3,238 previous year UPSC Prelims (GS Paper-I) questions, from 1995 to 2025, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Filter by subject, chapter or year.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 2381–2390 of 3238 questions
Nanda Devi is the second-highest mountain in India and is located in the Kumaon Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. It is part of the Greater Himalayas and is renowned for its challenging climbing routes and stunning natural beauty. Indus River Punjab Himalaya Kumaon Himalay Satluj River Kali River Teesta River Dihang River Kailash Range Ladakh Zaskar Karakoram Nepal Himalay Assam Himalay
Option (a) is correct: Amongst the given options Bangalore has the highest altitude above mean sea level. Altitude above mean sea level of the given options is as follows:
Bangalore (Bengaluru): 920 meters.
Nagpur: 310 meters.
Delhi: 216 meters.
Jodhpur: 231 meters.
Altitude is important in geography because it significantly influences a region’s climate, weather patterns, and ecosystems. Higher altitudes generally have lower temperatures due to thinner air and reduced heat retention. For every 1,000 meters increase in altitude, temperatures drop by about 6.5°C. Due to its high elevation, Bengaluru usually enjoys a more moderate climate throughout the year, although occasional heat waves can make summer. Bengaluru has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) with distinct wet and dry seasons.
Statement 1 is incorrect: In west to east arrangement, Indore comes first then Bhopal and in last comes Jabalpur. Thus, the longitude corresponding to Jabalpur’s location is not between those of Indore and Bhopal.
Statement 2 is correct: As coming from the north we first find Vadodara and then Aurangabad and in the last Pune which means Aurangabad is between Vadodara and Pune. Hence, the latitude corresponding to Aurangabad’s location is between those of Vadodara and Pune.
Statement 3 is correct: Bangalore is at a lower latitude (12.9716°N) than Chennai (13.0827°N). Hence Bangalore is south of Chennai.
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth’s surface. It is measured in degrees (°), ranging from 0° at the Prime Meridian (which passes through Greenwich, England) to 180° East and 180° West. Lines of longitude, also called meridians, run from the North Pole to the South Pole. Latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth’s surface. It is measured in degrees (°), ranging from 0° at the Equator to 90° North at the North Pole and 90° South at the South Pole. Lines of latitude, also called parallels, run parallel to the Equator.
Area of the states in the options given are:
Gujarat: 196,024 square kilometers Karnataka: 191,791 square kilometers Andhra Pradesh: 160,205 square kilometers Tamil Nadu: 130,058 square kilometers Therefore Tamil Nadu is the smallest among the four states.
India covers an area of 3.287 million square kilometers (2.4% of the world’s land surface area), making it the seventh-largest country in the world by land area. As of now, In-dia is divided into 28 States and 8 Union Territories. Sequence of states in India area wise in descending order: Rajasthan > Madhya Pradesh > Maharashtra > Uttar Pradesh > Gujarat > Karnataka > Andhra Pradesh > Odisha > Chhattisgarh > Tamil Nadu > Telangana > Bihar > West Bengal > Arunachal Pradesh > Jharkhand > Assam > Himachal Pradesh > Uttarakhand > Punjab > Haryana > Kerala > Meghalaya > Manipur > Nagaland > Tripura > Mizoram > Sikkim > Goa. The largest UT is Jammu and Kashmir while the smallest is the Lakshadweep.
In India, The Tropic of Cancer (23.5°N) passes through 8 Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura and Mizoram. Location of the given cities in comparison to the Tropic of Cancer is the following:
Delhi: 28.7041°N Jodhpur: 26.2389°N Tropic of Cancer: 23.5°N Kolkata: 22.5726°N Nagpur: 21.1458°N Thus, Kolkata is nearest to the Tropic of Cancer. Other cities near to the Tropic of Cancer:
Udaipur (Rajasthan): 24.5854°N.
Agartala (Tripura): 23.8315°N.
