The UPSC Civil Services Mains 2025 Examination continued on 23rd August 2025, with the General Studies Paper 1 (GS Paper I).
This paper covers History, Geography, Indian Society, and Culture and is crucial for scoring high in GS.
GS Paper 1 – Key Details
- Date: 23rd August 2025 (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
- Paper: General Studies – I
- Duration: 3 Hours | Marks: 250
General Studies Paper-1, UPSC CSE Mains 2025 (Question Paper)
10 Questions × 150 words (10 marks each)
1. Discuss the salient features of the Harappan architecture.
2. Examine the main aspects of Akbar’s religious syncretism.
3. The sculptors filled the Chandella artform with resilient vigor and breadth of life. Elucidate.
4. How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples.
5. What are non-farm primary activities? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India? Discuss with suitable examples.
6. Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples.
7. What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples.
8. How does Smart City in India address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice?
9. The ethos of civil service in India stand for the combination of professionalism with nationalistic consciousness. Elucidate.
10. Do you think that globalization results in only an aggressive consumer culture? Justify your answer.
10 Questions × 250 words (15 marks each)
11. Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss.
12. Trace India’s consolidation process during early phase of independence in terms of polity, economy, education and international relations.
13. The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain.
14. Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of offshore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the onshore occurrences of oil reserves?
15. How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning?
16. Discuss how the changes in shape and sizes of continents and ocean basins of the planet take place due to tectonic movements of the crustal masses.
17. Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources.
18. Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could not meet poor people’s needs in a country like India. Comment.
19. How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.
20. Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.
Why GS Paper 1 Matters
GS Paper 1 forms the foundation of understanding History, Geography, and Indian Society.
It plays a vital role in connecting static knowledge with dynamic issues.
