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UPSC Mains PYQs

1053 questions

Every General Studies question since 2013, ready to attempt. Model answers arrive week by week.

GS3

268 questions

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2024

  1. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksElucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stocks? Discuss.
  2. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksWhat were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
  3. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksFlooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods that occurred in India in the last two decades. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods.
  4. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksIndia has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in these areas under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme.
  5. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksIndustrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard.
  6. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksWhat are the major challenges faced by the Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management.
  7. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksDiscuss the merits and demerits of the four ‘Labour Codes’ in the context of labour market reforms in India. What has been the progress so far in these regards?
  8. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksExplain how narcoterrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country. Suggest suitable measures to counter narcoterrorism.
  9. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksWhat is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government’s UDAN Scheme and its achievements.
  10. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksExamine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reform period in India. To what extent has this been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?
  11. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksWhat is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
  12. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksWhat role do Environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details.
  13. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksExplain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
  14. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksSocial media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem.
  15. 2024 · GS3 · 10 marksWhat is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?
  16. 2024 · GS3 · 15 marksThe world is facing an acute shortage of clean and safe freshwater. What are the alternative technologies which can solve this crisis? Briefly discuss any three such technologies citing their key merits and demerits

2023

  1. 2023 · GS3 · 15 marksThe adoption of electric vehicles is rapidly growing worldwide. How do electric vehicles contribute to reducing carbon emissions and what are the key benefits they offer compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles?
  2. 2023 · GS3 · 15 marksExplain the changes in cropping pattern in India in the context of changes in consumption pattern and marketing conditions.
  3. 2023 · GS3 · 10 marksDam failures are always catastrophic, especially on the downstream side, resulting in a colossal loss of life and property. Analyze the various causes of dam failures. Give two examples of large dam failures.
  4. 2023 · GS3 · 15 marksWhat are the direct and indirect subsidies provided to farm sector in India? Discuss the issues raised by the World Trade Organization (WTP) in relation to agricultural subsidies.
  5. 2023 · GS3 · 15 marksDistinguish between ‘care economy’ and ‘monetized economy’. How can care economy be brought into monetized economy through women empowerment?
  6. 2023 · GS3 · 10 marksHow does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce? Explain it.
  7. 2023 · GS3 · 10 marksFaster economic growth requires increased share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, particularly of MSMEs. Comment on the present policies of the Government in this regard.
  8. 2023 · GS3 · 15 marksThe Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has predicted a global sea level rise of about one metre by AD 2100. What would be its impact in India and the other countries in the Indian Ocean region?
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