UPSC Prelims Past Year Paper 2024 with Solutions: CSAT Paper 2 | CSAT Preparation PDF Download

 Page 1


Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 
one-third of food produced for human consumption 
is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted 
throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural 
production to final household consumption. The 
increasing wastage also results in land degradation by 
about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable 
agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater 
extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results 
in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide 
production every year. Decay also leads to harmful 
emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. 
Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms 
is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency 
and food sustainability.
1.	 Which 	 of 	 the	 f ollo wing 	 s t a t emen ts	 bes t 	 r e flect 	
the	 mos t 	 logic al 	 and	 r a tional 	 in f er ences	 tha t	 c an	
be made from the passage?
1. The current methods of food distribution are 
solely responsible for the loss and wastage 
of food.
2. Land productivity is adversely affected 
by the prevailing trend of food loss and 
wastage.
3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food 
results in lesser carbon footprint.
4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or 
reduce the loss and wattage of food are not 
available.
Select the correct answer using the code given 
below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
UPSC PRELIMS 2024 (SET A)
GENERAL STUDIES (Paper II) 
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200 
2. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made	 :
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to 
be reimagined and made effective to reduce 
the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss 
of food is a social and moral responsibility of 
all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
As inflation rises, even governments previously 
committed to budget discipline are spending freely to 
help households. Higher interest rates announced by 
central banks are supposed to help produce modest 
fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while 
paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending 
or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary 
policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates 
become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they 
simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising 
debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is 
greater when public debt rises, because interest rates 
become more important to budget deficits.
3.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing	 s t a t emen ts 	 bes t 	 r e flects/
r e flect 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence/
inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation 
without budgetary backing.
2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the 
fiscal policies pursued by the government.
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
Page 2


Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 
one-third of food produced for human consumption 
is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted 
throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural 
production to final household consumption. The 
increasing wastage also results in land degradation by 
about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable 
agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater 
extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results 
in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide 
production every year. Decay also leads to harmful 
emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. 
Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms 
is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency 
and food sustainability.
1.	 Which 	 of 	 the	 f ollo wing 	 s t a t emen ts	 bes t 	 r e flect 	
the	 mos t 	 logic al 	 and	 r a tional 	 in f er ences	 tha t	 c an	
be made from the passage?
1. The current methods of food distribution are 
solely responsible for the loss and wastage 
of food.
2. Land productivity is adversely affected 
by the prevailing trend of food loss and 
wastage.
3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food 
results in lesser carbon footprint.
4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or 
reduce the loss and wattage of food are not 
available.
Select the correct answer using the code given 
below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
UPSC PRELIMS 2024 (SET A)
GENERAL STUDIES (Paper II) 
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200 
2. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made	 :
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to 
be reimagined and made effective to reduce 
the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss 
of food is a social and moral responsibility of 
all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
As inflation rises, even governments previously 
committed to budget discipline are spending freely to 
help households. Higher interest rates announced by 
central banks are supposed to help produce modest 
fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while 
paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending 
or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary 
policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates 
become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they 
simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising 
debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is 
greater when public debt rises, because interest rates 
become more important to budget deficits.
3.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing	 s t a t emen ts 	 bes t 	 r e flects/
r e flect 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence/
inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation 
without budgetary backing.
2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the 
fiscal policies pursued by the government.
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
4. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Fiscal policies of governments are solely 
responsible for higher prices.
2. Higher prices do not affect the long-term 
government bonds. 
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
5. What is the least possible number of cuts 
r equir ed	 t o	 cut	a 	 cube	 in t o 	 64 	iden tic al 	pieces?
(a)  8
(b)  9
(c)  12
(d)  16
6. In the expression 5 * 4* 3* 2* 1, * is chosen 
from +, -, × each at most two times. What 
is the smallest non-negative value of the 
expression?
(a)  3
(b)  2
(c)  1
(d)  0
7. A certain number of men can complete a piece 
of work in 6k days, where k is a natural number. 
By what percent should the number of men be 
increased so that the work can be completed in 
5k days?
(a) 10%
(b) (50/3)%
(c) 20%
(d) 25%
8. X, Y and Z can complete a piece of work 
individually in 6 hours, 8 hours and 8 hours 
r espectiv ely . 	 Ho w e v er , 	 only	 one	 per son 	 a t 	 a	 time 	
can work in each hour and nobody can work for 
tw o	 c on secutiv e 	 hour s. 	 All	 ar e 	 eng ag ed 	 t o 	 finish 	
the	 w ork. 	 Wha t 	 is 	 the	 minimum 	 amoun t 	 of	 time 	
tha t	 the y 	 will	t ak e 	t o	 finish 	the 	 w ork.
