UPSC Mains Question Paper 2025 Out, Download Essay & GS Paper I-IV PDFs
UPSC Prelims
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Gajendra Singh Godara
Aug 24, 2025
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The UPSC Mains Exam 2025 was conducted from 22–31 August 2025, consisting of nine descriptive papers. These include the Essay, GS 1–4, one Indian language, English, and two Optional papers. Unlike Prelims, the Mains test your analytical ability and written expression. The question papers provide aspirants a realistic view of exam trends, difficulty, and answer expectations. Below are the PDF download links and short analyses of each paper.
UPSC Mains Question Paper 2025 PDF Download
Use the link to get the Question Paper of the exams which have been conducted , other links will be updated soon:
Paper | Download Link |
Essay Paper | |
GS 1 Paper | |
GS 2 Paper | |
GS 3 Paper | |
GS 4 Paper | |
Indian Language Paper | Download PDF |
English Paper | Download PDF |
Optional Paper 1 | Download PDF |
Optional Paper 2 | Download PDF |
UPSC Mains Essay Question Paper 2025
The Essay paper (22 Aug, Morning) asked candidates to write two essays, one from each section. This year’s topics leaned toward philosophical and socio-political themes, testing originality and structured thinking. The difficulty was moderate to high, with emphasis on abstract interpretation.
📥 Download UPSC Mains 2025 Essay PDF
Related reading: Important UPSC Essay Topics for Mains 2025 & How to Prepare Content for it? - PadhAI
UPSC Mains GS 1 Question Paper 2025
Held on 23 Aug (Morning), GS 1 covered history, culture, geography, and social issues. The 2025 paper balanced static history topics (art & architecture, freedom movement) with contemporary social challenges. Many found it moderately difficult due to analytical framing of familiar topics.
📥 Download UPSC Mains 2025 GS-1 PDF
UPSC Mains GS 2 Question Paper 2025
Conducted on 23 Aug (Afternoon), GS 2 focused on Constitution, governance, and international relations. The 2025 paper leaned heavily on social justice and recent policy reforms, while international questions remained limited. The challenge lay in linking theory with current affairs.
📥 Download UPSC Mains 2025 GS-2 PDF
UPSC Mains GS 3 Question Paper 2025
On 24 Aug (Morning), GS 3 tested economy, environment, security, and tech. This year emphasized climate change, AI governance, and agricultural reforms. The paper required integration of data, schemes, and policies, making it moderately tough for unprepared aspirants.
📥 Download UPSC Mains 2025 GS-3 PDF
UPSC Mains GS 4 Question Paper 2025
Held on 24 Aug (Afternoon), GS 4 (Ethics) combined conceptual questions on integrity, probity, and attitude with case studies on governance dilemmas. Analysis shows the paper was scoring but tricky, rewarding those with real-life examples and structured solutions.
📥 Download UPSC Mains 2025 GS-4 PDF
UPSC Mains Indian Language Question Paper 2025
The UPSC Mains Indian Language Paper 2025 tests candidates’ command over their chosen regional language from the Eighth Schedule. It includes essay writing, comprehension, précis, grammar, and translation. While qualifying in nature, clearing this paper is mandatory to stay in the race. Regular practice builds fluency, accuracy, and confidence.
📥 Download UPSC Mains Indian Language Paper 2025 PDF (Available Soon)
UPSC Mains English Question Paper 2025
The UPSC Mains English Paper 2025 is a compulsory qualifying paper designed to assess basic proficiency in English. It covers essay writing, comprehension, précis, and grammar exercises. Candidates need to secure minimum qualifying marks (around 25%) to clear it. Practicing previous papers helps avoid errors and ensures smooth performance.
📥 Download UPSC Mains English Paper 2025 PDF (Available Soon)
UPSC Mains Optional Question Paper 2025
Optional subjects play a decisive role in UPSC Mains as they carry 500 marks (two papers of 250 each). Candidates can choose from a wide list including History, Geography, Sociology, Political Science, Public Administration, and various Literature subjects. The choice of optional often determines the final rank, making analysis of previous year papers critical.
📥 Download UPSC Mains Optional Papers 2025 PDFs (Links Active Soon)
Optional Subject | Paper 1 | Paper 2 |
Anthropology | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Political Science & IR | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Sociology | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Geography | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
History | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Public Administration | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Literature Subjects | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
Engineering/Science Subjects | To Be Updated | To Be Updated |
(The full list of optional subjects will be updated as papers are released.)
Related reading: How to Choose the Best UPSC Optional Subject for mains exam: A complete Preparation guide
How to Use UPSC Mains Question Papers 2025 in Preparation
Practicing with the 2025 UPSC Mains question papers is one of the smartest preparation strategies. Here’s how aspirants can benefit:
Understand exam trends: Identify recurring topics and UPSC’s analytical framing.
Self-assessment: Spot strengths and weaknesses under timed conditions.
Time management: Train to write structured answers within 3 hours.
Build confidence: Repeated practice reduces exam-day pressure.
Improve presentation: Use headings, subheadings, diagrams, and balanced perspectives.
Internal linkages:
Important UPSC Essay Topics for Mains 2025 & How to Prepare Content for it?
How to Begin Your UPSC Preparation : The Ultimate Guide For Beginners
UPSC Previous Year Question Papers with Answers PDF - Prelims & Mains (2014-2024)
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External Linking Suggestions
UPSC Official Website – Syllabus & Notification: https://upsc.gov.in/
Press Information Bureau – Government Announcements: https://pib.gov.in/
NCERT Official Website – Standard Books for UPSC: https://ncert.nic.in
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UPSC Mains Result 2025 is now released.
Check out the updated and latest UPSC Syllabus 2026 here.
UPSC Notification 2025 was released on 22nd January 2025.
UPSC Prelims Question Paper 2025 and Unofficial Prelims Answer Key 2025 are available now.
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The UPSC Prelims 2026 is scheduled for May 24, 2026, while the UPSC Mains 2026 will be conducted from August 21, 2026.
The UPSC Selection Process is of 3 stages-Prelims, Mains and Interview.
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