Table Of ContentGeneral Studies
(Paper-II)
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General Studies
(Paper-II)
For the Civil Services Preliminary Examination
2016
Edgar Thorpe
Showick Thorpe
Copyright © 2016 Pearson India Education Services Pvt. Ltd
Published by Pearson India Education Services Pvt. Ltd, CIN: U72200TN2005PTC057128,
formerly known as TutorVista Global Pvt. Ltd, licensee of Pearson Education in South Asia.
No part of this eBook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the
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reserves the right to remove any material in this eBook at any time.
ISBN 978-93-325-4704-9
eISBN 978-93-325-6788-7
Head Office: A-8 (A), 7th Floor, Knowledge Boulevard, Sector 62, Noida 201 309,
Uttar Pradesh, India.
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About tChoen Etxeanmtsination
The Civil Services Examination consists of two (Preliminary and Main) successive stages:
Civil Services Preliminary Examination (objective type) for the selection/screening of candidates for the next level of the
examination, i.e., the main examination; and
Civil Services Main Examination (subjective type and interview) for the selection of candidates for the various services and
post.
In 2011, the UPSC introduced a new format for the preliminary examination that included two papers on General Studies:
General Studies (Paper-I), and General Studies (Paper-II) also known as CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test).
In 2013, there was a strategic shift in the format of the Civil Services Main Examination. The Civil Services Main Exami-
nation now has four compulsory papers of General Studies. There is only one optional subject now instead of two, plus there is
one compulsory essay paper. English and one language paper is of only qualifying nature.
In 2013, the UPSC also included the Indian Forest Service (IFS) aspirants to take the Civil Services Preliminary Exami-
nation. Those Indian Forest Service aspirants who may eventually clear the preliminary examination have to write separate
examination for their Indian Forest Service Examination (Main).
Since 2015, the UPSC has made the CSAT (General Studies Paper-II) of only qualifying nature and one needs to score
33% to qualify. Marks of only Paper-I will be considered for ranking in the preliminary, based on which candidates will appear
for the main examination.
SCHEME OF CIVIL SERVICES (PRELIMINARY) EXAMINATION
The preliminary examination consists of two papers of objective type (multiple choice questions) carrying a maximum of 400
marks (200 marks each for Paper-I and Paper-II).
The question papers (test booklets) are set in English & Hindi.
Each paper is of two hours duration.
Blind candidates are allowed extra time of twenty minutes for each paper.
The UPSC preliminary examination is meant to serve as a screening test only; the marks obtained in the preliminary examina-
tion by the candidates who are declared qualifi ed for admission to the main examination will not be counted for determining
their fi nal order of merit.
The number of candidates to be admitted to the main examination will be about 10–15 times the total vacancies available in
a particular year for various services and posts. However, for any change or additional information revealed by the UPSC,
please keep checking its website for notifi cations in this regard.
CIVIL SERVICES PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION SYLLABUS
Paper-I
100 MCQs—200 marks
Duration—2 hours
Current Events of National and International Importance.
History of India and Indian National Movement.
vi About the Examination
Indian and World Geography—Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
Indian Polity and Governance—Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
Economic and Social Development—Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change—that do not require subject specialization.
General Science.
Paper-II
80 MCQs—200 marks
Duration—2 hours
Comprehension
Interpersonal Skills (including Communication Skills);
Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability
Decision-making and Problem Solving
General Mental Ability
Basic Numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data Interpretation (Charts, Graphs,
tables), Data Sufficiency (Class X level), etc.
Note 1: The CSAT or Paper-II of the Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination will be a qualifying paper only with a minimum
of 33% to be secured to qualify for the Civil Services (Main) Examination.
Note 2: The questions in both Paper-I (Current Affairs) and Paper-II (Aptitude Test) will be of multiple choice, objective type
for 200 marks each and the time allotted for each paper is two hours.
