specific topic. Moreover, to score well on the UPSC Essay paper , it’s important to practice and be persistent. The essay is about factual knowledge, creativity, and critical thinking. To score well on the UPSC Essay paper, follow these steps:

• Choose the Right Essay

The UPSC Essay paper has two sections, and you have to write one essay from each section. Both essays have 125 marks each and must be 1000-1200 words. Before choosing a topic, it’s important to reflect on it and consider if it’s too controversial or if you have enough information to write about it.

• Examine the Topic

When you select UPSC Essay Topics , it’s important to take some time to think about the topic and write down the main keywords that you will use in your essay. This will help you organise your thoughts and ensure you cover all the key points.

Taking a multidimensional approach is important when writing your essay, which means considering different perspectives and angles.

Additionally, structure your essay clearly and concisely, with an introduction that sets the stage for the rest of the essay, a body that covers your main points, and a conclusion that summarises your key ideas and leaves a lasting impression on the reader.

• Structure well

The introduction is a crucial part of the UPSC Essay Topics and should provide a brief idea about the topic. It should convey your perspective on the topic. The essay’s main body should be divided into well-connected small paragraphs. The language should be simple, clear, and easy to comprehend.

Moreover, the focus should be on critical thinking rather than using complex vocabulary. If necessary, include relevant facts and data. Using quotes and sayings can add weight to the essay. The conclusion should be clear and concise. While writing, strive for a neutral or balanced approach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

Q1: Do UPSC Topics get repeated?

Ans: That’s correct. While UPSC may repeat essay topics from previous years, they are likely to ask a different question with the exact same wording. Instead, they may tweak the language or focus of the question slightly to test a candidate’s understanding and analytical skills. Moreover, it is also true that certain topics, such as history, economics, and Indian polity, tend to be asked more frequently than others.

Q2: How many essay questions are asked in the upsc essay paper?

Ans: The UPSC Essay Paper consists of two sections, each containing four to five essay topics. Candidates need to choose one essay topic from each section and write an essay of 1000 to 1200 words on each topic. Moreover, each essay is worth 125 marks, and the total mark for the UPSC Essay Paper is 250.

Q3: How can I write a good essay for UPSC?

Ans: Keeping notes and staying updated with current affairs is crucial in developing a deep understanding of various topics. Reading books, journals, and other publications related to the UPSC Essay Topics can also help enhance knowledge and vocabulary. Moreover, ractising writing essays regularly and getting feedback from mentors or peers to improve writing skills is also important.

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[Download pdf] UPSC IAS Mains 2022 – Essay Question Paper

ForumIAS announcing GS Foundation Program for UPSC CSE 2025-26 from 27th May. Click Here for more information.

UPSC IAS Mains 2022 Examinations have started with the essay paper. After the completion of the examination in the first session, UPSC IAS Mains 2022 Essay Question Paper is out. If you are preparing for the 2023 examination, you can go through the question paper and check the type of topics that are being asked.

Download pdf of UPSC IAS Mains 2022 – Essay Question Paper or View the Images of UPSC IAS Mains 2022 – Essay Question Paper below:

• Forests are the best case studies of economic excellence
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic men
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what a ship is meant for
• The time to repair the roof is when sun is shining
• You cannot step twice in the same river
• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right

To access Previous Year Question Paper  –  Click Here 

Previous Year UPSC Mains Papers

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UPSC Previous Year Question Paper: PDF Download for Prelims and Mains Examination

Upsc previous year question paper provides insights into exam patterns, mark distribution, and duration of exam.  get the question paper pdf download link on this page and identify important topics.  check the difficulty level, benefits of solving and other details here.  download upsc previous year question papers pdf for the past 10 year..

UPSC Question Papers: The previous year papers are pivotal in improving your preparation level. There are various benefits of practicing previous year's question paper, including familiarity with the difficulty level, nature and level of questions asked, and important topics which have been repeatedly asked over the past years as well as checking where your preparation stands. 

UPSC Previous Year Question Papers PDF

Solving the UPSC question paper pdf help candidates to prepare the strategy based on the latest trend, curriculum, and actual exam format also helps in understanding the difficulty level and topics from which questions are often asked in the exam.

UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Papers with Answers

Upsc mains previous year question papers with answers, benefits of solving upsc previous year question papers.

• Practicing previous years' question papers will provide insights into the actual exam structure, difficulty level, exam trends over the years, the standard of questions that will be asked, etc.
• Solving the UPSC question paper with solutions helps you to gauge your performance level and discover your weak points that need improvements. 
• Practicing previous year's papers will increase your speed of solving questions and help you to manage your time effectively.
• Previous year papers are one of the reliable resources to revise the entire syllabus and retain concepts for a long time.

How to Attempt UPSC Question Paper 2023?

The best method of solving the previous year's question paper for the UPSC exam is to set a countdown timer and solve all the questions in that time period. To begin with, one should first download and take the printout of the UPSC previous question paper and then set an online timer to attempt the papers in a timed environment.

UPSC Previous Year Question Papers Analysis

Upsc question paper pattern.

• The prelims exam shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.
• Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
• The General Studies Paper-II of prelims will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
• The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.

NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation

Ias officer salary.

A motivation to prepare for the most prestigious job of country is its allowances and benefits. The starting of an officer ranges from 56000 to 60000 with lots of benefits and allowances. Read out our article of  IAS officer salary to get in detail of what benefits an IAS officer gets 

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• Is the UPSC exam tough? + After checking the past trends and difficulty level of the UPSC examination, the prelims exam has been found to be moderate. However, candidates should use the right preparation approach to ace the exam.
• How to approach solving UPSC previous year's question paper? + The best approach to practice the previous year's question paper for the UPSC exam is to set a countdown timer and solve all the questions in that time frame. Download and print the previous papers from the link shared above and start attempting questions at the specified time.
• Is it necessary to practice UPSC Question Paper? + Yes. Solving the UPSC question paper with solutions helps you to gauge your performance level and discover your weak points that need improvements. Also, it will provide insights into difficulty level, nature and level of questions asked, and important topics which are repeatedly asked over the past years, etc.
• How to download UPSC Previous Year Question Papers? + To download UPSC previous papers, you can go to the official website of UPSC. Here we have also shared the direct link to download the UPSC question paper with solutions PDF in the article.
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UPSC Previous Year Question Paper: PDF Download for Prelims and Mains Examination

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UPSC Question Papers: The previous year papers are pivotal in improving your preparation level. There are various benefits of practicing previous year's question paper, including familiarity with the difficulty level, nature and level of questions asked, and important topics which have been repeatedly asked over the past years as well as checking where your preparation stands. 

The exam prep team of Jagran Josh has provided the direct download link to the last 10 years UPSC question paper pdf for the past years for the civil service exam. This will enable you to analyse the previous year's trend and boost your qualifying chances. 

UPSC Previous Year Question Papers PDF

Solving the UPSC question paper pdf help candidates to prepare the strategy based on the latest trend, curriculum, and actual exam format also helps in understanding the difficulty level and topics from which questions are often asked in the exam.

