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UPSC Prelims 2021 question paper

UPSC held the 2021 Preliminary examination on 10 October 2021 — GS Paper I from 9:30 to 11:30 am and CSAT from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. 176 questions from that day are below, each with the Commission's official answer and our explanation of why the other three options fail.

General Studies Paper I

97 questions

History 21 · Economy 18 · Polity & Governance 18 · Environment & Ecology 16 · General Science 11 · Geography 9 · Current Events 4

  1. Q1 Consider the following statements : 1. The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is appointed by the Central Government. 2. Certain provisions in the Constitution of India…
  2. Q2 With reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements : 1. All casual workers are entitled for Employees Provident Fund coverage. 2. All casual…
  3. Q3 Which among the following steps is most likely to be taken at the time of an economic recession?
  4. Q4 Consider the following statements : Other things remaining unchanged, market demand for a good might increase if 1. price of its substitute increases 2. price of its complement…
  5. Q5 With reference to 'Urban Cooperative Banks' in India, consider the following statements : 1. They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments. 2…
  6. Q6 Indian Government Bond Yields are influenced by which of the following? 1. Actions of the United States Federal Reserve 2. Actions of the Reserve Bank of India 3. Inflation and…
  7. Q7 Consider the following : 1. Foreign currency convertible bonds 2. Foreign institutional investment with certain conditions 3. Global depository receipts 4. Non-resident external…
  8. Q8 Consider the following statements : The effect of devaluation of a currency is that it necessarily 1. improves the competitiveness of the domestic exports in the foreign markets…
  9. Q9 Which one of the following effects of creation of black money in India has been the main cause of worry to the Government of India?
  10. Q10 Which one of the following is likely to be the most inflationary in its effects?
  11. Q11 The money multiplier in an economy increases with which one of the following?
  12. Q12 With reference to Indian economy, demand-pull inflation can be caused/increased by which of the following? 1. Expansionary policies 2. Fiscal stimulus 3. Inflation-indexing wages…
  13. Q13 With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. Retail investors through demat account can invest in 'Treasury Bills' and 'Government of India Debt Bonds' in…
  14. Q14 With reference to 'WaterCredit', consider the following statements : 1. It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector. 2. It is a global initiative…
  15. Q15 In India, the central bank's function as the 'lender of last resort' usually refers to which of the following? 1. Lending to trade and industry bodies when they fail to borrow…
  16. Q16 'R2 Code of Practices' constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of
  17. Q17 Why is there a concern about copper smelting plants? 1. They may release lethal quantities of carbon monoxide into environment. 2. The copper slag can cause the leaching of some…
  18. Q18 With reference to furnace oil, consider the following statements : 1. It is a product of oil refineries. 2. Some industries use it to generate power. 3. Its use causes sulphur…
  19. Q19 What is blue carbon?
  20. Q20 In the nature, which of the following is/are most likely to be found surviving on a surface without soil? 1. Fern 2. Lichen 3. Moss 4. Mushroom Select the correct answer using the…
  21. Q21 Which one of the following is used in preparing a natural mosquito repellent?
  22. Q22 Consider the following kinds of organisms : 1. Copepods 2. Cyanobacteria 3. Diatoms 4. Foraminifera Which of the above are primary producers in the food chains of oceans?
  23. Q23 Consider the following animals : 1. Hedgehog 2. Marmot 3. Pangolin To reduce the chance of being captured by predators, which of the above organisms rolls up/roll up and…
  24. Q24 With reference to the 'New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct? 1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014. 2…
  25. Q26 Which one of the following is a filter feeder?
  26. Q27 In case of which one of the following biogeochemical cycles, the weathering of rocks is the main source of release of nutrient to enter the cycle?
  27. Q28 Which of the following are detritivores? 1. Earthworms 2. Jellyfish 3. Millipedes 4. Seahorses 5. Woodlice Select the correct answer using the code given below.
  28. Q29 The 'Common Carbon Metric', supported by UNEP, has been developed for
  29. Q30 Which of the following have species that can establish symbiotic relationship with other organisms? 1. Cnidarians 2. Fungi 3. Protozoa Select the correct answer using the code…
  30. Q31 With reference to Chausath Yogini Temple situated near Morena, consider the following statements : 1. It is a circular temple built during the reign of Kachchhapaghata Dynasty. 2…
