UPSC Civil Services
Prelims GS — Polity, History, Geography, Economy, Environment & Science.
Study by topic
📄 Previous Year Papers
Actual past-exam papers with full solutions — the closest thing to the real exam.
UPSC Prelims 2024 — GS Paper I (PYQ)
Real UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2024, General Studies Paper-I — 97 official questions with answer-key-verified solutions (3 questions dropped by UPSC are excluded). Source: UPSC official question paper & answer key. +2 for correct, −0.66 for wrong.
UPSC Prelims 2023 — GS Paper I (PYQ)
Real UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2023, General Studies Paper-I — 99 official questions with answer-key-verified solutions (1 question dropped by UPSC is excluded). Source: UPSC official question paper & answer key. +2 for correct, −0.66 for wrong.
📚 Full Subject Tests
Every question from a subject in one timed test.
Indian Polity & Governance — Full Section Test
All 30 Indian Polity & Governance questions in one timed section test.
Modern Indian History — Full Section Test
All 30 Modern Indian History questions in one timed section test.
Geography — Full Section Test
All 30 Geography questions in one timed section test.
Indian Economy — Full Section Test
All 30 Indian Economy questions in one timed section test.
Environment & Ecology — Full Section Test
All 30 Environment & Ecology questions in one timed section test.
Science & Technology — Full Section Test
All 30 Science & Technology questions in one timed section test.
Previous Year Papers — Full Section Test
All 196 Previous Year Papers questions in one timed section test.
✏️ Chapter-wise Practice
Master one chapter at a time. Clearing these unlocks the full mock.
Constitution & Fundamental Rights — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Indian Polity & Governance questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Parliament, Executive & Judiciary — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Indian Polity & Governance questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
The Indian Freedom Struggle — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Modern Indian History questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Governor-Generals & Colonial Reforms — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Modern Indian History questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Physical Geography of India — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Geography questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Indian Climate, Rivers & Monsoon — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Geography questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Basic Economic Concepts — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Indian Economy questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Banking, Money & Fiscal Policy — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Indian Economy questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Ecosystems & Biodiversity — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Environment & Ecology questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Climate Change & Conservation — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Environment & Ecology questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
General Science for UPSC — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Science & Technology questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
Space & Defence Technology — Practice Test
15 UPSC Prelims GS Science & Technology questions with full solutions. +2 correct, -0.66 wrong.
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UPSC Civil Services Prelims: The First Step to the IAS
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination to recruit officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS and other central services — the most prestigious and competitive recruitment in India, drawing around a million applicants for a few hundred seats. The journey has three stages: the Preliminary examination, the Mains, and a final Personality Test (interview).
The Prelims is a screening stage with two papers taken on the same day. General Studies Paper 1 decides who qualifies for Mains, while Paper 2 (CSAT) is only qualifying — you need 33% to clear it. Because Paper 1 spans polity, history, geography, economy, environment, science and current affairs, breadth of preparation and calm elimination under pressure matter as much as depth.
PadhoDost gives you free UPSC Prelims GS practice: chapter-wise question sets across Polity, History, Geography, Economy, Environment and Science, full-length mocks to the real 100-question pattern, and your All-India rank. Detailed solutions explain not just the answer but the concept behind it, so each mock strengthens your fundamentals.
Exam pattern at a glance
Topics covered
Quick prep tips
- Build your base on NCERTs first, then layer standard reference books — jumping to advanced material too early wastes time.
- Follow current affairs daily and revise the last 12–18 months; a large share of Prelims questions are current-affairs linked.
- Give Environment & Ecology serious attention — it carries heavy weight and is often under-prepared.
- Use elimination smartly: with 1/3 negative marking, a well-reasoned educated guess between two options is usually worth taking, a blind one is not.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for the UPSC Civil Services Examination?
A candidate must hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline. For the general category the age limit is 21 to 32 years, with relaxations for OBC, SC/ST and other categories. Nationality requirements are stricter for the IAS, IPS and IFS.
What are the stages of the UPSC exam?
There are three stages: the Preliminary examination (an objective screening test), the Main examination (a written descriptive test), and a final Personality Test or interview. The Mains and interview decide the final merit; Prelims marks are not counted in it.
What is the UPSC Prelims pattern?
Prelims has two papers on the same day. General Studies Paper 1 has 100 questions for 200 marks in two hours (+2 correct, -1/3 wrong) and decides who qualifies for Mains. Paper 2 (CSAT) is only qualifying — you need 33% to clear it.
How many attempts are allowed for UPSC?
General-category candidates get six attempts, up to the age of 32. OBC candidates get nine attempts, and SC/ST candidates may attempt any number of times up to their age limit.
How should a beginner start UPSC preparation?
Build your base on NCERTs before moving to standard reference books, follow current affairs daily and revise the last 12 to 18 months, and give Environment & Ecology serious attention, as it carries heavy weight and is often under-prepared.
Are UPSC mock tests on PadhoDost free?
Yes. All UPSC Prelims GS practice, full-length mocks and visual explainers on PadhoDost are free, with detailed solutions that explain the concept behind each answer, and no paywall.