Going by previous exam trends and the difficulty level of the UPSC prelims examination has been found to be moderate level and the mains exam is usually moderately difficult. Thus, one can anticipate questions to be moderate level in the upcoming CSE prelims exam. Hence, it is essential to solve the UPSC previous year question papers for 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and more in order to get an edge.

UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question Papers with Answers

The UPSC prelims exam is qualifying in nature and the marks obtained in the exam are considered to shortlist the candidates for the next round i.e. mains exam. However, it will not be counted when preparing the final merit list. The UPSC prelims exam comprises two objective papers i.e. GS paper I and GS paper II (CSAT). Each paper carries 200 marks and the exam duration is 2 hours each. Download the past 10 years' UPSC question papers with answers PDF for prelims exam from the year 2014 to 2023 below.

UPSC Mains Previous Year Question Papers with Answers

The UPSC mains exam comprises 9 descriptive papers. The marks obtained in the mains exam and interview will be counted for determining the final order of merit. Download the past 10 years' UPSC question papers with answers PDF for the mains exam from the year 2013 to 2022 for compulsory subjects below.

Benefits of Solving UPSC Previous Year Question Papers

There are a plethora of benefits of solving previous years' question papers for the UPSC examination shared below:

• Practicing previous years' question papers will provide insights into the actual exam structure, difficulty level, exam trends over the years, the standard of questions that will be asked, etc.
• Solving the UPSC question paper with solutions helps you to gauge your performance level and discover your weak points that need improvements. 
• Practicing previous year's papers will increase your speed of solving questions and help you to manage your time effectively.
• Previous year papers are one of the reliable resources to revise the entire syllabus and retain concepts for a long time.

How to Attempt UPSC Question Paper 2023?

The best method of solving the previous year's question paper for the UPSC exam is to set a countdown timer and solve all the questions in that time period. To begin with, one should first download and take the printout of the UPSC previous question paper and then set an online timer to attempt the papers in a timed environment.

Once the time is over, stop solving the questions immediately and then compare your responses with the ones mentioned in the solutions PDF. Now, do the total of the number of correct and incorrect answers marked on the UPSC question paper. This will help you to identify your mistakes and focus on improving the same for better results. 

UPSC Previous Year Question Papers Analysis

Candidates shared that the overall difficulty level of the prelims exam last year was moderate level. As per UPSC Exam Analysis 2022 Prelims, the GS paper I comprise a total of 100 questions from subjects like history, geography, polity, environment, etc and the difficulty level of questions was moderate level. In GS paper 2, the questions were asked from sections like mental ability, arithmetic, comprehension, etc and the difficulty level of the questions was easy to moderate level.

UPSC Question Paper Pattern

The UPSC recruitment process comprises three stages i.e. Prelims, Mains, and Interview round. Check the detailed exam pattern of the UPSC Prelims exam below:

• The prelims exam shall comprise two compulsory papers of 200 marks each.
• Both the question papers will be of the objective type (multiple choice questions) and each will be of two hours duration.
• The General Studies Paper-II of prelims will be a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks fixed at 33%.
• The question papers will be set both in Hindi and English.

NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation

NCERT books are considered the backbone of a candidate's UPSC preparation. These books are published by the government of India and are widely recognized for their quality and accuracy. NCERT books hold immense significance in the field of UPSC preparation. These books are designed by experts in respective subjects, ensuring a comprehensive and well-structured approach to learning. The content provided in NCERT books is aligned with the UPSC syllabus, making them an invaluable resource for aspirants. Moreover, the language used in NCERT books is reader-friendly, simplifying complex topics and aiding in better comprehension. Check out our article on which NCERT Books to refer for UPSC preparation .

IAS Officer Salary

A motivation to prepare for the most prestigious job of country is its allowances and benefits. The starting of an officer ranges from 56000 to 60000 with lots of benefits and allowances. Read out our article of  IAS officer salary to get in detail of what benefits an IAS officer gets 

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DAY – 1 Insta 75 Days Revision Plan 2.0 -2024: Subject – Polity

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1 . Question

Consider the following statements:

• The Governor appoints individual Ministers only on the advice of the CM.
• The Constitution does not allow the Governor to dismiss a Minister on his own discretion.
• The Governor’s power to dismiss a Minister is limited and requires the advice of the Chief Minister.

How many of the above statement/s correctly reflect the constitutional conventions and judicial interpretations regarding the appointment and dismissal of a Minister by the Governor?

• a) Only one
• b) Only two
• c) All three

Explanation:

• According to Article 164 of the Indian Constitution, the Governor appoints Ministers on the advice of the Chief Minister. This is a well-established constitutional convention and aligns with judicial interpretations. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Governor can dismiss a Minister only on the advice of the Chief Minister. This is rooted in the principle that the Chief Minister has the discretion to choose and dismiss Ministers. Judicial rulings, such as in Shamsher Singh vs State Of Punjab (1974) and Nabam Rebia vs Deputy Speaker (2017), have reinforced this limitation on the Governor’s discretionary powers. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Governor’s power to dismiss a Minister is indeed limited by the need to act on the advice of the Chief Minister. This has been upheld by judicial interpretations, confirming that the Governor cannot act independently in this regard . Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Hence, option (c) is correct.

2 . Question

Match the following Supreme Court verdicts with their corresponding rulings regarding ordinances:

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

• a) A-3, B-1, C-2
• b) A-1, B-2, C-3
• c) A-3, B-2, C-1
• d) A-2, B-3, C-1
• Article 123 of the Indian Constitution empowers the President [Article 213 – Governor] to promulgate Ordinances during recess of Parliament.
• RC Cooper Case 1970: If an Ordinance is issued solely to bypass the Parliament, the President’s decision to promulgate the Ordinance can be challenged.
• D C Wadhwa v. State of Bihar 1986: If the Government ignores the legislature a nd repromulgate an Ordinance, it would be a colourable exercise of power.
• Krishna Kumar Singh v. State of Bihar 2017 : A seven-judge Bench of the SC held that the satisfaction of the President under Article 123 is not immune from judicial scrutiny; not a parallel source of law-making or an independent legislative authority. It reiterated that the Governor’s power to issue an Ordinance is in the nature of an emergency power. Repeated re-promulgations without bringing the Ordinance to the legislature would be unconstitutional.
• Hence, option (a) is correct.

3 . Question

What is the tenure of the Chairperson and other Members of the Competition Commission of India (CCI)?

• a) 3 years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier
• b) 5 years or until the age of 62, whichever is earlier
• c) 5 years or until the age of 65, whichever is earlier
• d) 6 years or until the age of 70, whichever is earlier.
• Competition Commission of India (CCI) is a statutory body of the Government of India responsible for enforcing the Competition Act, 2002 , it was duly constituted in March 2009.
• The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Act, 1969 (MRTP Act) was repealed and replaced by the Competition Act, 2002, on the recommendations of the Raghavan committee.
• The CCI is established under the Competition Act, 2002, which makes it a statutory body . Additionally, it performs quasi-judicial functions , such as adjudicating cases related to anti-competitive practices and issuing penalties.
• According to Section 10(1) of the Competition Act, 2002:
• The Chairperson and other Members of the CCI shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which they enter their office.
• They are eligible for reappointment.
• They shall hold office until they attain the age of 65 years.

