Everyone join in!
The solutions are marked in RED.
![[Live]UPSC Prelims 2023 – Question Paper, Answer Key, Solutions with Explanations](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/WhatsApp-Image-2024-06-15-at-6.54.02-PM.jpeg)
Prelims 2023 is here. And we are all with you. We will keep updating this section with all the necessary details.
Good luck for tomorrow from the entire Civilsdaily Family. This is not a feel-good post but a hard-hitting one because life isnt feel good and upsc definitely isnt feel good. Tomorrow is an important day, and having the right mindset is crucial. Ultimately, Prelims is a mind game.
1. **Going from strength to strength**
Molightson’s story is significant. He comes from the Maring tribe in Manipur, leading a content life with limited exposure to the outside world. His painful experiences with city life and hotel management could’ve made him bitter. But not him. He learned to handle pressure. He appeared for Prelims amidst riots in Manipur. He could’ve said Prelims is not worth risking his life, given his slim chances. Instead of blaming the world for his problems, he looked inward and went from strength to strength. The right kind of people have this attitude.

2. **Control the controllables**
Anything you do in life with a 0.1% success rate will have uncontrollable elements. Your hard work and the inner force to push your limits are necessary conditions but not sufficient. To achieve success, many factors need to come together. Animesh, AIR 2 was battling his Mom’s cancer(where he eventually lost) on one front and fighting UPSC on the other(where he aced like none). We all want to win all fights. But all we can do is give our best and leave the rest to destiny. If you haven’t done your best, putting your best foot forward to control what you can; then you dont have the right to blame what you can’t control.

3. **Choices you make**
You always have a choice in how to respond to a situation. Consider last year’s Prelims. Many came out saying elimination techniques were ineffective. Yet, every ranker used a spectrum of elimination techniques, few requiring solid prior knowledge and deep conceptual understanding, while others requiring none.
Many rankers have held sessions with us, solving the Prelims paper and explaining the same.
What happened here? Your response was reactive. UPSC tricked you into believing what your institutes taught you was worthless. Those who could stop these thoughts gave their best. Tomorrow is not about content, or academics. That is something you can fix with time. It is about getting these life lessons right. It is about building this kind of resilience.
Not sure whether UPSC intended its candidates to be this tough. But the kind of folks entering the services NOW definitely have the right mindset.
🔗 For PDFs. Fill out the form here – https://bit.ly/cd_yt to register and get the keys.
![[Biggest Announcement of the Year] Civilsdaily’s Smash Mains Program 2024](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/SM-Launcg_Final-1568x882.jpg)
This year’s Smash Mains Program has AIR-2 Animesh Pradhan as Super Mentor. The same program that helped him get 473 marks in GS Mains.
As a Super Mentor, he will hold lectures and copy discussion sessions. Smash Mains Program is not just a Mains Test Series. It includes something very critical. and impactful i.e. Classes to cover various important and recurring themes in Mains exam.

