UPSC Prelims 2026 GS Paper — 98 Questions with Answers

GS Paper I of the 2026 Preliminary examination, held on 24 May 2026. 100 questions · 200 marks · one-third negative marking. The questions broke down as History 21, Economy 19, General Science 14, Current Events 14, Polity & Governance 13, Environment & Ecology 9, Geography 8.

  1. Q1 Which one of the following Carnatic music ragas is similar to Raga Bilawal in Hindustani music ?
    History· medium
  2. Q2 The artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was adopted by the British Government for which one of the following reasons ?
    History· medium
  3. Q3 Consider the following statements : I. Pali texts contain the first definite references to coins, e.g., kahapana, nikkha, kamsa, and kakanika. II. The literary evidence from Pali texts is corroborated by archaeological evidence of punch-marked coins from many…
    History· medium
  4. Q4 Which of the following temples has/have a Nagara-style shikhara ? 1. Malegitti Shivalaya, Badami 2. Huchimalligudi Temple, Aihole 3. Dashavatara Temple, Deogarh 4. Virupaksha Temple, Pattadakal Select the answer using the code given below :
    History· hard
  5. Q5 Among the four main forms of existence of life recognized in Jainism, which one of the following is not included ?
    History· medium
  6. Q6 The Hallisalasya painting in the Bagh Caves represents :
    History· medium
  7. Q7 Consider the following statements relating to the use of the place-value system in India : 1. The earliest epigraphic use of the place-value system in India is found in the Mankani plates from Gujarat (AD 595 – 596). 2. In the ninth century, place-values…
    History· hard
  8. Q8 Consider the following statements about the archaeological findings in Harappan towns : I. There is wide occurrence of spindle-whorls in the houses but absence of spinning wheels. II. Weights and measurement scales, complete with graduations have been…
    History· medium
  9. Q9 Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?
    History· medium
  10. Q10 Consider the following statements about the Rigvedic period : I. Irrigation from wells allowed agriculture to expand away from flood plains and strips on river margins into the present Punjab and Haryana plains having underground water levels reasonably close…
    History· medium
  11. Q11 Consider the following assertion : In the Pleistocene period either the Yamuna once flowed into the Indus, or the Sutlej flowed into the Yamuna and one major tributary of either had shifted from the Ganga to the Indus or vice versa. Which of the following…
    History· hard
  12. Q12 What does an empty seat represent in early Buddhist iconography ?
    History· medium
  13. Q13 Which of the following pairs of ancient and modern names of rivers is/are correctly matched ? 1. Vitasta : Chenab 2. Asikni : Jhelum 3. Parushni : Ravi 4. Yavyavati : Beas Select the answer using the code given below :
    History· medium
  14. Q14 Which of the following statements on the Amaravati Stupa and its relief sculpture is/are correct ? 1. It was located in the lower Krishna valley. 2. In India, it was next only to the Sanchi Stupa in size. 3. The Amaravati school of sculpture made a lasting…
    History· medium
  15. Q15 Which of the following pairs of the king and his dynasty in early historical Tamilakam is/are not correctly matched ? 1. Senguttuvan : Chera 2. Udiyanjeral : Chola 3. Nedunjeliyan : Pandya Select the answer using the code given below :
    History· medium
  16. Q16 Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939 ? 1. Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. 2. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose. 3. The Communists did not…
    History· hard
  17. Q17 Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856 : 1. The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts. 2. A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856…
    History· medium
  18. Q18 Consider the following assertion : The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919. Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion ? 1. Reforms retained and extended…
    History· medium
  19. Q19 Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, the famous classical singer from Karnataka, represented the :