4 . Question

Consider the following sectors:

• Telecommunications
• Pharmaceuticals

How many of the above sectors comes under the jurisdiction of the Competition Commission of India (CCI)?

• c) Only three
• d) All four
• The telecommunications sector is subject to CCI’s jurisdiction. While there is sector-specific regulation by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), anti-competitive practices within the sector can be scrutinized by CCI.
• The agriculture sector, including agri-business and markets, falls under CCI’s purview. CCI has investigated cases related to agricultural commodities and markets.
• The defense sector is typically considered outside the jurisdiction of CCI due to national security concerns. Defense procurement and related activities are highly regulated and handled directly by the government, often with specific exemptions from general competition law.
• The pharmaceutical sector is a significant focus area for CCI, especially concerning issues like price fixing, market allocation, and abuse of dominant position.

5 . Question

Which of the following statements about the 16 th Finance Commission’s role in disaster management financing are correct?

• The Commission will review the current financing structures related to Disaster Management initiatives.
• The Disaster Management Act, 2005, will be examined for potential improvements or alterations.
• It is required to allocate a fixed percentage of the GDP for disaster management.

Select the correct answer from the code given below:

• a) 1 and 2 only
• b) 1 and 3 only
• c) 2 and 3 only
• d) 1, 2, and 3
• Recently, The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister approved the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the Sixteenth Finance Commission.
• The commission will make recommendations on the distribution of net proceeds of taxes between the Union and the States, allocation among the States, grants-in-aid, and measures to supplement Panchayats’ resources for a five-year period starting April 1, 2026
• The Terms of Reference (ToR) of the 16 th Finance Commission has the mandate to review the current financing structures related to Disaster Management initiatives. This involves examining how funds are allocated and used for disaster management and recommending improvements . Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Terms of Reference for the Finance Commission include evaluating the funds created under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. This involves reviewing the provisions and structures set by the Act for financing disaster management and suggesting any necessary changes. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The 16 th Finance Commission’s role d oes not include mandating a fixed percentage of the GDP to be allocated for disaster management. I nstead, it makes recommendations on the principles for allocating funds, which the government may consider, but it does not set a fixed percentage of GDP allocation . Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

6 . Question

Which groups were the focus of the Idate Committee’s recommendations?

• a) Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
• b) Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes
• c) Share croppers and tenant farmers
• d) Industrial workers and unorganized workers
• Recently, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) emphasised the importance of executing the recommendations of the Idate Commission report, to address the concerns of Nomadic, Semi-Nomadic, and De-Notified Tribes (NTs, SNTs, and DNTs) in India.
• Additionally, it recommended excluding DNTs/NTs/SNTs from SC/ST/OBC categories and creating tailored policies for them.
• It was established in 2014 under the leadership of Bhiku Ramji Idate, to compile a statewide catalogue of Denotified, Nomadic, and Semi-Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).

Hence, option (b) is correct.

7 . Question

Consider the following statements about the Ethics Committee of Lok Sabha:

• The Speaker of Lok Sabha appoints the members of the Ethics Committee.
• The Ethics Committee was made a permanent part of the House in 2015.
• The Speaker can refer any complaint against an MP to the Ethics Committee.
• An expelled MP can appeal the decision in the Supreme Court as a matter of right.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

• The members of the Ethics Committee are appointed by the Speaker for a period of one year.
• The 15-member Committee’s function is to examine every complaint relating to unethical conduct of a Member of Lok Sabha referred to it by the Speaker and make such recommendations as it may deem fit. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The late Speaker, G M C Balayogi, constituted an ad hoc Ethics Committee in 2000, which became a permanent part of the House only in 2015. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The Speaker indeed has the authority to refer any complaint against a Member of Parliament to the Ethics Committee for examination and investigation. This mechanism ensures that allegations of misconduct are thoroughly investigated in a fair and impartial manner . Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• While an expelled MP does have the option to challenge the decision in a court of law, it’s not necessarily a matter of right. The grounds for challenging such a decision are limited, typically including claims of unconstitutionality, gross illegality, or a denial of natural justice. The Supreme Court may review the decision based on these grounds, but it’s not an automatic right of the expelled MP. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

8 . Question

• To enhance the self-respect and prestige of the common people
• To uphold the principle of equality
• To uphold the dignity of weaker sections.
• To uphold democracy and ensure a responsible government.

How many of the above are the objectives of Universal Adult Franchise?

• (a) Only one
• (b) Only two
• The Indian Constitution has adopted universal adult franchise as a basis of elections to the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. Every citizen who is not less than 18 years of age has a right to vote without any discrimination of caste, race, religion, sex, literacy, wealth, and so on. The voting age was reduced to 18 years from 21 years in 1989 by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act of 1988.
• The introduction of universal adult franchise by the Constitution-makers was a bold experiment and highly remarkable in view of the vast size of the country, its huge population, high poverty, social inequality and overwhelming illiteracy.
• Universal adult franchise makes democracy broad-based, enhances the self-respect and prestige of the common people , upholds the principle of equality , enables minorities to protect their interests and opens up new hopes and vistas for weaker sections. Hence, statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct.
• A responsible government is one in which there is a degree of accountability towards parliament. There is also the fundamental concept of Bicameralism. Though universal adult franchise upholds democracy, it does not ensure a responsible government. Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

9 . Question

With reference to Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder, consider the following statements:

• A citizen of another country who was a citizen of India at any time after the commencement of the Constitution is eligible to become OCI cardholder.
• OCI cardholders are entitled to multiple entry lifelong visa for visiting India for any purpose.
• OCI cardholders enjoy the right to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

• d) 1, 2 and 3
• Following categories of foreign nationals are eligible for registration as Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder:
• Who was a citizen of India at the time of, or at any time after the commencement of, the Constitution i.e. 26.01.1950 ; or
• who was eligible to become a citizen of India on 26.01.1950; or
• who belonged to a territory that became part of India after 15.08.1947; or
• who is a child or a grandchild or a great-grandchild of such a citizen; or
• who is a minor child of such persons mentioned above; or
• who is a minor child and whose both parents are citizens of India or one of the parents is a citizen of India; or
• Spouse of foreign origin of a citizen of India or spouse of foreign origin of an Overseas Citizen of India Cardholder registered under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and whose marriage has been registered and subsisted for a continuous period of not less than two years immediately preceding the presentation of the application.

Hence, statement 1 is correct.

• Following benefits will be allowed to an OCI: (a ) Multi-purpose, multiple entry, and lifelong visa for visiting India. (b) Exemption from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• OCI is not to be misconstrued as ‘dual citizenship’. OCI does not confer political rights . The registered Overseas Citizens of India shall not be entitled to the rights which are conferred only to citizens of India, such as the right under article 16 of the Constitution with regard to equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

10 . Question

Which of the following acts is a brazen violation of Article 23 of the Indian Constitution?

