YEAR ASKED IN

GPSC-2026

Practice UPSC GPSC-2026 previous year questions on Anantam IAS: 200 Prelims MCQs with answer keys, explanations and topic-wise links.

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Prelims MCQs 200

“During the Indus Valley Civilisation, artisans practiced a specialized metal-casting method. Figures were first…
"During the Indus Valley Civilisation, artisans practiced a specialized metal-casting method. Figures were first modelled from a specific material, then covered with a coating of clay and dried. The coated figure was heated and the molten inner material drained out through a tiny hole in the clay cover. The hollow mould was filled with molten metal, which took the original shape. Once the metal cooled the clay cover was removed. The famous bronze 'Dancing Girl' from Mohenjodaro was crafted using this method." What is the name of the technique described in the passage above?
1. ATerracotta casting
2. BLost wax technique
3. CSteatite carving
4. DFaience molding
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Modelling a figure in wax, coating it in clay, melting out the wax through a hole and then pouring in molten metal is the lost-wax (cire perdue) technique. The Mohenjodaro bronze Dancing Girl is the classic Harappan example. Terracotta, steatite carving and faience are entirely different material processes.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Recent global conflicts have underscored the importance of domestic Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). With…
Recent global conflicts have underscored the importance of domestic Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR). With reference to India's SPR programme, consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Phase-I caverns aren't confined to the west coast: Visakhapatnam sits on the east coast, while Mangalore and Padur are on the west, so statement 1 is wrong. Statement 2 is right, as the Indian Strategic Petroleum Reserves Limited is a Special Purpose Vehicle set up to build and run these crude storage facilities.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the role of institutions in the formulation and implementation…
Consider the following statements regarding the role of institutions in the formulation and implementation of 'Public Policy' in India:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1, 3 and 4
3. COnly 2 and 4
4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
The Cabinet Secretariat works under the Prime Minister as the apex policy-coordination hub (1), lateral entry brings in private-sector experts (3), and parliamentary standing committees scrutinise ministries' policies and spending (4). Statement 2 is wrong because NITI Aayog replaced the Planning Commission, not the National Development Council, and its Governing Council hasn't formally abolished the NDC.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the drainage system of Kutch:
Consider the following statements regarding the drainage system of Kutch:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 2 and 3
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Most Kutch rivers are ephemeral and flow only during the short monsoon (1), and the Luni, after crossing Rajasthan, peters out in the marshes of the Rann of Kutch (3). Statement 2 overreaches: rivers from the central highlands don't all drain directly into the Arabian Sea, since many flow north into the Rann, so the word "invariably" makes it false.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Hard
Which one of the following was not a feature of the Indian economy under…
Which one of the following was not a feature of the Indian economy under British rule?
1. AWidespread acute poverty
2. BWeak industrial structure
3. CFarming was mainly done using traditional methods
4. DWorking population in agriculture decreased considerably
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Colonial India did suffer widespread poverty, a weak industrial base and backward, traditional farming. The odd one out is option D, since de-industrialisation actually pushed more people into agriculture, so the share of the workforce in farming rose rather than fell.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following statements regarding the process of measuring blood pressure:
Consider the following statements regarding the process of measuring blood pressure:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Systolic pressure is by definition higher than diastolic (2), and readings genuinely vary across the day with activity, stress and rest (3). Statement 1 is wrong because the arm should rest at heart level, not below it, since a low arm position falsely raises the reading.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
With reference to the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in the Harish Rana vs. Union…
With reference to the Supreme Court's landmark judgment in the Harish Rana vs. Union of India case, consider the following statements regarding euthanasia in India:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Statement 1 is correct because the right to live with dignity under Article 21 has been read to include dignity until death, and therefore the right to die with dignity. Statement 2 is also correct: the Harish Rana case allowed passive euthanasia, the withdrawal of life support under strict medical guidelines, while active euthanasia, the deliberate administration of a lethal substance, remains a criminal offence.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Examine the following statements regarding ‘Article 311’ of the Constitution and the protection granted…
Examine the following statements regarding 'Article 311' of the Constitution and the protection granted to Civil Servants:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1, 2 and 3
3. COnly 3 and 4
4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statements 1, 2 and 3 correctly capture Article 311's safeguards: no civil servant can be dismissed by an authority subordinate to the appointing one, none can be removed without being told the charges and given an inquiry, and the President or Governor can dispense with the inquiry in the interest of state security. Statement 4 is wrong because this protection covers all civil servants of the Union and the States, not just All India Services officers.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which of the following mountain passes is/are located in the Zaskar Range of the…
Which of the following mountain passes is/are located in the Zaskar Range of the Himalayas and historically served as a critical trade route connecting the Kashmir Valley with the cold desert of Ladakh?
