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.

New 596 2026 286 GPSC-2026 200 2013 194 2014 187 2015 182 2016 182 2017 182 2020 182 2018 180 2019 180 2024 180 2023 180 2022 180 2025 180 2021 180

Prelims MCQs 200

Which of the following statements regarding the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and…
Which of the following statements regarding the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and India's missile programme are correct?
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
DRDO developed indigenous missiles under the IGMDP, and the Prithvi is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile, so statements 1 and 2 are correct. The Agni series are surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, not surface-to-air, so statement 3 is wrong.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements about El Nino:
Consider the following statements about El Nino:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 2 and 3
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. DOnly 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
The question asks which statements are NOT correct. El Nino is a Pacific Ocean phenomenon, so statement 3 (that it starts in the Atlantic) is false, and it affects far more than just the monsoon's regularity, so statement 4 is false too. Statements 1 and 2 are accurate, which leaves 3 and 4 as the incorrect ones.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Who bears the expenditure incurred on the conduct of the Lok Sabha Elections?
Who bears the expenditure incurred on the conduct of the Lok Sabha Elections?
1. ACentral Government
2. BRespective State Governments
3. CConsolidated Fund of India
4. DConsolidated fund of respective state
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
The full expenditure on conducting Lok Sabha elections is borne by the Central Government, while the cost of Assembly elections is met by the respective State Governments. When both are held together the cost is shared. So for Lok Sabha polls, the Central Government foots the bill.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Arrange the following persons in chronological order:
Arrange the following persons in chronological order:
1. A1-2-3
2. B2-1-3
3. C1-3-2
4. D3-1-2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Amir Khusro (1253-1325) belonged to the Delhi Sultanate era, Tansen (c.1500-1586) was a court musician of Akbar, and Thyagaraja (1767-1847) was a Carnatic composer of the 18th-19th century. The correct time order is therefore Amir Khusro, then Tansen, then Thyagaraja, matching 1-2-3.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
1. ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. CAssertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect.
4. DAssertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
India joined the WTO on 1 January 1995, the day it was launched, so it's a founding member. The WTO came into being on that same date by replacing GATT, and the 76 GATT members (India among them) became the founding members. India's founder status flows directly from the GATT-to-WTO transition, so the Reason correctly explains the Assertion.
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International Relations UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
1. ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. CAssertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect.
4. DAssertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
The Indian Constitution is indeed the longest written constitution in the world, and the Fundamental Rights chapter was modelled on the American Bill of Rights, so both statements are factually correct. The borrowing of Fundamental Rights from the US model has nothing to do with the document's length, which comes from its detailed federal, administrative and other provisions. The Reason doesn't explain the Assertion.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 3
2. BOnly 1
3. COnly 1 and 2
4. DOnly 1 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
The Lidder is one of the main tributaries of the Jhelum in Kashmir, and the Hindon is a tributary of the Yamuna, so the first two statements are correct. The Teesta does join the Brahmaputra, but it's a right-bank tributary entering from the north, not the south, so statement 3 is wrong.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
In the context of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), consider the…
In the context of the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA), 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: C
PMGDISHA aims to make one person per eligible rural household digitally literate, covering the 14-60 age group, so statement 1 is correct. The scheme also gives priority to non-smartphone users, Antyodaya households and college drop-outs from marginalised communities, making statement 2 correct too.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which states had a relation with Gautama Buddha’s life?
Which states had a relation with Gautama Buddha's life?
1. AOnly 1, 2 and 3
2. BOnly 2 and 4
3. COnly 3 and 4
4. DOnly 1, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Buddha spent most of his teaching life in the eastern Gangetic plain, especially Kosala (Sravasti, where King Prasenajit was a patron) and Magadha (Rajgriha, where Bimbisara and Ajatashatru patronised him). Avanti and Gandhara lay outside his sphere of activity and aren't connected to his life, so only Kosala and Magadha qualify.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which of the following statements regarding the International Monetary Fund are correct?
Which of the following statements regarding the International Monetary Fund are correct?
1. AOnly 1, 2 and 4
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
The IMF provides balance of payments support, was set up under the 1944 Bretton Woods Agreement, and India is a member, so statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct. The IMF is a separate institution and isn't part of the World Bank Group, so statement 3 is wrong.
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Indian Economy UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
In the context of the Agnipath Scheme announced by the Central Government in 2022,…
In the context of the Agnipath Scheme announced by the Central Government in 2022, consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 3 and 4
3. COnly 2 and 4