(a) 6 hours 15 minutes
(b) 6 hours 30 minutes
(c) 6 hours 45 minutes
(d) 7 hours
9. How many consecutive zeros are there at the end 
of the integer obtained in the product 1
2
 × 2
4
 × 3
6
 
× 4
8
 ×.... × 25
50
?
(a) 50
(b) 55
(c) 100
(d) 200
10. On January 1st, 2023, a person saved Rs 1. On 
January 2nd, 2023, he saved Rs. 2 more than 
that on the previous day. On January 3rd, 2023, 
he saved Rs. 2 more than that on the previous 
day and so on. At the end of which date was his 
total savings a perfect square as well a perfect 
cube?
(a) 7th January, 2023
(b) 8th January, 2023
(c) 9th January, 2023
(d) Not possible
Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London 
and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, 
it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach 
were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of 
the systems theory is the process of translating social, 
spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical 
models using computing, statistics, optimization 
and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving 
problems. The early universities of the West which 
began to train professionals in planning, spawned 
some of the most ingenious planners, who were 
experts in these domains. This was because these very 
subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum 
that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and 
architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ 
from the West.
11. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence	
that can be made from the above passage?
(a) Curriculum for urban planning courses 
should have diverse and interdisciplinary 
approach.
(b) In India, city administration is under 
bureaucracy which lacks formal training in 
urban planning and management.
Page 3


Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 
one-third of food produced for human consumption 
is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted 
throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural 
production to final household consumption. The 
increasing wastage also results in land degradation by 
about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable 
agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater 
extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results 
in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide 
production every year. Decay also leads to harmful 
emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. 
Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms 
is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency 
and food sustainability.
1.	 Which 	 of 	 the	 f ollo wing 	 s t a t emen ts	 bes t 	 r e flect 	
the	 mos t 	 logic al 	 and	 r a tional 	 in f er ences	 tha t	 c an	
be made from the passage?
1. The current methods of food distribution are 
solely responsible for the loss and wastage 
of food.
2. Land productivity is adversely affected 
by the prevailing trend of food loss and 
wastage.
3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food 
results in lesser carbon footprint.
4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or 
reduce the loss and wattage of food are not 
available.
Select the correct answer using the code given 
below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
UPSC PRELIMS 2024 (SET A)
GENERAL STUDIES (Paper II) 
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200 
2. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made	 :
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to 
be reimagined and made effective to reduce 
the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss 
of food is a social and moral responsibility of 
all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
As inflation rises, even governments previously 
committed to budget discipline are spending freely to 
help households. Higher interest rates announced by 
central banks are supposed to help produce modest 
fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while 
paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending 
or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary 
policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates 
become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they 
simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising 
debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is 
greater when public debt rises, because interest rates 
become more important to budget deficits.
3.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing	 s t a t emen ts 	 bes t 	 r e flects/
r e flect 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence/
inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation 
without budgetary backing.
2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the 
fiscal policies pursued by the government.
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
4. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Fiscal policies of governments are solely 
responsible for higher prices.
2. Higher prices do not affect the long-term 
government bonds. 
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
5. What is the least possible number of cuts 
r equir ed	 t o	 cut	a 	 cube	 in t o 	 64 	iden tic al 	pieces?
(a)  8
(b)  9
(c)  12
(d)  16
6. In the expression 5 * 4* 3* 2* 1, * is chosen 
from +, -, × each at most two times. What 
is the smallest non-negative value of the 
expression?
(a)  3
(b)  2
(c)  1
(d)  0
7. A certain number of men can complete a piece 
of work in 6k days, where k is a natural number. 
By what percent should the number of men be 
increased so that the work can be completed in 
5k days?
(a) 10%
(b) (50/3)%
(c) 20%
(d) 25%
8. X, Y and Z can complete a piece of work 
individually in 6 hours, 8 hours and 8 hours 
r espectiv ely . 	 Ho w e v er , 	 only	 one	 per son 	 a t 	 a	 time 	
can work in each hour and nobody can work for 
tw o	 c on secutiv e 	 hour s. 	 All	 ar e 	 eng ag ed 	 t o 	 finish 	
the	 w ork. 	 Wha t 	 is 	 the	 minimum 	 amoun t 	 of	 time 	
tha t	 the y 	 will	t ak e 	t o	 finish 	the 	 w ork.
(a) 6 hours 15 minutes
(b) 6 hours 30 minutes
(c) 6 hours 45 minutes
(d) 7 hours
9. How many consecutive zeros are there at the end 
of the integer obtained in the product 1
2
 × 2
4
 × 3
6
 
× 4
8
 ×.... × 25
50
?
