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Complete 2013 UPSC CSE Prelims GS1 paper with 100 questions, answers, and detailed explanations. Attempt all questions with show/hide answers, or take the timed quiz.
100
Questions
45
Easy
54
Moderate
1
Difficult
The General Studies Paper‐I of UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination, 2013 presented a broadly balanced yet environmentally tilted bouquet of questions. Out of 100 items, Environment & Ecology alone contributed 20%, reflecting the Commission’s growing emphasis on climate policy, biodiversity treaties and sustainable development debates that were globally prominent after Rio+20 (2012). Indian Polity (17) and Economy (19) maintained their traditional heft, while Geography (15) and Science & Technology (12) rounded off the core analytical segments.
Difficulty-wise, the paper was candidate-friendly: 45 questions were deemed easy, 54 moderate and just 1 difficult. This skew towards solvable questions meant that elimination techniques and broad reading could fetch a safe cutoff, rewarding well-planned revision rather than esoteric depth. Conceptual application dominated—especially in Economy (fiscal policy instruments, index interpretation) and Polity (constitutional bodies, federal features)—where mere rote facts were insufficient.
A noteworthy pattern was the sharp contraction of History: only 9 questions in total, with Ancient (2) and Medieval (1) almost tokenistic. This surprised many repeat-testers accustomed to heavier historical weightage. Conversely, Art & Culture registered 8 questions, underscoring UPSC’s shift from dynastic chronology to heritage preservation and intangible cultural expressions.
Another subtle trend was the integration of current affairs with static domains: for instance, Environment queries referenced contemporary conventions, and Economy items wove in post-crisis monetary policy. Overall, the 2013 paper rewarded interdisciplinary awareness, ecological literacy and crisp conceptual clarity more than exhaustive memorisation.
| Subject | Questions | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Environment & Ecology | 20 | 20.0% |
| Indian Economy | 19 | 19.0% |
| Indian Polity | 17 | 17.0% |
| Geography | 15 | 15.0% |
| Science & Technology | 12 | 12.0% |
| Art & Culture | 8 | 8.0% |
| Modern History | 6 | 6.0% |
| Ancient History | 2 | 2.0% |
| Medieval History | 1 | 1.0% |
| Total | 100 | 100% |
Q: What will follow if a Money Bill is substantially amended by the Rajya Sabha?
Q: Which one of the following statements is correct?
Q: Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched? Geographical Feature : Region
Q: With reference to the history of Indian rock-cut architecture, consider the following statements: 1. The caves at Badami are the oldest surviving rock-cut caves in India. 2. The Barabar rock-cut caves were originally made for Ajivikas by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. 3. At Ellora, caves were made for different faiths. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Recombinant DNA technology (Genetic Engineering) allows genes to be transferred 1. across different species of plants 2. from animals to plants 3. from microorganisms to higher organisms Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: The Chinese traveller Yuan Chwang (Hiuen Tsang) who visited India recorded the general conditions and culture of India at that time. In this context, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The roads and river-routes were completely immune from robbery. 2. As regards punishment for offences, ordeals by fire, water and poison were the instruments for determining the innocence or guilt of a person. 3. The tradesmen had to pay duties at ferries and barrier stations. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Consider the following: 1. Star tortoise 2. Monitor lizard 3. Pygmy hog 4. Spider monkey Which of the above are naturally found in India?
Q: Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India? 1. Arsenic 2. Sorbitol 3. Fluoride 4. Formaldehyde 5. Uranium Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: With reference to Indian History, the Members of the Constituent Assembly from the Provinces were
Q: Consider the following animals: 1. Sea cow 2. Sea horse 3. Sea lion Which of the above is/are mammal/mammals?
