The Good, The Tough And The Tricky – What You Need To Know About UPSC CSE Prelims 2025

The paper baffled aspirants with easy traps, tricky CSAT and other surprises.

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New Delhi: The UPSC CSE Prelims 2025 is over. Those who appeared in the examination were of the view it was not a cakewalk at all. They are still reeling from the mental gymnastics which took place on exam day. So, were this year’s papers brutal or was it just another routine UPSC brain teaser?

Let’s dissect the nuances of the paper. Here are eight takeaways to help you recalibrate, regroup and even smile through the madness.

1. A Bit of a Treat (or Was It?)

Let’s begin with the paper of Art & Culture and History. The section, for once, appeared like a friendly embrace from UPSC. There were 16 questions, including a good chunk on Modern Indian History. The questions gave the impression that the Commission was in a generous mood this year.

But wait. You might be thinking that it was all smooth sailing. No, it was not so. The UPSC tossed in a curveball and asked a question with regard to fruits and their Portuguese origins. The aspirants said it was not exactly in the textbook. The absence of any question on Buddhism surprised many. The commission might have saved it next year. Simple and almost celebratory queries related to the “Dancing Girl” of the Indus Valley were refreshing for many.

Experts are of that it was the easiest section, but “easy” may not serve a respite. It has perhaps raised the competition.

2. Familiar Faces in Tricky Disguises

Polity this year was apparently simple but practically complex While the section revolved around Centre-State relations, the Constitution, the Presidency, etc, statement-based questions were the real devil in disguise.

Though the commission asked about governors, Parliament and the President, yet did not appear in the mood for basic answers. Tricky statements were tossed, leaving the aspirants second-guessing themselves. The candidates said the routine question format – “how many of the above statements are correct?” – made the section more time-consuming than expected.

3. More Than Just Theory

Those who were anticipating that they would sail through the Economy section based on their theoretical knowledge only were perhaps wrong. The UPSC, this year, added a bit of arithmetic to the usual economic theory. So, knowing the fiscal deficit was not sufficient, the aspirants had to calculate it too. A little dash of numbers caught many off guard, particularly since economic concepts tend to confuse even the best of us.

From green economy (lithium and strategic minerals) to RBI regulations, stocks and agricultural tax exemptions, the commission sought to test candidates’ knowledge on everything. So, understanding how the world works was more important this year than learning formulas.

4. Buzzwords, Basics and Mind Games

The Science and Technology section was also designed almost in the same way that can be summed up as ‘all you need to know, but do you really understand?’ The section had 17 questions that covered everything from UAVs to Majorana 1, Electric Vehicles and deep learning. The section did not only focused on current affairs, it also dug deep into fundamental concepts.

The questions were not straightforward. Even if one knew the material, the way it was phrased was designed to him/her second-guess everything.

5. Smooth But Short

The section on International Relations, this year, was the odd one out. Only five covered everything such as the BIMSTEC, the NATO and the BRICS. UPSC candidates are expected to be well-versed in these topics.

The only curveball was a question about the EU’s Nature Restoration Law, a difficult topic for those who do not track climate diplomacy.

6. The Fun Corner

Known for throwing surprise, the UPSC asked about Kho Kho and Chess. But for those who were keeping a close eye on current affairs, these section would not have tough. The question on AI summits and the Gandhi Peace Prize also should not surprise anyone.

The takeaway – never ignore “miscellaneous” section during revision. Some of the most unexpected points came from topics that are often overlooked.

7. UPSC’s Favorite Power Combo

The questions in the Geography and Environment/Ecology section this year were a mix of current affairs and static. The focus appeared to be on environmental issues of global importance and geography.

Those who had meticulously gone through current affairs and NCERTs will probably breeze through this. There were questions based on maps apparently to test grasp on world geography. The environment-related questions were equally substantial and made the section a must-master zone.

8. The Qualifying Gauntlet

For years, the CSAT has been the paper that everyone loves to hate. This year too, it lived up to its reputation. Though it is meant to be a qualifying paper, yet it felt like a strategic elimination round. It was not at all 10th-grade math. It was so tough and tricky that it made many stuck.

So, in short, was the paper as a whole tough? The answer is – when the last time anyone called a UPSC Prelims paper “easy”. It always gives surprises and causes stress. This year’s paper too was a full-on storm.