Minimalist IAS
CSAT

CSAT · 58 questions

Data interpretation & sufficiency

Every UPSC CSAT question on this topic, 2016–2026, newest first. Tap an option to check yourself; the answer and explanation open below it.

Data interpretation & sufficiency questions per year: 2016: 0, 2017: 1, 2018: 13, 2019: 0, 2020: 6, 2021: 5, 2022: 7, 2023: 5, 2024: 10, 2025: 5, 2026: 6 Asked in 9 of 11 years · most in 2018 (13)

UPSC syllabus: “Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. — Class X level);” See the full syllabus →

Showing 31–58 of 58, newest first.

CSAT 2022 · Q49

Easy

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: What is the age of Manisha?
  2. Statement–1: Manisha is 24 years younger than her mother.
  3. Statement–2: 5 years later, the ages of Manisha and her mother will be in the ratio 3:5.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are sufficient to answer the Question

Statement–1 gives the age gap and Statement–2 gives a future ratio; neither fixes Manisha’s age alone. Together they give (M + 5) : (M + 29) = 3 : 5, so Manisha is 31.

  1. Statement–1 alone gives only the age gap of 24 years. Not sufficient.
  2. Statement–2 alone gives a ratio but no actual ages. Not sufficient.
  3. Together: let Manisha be M years old, so her mother is M + 24. Then (M + 5)/(M + 29) = 3/5.
  4. 5M + 25 = 3M + 87, so 2M = 62 and M = 31.
  5. Check: in 5 years they will be 36 and 60, and 36 : 60 = 3 : 5.

Remember · Age data sufficiency: a gap alone or a ratio alone is never enough; a gap plus a ratio fixes both ages.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q50

Easy

Six lectures A, B, C, D, E and F, each of one hour duration, are scheduled between 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Consider the Question and two Statements given below:

  1. Question: Which lecture is in the third period?
  2. Statement–1: Lecture F is preceded by A and followed by C.
  3. Statement–2: There is no lecture after lecture B.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the Statements?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Both Statement–1 and Statement–2 are not sufficient to answer the Question

With B fixed in the last period, the block A–F–C can still sit in periods 1–3, 2–4 or 3–5, so the third period could hold C, F or A. Even together the statements do not fix it.

  1. There are six one-hour periods from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., one lecture in each.
  2. Statement–1 alone: A, F, C come in that order, but the block can be anywhere. Not sufficient.
  3. Statement–2 alone: B is in the 6th period; the 3rd period is still open. Not sufficient.
  4. Together: A–F–C can fill periods 1–3, 2–4 or 3–5 (D and E take the rest), so the 3rd period can be C, F or A.
  5. So both statements together are not sufficient.

Remember · Scheduling data sufficiency: slide the fixed block through every free position before calling it sufficient.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2022 · Q70

Easy

A pie chart gives the expenditure on five different items A, B, C, D and E in a household. If B, C, D and E correspond to 90°, 50°, 45° and 75° respectively, then what is the percentage of expenditure on item A?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 250/9

The angles of a pie chart add up to 360°, so A takes 360° − 260° = 100°. As a percentage, that is 100/360 × 100 = 250/9 %.

  1. Angles in a pie chart add up to 360°. A = 360° − (90° + 50° + 45° + 75°) = 360° − 260° = 100°.
  2. Percentage for A = 100/360 × 100 = 250/9 % (about 27.8%).

Remember · Pie chart: percentage = angle ÷ 360 × 100, so every 18° is 5%.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2022, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2021 · Q38

Easy

Consider two Statements and a Question:

  1. Statement-1: Priya is 4 ranks below Seema and is 31st from the bottom.
  2. Statement-2: Ena is 2 ranks above Seema and is 37th from the bottom.
  3. Question: What is Seema’s rank from the top in the class of 40 students?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Either Statement-1 alone or Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question

Each statement on its own places Seema 35th from the bottom (31 + 4, or 37 − 2). In a class of 40 that is 40 − 35 + 1 = 6th from the top, so either statement alone is enough.

  1. Statement-1: Priya is 31st from the bottom and 4 ranks below Seema, so Seema is 31 + 4 = 35th from the bottom.
  2. Rank from top = 40 − 35 + 1 = 6. Statement-1 alone answers the Question.
  3. Statement-2: Ena is 37th from the bottom and 2 ranks above Seema, so Seema is 37 − 2 = 35th from the bottom — again 6th from the top.
  4. Each statement alone is sufficient.
  • ✗ (a) Statement-1 alone gives Seema's rank (6th from the top).
  • ✗ (b) Statement-2 alone also gives 6th from the top.
  • ✓ (c) Either statement alone fixes Seema at 35th from the bottom, i.e. 6th from the top.
  • ✗ (d) Combining is not needed, since each statement alone is enough.