(a) 50
(b) 55
(c) 100
(d) 200
10. On January 1st, 2023, a person saved Rs 1. On 
January 2nd, 2023, he saved Rs. 2 more than 
that on the previous day. On January 3rd, 2023, 
he saved Rs. 2 more than that on the previous 
day and so on. At the end of which date was his 
total savings a perfect square as well a perfect 
cube?
(a) 7th January, 2023
(b) 8th January, 2023
(c) 9th January, 2023
(d) Not possible
Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London 
and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, 
it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach 
were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of 
the systems theory is the process of translating social, 
spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical 
models using computing, statistics, optimization 
and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving 
problems. The early universities of the West which 
began to train professionals in planning, spawned 
some of the most ingenious planners, who were 
experts in these domains. This was because these very 
subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum 
that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and 
architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ 
from the West.
11. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence	
that can be made from the above passage?
(a) Curriculum for urban planning courses 
should have diverse and interdisciplinary 
approach.
(b) In India, city administration is under 
bureaucracy which lacks formal training in 
urban planning and management.
(c) In India, the management of urban areas 
is a local affair with a chronic problem of 
insufficient funds.
(d) With high density of population and 
widespread poverty in our urban areas, 
planned development in them is very 
difficult.
12. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. India needs a new generation of urban 
professionals with knowledge relevant to 
modern urban practice.
2. Indian universities at present have no 
capacity or potential to impart training in 
systems approach.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
Not every voice on the internet commands the same 
kind of audience. When anonymous private entities 
with high capital can pay for more space for their 
opinions, they are effectively buying a louder voice. 
If political discourse in the digital sphere is a matter 
of outshining one’s opponent till the election is won, 
then the quality of politics suffers. The focus of social 
media is restricted to the promotion of content that 
generates more user engagement, regardless of how 
inflammatory the content may be.
13. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	the 	cen tr al	 idea 	 of	 the 	 abo v e 	 passag e	?
(a) Constructed as a marketplace of views, 
social media ensures instant access to 
information.
(b) Social media are not ideal or moral 
institutions but the products built by 
companies to make profits.
(c) Social media have been created to 
strengthen democracies.
(d) In today’s world, social media are inevitable 
for well-informed social life.
14. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Internet is not inclusive enough.
2. Internet can adversely affect the quality 
of policies in a country. Which of the 
assumptions given above is/are valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
15. 222
333
 + 333
222
 is divisible by which of the 
following numbers?
(a) 2 and 3 but not 37
(b) 3 and 37 but not 2
(c) 2 and 37 but not 3
(d) 2, 3 and 37
16. What percent of water must be mixed with 
honey so as to gain 20% by selling the mixture at 
the cost price of honey ?
(a) 20%
(b) 10%
(c) 5%
(d) 4%
17. What is the rightmost digit preceding the zeros 
in the value of 30
30
?
(a)  1
(b)  3
(c)  7
(d)  9
18. 421 and 427, when divided by the same number, 
lea v e 	 the 	 same 	 r emainder	 1. 	 Ho w 	 man y	 number s	
can be used as the divisor in order to get the 
same remainder 1 ?
(a)  1
(b)  2
(c)  3
(d)  4
19. A can X contains 399 litres of petrol and a can 
Y contains 532 litres of diesel. They are to be 
bottled 	 in	 bottles 	 of	 equal 	 siz e 	 so	 tha t 	 whole	 of	
pe tr ol 	 and	 diesel	 w ould	 be	 separ a t ely	 bottled. 	
The	 bott le 	 c apa city	 in	 t erms 	 of 	 litr es 	 is	 an 	 in t eg er . 	
Ho w	 man y 	 diff er en t 	 bottle 	 siz es 	 ar e 	 possible?
(a)  3
(b)  4
(c)  5
(d)  6
Page 4


Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 
one-third of food produced for human consumption 
is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted 
throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural 
production to final household consumption. The 
increasing wastage also results in land degradation by 
about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable 
agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater 
extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results 
in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide 
production every year. Decay also leads to harmful 
emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. 
Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms 
is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency 
and food sustainability.
1.	 Which 	 of 	 the	 f ollo wing 	 s t a t emen ts	 bes t 	 r e flect 	
the	 mos t 	 logic al 	 and	 r a tional 	 in f er ences	 tha t	 c an	
be made from the passage?
1. The current methods of food distribution are 
solely responsible for the loss and wastage 
of food.
2. Land productivity is adversely affected 
by the prevailing trend of food loss and 
wastage.
3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food 
results in lesser carbon footprint.
4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or 
reduce the loss and wattage of food are not 
available.