Q: Consider the following statements: 1. An amendment to the Constitution of India can be initiated by an introduction of a Bill in the Lok Sabha only. 2. If such an amendment seeks to make changes in the federal character of the Constitution, the amendment also requires to be ratified by the legislatures of all the States of India. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements. The Attorney-General of India can: 1. take part in the proceedings of the Lok Sabha 2. be a member of a committee of the Lok Sabha 3. speak in the Lok Sabha 4. vote in the Lok Sabha Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to the usefulness of the by-products of the sugar industry, which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Bagasse can be used as biomass fuel for the generation of energy. 2. Molasses can be used as one of the feedstocks for the production of synthetic chemical fertilizers. 3. Molasses can be used for the production of ethanol. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: Variations in the length of daytime and night-time from season to season are due to
Q: The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why? 1. It occupies a linear rift valley. 2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras. 3. The land slopes to the west from Central India. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: On the planet Earth, most of the freshwater exists as ice caps and glaciers. Out of the remaining freshwater, the largest proportion
Q: Consider the following pairs: 1. Nokrek Biosphere Reserve : Garo Hills 2. Loktak Lake : Barail Range 3. Namdapha National Park : Dafla Hills Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Q: Consider the following: 1. Electromagnetic radiation 2. Geothermal energy 3. Gravitational force 4. Plate movements 5. Rotation of the earth 6. Revolution of the earth Which of the above are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?
Q: Which of the following bodies does not/do not find mention in the Constitution? 1. National Development Council 2. Planning Commission 3. Zonal Councils Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: The demand for the Tebhaga Peasant Movement in Bengal was for
Q: The Parliament can make any law for whole or any part of India for implementing international treaties
Q: In the grasslands, trees do not replace the grasses as a part of an ecological succession because of
Q: Which one of the following is the correct sequence of ecosystems in the order of decreasing productivity?
Q: Contour bunding is a method of soil conservation used in
Q: The Government enacted the Panchayat Extension to Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act in 1996. Which one of the following is NOT identified as its objective?
Q: Under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006, who shall be the authority to initiate the process for determining the nature and extent of individual or community forest rights or both?
Q: Improper handling and storage of cereal grains and oilseeds result in the production of toxins known as aflatoxins which are not generally destroyed by normal cooking process. Aflatoxins are produced by
Q: 'Economic Justice' as one of the objectives of the Indian Constitution has been provided in
Q: Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-waste? 1. Beryllium 2. Cadmium 3. Chromium 4. Heptachlor 5. Mercury 6. Lead 7. Plutonium Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: Acid rain is caused by the pollution of environment by
Q: With reference to food chains in ecosystems, consider the following statements: 1. A food chain illustrates the order in which a chain of organisms feed upon each other. 2. Food chains are found within the populations of a species. 3. A food chain illustrates the numbers of each organism which are eaten by others. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following pairs: National Park : River flowing through the Park 1. Corbett National Park : Ganga 2. Kaziranga National Park : Manas 3. Silent Valley National Park : Kaveri Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Q: Consider the following organisms: 1. Agaricus 2. Nostoc 3. Spirogyra Which of the above is/are used as biofertilizer/biofertilizers?
Q: Which of the following adds/add nitrogen to the soil? 1. Excretion of urea by animals 2. Burning of coal by man 3. Death of vegetation Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat? 1. Tamil Nadu 2. Kerala 3. Karnataka 4. Andhra Pradesh Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Some Buddhist rock-cut caves are called Chaityas, while the others are called Viharas. What is the difference between the two?
Q: Which one of the following describes best the concept of Nirvana in Buddhism?
Q: According to the Constitution of India, which of the following are fundamental for the governance of the country?
Q: The people of India agitated against the arrival of Simon Commission because
Q: Quit India Movement was launched in response to
Q: The balance of payments of a country is a systematic record of
Q: The Reserve Bank of India regulates the commercial banks in matters of 1. liquidity of assets 2. branch expansion 3. merger of banks 4. winding-up of banks Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: An increase in the Bank Rate generally indicates that the
Q: In India, deficit financing is used for raising resources for
Q: Which of the following characterizes/characterize the people of Indus Civilization? 1. They possessed great palaces and temples. 2. They worshipped both male and female deities. 3. They employed horse-drawn chariots in warfare. Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following diseases can be transmitted from one person to another through tattooing? 1. Chikungunya 2. Hepatitis B 3. HIV-AIDS Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following statements is/are applicable to Jain doctrine? 1. The surest way of annihilating Karma is to practice penance. 2. Every object, even the smallest particle, has a soul. 3. Karma is the bane of the soul and must be ended. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an organism, but also its functional role in the community of organisms?
