UPSC CSE 2026 Essay Paper Discussion
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General Studies Paper 3 · By subject

Science & Technology — UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 PYQ

75 previous year questions on Science & Technology, 2013–2026, each with a model answer

← All GS Paper 3

2026

  1. Q5
    Explain by giving two examples, how biotechnology has helped the Indian farmers in processing their perishable crops.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q6
    Distinguish between a Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR) and a thermal nuclear reactor. In the context of first indigenously developed prototype FBR at Kalpakkam, explain the term “criticality”. What are its implications for clean energy future of our country?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q15
    Mention salient features of “Mission Drishti”. Discuss the imaging techniques used in the satellite launched on 3rd May 2026. Why it is being considered world’s first satellite of its kind?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    What is agentic Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Explain its working. Describe its applications with suitable examples. Discuss the advantages, risks and challenges associated with agentic AI systems.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2025

  1. Q5
    The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India’s contributions to the international fusion energy project – International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q6
    How can India achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047? How can biotechnology play a crucial role in this endeavour?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q15
    How does nanotechnology offer significant advancements in the field of agriculture? How can this technology help to uplift the socio-economic status of farmers?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    India aims to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub. What are the challenges faced by the semiconductor industry in India? Mention the salient features of the India Semiconductor Mission.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2024

  1. Q5
    What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q6
    What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q10
    Describe the context and salient features of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  4. Q16
    What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2023

  1. Q5
    Introduce the concept of Artificial Intelligence (AI). How does AI help clinical diagnosis? Do you perceive any threat to privacy of the individual in the use of AI in healthcare?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q6
    Discuss several ways in which microorganisms can help in meeting the current fuel shortage.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q16
    What is the main task of India’s third moon mission which could not be achieved in its earlier missions? List the countries that have achieved this task. Introduce the subsystems in the spacecraft launched and explain the role of the ‘Virtual Launch Control Centre’ at the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, which contributed to its successful launch from Sriharikota.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2022

  1. Q5
    The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q15
    Launched on 25th December, 2021, James Webb Space Telescope has been much in the news since then. What are its unique features which make it superior to its predecessor Space Telescopes? What are the key goals of this mission? What potential benefits does it hold for the human race?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q16
    What is the basic principle behind vaccine development? How do vaccines work? What approaches were adopted by the Indian vaccine manufacturers to produce COVID-19 vaccines?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2021

  1. Q5
    How is S-400 air defence system technically superior to any other system presently available in the world?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q14
    What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q15
    What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    The Nobel Prize in Physics of 2014 was jointly awarded to Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura for the invention of Blue LEDs in 1990s. How has this invention impacted the everyday life of human beings?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2020

  1. Q5
    What do you understand by nanotechnology, and how is it helping in the health sector?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q6
    How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by the science-based technologies?
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  3. Q15
    The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented devastation worldwide. However, technological advancements are being availed readily to win over the crisis. Give an account of how technology was sought to aid the management of the pandemic.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    Describe the benefits of deriving electric energy from sunlight in contrast to the conventional energy generation. What are the initiatives offered by our Government for this purpose?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2019

  1. Q5
    How was India benefitted from the contributions of Sir M. Visvesvaraya and Dr. M. S. Swaminathan in the fields of water engineering and agricultural science respectively?
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  2. Q6
    What is India’s plan to have its own space station and how will it benefit our space programme?
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q15
    How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    How can biotechnology help to improve the living standards of farmers?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2018

  1. Q5
    Discuss the work of ‘Bose-Einstein Statistics’ done by Prof. Satyendra Nath Bose and show how it revolutionized the field of Physics.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q15
    Why is there so much activity in the field of biotechnology in our country? How has this activity benefitted the field of biopharma?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q16
    With growing energy needs should India keep on expanding its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q19
    Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cyber crimes. The Justice B. N. Srikrishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses of the Report relating to protection of personal data in cyber space?
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →

2017

  1. Q6
    Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat a wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and severe burns. Describe briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments?
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  2. Q7
    India has achieved remarkable successes in unmanned space missions including the Chandrayaan and Mars Orbitter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space missions. What are the main obstacles to launching a manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Examine critically.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q9
    Discuss the potential threats of Cyber attack and the security framework to prevent it.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    Give an account of the growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is the advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

2016

  1. Q12
    Discuss India’s achievements in the field of Space Science and Technology. How the application of this technology has helped India in its socio-economic development?
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q13
    Why is nanotechnology one of the key technologies of the 21st century? Describe the salient features of Indian Government’s Mission on Nanoscience and Technology and the scope of its application in the development process of the country.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →

2015

  1. Q11
    What do you understand by ‘Standard Positioning Systems’ and ‘Precision Positioning Systems’ in the GPS era? Discuss the advantages India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing just seven satellites.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q12
    What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots? Discuss the initiatives that can propel research in premier research institutes for substantive and gainful innovation.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q13
    Discuss the advantages and security implications of cloud hosting of servers vis-a-vis in-house machine-based hosting for government businesses.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q14
    India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which has a database containing formatted information on more than 2 million medicinal formulations is proving a powerful weapon in the country’s fight against erroneous patents. Discuss the pros and cons of making this database publicly available under open-source licensing.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →

2014

  1. Q10
    Scientific research in Indian universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business professions, engineering or administration, and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment.
    12.5 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  2. Q11
    Can overuse and free availability of antibiotics without Doctor’s prescription, be contributors to the emergence of drug-resistant diseases in India? What are the available mechanisms for monitoring and control? Critically discuss the various issues involved.
    12.5 marks 200 words Hard Model answer →
  3. Q12
    In a globalized world, Intellectual Property Rights assume significance and are a source of litigation. Broadly distinguish between the terms—Copyrights, Patents and Trade Secrets.
    12.5 marks 200 words Easy Model answer →

2013

  1. Q13
    Bringing out the circumstances in 2005 which forced amendment to the section 3(d) in Indian Patent Law, 1970, discuss how it has been utilized by the Supreme Court in its judgement in rejecting Novartis’ patent application for ‘Glivec’. Discuss briefly the pros and cons of the decision.
    10 marks 200 words Hard Model answer →
  2. Q14
    What do you understand by Fixed Dose Drug Combinations (FDCs)? Discuss their merits and demerits.
    10 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  3. Q15
    What do you understand by Umpire Decision Review System in Cricket? Discuss its various components. Explain how silicone tape on the edge of a bat may fool the system?
    10 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  4. Q16
    (a) What is a digital signature? What does its authentication mean? Give various salient built-in features of a digital signature. (b) How does the 3D printing technology work? List out the advantages and disadvantages of the technology.
    10 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →
  5. Q17
    (a) What is an FRP composite material? How are they manufactured? Discuss their applications in aviation and automobile industries. (b) What do you understand by Run-of-river hydroelectricity project? How is it different from any other hydroelectricity project?
    10 marks 200 words Medium Model answer →

