All questions of UPSC CSE Prelims Paper 2 (CSAT) Mock Tests (2026) for UPSC CSE Exam

M is 35% of N; L is 25% of N. What percent of M is L?

A garment company declared 15% discount for wholesale buyers. Mr. Sachdev bought garments from the company for Rs. 25000 after getting the discount. He fixed up the selling price of garments in such a way that he earned a profit of 8% on original company price. What is the approximate total selling price?

Santhosh went to a hotel to buy some tiffen namely idly, vada & dosa. He has to buy atleast 9 units of each. He buys more vada than idly & more dosa than vada. He picks up a total of 32 items. How many vada does he buy?  

Balaji, Arun, Prasad and Vimal are business partners. Their profit is shared in the ratio 3:5 : 9:13 respectively. If the share of prasad is 1800 Rs more than share of Balaji, then what is the total amount of share received by Arun and Vimal?

The price of an item is decreased by 10%, then by 20%, and finally by 30%. This is equivalent to:

A rectangular floor has to be decorated with square tiles. Length and breadth of the floor is 35m and 49m respectively. If the side of one tile is 7m, find the number of tiles needed to decorate the floor.

Sanjay runs at a speed of 15 m/s, while Ajay runs at a speed of 13 m/s in a middledistance race. If both of them start running at the same time and Sanjay completes the race in exactly 2 minutes and 10 seconds, then how much extra time will Ajay need to run the remaining distance?  

Sania says to her daughter, “I was as old as you are now when you were born”. If Sania is 30 years old, then what was the age of her daughter four years ago?

What is the sum of all the 3-digit numbers that leave a remainder of 5 when divided by 7?

Three numbers are co-prime to each other, such that the product of first two co-prime numbers is 459 and the product of last two coprime numbers is 621. What must be the sum of these three co-prime numbers?

Direction: Read the following four passage and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.
Packaging is enclosing the food material in a container to ensure the delivery of the product in the best condition to the consumer for final use. Therefore, good packaging plays a vital role in developing the image and brand of the company product. Intelligent food packaging incorporating nanosensors can provide information on the state of the food inside. It is recommended that nano packaging should be designed in such a way to release antimicrobials, antioxidants, flavour enzymes and nutraceuticals to extend the shelf life of the food products. There is a need to undertake further toxicological and migration studies to ensure the safe development of nanotechnologies in the food packaging industry.

Q. Which of the following is/are the most rational and logical inference/ inferences that can be made from the passage?

1. Including nanosensors in packaging will increase the cost of packaging for companies.

2. There is limited understanding of the use of nanotechnology in the packaging industry.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

How much water must be added to a 100 cc of 80% solution of boric acid to reduce it to a 50% solution?

Rani bought more apples than oranges. She sells apples at Rs. 23 a piece and makes 15% profit. She sells orange at Rs. 10 a piece and makes 25% profit. If she gets Rs. 653 after selling all the apples and oranges, find her profit percentage.

On independence day, chocolates were to be distributed amongst 300 children. But on that day, 50 students were absent and so, each child got one extra chocolate. How many chocolates were distributed?  

Any suicide is a tragedy of insurmountable proportions for the family. It has multiple ramifications for those left behind. Truly, it is the end point of the collective failure of society. Hence, its prevention begins within the society. Suicides which happen due to coercion and threat of violence are not truly suicides, they are murders committed by all of us. In India, we harbour suicides in our shanties, colonies, homes, colleges, schools and professional institutions. We love the talk of death as a means of retribution. If we do not want that to happen, then we must raise our voices at every act of injustice, abuse, prejudice, threat and violence aimed at the ordinary Indian.

Q. Which one of the following is the most rational inference(s) one can draw from the passage?

Sarath borrowed a sum of Rs.9000 at a Bank in Simple Interest. He borrowed the same amount from one of his friend in compound interest. If the difference between his interest is Rs.40, find the rate percentage?

If in a certain language, APPROACH is written as YRNTMYCF, then OBJECTIVE is written as  

What will be the next term in the following series: A4, Y7, W11, ____?

If 9 + 6 = 135, 13 + 7 = 260, 7 + 12 = 133, 10 + 11 = 210, then 18 + 15 = ?

If the diagonal of a square becomes half, the area of that square reduces by how much percentage?

A box contains some balls of black, blue and red colours in the ratio 3 : 8 : 7. The number of red coloured balls is greater than that of black coloured balls by a number that is a multiple of both 12 and 9. What is the minimum possible number of total balls contained in the box?

Today about 25% of modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 80% of the developing country's population still relies on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, to help meet their health care needs. Also, there is an increase in the demand for plant products in both developing and developed countries because of several advantages such as no side effects, non-toxic, and affordable prices. Plants provide the raw material for industries producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, and fragrance flavours imparting biochemical. Therefore, there is an urgent need for conservation, sustainable utilization, and management of plant genetic resources of the region to meet the growing requirements of food, fodder, fibre, health, water, and other needs.

