The UPSC Civil Services Examination previous years’ question papers (PYQs) are more than just practice material — they are believed to be a roadmap to understanding the exam’s demands.

We have compiled key insights from past toppers to help aspirants sharpen their strategy and boost their chances of success in the examination.

1) Decode the question pattern Akshay Agrawal IAS explains that UPSC often frames questions to test conceptual clarity, not rote learning. Going through PYQs helps you identify recurring themes and the changing nature of difficulty levels, which lets you anticipate future trends.

2) Find your comfort Anisha Shrivastav IAS, says that while she referred to PYQs, she did not actively solve each one. “I would not sit down for three hours and solve the paper.”

"I mentally reviewed answers to every question, making notes only when needed and just glancing through the rest."

4) Practice with PYQs Ajay, an IRS officer, used PYQs to sharpen his answer-writing skills. “This practice honed my real-time answer writing abilities, which is crucial for performing well in the mains,” he says.

5) Solve as many questions Starting with individual subjects, Akshay would solve corresponding PYQs immediately after completing the study material. “This was my rule of thumb. In total, one should solve a minimum of 5,000 questions before the prelims,” he advises.

6) Use PYQs to improve CSAT Saurabh Bhawania IAS, suggests using PYQs to prepare effectively for CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test).

“Evaluate your performance through self-testing. If you are scoring 70 to 80 marks, identify weak areas and practice to improve,” he suggests.

7) Use PYQs for revision  In the last three months Saurabh advises that in the final stretch, focus almost entirely on PYQs, mock tests, and revisions of PYQ-linked notes. This consolidates your preparation and ensures you are exam-ready.