UPSC Prelims 2026 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
- Science & Technology, Economy, International Relations carried the highest weightage, together accounting for 47% of the paper.
- The paper strongly favoured statement-based questions — multi-statement and assertion-reasoning questions together made up 73% of the paper, making careful reading and elimination especially important.
- The paper was largely easy to moderate in difficulty, with 66% of questions falling in the easy or medium range and only 34% classified as hard.
- Questions were spread across 12 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 27% of questions being direct, while most required evaluating multiple statements or reasoning through assertions.
PYQs with Detailed Answers
- View Answer for: Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856 : The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts. A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders. The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars.Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Consider the following statements regarding the British policy in Awadh immediately after its annexation in 1856 :
- The taluqdars were dispossessed of their estates but allowed to retain their arms and forts.
- A Summary Revenue Settlement was made in 1856 assuming that the taluqdars were outsiders.
- The British believed in taking revenue directly from the peasants by removing the taluqdars.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- View Answer for: Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939 ? Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi. The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose. The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours. The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.Select the answer using the code given below :
Which of the following factors contributed to the formation of the Forward Bloc by Subhas Chandra Bose in 1939 ?
- Bose failed to win the confidence of Mahatma Gandhi.
- The Congress Left was disunited and failed to support Bose.
- The Communists did not support Bose in his endeavours.
- The supporters of M.N. Roy and socialist leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan preferred Congress unity to supporting Bose.
Select the answer using the code given below :
- View Answer for: Consider the following assertion :The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919.Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion ? Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates. Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger. Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates.Select the answer using the code given below :
Consider the following assertion :
The genesis of political alliances based on community lay in the very nature of the Montague-Chelmsford Reforms, 1919.
Which of the following statements support/supports the above assertion ?
- Reforms retained and extended the principle of separate electorates.
- Separate electorates were supposed to counter Indian nationalism, which was growing stronger.
- Deprived classes rallied around the favours inherent in separate electorates.
Select the answer using the code given below :
- View Answer for: The artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was adopted by the British Government for which one of the following reasons ?
The artificially fixed rupee-sterling exchange rate prescribed by the Hilton-Young Commission (1926) was adopted by the British Government for which one of the following reasons ?
- View Answer for: Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?
Which one of the following statements about the Eka Movement and Bardoli Satyagraha is correct ?
Trusted by 2L aspirants
Practice UPSC Prelims PYQs Smarter
- Track accuracy & weak areas
- See past trends & repeated themes
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these the complete UPSC Prelims 2026 questions?
Can I practise these questions before seeing the answers?
Are these answers based on the official UPSC answer key?
Crack UPSC with your
Personal AI Mentor
An AI-powered ecosystem to learn, practice, and evaluate with discipline
