UPSC PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTIONS

Directions for the next 5 (five) items: (UPSC 2026)

Each item in this section contains a question followed by two statements. Answer each
item using the following instructions and mark your response on the Answer Sheet
accordingly.
(a) Select this option if the question can be answered using one of these statements alone,
but cannot be answered using the other statement.
(b) Select this option if the question can be answered using either statement alone.
(c) Select this option if the question can be answered using both the statements together,
but cannot be answered using either statement alone.
(d) Select this option if the question cannot be answered even using any of the statements.

1. Question:
X receives three coins of different denominations: 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20. If the total amount
received by X is m, does X receive a coin of denomination 5?

Statement I:
m is not a prime number.
Statement II:
The sum of the digits of m is greater than 5.

2. Question:
For two distinct real numbers x and y, which of them is bigger?

Statement I:
x² < y < 1
Statement II:
y < √x < 1

3. Question:
If x and y are integers, then is x even?

Statement I:
x²y² is even.
Statement II:
1 + x² + y² is odd.

4. Question:
X is a collection of certain odd numbers whereas Y is a collection of certain even numbers.
T consists of the numbers all of which are either from X or from Y. Is every number of T
from Y?

Statement I:
The sum of any two numbers belonging to T is even.
Statement II:
If both p and q are picked from T, then (p − q) is even.

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 5. Question:
If x, y and z are integers, each greater than 1, then is x a prime number?

Statement I:
xy² = 116
Statement II:
xz = 261

6. A is a 2-digit number with different digits. B is also a 2-digit number and is obtained by
reversing the digits of A. If A − B is a multiple of 27 27, where A > B, how many such
different A's are possible? (UPSC 2026)
(a) 6
(b) 9
(c) 12
(d) 18

𝟏𝟏
7. For < x < y < 2, which of the following statements is / are correct (UPSC 2026)
𝟑𝟑
I. x + 1/x < y +1/y
√(𝟏𝟏+𝒚𝒚^𝟐𝟐) √(𝟏𝟏+𝒙𝒙^𝟐𝟐)
II. <
𝒚𝒚 𝒙𝒙

Select the answer using the code given below

(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II

8. A natural number N is such that it can be expressed as N = p + q + r, where p, q and r are

distinct factors of N. How many numbers below 50 have this property? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 6
(b) 7
(c) 8
(d) 9

9. Three prime numbers p, q and r, each less than 20, are such that p − q = q − r. How many
distinct possible values can we get for (p + q + r)? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) More than 6

10. How many possible values of (p + q + r) are there satisfying 1/p + 1/q + 1/r = 1, where p, q
and r are natural numbers (not necessarily distinct)? (UPSC 2025)
(a) None
(b) One
(c) Three
(d) More than three

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11. What is the unit digit in the multiplication of 1 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 9 × … × 999? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 1
(b) 3
(c) 5
(d) 9

12. If 4 ≤ x ≤ 8 and 2 ≤ y ≤ 7, then what is the ratio of maximum value of (x + y) to minimum

value of (x – y)? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 6
(b) 15/2
(c) -15/2
(d) None of the above

13. Let both p and k be prime numbers such that (p² + k) is also a prime number less than 30.
What is the number of possible values of k? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 4
(b) 5
(c) 6
(d) 7

14. Let PQR be a 3-digit number, PPT be a 3-digit number and PS be a 2-digit number, where
P, Q, R, S, T are distinct non-zero digits. Further, PQR – PS = PPT. If Q = 3 and T < 6, then
what is the number of possible values of (R, S)? (UPSC 2025)
(a) 2
(b) 3
(c) 4
(d) More than 4

15. If P = +, Q = -, R = ×, S = ÷, then insert the proper notations between the successive

numbers in the equation 60_15_3_20_4 = 20: (UPSC 2025)
(a) SPRQ
(b) QRPS
(c) QRSP
(d) SPQR

16. If N² = 12345678987654321, then how many digits does the number N have? (UPSC
2025)
(a) 8
(b) 9
(c) 10
(d) 11

17. What is the 489th digit in the number 123456789101112…?(UPSC 2025)

(a) 0
(b) 3
(c) 6
(d) 9

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18. Let P, Q, R, S be distinct non-zero digits. If PP × PQ = RRSS, where P ≤ 3 and Q ≤ 4, then
what is Q equal to?

