How Many Questions to Attempt in UPSC Prelims? UPSC CSE 2021 Tips For All Aspirants

The Civil Services Examination, held annually by the Union Public Service Commission of the Union (UPSC), is your ticket to the elite civil service career. The UPSC CSE has three steps, Prelims, Mains, and Interview (Personality Test), this exam is carried out. Ultimately, only about 1000 individuals make it to the final, beginning with a few Lakh candidates. In order to make it to the list, you need to first know how many questions in UPSC prelims are there and how many questions to attempt to get a good ranking.

In UPSC Prelims, the two distinct papers hold negative marking. The paper has 200 marks, meaning the total marks of the UPSC prelims are 400 marks. But it must be remembered that in IAS Prelims, there is a negative marking.

IAS Prelims Exam Pattern

The date for the UPSC Prelims Exam is October 10, 2021. For the Prelims stage, the UPSC test pattern comprises two papers that are administered on the same day. The objective type questions on both exams include multiple-choice solutions.

The prelims test is a screening process that selects applicants for the mains exam. The scores earned at this stage do not contribute toward the final merit list, but applicants should study hard for this test because cut-offs change year to year and are based on the average score.

The following are the UPSC prelims pattern details:

Paper	Type	No. of questions	UPSC Total Marks	Duration	Negative marks
General Studies I	Objective	100	200	2 hours	Yes
General Studies II (CSAT)	Objective	80	200	2 hours	Yes
Total UPSC marks for Prelims	400

UPSC Prelims 2021 Syllabus

Paper-I (General Studies-I)

Current events of national and international importance.

History of India and Indian National Movement.

Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.

Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.

Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.

General issues on Environmental Ecospecialization General Science

Also Read : Life of an IAS Officer: An Insight into the Life after Cracking the UPSC Exam

Detailed UPSC Prelims Syllabus 2021

Check out the subject wise syllabus for UPSC Prelims 2021 in the table below:

History	Ancient History Prehistoric Times Indus Valley Civilization Rig Vedic Period Later Vedic Period Jainism Buddhism Mahajanapadas Mauryan Period Post-Mauryan Period Gupta Period Harshavardhana Period Sangam Period (South-Indian Dynasties) Medieval History Major Dynasties of Early Medieval India (Pratiharas, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas) Cholas and South-Indian Kingdoms Early Muslim Invasions The Delhi Sultanate Afghans, Rajputs & Mughals Establishment of North-Indian Empire The Mughal Empire Marathas and the Other Indian States The decline of the Mughal Empire Vijaynagar Empire Modern History Advent of Europeans British Expansion Administration before 1857 Economic Policies of the British Impact of British Administration Revolt of 1857 Administrative Changes after 1857 Development of Civil Services Development of Education Development of Press Socio-Religious Reforms Peasant Movements Revolutionary Nationalism Indian National Movement-I (1905-1918) Indian National Movement-II (1918-1929) Indian National Movement-III (1930-1947) Governors-General and Viceroys of India Constitutional Development of Indian
Art and Culture	Architecture Sculpture Paintings Pottery Tradition Numismatics Performing Arts Religion and Literature National and Regional Festivals
Polity	Evolution of the Constitution Salient Features of Indian Constitution Union & Its Territory Citizenship Fundamental Rights Directive Principles of State Policy Fundamental Duties System of Governance Union Executive Union Legislature State Executive State Legislature Local Government UT and Special Areas Judiciary Constitutional & Non-Constitutional Bodies Political Dynamics (Political Parties, Election, Pressure Groups) Governance International Relations
Geography	General Geography Universe Earth Evolution Geomorphology Earth’s Interior Geology and Rock System Geomorphic Process Earthquakes and Volcanism Distribution of Continents and Oceans Landforms and their evolution Landforms across the world Oceanography Hydrosphere Submarine Relief Features Temperature and Salinity Waves, Oceans, Currents, Tides Marine Resources Ocean, Deposits and Corals Climatology Atmosphere Inversion of Temperature Insolation and Heat Budget Air Mass, Fronts, Cyclones and Jet Streams Wind and Pressure Belts Precipitation Climate Zones of the World Biogeography Soil Characteristics Vegetation Resources Human and Economic Geography Demography and Census Human Development Economic Activities Transport and Communication International Trade Settlement Indian Geography Physiography of India Drainage System Climate Soils in India Natural Vegetation Population Settlements and Urbanization Land Resource Mineral Resource Energy Resource Agriculture and Basic Terminology Recent development in agriculture Productivity of Crops Industry Transport Recent developments in Industry and Transport World Regional Geography Continents, Countries, and Cities Location in News Ecology & Environment Origin of Life Forms Basic Concepts of Ecology Ecosystem Functions Population Ecology Adaptation of Species and Interactions Terrestrial Ecosystem Aquatic Ecosystem Nutrient Cycling Biodiversity Basics of Biodiversity Animal and Plant Diversity Threats to Biodiversity Biodiversity Conservation Estuaries Mangroves Coral Reliefs Wetlands Resource Degradation and Management Environmental Pollution Climate Change Environmental Governance
Economy	Basic Concepts Macroeconomic Concepts Microeconomic Concepts Economic Measurements National Income & Its Calculation Economic Growth and Development Inflation Money & Banking Money Function & Classification Financial Markets & Its Instruments Banking Structure in India Public Finance in India Budgeting Fiscal Policy Center-state Distribution Tax Structure in India Planning Meaning, Objective & History Planning Institutions Five Year Plans in India NITI Aayog Open Economy Foreign Trade Concepts International Organizations Trade Agreements Recent Development Economic Sectors Poverty Employment and Unemployment Government Schemes and Programmes
General Science	Science & Technology in India Space IT and Communication Materials, Nanotechnology and Robotics Defense Nuclear Technology Intellectual Property Rights and Other Miscellaneous Issues Biotechnology