Remember · Rank from top + rank from bottom = total + 1. In data sufficiency, test each statement alone before combining.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2021 · Q39

Medium

Consider two Statements and a Question:

  1. Statement-1: Each of A and D is heavier than each of B, E and F, but none of them is the heaviest.
  2. Statement-2: A is heavier than D, but is lighter than C.
  3. Question: Who is the heaviest among A, B, C, D and E?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are required to answer the Question — UPSC also accepted (d)

Statement-2 gives C > A > D, and Statement-1 adds that A and D are heavier than B and E; only together do they show that C is the heaviest of the five. UPSC's final key accepted both (c) and (d), because when both statements are required it is also true that neither alone is sufficient.

  1. Statement-1: A and D are heavier than B, E and F, but C is never compared with anyone, and 'the heaviest' may be someone outside the list — so it cannot name the heaviest of A, B, C, D, E.
  2. Statement-2: C > A > D, but B and E are not compared with C — not sufficient alone.
  3. Together: C > A > D, and A, D > B, E, so C is heavier than all the others — C is the heaviest.
  4. Both statements are required (c). That also makes 'neither statement alone is sufficient' (d) true, and UPSC accepted both.
  • ✗ (a) Statement-1 never places C, so it cannot settle who is heaviest among the five.
  • ✗ (b) Statement-2 says nothing about B and E relative to C.
  • ✓ (c) Combining gives C > A > D, with A and D both heavier than B and E, so C is the heaviest.
  • ✓ (d) Since both statements are needed, neither alone is sufficient — literally true, and accepted by UPSC.

Remember · In data sufficiency, 'both are required' also means 'neither alone suffices' — watch for overlapping options.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2021 · Q45

Easy

Consider the following Table:

PlayerRuns scored in the First InningsBalls faced in the First InningsRuns scored in the Second InningsBalls faced in the Second Innings
A61991476
B05125085
C15752050
D13551250
A table of runs scored and balls faced by players A, B, C and D in the first and second innings of a Test Match.
From UPSC's question paper.

Who is the fastest run scorer in the Test Match?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) B

Speed of scoring is runs per ball over the whole match. B scores 55 runs off 97 balls (about 0.57 a ball), ahead of A (75 off 175), C (35 off 125) and D (25 off 105).

  1. Fastest scorer = highest total runs ÷ total balls across both innings.
  2. A: (61 + 14) ÷ (99 + 76) = 75 ÷ 175 ≈ 0.43 runs per ball.
  3. B: (5 + 50) ÷ (12 + 85) = 55 ÷ 97 ≈ 0.57.
  4. C: 35 ÷ 125 = 0.28; D: 25 ÷ 105 ≈ 0.24.
  5. B has the highest rate, so B is the fastest run scorer.
  6. Check: only B scores more than half a run per ball (55 > 97 ÷ 2).

Remember · Compare ratios of totals, not innings by innings; a simple benchmark (here half a run per ball) often settles it.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2021 · Q47

Easy

Consider two Statements and a Question:

  1. Statement-1: The last day of the month is a Wednesday.
  2. Statement-2: The third Saturday of the month was the seventeenth day.
  3. Question: What day is the fourteenth of the given month?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question

Knowing the third Saturday is the 17th fixes every date: Saturdays fall on the 3rd, 10th and 17th, so the 14th is a Wednesday. The last day being a Wednesday does not help without knowing how many days the month has.

  1. Statement-2: the third Saturday is the 17th, so Saturdays fall on the 3rd, 10th and 17th.
  2. The 14th is 4 days after Saturday the 10th — a Wednesday. Statement-2 alone answers the Question.
  3. Statement-1: the last day is a Wednesday, but the month may have 28, 29, 30 or 31 days, so the 14th could be Wednesday, Tuesday, Monday or Sunday — not sufficient.
  4. So Statement-2 alone is sufficient.
  • ✗ (a) Without the month's length, the last day being Wednesday leaves four possibilities for the 14th.
  • ✓ (b) Saturday the 17th means Saturday the 10th, so the 14th is a Wednesday.
  • ✗ (c) Statement-1 is not needed.
  • ✗ (d) Statement-2 alone is sufficient.

Remember · A dated weekday fixes the whole month; a 'last day' clue also needs the month's length.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2021 · Q74

Easy

A pie diagram shows the percentage distribution of proteins, water and other dry elements in the human body. Given that proteins correspond to 16% and water corresponds to 70%. If both proteins and the other dry elements correspond to p%, then what is the central angle of the sector representing p on the pie diagram?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 108°

Everything other than water is 100 − 70 = 30%, so p = 30 (the 16% for proteins is not needed). Its sector angle is 30% of 360°, i.e. 108°.