Statement I: R = 1.
Statement II: S = 2.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Question and the Statements?
(UPSC 2025)
(a) The Question can be answered by using one of the Statements alone, but cannot be
answered using the other statement alone.
(b) The Question can be answered by using either Statement alone.
(c) The Question can be answered by using both the Statements together, but cannot be
answered using either Statement alone.
(d) The Question can be answered even without using any of the Statements.

19. Let p + q = 10, where p, q are integers. (UPSC 2025)

Value-I = Maximum value of p × q when p, q are positive integers.

Value-II = Maximum value of p × q when p ≥ -6, q ≥ -4.

Which one of the following is correct?

(a) Value-I < Value-II
(b) Value-II < Value-I
(c) Value-I = Value-II
(d) Cannot be determined due to insufficient data

20. Let x be a real number between 0 and 1.

Which of the following statements is/are correct? (UPSC 2025)
I. x² > x³.
II. II. x > √x.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) I only
(b) II only
(c) Both I and II
(d) Neither I nor II

21. The difference between any two natural numbers is 10. What can be said about the natural
numbers which are divisible by 5 and lie between these two numbers? (UPSC 2025)
(a) There is only one such number.
(b) There are only two such numbers.
(c) There can be more than one such number.
(d) No such number exists.

22. Let X be a two-digit number and Y be another two-digit number formed by

interchanging the digits of X. If (X + Y) is the greatest two-digit number, then
what is the number of possible values of X? (UPSC 2024)
a) 2 b) c) 6 d) 8

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23. Let p, q, r, and s be distinct positive integers. Let p and q be odd and r
and s be even. Consider the following statements: (UPSC 2024)

Statement -1. (p - r)^2 (qs) is even

Statement -2. (q - s)q^2 s is even
Statement -3. (q + r)^2 (p + s) is odd.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3

24. Let p and q be positive integers satisfying p < q and p+q = k. What is the
smallest value of k that does not determine pand q uniquely? (UPSC 2024)
a) 3 b) 4 c) 5 d) 6

25. Choose the group which is different from the others: (UPSC 2023)
(a) 17, 37, 47, 97
(b) 31, 41, 53, 67
(c) 71, 73, 79, 83
(d) 83, 89, 91, 97

26. Each digit of a 9-digit number is 1. It is multiplied by itself. What is the sum
of the digits of the resulting number? (UPSC 2023)
a) 64 b) 80 c) 81 d) 100

27. What is the sum of all digits which appears in all integers from 10 to 100?
(UPSC 2023)
a) 855 b 856 c) 910 d) 911

28. Three of the five positive integers p, q, r, s, t are even and two of them
are odd (not necessarily in order). Consider the following: (UPSC 2023)
Statement -1. p+q+r-s-t is definitely even.
Statement -2. 2p+q+2r-2s+t is definitely odd.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

29. A 3-digit number ABC, on multiplication with D gives 37DD where A, B,

C and D are different non-zero digits. What is the value of A+B+C? (UPSC
2023)
a) 18 b) 16 c) 15 d) Cannot be determined

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30. AB and CD are 2-digit numbers. Multiplying AB with CD results in a 3-
digit number DEF. Adding DEF to another 3-digit number GHI results in
975. Further A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I are distinct digits. If E = 0, F = 8,
then what is A+B+C equal to? (UPSC 2023)
a) 6 b) 7 c) 8 d) 9

31. What is the sum of all 4-digit numbers less than 2000 formed by the digits
1, 2, 3 and 4, where none of the digits is repeated? (UPSC 2023)
a) 7998 b) 8028 c) 8878 d) 9238

32. Let pp, qq and rr be 2-digit numbers where p< q<r. If pp + qq + rr = tt0,
where tt0 is a 3- digit number ending with zero, consider the following
statements: (UPSC 2023)
Statement -1. The number of possible values of p is 5.
Statement -2. The number of possible values of q is 6.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