• a) A state government teacher ordered by the concerned government to compulsorily engage non-teaching activities.
• b) A migrant from Nepal working at a construction site for less than the minimum wage.
• c) An eligible female job aspirant denied employment by a government office.
• d) A decision to not increase the dearness allowance of government employees.
• Article 23 prohibits traffic in human beings, begar (forced labour) and other similar forms of forced labour. Any contravention of this provision shall be an offence punishable in accordance with the law.
• This right is available to both citizens and non-citizens. It protects the individual not only against the State but also against private persons.
• Article 23 provides for an exception to this provision. It permits the State to impose compulsory service for public purposes , as for example, military service or social service, for which it is not bound to pay. However, in imposing such service, the State is not permitted to make any discrimination on grounds only of religion, race, caste or class.
• State government teachers are also engaged in non-teaching activities during the elections or Census data collection.
• Article 23 prohibits begar and other ‘similar forms of forced labour’ like ‘bonded labour’. The term ‘forced labour’ means compelling a person to work against his will. The word ‘force’ includes not only physical or legal force but also force arising from the compulsion of economic circumstances that is, working for less than the minimum wage. As this right is available to both citizens and non- citizens, the case in option (b) is a violation of Article 23.
• Denial of employment to an eligible candidate is a violation of Article 16 . It violates the Right to Equality in public employment.
• An increase in the Dearness Allowance (DA) of Central Government employees and many state government employees was put on hold due to COVID 19. This does not violate Article 23.

11 . Question

Consider the following:

Assertion (A): The First Past the Post (FPTP) system can lead to a party winning a majority of seats without a majority of votes.

Reason (R): In the FPTP system, the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency wins, even if they do not secure a majority of the total votes.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
• b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
• c) A is true, but R is false.
• d) A is false, but R is true.
• A is true . In the FPTP system, it is possible for a party to win the majority of seats in the legislature without securing a majority of the total votes cast across all constituencies. This happens because the FPTP system counts the winner in each constituency as the candidate who receives the most votes, regardless of whether that total constitutes an absolute majority (over 50%).
• R is true. The FPTP system declares the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency the winner, even if they have not received a majority of the total votes. This means that a candidate can win with a plurality of votes if there are multiple candidates splitting the vote.
• R is the correct explanation of A . Because in the FPTP system each candidate only needs to receive the highest number of votes in their respective constituency to win, this system can result in a party winning many constituencies (and thus a majority of seats) with only a plurality of votes in each, not necessarily a majority of total votes nationwide. This discrepancy explains why a party can secure a majority of seats without a majority of the overall vote.
• Hence, option (a) is correct .

12 . Question

• Determining the policies for political party advertisements on radio and television during election times.
• Creation of electronic photo identity cards and preparation of an election list.
• Calling off elections in the event of rigging, booth capturing, violence, or other irregularities.
• Imposing fines on political parties for not adhering to the code of conduct.

How many of the above functions are performed by the Election Commission of India?

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) regulates the use of media by political parties during elections. It sets guidelines for political advertisements on radio and television to ensure fair play. This includes allocating time slots to parties and ensuring that broadcasts do not violate the Model Code of Conduct. This is done to prevent any unfair advantage that might arise from unregulated media usage. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The ECI is responsible for creating and updating the electoral rolls, which include registering all eligible voters. Additionally, the ECI has been instrumental in the creation and distribution of Electronic Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) to voters, which helps in ensuring that only registered voters can vote, thereby reducing electoral fraud. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The ECI has the authority to cancel or postpone elections in a constituency if it believes that the election process has been compromised due to malpractices like rigging, booth capturing, violence, or any other irregularities. This power is crucial for maintaining the integrity of elections and ensuring that results are a true reflection of the voters’ will. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• While the ECI enforces the Model Code of Conduct (MCC ), it does not have the authority to impose fines directly. Instead, the ECI can take actions such as issuing warnings, disqualifying candidates, and reporting violations to law enforcement agencies for further action. The MCC is a set of guidelines that political parties and candidates must follow to ensure free and fair elections. Enforcement is typically through advisories, censures, or recommending action to other authorities rather than direct financial penalties . Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

13 . Question

Arrange the following in the correct hierarchically order with reference to the administrative machinery for the conduct of elections in India:

• District Electoral officer
• Presiding officer
• Returning officer
• Polling officer

Administrative machinery for the conduct of elections in India

• Part IV provide for delegation of functions of Election Commission i.e. the functions of the Election Commission under the Constitution, the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and Representation of the People Act, 1951 Act or under the rules made there under may be performed also by a Deputy Election Commissioner or by the Secretary to the Election Commission on the basis of directions as may be given by the Election Commission in this behalf.
• Chief Electoral Officer : The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an Officer of the Government of the State/Union Territory as the Chief Electoral Officer in consultation with that State Government/Union Territory Administration.
• Chief Electoral Officer of a State/ Union Territory is authorized to supervise the election work in the State/Union Territory subject to the overall superintendence, direction and control of the Election Commission.
• Observer: The Election Commission may nominate an Observer who shall be an officer of Government to watch the conduct of election or elections in a constituency or a group of constituencies. Earlier, the appointment of Observers was made under the plenary powers of the Commission.
• But with the amendments made to the Representation of the People Act, 1951 in 1996, these are now statutory appointments. They report directly to the Commission. The Observer has the power to direct the returning officer for the constituency or for any of the constituencies for which he has been nominated, to stop the counting of votes at any time before the declaration of the result or not to declare the result if in his opinion booth capturing has taken place.
• In case of stopping the counting of votes or non-declaration of result, a report shall be sent by the Observer to the EC, which issue appropriate directions.
• District Election Officer: The EC nominates an Officer of the State Government as the District Election Officer in consultation with the State Government.
• The district election officer is authorized to coordinate and supervise all work in the district or in the area within his jurisdiction in connection with the conduct of all elections to Parliament and the Legislature of the State subject to the superintendence, direction and control of the chief electoral officer.
• With the previous approval of the Election Commission, DEO provides a sufficient number of polling stations for every constituency the whole or greater part of which lies within his jurisdiction, and publishes a list showing the polling stations so provided and the polling areas or groups of voters for which they have respectively been provided
• Returning Officer: The Election Commission of India nominates or designates an officer of the Government or a local authority as the Returning Officer for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in consultation with the State Government/Union Territory Administration.
• Same person can be appointed as the returning officer for more than one constituency. In addition, the Election Commission of India may appoint one or more Assistant Returning Officers for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies to assist the Returning Officer in the performance of his functions in connection with the conduct of elections. Every such person must be an officer of Government or of a local authority.
• Every assistant returning officer, subject to the control of the returning officer, is competent to perform all or any of the functions of the returning officer except functions which relate the scrutiny of nominations unless the returning officer is unavoidably prevented from performing the said function. While Returning officer may always include an assistant returning officer in performing any function which he is authorized to perform him.
• It is the general duty of the returning officer at any election to do all such acts and things as may be necessary for effectually conducting the election in the manner provided by RPA, 1951and rules or orders made there under.
• Presiding Officer: The district election officer appoints a presiding officer for each polling station. If a polling officer is absent from the polling station, the presiding officer may appoint any person who is present at the polling station other than a person who has been employed by or on behalf of, or has been otherwise working for, a candidate in or about the election, to be the polling officer during the absence of the former officer, and inform the district election officer accordingly.
• Same person can be the presiding officer for more than one polling station in the same premises. It is the general duty of the presiding officer at a polling station to keep order thereat and to see that the poll is fairly taken.
• Polling Officer: A polling officer performs all or any of the functions of a presiding officer based upon his direction.
• If the presiding officer is absent from the polling station due to illness or other unavoidable cause, his functions shall be performed by such polling officer as has been previously authorized by the district election officer to perform such functions during any such absence. It is the duty of the polling officers at a polling station to assist the presiding officer for such station in the performance of his functions.
• The returning officer, assistant returning officer, presiding officer, polling officer, and any other officer appointed so and any police officer designated for the time being by the State Government, for the conduct of any election shall be deemed to be on deputation to the Election Commission during the election period and such officers shall be subject to the control, superintendence and discipline of the Election Commission.

