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UPSC 2019 Question Papers: Mains GS 1–4 & Prelims
Official PapersYear: 2019
The UPSC 2019 question papers from upsc.gov.in: Mains Essay and General Studies Papers I–IV (250 marks each), with 71 GS questions written out below, and the Prelims papers where UPSC has released them.
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2Mains Examination
Essay
Essay Official UPSC Mains Essay Question Paper
GS PAPER I
GS PAPER I Official UPSC Mains GS Question Paper
GS PAPER II
GS PAPER II Official UPSC Mains GS Question Paper
GS PAPER III
GS PAPER III Official UPSC Mains GS Question Paper
GS PAPER IV
GS PAPER IV Official UPSC Mains GS Question Paper
UPSC Essay 2019 topics
The 8 essay topics of the CSE 2019 Mains, from UPSC's official paper. Candidates write two essays, one from each section, in about 1,000–1,200 words each (125 marks each).
- 1Wisdom finds truth.
- 2Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
- 3Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
- 4Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
- 5South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
- 6Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.
- 7Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
- 8Rise of Artificial Intelligence : the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.
For the Mains marks each rank needed in CSE 2025, see UPSC Mains marks needed for a rank.
UPSC Mains 2019 GS questions, paper by paper
71 questions read from UPSC's official CSE 2019 papers (English version). A few that did not scan cleanly are left out, so open the PDF above for the full paper and exact wording.
UPSC Mains 2019 GS Paper I questions
- 1Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in the Gandhara art.150 words
- 2The 1857 Uprising was the culmination of the recurrent big and small local rebellions that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British rule. Elucidate.150 words
- 3Examine the linkages between the nineteenth century’s ‘Indian Renaissance’ and the emergence of national identity.150 words
- 4Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples.150 words
- 5Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology.150 words
- 6Can the strategy of regional resource-based manufacturing help in promoting employment in India?150 words
- 7Discuss the factors for localisation of agro-based food processing industries of North-West India.150 words
- 8What makes the Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss.150 words
- 9“Empowering women is the key to control population growth.” Discuss.150 words
- 10What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism?150 words
- 11Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate.250 words
- 12Assess the role of British imperial power in complicating the process of transfer of power during the 1940s.250 words
- 13Explain how the foundations of the modern world were, laid by the American and French Revolutions.250 words
- 14What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India?250 words
- 15How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism?250 words
- 16How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development of India?250 words
- 17How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and coastal environment? Give suitable examples.250 words
- 18Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate with examples.250 words
- 19What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space?250 words
- 20Are we losing our local identity for the global identity? Discuss.250 words
UPSC Mains 2019 GS Paper II questions
- 1Do you think that Constitution of India does not accept principle of strict separation of powers rather it is based on the principle of ‘checks and balance’? Explain.10 marks · 150 words
- 2“The Central Administrative Tribunal which was established for redressal of griev- ances and complaints by or against central government employees, nowadays is exercising its powers as an independent judicial authority.” Explain.10 marks · 150 words
- 3What are the methods used by the farmers’ organisations to influence the policy- makers in India and how effective are these methods?10 marks · 150 words
- 4From the resolution of contentious issues regarding distribution of legislative powers by the courts, ‘Principle of Federal Supremacy’ and ‘Harmonious Construction’ have emerged. Explain.10 marks · 150 words
- 5What can France learn from the Indian Constitution’s approach to secularism?10 marks · 150 words
- 6Despite Consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive.10 marks · 150 words
- 7There is a growing divergence in the relationship between poverty and hunger in India. The shrinking of social expenditure by the government is forcing the poor to spend more on non-food essential items squeezing their food-budget. — Elucidate. Implementation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based Projects/Programmes usually suffers in terms of certain vital factors. Identify these factors, and suggest measures for their effective implementation.10 marks · 150 words
- 8‘The time has come for India and Japan to build a strong contemporary relationship, one involving global and strategic partnership that will have a great significance for Asia and the world as a whole.’ Comment.10 marks · 150 words
- 9‘Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life.’ Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘anti-Israel bias’.10 marks · 150 words
- 10Peoples Act, 1951? Also mention the remedies available to such person against his disqualification.15 marks · 250 words
- 11“Parliament’s power to amend the Constitution is a limited power and it cannot be enlarged into absolute power.” In the light of this statement explain whether Parliament under Article 368 of the Constitution can destroy the Basic Structure of the Constitution by expanding its amending power?15 marks · 250 words
- 12Individual Parliamentarian’s role as the national law maker is on a decline, which in turn, has adversely impacted the quality of debates and their outcome. Discuss.15 marks · 250 words
