Prelims GS I
Prelims GS I · 276 questions · 2011–2026
Economy & social development: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Economy & social development in Prelims 2020: 22 questions
All years →- Q6 · Budget, taxation & public financeAlong with the Budget, the Finance Minister also places other documents before the Parliament which include 'The Macro Economic Framework Statement'. The aforesaid document is presented because this i…
- Q17 · External sector & international economic bodies“Gold Tranche” (Reserve Tranche) refers to…
- Q49 · External sector & international economic bodiesIf another global financial crisis happens in the near future, which of the following actions/policies are most likely to give some immunity to India? Not depending on short-term foreign borrowings Op…
- Q50 · Money, banking & monetary policyIf you withdraw ₹ 1,00,000 in cash from your Demand Deposit Account at your bank, the immediate effect on aggregate money supply in the economy will be…
- Q51 · External sector & international economic bodiesWith reference to Foreign Direct Investment in India, which one of the following is considered its major characteristic?…
- Q52 · External sector & international economic bodiesWith reference to the international trade of India at present, which of the following statements is/are correct? India's merchandise exports are less than its merchandise imports. India's imports of i…
- Q54 · Money, banking & monetary policyIn the context of the Indian economy, non-financial debt includes which of the following? Housing loans owed by households Amounts outstanding on credit cards Treasury bills…
- Q56 · External sector & international economic bodiesWith reference to Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS), which of the following statements is/are correct? Quantitative restrictions on imports by foreign investors are prohibited. They apply to i…
- Q57 · Money, banking & monetary policyIf the RBI decides to adopt an expansionist monetary policy, which of the following would it not do? Cut and optimize the Statutory Liquidity Ratio Increase the Marginal Standing Facility Rate Cut the…
- Q58 · National income, growth & inflationWith reference to the Indian economy after the 1991 economic liberalization, consider the following statements: Worker productivity (₹ per worker at 2004 – 05 prices) increased in urban areas while it…
- Q59 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityConsider the following statements: In terms of short-term credit delivery to the agriculture sector, District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) deliver more credit in comparison to Scheduled Commercia…
- Q60 · Capital markets, insurance & financial instrumentsIn India, under cyber insurance for individuals, which of the following benefits are generally covered, in addition to payment for the loss of funds and other benefits? Cost of restoration of the comp…
- Q61 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityIn India, which of the following can be considered as public investment in agriculture? Fixing Minimum Support Price for agricultural produce of all crops Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credi…
- Q62 · Money, banking & monetary policyWhat is the importance of the term “Interest Coverage Ratio” of a firm in India? It helps in understanding the present risk of a firm that a bank is going to give loan to. It helps in evaluating the e…
- Q63 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityWhich of the following factors/policies were affecting the price of rice in India in the recent past? Minimum Support Price Government's trading Government's stockpiling Consumer subsidies…
- Q64 · External sector & international economic bodiesConsider the following statements: The value of Indo-Sri Lanka trade has consistently increased in the last decade. “Textile and textile articles” constitute an important item of trade between India a…
- Q66 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityUnder the Kisan Credit Card scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes? Working capital for maintenance of farm assets Purchase of combine harvesters, tr…
- Q67 · National income, growth & inflationConsider the following statements: The weightage of food in Consumer Price Index (CPI) is higher than that in Wholesale Price Index (WPI). The WPI does not capture changes in the prices of services, w…
- Q69 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityConsider the following statements: In the case of all cereals, pulses and oil-seeds, the procurement at Minimum Support Price (MSP) is unlimited in any State/UT of India. In the case of cereals and pu…
- Q70 · Capital markets, insurance & financial instrumentsWith reference to the Indian economy, consider the following statements: ‘Commercial Paper’ is a short-term unsecured promissory note. ‘Certificate of Deposit’ is a long-term instrument issued by the …
- Q78 · Industry, infrastructure & investmentIn rural road construction, the use of which of the following is preferred for ensuring environmental sustainability or to reduce carbon footprint? Copper slag Cold mix asphalt technology Geotextiles …
- Q94 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityWith reference to chemical fertilizers in India, consider the following statements: At present, the retail price of chemical fertilizers is market-driven and not administered by the Government. Ammoni…
Economy & social development in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 276 questions on Economy & social development in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 17 a year, the most in 2011 (24). The most-asked topic is Money, banking & monetary policy (60 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 24 | 14 | 17 | 11 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- Money, banking & monetary policy60 questions · asked in 16 of 16 years
- Budget, taxation & public finance41 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- External sector & international economic bodies37 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Poverty, inclusion, demographics & social sector32 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Capital markets, insurance & financial instruments28 questions · asked in 11 of 16 years
- Agriculture economy, MSP & food security28 questions · asked in 10 of 16 years
- Industry, infrastructure & investment26 questions · asked in 12 of 16 years
- National income, growth & inflation24 questions · asked in 9 of 16 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q24 · Industry, infrastructure & investmentIn what way(s) does the Vizhinjam International Seaport represent a structural shift in India's maritime trade and logistics policy?…
- 2026 · Q28 · Agriculture economy, MSP & food securityWhich among the following is/are the objective(s) of the Rainfed Area Development (RAD) initiative under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)?…
- 2026 · Q29 · Industry, infrastructure & investmentWhich of the following is/are the most significant implication(s) of obtaining Oeko-Tex certification for Eri Silk in the global textile industry?…
- 2026 · Q56 · Poverty, inclusion, demographics & social sectorWhich of the following statements with regard to the persons with disabilities in India is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q83 · Industry, infrastructure & investmentWhich one of the following pairs of semiconductor plants in India and their locations is not correctly matched?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Economy & social development. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
- Economy: planning, growth & employment
- Inclusive growth
- Investment models
- Government budgeting
- International institutions
- Farm subsidies, MSP, PDS & food security
- Food processing
- Land reforms
- Liberalisation & industrial policy
- Infrastructure
- Welfare of vulnerable sections
- Health, education & human resources
- Poverty & hunger
Economy & social development PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Economy & social development question from 2011 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 146 pages. Free; sign up once.
Economy & social development PYQs: quick answers
How many Economy & social development questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2011 to 2026?
276 questions in GS Paper I — about 17 a year, the most in 2011 (24). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Economy & social development topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Money, banking & monetary policy: 60 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 16 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Economy & social development PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Economy & social development question with answers and explanations (146 pages, 2.7 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.