14 . Question

Who has the authority to direct cease of vote counting or withholding of result declaration if booth capturing is suspected?

• a) Returning Officer
• b) Presiding Officer
• c) Observer
• d) Polling Officer
• Option (d) is correct: The waters of Lake Victoria occupy a shallow depression and are centered around the East African Rift System.
• The area of Lake Victoria is shared by the African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
• About 49% of the lake falls under Tanzania, followed by 45% in Uganda and about 6% in Kenya. The lake is the chief reservoir of the Nile River.

15 . Question

Which of the following are duties of the Returning Officer?

• Declaring election results
• Appointing Assistant Returning Officers
• Overseeing campaign activities of candidates
• Nominating Presiding Officers
• c) 1,2 and 3 only
• d) 1,2 and 4 only
• The Election Commission of India nominates an officer of the Government or a local authority as the Returning Officer for each of the assembly and parliamentary constituencies in consultation with the State Government/Union Territory Administration.
• The Returning Officer is indeed responsible for overseeing the counting of votes and officially declaring the election results for the constituency . Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• Assistant Returning Officers are appointed by the Election Commission, not by the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer may work with Assistant Returning Officers, but they do not have the authority to appoint them. Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.
• The Returning Officer is not responsible for overseeing campaign activities of candidates. This duty falls under the jurisdiction of election observers. Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.
• The appointment of Presiding Officers is done by the District Election Officer not by the Returning Officer . Hence, statement 4 is incorrect.

16 . Question

• The collegium system of the Indian Judiciary is not rooted in the Constitution or the laws promulgated by Parliament.
• The Supreme Court Collegium is a five-member body which is headed by the retired Chief Justice of India.
• The Central government has no role in the process of the Collegium including naming or appointment of judges.

How many of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (c) All three

Statement 1 is correct : The collegium system is the way by which judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts are appointed and transferred.

The collegium system is not rooted in the Constitution or a specific law promulgated by Parliament; it has evolved through judgments of the Supreme Court.

Statement 2 is not correct: The Supreme Court Collegium is a five-member body, which is headed by the incumbent CJI and comprises the four other senior judges of the court at that time.

Statement 3 is not correct: Judges of the higher judiciary are appointed only through the collegium system, and the government has a role only after names have been decided by the collegium.

17 . Question

• The Supreme Court in the Indira Gandhi vs Raj Narain Case recognized that free and fair elections are a part of the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution of India.
• As per the Representation of People Act, 1951, the Election Commission of India can reduce the period of disqualification of candidates from contesting in elections.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

• (c) Both 1 and 2
• (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Statement 1 is correct: In 1975, the Supreme Court in the case of Indira Gandhi v Raj Narain recognised that free and fair elections are a part of the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution of India, and any laws or policies that would violate this principle could be struck down.

Though free and fair elections have been placed on the highest constitutional pedestal, the Supreme Court has held that the rights to elect and be elected do not enjoy the same status.

Section 8 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 (RP Act) is titled “Disqualification on conviction for certain offences” if a person is convicted of any of the offences in the exhaustive list provided in the provision.

Statement 2 is correct: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is empowered under Section 11 of the RP Act to “remove” or “reduce” the period of disqualification.

The Chandrayaan-3 mission’s successful soft landing on the Moon marks India’s significant achievement, becoming the fourth nation in history to reach the lunar surface.

Hence, statement 1 is incorrect and statement 2 is incorrect.

Instruments and Experiments on Chandrayaan 3: 

Lander Experiments:

• Radio Anatomy of Moon Bound Hypersensitive Ionosphere and Atmosphere (RAMBHA):  This experiment studies the electrons and ions near the moon’s surface, investigating their behaviour and changes over time.
• Chandra’s Surface Thermo Physical Experiment (ChaSTE):  ChaSTE focuses on the thermal properties of the lunar surface near the polar region, contributing to our understanding of temperature variations.

Instrument for Lunar Seismic Activity (ILSA) : ILSA measures lunar quakes near the landing site, analyzing the composition of the Moon’s crust and mantle through seismic activity. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

• LASER Retroreflector Array (LRA):  This passive experiment, provided by NASA, acts as a target for lasers, enabling precise measurements for future missions.

Rover Experiments:

• LASER-Induced Breakdown Spectroscope (LIBS):  LIBS determines the chemical and mineral composition of the lunar surface, offering insights into its geological makeup.
• Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS):  APXS identifies elements like magnesium, aluminium, silicon, and more in the lunar soil and rocks, contributing to our understanding of lunar materials.

About Luna 25: Russia’s Lunar Mission:

Luna 25 was a Russian lunar mission launched by Roscosmos on August 11, 2023. The mission aimed to  soft-land a lander near the moon’s south pole  to study moondust, moon soil, and the atmosphere. However, the mission encountered a glitch and crashed on the moon’s surface on August 20, ending in failure.

About LVM3: 

Launch Vehicle Mark 3 (LVM3)  (previously known as GSLV-MK III) is a three-stage launch vehicle consisting of  two solid propellants S200 strap-ons  on its sides and a core stage comprising  L110 liquid stage and C25 cryogenic stage . The vehicle is also dubbed as one of the heaviest for its ability to carry satellites up to 8,000 kg.

18 . Question

• The legal framework to resolve disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution has been provided in the Civil Procedure Code of 1908.
• The Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, 2018, and the Specific Relief (Amendment) Act, 2018 were amended to reduce the unclogging of the Indian courts.
• Under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, an award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed a decree of a civil court thus making Lok Adalat a permanent establishment.

Statement 1 is correct : The Government has been at the forefront of promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution Systems. The enabling legal framework for resolution of disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has been provided under Section 89, Civil Procedure Code, 1908.

Section 89 recognises, Arbitration, Conciliation, Mediation and Judicial Settlement including settlement through Lok Adalat.

The Government has established Fast Track Courts for dealing with cases of heinous crimes, cases involving senior citizens, women, children, HIV/AIDS etc. and property related cases pending for more than five years.

