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UPSC Mains 2025 · General Studies Paper I

UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1 Questions with Answer Frameworks

All 20 questions of General Studies Paper I, UPSC Mains 2025, held on 23 August 2025, each with an answer framework that shows what the question asks, a strong opening, the points to cover and a balanced conclusion.

  • 23 August 2025Exam date
  • 20Questions
  • 250Marks
  • 3 hoursTime
See the questions Official PDF Answer booklet
GS Paper 1 in other years:202620252024

UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1 Questions

GS I Q1Art and Culture

Discuss the salient features of the Harappan architecture.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Art and Culture: Name monuments, rulers and places; a labelled sketch of a temple plan or a site map adds marks.

For this question: Name Mohenjodaro, Lothal and Dholavira and tie one feature to each: Planning, dockyard, reservoirs.

What the question asks

Describe the main features of Harappan architecture: How the cities were planned, how houses and public buildings were built, and what the buildings tell us about the society. 'Salient features' wants the defining traits, each with an example from a site.

A strong opening

The Harappan cities of the third millennium BCE are the earliest planned urban centres in the subcontinent. Their architecture is plain and practical: Brick platforms, straight streets and covered drains rather than palaces or temples.

Points to cover

Planned layout of the cities

  • Most large cities were divided into a raised, walled Citadel to the west and a larger, walled Lower Town; at Mohenjodaro the Citadel owes its height to buildings set on mud-brick platforms.
  • Roads and streets in the Lower Town ran along an approximate grid, crossing at right angles, and the streets with drains were laid out first, with houses built along them afterwards.

Standardised bricks and building methods

  • Bricks, whether sun-dried or baked, kept a standard ratio, length four times and breadth twice the height, at every Harappan settlement from the Indus to Gujarat.
  • Buildings stood on platforms that served as foundations, a defence against the floods of the river plains.

Drainage and sanitation

  • The carefully planned drainage system is the most distinctive feature: Every house had a bathroom paved with bricks whose drain ran through the wall into the street drain.
  • Street drains were covered and had inspection holes for cleaning, a level of municipal care not seen again in India for many centuries.

Domestic architecture

  • Houses in the Lower Town at Mohenjodaro were centred on a courtyard with rooms on all sides, used for cooking and weaving in hot weather.
  • There were no windows in the walls along the ground level and the entrance gave no direct view of the courtyard, which suggests a concern for privacy; many houses had their own wells.

Public buildings and water works

  • The Great Bath on the Citadel was a large rectangular tank in a courtyard, reached by two flights of steps and made watertight with a lining of bitumen; it was probably used for ritual bathing.
  • The warehouse, a massive structure whose brick base survives, may have stored grain.
  • Lothal in Gujarat has a brick basin read as a dockyard, and Dholavira has large stone-cut water reservoirs, signs of skilled water management in dry regions.

What the architecture suggests

  • Uniform bricks, planning and large public works point to an authority able to plan and to command labour, though no palace or temple has been identified with certainty.
A balanced conclusion

Harappan architecture valued civic order and hygiene over display. Its planning, drainage and water works remain the clearest evidence of a well-organised urban society in the Bronze Age.

Study the topic: Harappan Town Planning, Architecture and Engineering · Harappan Sites and Their Findings: Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Dholavira, Lothal and More

Sources: NCERT Themes in Indian History Part I, Chapter 1: Bricks, Beads and Bones; Great Bath, Mohenjo-daro (Wikipedia); Lothal (Wikipedia)

GS I Q2Art and Culture

Examine the main aspects of Akbar's religious syncretism.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Examine Probe the issue in depth: Causes, evidence and consequences.

For Art and Culture: Name monuments, rulers and places; a labelled sketch of a temple plan or a site map adds marks.

For this question: Give a date with each measure: Ibadat Khana 1575, jizya ended 1564, Din-i Ilahi about 1582.

What the question asks

Examine the parts of Akbar's policy that brought different religious traditions together: The ideas behind it, the institutions and the practical measures, and how far it went.

A strong opening

Akbar (r. 1556 to 1605) ruled a population of many faiths. Over his reign he moved from an orthodox start to a policy of sulh-i kul, 'peace with all', which shaped Mughal kingship.

Points to cover

The idea: Sulh-i kul

  • Sulh-i kul meant tolerance of all faiths: The ruler stood above sects and owed justice to every subject, an idea set out by his minister and chronicler Abul Fazl.

Debate in the Ibadat Khana

  • From 1575 the Ibadat Khana (House of Worship) at Fatehpur Sikri hosted debates, first among Muslim theologians and later with Hindus, Jains, Zoroastrians and Jesuit priests.

Measures in law and administration

  • He abolished the pilgrim tax and, in 1564, the jizya on non-Muslims.
  • Marriage alliances with Rajput houses and high mansabs for Rajput nobles bound regional elites to the empire.
  • The mahzar of 1579 made the emperor the final judge in disputed points of religious law.

Culture and translation

  • Sanskrit works such as the Mahabharata were translated into Persian; the Mahabharata became the Razmnama, illustrated by court painters.
  • The court observed festivals of several communities, and Fatehpur Sikri's buildings blend Persian and Indian forms.

Din-i Ilahi and its limits

  • The Din-i Ilahi (from about 1582) was a small circle of disciples devoted to the emperor rather than a new religion; few nobles joined and it did not outlive him.
  • The policy was also statecraft: It widened the base of loyalty in a diverse empire. It coexisted with harsh campaigns such as the siege of Chittor in 1567 to 1568.
A balanced conclusion

Akbar's syncretism rested less on a new creed than on a policy of equal treatment and open debate. It gave the Mughal state a broad base, and its retreat under later rulers is part of the empire's story.