Q. According to the passage above, what are the different uses of plants?

1. Preparation of medicines

2. Consumption of food

3. Prevention of soil erosion

4. Making perfumes

5. Controlling air pollution

Select the correct answer from code below:

Pesticide resistance is increasing and farmers’ and other pest managers’ dependencies on chemical insecticides have led to a high frequency of insecticide resistance in some crop systems. To fight pesticide resistance and based on a knowledge of the genetics of the development of pesticide resistance, several principles must be adhered to for delaying the emergence of resistance or avoiding it entirely. These principles include pesticide rotation or switching, avoiding unnecessary pesticide applications, using non-chemical control techniques, and leaving untreated refuges where susceptible pests can survive.
Q. Which one of the following statements best reflects the central idea of the passage?

There are four declared candidates for permanent membership: India, Japan, Brazil and Germany, called the G-4. Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean are unrepresented in the permanent category at present. Africa’s claim for two permanent seats has wide understanding and support, but the Africans have yet to decide which two countries these are to be. As for India, we can discount Pakistan’s opposition; China will not support India nor will it ever support Japan. Brazil has regional opponents and claimants. As for Germany, Italy is firmly opposed to its claim. Italy has an interesting argument. If Germany and Japan – both Axis powers during the Second World War, and hence ‘enemy’ states – were to join as permanent members, that would leave out only Italy, the third founding member of the Axis group. In any case there are already three western nations among the P-5. Even if India enjoyed near universal support, there is no way that India alone can be elected; it will have to be a package deal involving countries from other groups.  There is quite a debate going on about whether the aspiring countries should accept permanent membership without the right of veto. There is no ambiguity regarding the position of the P-5. Every one of them is firmly opposed to conferring the veto power to any prospective new permanent member. Not just the P-5. The vast majority of members do not want any more veto-wielding members in the Council. There is a proposal to the effect that a resolution can be defeated only by a negative vote of at least two permanent members. This also is a non-starter; the P-5 are firmly opposed to any dilution of their privileged position.  

Out of four declared candidates for permanent membership to UN security council, India alone can be elected because :

I. India has near universal support.  

II. Germany’s claim is opposed by India

III. Japan’s claim is opposed by China

IV. Brazil claim is opposed by her neighbors. 

Give the correct answer using the following codes.

After the Civil War, an industrial revolution remade the nation at unimaginable speed. In a generation, America became a place more recognizable today than it would have been to people who came of age when Lincoln did. Wall Street figured centrally in that great transformation. Its titanic financiers dominated the economic and political landscape, especially the railroads which were the cornerstone of the new economy and which depended on a supportive and pliant government for their creation. The men who choreographed their construction and lived lavishly off their proceeds were revered by some as master builders and Napoleonic conquerors. Writers marveled at their Darwinian ferocity. But they were reviled by others as robber barons and rogues and sinners against the moral order. For the first time Wall Street became a spectacle, an object of mass fascination. It seduced and repelled people sometimes the same people at once. 

With which of the following statements will the author agree? 

Today about 25% of modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants. World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that about 80% of the developing country's population still relies on traditional medicines, mostly plant drugs, to help meet their health care needs. Also, there is an increase in the demand for plant products in both developing and developed countries because of several advantages such as no side effects, non-toxic, and affordable prices. Plants provide the raw material for industries producing pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, and fragrance flavours imparting biochemical. Therefore, there is an urgent need for conservation, sustainable utilization, and management of plant genetic resources of the region to meet the growing requirements of food, fodder, fibre, health, water, and other needs.

Q. Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

1. Developed nations are mainly dependent on chemical-based medicines.

2. Many plant genetic resources are getting extinct because of the increasing loss of biodiversity.

Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

Unlike other endangered endemic bird species in the Nilgiris such as the Nilgiri Laughing Thrush (Montecincla cachinnans),which seems to have a degree of adaptability and tolerance for anthropogenic changes to its environment, the Sholakili (Nilgiri Blue Robin) seems to be highly restricted to only Shola forest habitats, making it more susceptible to changes in its environment, said an independent researcher and wildlife biologist. He said the habitats of the Sholakili were shrinking due to expanding plantations, settlements and other construction activities. 

Which of the following is the most crucial and logical inference that can be made from the above passage?

In siun, the main aim of transport planning is to make the transport sector more sustainable from a social and environmental point of view while simultaneously allowing tourism to grow. Transport planning and tourism policy have to be integrated to achieve joint environmental and social objectives. In this sense, it is important to create incentives that reduce the need for private cars and minimize the length of time needed to access specific locations. This could lead to substantial welfare gains, in terms of pollution reductions and improved access for rural inhabitants.

