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UPSC Prelims 2025 Analysis

UPSC Prelims Answer Key

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UPSC Prelims 2025 Analysis

Subject-wise weightage

subjectNumber of questions
Ancient History6
Art & Culture2
Economy18
Environment & Ecology15
Indian Geography1
Indian Polity14
International Relations8
Modern History8
Physical Geography7
Science & Technology13
Social Issues & Schemes3
World Geography5
Grand Total100

Polity: High representation with 14 questions, focusing on constitutional articles, governance, and recent amendments. Analytical abilities were essential to tackle assertion-based and statement-type questions.

Economy: Approximately 18 questions, focusing on conceptual clarity and application based questions and policies. A mix of static concepts from NCERT and dynamic updates was necessary.

Environment & Ecology: 15 questions, with a strong emphasis on climate change, international agreements, international bodies and conservation efforts. Match the following questions played a significant role in this section.

History: 16 questions, balanced between ancient, medieval, and modern. Many questions required a combination of NCERT knowledge and historical maps for better context. Modern history was doable if student is clear with standard resources and timeline.

Geography: 10-13 questions, mostly applied concepts like map-based and environmental geography questions.

Science & Technology: 13 questions, leaning towards application-based knowledge on recent innovations and space technology. Current affairs played vital role.

Current Affairs: 15-18 questions, interwoven with other subjects, often requiring assertion-reasoning skills to connect facts.

Question Count (1).png
Subject-Wise MCQ Distribution in UPSC Prelims 2025

Difficulty-wise breakdown

  • Easy: ~33% of questions were straightforward and could be attempted with basic NCERT knowledge.
  • Moderate: ~35% required analytical abilities, conceptual clarity, and elimination tactics.
  • Difficult: ~32% were tricky, involving multi-layered reasoning or obscure facts.
Difficulty Analysis in UPSC Prelims 2025
Difficulty Analysis in UPSC Prelims 2025

 

Type of questions

Question typeNumber of questions
Direct26
Assertion12
Multi-statement62

 

Youtubz Poster

QUESTION 1

EasyPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

I. Without the atmosphere, temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the Earth's surface. II. Heat absorbed and trapped by the atmosphere maintains our planet's average temperature. III. Atmosphere's gases, like carbon dioxide, are particularly good at absorbing and trapping radiation.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

A. I and III only

B. I and II only

C. I, II and III

D. II and III only

Answer: C

Explanation

Statement I: Correct Without an atmosphere, Earth’s surface would lose heat rapidly and become much colder, like the Moon.

Statement II: Correct The atmosphere traps heat via the greenhouse effect, maintaining a temperature suitable for life.

Statement III: Correct Gases like CO₂, methane, and water vapor absorb infrared radiation, causing the greenhouse effect.

Correct Answer: All three statements are correct.


QUESTION 2

HardIndian GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following pairs:

State – Description I. Arunachal Pradesh : The capital is named after a fort, and the State has two National Parks. II. Nagaland : The State came into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act. III. Tripura : Initially a Part 'C' State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of States in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State.

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

A. Only one

B. Only two

C. All the three

D. None

Answer: C

Explanation

This question tests knowledge of historical and administrative facts about northeastern Indian states.

Pair I: Arunachal Pradesh – Correct

  • Itanagar, the capital, is named after Ita Fort.
  • The state has two National Parks: Namdapha and Mouling.

Pair II: Nagaland – Correct

  • Nagaland attained statehood via a constitutional amendment and came into being on 1 December 1963 through the State of Nagaland Act, 1962.

Pair III: Tripura – Correct

  • Tripura was a Part 'C' state, became a Union Territory in 1956, and was granted statehood in 1972.

QUESTION 3

EasyPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Which of the following are the evidences of the phenomenon of continental drift?