  31. Q32 Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into…
  32. Q33 In the first quarter of seventeenth century, in which of the following was/were the factory/factories of the English East India Company located? 1. Broach 2. Chicacole 3…
  33. Q34 From the decline of Guptas until the rise of Harshavardhana in the early seventh century, which of the following kingdoms were holding power in Northern India? 1. The Guptas of…
  34. Q35 According to Portuguese writer Nuniz, the women in Vijayanagara Empire were expert in which of the following areas? 1. Wrestling 2. Astrology 3. Accounting 4. Soothsaying Select…
  35. Q36 With reference to Madanapalle of Andhra Pradesh, which one of the following statements is correct?
  36. Q37 Consider the following pairs : (Historical place) : (Well-known for) 1. Burzahom : Rock-cut shrines 2. Chandraketugarh : Terracotta art 3. Ganeshwar : Copper artefacts Which of…
  37. Q38 Consider the following statements : 1. It was during the reign of Iltutmish that Chengiz Khan reached the Indus in pursuit of the fugitive Khwarezm prince. 2. It was during the…
  38. Q39 Consider the following statements : 1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. 2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him…
  39. Q40 With reference to the history of ancient India, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Mitakshara was the civil law for upper castes and Dayabhaga was the civil law…
  40. Q41 With reference to the history of ancient India, Bhavabhuti, Hastimalla and Kshemeshvara were famous
  41. Q42 Consider the following statements : 1. The Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms of 1919 recommended granting voting rights to all the women above the age of 21. 2. The Government of India…
  42. Q43 With reference to 8th August, 1942 in Indian history, which one of the following statements is correct?
  43. Q44 Who among the following is associated with 'Songs from Prison', a translation of ancient Indian religious lyrics in English?
  44. Q45 With reference to medieval India, which one of the following is the correct sequence in ascending order in terms of size?
  45. Q46 Who among the following was associated as Secretary with Hindu Female School which later came to be known as Bethune Female School?
  46. Q47 In the context of Colonial India, Shah Nawaz Khan, Prem Kumar Sehgal and Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon are remembered as
  47. Q48 With reference to Indian history, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The Nizamat of Arcot emerged out of Hyderabad State. 2. The Mysore Kingdom emerged out of…
  48. Q49 Which one of the following statements is correct?
  49. Q50 Consider the following statements : 1. 21st February is declared to be the International Mother Language Day by UNICEF. 2. The demand that Bangla has to be one of the national…
  50. Q51 How is permaculture farming different from conventional chemical farming? 1. Permaculture farming discourages monocultural practices but in conventional chemical farming…
  51. Q52 With reference to 'palm oil', consider the following statements : 1. The palm oil tree is native to Southeast Asia. 2. The palm oil is a raw material for some industries producing…
  52. Q53 With reference to the Indus river system, of the following four rivers, three of them pour into one of them which joins the Indus direct. Among the following, which one is such…
  53. Q54 With reference to India, Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol and Khatu are the names of
  54. Q55 Consider the following rivers : 1. Brahmani 2. Nagavali 3. Subarnarekha 4. Vamsadhara Which of the above rise from the Eastern Ghats?
  55. Q56 Consider the following statements : 1. The Global Ocean Commission grants licences for seabed exploration and mining in international waters. 2. India has received licences for…
  56. Q57 Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop?
  57. Q58 Consider the following statements : 1. In the tropical zone, the western sections of the oceans are warmer than the eastern sections owing to the influence of trade winds. 2. In…
  58. Q59 In the context of India's preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements : 1. The 'Climate-Smart Village' approach in India is a part of a project…
  59. Q60 "Leaf litter decomposes faster than in any other biome and as a result the soil surface is often almost bare. Apart from trees, the vegetation is largely composed of plant forms…
  60. Q61 The vegetation of savannah consists of grassland with scattered small trees, but extensive areas have no trees. The forest development in such areas is generally kept in check by…
  61. Q62 With reference to the water on the planet Earth, consider the following statements : 1. The amount of water in the rivers and lakes is more than the amount of groundwater. 2. The…
