UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025, Check Out Difficulty Level

Check out the UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025 with subject-wise question distribution, difficulty level, and key trends. Know how Culture, History, Society, and Geography were covered in the exam.

Table of Contents

The UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 2025 was held on 23rd August 2025 in the forenoon session (9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon). With a marking of 250 marks, this paper examined candidates on Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Indian Society, and Geography. Aspirants nationwide have been waiting with bated breath for an organized analysis of the paper, and the UPSC
Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025 by StudyIQ is of great value in terms of the level of difficulty, subject trends, and topic coverage.
This piece presents a detailed UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025 difficulty-wise and topic-wise distribution to enable aspirants to gauge the paper properly.

UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 2025 Overview

The UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 2025 was balanced and moderately difficult, testing both factual clarity and critical analysis. While Geography dominated the paper, Society questions stood out for their analytical demand. History and Culture were asked from conventional areas but required depth in presentation.

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025
Paper	General Studies Paper I (GS 1)
Date of Exam	23rd August 2025 (Saturday)
Time	9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Total Marks	250
Sections Covered	Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Indian Society, Geography
Overall Difficulty Level	Moderate (Balanced between static & analytical)

UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025 With Solution

The UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 2025 was conducted on 23rd August, covering Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Indian Society, and Geography. The paper was moderately challenging with a good balance of static and analytical questions. Geography was the longest with resource distribution and tectonics, and Society tested thinking. In-depth solutions with explanations assist aspirants in comprehending approach-based answer writing and enhancing preparation for subsequent mains exams.

Q. No.	Question	Marks	Word Limit
1	Discuss the salient features of the Harappan architecture.	10	150
2	Examine the main aspects of Akbar’s religious syncretism.	10	150
3	The sculptors filled the Chandella artform with resilient vigor and breadth of life. Elucidate.	10	150
4	How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples.	10	150
5	What are non-farm primary activities? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India? Discuss with suitable examples.	10	150
6	Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples.	10	150
7	What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples.	10	150
8	How does smart city in India address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice?	10	150
9	The ethos of civil service in India stand for the combination of professionalism with nationalistic consciousness – Elucidate.	10	150
10	Do you think that globalization results in only an aggressive consumer culture? Justify your answer.	10	150
11	Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss.	15	250
12	Trace India’s consolidation process during early phase of independence in terms of polity, economy, education and international relations.	15	250
13	The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain.	15	250
14	Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of off-shore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the on-shore occurrences of oil reserves?	15	250
15	How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning?	15	250
16	Discuss how the changes in shape and sizes of continents and ocean basins of the planet take place due to tectonic movements of the crustal masses.	15	250
17	Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources.	15	250
18	Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could meet poor people’s needs in a country like India. Comment.	15	250
19	How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.	15	250
20	Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.	15	250

UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 2025 Difficulty Level

Section	No. of Questions	Difficulty Level	Examples from Paper
Indian Heritage & Culture	3	Moderate	Harappan Architecture, Chandella Art, Akbar’s Syncretism
History	3	Moderate–Difficult	Jotirao Phule, Post-independence consolidation, French Revolution relevance
Indian Society	4	Moderate	Globalisation & Consumer Culture, Fast Food Industry, Tribal Development
Geography	10	Moderate	Tsunami, Climate Change & Island Nations, AI in GIS, Ganga Basin Population, Tectonics

Analysis:

Easy Questions: Harappan Architecture, Tsunami, Solar Energy, Smart Cities.
Moderate Questions: Chandella Art, French Revolution, Ganga Basin Population.
Difficult/Analytical: Civil Service Ethos, Globalisation, AI in Planning, Tribal Development.

Subject-wise Distribution – UPSC GS Paper 1 (2025)

Indian Heritage & Culture (15%) – Focused on architecture & syncretism traditions.
History (15%) – Covered reform movements, world history, and post-independence India.
Indian Society (20%) – More analytical & opinion-based questions.
Geography (50%) – Heavy focus on resources, tectonics, climate, and population.

Trends Compared to Previous Years

Rise in Contemporary Issues – Questions linked with technology (AI, drones, GIS) and environment (climate change, sustainable growth).
Consistent Weightage to Society – Analytical questions demanding aspirants’ viewpoints.
Geography Dominance – Resource distribution, tectonic movements, and applied planning questions made geography the largest share.
Culture Remained Static – Art & architecture themes continued as predictable areas.

UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 Analysis 2025 – Key Takeaways

Balanced Distribution: All four areas (Culture, History, Society, Geography) received fair coverage.
Static + Dynamic Mix: The paper included traditional topics like Harappan architecture, Chandella art, and Akbar’s syncretism, along with contemporary issues such as AI, climate change, smart cities, and fast-food culture.
Analytical Depth Needed: Questions on globalization, civil service ethos, and tribal development required critical thinking beyond rote learning.
Geography Dominated: More than 40% of the questions were geography-oriented, reflecting UPSC’s evolving emphasis on environment, resources, and human geography.