First, let’s understand why we must rethink the Mains preparation and how Smash Mains differs from all other Mains Programs.
Traditional methods believe that mains prep is just about Answer Writing. In reality, that is just 20% of overall Mains prep.
They don’t focus on Notes, Revision, Answer Thinking, Enrichment, Structure etc.
Conventional wisdom doesn’t work, and it worries us that so many Mains aspirants still follow outdated methods and obsolete, ‘far from reality’ programs.
Conventional wisdom is lazy thinking. It’s looking at old and obsolete ways and believing that’s what will work in the future, too. Continuing to rely on outdated methods is similar to expecting a horse and carriage to compete with a modern car.
It’s looking at average notes, incomplete revision, and existing approaches to Mains Prep and then believing that’s the best you can do.
The opposite of conventional wisdom is first principles. Rethinking the whole Mains Prep from scratch and building from there to align with UPSC requirements. Rigorously testing each Mains question and answer in a mock test and giving sharp feedback to continuously improve the score.
If you still believe in those methodologies, then Smash isn’t for you. But if you have tried old ways and realized their futility, then apply for Smash Mains today.
Animesh’s command on answer writing grew month after month with each test. We did a detailed session discussing his evolution.
He didn’t follow conventional wisdom. He knew precisely what to focus on and what was important, and this is what he brings to the students of Smash Mains this year.
Smash Mains is the entire Mains program re-engineered.
| Others | Smash Mains | Reference | Outcome | |
| Mentorship | None. Basic doubt-solving at best. | Fault-finding. Ensuring you grow progressively | Link | Better understanding of your weak areas. Quick growth |
| Question framing | Outsourced to external folks and submitted for review with internal member | Each question is discussed in our internal group and tweaked based on | ||
| Balance of paper | No codified frameworks | Proper standardization. | Link | Ensure you are tested on the right components |
| Answer Evaluation | Massive subjectivity. No common framework. Marks dependent | Aggressive training of evaluators. Ruthless 2nd review ensuring no innovation goes unnoticed. | Your score doesn’t depend on the evaluator. | |
| Notes | Basic notes | PYQ oriented Data Banks, Quotes Bank, Intro Conclusion frameworks. Topper Copies. |
Shishir (AIR 16) thanked Civilsdaily’s mentorship and Smash Mains Program

GVS Pavandatta (AIR 22) – Explaining how Smash Mains Program helped him get a rank
Aaditya Pandey (AIR 48) attributes his success story to CD’s Mentorship with Smash Mains
Priya Rani, AIR 69 discussing Sukanya Ma’am’s contribution to her Answer Writing Skills.
Vivek Sonawane, AIR 126 gives credit to Smash Mains for his success.
Durga Prasad Adhikary, AIR 162 explains how Value-Addition from Smash Mains helped him get a Rank
Not putting Penguins among the Fowls – You already know how to write an average answer (you’re missing it by a few marks actually). You want to know how to increase your score from 90 to 110-115. The approach followed by other institutes in their Test series is the same for a veteran and a complete newbie and here lies the problem. Without personalized one-to-one interaction, it will be difficult for you to rectify these minute yet very important shortcomings.
Evaluation is a strength of this program and we put it on a high priority. Arvind sir himself is involved in the process, unlike other institutes where evaluation is outsourced to those who themselves might not have appeared for mains (It’s bizarre). It shouldn’t be based on ‘model answers’ as there are 3-4 ways of approaching an answer. Only a seasoned player will be able to go beyond these model answers and be able to appreciate your approach (If it’s innovative) even if it differs from the model answers provided.
Test copies get checked in a time-bound manner. The questions, answers, and material provided are of the highest quality.
Always on time and insightful discussions end with a reality check and motivation to perform better in the next test.
Emphasis on execution and utilization of knowledge—Mains is not only about knowledge but also about optimally expressing the relevant knowledge.
Our mentor’s interventions are highly specific and not generalized. Sitting right in front of you, he walks you through each question. He is always there, and he will not let you lose your focus.
![[UPSC’25 Beginner’s Webinar] On Note-Making using Progressive Summarization & Finding Focus in UPSC Preparation](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Prayas_webpost__-1568x882.jpg)
Let me ask you a simple question today – What is your note-making strategy for UPSC-CSE?
Now, I know that you have some idea about it. You have watched the topper’s videos. But again, I am asking you – what ‘your’ note-making strategy is.
Copying what toppers do is subjective to them. You can’t just apply that to your preparation and expect similar results.
One simple reason for this is that Topper’s notes are contextual to them. There is a lot of hidden information and context in their notes.
To you as a viewer, this is 100% invisible. Yet the same notes are super handy and valuable to toppers.
What you see is the final version (Layer-5 notes) of the topper. The context and details lie in Layers 1-4. What you need is your own journey from Layer 1 to 5. This is exactly why you must attend this webinar to learn how to make topper-level notes using the same technique used by rankers – Progressive Summarization.
Let me give you a sneak peek into webinar content –
This is a student’s layer 5 notes on a Polity topic. Check the right balance of context and compression (crisp). It is easily revisable and helps with active recall.
This is another example of layer-5 notes using a Mains answer structure for note-making.
There is another important topic that I am going to cover in this session, i.e.
How to find your focus?
We live in a world full of distractions. People have self-diagnosed ADHD. Maintaining focus, concentration, and attention is extremely critical. If you are struggling to do so – Do not miss this session. I am going to talk about – ‘A 10-day path to ultimate concentration.’
We are coming with a Webinar (11th June, 7 PM) where we will show you how to work on your Notes using Progressive Summarization, & finding the focus back in your preparation.

