UPSC 2021 Question Papers: Mains GS 1–4 & Prelims
The UPSC 2021 question papers from upsc.gov.in: Mains Essay and General Studies Papers I–IV (250 marks each), with 68 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 2021 topics
The 6 essay topics of the CSE 2021 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).
- 1Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
- 2The real is rational and the rational is real.
- 3Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
- 4What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!.
- 5History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.
- 6There are better practices to “best practices”.
For the Mains marks each rank needed in CSE 2025, see UPSC Mains marks needed for a rank.
UPSC Mains 2021 GS questions, paper by paper
68 questions read from UPSC's official CSE 2021 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 2021 GS Paper I questions
- 1Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti literature and its contribution to Indian culture.150 words
- 2Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj.150 words
- 3Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian Princely States.150 words
- 4Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats.150 words
- 5Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in percentage. Discuss.150 words
- 6What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples.150 words
- 7Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.150 words
- 8Why is India considered as a subcontinent? Elaborate your answer.10 marks · 150 words
- 9Hl ata fife | Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems.10 marks · 150 words
- 10Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India.10 marks · 150 words
- 11To what extent did the role of the Moderates prepare a base for the wider freedom movement? Comment.15 marks · 250 words
- 12“There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. es Briefly mention the alignment of major mountain ranges of the world and explain their impact on local weather conditions, with examples.15 marks · 250 words
- 13How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain.250 words
- 14Discuss the multi-dimensional implications of uneven distribution of mineral oil in the world.250 words
- 15What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India?250 words
- 16Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail.250 words
- 17What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also?250 words
- 18How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.250 words
UPSC Mains 2021 GS Paper II questions
- 1‘Constitutional Morality’ is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of ‘Constitutional Morality’ with the help of relevant judicial decisions.150 words
- 2Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness.150 words
- 3How have the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission of India enabled the States to improve their fiscal position?150 words
- 4To what extent, in your view, the Parliament is able to ensure accountability of the executive in India?150 words
- 5“Pressure groups play a vital role in influencing public policy making in India.” Explain how the business associations contribute to public policies.150 words
- 6‘Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyze.150 words
- 7“arn while you learn’ scheme needs to be strengthened to make vocational education and skill training meaningful.” Comment.150 words
- 8Can the vicious cycle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition be broken.150 words
- 9‘If the last few decades were of Asia’s growth story, the next few are expected to be of Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years.10 marks · 150 words
- 10‘The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of a China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain.10 marks · 150 words
- 11The jurisdiction of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding lodging an FIR and conducting probe within a particular State is being questioned by various States. However, the power of the States to withhold consent to the CBI is not absolute. Explain with special reference to the federal character of India.15 marks · 250 words
- 12Though the Human Rights Commissions have contributed immensely to the protection of human rights in India, yet they have failed to assert themselves against the mighty and powerful. Analyzing their structural and practical limitations, suggest remedial measures.15 marks · 250 words
- 13Analyze the distinguishing features of the notion of Right to Equality in the Constitutions of the USA and India.15 marks · 250 words
- 14Explain the constitutional provisions under which Legislative Councils are established. Review the working and current status of Legislative Councils with suitable illustrations.15 marks · 250 words
- 15Has digital illiteracy, particularly in rural areas, coupled with lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility hindered socio-economic development? Examine with justification.15 marks · 250 words
- 16Can.Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations present an alternative model of public service delivery to benefit the common citizen? Discuss the challenges of this alternative model.15 marks · 250 words
- 17Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. What importance does it hold for India?15 marks · 250 words
- 18S1 eT ae ee Aa 4 yer Tsar HI TIM SA ST el 8? ada Bites FH, AUKUS A Ute SK Wa The newly tri-nation partnership AUKUS is aimed at countering China’s ambitions in the Indo-Pacific region. Is it going to supersede the existing partnerships in the region? Discuss the strength and impact of AUKUS in the present scenario.15 marks · 250 words
UPSC Mains 2021 GS Paper III questions
- 1Explain the difference between computing methodology of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015.150 words
- 2Bi ae an we wee H ae sen ae Fife | HA SM el H Guest a Distinguish between Capital Budget and Revenue Budget. Explain the components of both these Budgets.150 words