Select the correct answer using the code given 
below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
UPSC PRELIMS 2024 (SET A)
GENERAL STUDIES (Paper II) 
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200 
2. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made	 :
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to 
be reimagined and made effective to reduce 
the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss 
of food is a social and moral responsibility of 
all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
As inflation rises, even governments previously 
committed to budget discipline are spending freely to 
help households. Higher interest rates announced by 
central banks are supposed to help produce modest 
fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while 
paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending 
or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary 
policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates 
become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they 
simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising 
debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is 
greater when public debt rises, because interest rates 
become more important to budget deficits.
3.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing	 s t a t emen ts 	 bes t 	 r e flects/
r e flect 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence/
inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation 
without budgetary backing.
2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the 
fiscal policies pursued by the government.
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
4. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Fiscal policies of governments are solely 
responsible for higher prices.
2. Higher prices do not affect the long-term 
government bonds. 
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
5. What is the least possible number of cuts 
r equir ed	 t o	 cut	a 	 cube	 in t o 	 64 	iden tic al 	pieces?
(a)  8
(b)  9
(c)  12
(d)  16
6. In the expression 5 * 4* 3* 2* 1, * is chosen 
from +, -, × each at most two times. What 
is the smallest non-negative value of the 
expression?
(a)  3
(b)  2
(c)  1
(d)  0
7. A certain number of men can complete a piece 
of work in 6k days, where k is a natural number. 
By what percent should the number of men be 
increased so that the work can be completed in 
5k days?
(a) 10%
(b) (50/3)%
(c) 20%
(d) 25%
8. X, Y and Z can complete a piece of work 
individually in 6 hours, 8 hours and 8 hours 
r espectiv ely . 	 Ho w e v er , 	 only	 one	 per son 	 a t 	 a	 time 	
can work in each hour and nobody can work for 
tw o	 c on secutiv e 	 hour s. 	 All	 ar e 	 eng ag ed 	 t o 	 finish 	
the	 w ork. 	 Wha t 	 is 	 the	 minimum 	 amoun t 	 of	 time 	
tha t	 the y 	 will	t ak e 	t o	 finish 	the 	 w ork.
(a) 6 hours 15 minutes
(b) 6 hours 30 minutes
(c) 6 hours 45 minutes
(d) 7 hours
9. How many consecutive zeros are there at the end 
of the integer obtained in the product 1
2
 × 2
4
 × 3
6
 
× 4
8
 ×.... × 25
50
?
(a) 50
(b) 55
(c) 100
(d) 200
10. On January 1st, 2023, a person saved Rs 1. On 
January 2nd, 2023, he saved Rs. 2 more than 
that on the previous day. On January 3rd, 2023, 
he saved Rs. 2 more than that on the previous 
day and so on. At the end of which date was his 
total savings a perfect square as well a perfect 
cube?
(a) 7th January, 2023
(b) 8th January, 2023
(c) 9th January, 2023
(d) Not possible
Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London 
and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, 
it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach 
were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of 
the systems theory is the process of translating social, 
spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical 
models using computing, statistics, optimization 
and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving 
problems. The early universities of the West which 
began to train professionals in planning, spawned 
some of the most ingenious planners, who were 
experts in these domains. This was because these very 
subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum 
that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and 
architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ 
from the West.
11. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence	
that can be made from the above passage?
(a) Curriculum for urban planning courses 
should have diverse and interdisciplinary 
approach.
(b) In India, city administration is under 
bureaucracy which lacks formal training in 
urban planning and management.
(c) In India, the management of urban areas 
is a local affair with a chronic problem of 
insufficient funds.
(d) With high density of population and 
widespread poverty in our urban areas, 
planned development in them is very 
difficult.
12. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. India needs a new generation of urban 
professionals with knowledge relevant to 
modern urban practice.
2. Indian universities at present have no 
capacity or potential to impart training in 
systems approach.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
Not every voice on the internet commands the same 
kind of audience. When anonymous private entities 
with high capital can pay for more space for their 
opinions, they are effectively buying a louder voice. 
If political discourse in the digital sphere is a matter 
of outshining one’s opponent till the election is won, 
then the quality of politics suffers. The focus of social 
media is restricted to the promotion of content that 
generates more user engagement, regardless of how 
inflammatory the content may be.
13. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	the 	cen tr al	 idea 	 of	 the 	 abo v e 	 passag e	?
(a) Constructed as a marketplace of views, 
social media ensures instant access to 
information.
(b) Social media are not ideal or moral 
institutions but the products built by 
companies to make profits.
(c) Social media have been created to 
strengthen democracies.
(d) In today’s world, social media are inevitable 
for well-informed social life.
14. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Internet is not inclusive enough.
2. Internet can adversely affect the quality 
of policies in a country. Which of the 
assumptions given above is/are valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
15. 222
333
 + 333
222
 is divisible by which of the 
following numbers?