Participants will learn the art of effective note-making through the technique of Progressive Summarization, providing them with a structured approach to convert their initial notes into valuable study materials similar to those used by UPSC toppers. This method involves:
The session will provide valuable strategies to improve focus and concentration, essential for cracking the UPSC-CSE amidst a world full of distractions. Key takeaways included:
The webinar will offer an interactive learning environment where participants could:
![[Working Junta Webinar] Year-long Current Affairs Strategy for Working Professionals](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Siddhi-Thumbnail-1-1568x882.jpg)
Get Mentorship & Current Affairs Based Sample Timetable (Only first 50 registrants)
Being a Working Professional & preparing for the UPSC exam simultaneously is tough.
You might have got a subscription of both The Hindu & Indian Express, but pressure of work, managing project deadlines, attending meetings – you just cannot dedicate enough hours to the section.
By the time you reach home, you are already drained, leaving you NO time to go through the newspaper.
As a working professional, managing a job with UPSC Preparation can be a tough race against time. It is difficult to even cover the syllabus, let alone managing current affairs. You still somehow manage to cover some part of the news. But then, issue of Current Affairs becomes very specific.
1. You continuously miss out on important current affairs almost daily.
2. Interlinking Current Affairs with Static Portion is something you don’t know.
3. Despite having spent so much time on Editorial Section – you still don’t know how to form an opinion.
Till the end of the month, you don’t remember what you read in the first week of the same month – ZERO DISPLACEMENT, NO RECALL.
The enthusiasm slowly withers away, and your pledge to give the exam in 2025, changes to 2026, 2027, 2028…
When Animesh (Rank 2, 2023 – Our Student of UAP Mentorship) started giving his tests with us, his Static Portions weren’t very clear. Despite that, just out of going through our Samachar Manthan religiously, he was able to write answers on Static topics.
His journey was, however, not smooth. Look at his 1st Answer Copy which he wrote with us:
Being a religious Samachar Manthan follower, he had enough content to write an answer. However, he wasn’t addressing the demand of the question.
Now look at the 50th Test Copy that he wrote:
Not only was he fulfilling the demand of the question, he was effectively using subheadings (dimensions) and examples through value-addition he could gather from Samachar Manthan.
This was only possible because he was continuously being mentored by Ranadheer sir, his Mentor in the UAP Program.
Not only was he evaluating his answer copies and giving feedbacks, he was handholding him through his preparation by drawing insights from his Answers.
With 1:1 Mentorship Sessions & method of introspection with Ranadheer sir, he was able to nourish his notes in a manner that was covering both his Static & Current Affairs portion.
He got sharper in his tests, which can be seen from his marks – a whooping 473 in Mains.
The role of a Mentor now is an important as it can get. In this market where content overload is a major issue, only a Mentor can tell you what you cover and what to skip.
Join us in our Webinar by Siddhi Ma’am (Core Mentor at Civilsdaily), where we will discuss how we need to craft a neat Year-Long Strategy for Current Affairs, if you are a Working Professional!