  1. Proteins + water + other dry elements = 100%, so proteins + other dry elements = 100 − 70 = 30%; p = 30.
  2. Central angle = 30% of 360° = 0.3 × 360° = 108°.
  3. Check: water's sector is 70% of 360° = 252°, and 252° + 108° = 360°.

Remember · Pie-chart angle = percentage × 3.6°; use the complement when that is quicker.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2021, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q17

Easy

Two Statements S1 and S2 are given below followed by a Question:

  1. S1.There are not more than two figures on any page of a 51-page book.
  2. S2.There is at least one figure on every page.
  3. Question: Are there more than 100 figures in that book?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) S1 and S2 together are not sufficient to answer the Question.

S1 caps the book at 2 × 51 = 102 figures and S2 guarantees at least 51. Together they only place the total between 51 and 102, which may or may not exceed 100.

  1. S1: at most 2 figures on each of 51 pages, so at most 102 figures — could be above or below 100.
  2. S2: at least 1 figure per page, so at least 51 figures — no upper limit.
  3. Together: between 51 and 102. Both 101 and 60 are possible, so the Question cannot be answered.

Remember · In data sufficiency, find the range each statement allows; if the range still straddles the question's cut-off, the data are insufficient.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q28

Easy

Two Statements S1 and S2 are given below with regard to four numbers P, Q, R and S followed by a Question:

  1. S1.R is greater than P as well as Q.
  2. S2.S is not the largest one.
  3. Question: Among four numbers P, Q, R and S, which one is the largest?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) S1 and S2 together are sufficient to answer the Question, but neither S1 alone nor S2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question.

S1 makes R bigger than P and Q but says nothing about S; S2 rules out S but says nothing about P, Q and R. Together, S is not the largest and R beats P and Q, so R is the largest.

  1. S1 alone: R > P and R > Q, but S could exceed R — not sufficient.
  2. S2 alone: the largest is one of P, Q, R — not sufficient.
  3. Together: S is not the largest and R is above P and Q, so R is the largest.

Remember · Test each statement alone, then together; choose (c) only when neither alone works but the pair does.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q29

Easy

Two Statements S1 and S2 are given below followed by a Question:

  1. S1.n is a prime number.
  2. S2.n leaves a remainder of 1 when divided by 4.
  3. Question: If n is a unique natural number between 10 and 20, then what is n?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) S1 and S2 together are not sufficient to answer the Question.

Between 10 and 20 the primes are 11, 13, 17 and 19; of these, 13 and 17 both leave remainder 1 on division by 4. Even together the statements leave two possible values of n, so they are not sufficient.

  1. S1: n = 11, 13, 17 or 19.
  2. S2: n = 13 or 17 (the numbers between 10 and 20 that are 1 more than a multiple of 4).
  3. Together: 13 and 17 both satisfy S1 and S2, so n is still not fixed.

Remember · In number data sufficiency, list every value that fits; if more than one survives, the data are insufficient.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q30

Easy

Two Statements S1 and S2 are given below with regard to two numbers followed by a Question:

  1. S1.Their product is 21.
  2. S2.Their sum is 10.
  3. Question: What are the two numbers?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) S1 and S2 together are sufficient to answer the Question, but neither S1 alone nor S2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question.

A product of 21 alone allows 3 and 7, 1 and 21 and many other pairs, and a sum of 10 alone allows endless pairs. Together, the numbers are the roots of t² − 10t + 21 = 0, which are exactly 3 and 7.

  1. S1 alone: 3 × 7, 1 × 21, 2 × 10·5 … — not unique.
  2. S2 alone: 3 + 7, 4 + 6, 5 + 5 … — not unique.
  3. Together: the numbers satisfy t² − 10t + 21 = 0, i.e. (t − 3)(t − 7) = 0, so they are 3 and 7.

Remember · Two numbers are fixed by their sum and product together: they are the roots of t² − (sum)t + (product) = 0.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q36

Easy

Three Statements S1, S2 and S3 are given below followed by a Question:

  1. S1.C is younger than D, but older than A and B.
  2. S2.D is the oldest.
  3. S3.A is older than B.
  4. Question: Who among A, B, C and D is the youngest?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) S1 and S3 together are sufficient to answer the Question.

S1 puts D above C and C above both A and B, so the youngest is A or B. S3 settles that pair: A is older than B, so B is the youngest. S2 adds nothing S1 did not already give.

