Give your Civil Services Examination preparation an edge with the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper. Practicing with the previous year's questions can help you understand the exam pattern, important topics, and question types. Download the previous years' UPSC Mains question paper PDFs.
theIAShub | 04 Sep, 2025 | 5906 | 0 |
UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper is essential for every aspirant currently preparing for the Civil Services Examination. These question papers are one of the most practical and effective study tools, helping you revise old questions, understand the exam pattern, important topics, and the evolving nature of the UPSC examinations. Practicing with previous year’s questions boosts your confidence, improves time management, and helps aspirants identify their strengths and weaknesses for a focused preparation approach. This article provides you with the direct links to download and review the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper PDFs along with the latest UPSC Mains Question Papers 2025 PDFs.
Also Read: How to Prepare for IAS Exam 2026
Including the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Papers in your preparation is one of the smartest approaches to tackle the Civil Services Examination. These previous year papers can give you a clear idea of the kind of questions UPSC asks and help you spot the important topics. Practicing regularly with the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Papers improves your exam strategy, time management, and confidence, making your preparation more focused and effective. Below are the tables listing the available UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper PDFs from 2025 to 2016. Download these PDFs and use them for your comprehensive practice and revision.
| UPSC Essay Previous Years Question Paper (2025-2016) | ||||
| Year | UPSC Essay Question Paper PDFs | |||
| 2025 | Download PDF | |||
| 2024 | Download PDF | |||
| 2023 | Download PDF | |||
| 2022 | Download PDF | |||
| 2021 | Download PDF | |||
| 2020 | Download PDF | |||
| 2019 | Download PDF | |||
| 2018 | Download PDF | |||
| 2017 | Download PDF | |||
| 2016 | Download PDF | |||
Also Read: Qualifying Papers in UPSC Mains 2025 List
UPSC Essay 2025 question papers PDF is available to download, as well as the UPSC Essay Paper Analysis 2025 to review on this page. The candidates can now access and save the PDF directly from the table below, and can also explore the UPSC Essay Paper Analysis 2025.
| Paper | |
| UPSC Essay Question Paper 2025 | Available PDF |
General Studies (GS) Papers form the backbone of UPSC Mains. Covering subjects like history, polity, Economy, Ethics, Environment, and International Relations, these papers test a candidate’s overall knowledge and analytical ability.
UPSC Mains GS Papers 2025 Pdf Download |
|
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1 Download | Download Link |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 2 Download | Download Link |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 3 Download | Download Link |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 4 Download | Download Link |
Also Read: UPSC GS 4 Question Paper 2025
These are the UPSC GS Mains question papers attached below. Practicing them helps you understand the evolving pattern and focus areas for UPSC Civil Services Examination preparation.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2024 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
The UPSC 2023 papers reflect the UPSC trend of analytical and current events–linked questions. Solving them will strengthen answer writing for upcoming exams.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2023 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
Also Read: UPSC GS 3 Question Paper 2025
The UPSC 2022 set is important for grasping how UPSC links static knowledge with dynamic issues. It also highlights the increasing weightage of governance and ethics.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2022 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
The UPSC 2021 papers tested conceptual clarity and case study–based analysis. Reviewing them helps in building a balanced approach for GS preparation.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2021 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
These papers marked a shift towards multidimensional questions connecting economy, society, and environment. Useful for identifying integrated study areas.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2020 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
In UPSC 2019, UPSC emphasized governance, social justice, and ethical reasoning. Practicing these questions sharpens analytical and writing skills.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2019 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
The UPSC 2018 papers are rich in traditional topics like history, geography, and polity. This year’s question papers are helpful for strengthening the static part of GS.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2018 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
This year’s question papers featured a mix of static and applied questions, testing the depth of understanding across subjects and making them a valuable resource for essay-style answer writing.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2017 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
The UPSC 2016 papers form a strong foundation, covering fundamental themes of polity, economy, and ethics. They are still useful for building conceptual clarity.
| UPSC GS Question Papers 2016 | |
| Papers | UPSC GS Question Paper PDF |
| GS Paper 1 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 2 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 3 | Download PDF |
| GS Paper 4 | Download PDF |
Also Read: UPSC GS 2 Question Paper 2025
Solving the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Papers is often linked with strengthening your exam preparation and getting an overall idea of the UPSC exam pattern. Practicing with the UPSC Previous Years’ Question Papers brings multiple advantages, such as:
Using the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper smartly is the best way to enhance your Civil Services Examination preparation. Download the UPSC Previous Years Mains Question Paper PDFs and start solving, analysing, and preparing for the Civil Services Examinations to stay ahead in the competition.
You can download the UPSC Essay and GS previous year question paper PDFs from 2025 to 2016 in the tables provided above.
You should practice at least the last 5-10 years for GS and essay papers to best understand exam trends and focus areas.
Yes, timed practice with the previous year's question papers gives you real exam experience and boosts your speed in answering questions.
UPSC rarely repeats exact questions, but core topics and themes often recur, making them valuable for practice.
Refine your answer writing skills and elevate your UPSC preparation with personalized support and expert feedback.
Fill out the form to get started with the program or any other enquiries !
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