[Download] UPSC Mains-2016: General Studies Paper-1 in English & Hindi, & Topicwise Collection of all Papers Since syllabus change!
- Instructions for UPSC Mains GS Paper-1
- GSM1-2016: Question paper in linear format
- Observations compared to past years
- Is expensive coaching and secret material required for Mains-2017?
- GSM1-Topicwise Questions since Pattern change in 2013
- [Block-1] History
- History: Art & Culture
- History: India before Independence
- History: India After independence
- History: world
- [Block-2] Social Science
- Social Science: Caste, Religion, Region
- Social Science: Poverty, Population, Globalization
- Social Science: Women
- [Block-3] Geography
- Geography: Physical
- Geography: Climate, Disaster related
- Geography: Resources Distribution
- Geography: factors affecting industrial locations
- Geography: Urbanization
- [Block-1] History
Instructions for UPSC Mains GS Paper-1
- UPSC conducted general studies paper 1 of civil services mains examination on 5th December 2016
- Duration: 3 hours; Maximum Marks: 250
- Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions:
- There are TWENTY questions printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH. Each Question carries 12.5 marks.
- All the questions too compulsory.
- Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QC4) Booklet in the space provided.
- No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than the authorized one.
- Word limit in questions, wherever specified should be adhered to.
- Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck off.
GSM1-2016: Question paper in linear format incl. HINDI
Each Question is worth 12.5 marks and maximum word limit is 200. But content of the answer is more important than its length.
- Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.
प्रारम्भिक बुद्धा स्तूप कला, लोक वर्ण्य-विषयो एवं कथानको को चित्रित करते हुए बुद्धा आदर्शो की सफलतापूर्वक व्याख्या करती है | विशदीकरण कीजिए | - Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss.
विजयनगर नरेश कृष्णदेव रॉय न केवल स्वयं एक कुशल विद्वान थे अपितु विधया एवं साहित्य के महान संरक्षक भी थे | विवेचना करिए | - Explain how the Uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India.
यह स्पष्ट कीजिए कि 1857 का विप्लव किस प्रकार औपनिवेशिक भारत के प्रति ब्रिटिश नीतियों के विकासक्रम में एक महत्वपूर्ण एतिहासिक मोड है | - Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase.
स्वतन्त्रता संग्राम में, विशेष तौर पर गांधीवादी चरण के दौरान महिलाओं कि भूमिका का विवेचन कीजिए | - Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom.
स्वतन्त्रता के लिए संघर्ष में सुभाष चन्द्र बोस एवं महात्मा गांधी के मध्य दृष्टिकोण की भिन्नताओं पर प्रकाश डालिए | - Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause of Indian Unity?
क्या भाषाइ राज्यों के गठन नें भारतीय एकता के उद्देश्य को मजबूती प्रदान की है ? - The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine.
पश्चिमी अफ्रीका में उपनिवेश-विरोधी संघर्षों को पाश्चात्य सिक्षित अफ़्रीकियों के नव संभ्रांत वर्ग के द्वारा नेत्रत्व प्रदान किया गया था | परीक्षण करिए | - To what extent globalization has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain.
वैश्वीकरण नें भारत में सांस्कृतिक विविधता के आंतरक (कोर) को किस सीमा तक प्रभावित किया है ? स्पष्ट कीजिए | - “An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples. 7+5.5 marks
“ गरीबी उन्मूलन की एक अनिवार्य शर्त गरीबों को वंचितता के प्रक्रम से विमुक्त कर देना है |” उपयुक्त उदाहरण प्रस्तुत करते हुए इस कथन को पुष्ट कीजिए | - Why are the tribals in India referred to as the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. 4.5+8 marks
क्या कारण है कि भारत में जनजातियों को “अनुसूचित जनजातियाँ ” कहा जाता है ? भारत के संविधान में प्रतिष्ठापित उनके उत्थापन के लिए प्रावधानों को सूचित कीजिए | - With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme’. 4.5+8 marks
भारत में नगरीय जीवन कि गुणता कि संक्षिप्त पृष्ठभूमि के साथ, ‘ स्मार्ट नगर कार्यक्रम ‘ के उद्देश्य और रणनीति बताइये ? - What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. 3.5 + 9 marks
प्रादेशिकता का क्या आधार है ? क्या ऐसा प्रादेशिक स्तर पर विकास के लाभों के असमान वितरण से हुआ , जिसने कि अंतत: प्रादेशिकता को वढावा दिया ?अपने उत्तर को पुष्ट कीजिए | - Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes.
वायु संहति कि संकल्पना की विवेचना कीजिए तथा विस्तृत क्षेत्रीय जलवायवी परिवर्तनों में उसकी भूमिका को स्पष्ट कीजिए | - “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.