Study the topic: Din-i-Ilahi and Akbar's Religious Policy: Sulh-i-kul, the Ibadat Khana and the Mahzar · Akbar: The Rajput Policy and the Nobility

Sources: NCERT Class VIII Social Science, Chapter 2: Reshaping India's Political Map; Ibadat Khana (Wikipedia); Din-i Ilahi (Wikipedia); Razmnama (Wikipedia)

GS I Q3Art and Culture

'The sculptors filled the Chandella artform with resilient vigor and breadth of life.' Elucidate.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Elucidate Explain clearly with examples, so the point becomes plain.

For Art and Culture: Name monuments, rulers and places; a labelled sketch of a temple plan or a site map adds marks.

For this question: Name the Lakshmana and Kandariya Mahadeo temples, then show "breadth of life" through the range of figures.

What the question asks

Explain the claim that Chandella sculptors gave their art vigour and a full picture of life. Show it from the temples of Khajuraho: Their form, the range of figures and the skill in carving.

A strong opening

The Chandela (Chandella) kings of Bundelkhand built the temples of Khajuraho between the tenth and twelfth centuries. The temples are the finest examples of the nagara style in central India and are covered with sculpture.

Points to cover

Temples as the frame for sculpture

  • The Lakshmana temple, dedicated to Vishnu, was built in 954 by the Chandela king Dhanga on a high platform; the Kandariya Mahadeo temple is described as the epitome of temple architecture in central India.
  • Rising shikharas, balconies and recessed walls give many bands of space, and every band is filled with figures.

Breadth of life in the figures

  • Gods and goddesses stand beside apsaras and surasundaris (celestial women) shown at daily tasks: Applying make-up, writing a letter, playing music or removing a thorn.
  • Warriors, musicians, dancers, animals and processions show court and village life; the mithuna (couple) figures celebrate human love as part of a sacred whole.

Vigour in the carving

  • Figures twist in the tribhanga (three-bend) pose, with deep carving that catches light and shadow and gives the walls movement.
  • The sandstone allowed fine detail in jewellery, hair and dress, while the proportions stay lively rather than stiff.

Significance

  • The art joins the spiritual and the worldly in one composition, which is why the group became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
A balanced conclusion

Khajuraho's sculptors turned temple walls into a record of a whole society, divine and human. The statement fits: Their art is energetic, varied and close to life.

Study the topic: Society, Economy, Religion and Temple Architecture

Sources: NCERT An Introduction to Indian Art Part I, Chapter 6: Temple Architecture and Sculpture; Khajuraho Group of Monuments (Wikipedia)

GS I Q4Geography

How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: One named island state per threat (Kiribati, Tuvalu, Maldives) makes "with examples" visible.

What the question asks

Discuss how climate change and the rise in sea level threaten the survival of island nations, physically, economically and as states. Back each threat with named examples.

A strong opening

Many small island states, such as Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands and the Maldives, lie only a few metres above sea level. Global sea level is rising because of melting land ice and the thermal expansion of warmer oceans, so for these countries the threat is to their territory itself.

Points to cover

Loss of land and homes

  • Coastal erosion and higher storm surges eat into narrow atolls; most of the Maldives lies less than a metre or two above the sea.
  • Kiribati bought land in Fiji in 2014 as a hedge for food security and possible relocation.

Water and food security

  • Seawater pushes into thin underground freshwater lenses, and salt spoils taro pits and other crops.
  • Warmer, more acidic seas bleach coral reefs that protect the shore and support fisheries.

Economy and disasters

  • Stronger cyclones damage infrastructure and tourism, which carries much of the economy of states such as the Maldives.
  • Rebuilding costs are high relative to small budgets, which is why island states press for loss-and-damage funding.

Statehood and migration

  • If territory is lost, questions arise about maritime zones and even statehood; Tuvalu and Australia signed the Falepili Union treaty in 2023, which offers Tuvaluans a pathway to live in Australia.
  • In July 2025 the International Court of Justice gave an advisory opinion on the obligations of states in respect of climate change, a case begun by Vanuatu.
A balanced conclusion

For island nations climate change is a question of survival, not adaptation alone. Their response combines coastal defence, planned migration and diplomacy for deeper emission cuts and finance.

Study the topic: Desalination and the Impacts of Ocean Salinity: Sea Salt, Brine and Seawater Intrusion

Sources: Sea level rise (Wikipedia); Effects of climate change on small island countries (Wikipedia); Falepili Union (Wikipedia); Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change (Wikipedia)

GS I Q5Geography

What are non-farm primary activities? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India? Discuss with suitable examples.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: Define the term first, then pair each activity with a landform and a place.

What the question asks

Define non-farm primary activities, then link each one to India's physiography: Which landforms favour which activity, with examples of places.

A strong opening

Primary activities depend directly on the environment and use the earth's resources: Land, water, vegetation, building materials and minerals. Leaving out cultivation, they include gathering, pastoral activities, fishing, forestry, and mining and quarrying.

Points to cover

Mining: The Peninsular plateau

  • Most minerals occur in the old metamorphic and igneous rocks of peninsular India; the Chota Nagpur plateau and Odisha hold coal and iron ore, so Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh lead in mining.
  • The alluvial plain of north India has almost no minerals of economic use, which is why mining is rare there.
  • Petroleum and natural gas occur in the sedimentary basins of Assam, Gujarat and the offshore Mumbai High.