4. DOnly 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Only statement 3 is correct: recruits serve a four-year tenure. Statement 1 is wrong because they're called Agniveers, not Agnirakshaks. Statement 2 is wrong because the scheme applies to all three services, not the Army alone. Statement 4 is wrong because the age band is 17.5 to 21 years, so applicants below 19 are very much eligible.
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Current Affairs UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Judiciary:
Consider the following statements regarding the Indian Judiciary:
1. AOnly 2
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. C1, 2 and 3
4. DOnly 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement 1 is correct because Article 124 lays down the ground (proved misbehaviour or incapacity) and the broad process for removing a Supreme Court judge. Statement 2 is correct because the detailed investigation procedure is set out in the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Statement 3 is wrong, since the Collegium system deals with appointments and transfers of judges, not their removal.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. D1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Statement 1 is correct because the Chhota Nagpur plateau is largely made of ancient Gondwana rocks that hold India's main coal reserves. Statement 3 is correct because the elevated plateau gives rise to a radial drainage pattern as rivers flow outward. Statement 2 is wrong: the Damodar flows generally west to east before joining the Hooghly, not east to west.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true regarding the PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access…
Which of the following statement(s) is/are true regarding the PM-WANI (Prime Minister Wi-Fi Access Network Interface) scheme?
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 2
3. CBoth 1 and 2
4. DNeither 1 nor 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Both statements are correct. PM-WANI lets local shopkeepers and entrepreneurs run public Wi-Fi hotspots without any licence or registration fee from the Department of Telecommunications, so statement 1 holds. Its architecture has exactly four players, Public Data Offices, Public Data Office Aggregators, App Providers and a Central Registry, matching statement 2.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
What is the unique significance of the BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited) enterprise…
What is the unique significance of the BHAVINI (Bharatiya Nabhikiya Vidyut Nigam Limited) enterprise in India's energy sector?
1. AIt is responsible for the mining and milling of rare earth metals in Gujarat.
2. BIt is the nodal agency for the implementation and operation of Stage-II Fast Breeder Reactors.
3. CIt manages the international civil nuclear cooperation agreements with the US and France.
4. DIt is the research wing of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) located in Trombay.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
BHAVINI was set up in 2003 as a special-purpose enterprise under the Department of Atomic Energy specifically to build and operate Stage-II Fast Breeder Reactors, starting with the 500 MWe Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor at Kalpakkam. Rare-earth work falls under bodies like IREL, civil nuclear diplomacy is handled by the DAE and government, and the DAE's Trombay research wing is BARC, so the other options don't fit.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the statements related to Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
Consider the statements related to Bal Gangadhar Tilak:
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 because Tilak launched the Indian Home Rule League in 1916. Statement 2 is wrong: the Indian National Congress was founded in 1885 by A.O. Hume and other early leaders, and Tilak joined the movement afterwards rather than being a founding member.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
Consider the following statements regarding the international border of India:
Consider the following statements regarding the international border of India:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 1 and 3
3. COnly 1 and 2
4. DOnly 2
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Statement 1 correctly lists Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Sikkim as the five states bordering Nepal, and statement 2 correctly lists West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram as the five sharing borders with Bangladesh. Statement 3 is wrong because India's shortest international land border is with Afghanistan (around 106 km), not Bhutan, whose border runs nearly 700 km.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Regarding India’s engagement with global nuclear regimes, which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
Regarding India's engagement with global nuclear regimes, which of the following statement(s) is/are true?
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 false because India has never signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty or the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, calling both discriminatory. Statement 2 is correct: India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime in 2016, the Wassenaar Arrangement in 2017 and the Australia Group in 2018, making it a member of all three.
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International Relations UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Match the following Land revenue systems and Provinces in India during the British rule…
Match the following Land revenue systems and Provinces in India during the British rule correctly:
1. A1-a, 2-b, 3-c
2. B1-b, 2-a, 3-c
3. C1-c, 2-b, 3-a
4. D1-b, 2-c, 3-a
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
The Zamindari (Permanent) Settlement applied to Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, so 1 pairs with b. The Mahalwari system covered the United Provinces, Central Provinces and Punjab, giving 2 with a. The Ryotwari system was introduced in Bombay and Madras, matching 3 with c.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
1. ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. CAssertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect.
4. DAssertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
India did upgrade the 1990s 'Look East' policy to 'Act East' in 2014, so the Assertion is correct. The Reason accurately captures the shift: 'Look East' was largely about economic integration with ASEAN, while 'Act East' broadened the scope to wider East Asia, added a strong security dimension and a more action-oriented engagement. Because the Reason explains exactly why the relabelling happened, it's the correct explanation.