Q: Photochemical smog is a resultant of the reaction among
Q: Consider the following minerals: 1. Calcium 2. Iron 3. Sodium Which of the minerals given above is/are required by human body for the contraction of muscles?
Q: Consider the following statements : The Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts 1. consists of not more than 25 Members of the Lok Sabha 2. scrutinizes appropriation and finance accounts of the Government 3. examines the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following Bhakti Saints : 1. Dadu Dayal 2. Guru Nanak 3. Tyagaraja Who among the above was/were preaching when the Lodi dynasty fell and Babur took over?
Q: With reference to the food chains in ecosystems, which of the following kinds of organism is/are known as decomposer organism/organisms? 1. Virus 2. Fungi 3. Bacteria Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: The most important fishing grounds of the world are found in the regions where
Q: Which of the following is/are unique characteristic/characteristics of equatorial forests? 1. Presence of tall, closely set trees with crowns forming a continuous canopy 2. Coexistence of a large number of species 3. Presence of numerous varieties of epiphytes Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following constitute Capital Account? 1. Foreign Loans 2. Foreign Direct Investment 3. Private Remittances 4. Portfolio Investment Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Consider the following historical places : 1. Ajanta Caves 2. Lepakshi Temple 3. Sanchi Stupa Which of the above places is/are also known for mural paintings?
Q: With reference to the history of philosophical thought in India, consider the following statements regarding Sankhya school : 1. Sankhya does not accept the theory of rebirth or transmigration of soul. 2. Sankhya holds that it is the self-knowledge that leads to liberation and not any exterior influence or agent. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: In the context of India, which of the following principles is/are implied institutionally in the parliamentary government? 1. Members of the Cabinet are Members of the Parliament. 2. Ministers hold the office till they enjoy confidence in the Parliament. 3. Cabinet is headed by the Head of the State. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: The annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is high as compared to coastal areas. What is/are the reason/reasons? 1. Thermal difference between land and water 2. Variation in altitude between continents and oceans 3. Presence of strong winds in the interior 4. Heavy rains in the interior as compared to coasts Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following is/are the characteristic/characteristics of Indian coal? 1. High ash content 2. Low sulphur content 3. Low ash fusion temperature Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following statements regarding laterite soils of India are correct? 1. They are generally red in colour. 2. They are rich in nitrogen and potash. 3. They are well-developed in Rajasthan and UP. 4. Tapioca and cashew nuts grow well on these soils. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Consider the following statements : 1. Natural gas occurs in the Gondwana beds. 2. Mica occurs in abundance in Kodarma. 3. Dharwars are famous for petroleum. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following crops : 1. Cotton 2. Groundnut 3. Rice 4. Wheat Which of these are Kharif crops?
Q: “Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.” The above statement best describes which of the following regions?
Q: Consider the following statements : 1. Inflation benefits the debtors. 2. Inflation benefits the bond-holders. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Disguised unemployment generally means
Q: Consider the following statements : 1. The Council of Ministers in the Centre shall be collectively responsible to the Parliament. 2. The Union Ministers shall hold the office during the pleasure of the President of India. 3. The Prime Minister shall communicate to the President about the proposals for legislation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements: 1. National Development Council is an organ of the Planning Commission. 2. The Economic and Social Planning is kept in the Concurrent List in the Constitution of India. 3. The Constitution of India prescribes that Panchayats should be assigned the task of preparation of plans for economic development and social justice. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Consider the following statements: 1. The Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha are not the members of that House. 2. While the nominated members of the two Houses of the Parliament have no voting right in the presidential election, they have the right to vote in the election of the Vice President. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: With reference to National Legal Services Authority, consider the following statements: 1. Its objective is to provide free and competent legal services to the weaker sections of the society on the basis of equal opportunity. 2. It issues guidelines for the State Legal Services Authorities to implement the legal programmes and schemes throughout the country. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: During a thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies is produced by the 1. meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in the sky 2. lightning that separates the nimbus clouds 3. violent upward movement of air and water particles Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Consider the following pairs: Tribe State 1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim 2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh 3. Dongaria Kondh : Odisha 4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Q: Consider the following liquid assets: 1. Demand deposits with the banks 2. Time deposits with the banks 3. Savings deposits with the banks 4. Currency The correct sequence of these assets in the decreasing order of liquidity is
Q: In the context of Indian economy, ‘Open Market Operations’ refers to
Q: Priority Sector Lending by banks in India constitutes the lending to
Q: Which one among the following industries is the maximum consumer of water in India?