Quarrying: Arid and rocky uplands

  • The Aravallis and Rajasthan supply marble, sandstone and granite (Makrana marble), where thin soils and low rainfall limit farming.

Fishing: Coasts and the continental shelf

  • Kerala, Gujarat and the Konkan coast fish over a wide continental shelf; lagoons and backwaters such as Chilika and Vembanad support inland fisheries.

Forestry and gathering: Hills and plateaus

  • The Himalaya and the Western Ghats yield timber and forest produce; tribal communities in central and north-eastern India gather tendu leaves, honey, lac and bamboo.

Pastoral activities: Mountains and dry lands

  • In the Himalaya, Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis and Bhotiyas move with their herds from the plains to mountain pastures in summer and back in winter (transhumance); camel and sheep herding suits the Thar.
A balanced conclusion

Physiography decides which non-farm primary activity a region can sustain. Planning that respects these links, for example sustainable mining in the plateau and fish stock rules on the coasts, keeps the livelihoods secure.

Sources: NCERT Fundamentals of Human Geography, Chapter 4: Primary Activities; NCERT India: People and Economy, Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources

GS I Q6Geography

Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Explain Say what it is and why or how it happens, step by step.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: Keep two clear blocks, ecological and economic, each with a named project or scheme.

What the question asks

Explain briefly, with Indian examples, how solar power helps the environment and the economy. Keep the ecological and economic sides separate and give a named project for each point.

A strong opening

India has become one of the world's largest producers of solar power: Its installed solar capacity reached 171.05 GW (AC) by September 2026. The growth rests on large solar parks, rooftop programmes and solar pumps on farms.

Points to cover

Ecological benefits

  • Solar plants emit no carbon dioxide or air pollutants while generating, so each unit replaces coal power and helps India's net-zero 2070 goal.
  • They need very little water compared with thermal plants, which matters in dry States such as Rajasthan, home to the Bhadla Solar Park.
  • Floating plants on reservoirs, such as NTPC's at Simhadri, save land and cut evaporation from the water below.

Economic benefits

  • Lower import bills: Every unit of solar power reduces dependence on imported coal, oil and gas, improving energy security.
  • Cheap power for households: PM-Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana (2024) supports rooftop solar for one crore households, with up to 300 units of free electricity a month.
  • Farm incomes: PM-KUSUM solar pumps replace diesel pumps, and farmers can sell surplus power to the grid.
  • Large parks such as Bhadla (Rajasthan), Pavagada (Karnataka) and Rewa (Madhya Pradesh) attract investment and create construction and maintenance jobs.

Limits to keep in view

  • Large parks need land and can clash with grazing and wildlife; storage is needed for the evening peak; most solar cells are still imported.
A balanced conclusion

Solar energy serves both climate and economy, and India's mix of parks, rooftops and farm pumps spreads the gains. Storage, domestic manufacturing and fair land use decide how far the gains go.

Sources: Solar power in India (Wikipedia); PIB: Cabinet approves PM-Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana (29 February 2024)

GS I Q7Geography

What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Explain Say what it is and why or how it happens, step by step.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: A sketch of a wave growing taller as it reaches the coast answers "how" in one look.

What the question asks

Define a tsunami, explain how and where tsunamis form, and describe their consequences, each with an example. A small sketch of a tsunami wave reaching the coast earns marks.

A strong opening

A tsunami (Japanese for 'harbour wave') is a series of very long ocean waves caused when the sea floor or a large body of water is suddenly displaced. Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that move the sea floor abruptly are the usual causes.

Points to cover

How a tsunami forms

  • A large undersea earthquake at a subduction zone lifts or drops the sea floor; the water column above is pushed up and spreads out as waves (seismic sea waves).
  • Undersea volcanic eruptions, submarine landslides and, rarely, meteorite impacts can also set off tsunamis.

Why it is harmless at sea but deadly at the coast

  • The wave's speed depends on the depth of the water: In the deep ocean it travels very fast with a height of only about 30 cm, so ships barely notice it.
  • As it reaches shallow water it slows and its height grows (shoaling), and it strikes the shore as a rapidly rising wall of water.

Where tsunamis occur

  • Most occur along the Pacific Ring of Fire: Alaska, Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia.
  • In the Indian Ocean the Sunda subduction zone off Sumatra and the Andaman region are the main sources for India; the Makran coast off Pakistan is another.

Consequences, with examples

  • The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, set off by a great earthquake off Sumatra, struck 14 countries, including Tamil Nadu and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
  • The 2011 Tohoku tsunami in Japan caused the Fukushima nuclear accident.
  • Other effects include salt-water damage to farmland and wells, destroyed fishing boats and harbours, and erosion of the coast.

Preparedness

  • India's Tsunami Early Warning Centre at INCOIS, Hyderabad, set up on 15 October 2007, issues warnings for the Indian Ocean; mangroves and coastal planning reduce damage.
A balanced conclusion

Tsunamis are rare but among the deadliest hazards. Warning systems, evacuation drills and protected coastal belts turn minutes of warning into lives saved.

Sources: NCERT India: Physical Environment, Chapter 6: Natural Hazards and Disasters; Tsunami (Wikipedia); 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami (Wikipedia); Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (Wikipedia)

GS I Q8Indian Society

How does smart city in India, address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice?

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Answer both halves: What helps the poor, then what limits fairness, with a way forward.

What the question asks

Assess how far the Smart Cities Mission tackles urban poverty and fairness in sharing the benefits of urban growth (distributive justice). Give its pro-poor features and its gaps.