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International Relations UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1
2. BOnly 1 and 2
3. COnly 1 and 3
4. DNone of the above
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
All three statements are wrong. 'Procedure Established by Law' is expressly written into Article 21, so statement 1 misstates it as absent. 'Due Process of Law' is the American doctrine and is not mentioned in the Indian Constitution, so statement 2 is false. Statement 3 reverses the definitions: due process tests whether a law is just and reasonable, while procedure established by law only checks that a valid procedure was followed.
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Indian Polity 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 is correct: the Shiwaliks, the outermost Himalayan range, are the youngest and were formed after the Greater and Lesser Himalayas. Statement 2 is wrong because Himadri is the name for the Greater Himalayas, not the Middle (Lesser) Himalayas, which are called Himachal.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 3
2. BOnly 2
3. COnly 2 and 3
4. DOnly 1 and 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Jet streams are fast westerly winds in the upper troposphere, so statement 1 is correct, and they're indeed stronger in winter when the temperature gradient between the equator and poles is sharper, making statement 3 correct. Statement 2 is wrong because jet streams occur in both hemispheres, not only the northern one.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about the Battle of Plassey?
Which of the following statement(s) is/are correct about the Battle of Plassey?
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. The Company won Plassey in 1757 mainly through Mir Jafar's treachery and the conspiracy with Bengal's bankers, not because of any genuine military superiority. Statement 2 is correct because the victory gave the Company a virtual stranglehold over Bengal's trade and commerce, drawing on the province's revenues and dastak privileges.
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History UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Which of the following foreign dignitaries visited India in 2026?
Which of the following foreign dignitaries visited India in 2026?
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: A
Ursula von der Leyen visited for the EU-India Summit in January 2026 and is correctly named President of the European Commission, while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, paid an official visit on 19 January 2026, so statements 1 and 2 pair name with title correctly. Statement 3 fails on the designation: Emmanuel Macron, who visited in February 2026, is the President of France, not its Prime Minister.
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Current Affairs UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court hold that the right…
In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court hold that the right to privacy is a Fundamental Right?
1. AM.C. Mehta v. Union of India
2. BNational Legal Services Authority (NALSA) v. Union of India
3. CManeka Gandhi v. Union of India
4. DJustice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
A nine-judge bench in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India (2017) unanimously held that the right to privacy is a Fundamental Right protected under Article 21. M.C. Mehta dealt with environmental and absolute-liability matters, NALSA recognised transgender rights, and Maneka Gandhi expanded the scope of Article 21 generally but did not declare privacy a fundamental right.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Easy
With reference to the ‘India Semiconductor Mission’ (ISM), consider the following statements:
With reference to the 'India Semiconductor Mission' (ISM), 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: C
Both statements are accurate. ISM was set up in 2021 as an independent business division within the Digital India Corporation under MeitY, with administrative and financial autonomy to build a semiconductor and display ecosystem. It explicitly aims to shift India from being a consumer of chips to a producer and an integrated part of the global semiconductor value chain, backed by the Semicon India programme.
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Science & Technology UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
1. ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. CAssertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect.
4. DAssertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
The Supreme Court does have the power of judicial review, and Articles 13, 32 and 226 together supply its constitutional foundation. Article 13 makes laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights void, Article 32 lets the Supreme Court enforce those rights, and Article 226 gives the High Courts writ jurisdiction. The Reason directly explains why the power exists, so it's the correct explanation.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following statements:
Consider the following statements:
1. AOnly 1 and 2
2. BOnly 2 and 3
3. COnly 1
4. DOnly 3
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Tropical cyclones need sea-surface temperatures above about 27°C, so statement 1 holds, and the Coriolis force is essential to give the system its spin, making statement 2 correct. Statement 3 is wrong because the Coriolis force is zero at the equator and increases toward the poles, which is exactly why cyclones don't form within about 5 degrees of the equator.
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Geography UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
Consider the following Assertion and Reason:
1. ABoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
2. BBoth Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are correct, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
3. CAssertion (A) is correct, but Reason (R) is incorrect.
4. DAssertion (A) is incorrect, but Reason (R) is correct.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
The Assertion is wrong. An advisory opinion delivered under Article 143 is not binding on the President; it carries persuasive weight but the President isn't compelled to act on it. The Reason is correct because Article 143 does empower the President to refer questions of law or fact to the Supreme Court for its opinion.
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Indian Polity UPSC GPSC-2026 Medium

Mains Q&A 0

No Mains Q&A from GPSC-2026 yet.