(a) 2 and 3 but not 37
(b) 3 and 37 but not 2
(c) 2 and 37 but not 3
(d) 2, 3 and 37
16. What percent of water must be mixed with 
honey so as to gain 20% by selling the mixture at 
the cost price of honey ?
(a) 20%
(b) 10%
(c) 5%
(d) 4%
17. What is the rightmost digit preceding the zeros 
in the value of 30
30
?
(a)  1
(b)  3
(c)  7
(d)  9
18. 421 and 427, when divided by the same number, 
lea v e 	 the 	 same 	 r emainder	 1. 	 Ho w 	 man y	 number s	
can be used as the divisor in order to get the 
same remainder 1 ?
(a)  1
(b)  2
(c)  3
(d)  4
19. A can X contains 399 litres of petrol and a can 
Y contains 532 litres of diesel. They are to be 
bottled 	 in	 bottles 	 of	 equal 	 siz e 	 so	 tha t 	 whole	 of	
pe tr ol 	 and	 diesel	 w ould	 be	 separ a t ely	 bottled. 	
The	 bott le 	 c apa city	 in	 t erms 	 of 	 litr es 	 is	 an 	 in t eg er . 	
Ho w	 man y 	 diff er en t 	 bottle 	 siz es 	 ar e 	 possible?
(a)  3
(b)  4
(c)  5
(d)  6
20. Consider the following statements in respect of 
the	 sum 	 S 	 = 	 x 	 + 	 y 	 + 	 z,	 wher e	 x, 	 y 	 and 	 z	 ar e 	 dis tinct 	
prime 	 number s 	 each	 less	 than 	10 	 :
1. The unit digit of S can be 0.
2. The unit digit of S can be 9.
3. The unit digit of S can be 5.
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
Direction for the following 3 (three) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage—1
By the time children reach class 8, the bulk of them 
tend to be in the age range of 13 years to 15 years. But 
in our country, about a quarter of all children in class 8 
struggle with reading simple texts and more than half 
are still unable to do basic arithmetic operations like 
division. Every year about 25 million young boys and 
girls from elementary school move into the life that lies 
for them beyond compulsory schooling. They cannot 
enter the workforce at least in the organized sector till 
they are 18. For many families, these children are the 
first from their families ever to get this far in school. 
Parents and children expect that such ‘graduates’ from 
school will go on to high school and college. Hardly 
anyone wants to go back to agriculture. On the other 
hand, abilities in terms of academic competencies are 
far lower than they should be even based on curricular 
expectations of class 8.
21. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. For effective school education, parents have 
greater role than the governments.
2. School curriculum that conforms to today’s 
requirements and is uniform for the entire 
country may address the issues brought 
out.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
22. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 cen tr al	 idea	 c on v e y ed	 b y	 the	
passage?
(a) Total eradication of poverty in the country 
will resolve the issue of under-performance 
of our school-children.
(b) Monetary incentives to parents and teachers 
is a strategy to improve the children’s 
academic performance.
(c) Public policy should ensure that 
competencies and achievements of young 
people are aligned with their expectations.
(d) India is not going to take advantage of the 
demographic dividend unless some school 
pass- outs go back to agriculture.
Passage—2
We take it for granted now that science has a social 
responsibility. The idea would not have occurred to 
Newton or Galileo. They thought of science as an 
account of the world as it is, and the only responsibility 
that they acknowledged was to tell the truth. The idea 
that science is a social enterprise is modern, and it 
begins at the industrial revolution. We are surprised 
that we cannot trace a social sense further back, 
because we nurse the illusion that the industrial 
revolution ended a golden age.
23. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 th inking	 of	 the 	 author 	 about	 the 	
science?
(a) Science must value the commitment of the 
scientists.
(b) Science is a product of civilized society and 
must be used for the promotion of scientific 
awareness in people.
(c) Industrial revolution was made possible by 
the advancements in science.
(d) Science must pursue truth but be responsible 
for social welfare.
24. Consider the sequence A_BCD_BBCDABC_
DABC_D
that follows a certain pattern. Which one of the 
following completes the sequence?
(a) B, A, D, C
(b) B, A, C, D
(c) A, A, C, D
(d) A, A, D, C
Page 5


Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 
one-third of food produced for human consumption 
is lost or wasted globally. Food is lost or wasted 
throughout the supply chain, from initial agricultural 
production to final household consumption. The 
increasing wastage also results in land degradation by 
about 45%, mainly due to deforestation, unsustainable 
agricultural practices, and excessive groundwater 
extraction. The energy spent over wasted food results 
in about 3.5 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide 
production every year. Decay also leads to harmful 
emissions of other gases in the atmosphere. 
Addressing the loss and wastage of food in all forms 
is critical to complete the cycle of food efficiency 
and food sustainability.
