UPSC Mains 2026 GS1 Previous Year Questions

Question list

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1. Q1 · Analyze the importance of Ashokan inscriptions for reconstructing Mauryan history.
2. Q2 · Discuss the impact of Macaulay’s Minute on colonial administration and education in India.
3. Q3 · The significance of Gandhian movements lay in the masses they mobilized. Elucidate.
4. Q4 · What is the Fujiwhara effect? Explain its impact on the movement and intensity of tropical cyclones.
5. Q5 · “Tundra regions are ecologically fragile but economically important.” Examine this statement critically.
6. Q6 · Discuss the role of aeolian processes in desertification and land degradation.
7. Q7 · “Water resources are both an asset and a source of conflict in South Asia.” Examine this statement giving examples.
8. Q8 · Unity in diversity remains the defining feature of Indian society despite challenges from communalism and regionalism. Comment.
9. Q9 · How do you understand disability? Substantiate the need for inclusive policy framework in India in this regard.
10. Q10 · Do you think that digital technology promotes social empowerment? Explain with suitable examples.
11. Q11 · Vijayanagara architecture exemplifies the amalgamation of past traditions with contemporary practices. Elucidate with examples.
12. Q12 · Linguistic reorganization of Indian States was driven by popular pressure from below. Comment.
13. Q13 · The model of planned economy was adopted in India to address the regional imbalances left behind by colonial rule. Comment.
14. Q14 · Compare the Loo, Chinook and Foehn winds with respect to their regions of prevalence, their nature and climatic impacts.
15. Q15 · Analyze the role of satellite-based technologies in achieving climate-smart agriculture and food security in India.
16. Q16 · “The centre of global trade is gradually shifting from the Atlantic region to the Indo-Pacific region.” Examine this statement.
17. Q17 · Analyze the major drivers of human-induced land-use changes in India and their geographical consequences.
18. Q18 · Is caste disappearing in urban India? Illustrate your answer with examples.
19. Q19 · Critically examine the challenges of demographic transition in contemporary India.
20. Q20 · Evaluate the impact of globalization on Indian youths with reference to social, political, economic and cultural spheres.