Statement 2 is correct: To reduce pendency and unclogging of the courts, the Government has recently amended various laws like the Negotiable Instruments (Amendment) Act, 2018, the Specific Relief (Amendment) Act, 2018 and the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Act, 2018.

Lok Adalats have come up as a viable Alternative Disputes Resolution Mechanism available to common people. It is a forum where the disputes/ cases pending in the court of law or at pre-litigation stage are settled/ compromised amicably.

Statement 3 is not correct: Under the Legal Services Authorities (LSA) Act, 1987, an award made by a Lok Adalat is deemed to be a decree of a civil court and is final and binding on all parties and no appeal lies against thereto before any court. Lok Adalat is not a permanent establishment.

19 . Question

Consider the following statements regarding the “PREFIRE” Mission:

• It is designed to measure the portion of the radiant energy emitted by the Earth.
• It can provide scientific evidence about sea ice loss, and warming of the Arctic.
• It is a collaborative mission of NASA and the European Space Agency.

Statement 1 is correct: The PREFIRE (Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-InfraRed Experiment) mission will study heat loss to space in Earth’s polar regions.

A mission designed for a pair of tiny satellites to measure a little-studied portion of the radiant energy emitted by Earth.

Statement 2 is correct: It provides significant clues about sea ice loss, ice-sheet melting, and a warming Arctic – the region that behaves like our planet’s thermostat, as it regulates the climate by venting excess energy received in the tropics.

Statement 3 is not correct : The National Aeronautics and Space Administration/NASA (NOT ESA) has prepared to launch its new climate science mission, the Polar Radiant Energy in the Far-Infrared Experiment (PREFIRE), which aims to capture brand new data on how heat is lost to space from Earth’s Polar Regions.

20 . Question

The Fiat Currency:

• Is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a physical commodity.
• Has a derived value independent of the supply and demand of an economy.
• Includes the modern paper currencies and tends to cause hyperinflation.

How many of the statements given above is/are not correct?

Statement 1 is correct: Fiat money is a government-issued currency that is not backed by a physical commodity, such as gold or silver, but rather by the government that issued it.

Statement 2 is not correct: The value of fiat money is derived from the relationship between supply and demand and the stability of the issuing government, rather than the worth of a commodity backing it.

Fiat money gives central banks greater control over the economy because they can control how much money is printed.

Statement 3 is correct: Most modern paper currencies, such as the U.S. dollar, are fiat currencies.

One danger of fiat money is that governments can print too much of it, resulting in hyperinflation.

21 . Question

Consider the following statements regarding Curative Petition:

• It is the last judicial resort available for redressal of grievances in court which is normally decided by judges in-chamber.
• The concept of curative petition was first evolved by the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Gian Kaur Vs. State of Punjab.
• The petition is to be sent to the Chief Justice of India and judges of the bench who passed the judgement affecting the petition, if available.

How many of the above statements are correct?

Curative Petition

It is the last judicial resort available for redressal of grievances in court which is normally decided by judges in-chamber . It is only in rare cases that such petitions are given an open-court hearing.

The concept of curative petition was first evolved by the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Rupa Ashok Hurra vs. Ashok Hurra and Anr. (2002) where the question was whether an aggrieved person is entitled to any relief against the final judgement/order of the Supreme Court, after dismissal of a review petition.

Hence, statement 2 is incorrect.

To entertain the curative petitions , the Supreme Court has laid down certain specific conditions:

• The petitioner will have to establish that there was a genuine violation of principles of natural justice and fear of the bias of the judge and judgement that adversely affected him.
• The petition shall state specifically that the grounds mentioned had been taken in the review petition and that it was dismissed by circulation.
• The petition is to be sent to the three senior most judges and judges of the bench who passed the judgement affecting the petition, if available.

Hence, statement 3 is incorrect.

• If the majority of the judges on the above bench agree that the matter needs hearing, then it would be sent to the same bench (as far as possible) and the court could impose “exemplary costs” to the petitioner if his plea lacks merit.

22 . Question

• The right to vote is a constitutional right under Article 326 of the Constitution.
• Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that the person under punitive or preventive detention has no right to cast vote.
• Undertrial prisoners can cast their vote through postal ballots.

Article 326 of the Indian Constitution has inherited the provisions regarding the right to vote.

Representation of the People Act of 1951 states that individuals in the lawful custody of the police and those serving a sentence of imprisonment after conviction cannot vote. Although persons under preventive detention can cast their vote through postal ballots.

Undertrial prisoners are excluded from participating in elections even if their names are on the electoral rolls.

23 . Question

Consider the followings:

• Speaker of the Lok Sabha
• Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
• Union Home Minister
• leaders of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha

How many of the above persons are the members of the selection committee to appoint chairman and members of NHRC?

• (c) Only three
• (d) All four

The chairperson and members are appointed by the president on the recommendations of a six-member committee consisting of the prime minister as its head, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha , the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, leaders of the Opposition in both the Houses of Parliament and the Central home minister . Further, a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or a sitting chief justice of a high court can be appointed only after consultation with the chief justice of India.

24 . Question

The expenses of by-election of Lok Sabha are borne by which of the followings?

• (a) The candidate of the concerned constituency
• (b) The political parties involved in election
• (c) The Election Commission of India
• (d) The government of respective states

The expenses of by-election of Lok Sabha are borne by the Election Commission of India .

Statement 1 is correct: The Kaziranga National Park represents one of the last unmodified natural areas in the north-eastern region of India. It is located in the State of Assam as the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.

Statement 2 is correct: In the year 1985, the park was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.  Along with the iconic Greater one-horned rhinoceros, the park is the breeding ground of elephants, wild water buffalo, and swamp deer.

The park is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International for the conservation of avifaunal species.

Statement 3 is correct: The park’s location at the junction of the Australasia and Indo-Asian flyway means that the park’s wetlands play a crucial role for the conservation of globally threatened migratory bird species.

25 . Question

• Sujata Manohar
• Bela Trivedi
• Indira Banerjee
• B. V. Nagarathna

How many of the above are the current female judges in Supreme Court?

• (a) Only two
• (b) Only three
• (c) Only four
• (d) All five

List of female judges in Supreme Court of India

26 . Question

Passage 1: The underlying “magic” that enables economies to grow from low income to middle income and from there to high income is captured in an economic term called “Total Factor Productivity (TFP)”. TFP is a measure of the total growth in output that is beyond simply the increase in inputs into the system. In arcane economic terms, it is measured by something called the Solow residual—named after the Nobel Prize winning growth economist Robert Solow. In simple English, it is that which allows blood to be squeezed out of (the labour and capital) stone. In an article written six years ago called “Escaping The Middle-Income Trap”, Berkeley economist Barry Eichengreen showed that structural growth pick-ups and slowdowns are almost always because of an increase/decrease in TFP. Eichengreen accurately predicted that the TFP drop in China caused by over-allocation to investments would cause a fall in growth rate, and that this growth would only be rebalanced if the economy were to shift towards consumption and higher value-added manufacturing.

The Author suggests that I. Structural growth in an economy is reflected through changes in TFP II. Increasing inputs in economy will aid growth from low income to middle income economy Which of the above statement is/ are Correct?