    History· hard
  20. Q20 In which one among the following texts does the term kshetra-patni ('mistress of the field') originate ?
    History· hard
  21. Q21 Consider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change : I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool for achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. II. India's 4th Biennial Update Report…
    Environment & Ecology· hard
  22. Q22 With respect to the Western Hoolock Gibbons, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. A Sanctuary in North-east India is home to this ape species listed as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. 2. They…
    Environment & Ecology· medium
  23. Q23 Which of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of climate resilience ? 1. Mangroves reduce tidal energy and store freshwater, making them ideal sites for paddy cultivation in saline estuarine belts. 2…
    Environment & Ecology· medium
  24. Q24 In what way(s) does the Vizhinjam International Seaport represent a structural shift in India's maritime trade and logistics policy ? 1. By functioning exclusively as a domestic cargo hub to reduce reliance on coastal shipping and eliminate the need for…
    Economy· medium
  25. Q25 Identify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information : 1. It has an antecedent drainage system. 2. It flows through three countries. 3. It originates in the Tibetan Plateau and is an important river for irrigation. 4. It…
    Geography· hard
  26. Q26 Which of the following with reference to Indian States is/are not correct ? 1. Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the highest number of other Indian States. 2. Rajasthan shares the longest international border among all Indian States. 3. Sikkim is the…
    Geography· medium
  27. Q27 Which of the following statements with regard to the arrival of Amur Falcons at Doyang Lake in Nagaland each year from Mongolia is/are correct ? 1. It showcases how sustained local conservation efforts can contribute to the arrival and protection of…
    Environment & Ecology· medium
  28. Q28 Which among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) ? 1. Encouraging monoculture in rainfed areas 2. Increasing rice cultivation in irrigated regions…
    Economy· medium
  29. Q29 Which of the following is/are the most significant implication(s) of obtaining Oeko-Tex certification for Eri Silk in the global textile industry ? 1. It allows Indian exporters to compete in high-end markets that prioritise chemical-free products. 2. It…
    Economy· medium
  30. Q30 Ships from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian Ocean ? 1. Bahrain 2. Syria 3. Qatar 4. Egypt Select the answer using the code given below :
    Geography· easy
  31. Q31 Tungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the following countries ?
    Geography· easy
  32. Q32 With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025. 2. Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park. 3. Its area is shared…
    Environment & Ecology· medium
  33. Q33 With reference to the climate of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which of the following statements is/are correct ? 1. The climate can be defined as a humid, tropical coastal climate. 2. It receives rainfall from both South-west monsoon and North-east monsoon…
    Geography· medium
  34. Q34 Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India ? 1. Submergence of parts of the western coast due to tectonic activity 2. Presence of residual mountain ranges such as the Veliconda hills and…
    Geography· medium
  35. Q35 Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India : I. The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure. II. The success of the…
    Economy· medium
  36. Q36 Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid) : 1. It is an epiphytic orchid. 2. The species is endemic to North-east India. 3. It is the State flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Which of the statements given above is/are…
    Environment & Ecology· medium
  37. Q37 Which one of the following statements with regard to the Moidams, built by the Tai-Ahom kingdom and inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is/are correct ? 1. They acted as army fortresses. 2. They were recreation centres of the Royals and Nobles. 3…
    History· medium
  38. Q38 At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated its leading voice on marine and ocean issues, especially on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for…
    Environment & Ecology· hard
  39. Q39 Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct ? 1. It is the largest desert lake in the world. 2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert. 3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World…
    Geography· medium
  40. Q40 Which one of the following is the first Plan Vivo certified Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) project in India ?
