The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) held the CSE Mains 2025 General Studies Paper-II (GS-II) on August 23, 2025. This exam judged the aspirants on critical subjects such as Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations. A candidate must know the topics and the depth of questions in GS-II. A UPSC CSE should know what are the topics that UPSC is asking.
UPSC Mains GS Paper-2 2025: Key Highlights
| UPSC Mains GS-I Exam Date | August 23rd, 2025 |
| Total Marks | 250 Marks |
| Duration | 3 Hours (2:30 P.M. to 5:30 P.M. – Afternoon Session) |
| Number of Questions | 20 Questions |
UPSC Mains 2025 GS-II Question Paper
1. Discuss the ‘corrupt practices’ for the purpose of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Analyze whether the increase in the assets of the legislators and/or their associates, disproportionate to their known sources of income, would constitute ‘undue influence’ and consequently a corrupt practice. (Answer in 150 words) 10
2. Comment on the need of administrative tribunals as compared to the court system. Assess the impact of the recent tribunal reforms through rationalization of tribunals made in 2021. (Answer in 150 words) 10
3. Compare and contrast the President’s power to pardon in India and in the USA. Are there any limits to it in both the countries? What are ‘preemptive pardons’? (Answer in 150 words) 10
4. Discuss the nature of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. Briefly describe the powers and functions of the Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. (Answer in 150 words) 10
5. “The Attorney General of India plays a crucial role in guiding the legal framework of the Union Government and ensuring sound governance through legal counsel.” Discuss his responsibilities, rights and limitations in this regard. (Answer in 150 words) 10
6. Women’s social capital complements in advancing empowerment and gender equity. Explain. (Answer in 150 words) 10
7. e-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration than user-centric designs. Examine. (Answer in 150 words) 10
8. Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify. (Answer in 150 words) 10
9. India-Africa digital partnership is achieving mutual respect, co-development and long-term institutional partnerships. Elaborate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
10. “With the waning of globalization, post-Cold War world is becoming a site of sovereign nationalism.” Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
11. “Constitutional morality is the fulcrum which acts as an essential check upon the high functionaries and citizens alike….”
In view of the above observation of the Supreme Court, explain the concept of constitutional morality and its application to ensure balance between judicial independence and judicial accountability in India. (Answer in 250 words) 15
12. Indian Constitution has conferred the amending power on the ordinary legislative institutions with a few procedural hurdles. In view of this statement, examine the procedural and substantive limitations on the amending power of the Parliament to change the Constitution. (Answer in 250 words) 15
13. Discuss the evolution of collegium system in India. Critically examine the advantages and disadvantages of the system of appointment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India and that of the USA. (Answer in 250 words) 15
14. Examine the evolving pattern of Centre-State financial relations in the context of planned development in India. How far have the recent reforms impacted the fiscal federalism in India? (Answer in 250 words) 15
15. What are environmental pressure groups? Discuss their role in raising awareness, influencing policies and advocating for environmental protection in India. (Answer in 250 words) 15
16. Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of ‘paradox of poverty’. (Answer in 250 words) 15
17. “In contemporary development models, decision-making and problem-solving responsibilities are not located close to the source of information and execution defeating the objectives of development.” Critically evaluate. (Answer in 250 words) 15
18. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has to address the challenges faced by children in the digital era. Examine the existing policies and suggest measures the Commission can initiate to tackle the issue. (Answer in 250 words) 15
19. “Energy security constitutes the dominant kingpin of India’s foreign policy, and is linked with India’s overarching influence in Middle Eastern countries.” How would you integrate energy security with India’s foreign policy trajectories in the coming years? (Answer in 250 words) 15
20. “The reform process in the United Nations remains unresolved, because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance.” Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard. (Answer in 250 words) 15
Topic-Wise Question Division for UPSC Mains 2025 Question Paper GS-2
| Polity | 09 |
| Governance | 03 |
| Social Justice | 04 |
| International Relations | 04 |
| Total Questions | 20 Questions |
UPSC Mains GS Paper-2 2025 PDF
The UPSC Civil Services Mains 2025 General Studies Paper-II has been conducted, and the question paper PDF is now available. This question paper does not just test candidates; it gives an insight into the candidate requirements for the exam. The link to download the UPSC Mains 2025 GS-II question paper PDF is provided below.
| Also Check: |
| UPSC Mains 2025 Essay Paper PDF |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS-I Paper PDF |
| UPSC Mains 2025 GS-III Paper PDF |
How to Download the UPSC Mains 2025 GS-II Paper PDF?
The GS-II 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-II (GS-II)” and click the download link.
- Save the PDF to your device for further study and analysis.
Topics Covered in UPSC Mains GS Paper-2 2025
The UPSC Mains 2025 General Studies Paper II (GS-II) covers four major domains:
- The Indian Constitution and Polity, Governance, Social Justice, and International Relations.
- Key topics include historical evolution and features of the Constitution, federal structure, Parliament and State Legislatures, judiciary, executive, and various constitutional bodies.
- It assesses knowledge of government policies, welfare schemes, transparency, e-governance, and the role of civil services.
- Social Justice topics focus on schemes, mechanisms and challenges faced by vulnerable populations, health, education, and poverty.
- International Relations evaluate India’s foreign policy, relations with neighbors, international groupings, global agencies, and the impact of international politics on Indian interests.
- The paper expects candidates to integrate current affairs, analyze policies, and demonstrate administrative acumen with examples, constitutional articles, and recent events.
The UPSC Mains 2025 GS-II Question Paper has provided aspirants with an invaluable resource to understand the exam’s requirements and strategies for future papers. Stay tuned for more updates and insights on the UPSC Mains examination, and make sure to download the GS-II question paper using the link provided.