  1. S1: D > C > A and D > C > B, so the youngest is A or B — S1 alone is not enough.
  2. S2 only repeats that D is the oldest, so S1 and S2 together still leave A or B.
  3. S2 and S3: A > B, but C's position is unknown — C could be youngest.
  4. S1 and S3: D > C > A > B, so B is the youngest.

Remember · Find what each statement leaves open, then pick the statement that closes exactly that gap.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2020 · Q52

Easy

Consider the following data:

YearBirthrateDeath rate
1911–192148·135·5
1921–193146·436·3
1931–194145·231·2
1941–195139·927·4
1951–196141·722·8
1961–197141·118·9
1971–198137·114·8
A table of birth rate and death rate for each decade from 1911–1921 to 1971–1981.
From UPSC's question paper.

For which period was the natural growth rate maximum?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1971–1981

Natural growth rate is birth rate minus death rate. The gaps for the four offered periods are 12·6, 12·5, 22·2 and 22·3, so 1971–1981 is the highest, just ahead of 1961–1971.

  1. 1911–1921: 48·1 − 35·5 = 12·6.
  2. 1941–1951: 39·9 − 27·4 = 12·5.
  3. 1961–1971: 41·1 − 18·9 = 22·2.
  4. 1971–1981: 37·1 − 14·8 = 22·3 — the maximum.
  5. Check: the periods not offered are lower too (10·1, 14·0, 18·9).

Remember · Natural growth = birth rate − death rate. Compute only the offered periods, and compute the close ones exactly.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q11

Easy

Directions for the following 3 (three) items: The following three items are based on the graph given below which shows imports of three different types of steel over a period of six months of a year. Study the graph and answer the three items that follow.

The figures in the brackets indicate the average cost per ton over six months period.

MonthCoil ($ 320)Sheet ($ 256)Scrap ($ 175)
January304032
February313734
March333632
April343631
May363432
June383432
Bar chart of steel imports (thousands of tons, axis 20 to 44) for January to June, with bars for coil, sheet and scrap each month; the table gives the bar heights read from the chart.
From UPSC's question paper.

By how much (measured in thousands of tons) did the import of sheet steel exceed the import of coil steel in the first three months of the year?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 19

Add the January–March bars: sheet 40 + 37 + 36 = 113 and coil 30 + 31 + 33 = 94 thousand tons. Sheet exceeds coil by 19 thousand tons.

  1. Sheet, January–March: 40 + 37 + 36 = 113 thousand tons.
  2. Coil, January–March: 30 + 31 + 33 = 94 thousand tons.
  3. Excess = 113 − 94 = 19.
  4. Check month by month: 10 + 6 + 3 = 19.

Remember · For a total difference over several months, add the month-by-month gaps; it is quicker and cross-checks the totals.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q12

Easy

Directions for the following 3 (three) items: The following three items are based on the graph given below which shows imports of three different types of steel over a period of six months of a year. Study the graph and answer the three items that follow.

The figures in the brackets indicate the average cost per ton over six months period.

MonthCoil ($ 320)Sheet ($ 256)Scrap ($ 175)
January304032
February313734
March333632
April343631
May363432
June383432

Uses the same figure as Q11 ↑

What was the approximate total value (in $) of sheet steel imported over the six months period?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 55,550

Sheet imports over the six months total 217 thousand tons; at the average $256 a ton that is 55,552 — nearest to 55,550. Because the tonnage is in thousands, the value is in thousands of dollars too.

  1. Sheet imports: 40 + 37 + 36 + 36 + 34 + 34 = 217 thousand tons.
  2. Value = 217 × 256 = 55,552 (thousand $), using the average cost of $256 per ton.
  3. Nearest option: 55,550.
  4. Check: 217 × 256 is close to 220 × 250 = 55,000, which rules out 45,555, 50,555 and 65,750.

Remember · Total value = total quantity × average price; keep the units (here thousands) in mind and round to eliminate far-off options.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q13

Easy

Directions for the following 3 (three) items: The following three items are based on the graph given below which shows imports of three different types of steel over a period of six months of a year. Study the graph and answer the three items that follow.

The figures in the brackets indicate the average cost per ton over six months period.

MonthCoil ($ 320)Sheet ($ 256)Scrap ($ 175)
January304032
February313734
March333632
April343631
May363432
June383432

Uses the same figure as Q11 ↑

What was the approximate ratio of sheet steel and scrap steel imports in the first three months of the year?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 1.2: 1

In January–March, sheet imports total 113 and scrap imports 32 + 34 + 32 = 98 thousand tons. 113 ÷ 98 is about 1.15, which is closest to 1.2 : 1.