I. The belt of ancient rocks from Brazil coast matches with those from Western Africa. II. The gold deposits of Ghana are derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side. III. The Gondwana system of sediments from India is known to have its counterparts in six different landmasses of the Southern Hemisphere.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

A. I and III only

B. I and II only

C. I, II and III

D. II and III only

Answer: C

Explanation

Statement I: Correct Ancient rock belts on Brazil’s coast match those on Western Africa, showing geological continuity.

Statement II: Correct Gold deposits in Ghana correlate with those on the Brazil plateau, indicating a shared origin.

Statement III: Correct Gondwana sediments in India match those in Antarctica, Australia, South Africa, South America, and Madagascar, with similar fossils and environments.

Correct Answer: All three statements are correct.


QUESTION 4

HardWorld GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following water bodies:

I. Lake Tanganyika II. Lake Tonlé Sap III. Patos Lagoon

Through how many of them does the equator pass?

A. Only one

B. Only two

C. All the three

D. None

Answer: D

Explanation

Statement I: Incorrect Lake Tanganyika lies south of the Equator, in Tanzania, DRC, Burundi, and Zambia.

Statement II: Incorrect Lake Tonlé Sap is in Cambodia, well north of the Equator.

Statement III: Incorrect Patos Lagoon is in southern Brazil, far south of the Equator.

Correct Answer: (D) None The Equator does not pass through any of the three water bodies listed.


QUESTION 5

MediumPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

Statement I: Scientific studies suggest that a shift is taking place in the Earth’s rotation and axis.

Statement II: Solar flares and associated coronal mass ejections bombarded the Earth’s outermost atmosphere with tremendous amount of energy.

Statement III: As the Earth’s polar ice melts, the water tends to move towards the equator.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A. Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

B. Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I

C. Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I

D. Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: B

Explanation

Earth’s rotation and axis can shift due to changes in how mass is distributed across the planet, such as melting polar ice.

Statement I is correct:

  • Studies show that Earth’s rotation and axis are shifting slightly due to internal mass redistribution.

Statement II is correct:

  • But it doesn’t explain the shift — solar flares affect only the upper atmosphere, not Earth’s rotation.

Statement III is correct:

  • It explains the shift — melting polar ice moves water toward the equator, altering Earth’s mass distribution and spin.

QUESTION 6

MediumWorld GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following pairs:

Country – Resource-rich in I. Botswana : Diamond II. Chile : Lithium III. Indonesia : Nickel

In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

A. Only one

B. Only two

C. All the three

D. None

Answer: C

Explanation

This question checks knowledge of countries known for major natural resources that play key roles in global markets.

I. Botswana : Diamond – Correct

  • Botswana is a top global producer of diamonds, vital to its economy.

II. Chile : Lithium – Correct

  • Chile has vast lithium reserves in the Atacama Desert and is a leading global supplier.

III. Indonesia : Nickel – Correct

  • Indonesia is the world’s largest producer of nickel, crucial for batteries and steel.

QUESTION 7

HardWorld GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following pairs:

Region – Country I. Mallorca : Italy II. Normandy : Spain III. Sardinia : France

In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?

A. Only one

B. Only two

C. All the three

D. None

Answer: D

Explanation

The question tests knowledge of European geography, particularly the correct country associations of famous regions.

I. Mallorca : Italy

  • Mallorca is part of Spain, not Italy.

II. Normandy : Spain

  • Normandy is a region in France, not Spain.

III. Sardinia : France

  • Sardinia belongs to Italy, not France.

QUESTION 8

HardPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

I. Anadyr in Siberia and Nome in Alaska are a few kilometers from each other, but when people are waking up and getting set for breakfast in these cities, it would be different days. II. When it is Monday in Anadyr, it is Tuesday in Nome.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A. I only

B. II only

C. Both I and II

D. Neither I nor II

Answer: A

Explanation

Anadyr (Russia) and Nome (Alaska, USA) lie close to each other geographically but are separated by the International Date Line, leading to a significant difference in calendar dates despite similar times of day.

Statement I: Correct Due to the International Date Line, Anadyr and Nome can have the same time of day but different dates.

