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Every UPSC Civil Services Prelims and Mains previous year question on Jasvin Thinks, explained, plus daily current affairs matched to the PYQ each story would help you answer. Free, no login, in 11 languages.

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Next exam: 23 May 2027
Stages: Prelims → Mains → Interview
Solved PYQs: 6,100
Years: 1995–25

UPSC exam pattern

Always confirm the pattern in the latest official notification.

Prelims

Two objective papers on the same day. Only GS Paper I counts for the merit list; CSAT is qualifying.

General Studies Paper I. 100 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours. Current events, history and the national movement, Indian and world geography, polity and governance, economic and social development, environment and ecology, general science.
CSAT (General Studies Paper II). 80 questions, 200 marks, 2 hours, qualifying at 33%. Comprehension, logical reasoning, decision making, basic numeracy and data interpretation.

Mains

Nine descriptive papers. Two language papers are qualifying; the other seven (1,750 marks) count for the merit list.

Qualifying papers. Paper A (an Indian language) and Paper B (English), 300 marks each.
Essay. 250 marks.
General Studies I to IV. 250 marks each. Heritage, history and society; governance, polity and IR; economy, environment, S&T, security and disaster management; ethics, integrity and aptitude.
Optional subject. Two papers, 250 marks each.

Interview

Personality test, 275 marks. The final merit list is out of 2,025.

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Upcoming dates

23 May 2027

Civil Services (Prelims) 2027

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20 Aug 2027

Civil Services (Main) 2027

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Solved UPSC previous year questions

Real UPSC questions with the correct answer marked.

UPSC 2025 · Indian Economy

With reference to investments, consider the following: I. Bonds II. Hedge Funds III. Stocks IV. Venture Capital How many of the above are treated as Alternative Investment Funds?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All the four

Correct Answer

The correct answer is b)

Explanation

Traditional vs Alternative Investments:

Investment Type	Classification	Key Features
Stocks	TRADITIONAL	Traded in regulated public markets with standardised regulations and transparent pricing
Bonds	TRADITIONAL	Debt instruments in regulated markets - fixed interest, lower risk
Hedge Funds	ALTERNATIVE	Non-traditional vehicles using aggressive strategies outside the formal banking system
Venture Capital	ALTERNATIVE	Non-traditional financing into high-growth startups, outside conventional banking

SEBI Classification: Hedge Funds and Venture Capital are explicitly classified as Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs).

Answer Logic: Only TWO of the four — hedge funds and venture capital — qualify as alternative sources.

Answer: (b) Only two.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

a) Only one

Incorrect. Both hedge funds and venture capital are classified as non-traditional. Selecting only one ignores half the correct answer.

c) Only three

Incorrect. This claims three are non-traditional. But bonds are traditional debt instruments and stocks are traditional equity — only hedge funds and VC are alternative.

d) All the four

Incorrect. Stocks trade on regulated exchanges (traditional). Bonds are traditional debt. Only hedge funds and VC are alternative/non-traditional.

Remember This

Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs) = Hedge Funds + Venture Capital. Both operate OUTSIDE the formal banking system. Stocks and bonds are traditional.

📌 Remember

Hedge Funds + Venture Capital = AIFs (Alternative Investment Funds). Stocks + Bonds = traditional. Only 2 of the 4 are alternative.

Common Mistakes

- Confusing venture capital with traditional equity (stocks). VC is unregulated, informal, and targets startups — entirely different from stock market investment.
- Assuming bonds are alternative investments. Bonds are the most traditional debt instrument, regulated and traded on formal markets.
- Not knowing SEBI's specific AIF classification — hedge funds and VC are AIFs; stocks and bonds are not.

Quick Tip

Identify traditional (stock exchanges, banks, bonds) vs alternative (hedge funds, VC, private equity) channels. Alternative = outside formal banking system. Look for SEBI's AIF classification in UPSC questions.

SOURCES

- NCERT Class XII - Business Studies (Capital Structure and Financing)
- SEBI Alternative Investment Fund Guidelines (2012, amended 2021)
- Ministry of Finance - Capital Markets Regulation

UPSC 2025 · Indian Polity

With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information: Organization : Some of its functions : It works under I. Directorate of Enforcement : Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 : Internal Security Division - I, Ministry of Home Affairs II. Directorate of Revenue Intelligence : Enforces the Provisions of the Customs Act, 1962 : Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance III. Directorate General of Systems and Data Management : Carrying out big data analytics to assist tax officers for better policy and nabbing tax evaders : Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance In how many of the above rows is the information correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None

Correct Answer

The correct answer is b)

Explanation

Three agencies under the Finance Ministry

Row	Organization	Function given	'Works under' given	Verdict
I	Directorate of Enforcement	Enforcement of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018	Internal Security Division-I, Ministry of Home Affairs	Incorrect; it works under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance
II	Directorate of Revenue Intelligence	Enforces the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962	Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance	Correct
III	Directorate General of Systems and Data Management	Big data analytics to help tax officers and catch tax evaders	Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance	Correct

More on each:

Agency	Laws or role
Directorate of Enforcement	FEMA 1999, PMLA 2002, Fugitive Economic Offenders Act 2018
Directorate of Revenue Intelligence	Apex anti-smuggling body under the CBIC
Systems and Data Management	IT and analytics arm of the CBIC

The function in row I is right, but the parent body is wrong, so the row fails.

Answer: (b) Only two.

Why Other Options Are Wrong

a) Only one

Incorrect. Rows II and III are both correctly matched, so more than one row is right.

c) All the three

Incorrect. Row I is wrong; the Directorate of Enforcement works under the Department of Revenue.

d) None

Incorrect. Two rows give correctly matched information.

Remember This

Directorate of Enforcement, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and DG Systems and Data Management all work under the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance.

📌 Remember

ED, DRI and DGSDM: all under the Department of Revenue.

Common Mistakes

- Accepting row I because the **function** is right; the parent Ministry is wrong.
- Placing the **Directorate of Enforcement** under the Home Ministry like the CBI or NIA.
- Forgetting that the **Directorate of Revenue Intelligence** is part of the CBIC.

Quick Tip

In three-column tables, check the last column separately. A right function with a wrong parent body fails the row.

SOURCES

- Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance — Organisations under the Department
- Directorate of Enforcement — About ED

UPSC 2025 · Environment & Ecology
Consider the following statements: Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases. Statement II: Circular economy reduces the use of raw materials as inputs. Statement III: Circular economy reduces wastage in the production process. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
1. (a) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct and both of them explain Statement I
2. (b) Both Statement II and Statement III are correct but only one of them explains Statement I
3. (c) Only one of the Statements II and III is correct and that explains Statement I
4. (d) Neither Statement II nor Statement III is correct
See the answer and full explanation
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UPSC PYQ FAQs

Are the UPSC PYQs on Jasvin Thinks free?

Yes. Every Prelims and Mains question and its explanation is free to read, with no signup or paywall.

Which years of UPSC PYQs are covered?

Prelims General Studies questions go back to 1995 and Mains questions to 2013, up to the latest paper.

How are current affairs linked to UPSC PYQs?

Each daily current-affairs article names the previous year question it would help you answer, so you can see why the story matters for the exam.

Can I practise UPSC PYQs topic-wise?

Yes. The Practice section lets you filter questions by subject, topic and year, or attempt them as a timed test.

Is there negative marking in UPSC Prelims?

Yes. One third of the marks for a question is deducted for each wrong answer, in both GS Paper I and CSAT.

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