    Environment & Ecology· hard
  41. Q41 Which of the following statements with regard to genetic medicine is/are correct ? 1. Genetic medicines correct/compensate for the faulty genes responsible for disease. 2. Engineered viruses and lipid nanoparticles are used as carriers of the genetic…
    General Science· medium
  42. Q42 Which of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are correct ? 1. LLMs assign probabilities to the next possible words and then pick the one with the highest probability. 2. LLMs process data through…
    General Science· medium
  43. Q43 Which of the following statements with regard to stealth technology is/are correct ? 1. Stealth objects have a very small radar cross-section and are coated with Radar Absorbing Material. 2. Stealth objects can be detected using specific frequencies. 3…
    General Science· medium
  44. Q44 Which of the following statements with regard to Black Boxes used in modern aircrafts is/are correct ? 1. They carry a beacon emitting red light pulses to facilitate underwater detection. 2. They record both the cockpit voice and flight data. 3. Their memory…
    General Science· medium
  45. Q45 Which of the following statements with regard to Green Hydrogen is/are correct ? 1. It is decarbonized hydrogen obtained from natural gas reforming combined with carbon capture and storage (CCS). 2. It is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity…
    General Science· medium
  46. Q46 Consider the following statements with regard to involvement of private entities in India's space programme : 1. The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) is an autonomous agency formed to facilitate participation of private…
    General Science· medium
  47. Q47 Which of the following statements with regard to drone swarms is/are correct ? 1. They use Terahertz band of frequency to communicate with the command centre. 2. Individual drones in the swarm can communicate with other drones in the swarm. 3. GPS Spoofing is…
    General Science· medium
  48. Q48 Which of the following statements with regard to GenomeIndia Project is/are correct ? 1. It is a part of the Human Genome Project. 2. The project is funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India. 3. Its primary aim is to build a…
    General Science· medium
  49. Q49 Which of the following statements with regard to the National Quantum Mission (NQM) is/are correct ? 1. It aims at developing intermediate-scale quantum computers with 50 – 1000 physical qubits. 2. Its implementation includes setting up of four Thematic Hubs…
    General Science· medium
  50. Q50 Which of the following statements with regard to India’s Deep Ocean Mission is/are correct ? 1. It was launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India. 2. Matsya-6000 has been designed to carry 3 people for deep sea exploration…
    General Science· medium
  51. Q51 Mr. X, a senior officer, was overseeing a critical vaccination programme during a pandemic. He found that a private service provider responsible for vaccine distribution was compromising on quality to make profits. Despite immense pressure to manage the issue…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  52. Q52 In a multi-ethnic district where both economic competition and historical grievances frequently led to community tensions, a flashpoint has arisen with a Government decision to allocate land for a waste management facility near a tribal hamlet, sparking…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  53. Q53 Ms. X is a mid-level civil service official working in the urban development department of a major city. Recently, she was involved in approving a contract for a public infrastructure project — a new community park. During the approval process, she received a…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  54. Q54 'X' was addressing a seminar on the meaning of the term 'law' as provided under Article 13, Part III of the Constitution of India. 'X' explained that the meaning of the term 'law' in the Constitution of India was very comprehensive. It included ordinances…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  55. Q55 Consider the following statements with reference to the Constitution of India : 1. There is no Article in the Constitution of India that specifies that the Constitution of India will be officially called the 'Constitution of India'. 2. There is no Article in…
    Polity & Governance· hard
  56. Q56 Which of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct ? 1. The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, an Act passed by the Parliament of India in 2018, mandates reservation in education and employment, places…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  57. Q57 Consider the following statements about the provisions pertaining to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes in India : 1. Provisions regarding the administration of the Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram are given in…
    Polity & Governance· hard
  58. Q58 Consider the following statements in respect of questions asked by the Members in the Parliament of India : 1. Unstarred questions are those to which a Member desires an oral answer in the House. 2. Starred questions are those to which a Member desires a…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  59. Q59 Consider the following statements about the Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes of the Parliament of India : 1. Although members of this Committee are elected from both Houses of Parliament, the Chairperson of this Committee is…