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNone of the above
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Zoji La lies in the Zaskar (Zanskar) Range and is the vital link between the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh, long used by traders carrying wool, pashmina and saffron. Shipki La sits in the Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh and connects India with Tibet, so it's neither in the Zaskar Range nor on the Kashmir-Ladakh route. Only statement 1 fits.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
As per the Union Budget 2025-26, arrange the following sources of government revenue in…
As per the Union Budget 2025-26, arrange the following sources of government revenue in descending order of their share in the government's total receipts:
1. A1-3-2-4
2. B2-3-1-4
3. C1-4-3-2
4. D3-1-4-2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
In the 2025-26 "where the rupee comes from" chart, borrowings and other liabilities lead at 24%, income tax follows at 22%, GST and other indirect taxes contribute 18%, and corporation tax adds 17%. That gives the descending order Borrowing > Income Tax > GST > Corporation, which is 2-3-1-4.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the comparison of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) and LPG…
Consider the following statements regarding the comparison of PNG (Piped Natural Gas) and LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas):
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
PNG is mostly methane, which is lighter than air and disperses upward on leakage, while LPG is heavier and pools near the ground, so statement 1 holds. PNG is also supplied at much lower pressure than LPG cylinders, so statement 3 holds. Statement 2 is the trap: the blanket claim that PNG "always" gives more energy per unit weight than LPG is false, since LPG is the more energy-rich domestic fuel.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
In a company there are 200 employees: 40% are in marketing, 30% in IT…
In a company there are 200 employees: 40% are in marketing, 30% in IT and the rest in production. In the IT department 40% are female and in the production department 30% are female. What is the total number of female employees?
1. A30
2. B42
3. C50
4. D62
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Defective question. Finding the number of female employees needs the count of FEMALE employees in marketing, which the data never gives — the keyed answer (B) 42 only follows if you assume every marketing employee is male, an assumption the question doesn't state. Without that figure the total can't be determined, so the item should be treated as defective.
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CSAT UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following pairs of tree species and their associated forest type:
Consider the following pairs of tree species and their associated forest type:
1. AOnly 1, 2 and 4
2. BOnly 1, 2 and 3
3. COnly 2, 3, 4 and 5
4. DOnly 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Rosewood is a characteristic species of tropical wet evergreen forests, teak of tropical moist deciduous forests, khejri of tropical thorn forests, and sundari of littoral and swamp (mangrove) forests, so pairs 1 to 4 are correctly matched. Pair 5 is wrong because deodar, a Himalayan conifer, belongs to the Himalayan moist temperate forests, not the sub-tropical broad-leaved category.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Hard
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Statement 1 correctly describes a bank run, where a large number of depositors rush to withdraw funds at the same time, which can push a bank toward failure. Statement 2 is wrong because the bank rate is the rate at which the RBI lends to commercial banks for long-term loans without collateral; the rate for short-term lending is the repo rate.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the scientific aspects of vacuum packing:
Consider the following statements regarding the scientific aspects of vacuum packing:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 2 and 3
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement 1 is wrong because humidity and moisture do affect vacuum-packed food, influencing texture and microbial activity. Statement 2 is correct, since removing oxygen slows oxidation reactions that cause spoilage and rancidity. Statement 3 is also correct, as anaerobic microorganisms can still grow in low-oxygen vacuum conditions, which is why refrigeration is still needed.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Working at an equal rate, 5 employees can complete a total of 150 tasks…
Working at an equal rate, 5 employees can complete a total of 150 tasks in a year. How many tasks could 12 employees complete in 3 years?
