The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the UPSC Mains examination for the year 2023, which took place from September 15, 2023, to September 24, 2023. According to preliminary analysis shared by some experts, the difficulty level of the UPSC Mains exam fell within the range of Easy to Moderate. In comparison to previous years, the papers in 2023 were generally considered to be more approachable.
Here is a breakdown of key points from the analysis:
- Difficulty Level:
Overall, the examination papers were assessed to be of moderate difficulty, with some elements leaning towards being relatively easy. Candidates who had diligently covered standard study materials and practiced effectively found the papers manageable. - Expected Cut-off:
While the official cutoff marks for UPSC Mains 2023 have not been officially released yet, an analysis based on historical trends suggests that the expected cutoff marks for the General category are likely to fall within the range of 740 to 760. - Topics Covered:
The UPSC Mains 2023 examination incorporated several contemporary topics that have been widely discussed in recent news and events. These topics encompassed issues such as youth suicides, conflicts within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), NATO expansion, Artificial Intelligence, the Chandrayaan-3 mission, and more. This reflects UPSC’s approach to evaluating candidates’ awareness of current affairs and their ability to link these events to broader societal concerns. - Comparison with Previous Years:
Compared to previous years, the papers in UPSC Mains 2023 were generally perceived as less challenging. The essay paper featured topics that were more concrete and less abstract than in previous years. In the case of GS Paper-IV (Ethics), the inclusion of shorter case studies led to improved time management, unlike the challenges faced in the previous year. - Section-wise Analysis:
- General Studies Paper I: This section comprised 6 questions related to History, 7 questions related to Geography, and 7 questions related to Indian Society.
- General Studies Paper II: It included 11 questions related to Indian Polity, 5 questions related to Governance and Social Justice, and 4 questions related to International Relations.
- General Studies Paper III: This section featured 8 questions related to the Indian Economy, 3 questions related to Science & Technology, 5 questions related to Environment & Disaster Management, and 4 questions related to Internal Security.
- General Studies Paper IV (Ethics): This year the Ethics paper consisted of 13 questions from theory section, each carrying 10 marks and there were 6 questions from case studies. This is almost the way UPSC generally asks every year.
- Optional Papers Analysis should not be clubbed in here because that requires subject specific expert analysis. A detailed analysis of all the optional subjects will be posted very soon.
The above analysis has been done after reading various reviews of the recent mains examination by many experts at different online media platforms.