A strong opening

The Smart Cities Mission was launched on 25 June 2015 for 100 cities. It combined area-based development (retrofitting, redevelopment or greenfield projects in a chosen zone) with pan-city solutions such as Integrated Command and Control Centres, now working in all 100 cities.

Points to cover

Where it helps the urban poor

  • Better basic services in chosen areas: Water supply, sanitation, solid-waste management and street lighting.
  • Public spaces, non-motorised transport and public transport improve mobility for those without private vehicles.
  • Integrated Command and Control Centres monitor water, waste and safety in real time, which can speed up service delivery in poorer wards.
  • Convergence with PMAY-Urban, AMRUT and the Swachh Bharat Mission brings housing and sanitation into the same plan.

Gaps from the angle of distributive justice

  • Area-based development covered only a small part of each city, so benefits concentrated in already better-off zones.
  • Many projects favoured visible infrastructure and technology over slums, informal work and affordable rental housing.
  • Redevelopment can push out street vendors and slum dwellers when it ignores laws such as the Street Vendors Act, 2014.
  • Special Purpose Vehicles run projects with limited say for elected ward bodies, which weakens the voice of the poor.

What would make it fairer

  • Pro-poor targets in every proposal, in-situ slum upgrading, protected vending zones and ward-level participation in planning.
A balanced conclusion

The mission improved services and city management, but its benefits reached the poor only where it deliberately planned for them. A smart city is fair only if it is inclusive by design.

Sources: Smart Cities Mission (Wikipedia); PIB: Role of Integrated Command and Control Centres in Smart Cities (23 July 2026)

GS I Q9Indian Society

The ethos of civil service in India stand for the combination of professionalism with nationalistic consciousness – Elucidate.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Elucidate Explain clearly with examples, so the point becomes plain.

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Open with Patel at Metcalfe House in 1947 and the "steel frame", then link professionalism to nation-building.

What the question asks

Explain the claim that the civil service in India combines professional skill with a commitment to the nation. Show where the idea comes from, how each part shows in practice, and how the two fit together.

A strong opening

In 1947, at Metcalfe House in Delhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel addressed the probationers of independent India's administrative service; 21 April is kept as Civil Services Day in memory of that address. He saw the services as a 'steel frame' holding the new nation together.

Points to cover

Professionalism

  • Recruitment on merit through an open, competitive examination, with training and specialist knowledge.
  • Political neutrality and impartiality: Advice is given frankly and decisions are carried out whatever the party in power.
  • Integrity and accountability under conduct rules, audit and the courts; Mission Karmayogi (2020) supports a shift from 'rules based' to 'roles based' HR management, matching each officer's competencies to the post.

Nationalistic consciousness

  • Loyalty to the Constitution and its values, not to a person or party: Unity, the rule of law and the welfare of the weakest.
  • The All India Services under Article 312 serve both the Union and the States, which ties the country together administratively.
  • Service in remote, border and disturbed areas and in disasters reflects a sense of national duty.

How the two combine

  • Nationalism gives the purpose (nation-building and development) and professionalism gives the means (competence, neutrality, fair procedure).
  • Examples: Conduct of elections, the census and disaster relief, where national service is delivered through professional, rule-bound work.

Tensions to admit

  • Pressure to be 'committed' to a government rather than to the Constitution, and red tape that hides behind rules, weaken the ethos.
A balanced conclusion

The civil service ethos is service of the nation through professional, impartial work. Patel's steel frame still holds when both halves are kept together.

Sources: PIB: Civil Services Day 2025 (21 April); PIB: Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, The Man Who United the Nation; All India Services (Wikipedia); PIB: Cabinet approves Mission Karmayogi (2 September 2020)

GS I Q10Indian Society

Do you think that globalization results in only an aggressive consumer culture? Justify your answer.

10 marks150 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Your view Take a clear position in the first line, then support it.
  • Justify Give reasons and evidence that support the position asked for.

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Say "No" in the first line and justify: Consumerism is one effect among several.

What the question asks

Judge whether globalisation only spreads an aggressive culture of buying, or whether it has other effects too. Take a clear position and support it with Indian examples on both sides.

A strong opening

Globalisation is the growing integration of economies and societies through trade, investment, technology, media and migration. In India it gathered pace after the economic reforms of 1991.

Points to cover

Where it does breed consumerism

  • Global brands and advertising, easy credit and e-commerce sales encourage buying for status; fast fashion and fast food spread quickly.
  • Rising household debt and waste (packaging, e-waste) are side effects.

Why it is not only consumer culture

  • Jobs and skills: IT and business services, start-ups and remittances created a new middle class.
  • Ideas and rights: Exposure to global norms on gender, environment and human rights strengthened civil society.
  • Cultural flow both ways: Yoga, Indian food, films and music reached the world; glocalisation adapted global products to local tastes.
  • Local producers reach global markets: Handloom and handicraft sellers use online platforms; Geographical Indications protect regional goods.

Answer

  • Globalisation does push consumerism, but it also brings jobs, knowledge, rights and cultural exchange; the outcome depends on policy and on social choices about consumption.
A balanced conclusion

Globalisation is not only an engine of consumption. India's task is to keep its gains in jobs and ideas while promoting mindful consumption, as the Mission LiFE idea of a sustainable lifestyle urges.

Sources: Globalization (Wikipedia); Glocalization (Wikipedia); Consumerism (Wikipedia)

GS I Q11Modern History

Mahatma Jotirao Phule's writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Modern History: Dates, names and sequence matter: A short timeline shows command of the period.

For this question: Cover each subaltern group by name (lower castes, women, peasants) with one work or institution for each.