Paper-II (CSAT)

Comprehension

Interpersonal skills including communication skills;

Logical reasoning and analytical ability

Decision-making and problem solving

General mental ability

Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. – Class X level)

Questions for UPSC Prelims Paper 1

The  Union Public Service Commission Paper1 is officially referred to as the General Studies I Paper and is frequently referred to as the General Awareness paper. There will be 100 questions, and you’d have 2 hours to finish it up.

There will be four options for each query, from which you should select the correct answer. It will cost you 1/3rd of the marks allocated to that question for each incorrect answer.

You should rank the cut-off mark (minimum required mark) in this paper as recommended by the commission to clear it.

How Many Questions to Attempt in UPSC Prelims Paper 1?

There will be 100 questions in total so try to aim at solving around 75-85  questions correctly and later on solve 10-15 questions which you know the answer partially. There is no compulsion to answer all the 100 questions. Attempting queries that you are sure of otherwise negative markings can do a lot of harm.

Questions for UPSC Prelims Paper 2

The second paper is called  General Studies Paper-II. It is often referred to as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT). There are 80 questions in this article, and you will have 2 hours to complete it. There will be four choices given here again, and you have to pick the right one.

A penalty of 1/3rd of the total marks allocated to that question will be needed for an incorrect answer. You have to score 33 per cent or 66 marks in the exam in the GS paper II.

Try to be in a Safer Zone, Attempt these Many Questions

Since there will be 80 questions, try aiming to solve 40-45 questions at least and work your way through educated guessing. Adopting this method, you can attempt around 70-75 questions which can obtain you a score of 120 out of 200. Do not answer queries that you are clueless about.

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UPSC Cutoff 2020

Exam	General	EWS	OBC	SC	ST	PwBD-1	PwBD-2	PwBD-3	PwBD-5
Prelims	92.51	77.55	89.12	74.84	68.71	70.06	63.94	40.82	42.86
Mains	736	687	698	680	682	648	699	425	300
Final	944	894	907	875	876	867	910	675

After the declaration of the UPSC Final Result in the month of May 2022, UPSC IAS cut off 2021 will be issued by the authority. In order to grab the position, applicants have to apply for the cut-off.

