UPSC Dropped 3 Question in Prelims 2024 (GS Paper 1)

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has officially announced the answer key for the Civil Services Examination (CSE) Prelims 2024 on 21st May 2025. According to the announced UPSC Prelims Answer Key 2024, three questions have been removed from each set (A, B, C, D) of GS Paper 1. No questions were removed from CSAT (Paper 2). The marks for candidates will now be calculated out of the remaining 97 out of 100 questions in GS Paper 1.

Students and teachers are questioning the sanctity and transparency of the examination process, especially since one of the dropped questions pertained to a static portion of the UPSC syllabus. In this article, we have discussed which UPSC dropped 3 questions, why they were considered problematic, the effect of this action, and what changes are now being demanded.

3 Questions Dropped by UPSC in Prelims 2024 (GS Paper 1)

The UPSC decision to remove questions from the GS Paper 1 followed after the preliminary examination was carried out on June 16, 2024. Although the reasons for removing these questions are not clearly mentioned in the UPSC official answer key PDF, decisions like these are usually based on ambiguities of the question itself, having more than one correct option, factual errors, or translation blunders. The questions dropped were on Environment (Indian Flying Fox), Economy (Syndicated Lending), and Modern History (Lord Cornwallis and land settlements).

Also Check: UPSC CSE Prelims Answer Key 2024

Which 3 Questions Were Dropped by UPSC in Prelims 2024?

Here are the three questions dropped from UPSC Prelims 2024 (General Studies Paper 1, from SET A) as per the final answer key released by UPSC on May 21, 2025. These questions (i.e., Q. No. 20, 52 and 57) were not considered for evaluation, and marks were adjusted accordingly for all candidates.

1. Question 20: Indian Flying Fox

• Topic: Environment

• Issue: Asked about whether the Indian Flying Fox is listed as a vermin species.

• Problem: Differing information in government notifications. The animal is scheduled under Schedule V (pests) in certain states but not for the country as a whole. Aspirants used inconsistent data to confuse.

• UPSC Action: Dropped due to ambiguity in interpretation and lack of a universally accepted answer.

20. Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:
The Indian Flying Fox is placed under the “vermin” category in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Statement-II:
The Indian Flying Fox feeds on the blood of other animals.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
any of
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

2. Question 52: Syndicated Lending

• Topic: Economy / Banking

• Issue: Statement-based question on syndicated lending and the role of financial institutions.

• Problem: Mixed definitions between “syndicated loans” and “consortium loans”. The framework confused even senior candidates because of technical errors.

• UPSC Action: Dropped to avoid penalizing candidates for flawed or unclear framing.

52. Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:
Syndicated lending spreads the risk of borrower default across multiple lenders.

Statement-II :
The syndicated loan can be a fixed amount/lump sum of funds, but cannot be a credit line.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct

3. Question 57: Lord Cornwallis and Land Settlements

• Topic: Modern History

• Issue: Static question on land revenue systems introduced during British rule.

• Problem: Choices were confusing, perhaps contrary to the conventional NCERT and Bipin Chandra material. Some believed this question had an evident answer and ought not to have been cut out.

• Controversy: Aspirants were particularly dismayed that a static history question was cut out, reflecting poor vetting by the UPSC.

• UPSC Action: Dropped — a move that led to credibility concerns.

57. With reference revenue collection by Cornwallis, consider the following statements:

1. Under the Ryotwari Settlement of revenue collection, the peasants were exempted from revenue payment in case of bad harvests or natural calamities.
2. Under the Permanent Settlement in Bengal, if the Zamindar failed to pay his revenues to the state, on or before the fixed date, he would be removed from his Zamindari.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Why Does UPSC Drop Questions?

UPSC maintains stringent quality control of question papers, but sometimes:

• More than one correct answer may be there in a question.
• Certain questions can be factually incorrect or vague.
• Option or setting errors can result in unfair assessment.

Impact of Cancel Questions for Aspirants

The most obvious impact of these dropped questions is on the scores of GS Paper 1. Rather than being tested over 100 questions (200 marks), candidates’ performances will be assessed over 97 questions. This implies:

• Total Marks Reduction: The test now accounts for 97 questions out of 100, decreasing total marks from 200 to 194.
• Cut-Off Adjustments: The cut-off marks have been updated in relation to the new total. For 2024 prelims, the general category cut-off is approximately 88 marks.
• Candidate Reactions: Candidates close to the cut-off who fell short by a margin of 1-2 marks have reacted with dismay to the question selection and marking process.
• Greater Pressure on Transparency: The move has rekindled calls for UPSC to be transparent and receptive to criticism on question papers and answer keys.

UPSC Prelims 2025 Cut off Marks (Based on GS Paper-I)

Those who scored between 86 and 88 remained in a grey area. A few missed the cutoff for the Mains by 0.66 to 2 marks, and this led to frustration and demands for transparency.

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