Evaluate your CSAT progress using Practice Set 12 for Prelims 2025

Indian Express

04-05-2025

Dear UPSC aspirants,
A solid strategy, a smart approach, and consistent practice are the keys to success in your CSAT preparation. Here's Practice Set 12 for your regular practice.
Haven't tried the previous sets yet? Check out CSAT Practice Set 1 (click here), Practice Set 2 (click here), Practice Set 3 (click here), Practice Set 4 (click here),Practice Set 5 (click here) , Practice Set 6 (click here), P ractice Set 7 (click here), Practice Set 8 (click here) , Practice Set 9 (click here), Practice Set 10 (click here). and Practice Set 11 (click here)
—Mudit Gupta
QUESTION #1
Traditional corporate training programs often follow a rigid structure, focusing on delivering a set curriculum within a fixed timeframe. This approach assumes that all employees will absorb and retain information at the same pace, regardless of their prior knowledge or learning styles. As a result, while some employees may benefit and apply the new skills effectively, others may struggle to keep up, leading to uneven performance across the organization. This one-size-fits-all model fails to address the diverse needs of employees, ultimately limiting the overall effectiveness of the training program.
Which of the following statements best reflects/reflect the most logical and rational inference/inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Traditional corporate training programs prioritize the completion of a set curriculum over the actual skill acquisition of employees.
2. Traditional corporate training programs are designed to cater to the diverse needs of all the employees of an organisation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation:
The first statement is correct because the paragraph mentions that the corporate training modules don't focus much on the individual needs of the diverse set of employees; rather, they focus more on the timely completion of the fixed set of modules. Hence, the first statement is correct, and the second statement is incorrect.
Therefore, (a) is the correct answer.
(a) 30 degrees
(b) 35 degrees
(c) 45 degrees
(d) 60 degrees
Explanation:
To find the angle between the minute and the hour hand, we use the following formula:
We are given the value of hours (H) as 8 and the value of minutes (M) as 50. Substituting the values in the above formula, we get:
Therefore, (b) is the correct answer.
QUESTION #3
A flag has to be designed with 4 horizontal stripes using some or all of the colours red, green and yellow. What is the number of different ways in which this can be done so that no two adjacent stripes have the same colour?
(a) 12
(b) 18
(c) 24
(d) 36
Explanation:
This is UPSC PYQ 0f 2023.
We have to paint four stripes with three colours such that no two adjacent stripes have the same colour.
Red, Green, or Yellow (3 Ways)
The colour used above cannot be used here (2 Ways)
The colour used above cannot be used here (2 Ways)
The colour used above cannot be used here (2 Ways)
The number of ways in which this entire flag can be painted is 3 ways X 2 ways X 2 ways X 2 ways i.e. 24 ways.
Therefore, (c) is the correct answer.
QUESTION #4
Consider the following:
1. 1 foot = 12 inches
2. 1 pound = 16 ounces
3. 1 acre = 3000 square meters
Which of the above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Explanation:
1. 1 Foot = 12 inches = 30.48 cm
2. 1 Pound = 16 Ounce = 453.6 g
3, 1 Acre = 4047= 0.4047 Hectare
Therefore, (a) is the correct answer.
QUESTION #5
The largest possible number with which when 188, 132, and 160 are divided the remainders obtained are the same is:
(a) 6
(b) 14
(c) 18
(d) 28
Explanation:
The initial clue to tackle this question is that when asked to determine the largest or greatest number, it points us toward the concept of HCF. Moreover, the question indicates that dividing 188, 132, and 160 by a common number leaves the same remainder. In these cases, since the remainder isn't provided, we can find the differences among the three numbers and then calculate their HCF.
1. The difference between 188 and 132 is 56
2. The difference between 188 and 160 is 28
3. The difference between 132 and 160 is 28
Now let us find the HCF of 56, 28, 28, which comes out to be 28 and hence, 28 is the answer.
Therefore, (d) is the correct answer.
(About our Expert: Mudit Gupta has been a mentor and faculty for the UPSC Civil Services exam for 8 years with expertise in CSAT, Polity, International Relations, and Current Affairs. He is known to break complex concepts into simpler ones that allow UPSC aspirants to develop a grip over the subject matter.)