Note 3: It is mandatory for the candidate to appear in both the papers of Civil Services Preliminary Examination for the
purpose of evaluation. Therefore, a candidate will be disqualified in case he or she does not appear in both the papers of the
preliminary examination.
Contents
Preface xiii
aptitude building FoR
Acknowledgements xv
the ‘geneRal studies’
pRevious YeaRs’ papeRs
1 buILDINg bLoCkS For SuCCESS 2.3
FIvE-YEar aNaLYSIS oF thE gENEraL Build on Your Open-Mindedness 2.3
StuDIES PaPEr-II (2011–2015) 1.3 Build on Your Competence 2.3
Macro Analysis 1.3 Build on Your Ability to Question 2.3
Micro Analysis 1.4 Build on Your Supportive Nature 2.3
Build on Your Ability to Give 2.3
1 aNaLYSIS oF thE Build on Your Need to be Challenged 2.3
gENEraL StuDIES (PaPEr-II) 2015 1.5 Build on Your Creativity 2.4
Detailed Analysis 1.5 Build on Your Ability to Balance 2.4
Solved General Studies Paper-II (2015) 1.6 Build on Your Prosperity 2.4
Build on Your Success 2.4
2 aNaLYSIS oF thE Build on Your Ability to be Just and Fair 2.4
gENEraL StuDIES (PaPEr-II) 2014 1.19 Activities and Checklists 2.5
Detailed Analysis 1.19
Solved General Studies Paper-II (2014) 1.20
2 CrEatIvE tIME MaNagEMENt 2.27
Creative Time Management 2.27
3 aNaLYSIS oF thE
gENEraL StuDIES (PaPEr-II) 2013 1.32
Detailed Analysis 1.32 3 DISCovErINg Your PErSoNaLItY 2.32
Solved General Studies Paper-II (2013) 1.34
Discovering Your Personality 2.32
Discover Yourself 2.32
4 aNaLYSIS oF thE
What is ‘Personality’ Exactly? 2.32
gENEraL StuDIES (PaPEr-II) 2012 1.46
Is Personality Nature or Nurtured? 2.33
Detailed Analysis 1.46 Small Changes for Big Results 2.33
Solved General Studies Paper-II (2012) 1.48
Activities and Checklists 2.34
Developing Your Personality 2.43
5 aNaLYSIS oF thE
Leadership and Personality Types 2.43
gENEraL StuDIES (PaPEr-II) 2011 1.60
Assessment of Leadership and
Detailed Analysis 1.60 Personality Tendencies 2.45
Solved General Studies Paper-II (2011) 1.62 Understanding Your Scores 2.47
viii Contents
Reading CompRehension logiCal Reasoning and
analYtiCal abilitY
1 rEaDINg CoMPrEhENSIoN 3.3
SECtIoN 1 LogICaL rEaSoNINg
Introduction 3.3
Social Studies and Humanities 3.5 1 StatEMENt 5.3
Practice Exercise 3.8
Deductive Logic 5.3
Explanations 3.111 Multiple Choice Questions 5.7
Socio-Economic and Political 3.129 Explanations 5.20
Practice Exercise 3.133
2 NuMbEr oF ELEMENtS
Explanations 3.167
IN a FIgurE 5.29
Science 3.173
Multiple Choice Questions 5.29
Practice Exercise 3.219
Explanations 5.32
Additional Exercise 3.230
3 LogICaL DIagraMS 5.38
Explanations 3.248
Multiple Choice Questions 5.40
Explanations 5.45
SECtIoN 2 aNaLYtICaL rEaSoNINg
inteRpeRsonal skills, 1 aNaLYtICaL rEaSoNINg 5.49
CommuniCation skills, deCision Analytical Reasoning 5.49
making and pRoblem solving Tips for Solving Analytical Reasoning Problems 5.49
