UPSC 2024: Balanced current affairs, static portions with direct NCERT questions

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 17, 2024 14:26 IST

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has conducted the UPSC Prelims exam for IAS, IPS, IFS officers on June 16, 2024. This examination was divided into two sessions. The first session, General Studies (GS) Paper 1, occurred from 9:30 am to 11:30 am, followed by the second session, GS Paper 2, also known as the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT), from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

Here's the detailed analysis shared by Unacademy.

The exam presented a balanced mix of current affairs and static portions, reflecting recent developments in the Supreme Court and Parliament. It also highlighted India’s growing focus on defence, with questions on the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Rafale fighter jets, and military ranks, topics that had not been covered in past exams. This shift underscores the UPSC's aim to prepare future bureaucrats who are knowledgeable about both current events and the country's future trajectory.

Direct questions from NCERT textbooks were evident in the geography and economy sections, demonstrating the ongoing relevance of these resources. Here is a breakdown of the exam difficulty by subject:

• Economy: Moderate to Difficult

• Polity: Easy to Moderate

• History: Moderate to Difficult

• Geography: Easy to Moderate

• Environment: Difficult

• Science & Technology: Moderate

• International Relations: Moderate

The economy section followed expected trends, with questions on UPI, digital payments, and financial market instruments—consistent themes over the last few years. While some questions were straightforward, others posed more of a challenge. Government schemes also featured prominently, with detailed questions similar to last year.

There were a few theoretical questions on topics like fixed vs. working capital and secondary vs. tertiary markets. Unacademy recommends studying from Class 11-12 economics textbooks from the Tamil Nadu or Maharashtra boards, which they found to offer clearer explanations than NCERT textbooks. The India Yearbook is also suggested for understanding government schemes.

Notably, no questions were asked about microeconomics, mirroring last year’s trend.

Overall, the UPSC exam was deemed relevant and forward-looking, targeting a new generation of bureaucrats who are well-versed in both the current and future dynamics of India.