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 2021: 15 questions
All years →- Q1 · Money, banking & monetary policyConsider the following statements: The Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is appointed by the Central Government. Certain provisions in the Constitution of India give the Central Government t…
- Q2 · Poverty, inclusion, demographics & social sectorWith reference to casual workers employed in India, consider the following statements: All casual workers are entitled for Employees Provident Fund coverage. All casual workers are entitled for regula…
- Q3 · Budget, taxation & public financeWhich among the following steps is most likely to be taken at the time of an economic recession?…
- Q4 · National income, growth & inflationConsider the following statements: Other things remaining unchanged, market demand for a good might increase if price of its substitute increases price of its complement increases the good is an infer…
- Q5 · Money, banking & monetary policyWith reference to 'Urban Cooperative Banks' in India, consider the following statements: They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments. They can issue equity shares…
- Q6 · Capital markets, insurance & financial instrumentsIndian Government Bond Yields are influenced by which of the following? Actions of the United States Federal Reserve Actions of the Reserve Bank of India Inflation and short-term interest rates…
- Q7 · External sector & international economic bodiesConsider the following: Foreign currency convertible bonds Foreign institutional investment with certain conditions Global depository receipts Non-resident external deposits…
- Q8 · External sector & international economic bodiesConsider the following statements: The effect of devaluation of a currency is that it necessarily improves the competitiveness of the domestic exports in the foreign markets increases the foreign valu…
- Q9 · Budget, taxation & public financeWhich one of the following effects of creation of black money in India has been the main cause of worry to the Government of India?…
- Q10 · Budget, taxation & public financeWhich one of the following is likely to be the most inflationary in its effects?…
- Q11 · Money, banking & monetary policyThe money multiplier in an economy increases with which one of the following?…
- Q12 · National income, growth & inflationWith reference to Indian economy, demand-pull inflation can be caused/increased by which of the following? Expansionary policies Fiscal stimulus Inflation-indexing wages Higher purchasing power Rising…
- Q13 · Capital markets, insurance & financial instrumentsWith reference to India, consider the following statements: Retail investors through demat account can invest in 'Treasury Bills' and 'Government of India Debt Bonds' in primary market. The 'Negotiate…
- Q14 · Poverty, inclusion, demographics & social sectorWith reference to 'WaterCredit', consider the following statements: It puts microfinance tools to work in the water and sanitation sector. It is a global initiative launched under the aegis of the Wor…
- Q15 · Money, banking & monetary policyIn India, the central bank's function as the 'lender of last resort' usually refers to which of the following? Lending to trade and industry bodies when they fail to borrow from other sources Providin…
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.
