UPSC Main GS exam analysis, questions asked in exam

— Written by Dr Rohit Singh

This year’s UPSC Mains GS 1 has been moderate in difficulty given the fact that many questions were straightforward and directly related to the syllabus. The geography section had maximum weightage with eight questions — Q. 4,-7, and 14-17 worth 100 marks. This was followed by the ‘society’ section of GS 1 with six questions – 8-10, and 18-20 worth 75 marks.

Surprisingly, the weightage given to the ‘art and culture’ section has significantly increased with four questions — 1, 2,11,12 worth 50 marks from the section being asked in the exam. The weightage of modern history has decreased with only two questions — 3 and 13 worth 25 marks. Further, there was no question from the world history or post-independence history of India.

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In geography, section questions were conventional and straightforward in nature with some repeated questions from the previous year’s theme, including those on interlinking of rivers or flooding of cities. Most of the questions required contemporary examples.

In the society section, the questions were from moderate to difficult which required a deeper understanding of Indian society and its prevailing issues, including questions on COVID 19 and the caste system. There were some opinion-based and open-ended questions that tested the critical thinking of the aspirants.

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In the art and culture section, the questions were difficult given their factual as well as analytical nature. The modern History section had straightforward questions, which could be easily answered from conventional sources. Overall, it could be said that a good score in this paper would be 100 + as the paper was of moderate difficulty and was not lengthy.

Based on students’ memory, here are questions asked in the exam

Q1. The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of early Indian art and history. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times
• Straightforward yet difficult to write content/ too specific

Q2. Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times
• Difficult/Moderate – Pala being less important in syllabus

Q3. Evaluate the policies of Lord Curzon and their long term implications on the national movements. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic – Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
• Easy and straightforward can be answered from any conventional source.

Q4. Discuss the geophysical characteristics of Circum-Pacific Zone. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Important geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunami, volcanic activity, cyclone.
• Moderately difficult
• Straightforward and factual question about the Circum Pacific Zone.
• Could use diagram to fetch better marks in this question.

Q5. The process of desertification does not have climate boundaries. Justify with examples. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps)
• Difficult and conceptual
• This required conceptual understanding of desertification and also some factual knowledge for examples to justify your answer.

Q6. How will the melting of Himalayan glaciers have a far-reaching impact on the water resources of India? (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps)
• Easy and straightforward
• A repeated theme on Himalayan glaciers and its melting and its impact.

Q7. Account for the present location of iron and steel industries away from the source of raw material by giving examples. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).
• Easy and straightforward question
• This question could be easily answered from Geography NCERT.

Q8. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Salient features of Indian society
• Difficult and require deeper understanding
• Contemporary examples required

Q9. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Poverty and developmental issue
• Moderate based on current affairs
• We have to write how COVID 19 pandemic has widened the gap between rich and poor. Unemployment, migration, etc. can be included.

Q10. Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue. (Answer in 150 words, 10 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Regionalism
• Moderate and straightforward from syllabus
• Regionalism is the expression of a common sense of identity and purpose by people within a specific geographical region, united by its unique language, culture, language, etc. Discuss the emergence of regional political parties as a result of secessionist tendencies. Son of the soil doctrine.

Q11. Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times
• Difficult due to need of deep and analytical thinking to answer
• It required to interlink Indian philosophy and tradition with art and highlight it using examples.

Q12. Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times
• Difficult given deeper knowledge required for Persian literature.

Q.13 Since the decade of the 1920s, the national movement acquired various ideological strands and thereby expanded its social base. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – The Freedom Struggle — its various stages and important contributors/contributions from different parts of the country.
• Easy and repeated theme from previous year

Q14. The interlinking of revivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods and interrupted navigation. Critically examine. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)
• Easy and repeated theme of interlinking of rivers asked in past year also
• Could have been easily answered if previous year questions were solved by aspirant.

Q15. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – urbanization, their problems and their remedies
• Easy and based on the repeated theme of urban flooding asked in previous year questions.
• Could have been easily done if the candidate had done previous year questions.

Q 16. India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its developments. Elaborate. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)
• Easy given solar energy is a conventional topic and a lot of content available on it.

Q 17. Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate change. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus -Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)
• Moderate and factual from current affairs – State of Forest Report 2019. Knowledge of the report would have helped in answering the question.

Q 18. Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Effects of globalization on Indian society
• Moderate and straightforward

Q 19. Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (Answer in 250 words) 15

• Topic in syllabus – Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India
• Difficult given opinion based question

Q 20. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer. (Answer in 250 words, 15 marks)

• Topic in syllabus – Social empowerment
• Easy/moderate and straightforward with lot of examples

— The author is mentor at gradeup.