Aizawl (Mizoram): 23.7271°N.
Ranchi (Jharkhand): 23.3441°N.
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): 23.2599°N.
Gandhinagar (Gujarat): 23.2156°N.
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): 23.1815°N.
Kolkata (West Bengal): 22.5726°N.
The latitude of the Tropic of Cancer is the imaginary circle at approximately 23.5°N. It marks the northernmost point where the Sun appears directly overhead at noon. This occurs during the June solstice (around June 21), when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. The Tropic of Cancer passes through 17 countries, including: Mexico, Bahamas, India, Saudi Arabia, UAE, China and Taiwan.
Ionic compounds are chemical compounds composed of positively and negatively charged ions held together by strong electrostatic forces of attraction.
Statement 1 is correct: Ionic compounds generally dissolve in water due to its high polarity, but alcohols are less polar compared to water, which makes most ionic compounds insoluble in alcohol.
Statement 2 is incorrect: In the solid state, the ions in ionic compounds are fixed in a rigid lattice structure and cannot move freely, which prevents the conduction of electricity.
Option (a) is correct: The magnetic quantum number of an element specifies the orientation of an orbital in space relative to an external magnetic field. It determines the number of orbitals and their spatial orientation within a given subshell (defined by the azimuthal quantum number, l). Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect: Shape is determined by the azimuthal quantum number; Size is determined by the principal quantum number; Spin is determined by the spin quantum number, which specifies the spin orientation of the electron.
Option (a) is correct: Liquid sodium is used as a coolant in certain types of nuclear reactors, particularly fast breeder reactors. Sodium is an effective coolant because of its high thermal conductivity and low neutron absorption properties, which are ideal for cooling the reactor core. Options (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:
Dental amalgams are typically made of silver, mercury, and other metals. Calcium carbonate is not a must-include ingredient in toothpastes. Though it is sometimes used in toothpaste as an abrasive that helps remove plaque, stains, and debris from teeth. Bordeaux mixture is made from copper sulfate and lime (calcium hydroxide). It is used as a fungicide and pesticide in agriculture to prevent fungal diseases like downy mildew in crops. Zinc amalgam is not commonly used in dental fillings, although zinc oxide is sometimes used in dental cements and temporary fillings.
The Kelkar Committee, led by Dr. Vijay L. Kelkar, recommended tax reforms to simplify India’s tax system. It proposed reducing tax rates, eliminating exemptions, broadening the tax base, and improving tax administration. The committee also advocated for GST-like reforms and lower customs and excise duties.
Trishul, a short-range surface-to-air missile under India’s IGMDP, had a 9 km range, not 30 km. It was supersonic and later discontinued in 2008.
Option (a), (b) and (d) are correct:
Prithvi-II is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by DRDO. It was inducted into the Indian Air Force, making it the only air force in the world to operate ballistic missiles at the time. The Sukhoi Su-30MKI, a multi-role fighter aircraft of the IAF, is capable of launching precision-guided air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles like BrahMos, Astra, and Kh-59. INS Prabal is a missile boat of the Indian Navy, capable of launching sea-to-sea missiles like SS-N-25 ‘Switchblade’ anti-ship missiles.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2381 | 2003 | (b) Kumaon Himalayas |
| 2382 | 2003 | (a) Bangalore |
| 2383 | 2003 | (c) 2 and 3 |
| 2384 | 2003 | (d) Tamil Nadu |
| 2385 | 2003 | (b) Kolkata |
| 2386 | 2003 | (a) Only 1 |
| 2387 | 2003 | (a) Orientation |
| 2388 | 2003 | (a) Liquid sodium is employed as a coolant in nuclear reactors. |
| 2389 | 2003 | (b) recommendations for tax reforms |
| 2390 | 2003 | (c) Trishul is a supersonic surface to air missile with a range of 30 km |
This page covers 3238 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I, asked from 1995 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Questions on UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I are available for 31 years, from 1995 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