  1. Sheet, January–March: 40 + 37 + 36 = 113.
  2. Scrap, January–March: 32 + 34 + 32 = 98.
  3. 113 ÷ 98 ≈ 1.15, so the ratio is about 1.2 : 1.
  4. Check: 1.4 : 1 would need sheet near 137, and 1 : 1 would need equal totals — neither fits.

Remember · For an approximate ratio, divide the two totals once and choose the nearest option.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q61

Easy

Consider the following graph:

Line graph of % of work (0–100%) from 1st April to 1st September. The dashed ‘Expected progress’ line reaches about 25% by May, 50% by June, about 70% by August and 100% on 1st September; the solid ‘Actual progress’ line rises slowly to about 42% by August, then climbs steeply, crosses above the expected line and reaches 100% before 1st September.
From UPSC's question paper.

Which one of the following statements is not correct with reference to the graph given above?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) During the period from 1st April to 1st September, at no time was the actual progress more than the expected progress.

In August the actual-progress line shoots up, crosses above the expected line and reaches 100% before 1st September. So for a while actual progress did exceed expected progress, which makes statement (d) the incorrect one.

  1. (a) On 1st June actual progress is about 22% against an expected 50% — true.
  2. (b) The actual line is steepest in August, rising from about 42% to 100% — true.
  3. (c) Actual progress reaches 100% during August, before the expected finish on 1st September — true.
  4. (d) In late August the actual line crosses above the expected line, so actual progress was more than expected for a time — false.
  5. The statement that is not correct is (d).

Remember · In 'not correct' graph items, test every option against the picture, and look closely where two lines cross.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q63

Hard

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: Consider the following graph in which the birthrate and death rate of a country are given, and answer the two items that follow.

Line graph, 1970–2010, of birth and death rates per thousand: the birthrate (solid) falls from 30 to about 22.5 in 1990 and 19 in 2000, then levels off at about 18; the death rate (dashed) falls from 25 to about 14 in 1990 and about 6.5 by 2000, then stays near 6.5–7.
From UPSC's question paper.

Looking at the graph, it can be inferred that from 1990 to 2010

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) population growth rate shows no trend

Why not the tempting option · UPSC's key is (d). The gap between the two curves, which is the growth rate, widens from about 8.5 per thousand in 1990 to about 11.5 in 2000, then flattens and eases slightly to about 11 by 2010, so there is no single direction across 1990–2010. 'Has increased' is tempting because 2010 sits higher than 1990, but the rise ends at 2000 and the gap drifts down after that. In the exam, read a trend over a stated period as one consistent direction across the whole period, as UPSC does; its key to the next item likewise treats the growth rate as having stabilised after 2005.

The population growth rate is the gap between the birthrate and the death rate. From 1990 the gap widens, from about 8.5 to about 11.5 per thousand by 2000, and then flattens and eases slightly to about 11 by 2010. A rise followed by a plateau is not a single direction, so over 1990–2010 the growth rate shows no trend: (d).

  1. Natural growth rate = birthrate − death rate: the vertical gap between the two curves.
  2. 1990: about 22.5 − 14 = 8.5 per thousand. 1995: about 20 − 9.5 = 10.5.
  3. 2000: about 18.5 − 7 = 11.5. 2005: about 18 − 6.5 = 11.5. 2010: about 18 − 7 = 11.
  4. So the gap rises through the 1990s, then stops rising and dips a little through the 2000s.
  5. 'Increased' needs the rise to run through the whole period, but it ends at 2000; 'decreased' and 'stable' fail for the 1990s. A rise that then levels off is no single trend: (d).

Remember · Population growth rate = birth rate − death rate: read the gap between the curves, not the curves themselves. A rise that then levels off is 'no trend' over the whole period, not 'increased'.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q64

Medium

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: Consider the following graph in which the birthrate and death rate of a country are given, and answer the two items that follow.

With reference to the above graph, consider the following statements considering 1970 as base year:

  1. 1.Population has stabilized after 35 years.
  2. 2.Population growth rate has stabilized after 35 years.
  3. 3.Death rate has fallen by 10% in the first 10 years.
  4. 4.Birthrate has stabilized after 35 years.

Uses the same figure as Q63 ↑

Which of the above are the most logical and rational statements that can be made from the above graph?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 2 and 4

From 2005 (35 years after 1970) both curves flatten — the birthrate near 18 and the death rate near 6.5–7 — so the birthrate and the growth rate (their gap) have stabilised. The population itself keeps growing, and the death rate fell by much more than 10% in 1970–80.