Q. What is the crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

In a local shop as part of promotional measures, the shop owner sells three different varieties of soap, one at a loss of 13 percent, another at a profit of 23 percent and the third one at a loss of 26 percent. Assuming that the shop owner sells all three varieties of soap at the same price, the approximate percentage by which average cost price is lower or higher than the selling price is:

A shopkeeper labelled the price on his articles in such a manner so as to earn a profit of 30% on the cost price. He, then sold the articles by offering a discount of 10% on the labelled price. What is the actual profit percentage earned by him?

Chinese inroads into the neighborhood have been a cause of worry for India. China has been actively pursuing bilateral ties with Bangladesh. Bangladesh had successfully approached China for a mega project to enhance Teesta river water flow. Bangladesh also requires China’s support in resolving the Rohingya refugee crisis. Bangladesh is the second biggest arms market for China after Pakistan.  Bangladesh has also been warming up to Pakistan. The two shared frosty ties for decades after Pakistani politicians made unwarranted comments on the International Crimes Tribunal set up by Bangladesh. Although memories of 1971 remain, Bangladesh has expressed its interest in establishing peaceful relations with Pakistan. 

What is the most important message the author is conveying through this passage?

Two statements S1 and S2 are given below followed by a Question:

S1: The sum of the digits of n is divisible by 3.
S2: The difference between the last two digits of n is divisible by 3.
Q: Is the integer n divisible by 3?

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above Statements and the Question? 

Which of the following conclusions follows based on the given statements?
Statements:
All towels are cloths.
Some pillows are towels.  
No clothes are carpets.  
Conclusions:  
I. Some pillows are cloths.
II. No carpets are towels.
III. Some pillows are carpets
IV. Some clothes are towels. 

Consider the following equation.

[(4/5) of (4/5) ÷ (4/5)] / [(4/5) ÷ (4/5) of (4/5)]

What outcome will we get after solving the above equation?

A box contains 15 apples, out of which 5 are rotten. 4 apples are drawn from the box at random (one by one without replacement).

What is the probability that all 4 of them are rotten?

There are four declared candidates for permanent membership: India, Japan, Brazil and Germany, called the G-4. Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean are unrepresented in the permanent category at present. Africa’s claim for two permanent seats has wide understanding and support, but the Africans have yet to decide which two countries these are to be. As for India, we can discount Pakistan’s opposition; China will not support India nor will it ever support Japan. Brazil has regional opponents and claimants. As for Germany, Italy is firmly opposed to its claim. Italy has an interesting argument. If Germany and Japan – both Axis powers during the Second World War, and hence ‘enemy’ states – were to join as permanent members, that would leave out only Italy, the third founding member of the Axis group. In any case there are already three western nations among the P-5. Even if India enjoyed near universal support, there is no way that India alone can be elected; it will have to be a package deal involving countries from other groups.  There is quite a debate going on about whether the aspiring countries should accept permanent membership without the right of veto. There is no ambiguity regarding the position of the P-5. Every one of them is firmly opposed to conferring the veto power to any prospective new permanent member. Not just the P-5. The vast majority of members do not want any more veto-wielding members in the Council. There is a proposal to the effect that a resolution can be defeated only by a negative vote of at least two permanent members. This also is a non-starter; the P-5 are firmly opposed to any dilution of their privileged position.  

With which of the following statements the author of the passage will not agree:

I. No P-5 members will agree to give permanent membership with veto power.

II. A resolution can be defeated by a negative vote of at least two permanent members.

III. Africa’s claim for two permanent seats has a wide understanding.

IV. Many member nations do not mind addition of few more permanent members with veto power.  

Answer using the following codes : 

While infrastructure is essential for creating safe and inclusive places, we cannot underplay the importance of changing mindsets. There is a need for the sensitization of students, teachers, and staff in all educational institutions, from primary schools to universities, on understanding and accepting queer and transgender folks. India has taken a step in the right direction by enacting the Transgender Persons Act, which speaks of a trans-inclusive education system wherein transgender students learn with other students without fear of discrimination, neglect, or harassment.
With reference to the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
1. Presently every stakeholder in educational institutions is not adequately sensitized about transgender persons.
2.Before the enactment of the Transgender Persons Act, there was no any Act in the country to deal with transgender persons.
3.The said Act will empower the transgender while removing difficulties they face in every sector.
Q. Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?

In a class, 40% of the boys is same as half of the girls, and there are 20 girls in total. Total number of students in the class is:

In a school, the students are interested in various sports activities. 55% are interested Badminton, 50% are interested in Volleyball, 42% are interested in Hockey, 28% are interested in Badminton and Volleyball, 20% are interested in Volleyball and Hockey, 12% are interested Badminton and Hockey and 10% are interested in all the three. If each one of them are interested in atleast one of these, then what percentage of students are interested in exactly one sport?