The General Studies Paper I of the CSE Mains 2025 was held on the 23rd of August, 2025. The occasion being very important in itself, with aspirants being tested on a variety of subjects involving Indian Heritage and Culture, Modern History, Geography, and Social Issues. One of the important considerations for the candidates should be to understand the nature of the topics and the question depth in GS-1. Those preparing for UPSC CSE should be fully aware of the topics being asked by UPSC.
UPSC Mains GS Paper-1 2025: Key Highlights
| UPSC Mains GS-I Exam Date | August 23rd, 2025 |
| Total Marks | 250 Marks |
| Duration | 3 Hours (9 AM to 12 PM – Morning Session) |
| Number of Questions | 20 Questions (All questions are compulsory) |
UPSC Mains 2025 GS-1 Question Paper
1. Discuss the salient features of the Harappan architecture. (Answer in 150 words) 10
2. Examine the main aspects of Akbar’s religious syncretism. (Answer in 150 words) 10
3. ‘The sculptors filled the Chandella artform with resilient vigor and breadth of life.’ Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
4. How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
5. What are non-farm primary activities? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India? Discuss with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
6. Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
7. What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10
8. How does smart city in India, address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice? (Answer in 150 words) 10
9. The ethos of civil service in India stand for the combination of professionalism with nationalistic consciousness – Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
10. Do you think that globalization results in only an aggressive consumer culture? Justify your answer. (Answer in 150 words) 10
11. Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words) 15
12. Trace India’s consolidation process during early phase of independence in terms of polity, economy, education and international relations. (Answer in 250 words) 15
13. The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain. (Answer in 250 words) 15
14. Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of off-shore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the on-shore occurrences of oil reserves? (Answer in 250 words) 15
15. How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning? (Answer in 250 words) 15
16. Discuss how the changes in shape and sizes of continents and ocean basins of the planet take place due to tectonic movements of the crustal masses. (Answer in 250 words) 15
17. Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources. (Answer in 250 words) 15
18. How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience. (Answer in 250 words) 15
19. Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could come into conflict with poor people’s needs in a country like India – Comment. (Answer in 250 words) 15
20. Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion. (Answer in 250 words) 15
Topic-Wise Question Division for UPSC Mains GS Paper-1 2025
| Indian Art and Culture | 1 |
| Ancient History | 1 |
| Medieval History | 1 |
| Modern History | 2 |
| Post Independence | 1 |
| World History | 1 |
| Indian Society | 2 |
| Physical Geography | 4 |
| Human/Economic Geography | 7 |
| Total Questions | 20 |
UPSC Mains 2025 Question Paper GS-1 PDF
UPSC Civil Services Mains 2025 General Studies-I is over, and the question paper is now available in PDF format. With the paper in hand, aspirants can first evaluate the type of questions asked in GS-I and their difficulty level. The link to download the PDF of the UPSC Mains 2025 GS I Question Paper is given below for easy access.
| Also Check: |
| UPSC Mains 2025 Essay Question Paper PDF |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS-II Question Paper PDF |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS-III Question Paper PDF |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS-IV Question Paper PDF |
How to Download the UPSC Mains 2025 GS-I Paper PDF?
The GS-I paper PDF can be downloaded through the following steps:
- Visit the official UPSC website, which provides downloadable resources for UPSC.
- Navigate to the “Examination” section and select the relevant year (2025).
- Locate the “General Studies Paper-I (GS-I)” and click the download link.
- Save the PDF to your device for further study and analysis.
Topics Covered in UPSC Mains 2025 Question Paper GS-1
- The UPSC Mains 2025 GS-I Paper covers a comprehensive range of topics, reflecting India’s cultural, historical, societal, and geographical diversity.
- Key areas include Indian Art and Culture (covering art forms, architecture, literature from ancient to modern periods), Modern Indian History (personalities, freedom struggle, post-independence consolidation), and World History (major events since the 18th century).
- The paper also examines Indian Society with focus on social issues, empowerment, demography, secularism, and how globalization impacts society.
- Geography questions pertain to physical phenomena (earthquakes, cyclones, landforms), resources, sectoral locations, and environmental changes.
- The GS-I 2025 leaned heavily on integrating current events with static topics, demanding analytical thinking alongside factual clarity.
- All four sections—History, Society, Geography, and Art & Culture—received balanced attention, with slightly higher focus on Modern History and contemporary societal dynamics.
