The UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 General Studies Paper I evaluates candidates on Indian Heritage and Culture, History, Geography of the World and Society. The paper carries 250 marks and consists of descriptive questions.
On this page, you can find the UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper I Question Paper 2021, official questions, exam pattern, question paper instructions, and the official UPSC PDF link.
UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper I Question Paper 2021: Overview
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Examination | UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 |
| Paper | General Studies Paper I |
| Year | 2021 |
| Exam Stage | Main Examination |
| Maximum Marks | 250 |
| Time Allowed | 3 Hours |
| Total Questions | 20 |
| Question Type | Descriptive |
| Medium | Any language authorized by UPSC in the Admission Certificate |
Question Paper Instructions
- There are TWENTY questions printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH.
- All questions are compulsory.
- The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it.
- Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of the Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet in the space provided.
- No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than the authorized one.
- Answers to Questions No. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to Questions No. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words.
- Keep the word limit indicated in the questions in mind.
- Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet must be clearly struck off.
UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper I Question Paper 2021
Questions 1–10 (150 Words, 10 Marks Each)
- Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti literature and its contribution to Indian culture. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian Princely States. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in percentage. Discuss. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Why is India considered as a subcontinent? Elaborate your answer. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. (150 words | 10 Marks)
- Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (150 words | 10 Marks)
Questions 11–20 (250 Words, 15 Marks Each)
- To what extent did the role of the Moderates prepare a base for the wider freedom movement? Comment. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- Bring out the constructive programmes of Mahatma Gandhi during Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- “There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- Briefly mention the alignment of major mountain ranges of the world and explain their impact on local weather conditions, with examples. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- Discuss the multi-dimensional implications of uneven distribution of mineral oil in the world. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? (250 words | 15 Marks)
- Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (250 words | 15 Marks)
- What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also? (250 words | 15 Marks)
- How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. (250 words | 15 Marks)
Official UPSC PDF
The official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021 General Studies Paper I question paper can be downloaded from the UPSC website.
Download Official UPSC CSE Mains GS Paper i Question Paper 2021 (PDF)