What the question asks

Discuss how Jotirao Phule's writings and reform work reached almost every subaltern group: Lower castes, women, peasants and the poor. Name the works and institutions, then judge the claim.

A strong opening

Jotirao Phule (1827 to 1890) of Pune was one of the first Indian reformers to attack caste hierarchy at its root. With Savitribai Phule he joined writing to direct action, and his work spoke for several groups at once.

Points to cover

Lower castes and untouchables

  • His book Gulamgiri (1873) described caste as a form of slavery imposed on the Shudras and Ati-Shudras and drew comparisons with slavery in America.
  • On 24 September 1873 he founded the Satyashodhak Samaj (Society of Truth Seekers) to win equal rights for lower castes; it rejected priestly mediation in rites.

Women

  • With Savitribai he opened his first school for girls in 1848 at Bhidewada in Pune, at a time when educating girls was opposed.
  • In 1863 he set up a home where widows could give birth safely, to prevent infanticide, and he supported widow remarriage.

Peasants and labourers

  • His Shetkarayacha Aasud (Cultivator's Whipcord, 1881) exposed how moneylenders, priests and colonial officials together exploited the peasant.

Education as the common remedy

  • He saw education as the key to freedom for every oppressed group and pressed the colonial government for primary education for the masses.

Assessment

  • His reach across caste, gender and class makes the statement fair; the title Mahatma was given to him in 1888.
  • Limits: His movement was strongest in Maharashtra, and his praise of colonial rule as a release from Brahmin dominance drew criticism from nationalists. His ideas shaped later anti-caste movements, including Ambedkar's.
A balanced conclusion

Phule linked the fight against caste with the education of women and the cause of the peasant. That breadth makes him a founder of subaltern social reform in India.

Sources: Jyotirao Phule (Wikipedia); NCERT Class VIII Social Science, Chapter 2: India's Long Road to Independence

GS I Q12Post-Independence India

Trace India's consolidation process during early phase of independence in terms of polity, economy, education and international relations.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

For Post-Independence India: Anchor each point in a year and a named event, commission or law.

For this question: Use four headings (polity, economy, education, foreign relations) with a date in each.

What the question asks

Trace, in order, how India consolidated itself in the first years after 1947 in four fields: Polity, economy, education and foreign relations. Give the key steps and dates in each.

A strong opening

Independence in 1947 came with Partition, about 565 princely states whose future was open, a poor economy and a world dividing into two blocs. The first fifteen years were spent building the nation in every field.

Points to cover

Polity

  • Integration of the princely states: Sardar Patel, as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, persuaded almost all rulers to accede, with Junagadh, Hyderabad and Kashmir needing special handling.
  • The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, and the first general elections, held from October 1951 to February 1952, confirmed democracy on adult franchise.
  • Linguistic states: After agitations, the States Reorganisation Commission (1953) led to the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, creating 14 states and six union territories.

Economy

  • The Planning Commission was set up in March 1950 by a government resolution, and the First Five Year Plan document was released in December 1951, with emphasis on agriculture and irrigation.
  • A mixed economy: The public sector held the commanding heights while private enterprise continued; zamindari abolition and land reform began in the States.

Education

  • The University Grants Commission was inaugurated in 1953 and given statutory form by the UGC Act of 1956.
  • IIT Kharagpur, the first IIT, was founded in 1951, beginning a network of technical institutions.

International relations

  • Non-alignment kept India out of both Cold War blocs while it supported decolonisation and opposed apartheid.
  • Panchsheel, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, was set out with China on 29 April 1954, and the Bandung Conference of 1955 marked India's engagement with Asia and Africa and later led to the NAM.
A balanced conclusion

In about a decade India secured its territory, set up democratic institutions, began planned development and took an independent place in world affairs. The foundations laid then still frame the Indian state.

Study the topic: The Integration of the Princely States into the Indian Union (1947-1948) · The Mixed Economy: Industrial Policy of 1948 and 1956

Sources: NCERT Politics in India since Independence, Chapter 1: Challenges of Nation Building; NCERT Politics in India since Independence, Chapter 3: Politics of Planned Development; NCERT Politics in India since Independence, Chapter 4: India's External Relations; NCERT Politics in India since Independence, Chapter 2: Era of One-party Dominance; Constitution of India (Wikipedia); University Grants Commission (India) (Wikipedia); IIT Kharagpur (Wikipedia)

GS I Q13World History

The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Explain Say what it is and why or how it happens, step by step.

For World History: Link each idea to its date and to a later effect, including on India.

For this question: Link each ideal to today, and to the Preamble's liberty, equality and fraternity for India.

What the question asks

Explain why the French Revolution of 1789 still matters today. Link its ideas to present-day politics, law and society, including India.

A strong opening

The French Revolution of 1789 overthrew an absolute monarchy and a society of privileges based on birth. Its ideas travelled far beyond France and remain part of modern political life.

Points to cover

Liberty, equality, fraternity and rights

  • The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (1789) set out rights belonging to every person, the base of later bills of rights and of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
  • India's Preamble adopted the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity, which came to it through France's constitution from the Revolution.

Popular sovereignty and the nation

  • Sovereignty moved from the king to the people; the first clear expression of nationalism came with the Revolution, which built a common identity through a uniform administration, laws and language.

Equality before the law

  • The Civil Code of 1804 (Napoleonic Code) abolished privileges based on birth, established equality before the law and secured the right to property; it spread across Europe and beyond.

Secularism and the modern state

  • The Assembly abolished feudalism and brought the Catholic Church under state control, an early step towards the secular state.
  • A uniform system of weights and measures (the metric system) and rational administration became the norm for modern states.

