UPSC Prelims 2015 Analysis
Subject wise MCQ distribution
- Environment & Ecology (18 Questions): Covered biodiversity, climate change, environmental governance, and sustainability. Questions on international conservation initiatives like BioCarbon Fund and Green Climate Fund were prominent. Several questions were maps-based, requiring conceptual clarity and an ability to link static concepts with current affairs.
- Economy (16 Questions): Topics included monetary policies, banking sector trends, post-1991 reforms, and international economic developments. Many questions required analytical abilities and an elimination-based approach. A mix of conceptual and factual questions, with a significant focus on current affairs.
- Indian Polity (14 Questions): Focused on constitutional provisions, governance structures, and recent legislative changes. Several questions followed the assertion-reasoning format. Required a strong grasp of NCERT-based themes and core governance concepts.
- International Relations (10 Questions): Covered global organizations, India’s foreign policy, and international treaties. This section was heavily inclined towards current affairs, testing awareness of recent geopolitical developments. Some questions followed the match the following pattern.
- Science & Technology (10 Questions): Focused on space technology, biotechnology, AI, and emerging technologies. Many questions required linking current affairs with static concepts, reflecting the increasing importance of interdisciplinary knowledge.
- History (Ancient: 1, Medieval: 3, Modern: 8, Art & Culture: 4): Modern History had the highest representation, emphasizing national movements, colonial policies, and governance structures. Many questions followed the multi-statement and match the following formats, requiring both factual recall and analytical thinking.
- Geography (Indian: 8, Physical: 4, World: 2): Had a moderate presence, with emphasis on physical features, climate patterns, and resource distribution. Several questions were maps-based, testing location awareness and conceptual clarity.
- Social Issues & Schemes (2 Questions): A minor section, covering key government schemes & initiatives related to education, health, and welfare programs. Some questions were designed for elimination-based problem-solving.
Difficulty analysis
- Medium Difficulty (54 Questions): Formed the largest portion, requiring a blend of conceptual clarity and critical thinking.
- Easy Questions (29 Questions): Nearly one-third of the paper consisted of relatively simple questions, providing scoring opportunities for well-prepared candidates.
- Hard Questions (17 Questions): A limited but significant number of challenging questions, demanding deeper analytical skills and application-oriented thinking.
Variations in Question framing
- Multi-Statement Questions (46%) – Required critical thinking, analytical abilities, and elimination strategies. Frequently seen in Polity, Economy, and Environment.
- Direct Questions (54%) – More straightforward, favoring factual recall, particularly in Geography, History, and Science & Technology.
Current Affairs vs. Static Questions
- Static-Based (60 Questions): The majority of the paper was based on NCERTs, standard textbooks, and foundational knowledge from traditional sources.
- Current Affairs-Based (40 Questions): The paper deviated from the past four years' trend. While some topics required inference-based reasoning, many current affairs questions were direct. The focus was more on factual details rather than integrating concepts with dynamic events.
Key learning for Future Preparation
- Strengthen Static Fundamentals: Given that 60% of questions were from static topics, aspirants should focus on NCERTs, standard textbooks, and government reports.
- Prioritize Environment & Ecology: The increasing weightage highlights the need to cover conservation initiatives, biodiversity, and environmental policies comprehensively.
- Master Indian Economy Concepts: This section remains crucial, requiring conceptual understanding of financial policies, economic trends, GST, Monetary Policy Committee, and government initiatives.
- Enhance Multi-Statement Question Solving Techniques: With nearly half the paper in this format, mastering elimination techniques and analytical reasoning is essential.
- Maintain a Strong Balance Between Static and Dynamic Knowledge: The 40% share of current affairs reinforces the need to integrate contemporary events into static concepts.
Subject-Wise Answer Key
QUESTION 1
In the Index of Eight Core Industries, which one of the following is given the highest weight?
A. Coal Production
B. Electricity generation
C. Fertilizer Production
D. Steel Production
QUESTION 2
The terms ‘Agreement on Agriculture’, ‘Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’ and Peace Clause’ appear in the news frequently in the context of the affairs of the:
A. Food and Agriculture Organization
B. United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change
C. World Trade Organization
D. United Nations Environment Programme
QUESTION 3
Amnesty International is -
A. an agency of the United Nations to help refugees of civil wars
B. a global Human Rights Movement
C. a non-governmental voluntary organization to help very poor people
D. an inter-governmental agency to cater to medical emergencies in war-ravaged regions
QUESTION 4
India is a member of which of the following?
- Asia-Pacific economic corporation.
- Association of South-East Asian Nations.
- East Asia Summit
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 3 only
C. 1, 2, and 3
D. India is a member of none of them
QUESTION 5
The area known as ‘Golan Heights’ sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to:
A. Central Asia
B. Middle East
C. South-East Asia
D. Central Africa
QUESTION 6
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC)’, Consider the following statements:
- It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills
- It is an alliance meant for maritime security only
Which of the following statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
QUESTION 7
Consider the following countries -
- China
- France
- India
- Israel
- Pakistan
Which among the above are Nuclear Weapons States as recognized by the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)?
A. 1 and 2 only
B. 1, 3, 4 and 5 only
C. 2, 4 and 5 only
D. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
QUESTION 8
‘Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action’ often seen in the news, is
A. a strategy to tackle regional terrorism, an outcome of a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
B. a plan of action for sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific Region, an outcome of deliberations of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum
C. an agenda for women’s empowerment, an outcome of a World Conference convened by the United Nations
D. a strategy to combat wildlife trafficking, a declaration of the East Asia Summit
QUESTION 9
In the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, an initiative of six countries, which of the following is/are not participant/ participants?
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- China
- Myanmar
- Thailand
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A. 1 only
B. 2, 3 and 4
C. 1 and 3 only
D. 1, 2 and 5 only
QUESTION 10
The ‘Fortaleza Declaration’ recently in the news, is related to the affairs of:
A. ASEAN
B. BRICS
C. OECD
D. WTO