1.	 Which 	 of 	 the	 f ollo wing 	 s t a t emen ts	 bes t 	 r e flect 	
the	 mos t 	 logic al 	 and	 r a tional 	 in f er ences	 tha t	 c an	
be made from the passage?
1. The current methods of food distribution are 
solely responsible for the loss and wastage 
of food.
2. Land productivity is adversely affected 
by the prevailing trend of food loss and 
wastage.
3. Reduction in the loss and wastage of food 
results in lesser carbon footprint.
4. Post-harvest technologies to prevent or 
reduce the loss and wattage of food are not 
available.
Select the correct answer using the code given 
below :
(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4
(d) 1, 2 and 4
UPSC PRELIMS 2024 (SET A)
GENERAL STUDIES (Paper II) 
Time Allowed: Two Hours Maximum Marks: 200 
2. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made	 :
1. The food distribution mechanism needs to 
be reimagined and made effective to reduce 
the loss and wastage of food.
2. Ensuring the reduction of wastage and loss 
of food is a social and moral responsibility of 
all citizens.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
As inflation rises, even governments previously 
committed to budget discipline are spending freely to 
help households. Higher interest rates announced by 
central banks are supposed to help produce modest 
fiscal austerity, because to maintain stable debts while 
paying more to borrow, governments must cut spending 
or raise taxes. Without the fiscal backup, monetary 
policy eventually loses traction. Higher interest rates 
become inflationary, not disinflationary, because they 
simply lead governments to borrow more to pay rising 
debt-service costs. The risk of monetary unmooring is 
greater when public debt rises, because interest rates 
become more important to budget deficits.
3.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing	 s t a t emen ts 	 bes t 	 r e flects/
r e flect 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence/
inferences that can be made from the passage?
1. Central banks cannot bring down inflation 
without budgetary backing.
2. The effects of monetary policy depend on the 
fiscal policies pursued by the government.
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
4. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Fiscal policies of governments are solely 
responsible for higher prices.
2. Higher prices do not affect the long-term 
government bonds. 
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
5. What is the least possible number of cuts 
r equir ed	 t o	 cut	a 	 cube	 in t o 	 64 	iden tic al 	pieces?
(a)  8
(b)  9
(c)  12
(d)  16
6. In the expression 5 * 4* 3* 2* 1, * is chosen 
from +, -, × each at most two times. What 
is the smallest non-negative value of the 
expression?
(a)  3
(b)  2
(c)  1
(d)  0
7. A certain number of men can complete a piece 
of work in 6k days, where k is a natural number. 
By what percent should the number of men be 
increased so that the work can be completed in 
5k days?
(a) 10%
(b) (50/3)%
(c) 20%
(d) 25%
8. X, Y and Z can complete a piece of work 
individually in 6 hours, 8 hours and 8 hours 
r espectiv ely . 	 Ho w e v er , 	 only	 one	 per son 	 a t 	 a	 time 	
can work in each hour and nobody can work for 
tw o	 c on secutiv e 	 hour s. 	 All	 ar e 	 eng ag ed 	 t o 	 finish 	
the	 w ork. 	 Wha t 	 is 	 the	 minimum 	 amoun t 	 of	 time 	
tha t	 the y 	 will	t ak e 	t o	 finish 	the 	 w ork.
(a) 6 hours 15 minutes
(b) 6 hours 30 minutes
(c) 6 hours 45 minutes
(d) 7 hours
9. How many consecutive zeros are there at the end 
of the integer obtained in the product 1
2
 × 2
4
 × 3
6
 
× 4
8
 ×.... × 25
50
?
(a) 50
(b) 55
(c) 100
(d) 200
10. On January 1st, 2023, a person saved Rs 1. On 
January 2nd, 2023, he saved Rs. 2 more than 
that on the previous day. On January 3rd, 2023, 
he saved Rs. 2 more than that on the previous 
day and so on. At the end of which date was his 
total savings a perfect square as well a perfect 
cube?
(a) 7th January, 2023
(b) 8th January, 2023
(c) 9th January, 2023
(d) Not possible
Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage-1
Today, if we consider cities such as New York, London 
and Paris as some of the most iconic cities in the world, 
it is because plans carrying a heavy systems approach 
were imposed on their precincts. The backbone of 
the systems theory is the process of translating social, 
spatial and cultural desirables into mathematical 
models using computing, statistics, optimization 
and an algorithmic way of formulating and solving 
problems. The early universities of the West which 
began to train professionals in planning, spawned 
some of the most ingenious planners, who were 
experts in these domains. This was because these very 
subjects were absorbed into the planning curriculum 
that had its roots in the social sciences, geography and 
architecture. Planning in India, and its education differ 
from the West.
11. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 mos t	 logic al 	 and 	 r a tional 	 in f er ence	
that can be made from the above passage?
(a) Curriculum for urban planning courses 
should have diverse and interdisciplinary 
approach.
(b) In India, city administration is under 
bureaucracy which lacks formal training in 
urban planning and management.
(c) In India, the management of urban areas 
is a local affair with a chronic problem of 
insufficient funds.
(d) With high density of population and 
widespread poverty in our urban areas, 
planned development in them is very 
difficult.
12. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. India needs a new generation of urban 
professionals with knowledge relevant to 
modern urban practice.
2. Indian universities at present have no 
capacity or potential to impart training in 
systems approach.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Passage-2
Not every voice on the internet commands the same 
kind of audience. When anonymous private entities 
with high capital can pay for more space for their 
opinions, they are effectively buying a louder voice. 
If political discourse in the digital sphere is a matter 
of outshining one’s opponent till the election is won, 
then the quality of politics suffers. The focus of social 
media is restricted to the promotion of content that 
generates more user engagement, regardless of how 
inflammatory the content may be.
13. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	the 	cen tr al	 idea 	 of	 the 	 abo v e 	 passag e	?
(a) Constructed as a marketplace of views, 
social media ensures instant access to 
information.
(b) Social media are not ideal or moral 
institutions but the products built by 
companies to make profits.
(c) Social media have been created to 
strengthen democracies.
(d) In today’s world, social media are inevitable 
for well-informed social life.
14. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. Internet is not inclusive enough.
2. Internet can adversely affect the quality 
of policies in a country. Which of the 
assumptions given above is/are valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
15. 222
333
 + 333
222
 is divisible by which of the 
following numbers?
(a) 2 and 3 but not 37
(b) 3 and 37 but not 2
(c) 2 and 37 but not 3
(d) 2, 3 and 37
16. What percent of water must be mixed with 
honey so as to gain 20% by selling the mixture at 
the cost price of honey ?
(a) 20%
(b) 10%
(c) 5%
(d) 4%
17. What is the rightmost digit preceding the zeros 
in the value of 30
30
?
(a)  1
(b)  3
(c)  7
(d)  9
18. 421 and 427, when divided by the same number, 
lea v e 	 the 	 same 	 r emainder	 1. 	 Ho w 	 man y	 number s	
can be used as the divisor in order to get the 
same remainder 1 ?
(a)  1
(b)  2
(c)  3
(d)  4
19. A can X contains 399 litres of petrol and a can 
Y contains 532 litres of diesel. They are to be 
bottled 	 in	 bottles 	 of	 equal 	 siz e 	 so	 tha t 	 whole	 of	
pe tr ol 	 and	 diesel	 w ould	 be	 separ a t ely	 bottled. 	
The	 bott le 	 c apa city	 in	 t erms 	 of 	 litr es 	 is	 an 	 in t eg er . 	
Ho w	 man y 	 diff er en t 	 bottle 	 siz es 	 ar e 	 possible?
(a)  3
(b)  4
(c)  5
(d)  6
20. Consider the following statements in respect of 
the	 sum 	 S 	 = 	 x 	 + 	 y 	 + 	 z,	 wher e	 x, 	 y 	 and 	 z	 ar e 	 dis tinct 	
prime 	 number s 	 each	 less	 than 	10 	 :
1. The unit digit of S can be 0.
2. The unit digit of S can be 9.
3. The unit digit of S can be 5.
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
Direction for the following 3 (three) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage—1
By the time children reach class 8, the bulk of them 
tend to be in the age range of 13 years to 15 years. But 
in our country, about a quarter of all children in class 8 
struggle with reading simple texts and more than half 
are still unable to do basic arithmetic operations like 
division. Every year about 25 million young boys and 
girls from elementary school move into the life that lies 
for them beyond compulsory schooling. They cannot 
enter the workforce at least in the organized sector till 
they are 18. For many families, these children are the 
first from their families ever to get this far in school. 
Parents and children expect that such ‘graduates’ from 
school will go on to high school and college. Hardly 
anyone wants to go back to agriculture. On the other 
hand, abilities in terms of academic competencies are 
far lower than they should be even based on curricular 
expectations of class 8.
21. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	ha v e 	 been 	made	 :
1. For effective school education, parents have 
greater role than the governments.
2. School curriculum that conforms to today’s 
requirements and is uniform for the entire 
country may address the issues brought 
out.
Which of the assumptions given above is/are 
valid?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
22. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 cen tr al	 idea	 c on v e y ed	 b y	 the	
passage?
(a) Total eradication of poverty in the country 
will resolve the issue of under-performance 
of our school-children.
(b) Monetary incentives to parents and teachers 
is a strategy to improve the children’s 
academic performance.
