UPSC Mains PYQ Explorer
Fourteen years of UPSC Mains previous-year questions (2013–2026) — Essay + GS Papers I–IV — mapped topic-wise and decoded with what UPSC is testing and how to approach each answer.
Every UPSC General Studies Paper I (History, Art & Culture, Geography, Society) Mains previous-year question from 2013 to 2026, arranged chapter and subtopic-wise with what UPSC is testing and how to approach each answer.
GS1 PYQ Analysis
295 questions · 13 chapters · 2013-2026
295
Total PYQs
3500
Total Marks
13
Chapters
Year-wise question count (2013-2026)
SLOT 1 - INDIAN HERITAGE AND CULTURE, HISTORY.
Salient aspects of Art, Architecture, literature from Ancient to Modern Times
Indian Heritage & Culture, History
Mid-18th century – Present (significant events, personalities, issues) Freedom Struggle (various stages, important contributors from different parts of the country)
Indian Heritage & Culture, History
Post-Independence (consolidation and reorganisation within country)
Indian Heritage & Culture, History
18th century events (e.g. Industrial revolution, WWs, redrawn boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation); Political philosophies (e.g. communism, capitalism, socialism) and their effect on society
Indian Heritage & Culture, History
SLOT 2 - SOCIETY
Salient features of Indian Society; Diversity of India Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism & Secularism.
Society
Population and associated issues. Poverty and Development issues.
Society
Urbanization problems and remedies.
Society
Effects of Globalization on Indian society.
Society
Role of women and women's organisation
Society
SLOT 3 - GEOGRAPHY
Salient Features of World Physical Geography Important Geophysical phenomena (earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, cyclones)
Geography
Changes in critical geographical features and in flora and fauna and the effect of such changes.
Geography
Distribution of key Natural Resources (world, S. Asia, Indian subcontinent)
Geography
Factors responsible for location of Industries (primary, secondary, tertiary; India, world)
Geography
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