Get Mentorship & Current Affairs Based Sample Timetable (Only first 50 registrants)

Ready to attend the UPSC Webinar?
We recommend you register here. It takes less than 10 seconds to register.

Open Test Date – 8th June (Saturday)
Test Timings
Both Online Mode and Offline Mode (Delhi ORN Centre and Pune Centre)
Our open tests have the highest hit ratios because we follow 2 simple principles, 5 categories, and 80 themes.
The actual UPSC prelims paper can be said to follow broadly 5 categories – 1. Core, 2. Non-core, 3. Logical, 4. Ultra-hard (Skippable). We are aligning very closely with this distribution.
1. Core: These questions are from core sources like standard books, monthly magazines, and Atomic Notes. You are expected to answer ALL of these questions correctly.
[2023] Consider the following organizations/ bodies in India:
1. The National Commission for Backward Classes
2. The National Human Rights Commission
3. The National Law Commissions
4. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal CommissionHow many of the above are constitutional bodies?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
2. Non-core: These questions are 1 level above what is present in core sources. E.g. Political Parties during the freedom movement, Ancient Medieval terms, and terms around Buddhism Jainism.
[2023] Consider the following statements:
1. India has more arable area than China.
2. The proportion of irrigated area is more in India as compared to China.
3. The average productivity per hectare in Indian agriculture is higher than that in China.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
3. Logical: Not solvable by knowledge alone but through logical approach.
[2023] Consider the following statements:
1. Some mushrooms have medicinal properties.
2. Some mushrooms have psychoactive properties
3. Some mushrooms have insecticidal properties
4. Some mushrooms have bioluminescent properties.
How many of the above statements are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) Only three
(d) All four
4. Ultra-hard (Skippable): Needs to be skipped (if attempted by student, it’s a case of over-attempt. Because knowing what not to attempt is as important as knowing what to attempt.
[2023] Consider the following fauna:
1. Lion-tailed Macaque
2. Malabar Civet
3. Sambar Deer
How many of the above are generally nocturnal or most active after sunset?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
We are being very precise. We won’t ask you a broad question on Species.
When it comes to high-profile species like tigers, elephants, and other critically endangered species, UPSC is asking for conservation efforts or behavioural patterns. We will ask you something similar. We are this detail-oriented.
This is true for all subjects. For instance, in Economics, detailed questions on inflation, bonds, differentiated banks, etc. are more difficult.
We have 80 detailed themes and our questions will be framed on similar lines.
[CSP2017]Q. The term ‘M-STrIPES’ is sometimes seen in the news in the context of
(a)Captive breeding of Wild Fauna
(b)Maintenance of Tiger Reserves
(c)Indigenous Satellite Navigation System
(d)Security of National Highways
[CSP2020]Q. Among the following Tiger Reserves, which one has the largest area under “Critical Tiger Habitat”?
(a) Corbett
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
(d) Sunderbans
[CSP2021]Q. With reference to Indian elephants, consider the following statements:
1.The leader of an elephant group is a female.
2.The maximum gestation period can be 22 months.
3.An elephant can normally go on calving till the age of 40 years only.
4.Among the States in India, the highest elephant population is in Kerala.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

