Analysis - UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION 2016 (Mains)
#1. GENERAL STUDIES [PAPER-1]
Overall analysis
- The GS paper-1 has so much in common with the 2013 paper.The applied parts of theoretical subjects can be evidently seen.
- The conventional core geographical questions were less. The questions in geography were related to geo political/geo economical events (importance of news).
- Paper was very general in questions and hence the writing skills of candidates come into the picture.
Comparison with Past Papers
Category | GS Mains Paper-1 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
History | Culture | 20 | 40 | 25 | 25 |
History | Freedom struggle | 30 | 30 | 25 | 37.5 |
History | World History | 40 | 30 | 25 | 12.5 |
History | Post-independence | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Society | Religion, Region, empowerment. | 10 | 10 | 37.5 | 37.5 |
Society | Poverty, Population, Development | 10 | 20 | 25 | 25 |
Society | Women | 10 | 20 | 25 | 0 |
Geography | Climate | 10 | 30 | 25 | 12.5 |
Geography | Resources | 20 | 20 | 37.5 | 62.5 |
Geography | Urbanization | 10 | 0 | 25 | 25 |
Geography | Physical | 30 | 20 | 0 | 12.5 |
Geography | Industrial Location | 10 | 30 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 250 | 250 | 250 | 250 |
Topic-wise breakup
#1.1. Culture
- Questions on Buddhist art are prevalent in UPSC paper. Frequent questions are asked on Buddhist stupas,viharas etc.
( Q - Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.)
#1.2. History
- 1857 uprising - always an important topic for UPSC. This year the question asked was relatively general and easy.
- Question on Krishnadev Raya was also a direct and easy question - refer text from tamilnadu ncert class 11
- Gandhi vs Bose - clearly written in UPSC syllabus – important personalities (sort of expected this year as so much chaos in news about S.C. Bose, Gandhi vs Ambedkar previously asked)
- Continuous trend of asking questions on women issues (almost same question was asked in 2013 paper with women role in freedom struggle,this year they being specific to Gandhian era)
- Question on Linguistic diversity - gave representation to post-Independence history as well, which means the balanced coverage of entire syllabus was required in history.
#1.3. World history
- The question asked was related to West Africa.
(Q - The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine)
Africa again appeared in the paper (quite a visible trend about what should be the focus area in world history) but the question asked was not sort of previously asked conventional question, it was relatively tough question.
#1.4. Social Issues
- Question on Scheduled Tribe asked this year.
(Q - Why are the tribals in India referred to as the Scheduled Tribes? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. )
Last year– how/why tribal sex ratio better than others?
- Regionalism, Smart city (also asked in 2015), Globalization currently in news, question asked were very general in nature.
( Q - What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. )
(Q - What extent globalization has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain.)
#1.5. Geography
- Air mass and Landslides were very basic geography questions (2013 almost same question was asked, 2015 they were asking about ecological capacity of Himalaya for tourism{same context})
- Effective management of resources and Flood were basic themes (recent floods in different parts of india aready made that important.)
- Indus Water Treaty and South China Sea were the basic current affairs (related to-Recent geo political series of events.highly expected to be asked)
- Emerging sustainable themes like micro-watershed development projects have always found mention in the paper
- Inland water transport (recent govt’s one of the most loved programmes)
Concluding notes
- 1857 and Buddha are evergreen topics.
- Switch the focus of study from traditional topics to news oriented topics.
- In geography questions related to recent disasters are more imp e.g. Himalayan area, Delhi pollution (affect of cropping system).
- Tropical cyclones may appear in the paper next year (as vardha cyclone has been in news recently).
- In Culture, ancient and medivel architecture is frequently asked.
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