UPSC Mains previous year questions, 2016-2026
Every question UPSC has asked in Civil Services Mains since 2016, paper by paper, taken from the official UPSC question papers. Browse by year, or open a subject to see how its questions have changed over time. Write any of them and get it checked with UPSC Mains answer evaluation. For Prelims, see UPSC Prelims PYQs.
Year-wise question papers
| Year | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | Optionals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2025 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2024 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2023 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2022 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2021 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2020 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2019 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2018 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2017 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | Essay | 8 subjects |
| 2016 | GS 1 | GS 2 | GS 3 | GS 4 | - | 8 subjects |
Subject and topic-wise: GS and Essay
GS Paper 3 PYQs
220 questions
Subject-wise: Optionals
Anthropology
Paper I & II · 578 questions
Geography
Paper I & II · 628 questions
History
Paper I & II · 699 questions
Philosophy
Paper I & II · 613 questions
PSIR
Paper I & II · 604 questions
Psychology
Paper I & II · 620 questions
Public Administration
Paper I & II · 615 questions
Sociology
Paper I & II · 609 questions
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