Lessons and limits

  • The Reign of Terror, in which about 16,000 people were executed after trials by the Revolutionary Tribunal, showed how revolutions can turn on their own ideals.
A balanced conclusion

The Revolution gave the world the language of rights, citizenship and the nation. Its relevance lies in those ideals, and its excesses remain a warning about defending them by violent means.

Sources: NCERT India and the Contemporary World II, Chapter 1: The Rise of Nationalism in Europe; NCERT Class VII Social Science, Chapter 10: The Constitution of India, An Introduction; Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen (Wikipedia); French Revolution (Wikipedia)

GS I Q14Geography

Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of off-shore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the on-shore occurrences of oil reserves?

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: A world sketch map of the main offshore basins, then a short offshore-onshore comparison table.

What the question asks

Explain, geographically, where the world's offshore oil reserves lie and why; then compare offshore and onshore occurrences of oil (geology, depth, technology, cost and risk).

A strong opening

Oil forms from organic matter buried in thick marine sediments, then moves up into porous reservoir rock until it is held by a trap under a sealing rock. Offshore reserves lie where such sediments thickened on continental shelves and slopes.

Points to cover

Why offshore oil is where it is

  • Continental shelves and margins receive thick sediments from rivers; where organic-rich layers were buried and heated, oil formed.
  • Passive margins formed when Gondwana broke up, such as off Brazil and West Africa, hold oil below thick salt layers (the pre-salt).
  • Shallow inland and marginal seas, such as the Persian Gulf, the North Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, have deep sedimentary basins with folds and salt domes that trap oil.

Main offshore regions

  • Persian Gulf (home to Safaniya, the world's largest offshore oilfield), the North Sea (Ekofisk, found in 1969), the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of Guinea off Nigeria and Angola, the pre-salt basins off Brazil, and the Caspian Sea.
  • India: Mumbai High, an offshore field 160 km off Mumbai, with the first offshore well sunk in 1974; new finds in the Krishna-Godavari and Kaveri basins.

Offshore against onshore

  • Geology is similar: Both need source rock, reservoir rock, a cap rock and a trap; onshore fields lie in old marine basins now on land, such as Assam (Digboi) and Gujarat in India.
  • Depth and access: Offshore wells pass through water as well as rock, from shallow shelves to ultra-deep water, and need platforms, rigs and undersea pipelines.
  • Cost and risk: Offshore output costs more and spills spread at sea, as the Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 showed; onshore fields are cheaper to develop but compete with land use.
A balanced conclusion

Offshore oil follows the world's sedimentary basins on continental margins. Technology has opened deeper waters, but cost and spill risk make its development very different from the older onshore fields.

Sources: Mumbai High Field (Wikipedia); Pre-salt layer (Wikipedia); Persian Gulf (Wikipedia); North Sea oil (Wikipedia); Petroleum reservoir (Wikipedia); Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Wikipedia); NCERT India: People and Economy, Chapter 5: Mineral and Energy Resources

GS I Q15Geography

How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning?

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: Explain each tool in one line, then show them working together in SVAMITVA and Gati Shakti.

What the question asks

Show how artificial intelligence and drones can work with GIS (geographic information systems) and RS (remote sensing) to plan the location of facilities and the use of areas. Give Indian examples and the limits.

A strong opening

Remote sensing supplies images of the earth, GIS stores and overlays them with other data in map layers, drones capture very detailed local images, and AI finds patterns in this mass of data. Together they make planning faster and more exact.

Points to cover

What each tool adds

  • Remote sensing: Regular, wide-area images of land use, crops, water and settlements; ISRO's Bhuvan portal shares thematic maps and satellite data.
  • GIS: Overlays layers such as roads, utilities, land records and hazard zones to test where a facility fits best (locational planning).
  • Drones: Centimetre-level images of villages, mines or construction sites where satellite detail is not enough.
  • AI: Classifies land cover automatically, predicts urban growth or traffic, and flags encroachments or damage from the images.

Indian examples

  • SVAMITVA, launched in 2020, uses drone surveys and GIS mapping to give households in inhabited village areas legal property cards.
  • PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan (launched 13 October 2021) is a GIS platform that puts infrastructure, utilities and administrative layers in one place to plan roads, railways and industrial corridors.
  • Crop assessment, flood mapping and disaster damage surveys combine satellite data with AI models and drone checks.

Areal planning uses

  • Zoning of cities, choosing sites for schools and hospitals by population coverage, watershed planning and protecting forests and wetlands.

Limits

  • Data privacy and security, drone rules, the cost of skills and equipment, and the risk that models trained on poor data give biased results; ground checks remain essential.
A balanced conclusion

AI and drones turn GIS and remote sensing from map stores into planning tools. Used with good data and local verification, they make locational and areal planning more precise and transparent.

Sources: Bhuvan (Wikipedia); PIB: 5 Years of SVAMITVA Scheme; Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti (Wikipedia)

GS I Q16Geography

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.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: Draw the three plate boundaries side by side; each shows one way basins change.

What the question asks

Explain how the movement of the earth's crustal plates changes the shape and size of continents and ocean basins: Through spreading, collision, subduction and sliding, with examples of each and of past changes such as Pangaea.

A strong opening

Plate tectonics holds that the lithosphere is broken into rigid plates that move over the softer layer beneath. It is not the continent that moves on its own, as Wegener thought: Continents are part of plates, and the plates move.