  1. 35 years after 1970 is 2005; compare the curves from 2005 to 2010.
  2. Birthrate: about 18 throughout; death rate: about 6.5 to 7; gap about 11 throughout.
  3. 1970–80: death rate from 25 to about 21, a fall of about 16%.
  • ✗ 1. Births stay well above deaths after 2005, so the population keeps growing; only its growth rate is steady.
  • ✓ 2. After 2005 the gap between the curves stays at about 11 per thousand, so the growth rate has stabilised.
  • ✗ 3. The death rate falls from 25 to about 21 per thousand in 1970–80, about 16% (4 points), not 10%.
  • ✓ 4. The birthrate curve runs flat at about 18 per thousand from 2005 to 2010.

Remember · A steady growth rate is not a steady population; population stops growing only when births equal deaths.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q65

Easy

Average hourly earnings per year (E) of the workers in a firm are represented in figures A and B as follows:

Year20132014201520162017
E in Fig. A2025303540
E in Fig. B2025303540
Two line graphs of hourly earnings E for 2013–2017. Fig. A's vertical axis starts at 20 and is marked every 5; Fig. B's starts near 0 and is marked every 10. Both plot E = 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40, so the lines look different only because the scales differ.
From UPSC's question paper.

From the figures, it is observed that the

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) slopes of the graphs are same

Both figures plot the same data: E rises from 20 to 40 by 5 each year. Only the axis scales differ, making one line look steeper; the actual slope — 5 per year — is the same in both.

  1. Fig. A: E = 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 for 2013–17; Fig. B shows the same points on a differently scaled axis.
  2. (a) The values are identical — false.
  3. (b) The range is 40 − 20 = 20 in both — false.
  4. (d) E rises by 5 a year in both — false.
  5. (c) Slope = change in E per year = 5 in both — true; the visual difference comes only from the scale.

Remember · Before comparing graphs, read the axis scales; stretching an axis changes how steep a line looks, not the data.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q67

Medium

Consider the following figures A and B:

No. of piecesCost of production (₹ in lakhs), Fig. ASelling price per piece (₹), Fig. B
10006400
20007350
30008300
Fig. A: cost of production (₹ lakh) rises in a straight line from 5 at zero to 6, 7 and 8 at 1000, 2000 and 3000 pieces. Fig. B: selling price per piece falls along a curve from above ₹500 to ₹400 at 1000 pieces sold, then in a straight line to ₹350 at 2000 and ₹300 at 3000.
From UPSC's question paper.

The manufacturing cost and projected sales for a product are shown in the above figures A and B respectively. What is the minimum number of pieces that should be manufactured to avoid a loss?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 2000

Revenue is pieces × price. At 1000 pieces it is ₹4 lakh against a cost of ₹6 lakh; at 2000 pieces it is 2000 × ₹350 = ₹7 lakh, exactly the cost. So 2000 pieces is the minimum that avoids a loss.

  1. 1000 pieces: revenue 1000 × 400 = ₹4 lakh; cost ₹6 lakh — a loss of ₹2 lakh.
  2. 1500 pieces: price about ₹375, revenue about ₹5.6 lakh; cost ₹6.5 lakh — still a loss.
  3. 2000 pieces: revenue 2000 × 350 = ₹7 lakh; cost ₹7 lakh — no loss (break-even).
  4. 3000 pieces: revenue 3000 × 300 = ₹9 lakh against ₹8 lakh — a profit, but 2000 already suffices.
  5. Minimum number to avoid a loss: 2000.

Remember · Break-even: compare revenue (quantity × price) with cost at each point; the first point where revenue reaches cost is the answer.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q71

Hard

Consider the following graphs. The curves in the graphs indicate different age groups in the populations of two countries A and B over a period of few decades:

With reference to the above graphs, which of the following are the most logical and rational inferences that can be made?

  1. 1.Over the last two and a half decades, the dependency ratio for country B has decreased.
  2. 2.By the end of next two and a half decades, the dependency ratio of country A will be much less than that of country B.
  3. 3.In the next two decades, the work-force relative to its total population will increase in country B as compared to country A.
Two line graphs, 1950–2050, of population (in millions) by age group (<15, 15–64, 64+). Country A: 15–64 rises to about 1.0 by 2010 and falls to about 0.87 by 2050; <15 drifts down from about 0.33 to 0.22; 64+ climbs past the <15 line around 2030 to about 0.34. Country B: 15–64 keeps rising to about 1.1 by 2050; <15 stays around 0.3–0.36; 64+ rises slowly to about 0.26.
From UPSC's question paper.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1 and 3 only

Dependency ratio = (under-15 + over-64) ÷ working-age (15–64). In B the working-age group grew much faster than the dependants over the past 25 years, so the ratio fell (1). Ahead, A's working-age group shrinks while its elderly grow, so A's ratio will not be much lower than B's (2 fails), and B's working-age share rises while A's falls (3).

