PYQ 2017UPSC Prelims

UPSC Prelims 2017 - CSAT (Paper II)

Attempt the official UPSC Prelims previous year question paper 2017 as a free, timed mock test on AajExam. Get instant scoring, sectional analysis, and detailed solutions for every question.

80
Questions
200
Total Marks
120
Minutes
2017
Year

About This Paper

The UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (CSE) is the highly competitive first stage of the exam used to recruit officers for the IAS, IPS, IFS, and other central services This page hosts the official UPSC Prelims 2017 - CSAT (Paper II) — the UPSC Prelims previous year question paper from 2017. AajExam has reconstructed this paper into a fully timed online mock test so candidates preparing for UPSC Prelims can experience the real exam pattern, attempt every question with answer keys verified by our expert panel, and analyse their performance section-wise. The paper contains 80 multiple-choice questions to be attempted in 120 minutes for a total of 200 marks. The exam uses 1 sections — CSAT (Aptitude) (80 questions) with 0.33 negative marking per wrong answer. Use this paper to practise question selection, sectional time management, and accuracy under real exam conditions. Why solve UPSC Prelims 2017 previous year papers? Government competitive exams like UPSC Prelims repeat question patterns, formula-based concepts and theme-based questions year after year. Solving the actual UPSC Prelims 2017 paper helps you identify high-yield chapters, calibrate the difficulty level, and build the speed required to clear sectional cut-offs. Every question on this paper has a detailed solution available immediately after submission, including step-by-step working for quantitative problems, grammar rules for English, and direct reference statements for general awareness questions. How to use this PYQ paper effectively: first, attempt the full 120-minute test in a single sitting without referring to notes — treat it like the actual UPSC Prelims exam. After submission, review the auto-generated analytics to see your section-wise accuracy, attempt rate, and time spent per question. Then revisit every wrong and skipped question with the explanation, and add the underlying concept to your revision notes. Repeat the same paper after 7-10 days — your second attempt should be at least 15-20% faster with better accuracy. This UPSC Prelims 2017 - CSAT (Paper II) mock test is completely free on AajExam. You can also browse the full archive of UPSC Prelims previous year papers shift-wise and year-wise to build a strong PYQ-driven preparation strategy. All papers come with bilingual support (English and Hindi solutions where applicable), instant scoring, all-India ranking, and downloadable performance reports.

Exam Pattern & Sections

SectionQuestionsMarks/QNegative
CSAT (Aptitude)802.50.83

Sample Questions with Answers

Showing 5 of 80 questions. Start the mock test to attempt all questions in timed mode.

1
CSAT (Aptitude)

Passage-1 What climate change will undeniably do is cause or amplify events that hasten the reduction of resources. Competition over these diminishing resources would ensue in the form of political or even violent conflict. Resource-based conflicts have rarely been overt and are thus difficult to isolate. Instead, they take on veneers that appear more politically palatable. Conflicts over resources like water are often cloaked in the guise of identity or ideology. What does the above passage imply?

  1. A.Resource-based conflicts are always politically motivated.
  2. B.There are no political solutions to resolve environmental and resource-based conflicts.
  3. C.Environmental issues contribute to resource stresses and political conflict.
  4. D.Political conflict based on identity or ideology cannot be resolved.

Explanation

Option (a) is out of the question as it does not find support in the passage. Option (b) is incorrect because it misread the facts presented in the passage which is not talking about political solutions rather than it is talking about political conflicts. Option (d) is a judgement that is not in agreement with the views expressed in the passage. The author has expressed ideology and identity as the façade for resource-based conflicts. Option (c) is the most logical and nearest in addressing the same concern as expressed by the author. It is a suitable answer to the question. The author has expressed his concern about the potential political conflicts arising out of shortages of resources due to climate change. The diminishing resources will lead to competition and even political conflicts in nations. Right now, these resource-based conflicts have the political mask and look as if arising out due to ideology or identity differences. The author has given the example of water conflicts to reflect this.

2
CSAT (Aptitude)

Passage–2 The man who is perpetually hesitating about which of the two things he will do first will do neither. The man who resolves, but suffers his resolution to be changed after the first counter-suggestion of a friend—who fluctuates from opinion to opinion and veers from plan to plan—can never accomplish anything. He will at best be stationary and probably retrograde in all. It is only the man—who first consults wisely, then resolves firmly and then executes his purpose with inflexible perseverance, undismayed by those petty difficulties which daunt a weaker spirit—that can advance to eminence in any line. The keynote that seems to be emerging from the passage is that

  1. A.we should first consult wisely and then resolve firmly.
  2. B.we should reject suggestions of friends and remain unchanged.
  3. C.we should always remain broad-minded.
  4. D.we should be resolute and achievement- oriented. UPSC CIVIL SERVICES EXAMINATION (PRELIMS)-CSAT

