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UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 PYQs: Topic Wise

GS Paper 2 of the UPSC Mains covers Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations. Pick a topic to see its questions year by year, with marks.

By Team MaargX UPSC · UPSC Mains 2013-2025

Short answer: UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations) had 265 questions between 2013 and 2025, worth 3,245 marks in all. The heaviest topic is Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies with 23 questions (282.5 marks), followed by Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings with 19.

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.

Select paper Syllabus topic Subject Microtheme Year

GS Paper 2 syllabus topics with the number of UPSC Mains questions and marks
Syllabus topic	Subject	Questions	Marks
01. Indian Constitution: Evolution and Features	Polity	18	235 marks
02. Union and States: Federal Structure	Polity	16	195 marks
03. Separation of Powers and Dispute Redressal	Polity	10	117.5 marks
04. Devolution to Local Levels	Polity	8	97.5 marks
05. Comparison with Other Constitutions	Polity	9	115 marks
06. Parliament and State Legislatures	Polity	13	162.5 marks
07. Executive, Judiciary and Pressure Groups	Polity	17	197.5 marks
08. Representation of the People's Act	Polity	11	137.5 marks
09. Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies	Governance	23	282.5 marks
10. Government Policies and Interventions	Governance	9	112.5 marks
11. NGOs, SHGs and the Development Industry	Governance	14	177.5 marks
12. Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections	Social Justice	9	110 marks
13. Health, Education and Human Resources	Social Justice	18	215 marks
14. Poverty and Hunger	Social Justice	10	127.5 marks
15. Transparency, Accountability and E-Governance	Governance	18	215 marks
16. Role of Civil Services	Governance	5	60 marks
17. India and Its Neighbourhood	International Relations	7	75 marks
18. Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings	International Relations	19	230 marks
19. Policies of Other Countries and Indian Diaspora	International Relations	16	195 marks
20. International Institutions and Agencies	International Relations	15	187.5 marks

Most-Asked Microthemes in GS Paper 2

A microtheme is a narrow idea inside a syllabus topic. These are the ones UPSC has returned to most often.

Federalism 10 · 125 marks
Constitutional Comparison 9 · 115 marks
Bilateral Relations 9 · 105 marks
Geo-politics affecting India's Interest 9 · 105 marks
Statutory Bodies 8 · 107.5 marks
United Nations and its Agencies 8 · 100 marks
Local Self Government 8 · 97.5 marks
E-governance 8 · 90 marks
Constitutional Bodies 8 · 87.5 marks
Fundamental Rights 7 · 90 marks
Transparency and Accountability 7 · 85 marks
Health 7 · 77.5 marks

Year-Wise Summary

Number of UPSC Mains questions and total marks for each year
Year	Questions	Marks
2025	20	250 marks
2024	20	245 marks
2023	20	250 marks
2022	20	250 marks
2021	20	250 marks
2020	20	250 marks
2019	20	250 marks
2018	20	250 marks
2017	20	250 marks
2016	20	250 marks
2015	20	250 marks
2014	20	250 marks
2013	25	250 marks
Total	265	3,245 marks

Topics in GS Paper 2

09. Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies 23 · 282.5 marks
18. Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings 19 · 230 marks
01. Indian Constitution: Evolution and Features 18 · 235 marks
15. Transparency, Accountability and E-Governance 18 · 215 marks
13. Health, Education and Human Resources 18 · 215 marks
07. Executive, Judiciary and Pressure Groups 17 · 197.5 marks
02. Union and States: Federal Structure 16 · 195 marks
19. Policies of Other Countries and Indian Diaspora 16 · 195 marks
20. International Institutions and Agencies 15 · 187.5 marks
11. NGOs, SHGs and the Development Industry 14 · 177.5 marks
06. Parliament and State Legislatures 13 · 162.5 marks
08. Representation of the People's Act 11 · 137.5 marks
14. Poverty and Hunger 10 · 127.5 marks
03. Separation of Powers and Dispute Redressal 10 · 117.5 marks
05. Comparison with Other Constitutions 9 · 115 marks
10. Government Policies and Interventions 9 · 112.5 marks
12. Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections 9 · 110 marks
04. Devolution to Local Levels 8 · 97.5 marks
17. India and Its Neighbourhood 7 · 75 marks
16. Role of Civil Services 5 · 60 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 questions came in UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 from 2013-2025?

265 questions came in GS Paper 2 between 2013 and 2025, worth 3,245 marks in all, so about 20.4 a year. Each is listed with its year and marks.

What does GS Paper 2 of UPSC Mains cover?

GS Paper 2 covers Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International Relations. This page splits it into 20 topics: Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies (23), Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings (19), Indian Constitution: Evolution and Features (18), Transparency, Accountability and E-Governance (18), Health, Education and Human Resources (18), Executive, Judiciary and Pressure Groups (17), Union and States: Federal Structure (16), Policies of Other Countries and Indian Diaspora (16), International Institutions and Agencies (15), NGOs, SHGs and the Development Industry (14), Parliament and State Legislatures (13), Representation of the People's Act (11), Poverty and Hunger (10), Separation of Powers and Dispute Redressal (10), Comparison with Other Constitutions (9), Government Policies and Interventions (9), Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Sections (9), Devolution to Local Levels (8), India and Its Neighbourhood (7), Role of Civil Services (5).

Which GS Paper 2 topic carries the most questions?

Constitutional, Statutory and Regulatory Bodies leads with 23 questions worth 282.5 marks. Open a topic to see its microthemes and every question year-wise.

How are marks spread in GS Paper 2?

Across GS Paper 2 the questions split as 89 of 15 marks, 60 of 12.5 marks, 116 of 10 marks. The year-wise table on this page shows the marks per year.

How do I practise GS Paper 2 with these PYQs?

Take one topic at a time, answer its last five years of questions within the word limit, and check the demand words. In the last two months, write a full mixed paper in three hours.

Official Sources

These are the primary sources behind this page. Rules, dates and papers can change, so confirm them on the official pages.