Statement II: Incorrect When it’s Monday in Anadyr, it is still Sunday in Nome, not Tuesday—Anadyr is ahead of Nome by almost 21 hours.


QUESTION 9

HardPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

Statement I: In the context of effect of water on rocks, chalk is known as a very permeable rock whereas clay is known as quite an impermeable or least permeable rock.

Statement II: Chalk is porous and hence can absorb water.

Statement III: Clay is not at all porous.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A. Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I

B. Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I

C. Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I

D. Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct

Answer: C

Explanation

Statement I: Correct Chalk is permeable (water passes easily); clay is impermeable (water passes poorly).

Statement II: Correct Chalk is porous, with many small holes that hold water, making it permeable.

Statement III: Incorrect Clay is porous but with very tiny pores that restrict water flow; it is impermeable but not non-porous.

Correct Answer: Only Statements I and II are correct; Statement II explains Statement I.


QUESTION 10

EasyWorld GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following countries:

I. United Kingdom II. Denmark III. New Zealand IV. Australia V. Brazil

How many of the above countries have more than four time zones?

A. All the five

B. Only four

C. Only three

D. Only two

Answer: B

Explanation

Based on the distribution of official time zones including overseas territories, we can determine:

United Kingdom – More than four (Total 9 Time Zones) ✅ Denmark – More than four (At least 5 Time Zones) ✅ New Zealand – More than four (Total 5 Time Zones) ✅ Australia – More than four (Total 8-9 Time Zones) ❌ Brazil – Exactly four

Therefore, four out of the five countries have more than four time zones.


QUESTION 11

MediumPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

Statement I: In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, the isotherms bend equatorward while crossing the landmasses, and poleward while crossing the oceans.

Statement II: In January, the air over the oceans is warmer than that over the landmasses in the Northern Hemisphere.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I

B. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I

C. Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct

D. Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct

Answer: A

Explanation

Statement I: Correct In January, isotherms bend equatorward over land (which cools faster) and poleward over oceans (which retain heat).

Statement II: Correct Oceans stay warmer than land in January because water has a higher specific heat.

Relationship: Statement II explains why the isotherms behave as described in Statement I.

Correct Answer: Both statements are correct, and Statement II explains Statement I.


QUESTION 12

MediumPhysical GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following statements:

Statement I: The amount of dust particles in the atmosphere is more in subtropical and temperate areas than in equatorial and polar regions.

Statement II: Subtropical and temperate areas have less dry winds.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

A. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct and Statement II explains Statement I

B. Both Statement I and Statement II are correct but Statement II does not explain Statement I

C. Statement I is correct but Statement II is not correct

D. Statement I is not correct but Statement II is correct

Answer: C

Explanation

Statement I: Correct Subtropical and temperate regions have more dust due to dry conditions, sparse vegetation, and strong winds.

Statement II: Incorrect Subtropical and temperate regions have more dry winds, not less, which help lift dust.

Correct Answer: Only Statement I is correct.


QUESTION 13

MediumWorld GeographyPrelims 2025

Consider the following countries:

I. Bolivia II. Brazil III. Colombia IV. Ecuador V. Paraguay VI. Venezuela

Andes mountains pass through how many of the above countries?

A. Only two

B. Only three

C. Only four

D. Only five

Answer: C

Explanation

Statement I: Correct Andes pass through Bolivia, forming the Altiplano plateau.

Statement II: Incorrect Andes do not pass through Brazil, which lies on the Brazilian Plateau.

Statement III: Correct Andes pass through Colombia, where they split into three mountain chains.

Statement IV: Correct Andes run north-south through Ecuador, shaping its geography.

Statement V: Incorrect Paraguay lies in the interior lowlands; Andes do not pass through it.

Statement VI: Correct The Venezuelan Andes extend into western Venezuela (Cordillera de Mérida).

Correct Answer: (C) Only four ✅ Andes pass through: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela ❌ Not through: Brazil, Paraguay

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