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
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
- View Answer for: In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the 'International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'?
In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the 'International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'?
- View Answer for: Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?
Very recently, in which of the following countries have lakhs of people either suffered from severe famine/acute malnutrition or died due to starvation caused by war/ethnic conflicts?
- View Answer for: Consider the following pairs: Regions sometimes mentioned in news | Country :--- | :--- 1. Catalonia | Spain 2. Crimea | Hungary 3. Mindanao | Philippines 4. Oromia | Nigeria Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Consider the following pairs:
Regions sometimes mentioned in news Country 1. Catalonia Spain 2. Crimea Hungary 3. Mindanao Philippines 4. Oromia Nigeria Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- View Answer for: The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
- View Answer for: Consider the following pairs: Town|Sometime mentioned in news Country -- |-- 1. Aleppo | Syria 2. Kirkuk|Yemen 3. Mosul | Palestine 4. Mazar-i-Sharif|AfghanistanWhich of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Consider the following pairs:
Town Sometime mentioned in news Country 1. Aleppo Syria 2. Kirkuk Yemen 3. Mosul Palestine 4. Mazar-i-Sharif Afghanistan Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
- View Answer for: Consider the following countries : Australia Canada China India Japan USAWhich of the above are among the 'free-trade partners' of ASEAN?
Consider the following countries :
- Australia
- Canada
- China
- India
- Japan
- USA
Which of the above are among the 'free-trade partners' of ASEAN?
- View Answer for: What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming a member of the 'Nuclear Suppliers Group'? It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies. It automatically becomes a member of "The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)".Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
What is/are the consequence/consequences of a country becoming a member of the 'Nuclear Suppliers Group'?
- It will have access to the latest and most efficient nuclear technologies.
- It automatically becomes a member of "The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)".
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
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