Explanation

The author is very clear in his objective and message. Success is everyone’s dream. But it is a common habit to lose focus and interest if someone close discourages us. This tendency is strongly opposed by the author in the passage; he says that a man should always be resolute and achievement-oriented ignoring all the opinions after taking the first step. Consult only before setting a goal and consult wisely. But do not let a weaker spirit stop you from achieving the target. The gist that seems to be emerging from the passage is that we should first consult wisely and then resolve firmly. Option (a) follows the intent of the passage correctly. The passage is not about broad-mindedness. option (c) is incorrect. The author does not say that one should not consult friends at all, instead he emphasises on wise consultation. This makes option (b) incorrect.

3
CSAT (Aptitude)

Passage–3 During the summer in the Arctic Ocean, sea ice has been melting earlier and faster, and the winter freeze has been coming later. In the last three decades, the extent of summer ice has declined by about 30 per cent. The lengthening period of summer melt threatens to undermine the whole Arctic food web, atop which stand polar bears. Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

  1. A.Climate change has caused Arctic summer to be short but temperature to be high.
  2. B.Polar bears can be shifted to the South Pole to ensure their survival.
  3. C.Without the presence of polar bears, the food chains in the Arctic region will disappear.
  4. D.Climate change poses a threat to the survival of polar bears.

Explanation

Option (b) is illogical and thus, can be concluded as the incorrect option. Option (a) is false as the Arctic summers have now become long and the temperature too remains unprecedently high. But this is not the crucial message of the passage. Option (c) cannot be deduced from the passage. The disturbance in the food chain can be understood but the disappearance of the complete food chain is beyond logic. Option (d) is correct in raising the concern regarding the survival of polar bears due to such a drastic climate change. According to the passage, the food chain will get disturbed in the Arctic region due to climate change and the species which will get most affected will be polar bears, the main inhabitants of the region.

4
CSAT (Aptitude)

Passage–4 Why do people prefer open defecation and not want toilets or, if they have them, only use them sometimes? Recent research has shown two critical elements: ideas of purity and pollution, and not wanting pits or septic tanks to fill because they have to be emptied. These are the issues that nobody wants to talk about, but if we want to eradicate the practice of open defecation, they have to be confronted and dealt with properly. Which among the following is the most crucial message conveyed by the above passage?

  1. A.The ideas of purity and pollution are so deep-rooted that they cannot be removed from the minds of the people.
  2. B.People have to perceive toilet use and pit- emptying as clean and not polluting.
  3. C.People cannot change their old habits.
  4. D.People have neither civic sense nor a sense of privacy.

Explanation

People prefer open defecation to have under- ground septic tanks in homes. They have a wrong idea of cleaning; they think that pit cleaning is a polluting dirty thing. The author states in the passage that this perception of people has to be confronted and dealt with properly. The idea of purity of people is misplaced. It can be corrected under proper guidance as per the author. The author is hopeful of it. So, options (a), (c) and (d) are wrong.

5
CSAT (Aptitude)

Passage–5 In the last two decades, the world’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has increased by 50 per cent, whereas inclusive wealth has increased by a mere 6 per cent. In recent decades, GDP-driven economic performance has only harmed inclusive wealth like human capital; and natural capital like forests, land and water. While the world’s human capital which stands at 57 per cent of total inclusive wealth grew by only 8 per cent, the natural capital which is 23 per cent of total inclusive wealth declined by 30 per cent worldwide in the last two decades. Which of the following is the most crucial inference from the above passage?

  1. A.More emphasis should be laid on the development of natural capital.
  2. B.The growth driven only by GDP is neither desirable nor sustainable.
  3. C.The economic performance of the countries of the world is not satisfactory.
  4. D.The world needs more human capital under the present circumstances.

Explanation

The passage support the statement that the GDP driven growth in only one way which does not encourage the growth of natural capital. It is correct to say that GDP driven growth is undesirable or unsustainable. This is supported by the passage. Option (b) is correct. Option (c) is a vague statement. If we measure the growth in terms of GDP then, 50% growth in two decades is a very encouraging figure. It is not clear from the passage how this growth is divided among the countries of the world. The passage does not support option (d). This is an incomplete statement. The world not only requires more human capital but more natural capital as well. The inference that can be derived from the passage is that growth in natural capital including human capital is important is not a valid inference . Thus, option (a) is the incorrect answer.

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The paper contains 80 multiple-choice questions to be attempted in 120 minutes for a total of 200 marks, with 0.33 negative marking per wrong answer.

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The UPSC Prelims 2017 paper covers the following sections: CSAT (Aptitude). Each section is designed to test a specific skill set required for the UPSC Prelims exam.

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