• (b) II only
• (c) Both I and II
• (d) Neither I nor II

Answer: A Explanation: Statement 2 is wrong as going beyond input is required to aid growth from L ow income to middle income country.

27 . Question

Read the information carefully and answer the following question:– The total production by 3 companies on Monday was 540 out of which one- third cars were produced by Tata. The number of cars produced by Renault on Monday is less than the cars produced by Tata on Monday by the same extent as the number of cars produced by Maruti on Monday is more than the cars produced by Tata on Monday. The difference between cars produced by Renault and Maruti on Monday is 40. 150 cars are produced by Tata on Tuesday, which is 100 less than the cars produced by the same company on Wednesday. A total of 910 cars were produced by Tata from Monday to Friday.

The ratio between cars produced by Tata on Thursday to cars produced by the same company on Friday is 5 : 6.

220 cars were produced by Renault on Tuesday, which is 80 less than the cars produced by Maruti on Wednesday. A total of 570 cars were produced on Tuesday, which is 76% of the total cars produced on Wednesday.

The number of cars produced by Maruti on Thursday is two-third more than cars produced by Tata on the same day. Total 580 cars were produced on Thursday.

The number of cars produced by Maruti on Friday is same as that on Monday. 140 cars were produced by Renault on Friday.

Find the ratio between total cars produced on Monday to that on Wednesday?

• (a) 18 : 29
• (b) 18 : 25
• (c) 18 : 31

Solution: B) 18: 25

By the deducing the information given above, we can get the following table

The ratio between total cars produced on Monday to that on Wednesday

= 540/750 = 18 : 25

Hence, option (b) is correct .

28 . Question

What is the initial quantity of the juice in vessel A?

Statement I: Ratio of the juice and water in vessel A and B is 3: 2 and 4: 3 respectively.

Statement II: 28 liters of the mixture of B is poured into A and then the ratio of the juice and water in vessel A becomes 17: 12.

Statement III: 10 liters of the mixture from vessel C is taken out and is poured into vessel A, then the ratio of the juice to water becomes vessel A is 5: 4.

• A) Only I and II are sufficient
• B) Only II and III are sufficient
• C) Either II alone or I and II together to sufficient
• D) All I, II and III necessary to the answer the question

Option A) Only I and II are sufficient

From statement I,

juice and water in A = 3: 2

juice and water in B = 4: 3

So, Statement I alone is not sufficient to answer the question

From statement II,

Vessel B mixture = 28

Ratio of the juice and water in A = 17: 12

So, Statement II alone is not sufficient to answer the question

From statement III,

Mixture of C = 10

Ratio of juice and water in C = 5: 4

So, Statement III alone is not sufficient to answer the question

From I and II

juice in 28 liters of B = 4/7 * 28 = 16 liters

Water in 28 liters of B = 3/7 * 28 = 12 liters

3x + 16/2x + 12 = 17/12

34x + 204 = 36x + 192

juice in vessel A = 3 * 6 = 18 liters

So, Statement I and II are necessary to answer the question.

29 . Question

What is the sum of the ages of person 1 and 2?

Statement I: Ratio of the ages of 1 to 3 is 4: 5 and the ratio of the ages of 1 to 4 is 1: 3.

Statement II: Sum of the ages of 2,3 and 4 is 125 years and 5 years ago the ratio of the ages of 1 to 4 is 3: 11.

Statement III: 4’s age is 200% more than that of 1’s age and the difference between the ages of 1 and 4 is 40 years.

p1/p3 = 4/5

p1/p4 = 1/3

From Statement II,

p2 + p3 + p4 = 125

(p1 – 5)/(p4 – 5) = 3/11

p4 = 300/100 * p1

p4: p1 = 3: 1

p1= 20 years

p4 = 3 * 20 = 60 years

From statement I and II,

p1 and p4’s present age be x and 3x respectively

(x – 5)/(3x – 5) = 3/11

= > 11x – 55 = 9x – 15

= > 2x = 40

= > x = 20

Present age of p1 and p4 is 20 and 60 years respectively

p3’s present age = 20/4 * 5 = 25 years

p2’s present age = 125 – (25 + 60) = 125 – 85 = 40 years

Sum of the ages of p1 and p2 = (20 + 40) = 60 years

Hence, statement I and II alone is sufficient to answer the given question.

30 . Question

M,N,O,P,Q,R and S are the seven members of a family comprising two layout manager, two Magistrate, one editor, one economist and one analyst. It is also known that:

a)There are exactly two married couples in the family.

b)P, who is an analyst, is married to an Magistrate.

c)No female member of the family is either an analyst or an economist.

d)O, who is a layout manager, is married to M, an magistrate.

e)Both the layout managers are females.

f)S is married to P.

g)It is male in the family who has ventured into the risk taking domain of editor.

h)Neither N nor R is a layout manager.

How many male members are there in the family?

Option D) 4

There are 4 male members as M,N and R are male while between P and S there has to be one male and one female-being a married couple.

31 . Question

Article 226 of the Constitution of India gives High Courts the power to issue writs, orders, and directions to enforce fundamental rights and other purposes. Consider the following about it.

• The High Courts can issue writs to any person or authority, including the government.
• The High Courts can consider public interest and equity when making such decisions.

Which of the above is/are correct?

• c) Both 1 and 2

Solution: c)

Justification:  Article 226 of the Constitution of India gives High Courts the power to issue writs, orders, and directions to enforce fundamental rights and other purposes. This includes the power to issue writs to any person or authority, including the government.

Article 226 gives High Courts extraordinary jurisdiction to address legal injury. This allows the High Court to consider public interest and equity when making decisions.

We will cover more on High Courts of India when covering Laxmikanth’s polity book.

Q Source: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2024/01/29/mission-2024-insights-daily-current-affairs-pib-summary-29-january-2024/

32 . Question

Article 30(1) of the Constitution grants religious and linguistic minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. Consider the following about it.

• Although such a minority institution can have a secular administration and admit students from diverse communities, it must exclusively offer religious courses.
• The presence of majority community members in administrative roles dilutes the minority character of educational institutions, and they are no longer considered minority institutions.

Solution: d)

Justification:  Article 29 grants the right to conserve distinct language, script, or culture for any section of citizens in India. Protects both religious and linguistic minorities. The term ‘section of citizens’ includes both minorities and the majority.

Article 30(1) empowers religious and linguistic minorities to establish and administer educational institutions. It ensures non-discriminatory aid from the Union government.

Context: The legal dispute over Aligarh Muslim University’s (AMU) minority status is currently under consideration by a seven-judge Supreme Court Bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud.

The dispute over AMU’s minority character originated in legal challenges to the AMU Act of 1920, with significant amendments in 1951 and 1965. Changes included replacing the ‘Lord Rector’ with a ‘Visitor’ (President of India) and allowing non-Muslims in the University Court. The SC’s 1967 ruling held that AMU, being a central university, couldn’t be considered a minority institution. This raised questions about AMU’s minority character, challenging the notion that its establishment solely relied on the efforts of the Muslim minority. In 1981, AMU was recognized as an “institution of national importance” by the Union government.