Q: To obtain full benefits of demographic dividend, what should India do?
Q: In the context of cultural history of India, a pose in dance and dramatics called ‘Tribhanga’ has been a favourite of Indian artists from ancient times till today. Which one of the following statements best describes this pose?
Q: Annie Besant was 1. responsible for starting the Home Rule Movement 2. the founder of the Theosophical Society 3. once the President of the Indian National Congress Select the correct statement/statements using the codes given below.
Q: The Ilbert Bill controversy was related to the
Q: A rise in general level of prices may be caused by 1. an increase in the money supply 2. a decrease in the aggregate level of output 3. an increase in the effective demand Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which one of the following groups of items is included in India’s foreign-exchange reserves?
Q: Which one of the following is likely to be the most inflationary in its effect?
Q: Supply of money remaining the same when there is an increase in demand for money, there will be
Q: Fruits stored in a cold chamber exhibit longer storage life because
Q: Consider the following fauna of India: 1. Gharial 2. Leatherback turtle 3. Swamp deer Which of the above is/are endangered?
Q: Ball bearings are used in bicycles, cars, etc., because
Q: Consider the following phenomena: 1. Size of the sun at dusk 2. Colour of the sun at dawn 3. Moon being visible at dawn 4. Twinkle of stars in the sky 5. Polestar being visible in the sky Which of the above are optical illusions?
Q: Rainbow is produced when sunlight falls on drops of rain. Which of the following physical phenomena are responsible for this? 1. Dispersion 2. Refraction 3. Internal reflection Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Many transplanted seedlings do not grow because
Q: Economic growth in country X will necessarily have to occur if
Q: Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Viruses lack enzymes necessary for the generation of energy. 2. Viruses can be cultured in any synthetic medium. 3. Viruses are transmitted from one organism to another by biological vectors only. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Which of the following leaf modifications occurs/occur in desert areas to inhibit water loss? 1. Hard and waxy leaves 2. Tiny leaves or no leaves 3. Thorns instead of leaves Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: The known forces of nature can be divided into four classes, viz., gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force and strong nuclear force. With reference to them, which one of the following statements is not correct?
Q: The efforts to detect the existence of Higgs boson particle have become frequent news in the recent past. What is/are the importance/ importances of discovering this particle? 1. It will enable us to understand as to why elementary particles have mass. 2. It will enable us in the near future to develop the technology of transferring matter from one point to another without traversing the physical space between them. 3. It will enable us to create better fuels for nuclear fission. Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: Mycorrhizal biotechnology has been used in rehabilitating degraded sites because mycorrhiza enables the plants to 1. resist drought and increase absorptive area 2. tolerate extremes of pH 3. resist disease infestation Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: Who among the following constitute the National Development Council? 1. The Prime Minister 2. The Chairman, Finance Commission 3. Ministers of the Union Cabinet 4. Chief Ministers of the States Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Q: The national income of a country for a given period is equal to the
Q: Which of the following grants/grant direct credit assistance to rural households? 1. Regional Rural Banks 2. National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 3. Land Development Banks Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
The paper was broadly balanced but showed a clear tilt towards Environment & Ecology (20%) and the core governance triad—Indian Economy (19%) and Polity (17%). History received only 9% combined, marking a significant departure from earlier years.
Out of 100 questions, 45 were classified as easy, 54 moderate and just 1 difficult. Hence, the paper was largely candidate-friendly, rewarding wide reading and smart elimination rather than deep specialisation.
Yes. The minimal presence of Ancient and Medieval History (only three questions combined) surprised many, while the heavy emphasis on Environment & Ecology signalled UPSC’s shifting priorities. The integration of current events within static topics was another subtle but important change.