![[UPSC Topper Open House ’25/26] Prep Strategy for UPSC 2025 – Prelims till Interview](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Wardha_web_230-1-1-1568x882.jpg)
We are thrilled to have Wardha Khan (AIR 18) at Civilsdaily Delhi HQ.
She will be taking a session on a Comprehensive UPSC Strategy for 2025 Aspirants (Prelims till Interview).
About Wardha
Originally from Prayagraj, Wardha’s educational journey began in her hometown, but later shifted to Noida.
Despite numerous challenges (including failing the first attempt due to CSAT), she continued her education. She completed her schooling up to Class 10 and then pursued commerce. For her undergraduate studies, Wardha enrolled at Delhi University.
Initially motivated by a desire to contribute to her family’s financial stability, Wardha took up a corporate job. However, her aspiration to serve the nation through civil services led her to leave her job and fully dedicate herself to UPSC exam preparation.
Wardha’s journey is a testament to her resilience, determination, and the unwavering support from her mother. Her success story is truly inspiring.
“Hi, I am Wardah Khan, and I have secured AIR 18 this year. The reason why I will be taking this Seminar is I don’t want serious aspirants to commit the same mistakes that I did.
While I was good in GS Paper (Prelims) in my first attempt, I flunked CSAT. It was tough, but I promised myself that I will come back stronger, and fortune favoured me this time.
Throughout my preparation journey, I relied heavily on Online Medium for preparation, and used PYQs extensively. This was the X-factor in this attempt, and I am sure that while you may have your way of preparation, preparing through PYQs is something which will act as a differentiator.
Join me Offline at Civilsdaily Delhi HQ, where I will be sharing a Step-by-Step preparation strategy from Prelims till the Interview, & share methodologies I used to clear this exam.”
Hurry Up! We are allowing only 50 students for the Offline Seminar so you need to book the seats!

We recommend you register here. It takes less than 10 seconds to register.
![[UPSC Beginners Webinar ’25/26] Mains Ready before Prelims | Clear UPSC in 1 Attempt with Mains Prep](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1-1-1568x882.jpg)
100% UPSC aspirants know that Mains Prep is important.
Yet 99% will end up only preparing the exam from the Prelims Perspective.
The consequence?
You might as well clear Prelims by your hard work, but till the time you write your first Mains – you will not be ready enough.
This is because we often lack the strong foundational preparation with respect to Mains. Something as basic as Mains Notes, PYQs, and Current Affairs is often missed. Our notes end up being very Prelims-Centric.
But what separates a Ranker is a Mains-Centric approach from the very beginning.
Your Mains preparation could significantly enhance your Prelims performance as well.
This only comes with a forward-thinking mindset.
Animesh, (AIR 2, UAP student), exemplifies this forward-thinking approach. From the very beginning, he focused on building and refining his Mains notes, which not only helped him get an Interview-Proof Mains Marks, it also helped him clear Prelims with a margin.
“I didn’t just clear the exam, but scored 473 marks in my first attempt. It was only possible because I made really exhaustive notes in a manner which were more like UPSC Answers. Having this approach also helped me with Prelims, as I knew almost everything about every topic mentioned in the syllabus.
This was all while I was working full-time at IOCL. My father passed away when I started preparation, and it was my mother who was my support system till my Interview.
I know it can be stressful to manage studies, especially an integrated way to prepare. But here my mentor Ranadheer Sir was very helpful. He helped me with Notes Making, gave me feedback on my answers, & constantly removed my stress by working like a big brother..
With little time that I could gather, I gave my 100% with my notes-making and enrichment through Samachar Manthan, & this was my X-Factor which helped me both in Prelims & Mains.
I have shared my personal notes with the CD Team. I hope they are helpful.“
Here’s what he did
Animesh joined the UAP in February 2022, & within a week of his Samachar Manthan prep, he was attempting answers through his Mains Notes.
Look at the following topic taken from his Notes:
He picked it up from Samachar Manthan:
What we can conclude with the above it
Now look at the answer that he wrote on a similar question asked in the Test Series:
Look at how he mentions the same judgment of the Supreme Court in the answer, mentions issues like what was written in his notes, and also includes Government Interventions from the notes.
He left no dimensions. Anyone can write some dimensions, but to be able to cover more is an altogether different ball game.
Let’s take a look at another example:
Look at the graph mentioned in the notes, showing the increase in the percentage of MPs with criminal charges.
He reproduces the same graph in his answers:
Animesh made his notes so comprehensive that he was able to reproduce the same dimensions, examples and case studies in his answers in the test paper.
Further, his notes were so to the point, that we was able to give his Prelims with confidence.
This is what you must intend to do.
The first step? We need to make impeccable notes. This is a strategy we need to know.
Next, we need to incorporate these notes into our answers effectively.
Both the above objectives are easier to think, but difficult to do. Hence, we have Arvind sir, who has done crafted a perfect strategy for you.
He is coming with a Webinar on 1st June, 7 PM helping with a Strategy to Clear UPSC Mains 2025 in First Attempt.
If you are a serious UPSC Aspirant who doesn’t want to miss out on proven strategies by Rankers, you must register and block your calendar!

