Prelims GS I · 179 questions · 2011–2026
Science & technology: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “General Science.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Science & technology in Prelims 2019: 14 questions
All years →- Q32 · Space technologyFor the measurement/estimation of which of the following are satellite images/remote sensing data used? Chlorophyll content in the vegetation of a specific location Greenhouse gas emissions from rice …
- Q43 · Defence, nuclear & energy technologyIn the context of proposals to the use of hydrogen-enriched CNG (H-CNG) as fuel for buses in public transport, consider the following statements: The main advantage of the use of H-CNG is the eliminat…
- Q57 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesConsider the following statements: According to the Indian Patents Act, a biological process to create a seed can be patented in India. In India, there is no Intellectual Property Appellate Board. Pla…
- Q75 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesWith reference to communication technologies, what is/are the difference/differences between LTE (Long-Term Evolution) and VoLTE (Voice over Long-Term Evolution)? LTE is commonly marketed as 3G and Vo…
- Q88 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesWhich of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as 'General Data Protection Regulation' in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?…
- Q91 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesIn the context of digital technologies for entertainment, consider the following statements: In Augmented Reality (AR), a simulated environment is created and the physical world is completely shut out…
- Q93 · Biotechnology & geneticsWith reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?…
- Q94 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesConsider the following statements: A digital signature is an electronic record that identifies the certifying authority issuing it used to serve as a proof of identity of an individual to access infor…
- Q95 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesIn the context of wearable technology, which of the following tasks is/are accomplished by wearable devices? Location identification of a person Sleep monitoring of a person Assisting the hearing impa…
- Q96 · Biotechnology & genetics'RNA interference (RNAi)' technology has gained popularity in the last few years. Why? It is used in developing gene silencing therapies. It can be used in developing therapies for the treatment of ca…
- Q97 · Space technologyRecently, scientists observed the merger of giant 'blackholes' billions of light-years away from the Earth. What is the significance of this observation?…
- Q98 · Human body, health & diseasesWhich of the following are the reasons for the occurrence of multi-drug resistance in microbial pathogens in India? Genetic predisposition of some people Taking incorrect doses of antibiotics to cure …
- Q99 · Biotechnology & geneticsWhat is Cas9 protein that is often mentioned in news?…
- Q100 · Human body, health & diseasesWhich one of the following statements is not correct?…
Science & technology in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 179 questions on Science & technology in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 11 a year, the most in 2011 (17). The most-asked topic is IT, computing & emerging technologies (47 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 17 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 13 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- IT, computing & emerging technologies47 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Human body, health & diseases33 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Biotechnology & genetics28 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Physics & chemistry in everyday life26 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Space technology25 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Defence, nuclear & energy technology20 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q41 · Biotechnology & geneticsWhich of the following statements with regard to genetic medicine is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q42 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesWhich of the following statements with regard to Large Language Models (LLMs) used in machine learning is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q43 · Defence, nuclear & energy technologyWhich of the following statements with regard to stealth technology is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q44 · Physics & chemistry in everyday lifeWhich of the following statements with regard to Black Boxes used in modern aircrafts is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q46 · Space technologyConsider the following statements with regard to involvement of private entities in India’s space programme:…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Science & technology. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Science & technology PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Science & technology question from 2011 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 94 pages. Free; sign up once.
Science & technology PYQs: quick answers
How many Science & technology questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2011 to 2026?
179 questions in GS Paper I — about 11 a year, the most in 2011 (17). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Science & technology topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
IT, computing & emerging technologies: 47 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 13 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 Science & technology PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Science & technology question with answers and explanations (94 pages, 1.9 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.
