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UPSC Prelims Science and Technology PYQs (previous year questions), topic wise: we tagged 137 Science and Technology questions from 11 official UPSC Prelims papers (2016–2026). The topics asked most are Space, IT and Defence Technology (64), General Science (38), Biotechnology and Health (35). Open any topic for every question it has had with the official answer.
Science and Technology topics ranked by questions
- Space, IT and Defence Technology PYQs: 64 questions; most asked: Cyber Security
- General Science PYQs: 38 questions; most asked: Materials
- Biotechnology and Health PYQs: 35 questions; most asked: Genomics
Science and Technology questions by year
| Topic | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | All questions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Science | 2 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 38 |
| Biotechnology and Health | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 35 |
| Space, IT and Defence Technology | 13 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 7 | 64 |
Most-asked Science and Technology concepts
| Concept | Topic | Questions | Papers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyber Security | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 4 | 4 |
| Space Missions | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 4 | 3 |
| Satellite Navigation | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 4 | 3 |
| Genomics | Biotechnology and Health | 4 | 3 |
| Drones | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 3 | 3 |
| Quantum Computing | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 3 | 3 |
| Defence Technology | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 3 | 3 |
| Communication Technology | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 3 | 3 |
| Vaccines | Biotechnology and Health | 3 | 3 |
| Food Safety | Biotechnology and Health | 3 | 3 |
| Viral Diseases | Biotechnology and Health | 3 | 2 |
| Artificial Intelligence | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 2 | 2 |
| Armed Forces | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 2 | 2 |
| Blockchain | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 2 | 2 |
| Astronomy | Space, IT and Defence Technology | 2 | 2 |
How to use UPSC Prelims Science and Technology PYQs
- Start with the topics at the top of the ranking. They carry the most questions.
- For each topic, solve its PYQs year by year from the official PDFs, then check the answers.
- Log misses by concept. When a concept repeats in your log, go back to that topic’s concept table.
- Finish with full UPSC Prelims papers from the year pages to practise timing.
Other UPSC Prelims subjects
FAQ
Which Science and Technology topics are most important for UPSC Prelims?
By questions in the official papers we tagged (2016–2026): Space, IT and Defence Technology (64), General Science (38), Biotechnology and Health (35). The table on this page ranks every Science and Technology topic.
How many Science and Technology questions are in these UPSC Prelims PYQs?
137 Science and Technology questions across 11 official UPSC Prelims papers from 2016–2026, spread over 3 topics.
Are these UPSC Prelims Science and Technology PYQs official?
Yes. Every question is from an official UPSC Prelims paper hosted on our year pages. Summaries are ours; the full question is in the official PDF linked beside it.