  62. Q63 Consider the following statements : 1. Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree. 2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia. 3. In India, most of the tamarind is…
  63. Q64 The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of
  64. Q65 With reference to recent developments regarding 'Recombinant Vector Vaccines', consider the following statements : 1. Genetic engineering is applied in the development of these…
  65. Q66 In the context of hereditary diseases, consider the following statements : 1. Passing on mitochondrial diseases from parent to child can be prevented by mitochondrial replacement…
  66. Q67 Bollgard I and Bollgard II technologies are mentioned in the context of
  67. Q69 Consider the following : 1. Bacteria 2. Fungi 3. Virus Which of the above can be cultured in artificial/synthetic medium?
  68. Q70 Consider the following statements : 1. Adenoviruses have single-stranded DNA genomes whereas retroviruses have double-stranded DNA genomes. 2. Common cold is sometime caused by an…
  69. Q71 Water can dissolve more substances than any other liquid because
  70. Q72 With reference to street-lighting, how do sodium lamps differ from LED lamps? 1. Sodium lamps produce light in 360 degrees but it is not so in the case of LED lamps. 2. As…
  71. Q73 The term 'ACE2' is talked about in the context of
  72. Q74 Bisphenol A (BPA), a cause of concern, is a structural/key component in the manufacture of which of the following kinds of plastics?
  73. Q75 ‘Triclosan’, considered harmful when exposed to high levels for a long time, is most likely present in which of the following?
  74. Q76 Which one of the following is a reason why astronomical distances are measured in light-years?
  75. Q77 We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model? 1. As regards legislation, the British Parliament is supreme or…
  76. Q78 With reference to the Union Government, consider the following statements : 1. N. Gopalaswamy Iyengar Committee suggested that a minister and a secretary be designated solely for…
  77. Q79 'Right to Privacy' is protected under which Article of the Constitution of India?
  78. Q81 Consider the following statements : 1. 'Right to the City' is an agreed human right and the UN-Habitat monitors the commitments made by each country in this regard. 2. 'Right to…
  79. Q82 With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. Judicial custody means an accused is in the custody of the concerned magistrate and such accused is locked up in…
  80. Q83 With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. When a prisoner makes out a sufficient case, parole cannot be denied to such prisoner because it becomes a matter…
  81. Q84 At the national level, which ministry is the nodal agency to ensure effective implementation of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest…
  82. Q85 A legislation which confers on the executive or administrative authority an unguided and uncontrolled discretionary power in the matter of application of law violates which one of…
  83. Q86 Which one of the following in Indian polity is an essential feature that indicates that it is federal in character?
  84. Q87 Which one of the following best defines the term 'State'?
  85. Q88 With reference to Indian judiciary, consider the following statements : 1. Any retired judge of the Supreme Court of India can be called back to sit and act as a Supreme Court…
  86. Q89 With reference to India, consider the following statements : 1. There is only one citizenship and one domicile. 2. A citizen by birth only can become the Head of State. 3. A…
  87. Q90 Which one of the following factors constitutes the best safeguard of liberty in a liberal democracy?
  88. Q91 Under the Indian Constitution, concentration of wealth violates
  89. Q92 What is the position of the Right to Property in India?
  90. Q93 What was the exact constitutional status of India on 26th January, 1950?
  91. Q94 Constitutional government means
  92. Q95 With reference to India, the terms 'Halbi, Ho and Kui' pertain to
  93. Q96 Consider the following statements in respect of Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards : 1. Bharat Ratna and Padma Awards are titles under the Article 18(1) of the Constitution of India…
  94. Q97 Consider the following statements : Statement 1 : The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the Arbor Day Foundation have recently recognized Hyderabad as 2020 Tree…
  95. Q98 Consider the following statements in respect of the Laureus World Sports Award which was instituted in the year 2000 : 1. American golfer Tiger Woods was the first winner of this…
  96. Q99 Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics : 1. The official motto for this Olympics is 'A New World'. 2. Sport Climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding…
  97. Q100 Consider the following statements in respect of the ICC World Test Championship : 1. The finalists were decided by the number of matches they won. 2. New Zealand was ranked ahead…

