Previous Year Questions

Essential Instructions:

Applies to both the Papers

  1. Candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.
  2. Question Nos. 1 and 5 are compulsory.
  3. Out of the remaining questions, THREE are to be attempted choosing at least ONE question from each Section.

Here is a collection of PSIR Optional (UPSC Civil Services Exam. Mains) Previous Year Questions from 2015-2024:

2015 - Previous Year Questions

Paper I Section-A 1. Comment on the following in about 150 words each: (10 x 5 = 50 marks) Idea of Natural Rights. (10 marks) Aristotle’s Conception of Equality. (10 marks) Difference Principle’ in Rawls’ Theory of Justice. (10 marks) Difference between Participatory and Deliberative Democracy. (10 marks) Gandhi’s Views on State. (10 marks) 2.(a) Examine the challenges to sovereignty of the State in the contemporary world. (20 Marks) 2.(b) Discuss the key features of pre-Marxist socialist theory.