33. A bill for Rs. 1,840 is paid in the denominations of Rs. 50, Rs. 20 and
Rs.10 notes. 50 notes in all are used. Consider the following statements:
Statement-1: 25 notes of Rs. 50 are used and the remaining arc in the
denominations of Rs.20 and Rs. 10.
Statement-2: 35 notes of Rs.20 are used and the remaining are in the
denominations of Rs. 50 and Rs. 10.
Statement-3: 20 notes of Rs.10 are used and the remaining are in the
denominations of Rs. 50 and Rs. 20.

Which of the above statements are not correct? (UPSC 2022)

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1,2 and 3

34. Consider the Question and two Statements given below: (UPSC 2022)
Question: Is x an integer?
Statement-1: x/3 is not an integer.
Statement-2: 3x is an integer.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the Question and the
Statements?
(a) Statement-1 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
(b) Statement-2 alone is sufficient to answer the Question
(c) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are sufficient to answer the Question
(d) Both Statement-1 and Statement-2 are not sufficient to answer the
Question

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35. There is a numeric lock which has a 3-digit PIN. The PIN contains digits 1 to
7. There is no repetition of digits. The digits in the PIN from left to right are in
decreasing order. Any two digits in the PIN differ by at least 2. How many
maximum attempts does one need to find out the PIN with certainty? (UPSC
2022)
(a) 6
(b) 8
(c) 10
(d) 12

36. The difference between a 2-digit number and the number obtained by
interchanging the positions of the digits is 54. (UPSC 2021)
Statement -1. The sum of the two digits of a number can be determined only
if the product of the two digits is known.
Statement -2. The difference between the two digits of the number can be
determined.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

37. When a certain number is multiplied by 7, the product entirely comprises

ones only (1111…). What is the smallest such number? (UPSC 2021)
(a) 15713
(b) 15723
(c) 15783
(d) 15873

38. How many zeroes are there at the end of the following product? 1 x 5 x 10 x
15 x 20 x 25 x 30 x 35 x 40 x 45 x 50 x 55 x 60? (UPSC 2020)
a) 10 b) 12 c) 14 d) 15

39. In the sum ⊗ + 1 ⊗ + 5 ⊗ + ⊗ ⊗ + ⊗ 1 = 1 ⊗ ⊗ for which digit does the

symbol ⊗ stand? (UPSC 2020)
a) 2 b) 3 c) 4 d) 5

40. How many numbers are there from 1 to 100 which has 4 as a digit and did
not divisible by 4? (UPSC 2020)
a) 5 b) 11 c) 12 d) 13

41. A frog tries to come out of a dried well 4.5 m deep with slippery walls. Every
time the frog jumps 30 cm, slides down 15 cm. what is the number of jumps
required for the frog to come out of the well? (UPSC 2020)
a) 28 b) 29 c) 30 d) 31

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 42. If x is greater than or equal to 25 and y is less than or equal to 40, then
which one of the following is always correct? (UPSC 2019)
(a) x is greater than y
(b) (y - x) is greater than 15
(c) (y - x) is less than or equal to 15
(d) (x + y) is greater than or equal to 65

43. How many triplets (x, y, z) satisfy the equation x + y + z = 6, where x, y and z
are natural numbers? (UPSC 2019)
a) 6 b) 5 c) 9 d) 10

44. Let p be a two-digit number and q be the number consisting of same digits
written in reverse order. If p × q = 2430, then what is the difference between p
and q? (UPSC 2019)
a) 45 b) 27 c) 18 d) 9

PRACTICE QUESTIONS

1. 4A + A7A + AA + 1A4 = 46A, Then A is?

a) 0 b) 1 c) 2 d) 4

2. A + AA +5A+A48 = 2AA. A is a digit. Then A is?

a) 6 b) 4 c) 2 d) 1

3. X and Y are natural number other than 1. Y is greater than X. Which one of
the following represents largest number?
a) XY b) X/Y c) Y/X d) (X + Y)/XY

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