Latest news with #CSAT2025
Indian Express
27-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
UPSC Prelims 2025 Paper Analysis: ‘This is one of the toughest CSAT papers set in recent years,' says expert
Since 2023, UPSC has noticeably raised the difficulty level of the CSAT, and the 2025 paper was no exception. In fact, to say the least, it is one of the toughest CSAT Papers that UPSC has set in recent years. The length and breadth in which UPSC has tested the candidates this time in CSAT makes one thing pretty evident, and that is: CSAT is not a qualifying paper, it is an eliminating paper. While aspirants may be tempted to compare CSAT 2023 with this year's paper, such comparisons aren't particularly productive. What truly matters are the key takeaways from the current paper that can inform preparation for next year's exam. Here are the five most important observations and takeaways from CSAT 2025 that will be valuable for future aspirants. In the CSAT Paper, UPSC focuses on 3 major areas, viz. Logical Reasoning, Quantitative Aptitude, and English Reading Comprehension. However, the individual weightage of each section is not fixed and is up to the discretion of the UPSC. In CSAT 2025, UPSC asked as many as 35 questions from Quantitative Aptitude and 29 questions from English Reading Comprehensions leaving only 16 questions for Logical Reasoning. Those who solely depended on Logical Reasoning and English Reading Comprehension would have found it tough to attempt the questions to reach a minimum of 1/3 marks required to qualify for the CSAT. Moreover, it has become a usual trend in the Comprehensions that they are open to interpretation, and different people might have different answers, which makes such questions a bit volatile. For the upcoming attempts, it is strongly advisable that every aspirant should focus on all the 3 pillars of the examination, to tackle the unpredictability of the UPSC. This year, the questions from the Quantitative Aptitude section were pretty lengthy. Even if an aspirant knows about the topic, it would take considerable time to solve such questions. Earlier, UPSC used to ask direct questions, but now it has started focusing more on the 'how many' part. Let us understand this with the help of a question asked by UPSC in CSAT 2025. Q. The 5-digit number PQRST (all distinct digits) is such that T ≠ 0. P is thrice T. S is greater than Q by 4, while Q is greater than R by 3. How many such 5-digit numbers are possible? A. 3 B. 4 C. 5 D. 6 In the above question, you have to find out the number of 5-digit numbers that are possible subject to the conditions of the question. Such questions can be solved only by making different cases, assuming different values of P, Q ,R, S and T and that's a time consuming process. So, even if an aspirant has read Quantitative Aptitude, it is imperative now to solve the questions quickly and focus on the speed as well, given the fact that the length of the solutions is increasing. There was a time when a lot of questions in CSAT could be solved by direct shortcuts. In 2025, there was limited scope and utility of the shortcuts that are usually given in the standard books. UPSC, in CSAT 2025, focused more on the basic understanding of the candidates. Let us have a look at a question from CSAT 2025 in this context: Q. A solid cube is painted yellow on all its faces. The cube is then cut into 60 smaller but equal pieces by making the minimum number of cuts. I. The minimum number of cuts is 9. II. The number of smaller pieces which are not painted on any face is 6. A. I only B. II only C. Both I and II D. Neither I nor II Usually, in the past years, the questions from cubes and dice could be solved using the famous shortcuts. However, this year, the question was such that no shortcut can be used in this question. If you know the basics of cube-cutting and if you've understood how a cube is to be cut into smaller pieces, then only you could attempt such questions. For the aspirants of 2026, you have sufficient time to focus on the basics from scratch. It is advisable to reduce the reliance over the shortcuts and focus more on the standard processes. The first advice given to every UPSC Aspirant is to rely on PYQs. UPSC CSAT 2025 was no different. There were multiple questions in the exam that were based on the PYQs, with just a change of value or some language. The core point being, if you have done the PYQs diligently, it would be easier for you to quickly pick up the logic in the exam hall. Q. What comes at X and Y respectively in the following sequence? January, January, December, October, X, March, October, Y, September A. July, May B. July, April C. June, May D. June, April The above question was asked by UPSC in CSAT 2025. A similar question was asked by UPSC in previous years; the only difference was that, in place of months, the question had numbers, but the underlying logic was the