Points to cover

From Pangaea to today

  • Wegener's supercontinent Pangaea, surrounded by the mega-ocean Panthalassa, began to split about 200 million years ago into Laurasia and Gondwanaland, which broke further into today's continents.

Divergent boundaries: Oceans widen

  • Where plates pull apart, new crust forms at mid-ocean ridges (sea floor spreading, Hess, 1961); the Mid-Atlantic Ridge separates the American plates from the Eurasian and African plates, so the Atlantic keeps widening.
  • On land, rifting splits continents, as in the East African Rift, which may one day open a new ocean basin.

Convergent boundaries: Oceans shrink and mountains rise

  • Where one plate dives under another at a subduction zone, crust is destroyed: The Pacific is ringed by trenches and the ocean is slowly shrinking.
  • Continent-continent collision crumples crust into fold mountains: The Indian plate's collision with the Eurasian plate raised the Himalaya and closed the Tethys Sea.

Transform boundaries

  • Plates slide past each other along transform faults, which offset ridges without creating or destroying crust; the San Andreas Fault is the best-known example on land.

Rates of change

  • Plates move at different speeds: The Arctic Ridge spreads at less than 2.5 cm a year and the East Pacific Rise at more than 15 cm a year, so ocean basins change size at different rates.
A balanced conclusion

Spreading, subduction and collision constantly redraw the map: The Atlantic is opening, the Pacific closing and Asia still rising. Today's continents and oceans are one frame in a moving picture.

Study the topic: Plate Tectonics: Continental Drift, Sea-Floor Spreading, Plate Boundaries, and Mantle Plumes

Sources: NCERT Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Chapter 4: Distribution of Oceans and Continents

GS I Q17Geography

Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Discuss Cover the main aspects, with arguments on more than one side.

For Geography: Draw a map or labelled diagram, and give one Indian and one world example.

For this question: Explain density through land, soil and water in turn, and mark the east-west rise in density.

What the question asks

Describe where people live in the Ganga basin and how densely, and explain the pattern through land (relief), soil and water. Point out the differences between the upper, middle and lower parts of the basin.

A strong opening

The Ganga basin is the most populated river basin in the world, with more than 500 million people. The Indo-Gangetic plain, built of river deposits, is one of the most densely populated and intensely farmed regions on earth; India's average density was 382 persons per sq km in 2011.

Points to cover

Land: A flat, continuous plain

  • Level land made settlement, roads and farming easy; density falls in the Himalayan foothills (the Bhabar and Tarai belts) and the Vindhyan and Chota Nagpur uplands on the basin's southern edge.

Soil: Alluvium renewed by floods

  • The plain is the world's largest stretch of continuous alluvium; the newer khadar of the floodplains and the older bhangar terraces support rice, wheat and sugarcane on small farms that feed dense villages.

Water: Perennial rivers, canals and groundwater

  • Snow-fed Himalayan rivers and high groundwater allow irrigation by canals and tubewells; the basin holds 29.5 per cent of India's cultivable area.

Pattern within the basin

  • Density rises from the upper to the lower basin as rainfall increases: Bihar was India's most densely populated State in 2011 at 1,106 persons per sq km, and West Bengal and eastern Uttar Pradesh are close behind.
  • Great cities stand on the rivers: Delhi on the Yamuna, Kanpur, Prayagraj, Varanasi, Patna and Kolkata on the Ganga and the Hugli.

Pressures from high density

  • Small holdings, floods in north Bihar, falling water tables in the west and river pollution show the strain on land and water.
A balanced conclusion

Fertile alluvium, level land and assured water explain why the Ganga basin carries so many people. Keeping it productive now depends on water management, flood control and a cleaner river.

Study the topic: Ganga River: Origin, Tributaries, Yamuna and the Ganga Basin

Sources: Ganges Basin (Wikipedia); Indo-Gangetic Plain (Wikipedia); NCERT India: People and Economy, Chapter 1: Population; NCERT India: Physical Environment, Chapter 2: Structure and Physiography; Bihar (Wikipedia)

GS I Q18Indian Society

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.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Illustrate Make each point concrete with a named example.

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Balance causes of growth with the NFHS-5 health data, and end with labelling and Eat Right India.

What the question asks

Explain why fast food keeps growing in India even as people worry more about health. Give the social and economic causes, the health evidence and the response, with Indian examples.

A strong opening

Fast food (ready-to-eat, often fried or processed food high in salt, sugar and fat) has spread from city outlets to small towns and to phones through delivery apps. Its growth sits uneasily with rising concern about lifestyle diseases.

Points to cover

Why it keeps growing

  • Urbanisation, long working hours and more women in paid work leave less time for home cooking.
  • Rising incomes, a young population and aspiration: Global chains signal modern lifestyles, and Indian chains adapt menus to local taste.
  • Food delivery apps, cheap mobile data and digital payments make ordering effortless; advertising and offers aim at children and students.
  • Convenience and price: Packaged snacks and quick meals are sold everywhere, while fresh food takes time to buy and prepare.

The health concern

  • NFHS-5 (2019 to 2021) found overweight or obesity rising from 21 to 24 per cent among women and from 19 to 23 per cent among men.
  • Diets high in salt, sugar and trans fats feed diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, now leading causes of death in India.

Why concern does not stop consumption

  • Habit and taste, low awareness of nutrition labels, the low price of processed food and the lack of time outweigh health worries for many buyers.

The Indian response

  • FSSAI's Eat Right India movement promotes safe, healthy and sustainable food; FSSAI has approved showing total sugar, salt and saturated fat in bold on labels.
  • Fit India and school nutrition rules discourage junk food; home-style and millet-based fast food shows that the market can change.
A balanced conclusion

Fast food grows because it fits the pace of modern life, not because people ignore health. Clear labelling, food education and healthier affordable options can let convenience and health coexist.