“हिमालय भूस्खलन के प्रति अत्याधिक प्रवण है |” कारणो कि विवेचना कीजिए तथा अल्पीकरण के उपाय सुझाए | - The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain
भूमि तथा जल संसाधनो का प्रभावी प्रबंधन मानव विपत्तियों को प्रबल रूप से कम कर देगा | स्पष्ट कीजिए | - South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment.
वर्तमान संदर्भ में दक्षिणी चीन सागर का भू-राजनीतिक महत्त्व बहुत बढ़ गया है | टिप्पणी कीजिए | - Major cities of India are becoming more vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss.
भारत के प्रमुख नगर बाढ़ दशाओं से अधिक असुरक्षित होते जा रहे है | विवेचना कीजिए | - Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations.
सिंधु जल संधि का एक विवरण प्रस्तुत कीजिए तथा बदलते हुए द्विपक्षीय संबंधो के संदर्भ में उसके पारिस्थितिक आर्थिक एवं राजनीतिक निहितार्थों का परीक्षण कीजिए | - Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.
भारत में अंतर्देशीय जन परिवहन कि समस्याओं एवं संभावनाओ को गिनाइए ? - In what way micro-watershed Development projects help in water conservation in drought prone and semi-arid regions of India.
भारत में सूखा-प्रवण एवं अर्धशुष्क प्रदेशों में लघु जलसंभर विकास परियोजनाए किस प्रकार जल संरक्षण में सहायक है ?
Observations about Mains-2016 GS Paper-1
2013 to 2015 | 2016 |
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Answer each question in max. 200 words and 12.5 marks | Same. Now internal breakup also given. E.g. 3.5 + 9 mark. In Question no.12 |
In 2013- 2 out 3 culture Qs from South India. |
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So far they used to ask kingdoms’ Architecture e.g. Gandhara, Chola. | Now specific king asked – Krishnadeva Raya. |
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This year, freedom struggle portion is:
First time 1857 revolt asked, since syllabus change. Thankfully nothing from medieval India, unlike 2014’s Panipat. |
2013: women in freedom struggle |
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Ideals of Gandhi vs Dr.Ambedkar (in social science) | Gandhi vs Subash (in Freedom Struggle) |
Post Independent India- nothing asked after 2013. | Drought continues. (as such linguistic state question is part of Post-Independent history but the wording is such that I put it under Regionalism topic). |
World History: easy questions on industrial revolution and role of Germany in WW. |
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2015: 25 marks questions on “women issues” under Social science. |
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2015: Dalit empowerment asked |
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2013: regionalism to separate state demand asked |
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2015: link between cultural diversity vs. national identity asked |
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2015: Two questions from poverty, population, globalization |
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Nothing in physical geography- in 2015 | Finally asked – 2 things related to physical geo’s subtopic “disaster”
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2015: why shortage of water? |
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2015: smart city and pollution asked |
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2015: nothing from industrial location | Same. |
Overall
- Just like essay-2016 paper was continuation of 2015’s essay paper. The GSM1-2016 seems to be a continuation of 2013’s paper! (be it landslides, women freedom fighters)
- While Geography had seen receding waters in the prelim-2016, it makes a “cloudburst” here with total 112.5 marks worth question (=45% of the GSM1 paper!) similar case for Laxmikanth (with tribal provision question)
- All in all- less difficult paper than earlier. Because ‘secret Material‘ or expensive coaching’ is NOT required to attend any of the question. Observe:
Questions | Coverage | Price? | How much covered in Mrunal.org |
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Buddhist Stupa Art |
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free | 12.5, Ishani’s lecture |
Krishnadevraya |
|
free | – |
Women in freedom struggle |
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free | 12.5, article |
Subhas vs Gandhi; | Sufficient points freedom struggle related books such as Rajiv Ahir or Bipan Chandra. | cheap | – |
Revolt of 1857 | Pratik’s lecture HFS6/P3; Books on freedom struggle such as Rajiv Ahir, Bipan Chandra | Free, cheap | 12.5, lecture |
Questions on regionalism, linguistic states | Sufficient points in IGNOU’s “Democracy and Development” booklet. | free | – |
Tribal | Laxmikanth | Cheap | – |
Urbanization | Both were covered in my lectures
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free | 25, lecture |
geography | Himalayan landslide cause (half of the answer) in this answer key for 2013 paper link | free | 7, article |
geography | Airmass and its role: G6/P4 | free | 12.5, lecture |
geography | Land and water resources: G7/P7 (water) and G8/P4 (land) | free | 12.5, lecture |
geography | Indus water treaty (half of the answer in this article) | free | 7, article |
geography | Watershed development: Lecture G7/P8 | Free | 12.5 lecture |
- Overall, 107/250 = ~43% of the paper covered in Mrunal.org
- Overall, 17 out of 20 questions, directly available in the either free or cheap sources.
- Q.E.D.: secret material, expensive coaching – unnecessary.