Following the SC’s 1967 ruling, protests erupted and it led to an amendment affirming AMU’s minority status in 1981. However, the Allahabad High Court nullified the 1981 Act in 2005, rejecting the reservation. In 2019, a three-judge Bench referred the dispute to a seven-judge Bench.

33 . Question

Which of the following directive principles found in the constitution is/are socialist in nature?

• Equitable distribution of material resources of the community for the common good
• Prevention of concentration of wealth and means of production
• Equal pay for equal work for men and women

Select the correct answer using the codes below.

• b) 2 and 3 only

Learning: Some important socialist provisions are:

• To promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order permeated by justice— social, economic and political—and to minimise inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities (Article 38).
• To secure (a) the right to adequate means of livelihood for all citizens; (b) the equitable distribution of material resources of the community for the common good; (c) prevention of concentration of wealth and means of production; (d) equal pay for equal work for men and women; (e) preservation of the health and strength of workers and children against forcible abuse; and (f) opportunities for healthy development of children (Article 39).
• To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor (Article 39 A).
• To secure the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement (Article 41).
• To make provision for just and humane conditions for work and maternity relief (Article 42).

Q Source: Chapter 8: Indian Polity: M Laxmikanth

34 . Question

Which of the following terms do NOT appear in the Preamble?

• b) Parliamentary
• d) Sovereign

Solution: a)

Justification: “We, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, Social, Economic and Political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all;

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION”

Q Source: Chapter 4: Indian Polity: M Laxmikanth

35 . Question

Which of the following provisions found in the Constitution seek to achieve political equality?

• No person is to be declared ineligible for inclusion in electoral rolls on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex.
• Elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies to be on the basis of adult suffrage.

Justification: There are two provisions in the Constitution that seek to achieve political equality.

• One, no person is to be declared ineligible for inclusion in electoral rolls on grounds of religion, race, caste or sex (Article 325).
• Two, elections to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies to be on the basis of adult suffrage (Article 326).
• Thus, the right to vote is a constitutional right, not a fundamental right.

36 . Question

Consider the following statements :

Statement-I :

The Places of Worship Act, 1991 allows the conversion of places of worship existed on the 15th day of August 1947.

Statement-II :

Suits, appeals and legal proceedings can be initiated with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

• (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
• (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
• (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
• (d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

The Places of Worship Act, 1991, prohibits “conversion of any place of worship” and provides “for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on the 15th day of August 1947, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto”.

Hence, statement I is incorrect.

Section 3 of the Act bars the conversion of places of worship. It states, “No person shall convert any place of worship of any religious denomination or any section thereof into a place of worship of a different section of the same religious denomination or of a different religious denomination or any section thereof.”

Section 4(1) of the Act states that “the religious character of a place of worship existing on the 15th day of August, 1947 shall continue to be the same as it existed on that day”.

Section 4(2) of the Act further states that “any suit, appeal or other proceeding with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship, existing on the 15th day of August, 1947, is pending before any court, tribunal or other authority, the same shall abate, and no suit, appeal or other proceeding with respect to any such matter shall lie on or after such commencement in any court, tribunal or other authority, the same shall abate, and no suit, appeal or other proceeding with respect to any such matter shall lie on or after such commencement in any court, tribunal or other authority”.

However, suits, appeals and legal proceedings can be initiated with respect to the conversion of the religious character of any place of worship after the commencement of the Act, if the change of status took place after the cut-off date of August 15, 1947.

Hence, statement II is correct.

The original Gyanvapi mosque suit was filed in 1991 in the Varanasi district court for the restoration of the ancient temple at the site where the Gyanvapi mosque currently stands.

Section 5 of the Act stipulates that the particular law does not apply to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case or any suit, appeal or other proceeding relating to it.

37 . Question

With reference to the differences between Parole and Furlough, consider the following statements: 1. Parole is covered under CrPC while furlough is covered under IPC. 2. In case of furlough, a specific justification is necessary while it is not in case of parole.​ 3. Parole is granted on the request of the prisoner and can be denied whereas furlough is a basic right of a prisoner.

Parole and furlough are two provision which are covered under Section – 432 of Criminal Procedure Code 1973.

Hence, statement 1 is incorrect.

In case of parole, a specific justification is necessary while it is not in case of furlough.​

Parole is the temporary release of the prisoner and same is furlough but parole is granted on the request of the prisoner and can be denied whereas furlough is a basic right of a prisoner.

Hence, statement 3 is correct.

38 . Question

Consider the following statements: 1. Collegium system in India was introduced in First Judge Case of 1981. 2. In third judge case of 1998, Supreme court stated that the consultation process to be adopted by the CJI requires consultation of plurality judges.

Which of the above statements is/are incorrect?

Collegium system in India was introduced in Second Judge Case of 1993.

In third Judge Case, 1998, Supreme court stated that the consultation process to be adopted by the CJI requires ‘consultation of plurality judges’. The CJI should consult a collegium of four senior most judges of the Supreme Court. Even if two judges give an adverse opinion, they should not send the recommendation to the government.

Hence, statement 2 is correct.

39 . Question

The Parliament may provide for the imposition of such penalty or punishment as may be considered appropriate for any non-compliance with or refusal to observe any of the fundamental duties.

The Parliament is free to enforce them by suitable legislation.

Interestingly, certain recommendations of the Committee were not accepted by the Congress Party and hence, not incorporated in the Constitution. These include: 1. The Parliament may provide for the imposition of such penalty or punishment as may be considered appropriate for any non-compliance with or refusal to observe any of the duties.

2. No law imposing such penalty or punishment shall be called in question in any court on the ground of infringement of any of Fundamental Rights or on the ground of repugnancy to any other provision of the Constitution. 3. Duty to pay taxes should also be a Fundamental Duty of the citizens.

Like the Directive Principles, the fundamental duties are also non-justiciable. The Constitution does not provide for their direct enforcement by the courts. Moreover, there is not legal sanction against their violation. However, the Parliament is free to enforce them by suitable legislation.

40 . Question

Consider the following pairs: (Places in news)​​(situated in) 1. Rafah​​​Turkiye 2. Varzaqan​​​Iran 3. Paletwa​​​Bhutan

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

Rafah is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. It is the capital of the Rafah Governorate of the State of Palestine, located 30 kilometers south-west of Gaza City.

Hence, pair 1 is incorrectly matched.

Varzaqan is a city in the Central District of Varzaqan County East Azerbaijan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. It is also the administrative center for Ozomdel-e Jonubi Rural District.

Hence, pair 2 is correctly matched.

Paletwa is one of the westernmost towns of Myanmar, in Chin State 18 kilometres from the border with Bangladesh.

Hence, pair 3 is incorrectly matched.

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29 May 2024: The Hindu Analysis

UPSC Current Affairs Preparation: The Hindu Analysis

Watch expert analysis of ‘The Hindu’ dated 29 May 2024. Important news and views to boost your IAS exam preparation. Watch previous The Hindu Video Analysis .   

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