Sources: PIB: Union Health Minister releases NFHS-5 report; PIB: FSSAI approves bold display of total sugar, salt and saturated fat; PIB: Eat Right India, Safe, Healthy and Sustainable Food for All (8 July 2025)

GS I Q19Indian Society

Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could come into conflict with poor people's needs in a country like India – Comment.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

  • Comment Give your opinion on the statement, backed by reasons and evidence.

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Give real clashes first, then show where protection helps the poor, and close with reconciliation.

What the question asks

Comment on the claim that growth which protects the environment can clash with the needs of the poor in India. Show where the clash is real, where it is not, and how the two can be reconciled.

A strong opening

Sustainable growth means development that meets present needs without harming the ability of future generations to meet theirs. In India many poor households depend directly on forests, land, water and cheap fuel, so environmental rules touch their livelihoods first.

Points to cover

Where the clash is real

  • Forest and wildlife protection can restrict grazing, firewood and minor forest produce for forest dwellers.
  • A rapid exit from coal threatens jobs and royalty-funded welfare in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
  • Fishing bans, pollution controls on small industries and higher costs of clean fuel fall heavily on the poor.
  • Large dams and mines displace communities for power and minerals, as the Narmada Bachao Andolan against the Sardar Sarovar Dam showed.

Where protection serves the poor

  • The poor suffer most from polluted air and water, floods, droughts and heat, so environmental protection is also welfare.
  • Clean cooking gas under Ujjwala (launched 1 May 2016) cut indoor smoke for poor women; solar pumps lower farmers' costs.

Reconciling the two

  • Rights-based conservation: The Forest Rights Act, 2006 lets gram sabhas recommend whose rights over forest land and resources are recognised; PESA gives tribal gram sabhas a say in Scheduled Areas.
  • Just transition plans for coal regions, green jobs, payment for ecosystem services and fair compensation under the land acquisition law of 2013.
A balanced conclusion

The conflict is real where the poor bear the cost of protection without a say or a share. When they hold rights and gain from conservation, protecting the environment becomes part of fighting poverty.

Sources: Forest Rights Act (India) (Wikipedia); Sardar Sarovar Dam (Wikipedia); Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (Wikipedia); Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (Wikipedia)

GS I Q20Indian Society

Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.

15 marks250 words8 min 45 s

See the answer frameworkWhat to write, point by point

How to write this answer

For Indian Society: Use examples from daily life and survey data (Census, NFHS), and end with constitutional values.

For this question: Give your opinion directly: Displacement is central but not the only axis, then list the others.

What the question asks

Give your opinion on whether tribal development in India revolves mainly around displacement and rehabilitation. Show why these two dominate the debate and what else tribal development involves.

A strong opening

Scheduled Tribes form a large share of the people living in India's forest and mineral belts. Dams, mines and industry have displaced many of them, so displacement and rehabilitation dominate the debate, but development is wider than that.

Points to cover

Why displacement and rehabilitation dominate

  • Tribal regions hold most of India's coal, iron ore and bauxite and many dam sites, so projects and tribal land overlap.
  • The Sardar Sarovar Dam was stalled by the Supreme Court in 1995 over displacement, and the project was revived later at a lower height.
  • At Niyamgiri in Odisha, the Supreme Court in 2013 left the decision on bauxite mining to the tribal village councils, which rejected it.
  • The land acquisition law of 2013 added rehabilitation and resettlement and, for private projects, the consent of most land owners.

Other axes of tribal development

  • Rights and self-rule: The Fifth Schedule, PESA (1996) and the Forest Rights Act, 2006 give gram sabhas a say over land and resources.
  • Livelihoods: Minor forest produce, value addition and markets for forest products.
  • Education and health: Residential schools for tribal children and the fight against diseases such as sickle cell anaemia.
  • The most vulnerable: PM-JANMAN (2023) targets Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups with housing, roads, water and health.
  • Culture and identity: Protecting languages, customary law and the right to choose the pace of change.

Opinion

  • Displacement and rehabilitation are the most visible axes because they decide whether development harms tribal people, but lasting development rests on rights, livelihoods, education and health, delivered with tribal consent.
A balanced conclusion

Tribal development has been framed by displacement because it has so often come at tribal expense. The aim should be development with tribal people rather than around them.

Study the topic: PM-JANMAN: The PVTG Mission and Tribal Welfare for India's Most Vulnerable Tribes

Sources: Sardar Sarovar Dam (Wikipedia); Niyamgiri (Wikipedia); Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (Wikipedia); PIB: Cabinet approves Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan; Provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (Wikipedia)

Questions students ask

UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1: Common Questions

How many questions were asked in UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1?

GS Paper 1 of UPSC Mains 2025, held on 23 August 2025, had 20 questions on history, art and culture, geography, society. The paper carried 250 marks and three hours.

Which topics did UPSC Mains 2025 GS Paper 1 cover?

By topic, the questions were: Geography (8), Indian Society (6), Art and Culture (3), Modern History (1), Post-Independence India (1), World History (1).

Does UPSC publish answers for Mains 2025 GS Paper 1?

No. UPSC publishes the question paper but not model answers. The answer frameworks on this page are written by Digitally Learn to show what each question asks and the points a good answer covers.

Questions are reproduced from the official question papers published by the Union Public Service Commission. UPSC does not publish model answers for the Main examination; the answer frameworks are written by Digitally Learn and are its copyright. upsc.gov.in