1. A1080
2. B2122
3. C3500
4. D4375
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
If 5 employees finish 150 tasks in a year, each employee completes 30 tasks per year. So 12 employees complete 360 tasks in one year, and over 3 years that's 360 times 3, which equals 1080 tasks.
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CSAT UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following statements regarding the decorative art technique known as ‘Pietra Dura’:
Consider the following statements regarding the decorative art technique known as 'Pietra Dura':
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement 1 correctly describes pietra dura as an inlay technique where cut and polished coloured stones are set into a stone base to form images or patterns. Statement 2 is wrong because the technique is not exclusive to Islamic architecture; it flourished in Renaissance Florence in Italy. Statement 3 is correct, as the Taj Mahal is famous for its lavish pietra dura work, especially its floral motifs.
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Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Why is LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology considered superior to traditional incandescent bulbs?
Why is LED (Light Emitting Diode) technology considered superior to traditional incandescent bulbs?
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Statement 1 is correct: LEDs convert a much higher share of electrical energy into light and waste far less as heat, which makes them far more efficient. Statement 2 is wrong because producing light by heating a metal filament describes the incandescent bulb, not the LED. An LED emits light when current passes through a semiconductor.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following statements regarding the architectural and sculptural traditions of the Mauryan period:
Consider the following statements regarding the architectural and sculptural traditions of the Mauryan period:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Statement 1 is wrong because Mauryan stone pillars, though drawing inspiration from Achaemenian art, were monolithic, carved from a single piece of stone rather than assembled in multiple pieces. Statement 2 is also wrong, since the Lomas Rishi Cave in the Barabar Hills is associated with the Ajivika sect, not Jainism.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Hard
The ‘Great Indian Bustard (GIB)’ (Ghorad) is frequently seen in the news in the…
The 'Great Indian Bustard (GIB)' (Ghorad) is frequently seen in the news in the context of wildlife conservation efforts in western India. Consider the following statements regarding this species:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Statement 1 is wrong because the largest surviving wild population of the Great Indian Bustard is in Rajasthan, mainly in the Jaisalmer area of the Thar Desert, not Gujarat, which holds only a handful of birds. Statement 2 is also wrong, since the GIB is a resident, non-migratory bird and does not travel from Central Asia to escape winters.
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Environment UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) and types…
Consider the following statements regarding the Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) and types of 'Writs':
1. AOnly 2, 3 and 4
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. COnly 1, 3 and 4
4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Mandamus cannot be issued against private individuals or bodies, so statement 1 is wrong. Quo warranto lets a court ask by what authority a person holds a public office, so statement 2 is correct. Prohibition is issued only against judicial or quasi-judicial authorities, making statement 3 correct, and the Supreme Court issues writs only for fundamental rights while High Courts can do so for other legal rights too, so statement 4 is correct.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which one of the following best defines ‘crowding out’ in the context of public…
Which one of the following best defines 'crowding out' in the context of public debt?
1. AHigh government borrowing increases interest rates and thereby reduces private sector investment.
2. BHigh government borrowing increases income tax rates and thereby decreases disposable income of citizens.
3. CHigh government borrowing leads to decreased subsidies for poor people.
4. DHigh government borrowing leads to higher indirect taxes.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
The crowding-out effect occurs when heavy government borrowing absorbs available loanable funds and pushes up interest rates. Costlier credit then discourages private firms from borrowing and investing. The other options describe tax or subsidy effects, not the interest-rate channel that defines crowding out.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Rogan Art’:
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Rogan Art':
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement 1 is wrong because Rogan art did not originate purely in Kutch; it has Persian roots, with the name coming from the Persian word for oil, before taking hold in Nirona village of Kutch. Statement 2 is correct, as master artisan Abdul Gafur Khatri received the Padma Shri in 2019 for reviving and sustaining this craft.
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Art and Culture UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
The term ‘Mayday’, seen in the news in the context of recent maritime and…
The term 'Mayday', seen in the news in the context of recent maritime and aviation incidents, refers to:
1. AAn automated warning system that instantly alerts nearby vessels or air traffic controllers of a sudden loss of engine power.
