UPSC Prelims 2024 Analysis
Subject-Wise MCQ Distribution
- Polity: High representation with 15-20 questions, focusing on constitutional articles, governance, and recent amendments. Analytical abilities were essential to tackle assertion-based and statement-type questions.
- Economy: Approximately 12-15 questions, heavily tilted towards current economic developments, policies, and budget-related topics. A mix of static concepts from NCERT and dynamic updates was necessary.
- Environment & Ecology: 18-20 questions, with a strong emphasis on climate change, international agreements, and conservation efforts. Match the following questions played a significant role in this section.
- History: 12-14 questions, balanced between ancient, medieval, and modern, with increasing weightage on cultural aspects. Many questions required a combination of NCERT knowledge and historical maps for better context.
- Geography: 10-12 questions, mostly applied concepts like map-based and environmental geography questions.
- Science & Technology: 8-10 questions, leaning towards application-based knowledge on recent innovations and space technology.
- Current Affairs: 15-18 questions, interwoven with other subjects, often requiring assertion-reasoning skills to connect facts.
Difficulty Analysis
- Easy: ~30% of questions were straightforward and could be attempted with basic NCERT knowledge.
- Moderate: ~50% required analytical abilities, conceptual clarity, and elimination tactics.
- Difficult: ~20% were tricky, involving multi-layered reasoning or obscure facts.
Variations in Question Framing
- Statement-based MCQs: 60% of questions were framed in a two-statement or three-statement format, testing comprehension, elimination skills, and analytical abilities.
- Assertion-Reasoning: 13% of the questions assessed logical connections between concepts, requiring critical thinking.
- Match the Following: 10% of the questions required mapping terms with their definitions, locations, or features, particularly in Geography and Environment.
- Standalone Questions: 25% were direct, fact-based questions, but even these often required cross-referencing with maps or historical events.
- Notably, in 2024, UPSC introduced three-column Match the Following MCQs, increasing question complexity and demanding better comprehension skills.
Key Learnings for Future Preparation
- Integrated Approach: Focus on interlinking static NCERT subjects with current affairs, as many questions have contextual relevance.
- Master the Basics: A strong foundation in NCERTs is crucial for tackling conceptual questions, especially in Polity, History, and Geography.
- Develop Analytical Abilities: Statement-based and assertion-reasoning questions require critical thinking and elimination tactics.
- Focus on Trends: Emphasize high-yield topics like Environment, Economy, and Current Affairs to maximize scoring potential.
- Revise Maps and Schematics: Geography and Environmental questions often require map-based knowledge and spatial reasoning to answer correctly.
The Prelims 2024 paper demonstrated a balanced mix of factual recall and analytical
reasoning. A strategic approach to preparation—emphasizing both breadth and depth—is
critical for success.
Subject-Wise Answer Key
QUESTION 1
EasyModern HistoryPrelims 2024
With reference to the Government of India Act, 1935, consider the following statements:
- It provided for the establishment of an All India Federation based on the union of the British Indian Provinces and Princely States.
- Defence and Foreign Affairs were kept under the control of the federal legislature.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: A
QUESTION 2
HardModern HistoryPrelims 2024
Consider the following pairs :
| Party | Its Leader |
|---|---|
| 1. Bharatiya Jana Sangh | Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee |
| 2. Socialist Party | C. Rajagopalachari |
| 3. Congress for Democracy | Jagjivan Ram |
| 4. Swatantra Party | Acharya Narendra Dev |
How many of the above are correctly matched?
A. Only one
B. Only two
C. Only three
D. All four
Answer: B
QUESTION 3
EasyModern HistoryPrelims 2024
With reference to revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements:
- Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
- Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A. 1 only
B. 2 only
C. Both 1 and 2
D. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: B