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 2025: 11 questions
All years →- Q42 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesWith reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements: All types of UAVs can do vertical landing. All types of UAVs can do automated hovering. All types of UAVs can use …
- Q43 · Physics & chemistry in everyday lifeIn the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements: Cobalt Graphite Lithium Nickel…
- Q46 · Defence, nuclear & energy technologyWhat is the common characteristic of the chemical substances generally known as CL-20, HMX and LLM-105, which are sometimes talked about in media?…
- Q47 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesConsider the following statements: It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing. Majorana 1 chip has been introduced by Amazon Web Services (AWS). Deep learning is a subset of mac…
- Q48 · Biotechnology & geneticsWith reference to monoclonal antibodies, often mentioned in news, consider the following statements: They are man-made proteins. They stimulate immunological function due to their ability to bind to s…
- Q49 · Biotechnology & geneticsConsider the following statements: No virus can survive in ocean waters. No virus can infect bacteria. No virus can change the cellular transcriptional activity in host cells.…
- Q81 · Physics & chemistry in everyday lifeConsider the following statements: Some rare earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors. Some rare earth elements have phosphorescent properties.…
- Q83 · Space technologyConsider the following space missions: Axiom-4 SpaDeX Gaganyaan…
- Q84 · Defence, nuclear & energy technologyWith reference to India's defence, consider the following pairs: Dornier-228 — Maritime patrol aircraft IL-76 — Supersonic combat aircraft C-17 Globemaster III — Military transport aircraft…
- Q94 · Space technologyGPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation. Which of the following statements is/are correct in respect of GAGAN? It is designed to p…
- Q95 · IT, computing & emerging technologiesConsider the following statements regarding AI Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 2025: Co-chaired with India, the event builds on the advances made at the Bletchley Park Summit hel…
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.