2. BAn internationally recognized voice distress signal used to indicate that a vessel or aircraft is facing a grave and imminent danger to life.
3. CA designated emergency radio frequency used exclusively by coast guards and naval authorities to issue severe weather warnings.
4. DAn encrypted transponder code utilized by commercial pilots to discreetly signal a hijacking or terror threat to ground control.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Mayday is the standard international voice distress call used by pilots and mariners when life is in grave and imminent danger, and it's repeated three times for clarity. It comes from the French 'm'aider', meaning 'help me'. It isn't an automated system, a fixed frequency or an encrypted code, which rules out the other options.
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Current Affairs UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following statements regarding the effects of ‘Emergency’ in the Indian Constitution:
Consider the following statements regarding the effects of 'Emergency' in the Indian Constitution:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Both statements are flawed → (D). Statement 1 is overbroad: under Article 358 the six freedoms in Article 19 are suspended automatically — by operation of the Constitution, with no presidential order needed — ONLY when the National Emergency is declared on the ground of war or external aggression, not for an emergency on the ground of armed rebellion (post-44th Amendment). A presidential order is what Article 359 requires, and that is to suspend the enforcement of OTHER rights, not Article 19. Statement 2 is also incorrect as worded. So neither statement is correct.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Primary deficit is the difference between
Primary deficit is the difference between
1. ARevenue deficit and interest payments.
2. BTotal revenue receipts and total revenue expenditure.
3. CRevenue deficit and non-debt creating capital receipts.
4. DFiscal deficit and interest payments.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Primary deficit equals fiscal deficit minus interest payments on past borrowings. It strips out the burden of earlier debt and shows the government's current-year borrowing requirement for fresh spending. Option B describes the revenue deficit, so it doesn't apply here.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Joint Sitting’ of Parliament and its procedure:
Consider the following statements regarding the 'Joint Sitting' of Parliament and its procedure:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 1, 3 and 4
3. COnly 2 and 4
4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
The President can summon a joint sitting under Article 108 to break a deadlock on an ordinary Bill, there is no joint sitting for Constitutional Amendment or Money Bills, and only three joint sittings have been held so far, so statements 1, 3 and 4 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong because in the Speaker's absence the Deputy Speaker presides, and the Rajya Sabha Chairman never presides over a joint sitting.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the linguistic composition of India:
Consider the following statements regarding the linguistic composition of India:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
The Indo-Aryan family covers roughly 73% of India's population, comfortably over 70%, so statement 1 holds. Among the four major families (Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman/Sino-Tibetan and Austric), the Austric group has the smallest share of speakers, making statement 2 correct. The 2011 Census also ranks Bengali second after Hindi by native speakers, so statement 3 is right too.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
The Union Budget 2026-27 introduces the concept of ‘Orange Economy’. To which one of…
The Union Budget 2026-27 introduces the concept of 'Orange Economy'. To which one of the following is this term related?
1. ACultivation and exports of best quality oranges from Maharashtra
2. BCreative industries like animation and comics
3. CManufacturing and maintenance of black box of aircraft which is orange in colour
4. DCultivation and exports of sunflowers from North India
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
The Orange Economy refers to creative and cultural industries that generate value from ideas, imagination and intellectual property rather than raw materials. Budget 2026-27 used the term while pushing the AVGC sector (animation, visual effects, gaming and comics), including AVGC content creator labs and a target of two million jobs by 2030. The colour orange is associated worldwide with creativity and culture.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Which of the following statements regarding digital payment systems in India are correct?
Which of the following statements regarding digital payment systems in India are correct?
1. AOnly 1 and 3
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
UPI does enable real-time, round-the-clock fund transfer between bank accounts, so statement 1 is correct. QR codes let merchants accept payments without a card-swiping machine, making statement 3 correct. Statement 2 is wrong because digital payments still depend heavily on physical infrastructure like servers, smartphones, data centres and telecom networks.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy

Mains Q&A 0

No Mains Q&A from GPSC-2026 yet.