UPSC Prelims 2015 Question Paper & Analysis
Get the UPSC Prelims Previous Year Question (PYQ) Paper with subject-wise trends, difficulty analysis, and detailed model answers — including diagrams, flowcharts, and structured writing for GS.
Subject-wise MCQ Distribution
Difficulty Analysis
Type of questions
Key Insights
- Environment & Ecology, Economy, Indian Polity carried the highest weightage, together accounting for 49% of the paper.
- The paper strongly favoured statement-based questions — multi-statement and assertion-reasoning questions together made up 46% of the paper, making careful reading and elimination especially important.
- The paper was largely easy to moderate in difficulty, with 83% of questions falling in the easy or medium range and only 17% classified as hard.
- Questions were spread across 13 subject areas, making broad syllabus coverage important rather than relying on a few traditionally dominant subjects.
- The question format demanded more than direct recall, with only 54% of questions being direct, while most required evaluating multiple statements or reasoning through assertions.
PYQs with Detailed Answers
- View Answer for: With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct? It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.Select the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to ‘Near Field Communication (NFC) Technology’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- It is a contactless communication technology that uses electromagnetic radio fields
- NFC is designed for use by devices which can be at a distance of even a metre from each other
- NFC can use encryption when sending sensitive information.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- View Answer for: H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
H1N1 virus is sometimes mentioned in the news with reference to which one of the following diseases?
- View Answer for: With reference to the use of nanotechnology in the health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct? Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapySelect the correct answer using the code given below.
With reference to the use of nanotechnology in the health sector, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- Targeted drug delivery is made possible by nanotechnology
- Nanotechnology can largely contribute to gene therapy
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- View Answer for: In which of the following activities are Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites used? Assessment of crop productivity Locating groundwater resources Mineral exploration Telecommunications Traffic studiesSelect the correct answer using the code given below
In which of the following activities are Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites used?
- Assessment of crop productivity
- Locating groundwater resources
- Mineral exploration
- Telecommunications
- Traffic studies
Select the correct answer using the code given below
- View Answer for: In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at the South Pole, which was recently in the news : It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice. It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter It is buried deep in the ice.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
In the context of modern scientific research, consider the following statements about ‘IceCube’, a particle detector located at the South Pole, which was recently in the news :
- It is the world’s largest neutrino detector, encompassing a cubic kilometre of ice.
- It is a powerful telescope to search for dark matter
- It is buried deep in the ice.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- View Answer for: Among the following which was frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of the Ebola virus recently?
Among the following which was frequently mentioned in the news for the outbreak of the Ebola virus recently?
- View Answer for: Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)? NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India’s premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding National Innovation Foundation-India (NIF)?
- NIF is an autonomous body of the Department of Science and Technology under the Central Government
- NIF is an initiative to strengthen the highly advanced scientific research in India’s premier scientific institutions in collaboration with highly advanced foreign scientific institutions.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- View Answer for: The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of
The term ‘Goldilocks Zone’ is often seen in the news in the context of
- View Answer for: Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014, was given to which of the following?
Indira Gandhi Peace Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development for 2014, was given to which of the following?
- View Answer for: The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is constituted under the
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee is constituted under the
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