Every year, lakhs of aspirants attempt the UPSC examination to fulfill their dream of becoming a civil servant. The first step towards clearing the UPSC CSE is the UPSC Prelims, which serves as a qualifying round and consists of two papers: General Studies (GS) Paper I and Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) Paper II.

Analyzing UPSC Prelims subject-wise weightage, question paper trends, preparation strategies, cutoff patterns, and marks distribution for UPSC Prelims 2025 can assist aspirants in optimizing their preparation and boosting their chances of success.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus and Subject-Wise Weightage

UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam (Prelims) consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and General Studies Paper-II (CSAT). UPSC exam is objective in nature and aims to test a candidate’s knowledge across various subjects, analytical abilities, and general awareness.

Here’s a breakdown of the syllabus and subject-wise weightage:

1. General Studies Paper-I (GS Paper-I)

GS Paper 1 is crucial and tests the candidate’s knowledge in diverse areas. It includes:

• Current Affairs (15-20% of the paper): Questions based on national and international events, government policies, and socio-economic issues.
• History (20-25% of the paper): Focuses on Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Indian History, including significant events, personalities, and movements.
• Geography (10-15% of the paper): Questions on physical geography, Indian geography, and environmental issues.
• Polity and Governance (20-25% of the paper): The Constitution of India, political institutions, public policy, and governance structures.
• Economic and Social Development (10-15% of the paper): Issues related to economic growth, poverty, sustainable development, government schemes, and socio-economic issues.
• Environment and Ecology (10-15% of the paper): Environmental conservation, biodiversity, climate change, and international environmental agreements.
• Science and Technology (10-15% of the paper): Current developments in science and technology, space, health, and biotechnology.
• General Issues (5-10% of the paper): This includes international relations, disaster management, security, and human rights.

2. General Studies Paper-II (CSAT – Paper-II)

CSAT Paper is designed to test the candidate’s aptitude and reasoning skills. The weightage of subjects includes:

• Comprehension (20-25% of the paper): Questions that test reading comprehension, inference, and analysis skills.
• Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability (20-25% of the paper): Tests problem-solving abilities, patterns, relationships, and logical deductions.
• Decision Making and Problem Solving (15-20% of the paper): Focuses on decision-making and scenario-based problem-solving techniques.
• Basic Numeracy and Data Interpretation (20-25% of the paper): Covers simple arithmetic, percentages, ratios, graphs, and tables.
• Interpersonal Skills and Communication (10-15% of the paper): Tests general communication abilities and interpersonal understanding.

Also Read: UPSC CSAT Math & Reasoning Syllabus

Key Notes:

• Negative Marking: 1/3 of the marks are deducted for every incorrect answer.
• Cut-off Trends: Varies each year based on difficulty level, but it is essential to perform well in both papers to qualify.
• Total Marks: 400 marks (Paper-I: 200, Paper-II: 200). However, Paper-II is qualifying in nature with a minimum qualifying mark of 33%.

UPSC Prelims Question Paper Analysis 

UPSC Prelims question paper analysis is a crucial aspect for aspirants to understand the pattern of questions and the level of difficulty. Over the years, UPSC has been known for its unpredictable and diverse set of questions. However, a few trends can be observed in previous years’ question papers.

UPSC Prelims Last 5 Years Subject-Wise Weightage:

UPSC Prelims Difficulty Level Trends:

Also Read: Last 10 Years UPSC Prelims Question Papers with Answers Pdf

UPSC Prelims Cutoff and Marks Distribution

One of the most important aspects of the UPSC examination is to understand UPSC Prelims cutoff and marks distribution. UPSC Prelims cutoff is the minimum qualifying mark that candidates need to score to appear for the UPSC Mains. The cutoff varies every year depending on several factors such as the difficulty of the paper, the number of candidates appearing, and the overall performance of candidates.

• The cutoff for GS Paper I is based on a candidate’s performance in the entire paper.
• For CSAT Paper II, candidates need to score at least 33% to qualify, although it is a qualifying paper and its marks are not considered in the final selection process.

In terms of marks distribution, GSPaper I consists of 100 questions, each carrying 2 marks, making the total marks for this paper 200. CSAT Paper II also carries 200 marks but has 80 questions, with each question worth 2.5 marks.

The final score for UPSC Prelims is determined by the marks scored in GS Paper I. To move on to the next stage of the exam, candidates must qualify in both Paper I and Paper II.

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UPSC Prelims Subject-Wise Weightage 2025 FAQs