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UPSC Civil Services (Prelims & CSAT): practice questions and mock tests

This section holds 302 practice questions for UPSC Civil Services (Prelims & CSAT), arranged in 16 topics โ€” the largest are Mixed and previous-year-pattern practice (48), Constitution & Polity (34) and Punjab GK & History (31).

251 of these are written only for this post. The other 51 are shared with exams that test the same syllabus, mainly PCS-J, PSTET and Excise Inspector, so practice here also counts towards those papers.

Below you will find the topic outline, sample questions with explanations and the official website. Dates, eligibility and marking rules change, so confirm them in the latest official notification.

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UPSC Civil Services (Prelims & CSAT): Practice MCQs and Mock Tests

This page brings together the PunjabExams practice set for UPSC Civil Services (Prelims & CSAT): 302 multiple-choice questions, each with a keyed answer and a short explanation, arranged into 16 topic groups. You can practise topic by topic, take a timed 50-question mock or revise quickly in question-and-answer mode. Practice is free and needs no sign-up.

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Exam-specific and shared questions

Of the 302 distinct questions in this set, 251 are written specifically for UPSC and 51 are common general-studies questions (reasoning, aptitude, general knowledge, Punjab GK, language and computer basics). Punjab recruitment papers test these common areas at a similar level, so the same reviewed question is used in every exam set where that topic is on the syllabus, rather than being rewritten with small changes.

Exam sets that share the most questions with this one:

What the UPSC question set covers

TopicQuestions
Mixed and previous-year-pattern practice48
Constitution & Polity34
Punjab GK & History31
Environment24
Mathematics (CSAT)22
District Administration22
Reasoning20
Sikh History19
Police & Legal Awareness16
Economy & Banking15
CSAT Skills15
Indian History11
Science10
Geography9
Other topics6

Key points for UPSC aspirants

  • Prelims is elimination + accuracy.
  • CSAT is qualifying โ€” do not skip.
  • Punjab examples help interview, not GS Paper I blindly.
  • Read the questionโ€™s demand word: discuss vs examine.

Sample UPSC questions with answers

A few questions from this set, with the answer and explanation shown. The full set opens in practice mode.

  1. Q1. Which of the following is NOT a typical CSAT component?

    • (a) Logical reasoning
    • (b) Basic numeracy
    • (c) Comprehension
    • (d) Optional subject essay

    Answer: (d) Optional subject essay. CSAT covers comprehension, interpersonal skills, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy and data interpretation โ€” not optional subject essays (those are Mains).

  2. Q2. Montreal Protocol is success story for?

    • (a) Marine fisheries
    • (b) Ozone layer protection
    • (c) Plastic reduction
    • (d) Climate finance

    Answer: (b) Ozone layer protection. The correct answer is Ozone layer protection.

  3. Q3. Khalsa initiation involves?

    • (a) Baptism in a river
    • (b) Amrit ceremony and the Five Ks
    • (c) Fasting for a month
    • (d) Pilgrimage to Mecca

    Answer: (b) Amrit ceremony and the Five Ks. The correct answer is Amrit ceremony and the Five Ks.

  4. Q4. How many Ramsar sites does Punjab have?

    • (a) Six
    • (b) Five
    • (c) Four
    • (d) Three

    Answer: (a) Six. Punjab's Ramsar sites are Harike, Kanjli, Ropar, Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve and Nangal Wildlife Sanctuary.

  5. Q5. SI on 6000 at 8% for 2.5 years =?

    • (a) โ‚น1008
    • (b) โ‚น1200
    • (c) โ‚น1392
    • (d) โ‚น1296

    Answer: (b) โ‚น1200. SI = P ร— R ร— T / 100 = 6000 ร— 8 ร— 2.5 / 100 = โ‚น1200.

  6. Q6. Afforestation helps in?

    • (a) Increasing floods
    • (b) Desertification
    • (c) Carbon storage and soil conservation
    • (d) Air pollution

    Answer: (c) Carbon storage and soil conservation. The correct answer is Carbon sequestration, soil and water conservation.

How to use this practice set

  1. Read the latest official notification and syllabus for UPSC first, so you know the paper pattern and marking.
  2. Work through one topic at a time, starting with Constitution & Polity, and read the explanation for every question you get wrong.
  3. Take a timed 50-question mock once a week and track your accuracy, not just your score.
  4. Keep a short notebook of facts you missed and revise it before each mock.

Official information

Dates, eligibility, syllabus and answer keys are decided by the recruiting body. Always confirm them on the UPSC official website or in the latest official notification. PunjabExams is an independent practice site and is not connected with any recruiting body.

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Last reviewed 29 October 2026. Questions are original, unofficial practice items; if you spot an error, use Report / Suggest fix in practice mode. See our editorial policy.