Analysis
Of G.S. paper in CSat 2020
In Prelims 2020, UPSC asked more questions
from Polity approximately 16 questions have been asked directly from polity.
The paper touched the usual conventional areas like Preamble, Fundamental
Rights, DPSP, Basic Structure, Union Government, etc. Polity also influenced
some questions in current affairs. For example, questions on MPLADS and
Parliament Session were asked. Interestingly, UPSC asked more questions needing
conceptual understanding this year. For example, interpretation of
Constitutional Government, Parliamentary Democracy, Gandhism, Marxism, etc
found space. Overall, the level of polity was easy to moderate.
Amid so much news around financial crises,
Current affairs was bound to influence the Economy section of the paper. This
year, around 14 questions were asked directly from economics. Some questions
like questions on Gold Tranche, FDI, TRIMS, etc were direct concept-based
questions. While some questions on monetary policy of RBI, role of cooperative
Banks, etc were influenced by current happenings. Overall, the Economy section
too was from easy to moderate.
Science section as
usual was dominated by Science and Technology and that too very much influenced
by Current Affairs. This year around ten questions were there from Science with
eight in Science and Technology. It seems UPSC has taken more interest in
application of technology. For example, applications of Artificial
Intelligence, Blockchain Technology, Nanotubes, etc were asked. Overall this
section could have been handled easily, if an aspirant has covered both static
and current affairs smartly.
In History,
domination of modern India was not there as it used to be. The share has been
taken by Ancient, Medieval and Culture. In History, 18 questions have been
asked with around 9 from the Ancient, Medieval and Culture part. Overall, it
was a mixture of easy, moderate and tough questions.
Geography being
the favourite domain of UPSC is dominated by Agriculture this year. Around 10
questions were there from Geography and Agriculture. In-fact this year some
core technical questions have been asked by UPSC. For example, types of soil,
climate and fertiliser of crops became part of three different questions. Atlas
based questions influenced by news were also there. Overall this section could
have been done if someone has covered agriculture part of Geography very well.
Environment the
pet topic of UPSC maintained its position. It notched around 17 questions.
Questions were mostly based on facts and knowledge with respect to pollutants,
National Parks, Bio Fuels, etc. Overall an aspirant with good clarity and good
in memorising facts could make intelligent guesses through elimination.
Current Affairs, where
UPSC gives surprises, was the same this year. Around 15 questions were there
from Current Affairs. At times it becomes difficult to split static parts from
Current Affairs. For example, most of the questions in the Economic Section and
Science and Technology have been asked under the influence of news but have not
crossed the boundary of static syllabus. The Government Scheme was a miss with very
few like one on the Kisan Credit Card. Places in news found its due space and
COVID influenced questions like on animal cells and vaccines. Reports and
agencies couldn’t find its conventional position.
Overall UPSC Prelims 2020 was a package of
unconventional questions, where the cut-off is expected to remain almost the
same as last year.
Cut-off i.e minimum marks required to
qualify prelims varies each year. For General Category Candidates cut-off was
98 in UPSC Prelims 2019, 98 in UPSC Prelims 2018, and 105.34 in UPSC Prelims
2017. This variation in cut-off marks is due to the dynamic nature of the
paper.
