The GS Paper 1 of UPSC Mains has questions about Geography (Physical, World, and India), History (World and India), and Society (Social Issues). In CSE Mains 2021, there were overall twenty questions. Ten questions of 10 marks each and ten questions of 15 marks each were asked in the exam. All questions were compulsory, and candidates were to write answers in word limits of 100 and 150 respectively for 10-marks and 15-marks questions.
The overall paper was balanced, with questions from almost all the major sections of the syllabus. Certain questions (like on cryptocurrency) were not directly from the topics in the syllabus but had interlinking or social aspects related to the topic. This is a noticeable deviation from the UPSC exam pattern in recent years. Candidates should pay attention to this changing aspect of nature and prepare for any topic considering its various dimensions, impacts, and implications.
Click to See All the Questions: UPSC CSE Mains 2021 GS Paper 1
Analysis of Questions from Geography Section (GS Paper 1)
- A combination of questions was asked from both current affairs & static portions.
- Question no 7 on volcanic eruptions was based on a theme around the latest volcanic eruptions. There have been many volcanic eruptions in different regions of the world e.g. Cumbre Vieja eruption, so this question was not unexpected.
- Question No. 4, on landslides, was asked, as the theme of landslides was in news- Kinnaur landslide in 2021.
- Question No. 15 on impacts of melting of arctic sea ice & glaciers of Antarctica on weather patterns was also on expected lines. IPCC 6th report was released in 2021 which emphasized regional impacts of climate change & how it would impact the regional weather systems. Hence, it was expected that UPSC may ask such a question about a particular region & impacts of climate change & related effects.
- UPSC has also picked up static topics around themes that have been asked repeatedly over years in geography GS-1 mains like resources, climate, and physical geography such as in Q. No. -8,14,16.
- The questions from geography were not tricky but had interlinkages. Most of the questions were not direct.
- The difficulty level was moderate to easy. The questions were all attemptable if the student was thorough with current affairs & basic NCERT books.
- The paper was a scoring paper overall, which tested the analytical skills of students in most of the answers.
- The total break up of marks of geography questions are:
- 5 questions of 10 marks & 3 questions of 15 marks having a total of 95 marks.
Sectional analysis of geography questions is:
- Physical-2
- Climate-2
- Urbanization-1
- Industrial location-1
- Disasters-1
- Resources-1
Themes asked in the last few years have been repeated in this year’s paper also. However, the challenge could have been the completion of the paper, as the paper was a bit lengthy. But overall analysis depicts that the paper was overall attemptable if students were able to relate questions from the current affairs & NCERT syllabus.
Analysis of Questions from History Section (GS Paper 1)
Length of the History Section in GS Paper 1:
The history section had 6 questions (three 10 markers + three 15 markers). So, History was the least weightage section in comparison to Geography and Society. On a closer look at each, the individual question had a lot of content to be written.
Q12. Bring out the constructive programs of Mahatma Gandhi during Non- Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. (This question asks about two big movements of Mahatma Gandhi in just one question.)
Q13. “There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. (Here, many events between the two World Wars have to be discussed in limited words)
Therefore, time management and sticking to the word limit was real challenge for the History section
Trend and deviation from the past year:
| CATEGORY | GS MAINS PAPER 1 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| HISTORY | CULTURE | 20 | 40 | 25 | 25 | 10 | 35 | 10 | 50 | 20 |
| HISTORY | FREEDOM STRUGGLE | 30 | 30 | 25 | 37.5 | 65 | 10 | 50 | 25 | 30 |
| HISTORY | WORLD HISTORY | 40 | 30 | 25 | 12.5 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| HISTORY | POST-INDEPENDENCE | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
- The section on History, this year touched upon each sub-section. So, there was no area untouched.
- To balance each subsection, a major compromise was made in the culture section which had just 1 question (Bhakti Literature) with 10 Marks. Last year the same sub-section of culture had 50 marks in its kitty.
- Thus, space was carved out for 1 question for the post-Independence section as well.
- Also, UPSC this year decided to pick up popular themes like World War, Princely States, Most popular movements of Mahatma Gandhi, etc.
- So, there was an expectation that students would know at least know something about every question.
Surprise element:
- There was not much surprise element in History Section.
- Most popular themes were asked.
- But a question from the post-Independence section, after seven years of complete neglect, was something that made the paper different from past years.
Difficulty level:
- The questions were easy to moderate in general. Popular themes were asked from each section of History.
- But History section exemplified the difference between difficulty and comfortability levels. While at the face value the questions might appear easy but their specificity, length, etc might have brought down the comfortability level.
| Question | Difficulty Level | Comfortability Level |
| 1. Bring out the constructive programs of Mahatma Gandhi during Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. | Easy level.2 Popular Movements related to Mahatma Gandhi.No Analysis required. | LowLengthy Answer. Time constraint. |
| 2. Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti Literature and its contribution to Indian culture. | Easy1 of the most popular themes of Art and Culture | LowSpecifically talks about LITERATURE and its impact. Content and evaluation bring down the comfortability level. |
- Time management could have been a problem too due to the length of the answers.
