The Civil Services Main examination is designed to know the aspirants personality and also his/her ability to present his/her knowledge in a comprehensible, consistent and descriptive manner. The IAS Mains Exam evaluates the overall intellectual quality of the candidates’ and his insights on different issues.

UPSC General Studies paper 2 is of  250 Marks and contains Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations in syllabus.  Click here for UPSC MAINS SYLLABUS 2021

2018 UPSC MAINS GS PAPER 2

  1.  In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (10 Marks) 150 words
  2. Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine. (10 Marks) 150 words
  3. Under what circumstances can the Financial Emergency be proclaimed by the President of India? What consequences follow when such a declaration remains in force? (10 Marks) 150 words
  4. Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role of the Estimates Committee. (10 Marks) 150 words
  5. “The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has a very vital role to play.” Explain how this is reflected in the method and terms of his appointment as well as the range of powers he can exercise. (10 Marks) 150 words
  6. “Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders have resulted in inadequate ‘protection and prevention of degradation to environment.” Comment with relevant illustrations. (10 Marks) 150 words
  7. Appropriate local community level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain. (10 Marks) 150 words
  8. E-governance in not only about utilization of the power of new technology, but also much about critical importance of the ‘use value’ of i nformation. Explain. (10 Marks) 150 words
  9. “India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss. (10 Marks) 150 words
  10. A number of outside powers have entrenched themselves in Central Asia, which is a zone of interest to India. Discuss the implications, in this context, of India’s joining the Ashgabat Agreement, 2018. (10 Marks) 150 words
  11. Whether the Supreme Court Judgement (July 2018) can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and elected government of Delhi? Examine. (15 Marks) 250 words
  12. How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India. (15 Marks)  250 words
  13. Indian and USA are two large democracies. Examine the basic tenets on which the two political systems are based. (15 Marks) 250 words
  14. How is the Finance Commission of India constituted? What do you know about the terms of reference of the recently constituted Finance Commission? Discuss. (15 Marks) 250 words
  15. Assess the importance of the Panchayat system in India as a part of local government. Apart from government grants, what sources the Panchayats can look out for financing developmental projects? (15 Marks) 250 words
  16. Multiplicity of various commissions for the vulnerable sections of the society leads to problems of overlapping jurisdiction and duplication of functions. Is it better to merge all commissions into an umbrella Human Rights Commission? Argue your case. (15 Marks) 250 words
  17. How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India? (15 Marks) 250 words
  18. The Citizen’s Charter is an ideal instrument of organisational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizen’s Charters. (15 Marks) 250 words
  19. What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of ‘Trade War’, especially keeping in mind the interest of India? (15 Marks) 250 words
  20. In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to its situation? (15 Marks) 250 words

The nature of questions in General Studies in civil services mains exam need answers that are relevant, consequential and synoptic . These questions are to test the candidate’s skill on assessing and taking a view on the diverging socio-economic goals and objectives.To get more tips on studies of UPSC mains  click here 

UPSC Prelims syllabus 2021

How Many hours should you stdy to clear UPSC exam 2021

Hoew to select optional subject?