🎯 PRELIMS — PYQ Analysis & 8 Full Mocks
The screening stage. Only GS Paper I decides the cut-off; CSAT is qualifying at 66.67/200 — but failing it ends your attempt regardless of your GS score.
| File / Folder | What it is |
|---|---|
PYQ-Analysis.md |
Read this before any mock. Subject-wise weightage · question-format trends · recurring themes · the elimination & guessing strategy · how to analyse your own mocks |
8-Full-Prelims-Mocks/ |
8 full-length mocks — 100 GS + 80 CSAT questions each, with answer keys and explanations |
⚠️ Note on mock detail levels
- Mock-01 and Mock-02 carry full per-question explanations — use these first, as learning tools.
- Mock-03 to Mock-08 use compact answer keys with selected explanations — use these as pure timed practice once you know the format.
- A few answers are deliberately flagged for verification (e.g. Mock-02 Q59, Mock-03 CSAT Q46). Chasing those down is intentional training.
Exam protocol (non-negotiable)
9:30 AM sharp · 2 hours · OMR sheet · phone off · no pauses
Marking: +2 correct, −0.66 wrong (GS) | +2.5, −0.83 (CSAT)
Then: 3-HOUR ANALYSIS. Tag every question:
✅ right & sure 🍀 right but guessed (= a gap!)
❌ wrong-concept ❌ wrong-silly ⬜ left but answerable
Target trajectory (GS Paper I, with negative marking)
| Mocks | Target |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | 85+ |
| 3–4 | 95+ |
| 5–6 | 105+ |
| 7–8 | 115+ |
These mocks supplement, never replace, real UPSC previous year papers — download those free from upsc.gov.in.