- 13The need for cooperation among various service sectors has been an inherent component of development discourse. Partnership bridges the gap among the sectors. It also sets in motion a culture of ‘collaboration’ and ‘team spirit’. In the light of statements above examine India’s development process.15 marks · 250 words
- 14Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of policy process. — Discuss.15 marks · 250 words
- 15‘The long-sustained image of India as a leader of the oppressed and marginalised nations has disappeared on account of its new found role in the emerging global order.’ Elaborate.15 marks · 250 words
- 16‘What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s national self-esteem and ambitions.’ Explain with suitable examples.15 marks · 250 words
UPSC Mains 2019 GS Paper III questions
- 1Enumerate the indirect taxes which have been subsumed in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. Also, comment on the revenue implications of the GST introduced in India since July 2017.150 words
- 2Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments.150 words
- 3How far is Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production?150 words
- 4Elaborate the impact of National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.150 words
- 5Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?150 words
- 6What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme?150 words
- 7Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment. Analyze the impact of sand mining along the Indian coasts, citing specific examples.150 words
- 8Vulnerability is an essential element for defining disaster impacts and its threat to people. How and in what ways can vulnerability to disasters be characterized? Discuss different types of vulnerability with reference to disasters.10 marks · 150 words
- 9It is argued that the strategy of inclusive growth is intended to meet the objectives of inclusiveness and sustainability together. Comment on this statement.15 marks · 250 words
- 10The public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of India in the context of budget making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it.15 marks · 250 words
- 11What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make food grain distribution system more effective?15 marks · 250 words
- 12Elaborate the policy taken by the Government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector.15 marks · 250 words
- 13How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?250 words
- 14How can biotechnology help to improve the living standards of farmers?250 words
- 15Define the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem as relevant to an environment. Explain how understanding this concept is vital while planning for sustainable development of a region.250 words
- 16Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides.250 words
- 17Indian Government has recently strengthened the anti-terrorism laws by amending the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 and the NIA Act. Analyze the changes in the context of prevailing security environment while discussing the scope and reasons for opposing the UAPA by human rights organizations.250 words
- 18Cross-border movement of insurgents is only one of the several security challenges facing the policing of the border in North-East India. Examine the various challenges currently emanating across the India-Myanmar border. Also, discuss the steps to counter the challenges.250 words
UPSC Mains 2019 GS Paper IV questions
- 1What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these with suitable examples.10 marks · 150 words
- 2What do you understand by the term ‘public servant’? Reflect on the expected role of public servant.10 marks · 150 words
- 3Effective utilization of public funds is crucial to meet development goals. Critically examine the reasons for under-utilization and mis-utilization of public funds and their implications.10 marks · 150 words
- 4“Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption”. Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.10 marks · 150 words
- 5What is meant by the term ‘constitutional morality’? How does one uphold constitutional morality?10 marks · 150 words
- 6What is meant by ‘crisis of conscience’? How does it manifest itself in the public domain?10 marks · 150 words
- 7Explain the basic principles of citizens charter movement and bring out its importance.10 marks · 150 words
- 8There is a view that the Official Secrets Act is an obstacle to the implementation of Right to Information Act. Do you agree with the view? Discuss.10 marks · 150 words
- 9What do you understand by probity in governance? Based on your understanding of the term, suggest measures for ensuring probity in government.10 marks · 150 words
- 10“Emotional Intelligence is the ability to make your emotions work for you instead of against you”. Do you agree with this view? Discuss.10 marks · 150 words
- 11What do each of the following quotations mean to you? “An unexamined life is not worth living”. — Socrates.10 marks · 150 words
- 12“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” — M. K. Gandhi.10 marks · 150 words
- 13“Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.” — A. P. J. Abdul Kalam.10 marks · 150 words
- 14Honesty and uprightness are the hallmarks of a civil servant. Civil servants possessing these qualities are considered as the backbone of any strong organization. In line of duty, they take various decisions, at times some become bonafide mistakes. As long as such decisions are not taken intentionally and do not benefit personally, the officer cannot be said to be guilty. Though such decisions may, at times, lead to unforeseen adverse consequences in the long-term. In the recent past, a few instances have surfaced wherein civil servants have been implicated for bonafide mistakes. They have often been prosecuted and even imprisoned. These instances have greatly rattled the moral fibre of the civil servants. How does this trend affect the functioning of the civil services? What measures can be taken to ensure that honest civil servants are not implicated for bonafide mistakes on their part? Justify your answer.20 marks · 250 words
