UPPSC 2021 Prelims was on 24 October 2021. Mains General Hindi, Essay, and GS 1–4 sat 23–25 March 2022 in Prayagraj, Lucknow, and Ghaziabad; optional Paper I and Paper II were on 27 March 2022 and are not in this PDF set. Like 2022, this year has no GS Paper 5 or GS Paper 6. Official files: uppsc.up.nic.in. Hub: UPPSC previous year question papers.
Key highlights
- Prelims: 24 October 2021 — GS Paper 1 and CSAT.
- Mains in this set: Hindi and Essay (23 March 2022); GS 1–2 (24 March); GS 3–4 (25 March).
- 27 March 2022: optional Paper I and II — not hosted here; no GS 5–6.
- Calendar quirk: the 2021 Mains was held in March 2022. Do not confuse it with the 2022 cycle (Prelims June 2022, Mains September 2022).
- Official source: PCS 2021 on uppsc.up.nic.in.
UPPSC 2021 exam overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination | Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) 2021 |
| Prelims | 24 October 2021 |
| Mains (compulsory papers) | 23–25 March 2022 |
| Optional papers | 27 March 2022 (not in this archive) |
| Centres (Mains) | Prayagraj, Lucknow, Ghaziabad |
| Sessions | 9:30 AM–12:30 PM and 2:00 PM–5:00 PM |
| GS 5 / GS 6 | Not conducted |
Prelims rules already match the current exam: 150 GS questions, qualifying CSAT at 33%, one-third negative marking. Mains structure does not match the current advertisement.
UPPSC Prelims 2021 question paper PDF
| Paper | Questions | Marks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Studies Paper 1 | 150 | 200 | Download GS 1 |
| CSAT (GS Paper 2) | 100 | 200 | Download CSAT |
Use 2021 as an extra timed mock after 2024 and 2023. Older papers still train elimination and UP GK, but current-affairs items are stale — tag the static part, do not memorise 2021 news options as 2026 facts.
UPPSC Mains 2021 question paper PDF
| Date | Session | Paper | Marks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 March 2022 | Forenoon | General Hindi | 150 | Download |
| 23 March 2022 | Afternoon | Essay | 150 | Download |
| 24 March 2022 | Forenoon | GS Paper 1 | 200 | Download |
| 24 March 2022 | Afternoon | GS Paper 2 | 200 | Download |
| 25 March 2022 | Forenoon | GS Paper 3 | 200 | Download |
| 25 March 2022 | Afternoon | GS Paper 4 | 200 | Download |
Typical GS split that year: Section A, 10 short answers (~125 words); Section B, 10 long answers (~200 words); all 20 compulsory. Confirm the instruction page on each PDF.
How to use 2021 without mixing cycles
Name the year correctly. “UPPSC Mains 2021” was written in March 2022. “UPPSC Mains 2022” was written in September 2022. Folders and notes should use the exam cycle (2021), not the sitting month, or you will duplicate papers.
Prelims. Valid mock. Current affairs from 2021 are revision history, not a 2026 question bank.
Mains Hindi, Essay, GS 1–4. Same paper family as 2022. Two years is enough volume for those papers if you also write 2023 and 2024.
GS 5–6 and optionals. There is no 2021 GS 5–6 PDF. Optional papers from 27 March 2022 do not replace UP GS practice. Put GS 5–6 time on 2023 and 2024 only.
How to download UPPSC 2021 papers from the Commission site
- Open uppsc.up.nic.in.
- Open Previous Question Papers.
- Select Combined State / Upper Subordinate Services (PCS) for 2021.
- Open Prelims GS / CSAT or Mains Hindi, Essay, GS I–IV (and optionals if listed).
- Save the PDF. Direct files for the six compulsory papers are in the tables above.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I download the UPPSC 2021 question paper PDF?
Prelims GS and CSAT plus Mains Hindi, Essay, and GS 1–4 are on this page. All years: UPPSC previous year question papers. Official copies: uppsc.up.nic.in.
When was UPPSC Prelims 2021 held?
24 October 2021.
When was UPPSC Mains 2021 held?
Compulsory papers 23–25 March 2022; optionals 27 March 2022. Hindi and Essay on 23 March; GS 1–2 on 24 March; GS 3–4 on 25 March.
Why are there no GS Paper 5 and GS Paper 6 for 2021?
Those papers begin in 2023. 2021 Mains used GS 1–4 plus two optionals.
Is UPPSC Mains 2021 the same as UPPSC Mains 2022?
No. 2021 Mains was in March 2022. 2022 Mains (next cycle) was in September 2022. Different papers; both still predate GS 5–6.
Key takeaways
- 2021 Prelims is October 2021; Mains was March 2022 — label notes by cycle, not by sitting month.
- Prelims PDFs: GS Paper 1 and CSAT.
- This archive has Hindi, Essay, and GS 1–4 only; add GS 5–6 from 2023 and 2024.
- Optional papers from 27 March 2022 are not a stand-in for UP GS.
- Confirm files on uppsc.up.nic.in.