    Polity & Governance· hard
  60. Q60 Consider the following statements about Mission Sudarshan Chakra of India : 1. It aims to enhance India's air defence, ballistic missile defence and aerial offensive capabilities. 2. This Mission is being designed to enhance rapid, precise, and powerful…
    Current Events· medium
  61. Q61 Consider the following statements about river bridges connecting India with neighbouring countries : 1. 'Maitri Setu', built over Feni river, connects Ramgarh in India with Sabroom in Bangladesh. 2. Jhulaghat suspension bridge connects India with Myanmar. 3…
    Geography· hard
  62. Q62 Which of the following statements about a Zero First Information Report (Zero FIR) under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023 is/are correct ? 1. A Zero FIR can be lodged at a police station, even though the place of commission of a…
    Polity & Governance· hard
  63. Q63 With reference to the organisations under the Government of India, consider the following details : Sl. No. | Organisation | Function | Controlling Union Ministry 1. | Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB) | To coordinate between various law enforcement…
    Polity & Governance· hard
  64. Q65 Consider the following statements with respect to the AI Impact Summit, 2026 held in New Delhi : 1. The Summit's intellectual framework was based on three foundational Sutras : People, Planning, and Progress. 2. The Preamble of the Summit stresses…
    Current Events· hard
  65. Q66 Which of the following connectivity projects is/are a part of cooperation between India and the ASEAN member countries ? 1. Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project 2. IMT Trilateral Highway 3. Agartala-Akhaura Rail Line Select the answer using the code…
    Current Events· medium
  66. Q67 Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : List I (Project Supported by India) A. Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project B. Restoration of Stor Palace C. District Hospital at Dickoya D. Institute of Security and Law…
    Current Events· hard
  67. Q68 Which of the following items of defence hardware is/are manufactured in India ? 1. Su-30 MKI Fighter Jets 2. T-90 MK-III Tanks 3. Akula Class Submarine Select the answer using the code given below :
    Current Events· medium
  68. Q69 Consider the following statements about platforms for multilateral co-operation : 1. The 'Colombo Process' is a regional consultative process in which member states take binding decisions by consensus. 2. The 'Abu Dhabi Dialogue' is a voluntary non-binding…
    Current Events· hard
  69. Q70 Consider the following UN organisations/agencies : 1. World Food Programme 2. United Nations Children's Fund 3. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees 4. International Labour Organisation How many of the above has/have been awarded the Nobel Prize…
    Current Events· medium
  70. Q71 Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : List I (UN Peacekeeping Operation) A. UNMIL B. MINURCAT C. MINUSTAH D. UNMISET List II (Period of Operation) 1. 2007 – 2010 2. 2002 – 2005 3. 2003 – 2018 4. 2004 – 2017…
    Current Events· hard
  71. Q72 Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : List I (BIMSTEC Centre / Establishment) A. BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory B. BIMSTEC Energy Centre C. BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate D. BIMSTEC Technology…
    Current Events· hard
  72. Q73 Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ? (Indian Army Corps) (Headquarters)
    Polity & Governance· hard
  73. Q74 Which of the following statements with respect to the Revamped Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan (RGSA) is/are correct ? 1. The period of its implementation is 1st April, 2021 to 31st March, 2026. 2. The key objective of the Revamped RGSA is to develop the…
    Polity & Governance· medium
  74. Q75 Which of the following countries are members of the European Union ? 1. Belarus 2. Poland 3. Germany 4. Switzerland Select the answer using the code given below :
    Current Events· easy
  75. Q76 Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists : List I (INTERPOL Notice) A. Silver Notice B. Blue Notice C. Black Notice D. Green Notice List II (Description) 1. To seek information on unidentified bodies 2. To collect…
    Current Events· hard
  76. Q77 Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change…
    Environment & Ecology· hard
  77. Q79 Which of the following statements about DHRUV64 is/are correct ? 1. It is the third chip fabricated under the DIR-V Programme with an overall aim to enable the creation of microprocessors for India. 2. It is India’s first homegrown 1·0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core…
    General Science· medium
  78. Q80 The Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) recently introduced a national standard to test and assess bomb disposal system. Which of the following statements with regard to this system is/are correct ? 1. The new standard is known as IS 19445 : 2025. 2. It will…
    General Science· medium
  79. Q81 ‘X’, born in the UK, was conferred the Nobel Prize in 2025. He was a professor in an American university when this prize was announced. Identify ‘X’ :
    Current Events· medium
  80. Q82 Which of the following statements with regard to the Grand Slam Tennis Tournaments is/are correct ? 1. The tournaments have a shared governance structure establishing the partnership among the four Grand Slam tournaments. 2. They are open for entry to all…