0

  1. •
    Operation Sindoor marked a decisive shift in India’s approach to modern warfare. Examine the key technologies used during the operation and critically evaluate the steps taken by the Government of India to strengthen India’s indigenous defence technology ecosystem.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  2. •
    Quantum Technology is emerging as a strategic frontier with applications across various domains. Discuss its major applications and examine the steps taken by the Government of India to build a national quantum ecosystem.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  3. •
    Discuss the recent steps taken by the Government of India to promote nuclear technology for civilian energy purposes. What are the key challenges — technological, regulatory, and financial — that continue to hinder its full potential?
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  4. •
    Nano-technology is emerging as a transformative platform across health, energy and materials. Discuss the Nano Mission’s contributions and the regulatory gaps in nano-safety.
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  5. •
    Kessler Syndrome and rising orbital congestion threaten the long-term sustainability of low Earth orbit. Discuss India’s contribution to space debris and the role of Project NETRA.
    10 marks 150 words Hard Model answer →
  6. •
    India’s gene-editing classification of SDN-1, SDN-2 and SDN-3 has carved out a non-GM exemption route. Discuss the science and the policy implications for Indian agriculture.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  7. •
    India’s research and development spending has plateaued near 0.65% of GDP, well below the 2% target. Examine the role of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation in correcting this deep-tech gap.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  8. •
    The Digital Public Infrastructure stack of Aadhaar, UPI and DigiLocker has been called India’s most consequential tech export. Examine the architecture of India Stack and the governance challenges posed by the DPDP Act 2023.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  9. •
    The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission aims to build a federated health data ecosystem. Discuss its architecture and the privacy-by-design challenges in scaling ABHA.
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  10. •
    India’s robotics and drone ecosystem is rapidly indigenising under the PLI for drones and the Drone Rules 2021. Examine the policy framework and the dual-use security implications.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  11. •
    The India Semiconductor Mission has committed ₹76,000 crore in incentives but the country still has only one mature-node fab approved. Discuss the structural composition of ISM 1.0 versus ISM 2.0 and the binding constraints below the fab gate.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  12. •
    The National Quantum Mission has approved an outlay of ₹6,003.65 crore against China’s roughly $15 billion in quantum investment. Examine the mission’s hub architecture, indigenous milestones, and the post-quantum cryptography roadmap.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  13. •
    The BioE3 Policy 2024 targets a US$300 billion bioeconomy by 2030. Examine the role of the National Biofoundry Network, the genome-edited rice release of May 2025, and the unfinished GM-crop regulatory architecture.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  14. •
    ISRO’s SpaDeX docking experiment and Chandrayaan-3 South Pole landing have placed India in elite space company. Examine the strategic and commercial significance of these achievements.
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  15. •
    DRDO’s Pralay, Pinaka and Mission Divyastra have signalled an indigenisation pivot in India’s strategic weapons. Critically evaluate DRDO’s restructuring after the 2023 panel and the remaining gaps in defence R&D.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  16. •
    Indian Space Policy 2023 and the FDI liberalisation of 2024 have created the conditions for a private space industry. Examine the role of IN-SPACe and NSIL and the legislative gaps in space liability and IP.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  17. •
    Deepfakes have moved from novelty to systemic threat to electoral integrity and personal dignity. Critically evaluate India’s regulatory response under the IT Amendment Rules 2026 and the residual gaps in the criminal-law framework.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  18. •
    The IndiaAI Mission has been called the country’s most ambitious sovereign AI bet. Examine its seven pillars, the compute strategy, and the gaps in indigenous foundation-model capacity.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →
  19. •
    India’s Unified Payments Interface processes over 18 billion transactions a month and has been described as India’s most consequential tech export. Examine UPI’s global footprint and the systemic risks of payment concentration.
    10 marks 150 words Easy Model answer →
  20. •
    Indian Space Policy 2023 has opened the sector to private players. Evaluate the policy’s design, the role of IN-SPACe and NSIL, and the gaps in financing and IP frameworks.
    10 marks 150 words Medium Model answer →
  21. •
    The BioE3 Policy 2024 envisions a bio-manufacturing-led economy. Discuss its pillars, the Genome India Project’s role in precision medicine, and the regulatory architecture for gene editing.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  22. •
    India’s Semiconductor Mission has approved five fabs and committed ₹76,000 crore in incentives. Examine the strategic logic, the demand-supply gap, and the policy risks of building chip sovereignty.
    15 marks 250 words Hard Model answer →
  23. •
    Digital Public Infrastructure has been called India’s most consequential tech export. Examine the architecture of the India Stack and the governance gaps highlighted by the DPDP Act 2023.
    15 marks 250 words Medium Model answer →

Other GS Paper 3 subjects

Internal SecurityInfrastructure financing and PPPIndian EconomyFood security, PDS and land reformsEnvironment & EcologyDisaster ManagementAgriculture & Food SecurityAgricultural marketing and food processing