UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper Analysis 2025 out, Download Ethics Question Paper 2025 PDF . Get expert insights, topic-wise analysis, question trends, difficulty level of GS Paper 4 2025. Join IAS HUB to boost your UPSC Ethics Preparation preparation.
theIAShub | 01 Aug, 2025 | 4276 | 0 |
UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper Analysis 2025: UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 Analysis 2025 is out by the IAShub expert faculty for the GS 4 Mains Paper 2025. As the UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 is held on 24 August 2025, General Studies Paper 4 of the UPSC Civil Services Mains Examination 2025 plays a pivotal role in shaping a candidate’s final ranking. It assesses a candidate’s in-depth understanding of Indian polity, governance frameworks, social justice initiatives, and international relations.
As a critical component of the civil services examination, GS 4 in the UPSC mains assesses candidates’ deep understanding of both the conceptual clarity of Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude and the current dynamics of Indian governance and societal issues.
| UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025 | Download Link |
Also Read UPSC Mains Question Paper 2025
The UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025 assesses candidates’ conceptual clarity, analytical depth, and integration of current affairs across Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude, and Foundational Values for Civil Services, Emotional Intelligence, Probity in Governance, and Case Studies. Candidates who possess static knowledge with current affairs updates and practised answer writing are better positioned to score above the average (85–100 marks). UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025 is given below:
| UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025 Overview | |
| Paper Name | General Studies Paper 4 (GS IV) |
| Date of UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 Exam 2025 | 24 August 2025 |
| Total marks in UPSC GS Paper 4 | 250 |
| Total Questions in UPSC GS Paper 4 | 20 Questions |
| Total Duration of GS Paper 4 | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Difficulty Level of UPSC GS Paper 4 2025 | Moderate to Difficult |
UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 4 question papers PDF will be made available to download once the UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 4 question paper concludes on 24 August 2025. Once the question papers are released, the candidates can access and save the PDF directly from the table below, and can also explore the UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 4 question paper Analysis 2025.
| UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025 | Download Link |
UPSC Mains GS 2 Paper Analysis
The IASHub has provided a detailed analysis of UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper 2025. This comprehensive analysis of the UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper has been provided to aspirants with a professional view into the GS 4 Paper topics, question trends, the level of difficulty, and important strategies to prepare better for the future UPSC examinations.
| Subject | No. of Questions | Analysis |
| Ethics and Human Interface |
2–3 Questions (Section A |
Questions explored the ethical dilemmas posed by emerging technologies, such as the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in administrative decision-making |
| Constitutional Morality and Governance |
1–2 questions (Section A) |
Questions also tested the application of ethical principles in public administration, such as maintaining integrity under bureaucratic pressure. |
| Contemporary Ethical Issues: |
2–3 questions (Section A) |
Questions on the ethical implications of technology, including AI’s energy consumption and environmental impact, highlighted the intersection of ethics and sustainability. |
| Case Studies |
6 questions (Section B) |
The case studies were designed to mimic real administrative challenges, requiring candidates to balance multiple stakeholder interests, legal constraints, and ethical considerations |
UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 (2024) focuses on questions related to ethical Words, moral leadership, and practical decision-making. The paper’s moderate-to-difficult nature emphasised conceptual clarity and current affairs integration. Detailed analysis of UPSC Mains GS 4, 2024 is given below:
| Subject | No. of Questions | Analysis |
| Ethics and Human Interface | 4-5 Questions | Candidates needed a strong foundation in ethical principles, governance frameworks, |
| Public Service Values and Ethical Governance | approx. 50–70 marks, 5-6 Questions | More analytical, requiring candidates to demonstrate a deeper understanding of ethical theories and their application. |
| Case Studies | Approximately 120 marks (6 case studies, 20 marks each) | Case studies in UPSC Mains GS 4 2025 have become more complex due to multiple ethical dilemmas and conflicting values at play. |
| Emotional Intelligence and Attitude | 2-3 Questions, typically 20–40 marks | In the EI and Attitude, questions were more complex and lengthy.. |
| Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers | 1-2 Questions | Questions asked from the moral thinkers section required in-depth knowledge for candidates to answer. |
| Contemporary Issues and Ethical Dilemmas | 3-4 Questions | Questions presented ethical issues that required you to weigh different viewpoints and provide a balanced analysis. |
UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper 2023 was balanced, theoretical and applied ethics, with a focus on Indian thinkers, governance values, and contemporary ethical challenges. The case studies in GS 4 assess the aspirant’s ability to tackle complex real-world scenarios. Detailed analysis of UPSC Mains GS 4, 2023 is given below:
| Subject | No. of Questions | Analysis |
| Ethics and Human Interface | Approximately 50 marks (20% of the GS paper 4) | Ethics and Human Interface UPSC focuses on foundational ethical concepts and their application. Questions were both of theoretical understanding (e.g., moral integrity, conscience) and practical implications (e.g., international aid, corruption). |
| Aptitude and Governance | 20 marks, 2 questions | Focuses on fundamental concepts of Ethics, indicating a shift toward practical, context-specific applications. |
| Case Studies | 120 marks (6 case studies, 20 marks each) | Case studies in UPSC mains GS 4 2023 were related to banking ethics, disaster management, work-life balance, bureaucratic corruption, workplace harassment, and social media ethics |
| Emotional Intelligence | 10 marks, 1 Question Asked | Emotional intelligence continued to be a key focus in the 2024 GS paper 4. The Main Focus of GS in EI was the role of EQ in personal and professional success, reflecting its importance in civil services |
| Human Values And Moral Thinkers and Philosophers | 40 marks, 15-20% | In this section main focus was on Indian moral thinkers and leaders, like Gandhi, Nehru, and Vivekananda, and Guru Nanak. candidates needed to interpret philosophical ideas in modern times. |
UPSC Mains GS 4 Paper for 2022 emphasised the practical application of ethical principles, with a balanced mix of theoretical questions and case studies. High-weightage topics included public service values, emotional intelligence, and case studies. Detailed analysis of UPSC Mains GS 4, 2022 is given below:
| Subject | No. of Questions | Analysis |
| Ethics and Human Interface | 1–2 questions, approximately 10% | Focuses on ethical concepts and checks the candidate’s ability to provide practical examples |
| Aptitude and Foundational Values for Civil Services | 2–3 questions | Questions were directly related to the role of a civil servant in UPSC GS Paper 4, 2022 |
| Case Studies | 120 marks (6 case studies) | Case studies in UPSC mains GS 4 2022 were relatively easy but required good answer-writing skills to write well. |
| Emotional Intelligence | 1–2 questions, 5-10% | In Emotional Intelligence questions, there was a need for understanding of emotional intelligence principles (e.g., self-awareness, empathy) and their application in administrative contexts. |
| Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers | 1 question in section A | In Contributions of Moral Thinkers and Philosophers, UPSc asked about the relevance of moral thinkers’ teachings |
| Attitude and Values | 1–2 questions, 5-10% | Questions were direct but required the aspirant to balance theoretical understanding with practical application. |
UPSC Mains GS 4 2021 Integrity, accountability, emotional intelligence, and ethical governance remain consistent themes. Case studies are a critical component, requiring a systematic approach. Quote-based questions test interpretive skills and their application to public administration. Detailed analysis of UPSC Mains GS 4, 2021 is given below:
| Subject | No. of Questions | Analysis |
| Ethics and Human Interface | 4 Questions | Core ethical principles like integrity, accountability, and fairness. |
| Public Service Values and Ethical Governance | 2 Questions | Focused on qualities like impartiality, non-partisanship, and values essential for effective public service. |
| Case Studies | 120 marks (6 case studies) | Case studies were practical and rooted in real-world administrative challenges, testing candidates’ ability to navigate complex ethical dilemmas. |
| Emotional Intelligence | 1 Question | Its importance in managing crises of conscience. |
| Attitude | 4 Questions Approx 10-20% of Paper | aligning with the syllabus’s focus on attitude formation and its impact on professional conduct. |
| Quotations | 3 Questions | The quotes were relatively easy to interpret, focusing on universal values like perseverance, peace, and collaboration. The need was the connect these to real-world scenarios, particularly in public administration, to demonstrate analytical depth. |
To download the UPSC Mains Question Paper 2025, follow these steps:
UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 2025 focused on ethical principles and their application. Candidates with strong answer-writing skills for ethics through resources like the IAS QEP programme were better equipped to write well.
Governance in UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 2025 typically accounts for 12 questions means 40-50% of the paper, translating to approximately 120 marks out of the total 250 marks.
Polity questions in UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 2025 are around 2-3 out of 20 questions. This translates to 20-30 marks out of the total 250 marks of GS Paper 4.
To solve case studies in GS 4, first identify the Issue, then do Stakeholder Analysis, after that, Ethical Principles, later write Options and Consequences and then provide a balanced Solution. Use flowcharts, stakeholder mapping, or ethical dilemma frameworks.
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