- 15In a modern democratic polity, there is the concept of political executive and permanent executive. Elected people’s representatives form the political executive and bureaucracy forms the permanent executive. Ministers frame policy decisions and bureaucrats execute these. In the initial decades after independence, relationship between the permanent executive and the political executive were characterized by mutual understanding, respect and co-operation, without encroaching upon each others domain. However, in the subsequent decades, the situation has changed. There are instances of the political executive insisting upon the permanent executive to follow its agenda. Respect for and appreciation of upright bureaucrats has declined. There is an increasing tendency among the political executive to get involved in routine administrative matters such as transfers, postings etc. Under this scenario, there is a difinitive trend towards ‘politicization of bureaucracy’. The rising materialism and acquisitiveness in social life has also adversely impacted upon the ethical values of both the permanent executive and the political executive. What are the consequences of this ‘politicization of bureaucracy’? Discuss.20 marks · 250 words
- 16In one of the districts of a frontier state, narcotics menace has been rampant. This has resulted in money laundering, mushrooming of poppy farming, arms smuggling and near stalling of education. The system is on the verge of collapse. The situation has been further worsened by unconfirmed reports that local politicians as well as some senior police officers are providing surreptitious patronage to the drug mafia. At that point of time a woman police officer, known for her skills in handling such situations is appointed as Superintendent of Police to bring the situation to normalcy. If you are the same police officer, identify the various dimensions of the crisis. Based on your understanding, suggest measures to deal with the crisis.20 marks · 250 words
- 17In recent times, there has been an increasing concern in India to develop effective civil service ethics, codes of conduct, transparency measures, ethics and integrity systems and anti-corruption agencies. In view of this, there is a need being felt:to focus on three specific areas, which are directly relevant to the problems of internalizing integrity and ethics in the civil services. These are as follows: 1. Anticipating specific threats to ethical standards and integrity in the civil 2. Strengthening the ethical competence of civil servants and 3. Developing administrative processes and practices which promote ethical values and integrity in civil services. Suggest institutional measures to address the above three issues.20 marks · 250 words
See how toppers answered papers like these. 63 real Mains booklets from 27 toppers, each named with the marks.
Answer Copies, ₹199 →UPSC CSE 2019 Paper Structure & Breakdown
Breakdown
The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2019 consisted of two stages: Prelims and Mains. The Prelims included two objective-type papers — General Studies (GS) Paper 1 and CSAT (Paper 2). GS Paper 1 covered History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science & Technology, Environment, and Current Affairs. CSAT tested comprehension, logical reasoning, and quantitative aptitude.
The Mains examination comprised 9 papers: Essay (one paper with two essays), GS Paper 1 (Heritage, History, Geography, Society), GS Paper 2 (Polity, Governance, International Relations), GS Paper 3 (Economy, Environment, Security, Technology), GS Paper 4 (Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude), two Optional Subject papers, and two language papers (qualifying in nature). Each GS paper carried 250 marks, totaling 1750 marks for the written segment.
Quick Stats: 2019 Papers
0
Prelims Papers
5
Mains Papers
5
Total Papers
2019
Exam Year
How to Use the 2019 Question Papers for Maximum Benefit
Guide
- 1
Start with Prelims Papers
Attempt GS Paper 1 under timed conditions (2 hours, 100 questions). Review each incorrect answer and note the topic. Repeat with CSAT. Track your accuracy percentage and identify weak subjects for focused revision.
- 2
Analyze Mains Paper Demands
Read each GS paper thoroughly before attempting to write. Note the keyword demands — "Discuss", "Analyze", "Critically examine" each requires a different answer structure. Create a mind map of topics tested across all four GS papers to understand the syllabus coverage.
- 3
Practice Answer Writing
Select 5 questions from each GS paper and write full answers within the word limit (150-200 words for 10-mark, 200-250 for 15-mark questions). Compare your answers with topper copies to improve structure and content quality.
Where to check your answers for 2019 papers
After solving the papers, check your answers against reliable answer keys. For Prelims, compare with answer keys published by leading coaching institutes. For Mains, review model answers to understand the expected content depth and structure.
Frequently Asked Questions about UPSC CSE 2019 Papers
What is included in the UPSC CSE 2019 question papers PDF?
the Mains Essay and General Studies Papers I to IV, each as the official PDF from upsc.gov.in.
Where can I check my answers to the UPSC 2019 papers?
You can find model solutions and answer keys from coaching institutes like Drishti IAS, Vajiram & Ravi, and Forum IAS. We also recommend reviewing verified topper answer copies to understand answer writing standards.
How many questions were asked in UPSC 2019 Prelims GS Paper 1?
The UPSC CSE 2019 Prelims GS Paper 1 contained 100 questions worth 2 marks each, totaling 200 marks. Negative marking of 1/3rd mark applied for incorrect answers.
How many questions are in each UPSC Mains 2019 GS paper?
Each General Studies paper is worth 250 marks and is written in three hours. GS Papers I to III have 20 questions: 10 of 10 marks (150 words) and 10 of 15 marks (250 words). GS Paper IV (Ethics) has two sections, theory questions and case studies. This page lists 71 of the 2019 GS questions as text.
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