The overall difficulty level of GS Paper I in UPSC Prelims 2025 was moderate to difficult, with a mix of conceptual, analytical, and current affairs-based questions across subjects.
UPSC Prelims Exam Analysis 2025 is now available. It included a detailed subject-wise review of GS Paper I and CSAT 2025, the number of questions from each subject, difficulty level, and trend analysis from the last 5 years to evaluate performance and guide future preparation.
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The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 was conducted on 25 May 2025, in two shifts at the centers spread all over the country. As the first and most competitive phase of the UPSC exam cycle, the prelims tests the conceptual knowledge, current affairs knowledge, and aptitude skills of the candidate. This article provides a detailed analysis of the UPSC Prelims 2025, including General Studies Paper I (GS Paper I) and the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT – Paper II), subject-wise question distribution, paper-by-paper trend, difficulty levels, and general remarks to help the aspirants analyze the exam pattern and prepare well for the next cycle.
Also Read: UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2025 PDFs
The General Studies Paper 1 of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam 2025 was moderate to difficult in nature. The paper reflected the Commission’s characteristic unpredictability, with a well-balanced mix of factual, conceptual, and analytical questions. Many aspirants found that while a few questions could be answered through straightforward recall, several demanded interdisciplinary knowledge, deep conceptual clarity, and logical application.
| Section | Topics Covered | Question Trends & Sources |
| Polity | Constitution, Governance, Schemes | Predominantly conceptual questions focusing on constitutional provisions and governance structures. |
| History | Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Art & Culture | Emphasis on art & culture, particularly temple architecture and literature; modern history questions were analytical. |
| Geography | Physical, Human, Economic Geography | Questions centered on location-based topics, mapping, and climate-related issues; considered moderately difficult. |
| Economy | Budget, Schemes, Inflation, Banking | Application-oriented questions covering schemes and fiscal terms like inflation and repo rates. |
| Environment & Ecology | Biodiversity, Conventions, Climate, Reports | Significant weightage on current environmental issues, international reports, and climate-related questions. |
| Science & Technology | Robotics, AI, ISRO, Medical Sciences | Focused on recent advancements, especially those from the past year; relatively easier compared to other sections. |
| Current Affairs | National & International Events | Questions were integrated into other subjects; standalone current affairs questions were few but significant. |
| Miscellaneous | Interdisciplinary, odd topics | Some questions required integration of knowledge across subjects, such as combining culture and science. |
On 25 May 2025, the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 was conducted in two shifts: in the morning for General Studies Paper I and in the afternoon for CSAT (Paper II). This shift-wise analysis provides a detailed overview of both papers, emphasizing the distribution of questions by subject, degree of difficulty, and new trends. The CSAT paper will be conducted in the afternoon shift and is expected to present candidates with complex comprehension passages and analytical reasoning questions. This analysis is essential for understanding how the test is changing and for directing future study techniques appropriately.
Also Read: UPSC Prelims Paper 2025 GS Paper 1 and CSAT Paper
The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 for General Studies Paper 1 was conducted on May 25, 2025, between 9:30 and 11:30 in the morning. Several topics were covered in this paper, including current affairs, science and technology, geography, history, economics, Indian politics, and the environment. To help applicants in effectively planning their preparation for upcoming tests, the analysis offers an overview of the exam’s structure, subject-wise distribution, and significant trends.
| Section | Topics Covered | No. of Questions (Approx.) | Difficulty Level |
| Polity | Constitution, Governance, Schemes | 14 | Easy |
| History | Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Art & Culture | 10 | Easy to Moderate |
| Geography | Physical, Social, Economic Geography | 13 | Easy to Moderate |
| Economy | Budget, Inflation, Schemes | 23 | Moderate |
| Environment & Ecology | Biodiversity, Climate, Environmental Laws | 11 | Moderate |
| Science & Technology | Current Developments, Robotics, IT, Space | 15-20 | Easy |
| Current Affairs | National & International Events, Government Initiatives | To be updated | Moderate |
| Miscellaneous | Interdisciplinary Topics | 4 | To be updated |
Also Read: UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 2025 Download Question Paper PDF
The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025 for the CSAT Paper II will be conducted on May 25, 2025, during the afternoon session from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM. The sections on comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy, and data interpretation will be used to evaluate candidates’ aptitude. To help candidates with their future study techniques, the forthcoming analysis will offer a thorough examination of the exam’s format, subject-wise question distribution, and developing trends.
| Section | Topics Covered | No. of Questions (Approx.) | Difficulty Level |
| Reading Comprehension | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Quantitative Aptitude | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Data Interpretation | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Logical Reasoning & Puzzles | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Analytical Reasoning | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Decision Making | TBA | TBA | TBA |
| Miscellaneous | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Also Read: UPSC CSAT Exam Analysis 2025
The General Studies Paper 1 of the UPSC Preliminary Examination has seen notable shifts in subject-wise weightage, with increasing emphasis on Environment, Current Affairs, and Science & Technology in recent years. The CSAT exam has steadily changed in difficulty and emphasis over the last five years, particularly in comprehension and reasoning. Here’s a comparative analysis:
| Subject | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| Polity | 17 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 |
| History | 20 | 20 | 10 | 14 | 12 |
| Geography | 10 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 18 |
| Economy | 15 | 10 | 17 | 14 | 14 |
| Environment & Ecology | 10 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 15 |
| Science & Technology | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
| Current Affairs | 18 | 23 | 17 | 15 | 13 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Year | Reading Comprehension | Quantitative Aptitude | Logical Reasoning & Puzzles | Data Interpretation | Decision Making | Overall Difficulty |
| 2024 | 27–30 questions – Long and inference-based | 22–24 – Tricky arithmetic and ratios | 12–14 – Venn, seating, blood relations | 4–5 – Graphs, multi-step | 3–4 | Moderate to Difficult |
| 2023 | 25–27 – Moderate length, tricky options | 20–23 – Time & work, SI/CI | 14–16 – Pattern-based, coding-decoding | 3–4 | 3 | Moderate |
| 2022 | 25 – Balanced, direct and inferential mix | 25–28 – Calculation-heavy | 10–12 – Logical sequences, assumptions | 3–5 | 2–3 | Moderate |
| 2021 | 30+ – Very lengthy, complex comprehension | 18–20 – Some tough calculations | 12–15 – Puzzles dominant | 3 | 2 | Difficult |
| 2020 | 25–27 – Simple but tricky | 26–28 – Heavy on arithmetic | 10–12 – Basic logic | 3–4 | 4–5 – Ethical scenarios | Moderate |
Also Read: Last 10 Years UPSC Prelims Question Papers with Answers PDF
The UPSC Prelims 2025 demonstrated the Commission’s renowned unpredictable nature. Focusing on conceptual clarity, particularly in Environment, Geography, and Polity, GS Paper I was a moderately challenging assignment. The second CSAT paper tested candidates’ ability to understand lengthy passages and use sophisticated reasoning. A solid conceptual basis, alignment with current events, and intense CSAT preparation are necessary for UPSC 2026.
In the 2025 GS Paper I, the subjects with the highest weightage were Geography, Polity, Environment & Ecology, and Current Affairs. These areas featured prominently with a mix of conceptual, analytical, and current-based questions.
Exam in afternoon shift, updated soon after the exam.
Yes, in UPSC Prelims 2025, there was a noticeable decline in standalone current affairs questions. Instead, current events were integrated within subjects like Polity, Environment, and Science & Technology, reflecting UPSC’s shift toward analytical and application-based questioning rather than direct factual recall.
Focus on strong concepts, current affairs integration, and regular CSAT practice for UPSC 2026.
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