(c) Public policy should ensure that 
competencies and achievements of young 
people are aligned with their expectations.
(d) India is not going to take advantage of the 
demographic dividend unless some school 
pass- outs go back to agriculture.
Passage—2
We take it for granted now that science has a social 
responsibility. The idea would not have occurred to 
Newton or Galileo. They thought of science as an 
account of the world as it is, and the only responsibility 
that they acknowledged was to tell the truth. The idea 
that science is a social enterprise is modern, and it 
begins at the industrial revolution. We are surprised 
that we cannot trace a social sense further back, 
because we nurse the illusion that the industrial 
revolution ended a golden age.
23. Which one of the following statements best 
r e flects 	 the 	 th inking	 of	 the 	 author 	 about	 the 	
science?
(a) Science must value the commitment of the 
scientists.
(b) Science is a product of civilized society and 
must be used for the promotion of scientific 
awareness in people.
(c) Industrial revolution was made possible by 
the advancements in science.
(d) Science must pursue truth but be responsible 
for social welfare.
24. Consider the sequence A_BCD_BBCDABC_
DABC_D
that follows a certain pattern. Which one of the 
following completes the sequence?
(a) B, A, D, C
(b) B, A, C, D
(c) A, A, C, D
(d) A, A, D, C
25. Two persons P and Q enter into a business. P 
puts 	 ?	 14,000 	 mor e	 than	 Q ,	 but 	 P	 has 	 in v es t ed 	
for 8 months and Q has invested for 10 months. 
If	 P ’ s 	 sh ar e 	 is 	 ?	 400	 mor e	 th an 	 Q ’ s 	 shar e	 out	 of	
the	 t ot al 	 pr ofit 	 of	 ?	 2,000,	 wha t 	 is 	 the 	 c apit al 	
contributed by P?
(a) ? 30,000
(b) ? 26,000
(c) ? 24,000
(d) ? 20,000
26. P’s salary is 20% lower than Q’s salary which is 
20% lower than R’s salary. By how much percent 
is R’s salary more than P’s salary?
(a) 48.75%
(b) 56.25%
(c) 60.50%
(d) 62.25%
27. A number is mistakenly divided by 4 instead of 
multiplying 	 b y 	 4. 	 Wha t 	 is 	 the 	 per cen t ag e 	 chang e	
in the result due to this mistake?
(a) 25%
(b) 50%
(c) 72.75%
(d) 93.75%
28.	 In 	 an 	 e x amina tion, 	 80%	 of	 s tuden ts 	 passed	 in 	
English,	 70%	 of	 s tuden ts 	 passed	 in 	 Hindi 	 and 	
15% failed in both the subjects. What is the 
percentage of students who failed in only one 
subject?
(a) 15%
(b) 20%
(c) 25%
(d) 35%
29. A father said to his son, “n years back I was as 
old	 as 	 y ou 	 ar e 	 no w . 	 My	 pr esen t 	 ag e 	 is	 f our	 times 	
your age n years back”. If the sum of the present 
ages of the father and the son is 130 years, what 
is	the 	diff er ence 	 of	 their 	 ag es?
(a) 30 years
(b) 32 years
(c) 34 years
(d) 36 years
30.	 Consider 	the	f ollo wing:
1. 1000 litres = 1m
3
2. 1 metric ton = 1000 kg
3. 1 hectare = 10000 m
2
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
Directions for the following 4 (four) Items :
Read the following two passages and answer the 
items that follow the passages. Your answers to these 
items should be based on the passages only.
Passage—1
“The history of science is the real history of mankind.” 
In this striking epigram, a nineteenth-century writer 
links science with its background. Like most epigrams, 
its power lies in emphasizing by contrast an aspect 
of truth which may be easily overlooked. In this 
case, it is easy to overlook the relations between 
science and mankind, and to treat the former has 
some abstract third party, which can sometimes be 
praised for its beneficial influences, but frequently 
and conveniently blamed for the horrors of war. 
Science and mankind cannot be divorced from time to 
time at men’s convenience. Yet we have seen that, in 
spite of countless opportunities of improvement, the 
opening years of the present period of civilization have 
been dominated by international conflict. Is this the 
inevitable result of the progress of science or does the 
fault lie elsewhere?
31.	 Which 	 of 	 the 	 f ollo wing 	 is/ ar e	 empha tic ally 	
conveyed by the author of the passage?
1. Without science, mankind could not have 
continued to exist till today.
2. It is the science that will ultimately 
determine the destiny of mankind. 
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
32. Based on the above passage, the following 
assump tions 	 ha v e 	 been 	 made:
1. The horrors of modern life are the inevitable 
result of the progress of science.
2. The aspect of truth likely to be overlooked 
is that science is what man has made it. 
Which of the assumptions given above is/
are correct?