  1. Dependency ratio = (<15 + 64+) ÷ (15–64).
  2. Country B, about 1990: (0.32 + 0.05) ÷ 0.54 ≈ 0.69; about 2015: (0.36 + 0.11) ÷ 0.84 ≈ 0.56 — decreased.
  3. Around 2043: A ≈ (0.23 + 0.31) ÷ 0.92 ≈ 0.59; B ≈ (0.32 + 0.22) ÷ 1.07 ≈ 0.50 — A's ratio is higher, not much lower.
  4. Working-age share, about 2018 → 2038: B ≈ 0.65 → 0.67 (up); A ≈ 0.68 → 0.65 (down).
  • ✓ 1. In B the 15–64 group grows from about 0.54 to 0.84 million over the period while dependants rise only from about 0.37 to 0.47, so the ratio falls.
  • ✗ 2. By the early 2040s A's elderly have overtaken its children and its working-age group is shrinking; its ratio (about 0.59) is above B's (about 0.50).
  • ✓ 3. B's working-age group keeps growing faster than its dependants, while A's working-age group declines and its elderly grow.

Remember · Dependency ratio = (children + elderly) ÷ working-age; read all three curves at both dates before judging the direction.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q73

Easy

The graph given below indicates the changes in key policy rates made by the Central Bank several times in a year:

Rate (%)Jul 2, 2010May 3, 2011Jun 16, 2011
Repo Rate5·507·257·50 (+·25)
Reverse Repo Rate4·006·256·50 (+·25)
CRR6·006·006·00 (0)
Line graph of key policy rates from 2 July 2010 to 16 June 2011: the repo rate rises in steps from 5.50% to 7.50% and the reverse repo rate from 4.00% to 6.50%, while the CRR stays flat at 6.00%; the table lists the values labelled on the graph.
From UPSC's question paper.

Which one of the following can be the most likely reason for the Central Bank for such an action?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Anti-inflationary stance

The central bank raised the repo and reverse repo rates again and again — by 2 and 2.5 percentage points in under a year — while keeping CRR unchanged. Repeated rate hikes make borrowing dearer and pull money out of the system, the standard response to high inflation.

  1. Repo rate: 5.50% → 7.50%; reverse repo: 4.00% → 6.50%; CRR steady at 6.00%.
  2. Higher policy rates raise banks' cost of funds and lending rates, slowing credit and money supply.
  3. That tightens liquidity — the opposite of (b).
  4. Attracting foreign investment or savings is not the purpose of a year of repeated hikes; cooling demand and prices is — an anti-inflationary stance.

Remember · Rising repo and reverse repo rates mean tight money to fight inflation; falling rates mean easing to support growth and liquidity.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q74

Medium

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: The following table gives the GDP growth rate and Tele-density data of different States of a country in a particular year. Study the table and answer the two items that follow.

With reference to the above table, which of the following is/are the most logical and rational inference/inferences that can be made?

  1. 1.Higher per capita income is generally associated with higher Tele-density.
  2. 2.Higher GDP growth rate always ensures higher per capita income.
  3. 3.Higher GDP growth rate does not necessarily ensure higher Tele-density.
StatesPer capita income ($)GDP growth rate (%)Tele-density
State 17049·5270·27
State 24195·3135·88
State 325410·8350·07
State 45459·785·94
State 589110·876·12
State 6107711·6977·5
State 79008·88104·86
State 83955·926
State 97207·7682·25
State 108939·5596·7
State 113634·757·7
State 129667·8563·8
State 134959·3752·3
State 148645·4697·9
State 154977·4862·3
State 167777·0393·8
State 173355·849·9
State 185997·4947·84
A table of 18 States giving per capita income ($), GDP growth rate (%) and tele-density.
From UPSC's question paper.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 1 and 3

Sorted by income, the richer States mostly have high tele-density: the nine highest-income States average about 85, the nine lowest about 41. State 3, with the second-highest growth rate, has the lowest per capita income, which defeats 'always' in 2; State 4 grows at 9.78% with tele-density of only 5.94, confirming 3.

  1. Statement 1: the nine richest States (6, 12, 7, 10, 5, 14, 16, 9, 1) average tele-density of about 85; the nine poorest average about 41 — a general association.
  2. Statement 2: State 3 grows at 10.83% (second highest) but has the lowest per capita income, $254 — 'always' fails.
  3. Statement 3: State 4 grows at 9.78% with tele-density 5.94, while State 14 grows at 5.46% with 97.9 — high growth does not ensure high tele-density.
  • ✓ 1. Exceptions exist (State 3 at $254 has 50.07), but 'generally' allows them; income and tele-density clearly move together across the table.
  • ✗ 2. One counter-example is enough: State 3 has the second-highest growth and the lowest per capita income.
  • ✓ 3. State 4 (9.78% growth, 5.94 tele-density) shows high growth without high tele-density.