Bonus – Get all Mains Topic-Wise PYQs (GS 1-4) from 2013-2023 to start off with your UPSC Prep 2025.
At the end of the Webinar, you’ll

We recommend you register here. It takes less than 10 seconds to register.
![[यूपीएससी हिंदी वेबिनार ’25/26] तैयारी की 3-कड़ी: नोट्स-मेकिंग, करंट अफेयर्स और PYQs से सफलता की ओर](https://www.civilsdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/ateen-kadi-2-1-1568x882.jpg)
हिंदी माध्यम के अभ्यर्थी को अंतिम सूची में जगह बनाने के लिए क्या करना होगा?
नहीं, यह सिर्फ नोट्स बनाने से नहीं, यह सिर्फ करंट अफेयर्स इंटरलिंकिंग से नहीं – और यह सिर्फ PYQs से नहीं हो सकता।
यह तीनों को निर्बाध रूप से एकीकृत करके हो सकता है।
रोशन सर (हिंदी मेंटर) के इन नोट्स को देखें:

विशिष्ट कोचिंग संस्थान दिए गए मानक नोट्स प्रदान करते हैं। कई छात्र इन्हें छोटे संस्करणों में संक्षेपित कर देते हैं, जो पर्याप्त नहीं है।
उस X-फैक्टर को पाने के लिए, आपको डेप्थ में जाने की जरूरत है।

नोट में, संवैधानिक नैतिकता पर 2021 से PYQ पर ध्यान दें। इस महत्वपूर्ण कथन पर गौर करें: “भारत का संविधान अत्यधिक गतिशीलता की क्षमताओं वाला एक जीवंत दस्तावेज है”
संवैधानिक नैतिकता पर प्रश्न इस दस्तावेज़ से पूछा गया था (पृष्ठ 14) और “भारतीय संविधान एक जीवंत दस्तावेज़ है” उसी दस्तावेज़ से है।
गौर करने वाली बात ये है की यूपीएससी मेन्स 2023 में, रोशन सर के नोट्स में शामिल विषयों से सीधे एक प्रश्न आया, जो PYQs को एकीकृत करने के महत्व को दर्शाता है।

हम क्या कहना चाह रहे हैं?
वास्तव में उत्कृष्टता प्राप्त करने के लिए, आपके नोट्स को इन तत्वों को गहराई से जोड़ना होगा। यही बात टॉपर्स को अलग करती है।
अर्पित, रैंक 136 (हिंदी मीडियम सेकेंड टॉपर) और रोशन सर (वरिष्ठ हिंदी मेंटर एवं 2 साक्षात्कार) अपना दृष्टिकोण साझा करेंगे। उन्होंने करंट अफेयर्स के तथ्यों को PYQs विश्लेषण के साथ मिलाकर अलग-अलग नोट्स बनाए, जिससे उन्हें सीधे परीक्षा में उद्धृत करने की अनुमति मिली। यह रणनीति अर्पित की सफलता और आईपीएस में उनकी आगामी भूमिका की कुंजी थी।
31 मई को शाम 7 बजे अर्पित से सीखने का मौका न चूकें। वह प्रदर्शित करेंगे कि कैसे करेंट अफेयर्स और पीवाईक्यू के साथ प्रभावी ढंग से जोड़कर व्यापक नोट्स बनाए जाएं।
अपनी तैयारी सटीक करें और प्रतिस्पर्धा से ऊपर उठें।