same. Q. What is X in the sequence 1, 3, 6, 11, 18, X, 42? A. 26 B. 27 C. 29 D. 30 The above series, asked in CSAT 2025, is based on the prime numbers. In the past, on multiple occasions, UPSC has asked a series on similar logics. To drive home the point, it is useful and imperative for an aspirant to diligently practice the PYQs. As mentioned in the beginning: CSAT is not a qualifying paper, it is an eliminating paper. The current pattern of UPSC CSAT not only requires the knowledge, but also demands accuracy, speed, and nerve-holding in pressure situations. To solve 55+ questions of such nature in 120 minutes (though there are 80 Questions in CSAT but you need not attempt all of them) with speed and accuracy would require a lot of practice. Formula Sheets, Trick Sheets and all the quick fix approaches are no longer a sure-shot way to sail through the CSAT Paper. CSAT, akin to GS, is a full-fledged paper. An unpopular view to look at it might be: From Polity, Geography, History, etc., you might be getting 12-18 questions from each subject. But in CSAT, you get 80 questions. For future aspirants, based on the current trend, here is a word of caution and disclaimer: CSAT is not a last moment paper to prepare. Please do incorporate it in your study plan from the beginning. (About our Expert: Mudit Gupta has been a mentor and faculty for the UPSC Civil Services exam for 10 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.) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at
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Business Standard
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
UPSC CSE prelims 2025 question paper review: What students, teachers said?
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the Civil Services Preliminary Examination on May 26, 2025, and once again, the paper lived up to its reputation for unpredictability. Aspirants felt that this year, the paper 1 was a bit easier than last year's prelims exam. However, some believe that the question paper was time-consuming. CSAT 2025: Qualifying or eliminating? Meant to be a qualifying paper, CSAT turned out to be the true eliminator this year. With tough comprehension passages and intricate reasoning questions, many aspirants found it far beyond their expectations. Mudit Gupta, a UPSC mentor, in a statement to The Indian Express, said, 'This year's CSAT was one of the most difficult papers ever. The paper, which UPSC says is qualifying in nature, is actually 'eliminating' in nature.' Many students echoed similar sentiments on social media, calling the paper 'a trap disguised as a formality.' History: Surprising sweet spot Amid the overall difficulty, one section that offered relief was History and Art & Culture. With 16 questions – 9 of them from Modern Indian History – students found it relatively easy. Shikhar Sachan, a civil services mentor, called the History paper easiest in the past five years and told The Indian Express, 'The History section was arguably the easiest in the last five years.' Questions ranged from the Indus Valley's Dancing Girl statue to Portuguese fruits and historical personalities like Raja Ram Mohan Roy, offering both diversity and simplicity. ALSO READ | Polity: Familiar yet confusing Polity featured standard topics such as the President, Panchayati Raj, and Ordinances, but the trick lay in the framing of questions. UPSC's notorious 'How many statements are correct?' format confused even well-prepared candidates. 'Every straightforward topic had at least one cleverly crafted statement. That was enough to confuse even the best-prepared,' added Mudit Gupta. Arguably, the Polity section is the easiest in the past five years. Economy: Conceptual meets calculative With 17 questions, the Economy section was both conceptual and quantitative. It included topics such as fiscal deficit calculations, RBI policies, UPI, and agricultural taxation. 'There was a strong focus on energy and minerals critical to the green economy,' noted Banke Bihar, Economy mentor (The Indian Express). Students described it as mentally taxing and praised the real-world relevance of the questions. Science, tech, and international relations: Mixed bag Science and Technology featured both trending topics like electric vehicles and deep learning, as well as conceptual questions. While some found it manageable, others struggled with the tricky wording. International Relations had only five questions, mostly centred around organisations like BIMSTEC and NATO, with the EU's Nature Restoration Law being a surprise element. Tough GS, tougher CSAT Overall, aspirants described the 2025 Prelims as lengthy, mentally exhausting, and layered with traps. With CSAT acting as a gatekeeper rather than a qualifier, mentors expect the cut-off to drop this year. One student summed it up perfectly: 'UPSC didn't test what we knew—it tested how calmly we could think under pressure.'