- 3How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers?150 words
- 4How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis?150 words
- 5How is S-400 air defence system technically superior to any other system presently available in the world?150 words
- 6Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve these revised standards?150 words
- 7Discuss about the vulnerability of India to earthquake related hazards. Give examples including the salient features of major disasters caused by earthquakes in different parts of India during the last three decades.150 words
- 8Discuss how emerging technologies and globalisation contribute to money laundering. Elaborate measures to tackle the problem of money laundering both at national and international levels.150 words
- 9Keeping in view India’s internal security, analyse the impact of cross-border cyber attacks. Also discuss defensive measures against these sophisticated attacks.150 words
- 10Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V-shaped recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer.250 words
- 11“Investment in infrastructure is essential for more rapid and inclusive economic growth.” Discuss in the light of India’s experience.250 words
- 12What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India?250 words
- 13What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification?250 words
- 14What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society?250 words
- 15Describe the major outcomes of the 26' session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). What are the commitments made by India in this conference?250 words
- 16Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy.15 marks · 250 words
- 17Analyse the multidimensional challenges posed by external state and non-state actors, to the internal security of India. Also discuss measures required to be taken to combat these threats.15 marks · 250 words
- 18Analyse the complexity and intensity of terrorism, its causes, linkages and obnoxious nexus. Also suggest measures required to be taken to eradicate the menace of terrorism.15 marks · 250 words
UPSC Mains 2021 GS Paper IV questions
- 1Identify five ethical traits on which one can plot the performance of a civil servant. Justify their inclusion in the matrix.10 marks · 150 words
- 2Identify ten essential values that are needed to be an effective public servant. Describe the ways and means to prevent non-ethical behaviour in the public servants.10 marks · 150 words
- 3Impact of digital technology as reliable source of input for rational decision making is a debatable issue. Critically evaluate with suitable example.10 marks · 150 words
- 4Besides domain knowledge, a public official needs innovativeness and creativity of a high order as well, while resolving ethical dilemmas. Discuss with suitable example.10 marks · 150 words
- 5What does each of the following quotations mean to you? “Every work has got to pass through hundreds of difficulties before succeeding. Those that persevere will see the light, sooner or later.” —Swami Vivekananda.10 marks · 150 words
- 6“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until and unless we obtain peace within ourselves.” —Dalai Lama.10 marks · 150 words
- 7“Life doesn’t make any sense without interdependence. We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, it is better for us all.” —Erik Erikson.150 words
- 8Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant?150 words
- 9In case of crisis of conscience does emotional intelligence help to overcome the same without compromising the ethical or moral stand that you are likely to follow? Critically examine.150 words
- 10“Refugees should not be turned back to the country where they would face persecution or human right violation.” Examine the statement with reference to ethical dimension being violated by the nation claiming to be democratic with open society.150 words
- 11Should impartial and being non-partisan be considered as indispensable qualities to make a successful civil servant? Discuss with illustrations.150 words
- 12An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct. Elaborate.150 words
- 13“Integrity is a value that empowers the human being.” Justify with suitable illustration.150 words
- 14India was not prepared for a sudden onslaught of such a crisis due to limited infrastructure in terms of human resource, money and other facilities needed for taking care of this situation. This disease did not spare anybody irrespective of caste, creed, religion on the one hand and ‘have and have not’ on the other. Deficiencies in hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, ambulances, hospital staff and crematorium were the most crucial aspects. You are a hospital administrator in a public hospital at the time when coronavirus had attacked large number of people and patients were pouring into hospital day in and day out. (a) What are your criteria and justification for putting your clinical and non-clinical staff to attend to the patients knowing fully well that it is highly infectious disease and resources and infrastructure are limited? (b) If yours is a private hospital, whether your justification and decision would remain same as that of a public hospital?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 2021 Paper Structure & Breakdown
Breakdown
The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021 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: 2021 Papers
Prelims Papers
Mains Papers
Total Papers
Exam Year
How to Use the 2021 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 2021 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 2021 Papers
What is included in the UPSC CSE 2021 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 2021 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 2021 Prelims GS Paper 1?
The UPSC CSE 2021 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 2021 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 68 of the 2021 GS questions as text.
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