    Current Events· hard
  81. Q83 Which one of the following pairs of semiconductor plants in India and their locations is not correctly matched ?
    Economy· hard
  82. Q84 Which of the following statements with regard to India's indigenous new high resolution weather model, the 'Bharat Forecast System,' is/are correct ? 1. Its objective is to generate forecasts at the Panchayats cluster level. 2. It was developed by IIT Delhi…
    General Science· medium
  83. Q85 Consider the following statements with regard to the film 'Boong' : 1. The film has recently won the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Award in the Children's and Family Film category. 2. The film is directed by Lakshmipriya Devi. 3. This is…
    Current Events· hard
  84. Q86 Which of the following statements regarding the features of blockchain technology are correct ? 1. Records stored in the database may be made visible to relevant stakeholders without risk of alteration. 2. Copies of the entire database are stored on multiple…
    General Science· medium
  85. Q87 An e-commerce revenue model where the seller has control over pricing but doesn't keep products in stock and instead transfers customer orders and shipment details to a third-party supplier, who then ships the goods directly to the customer, is called :
    Economy· easy
  86. Q88 Which one of the following correctly represents the three key sub-indices of the Financial Inclusion Index (FI-Index) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) ?
    Economy· medium
  87. Q89 Which one of the following best describes the key objective of India's 'Open Network for Digital Commerce' (ONDC) initiative ?
    Economy· easy
  88. Q90 Which one of the following statements about Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Central Bank Digital Currency (Digital Rupee) is not correct ?
    Economy· medium
  89. Q91 Which of the following statements about Real-World Assets (RWA) Tokenization are correct ? 1. Tokenization is the process of turning real world assets into digital tokens using blockchain technology. 2. Tokenization of real world assets offers 24 × 7 access…
    Economy· medium
  90. Q92 A bond whose proceeds are used only to finance or refinance a combination of both environmental and social projects is called :
    Economy· medium
  91. Q93 Which of the following statements about M1xchange's role in Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) financing is/are correct ? 1. M1xchange provides collateral based loans to MSMEs. 2. M1xchange facilitates discounting of invoices and Bills of Exchange for…
    Economy· medium
  92. Q94 Which one of the following best describes the 'Crowding Out Effect' in the context of fiscal policy ?
    Economy· easy
  93. Q95 Which of the following statements about Rare Earth Elements (REEs) and Critical Minerals is/are correct ? 1. Modern technological innovations including Artificial Intelligence, robotics and space exploration extensively utilise Rare Earth Elements (REEs). 2…
    Economy· medium
  94. Q96 Which of the following statements about insurance in aviation sector is/are correct ? 1. 'Aviation Hull Insurance' covers the physical aircraft, including the body, engine, and on-board equipment. 2. Under the Montreal Convention, adopted in 1999 by over 130…
    Economy· hard
  95. Q97 Which of the following statements about Crowdfunding is/are correct ? 1. Crowdfunding is solicitation of funds (small amount) from multiple investors through a web-based platform or social networking site for a specific project. 2. Small and Medium…
    Economy· easy
  96. Q98 With reference to different Committees in India, consider the following details : | Sl. No. | Committee | Objective | Organization under which it was formed | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 1. | R.N. Malhotra Committee | Comprehensive reforms of Insurance…
    Economy· hard
  97. Q99 Consider the following statements about the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) in India : 1. NBFCs cannot accept demand deposits. 2. All the NBFCs operating in India have to be registered with the RBI. 3. NBFCs form part of the payment and settlement…
    Economy· medium
  98. Q100 Consider the following statements about Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) : 1. MPI is calculated using Alkire-Foster methodology. 2. MPI calculated by NITI Aayog has a total of twelve indicators. 3. Maternal Health and Bank Account are common indicators in…
    Economy· medium

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