Symmetrical Relationships 5.49
Puzzles on Building Pairs/Teams 5.50
1 INtErPErSoNaL SkILLS aND
Location Quandaries 5.52
CoMMuNICatIoN SkILLS 4.3
Distribution Dilemmas 5.53
Development of Interpersonal Skills 4.3
Fixing Schedules 5.54
Decision Making and Problem Solving 4.15
CATCH-22 Connections 5.55
Solved Illustrations 4.25 Other Common Problems 5.55
Practice Exercise 1 4.35 Multiple Choice Questions 5.57
Explanations 4.41 Explanations 5.65
Practice Exercise 2 4.43
geneRal mental aptitude
Explanations 4.50
Practice Exercise 3 4.53
SECtIoN 1 MENtaL abILItY
Explanations 4.59 (CoNvENtIoNaL tYPE)
Practice Exercise 4 4.61
1 SErIES CoMPLEtIoN 6.3
Explanations 4.67
Series Completion 6.3
Practice Exercise 5 4.70
Number Series 6.4
Explanations 4.74
Alpha-Numeric Series 6.5
Practice Exercise 6 4.76
Multiple Choice Questions 6.5
Explanations 4.81 Explanations 6.9
Contents ix
2 CLaSSIFICatIoN 6.13 4 INSErtINg thE MISSINg
CharaCtErS 6.85
Odd Man Out/Classification 6.13
Number Classification 6.13 Inserting the Missing Characters 6.85
Word Classification 6.14 Multiple Choice Questions 6.85
Multiple Choice Questions 6.14 Explanations 6.90
Explanations 6.17
5 MathEMatICaL oPEratIoNS 6.93
3 aNaLogY 6.19
Mathematical Operations 6.93
Analogy Questions 6.19
Multiple Choice Questions 6.93
Word Analogy 6.19
Explanations 6.94
Multiple Choice Questions 6.20
Explanations 6.24
6 SIttINg arraNgEMENtS 6.96
4 CoDINg/DECoDINg 6.27 Seating Arrangement 6.96
Multiple Choice Questions 6.96
Coding/Decoding 6.27
Explanations 6.99
Multiple Choice Questions 6.27
Explanations 6.34
SECtIoN 3 MENtaL abILItY
5 bLooD aND FaMILY rELatIoNShIPS 6.42 (NoN-vErbaL tYPE)
Multiple Choice Questions 6.44
1 tESt oF NoN-vErbaL abILItY 6.103
Explanations 6.46
Non-verbal Reasoning 6.103
Series Completion 6.103
6 SENSE oF DIrECtIoNS 6.50
Analogies 6.104
Direction Questions 6.50
Classification 6.105
Multiple Choice Questions 6.51
Arranging of Figures in Sequence 6.105
Explanations 6.54
Pattern Comparison and Pattern Completion 6.105
Mirror Reflection 6.106
SECtIoN 2 MENtaL abILItY
Finding Hidden Figures 6.106
(EvoLvED tYPE)
Blocks and Squares 6.106
1 raNk aND SEQuENCE 6.63 Cubes and Dices 6.107
Rank and Sequence 6.63 Making Figures From Broken Pieces 6.107
Multiple Choice Questions 6.64 Clock Movements 6.107
Explanations 6.67 Practice Exercise 6.108
Practice Exercise (Mixed) 6.112
2 PoSItIoN oF DIgItS, aLPhabEtS
aND MEaNINgFuL worDS 6.70
Position of Digits, Alphabets and numeRiCal aptitude
Meaningful Words 6.70
Multiple Choice Questions 6.72 SECtIoN 1 baSIC NuMEraCY
Explanations 6.76
1 NuMbEr SYStEM 7.3
3 agE, tIME aND CaLENDar 6.81
Positive and Negative Numbers 7.3
Age, Time and Calendar 6.81 Elementary Concepts of Number System 7.3
Multiple Choice Questions 6.81 Test of Divisibility 7.4
Explanations 6.83 Tables for Oral Calculations 7.4