Depth of study required:
- The wider themes were popular but the questions were specific. That means all aspects of popular topics have to be prepared.
- Basic sources can be relied upon.
Some words of wisdom:
- A close analysis shows that though less in weightage, the History section was scoring and not much analysis was required.
- Aspirants are advised to cover all aspects of popular themes.
- Having said that, the trend is not expected to remain the same. The unpredictability of trends should always keep in mind while preparing.
- Also, continuous writing practice to manage time for lengthy questions is a must.
Analysis of Questions from Society Section (GS Paper 1)
Length of the Society Section in GS Paper 1:
- The society section had 6 questions (two 10 markers + four 15 markers). This is a moderate number of questions for the society section.
- A few questions were lengthy and time-consuming for example-Q20. How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.
- Others could have taken time in thought process for example- What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? Therefore, time management both in writing and thought processes was a major hurdle in this section.
Trend and deviation from the past year:
| CATEGORY | GS MAINS PAPER 1 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
| SOCIETY | SALIENT FEATURES | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| SOCIETY | RELIGION, REGION, EMPOWERMENT | 10 | 10 | 37.5 | 37.5 | 50 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 10 |
| SOCIETY | POVERTY, POPULATION DEVELOPMENT | 0 | 10 | 25 | 12.5 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 25 | 25 |
| SOCIETY | GLOBALIZATIONURBANIZATION | 10 | 0 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
| SOCIETY | WOMEN | 10 | 30 | 12.5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 35 | 0 | 10 |
- This year the society section covered all sections of the syllabus, unlike in past years.
- The questions came from static as well dynamic/current portions.
- The questions were mainly analytical.
Surprise element:
Some of the questions might have not appeared as a direct society questions but as questions from different subjects. So, the social angle of different issues, scientific, geographical, or economical is important for study.
| Question | Major Area | Social Area |
| What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also? (Answer in 250 words) | Science and Tech/ Economy (GS III) | Globalization and Issues |
| Examine the role of the ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. | Economy (GS III) | Women Issues |
Difficulty level:
- The questions were Moderate to Difficulty.
- The difficulty was also in the form of presentation and thought process execution.
- Fodder for the answers was not an easy task for every question.
| Question | Difficulty level | Comfortability level |
| Examine the uniqueness of the tribal knowledge systems when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. | Medium- Population and associated issues | MediumComparison was a task! Good Presentation was important. |
| Examine the role of the ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. | Medium-Women Related Issue | Low- It was in news. Fodder for the answer was time taking |
| What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? | Medium- Urbanization, and Issues | Medium- Fodder for the answer and thought process was time taking. |
| Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. | High- Population and related Issues | Low- Very Specific issue |
| What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also? | High- Globalization | Low- Social Angle to cryptocurrency! |
| How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. | Easy- Salient Features of Indian Society. NCERT based question | Medium- Lengthy |
Depth of study required:
- The wider themes were popular but the questions were specific. That means all aspects of popular topics have to be prepared.
- The social angle of every subject should be considered while studying. Interlinking the topics become important.
- Both basic knowledge and current affairs are important sources for the content of the society section.
Some words of wisdom
- Interlinking of topics is a must. The social angle of economic, scientific, environmental issues, etc. must be looked into.
- NCERT and Newspaper remain the best source material.
- Continuous writing practice and presentation skills are important to excel in this section.
Our Hit Rate
More than 70% of questions in the GS Paper 1 were covered by Edukemy in its Daily Gazette, Weekly Kosmos, Mains Support Programmes (Hand Written Answers), and Mains Final Pages.
Click to see: Question-wise mapping of various questions from our sources
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: What is the significance of General Studies Paper 1 in competitive exams?
A: General Studies Paper 1 is a crucial component of various competitive exams, including civil services examinations. It assesses candidates’ knowledge in areas such as history, geography, society, and culture, providing a comprehensive evaluation of their understanding of diverse subjects.
Q: What topics are typically covered in General Studies Paper 1?
A: General Studies Paper 1 covers a wide range of topics, including ancient and medieval history, geography, Indian society, and culture. It examines the candidates’ awareness of historical events, geographical features, and the socio-cultural dynamics of the country.
Q: How can one prepare effectively for General Studies Paper 1?
A: Effective preparation for General Studies Paper 1 involves a thorough study of historical events, geographical concepts, and societal developments. Regular reading of newspapers, reference books, and practice with previous years’ question papers can enhance the overall preparation.
Q: Are there any specific current affairs topics included in General Studies Paper 1?
A: While General Studies Paper 1 primarily focuses on static topics like history and geography, it is essential to stay updated on relevant current affairs. Issues related to historical discoveries, geographical changes, and societal transformations often find a place in the paper.
Q: How does General Studies Paper 1 contribute to the overall examination process?
A: General Studies Paper 1 plays a pivotal role in the overall examination process as it evaluates candidates’ foundational knowledge and understanding of diverse subjects. It acts as a screening test to identify individuals with a well-rounded awareness of historical, geographical, and societal aspects, essential for administrative roles.
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