UPSC Mains PYQs on Indian Society and Diversity (GS Paper 1)
Every UPSC Mains question on Indian Society and Diversity between 2013 and 2025 is listed below, newest year first, with the marks it carried. Filter by microtheme to see one idea across all the years.
By Team MaargX UPSC · UPSC Mains 2013-2025
Short answer: UPSC has asked 18 questions on Indian Society and Diversity (syllabus item 6 of GS Paper 1) between 2013 and 2025, worth 220 marks in all, about 2 questions a year. The most-asked microthemes are Diversity and pluralism (6), Family (5), Tribes & Related Issues (4), Uniqueness of Indian society (3). The busiest year was 2024 (3 questions, 40 marks).
UPSC syllabus, GS Paper 1, item 6: Salient features of Indian Society; Diversity of India;
Find Questions by GS Paper, Syllabus Topic and Microtheme
Step 1 paper → Step 2 syllabus topic → Step 3 subject → Step 4 microtheme. Each step opens after the one before it.
Indian Society and Diversity: questions year-wise with marks
2025 1 question · 15 marks
-
Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.
2024 3 questions · 40 marks
-
What is regional disparity? How does it differ from diversity? How serious is the issue of regional disparity in India?
-
Critically analyse the proposition that there is a high correlation between India's cultural diversities and socio-economic marginalities.
-
Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss.
2023 2 questions · 20 marks
-
Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children.
-
Do you think marriage as a sacrament in losing its value in Modern India?
2022 3 questions · 35 marks
-
Analyse the salience of 'sect' in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion.
-
Given the diversities among tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category?
-
Explore and evaluate the impact of 'Work From Home' on family relationships.
2021 2 questions · 25 marks
-
Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems.
-
How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.
2019 2 questions · 25 marks
-
Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate with examples.
-
What makes Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss.
2017 2 questions · 25 marks
-
In the context of diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint.
-
The spirit tolerance and love is not only an interesting feature of Indian society from very early times, but it is also playing an important part at the present. Elaborate.
2015 2 questions · 25 marks
-
Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity.
-
How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes?
2014 1 question · 10 marks
-
The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than social values. Discuss.
No question matches these choices. Try another year or microtheme, or reset.
Indian Society and Diversity at a Glance
| Syllabus item | GS Paper 1, item 6 (Society) |
|---|---|
| Questions asked | 18 (2013-2025), about 2 a year |
| Total marks | 220 marks |
| Last five years | 11 questions, 135 marks (2021-2025) |
| Usual weight | 10 marks (9 questions) |
| Directive words | Discuss (4), Analyse (2), Elaborate (2), Evaluate (1) |
| Busiest year | 2024 (3 questions, 40 marks) |
Year-Wise Summary
| Year | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 15 marks |
| 2024 | 3 | 40 marks |
| 2023 | 2 | 20 marks |
| 2022 | 3 | 35 marks |
| 2021 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2019 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2017 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2015 | 2 | 25 marks |
| 2014 | 1 | 10 marks |
| Total | 18 | 220 marks |
Microthemes in Indian Society and Diversity
These are the ideas inside this topic, most asked first. Select one to see all its questions year-wise with marks.
- Diversity and pluralism 6 · 82.5 marks
- Family 5 · 50 marks
- Tribes & Related Issues 4 · 47.5 marks
- Uniqueness of Indian society 3 · 40 marks
Other Topics in GS Paper 1
- 01. Indian Art, Culture and Literature 33 · 380 marks
- 02. Modern Indian History 20 · 230 marks
- 03. Freedom Struggle 10 · 125 marks
- 04. Post-Independence Consolidation 11 · 127.5 marks
- 05. World History 17 · 207.5 marks
- 07. Women, Population and Poverty 22 · 262.5 marks
- 08. Urbanisation 15 · 182.5 marks
- 09. Globalisation and Indian Society 10 · 135 marks
- 10. Social Empowerment, Communalism, Regionalism and Secularism 19 · 232.5 marks
- 11. World Physical Geography 23 · 252.5 marks
- 12. Distribution of Natural Resources 13 · 157.5 marks
- 13. Location of Industries 23 · 270 marks
- 14. Geophysical Phenomena 12 · 122.5 marks
- 15. Geographical Features and Their Changes 24 · 300 marks
How to Use Mains PYQs Topic Wise
- Start with the microthemes. Open a topic and read its microtheme list. The ones with the most questions are the ideas UPSC returns to.
- Read the demand words. Note how questions begin: discuss, examine, critically analyse, comment. Each asks for a different answer structure.
- Write by marks. A 10-mark question needs a tight answer of about 150 words, and a 15-mark question about 250 words.
- Cover all years of a microtheme. Write the oldest and the latest question on the same microtheme, and see how the angle changed.
- Revise and rewrite. Revise the topic from the notes, and write the same question again after a week.
For the method in full, read the Mains answer writing strategy. The official papers are on our UPSC PYQs page.
Questions are shown as printed in the UPSC Civil Services (Main) General Studies papers of 2013-2025. The grouping into topics and microthemes is by Team MaargX UPSC. Check any wording against the official paper on upsc.gov.in.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UPSC Mains questions have been asked on Indian Society and Diversity?
18 questions on Indian Society and Diversity appeared in UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 between 2013 and 2025, worth 220 marks in all. That is about 2 questions a year. Every one of them is listed on this page, year-wise with its marks.
Which Indian Society and Diversity microthemes does UPSC ask most often?
The most-asked microthemes in Indian Society and Diversity are Diversity and pluralism (6), Family (5), Tribes & Related Issues (4), Uniqueness of Indian society (3). The number in brackets is how many questions each has had since 2013. Use the microtheme filter to see all of them together, year by year, with marks.
In which year was Indian Society and Diversity asked the most in UPSC Mains?
The busiest year for Indian Society and Diversity was 2024 (3 questions, 40 marks). The lightest was 2025 (1 questions, 15 marks). Treat these swings as noise: UPSC does not repeat a fixed pattern, so cover the whole topic.
How many marks do Indian Society and Diversity questions carry?
Of the 18 questions on Indian Society and Diversity, 7 of 15 marks, 2 of 12.5 marks, 9 of 10 marks. Plan your word limit by marks: 10-marker answers run to about 150 words and 15-marker answers to about 250 words.
What kind of questions does UPSC ask on Indian Society and Diversity?
The directive words in the 18 questions on Indian Society and Diversity are Discuss (4), Analyse (2), Elaborate (2), Evaluate (1). Match your answer to the word: discuss and examine want both sides with a conclusion, while comment and critically analyse want a reasoned stand.
Is Indian Society and Diversity important for UPSC Mains?
In the last five years (2021-2025) UPSC asked 11 questions on Indian Society and Diversity, worth 135 marks. In the first five years (2013-2017) it asked 5, worth 60 marks.
Which GS paper does Indian Society and Diversity belong to?
Indian Society and Diversity belongs to UPSC Mains GS Paper 1, titled Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society. The questions on this page are all from that paper.
How should I use these Indian Society and Diversity PYQs?
Read the microtheme list first, then pick one and write two or three answers in the time limit. Compare each with what the question demands (discuss, examine, critically analyse). Revise the topic from the Maarg Manthan notes and write the same question again after a week.
Official Sources
These are the primary sources behind this page. Rules, dates and papers can change, so confirm them on the official pages.
- UPSC: Previous Year Question Papers
- UPSC: Previous Year Question Papers (Archives)
- UPSC: Revised Syllabus and Scheme
- UPSC: Civil Services Examination Rules