CSAT Paper II

79 questions

Comprehension 27 · Basic Numeracy 26 · Mental Ability 14 · Logical Reasoning 8 · Data Interpretation 4

  1. Q1 Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above ?
  2. Q2 On the basis of the passage given above, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Sustainable production of India’s cereal food grains is impossible without the diversity of…
  3. Q3 Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage given above ?
  4. Q4 On the basis of the passage given above, the following assumptions have been made : 1. BPA may alter embryonic development in vivo. 2. Biochemical and cell-based assays are useful…
  5. Q5 If 3²⁰¹⁹ is divided by 10, then what is the remainder ?
  6. Q6 The number 3798125P369 is divisible by 7. What is the value of the digit P ?
  7. Q7 From January 1, 2021, the price of petrol (in Rupees per litre) on mᵗʰ day of the year is 80 + 0·1m, where m = 1, 2, 3, ..., 100 and thereafter remains constant. On the other…
  8. Q8 A biology class at high school predicted that a local population of animals will double in size every 12 years. The population at the beginning of the year 2021 was estimated to…
  9. Q9 In a class, 60% of students are from India and 50% of the students are girls. If 30% of the Indian students are girls, then what percentage of foreign students are boys ?
  10. Q10 A Statement followed by Conclusion-I and Conclusion-II is given below. You have to take the Statement to be true even if it seems to be at variance from the commonly known facts…
  11. Q11 On the basis of the passage given above, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Fig trees can often be keystone species in natural forests. 2. Fig trees can grow where…
  12. Q12 Consider the following : 1. Cover crops 2. Fertigation 3. Hydroponics 4. Mixed farming 5. Polyculture 6. Vertical farming Which of the above farming practices can be compatible…
  13. Q13 Which one of the following statements best reflects the most critical inference that can be made from the passage given above ?
  14. Q14 On the basis of the passage given above, the following assumptions have been made : 1. People who are obsessed with personal hygiene tend to ignore the community hygiene. 2…
  15. Q15 A Statement followed by Conclusion-I and Conclusion-II is given below. You have to take the Statement to be true even if it seems to be at variance from the commonly known facts…
  16. Q16 A boy plays with a ball and he drops it from a height of 1·5 m. Every time the ball hits the ground, it bounces back to attain a height 4/5ᵗʰ of the previous height. The ball does…
  17. Q17 Images of consonants of the English alphabet (Capitals) are observed in a mirror. What is the number of images of these which do not look like their original shapes ?
  18. Q18 A bank employee drives 10 km towards South from her house and turns to her left and drives another 20 km. She again turns left and drives 40 km, then she turns to her right and…
  19. Q19 Integers are listed from 700 to 1000. In how many integers is the sum of the digits 10 ?
  20. Q20 A woman runs 12 km towards her North, then 6 km towards her South and then 8 km towards her East. In which direction is she from her starting point ?
  21. Q21 Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the passage given above ?
  22. Q22 Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the passage given above ?
  23. Q23 With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Oil producing countries are one of the reasons for high food prices. 2. If there is a food…
  24. Q24 With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Rising GDP is essential for a country to be a developed country. 2. Rising GDP guarantees a…
  25. Q25 Seven books P, Q, R, S, T, U and V are placed side by side. R, Q and T have blue covers and other books have red covers. Only S and U are new books and the rest are old. P, R and…
  26. Q26 Replace the incorrect term by the correct term in the given sequence 3, 2, 7, 4, 13, 10, 21, 18, 31, 28, 43, 40 where odd terms and even terms follow the same pattern.