UPSC Prelims Expected Cutoff 2021

After the UPSC IAS exam procedure is completed, the official IAS (UPSC CSE) Cutoff 2021 will be announced. The cutoff score reflects the level of competition as well as the complexity of the question paper. After each round of the test, the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) will announce the cutoff score.

Category	IAS Prelims Expected Cutoff (out of 200)
General	105+5
EWS	95+5
OBC	100+5
SC	87+5
ST	83+5
PwBD1	55+5
PwBD2	47+5
PwBD3	43+5
PwBD5	65+5

Also Read: IAS Preparation Strategy for Beginners: Boost your UPSC Preparation Today

UPSC CSE Preparation Tips 2021

Cover the Whole Syllabus

The syllabus should be thoroughly covered. Whatever the historical patterns, no portion should be taken for granted. UPSC may favour any section of the vast syllabus, therefore it’s best to stay on the safe side. In UPSC Prelims 2021, too much flavour from the Ancient India section should be a lesson.

Attempt Mock Test

After covering a significant amount of the curriculum, a sufficient number of mock exams should be taken. A suitable number of mocks should be used. Too many tests will sap your vital vitality, while too few will leave you unprepared.

Mocks should only be provided in an exam-like setting. It’s a good idea to just participate in one standard Test Series.

A post-test analysis is a must-do activity. High achievement should not be accompanied by euphoria, and low achievement should not be accompanied by frustration. Simply run the race in order to keep improving.

Proper Revision

The Prelims syllabus is extremely extensive and dispersed. It’s more essential to consolidate the full content than it is to cover it. As a result, revisions should be fair and timely. Coverage of the syllabus and review of the covered section must strike a delicate balance.

The syllabus should be thoroughly examined and prioritised. The part of the curriculum that is more data and fact-based should be reviewed several times before the test. Such sections might be saved for last-minute revision to keep them fresh in your mind.

Make Proper Notes

There is no way to complete the UPSC syllabus in a thorough manner without taking enough notes. Notes should be written in a certain manner to make it easier for candidates to memorise and duplicate them. Notes should not be overly voluminous, and their function should always be kept in mind.

Don’t Add Topics in the Last Month

Unless it’s really extraordinarily necessary, the last month prior prelims should not be used to cover any new material. The entire month should be dedicated to revision. Mains can be taken concurrently with Prelims, however, only a fraction of the time spent on each should be explained.

Take CSAT Seriously

The previous month’s prelims should not be utilised to cover any new content unless it’s absolutely essential. The month should be devoted entirely to revision. Mains and Prelims can be taken at the same time, but just a percentage of the time spent on each should be mentioned.

UPSC 2021 Related Queries

#1. How many Marks are Needed to Clear IAS Prelims?

Candidates need to clear each paper separately to clear UPSC CSE prelims as follows:

# Prelims Paper I: It is important to secure the minimum cut off marks declared by UPSC.

# Prelims Paper II: 33% of the overall points, or roughly 66 points.

#2. How to Increase Marks in UPSC Prelims?

Instead of reading every Union Public Service Commission preparation book that comes your way, keep the data sources restricted to a few reliable ones. To improve quality, practice, and consistently evaluate your results. Throughout the planning, stay concentrated and relaxed as a hurried preparation technique ends up doing more harm.

#3. What is the Education Qualification for IAS?

An undergraduate degree or equivalent from a recognized university either by full-time education or distance education is the educational eligibility for IAS. The university must be approved by the UGC or set up by a central or state legislature act.

Conclusion

Last but not least, to test your abilities, you should take mock tests available all over the web. The practise tests will let you know when you stand and which areas you need to focus on. The first paper requires you to perform well only then will you be qualified for Paper-II so gear up and give your best in the first go!

Check out the courses and videos on UPSC Pathshala now and crack your exam on the first attempt.

Also Read: Last Minute Preparation for UPSC Prelims 2020: Here’re Some IAS Tips to Calm you Down