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UPSC Prelims 2021 GS Paper I: answer key and question paper

Held 10 October 2021 · Series A · 100 questions · 2 hours · +2 / −0.66

The complete Series A answer key for the 2021 Civil Services Prelims General Studies Paper I, from UPSC's official final answer key, with the questions UPSC dropped, the subject-wise split and three questions explained in full.

Take the full 2021 paper under exam conditions. 100 questions, 2 hours, +2 / −0.66, exactly as UPSC set them. Then see your score, UPSC's key for every question and explanations for 10 of them, starting with your mistakes. Free with Google sign-in; Pro unlocks every explanation in English and தமிழ்.

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Key facts

ExamUPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2021, General Studies Paper I
Date10 October 2021
Question bookletSeries A, 100 questions, 2 hours
Marking+2 for a correct answer, −0.66 for a wrong one, 0 if left blank
Answer keyUPSC's official final answer key, checked against the file on upsc.gov.in
Dropped questionsQ80
Maximum marks198

Answer key, Series A

UPSC dropped 1 question (Q80) from scoring, so the paper is marked out of 198. Other booklet series (B, C, D) have the same questions in a different order, so match your booklet to Series A before checking answers.

  1. 1c
  2. 2b
  3. 3b
  4. 4a
  5. 5b
  6. 6d
  7. 7a
  8. 8a
  9. 9d
  10. 10d
  11. 11c
  12. 12a
  13. 13b
  14. 14c
  15. 15b
  16. 16a
  17. 17b
  18. 18d
  19. 19a
  20. 20c
  21. 21c
  22. 22b
  23. 23d
  24. 24a
  25. 25b
  26. 26c
  27. 27c
  28. 28c
  29. 29a
  30. 30d
  31. 31c
  32. 32a
  33. 33a
  34. 34b
  35. 35d
  36. 36c
  37. 37d
  38. 38a
  39. 39c
  40. 40b
  41. 41b
  42. 42b
  43. 43a
  44. 44c
  45. 45a
  46. 46c
  47. 47d
  48. 48b
  49. 49a
  50. 50b
  51. 51b
  52. 52b
  53. 53d
  54. 54d
  55. 55b
  56. 56b
  57. 57a
  58. 58c
  59. 59d
  60. 60d
  61. 61c
  62. 62b
  63. 63b
  64. 64b
  65. 65c
  66. 66c
  67. 67b
  68. 68c
  69. 69a
  70. 70b
  71. 71a
  72. 72c
  73. 73d
  74. 74b
  75. 75d
  76. 76d
  77. 77c
  78. 78b
  79. 79c
  80. 80Dropped
  81. 81d
  82. 82b
  83. 83b
  84. 84d
  85. 85a
  86. 86a
  87. 87a
  88. 88a
  89. 89a
  90. 90d
  91. 91b
  92. 92b
  93. 93b
  94. 94d
  95. 95d
  96. 96d
  97. 97d
  98. 98c
  99. 99b
  100. 100d

Subject-wise split

How the 100 questions divide across the syllabus, by 1way's classification of each question.

SubjectQuestionsShare
Environment21
Polity18
History17
Economy14
Science & Technology13
Geography9
Art & Culture4
Current Affairs & Misc3
Governance & Ethics1

Three questions from the 2021 paper, explained

Try each one before opening the answer. This is the kind of explanation you get after taking the paper: the reasoning behind every option, with sources.

Question 14 · Environment

With reference to ‘WaterCredit’, consider the following statements :

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)1 and 2 only
  2. (b)2 and 3 only
  3. (c)1 and 3 only
  4. (d)1, 2 and 3
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Statement 1 is correct: WaterCredit applies microfinance to water and sanitation, giving small, affordable loans to households for water connections, storage and toilets through partner microfinance institutions. Statement 2 is incorrect: it is an initiative of Water.org, a non-profit, and was not launched under the aegis of the World Health Organization and the World Bank. Statement 3 is correct: its model aims to let poor families meet their water and sanitation needs through repayable credit and market-based solutions rather than relying on subsidies or charity. Hence 1 and 3 only.

Question 77 · Polity

We adopted parliamentary democracy based on the British model, but how does our model differ from that model?

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

  1. (a)1 only
  2. (b)2 only
  3. (c)Both 1 and 2
  4. (d)Neither 1 nor 2
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Statement 1 is correct: the British Parliament is sovereign and no court can strike down its Acts, whereas the Indian Parliament legislates within limits set by a written Constitution: the division of powers in the Seventh Schedule, Fundamental Rights (Article 13) and judicial review, including the basic structure doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973). Statement 2 is correct: under Article 145(3), any case involving a substantial question of law as to the interpretation of the Constitution, which includes challenges to the validity of a constitutional amendment, must be heard by a bench of at least five judges, i.e. a Constitution Bench. Britain has no such mechanism for testing legislation against a written constitution.

Question 32 · History

Which one of the following ancient towns is well-known for its elaborate system of water harvesting and management by building a series of dams and channelizing water into connected reservoirs?

  1. (a)Dholavira
  2. (b)Kalibangan
  3. (c)Rakhigarhi
  4. (d)Ropar
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: (a) Dholavira

Dholavira, on Khadir island in the Rann of Kachchh (Gujarat), is known for one of the most elaborate water-management systems of the Harappan civilisation. Its residents built check dams across the seasonal streams Mansar and Manhar, diverted the water through channels, and stored it in a series of large rock-cut and masonry reservoirs spread around the city. Kalibangan (Rajasthan) is noted for its ploughed field and fire altars; Rakhigarhi (Haryana) is among the largest Harappan sites and known for burials and ancient DNA studies; Ropar (Punjab) is known for a burial of a dog with a human. None of these three shows a comparable network of dams and connected reservoirs.

The other 97 questions are waiting. 100 questions, 2 hours, +2 / −0.66, exactly as UPSC set them. Then see your score, UPSC's key for every question and explanations for 10 of them, starting with your mistakes. Free with Google sign-in; Pro unlocks every explanation in English and தமிழ்.

Take the 2021 paper

Other years

Every UPSC Prelims GS Paper I from 2016 to 2026, each with UPSC's official key. See all past papers.

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