  27. Q27 Following is a matrix of certain entries. The entries follow a certain trend row-wise. Choose the missing entry (?) accordingly. 7B | 10A | 3C 3C | 9B | 6A 10A | 13C | ?
  28. Q28 You are given two identical sequences in two rows : Sequence-I : 8, 4, 6, 15, 52·5, 236·25 Sequence-II : 5, A, B, C, D, E What is the entry in the place of C for the Sequence-II ?
  29. Q29 A person X from a place A and another person Y from a place B set out at the same time to walk towards each other. The places are separated by a distance of 15 km. X walks with a…
  30. Q30 A student appeared in 6 papers. The maximum marks are the same for each paper. His marks in these papers are in the proportion of 5 : 6 : 7 : 8 : 9 : 10. Overall he scored 60%. In…
  31. Q31 What is the most logical assumption that can be made from the passage given above ?
  32. Q32 Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the passage given above ?
  33. Q33 With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Equality is a prerequisite for people to participate in the multiple transactions of society…
  34. Q34 Which one of the following statements best reflects the crux of the passage given above ?
  35. Q35 In a group of 120 persons, 80 are Indians and rest are foreigners. Further, 70 persons in the group can speak English. The number of Indians who can speak English is
  36. Q36 Consider all 3-digit numbers (without repetition of digits) obtained using three non-zero digits which are multiples of 3. Let S be their sum. Which of the following is/are…
  37. Q37 There are two Classes A and B having 25 and 30 students respectively. In Class-A the highest score is 21 and lowest score is 17. In Class-B the highest score is 30 and lowest…
  38. Q38 Consider two Statements and a Question : Statement-1 : Priya is 4 ranks below Seema and is 31st from the bottom. Statement-2 : Ena is 2 ranks above Seema and is 37th from the…
  39. Q40 In the English alphabet, the first 4 letters are written in opposite order; and the next 4 letters are written in opposite order and so on; and at the end Y and Z are…
  40. Q41 Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage given above ?
  41. Q42 Which of the following statements best reflect the rational, plausible and practical implications that can be derived from the passage given above ? 1. Too much globalization is…
  42. Q43 Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and practical suggestion implied by the passage given above ?
  43. Q44 Which one of the following statements best reflects the corollary to the passage given above ?
  44. Q45 Consider the following Table : Player | Runs scored in the First Innings | Balls faced in the First Innings | Runs scored in the Second Innings | Balls faced in the Second Innings…
  45. Q46 Half of the villagers of a certain village have their own houses. One-fifth of the villagers cultivate paddy. One-third of the villagers are literate. Four-fifth of the villagers…
  46. Q47 Consider two Statements and a Question : Statement-1 : The last day of the month is a Wednesday. Statement-2 : The third Saturday of the month was the seventeenth day. Question…
  47. Q48 Which day is 10th October, 2027 ?
  48. Q49 Consider two Statements and four Conclusions given below. You have to take the Statements to be true even if they seem to be at variance from the commonly known facts. Read all…
  49. Q50 What is the value of 'X' in the sequence 2, 7, 22, 67, 202, X, 1822 ?
  50. Q51 Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage given above ?
  51. Q52 Which among the following is the most logical and rational inference that can be made from the passage given above ?
  52. Q53 Jay and Vijay spent an equal amount of money to buy some pens and special pencils of the same quality from the same store. If Jay bought 3 pens and 5 pencils, and Vijay bought 2…
  53. Q54 P scored 40 marks more than Q in an examination. If Q scored 10% less marks than P, then how much did Q score ?
