UPSC Prelims 2018 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
Economy
20
Environment & Ecology
15
Indian Polity
15
Modern History
13
Science & Technology
12
International Relations
7
Art & Culture
7
Social Issues & Schemes
4
Indian Geography
4
Physical Geography
2
Medieval History
1
Difficulty Analysis
Type of questions
Key Insights
- Economy, Environment & Ecology, Indian Polity carried the highest weightage, together accounting for 50% of the paper.
- The paper strongly favoured statement-based questions — multi-statement and assertion-reasoning questions together made up 58% of the paper, making careful reading and elimination especially important.
- The paper was largely easy to moderate in difficulty, with 71% of questions falling in the easy or medium range and only 29% classified as hard.
- Questions were spread across 11 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 42% of questions being direct, while most required evaluating multiple statements or reasoning through assertions.
PYQs with Detailed Answers
Art & Culture (7)Economy (20)Environment & Ecology (15)Geography (6)Indian Polity (15)International Relations (7)Medieval History (1)Modern History (13)Science & Technology (12)Social Issues & Schemes (4)
- View Answer for: Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?
Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?
- View Answer for: Consider the following statements: The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
- The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
- Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
- The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- View Answer for: Consider the following statements - Most of the world's coral reefs are in tropical waters. More than one-third of the world's coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements -
- Most of the world's coral reefs are in tropical waters.
- More than one-third of the world's coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
- Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- View Answer for: Which one of the following is an artificial lake?
Which one of the following is an artificial lake?
- View Answer for: Consider the following statements: The Earth's magnetic field has reversed every few hundred thousand years. When the Earth was created more than 4000 million years ago, there was 54% oxygen and no carbon dioxide. When living organisms originated, they modified the early atmosphere of the Earth.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
- The Earth's magnetic field has reversed every few hundred thousand years.
- When the Earth was created more than 4000 million years ago, there was 54% oxygen and no carbon dioxide.
- When living organisms originated, they modified the early atmosphere of the Earth.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- View Answer for: Consider the following statements: In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines. Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines. Rajasthan has iron ore mines.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements:
- In India, State Governments do not have the power to auction non-coal mines.
- Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand do not have gold mines.
- Rajasthan has iron ore mines.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the complete UPSC Prelims 2018 questions?
Yes. This page covers the complete UPSC Prelims 2018 question paper, with questions organised by subject for easier practice and review.
Can I practise these questions before seeing the answers?
Yes. Each question is accompanied by a detailed model answer and explanation, helping you understand the correct answer and the reasoning behind it.
Are these answers based on the official UPSC answer key?
Yes. The model answers are prepared with reference to the official UPSC answer key, along with detailed explanations to help you understand the reasoning behind each answer.
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