Remember · 'Generally' tolerates exceptions; 'always' falls to one counter-example. Scan the table for a single contradicting row.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q75

Easy

Directions for the following 2 (two) items: The following table gives the GDP growth rate and Tele-density data of different States of a country in a particular year. Study the table and answer the two items that follow.

With reference to the above table, the following assumptions have been made:

  1. 1.Nowadays, prosperity of an already high performing State cannot be sustained without making further large investments in its telecom infrastructure.
  2. 2.Nowadays, a very high Tele-density is the most essential condition for promoting the business and economic growth in a State.
StatesPer capita income ($)GDP growth rate (%)Tele-density
State 17049·5270·27
State 24195·3135·88
State 325410·8350·07
State 45459·785·94
State 589110·876·12
State 6107711·6977·5
State 79008·88104·86
State 83955·926
State 97207·7682·25
State 108939·5596·7
State 113634·757·7
State 129667·8563·8
State 134959·3752·3
State 148645·4697·9
State 154977·4862·3
State 167777·0393·8
State 173355·849·9
State 185997·4947·84

Uses the same figure as Q74 ↑

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

The table records one year's figures; it cannot show what sustains prosperity or which condition growth needs most. Both statements make causal claims ('cannot be sustained without', 'most essential condition') that the data cannot bear — and the data even run against statement 2.

  • ✗ 1. A one-year snapshot says nothing about sustaining prosperity or the need for further telecom investment; the claim is a causal prediction beyond the table.
  • ✗ 2. The table shows high growth with very low tele-density (State 4: 9.78%, 5.94) and very high tele-density with modest growth (State 14: 5.46%, 97.9), so tele-density cannot be the most essential condition.

Remember · A single table shows associations, not causes; reject assumptions claiming 'cannot without' or 'most essential' from it.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2018 · Q76

Medium

The following graph indicates the composition of our tax revenue for a period of two decades:

With reference to the above graph, which of the following is/are the most logical and rational inference/inferences that can be made?

  1. 1.During the given period, the revenue from Direct Taxes as percentage of gross tax revenue has increased while that of Indirect Taxes decreased.
  2. 2.The trend in the revenue from Excise Duty demonstrates that the growth of manufacturing sector has been negative during the given period.
Line graph, 1990-91 to 2010-11 (BE), of each tax's per cent share of gross tax revenue: excise falls from about 42 to about 19, customs from about 36 to about 17, corporate tax rises from about 9 to about 42, personal income tax from about 9 to about 18, and service tax from 0 to about 11.
From UPSC's question paper.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 only

Corporate and personal income tax (direct taxes) together rise from about 19% to about 60% of gross tax revenue, while excise, customs and service tax (indirect) fall from about 78% to about 48% — statement 1. A falling share of excise says nothing about whether manufacturing shrank, so statement 2 does not follow.

  1. Direct taxes: corporate (about 9 → 42) + personal income tax (about 9 → 18) = about 19% → 60%.
  2. Indirect taxes: excise (42 → 19) + customs (36 → 17) + service tax (0 → 11) = about 78% → 48%.
  3. The graph gives shares of the total, not amounts collected.
  • ✓ 1. The direct-tax share roughly triples while the indirect-tax share falls by about 30 points.
  • ✗ 2. Excise's share can fall while its collections and manufacturing output grow, for example if direct taxes grow faster or duty rates are cut; a share graph cannot show negative growth.

Remember · A falling share is not a falling amount — percentage-composition graphs cannot show absolute decline.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2018, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

CSAT 2017 · Q52

Easy

If for a sample data

Mean < Median < Mode

then the distribution is

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) skewed to the left

In a skewed distribution the mean is pulled furthest towards the long tail, the mode sits at the peak, and the median lies between them. Mean < Median < Mode means the tail stretches to the left: the distribution is negatively skewed.

  1. In a symmetric distribution mean = median = mode, so (a) and (c) are out.
  2. A few very small values pull the mean down more than the median, while the mode (the peak) is least affected.
  3. So mean < median < mode signals a long left tail: skewed to the left (negative skew).
  4. Skewed to the right would give the reverse order: mode < median < mean.

Remember · The mean chases the tail: mean below median means left-skewed; mean above median means right-skewed.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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