  54. Q55 A person P asks one of his three friends X as to how much money he had. X replied, "If Y gives me ₹ 40, then Y will have half of as much as Z, but if Z gives me ₹ 40, then three…
  55. Q56 In a code language 'MATHEMATICS' is written as 'LBSIDNZUHDR'. How is 'CHEMISTRY' written in that code language ?
  56. Q57 At which one of the following times, do the hour hand and the minute hand of the clock make an angle of 180° with each other ?
  57. Q58 In an objective type test of 90 questions, 5 marks are allotted for every correct answer and 2 marks are deducted for every wrong answer. After attempting all the 90 questions, a…
  58. Q59 Consider the following addition problem : 3P + 4P + PP + PP = RQ2; where P, Q and R are different digits. What is the arithmetic mean of all such possible sums ?
  59. Q60 Consider the following multiplication problem : (PQ) × 3 = RQQ, where P, Q and R are different digits and R ≠ 0. What is the value of (P + R) ÷ Q ?
  60. Q61 With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made : 1. Modern democracies rely on the market forces to enable them to be welfare states. 2. Markets…
  61. Q62 Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage given above ?
  62. Q63 There are three points P, Q and R on a straight line such that PQ : QR = 3 : 5. If n is the number of possible values of PQ : PR, then what is n equal to ?
  63. Q64 On a chess board, in how many different ways can 6 consecutive squares be chosen on the diagonals along a straight path ?
  64. Q65 In the series _b_a_ba_b_abab_aab; fill in the six blanks ( _ ) using one of the following given four choices such that the series follows a specific order.
  65. Q66 Using 2, 2, 3, 3, 3 as digits, how many distinct numbers greater than 30000 can be formed ?
  66. Q67 Consider the following statements : 1. The sum of 5 consecutive integers can be 100. 2. The product of three consecutive natural numbers can be equal to their sum. Which of the…
  67. Q68 A cubical vessel of side 1 m is filled completely with water. How many millilitres of water is contained in it (neglect thickness of the vessel) ?
  68. Q69 There are 6 persons arranged in a row. Another person has to shake hands with 3 of them so that he should not shake hands with two consecutive persons. In how many distinct…
  69. Q70 An amount of money was distributed among A, B and C in the ratio p : q : r. Consider the following statements : 1. A gets the maximum share if p is greater than (q + r). 2. C gets…
  70. Q71 Which one of the following statements best sums up the passage given above ?
  71. Q72 The idea which the first part of the passage mentions is
  72. Q73 Which one of the following habits is found more often in good people ?
  73. Q74 A pie diagram shows the percentage distribution of proteins, water and other dry elements in the human body. Given that proteins correspond to 16% and water corresponds to 70%. If…
  74. Q75 Joseph visits the club on every 5th day, Harsh visits on every 24th day, while Sumit visits on every 9th day. If all three of them met at the club on a Sunday, then on which day…
  75. Q76 The difference between a 2-digit number and the number obtained by interchanging the positions of the digits is 54. Consider the following statements : 1. The sum of the two…
  76. Q77 X said to Y, "At the time of your birth I was twice as old as you are at present." If the present age of X is 42 years, then consider the following statements : 1. 8 years ago…
  77. Q78 If the price of an article is decreased by 20% and then the new price is increased by 25%, then what is the net change in the price ?
  78. Q79 When a certain number is multiplied by 7, the product entirely comprises ones only (1111...). What is the smallest such number ?
  79. Q80 A man completes 7/8 of a job in 21 days. How many more days will it take him to finish the job if quantum of work is further increased by 50% ?

Question papers and answer keys: Union Public Service Commission. Explanations: UPSC Answer Check.

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