UPSC had conducted Civil service and Forest service (combined) preliminary exam aka CSAT-2014, on 24th August 2014. Here are the scanned copies of Booklet no.”C” for both papers:
In above PDF files, the text is searchable and copy-able, so you can cut-paste-search it anywhere for discussion, google-ing. For example, if you want to find out which passage was lifted from which newspaper/googlebook?
- Detailed Analysis and Topicwise Answerkeys with explanations (for all sets), coming soon.
- You’re most welcome to provide your inputs, answers, observation, analysis and experience in the comments below.
- If you want to discuss then discuss MCQs, (and not cut-offs.) Everyone who had prepared sincerely, and did not risk too much negative marking, he/she has a fair chance of clearing prelims.
- Internet user sample size too short to make any predictions. So don’t lose blood pressure, if Mr.X, Y or Z says he ticked more MCQs than you.
Courtesy: An old friend Mahitosh Kumar Singh for providing the question papers.
![[Errors/discrepancy] 16 MCQs where UPSC Official Prelims-2020 Answerkey & Coaching classes differ, while 2 MCQs cancelled](https://mrunal.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/csp2020-akey-differ-table-500x383.png)
46 in Paper 1 – Thanks to Roman Saini Rank -18 CSE 2013) advice to attempt all question by eliminiation.. Last year i got 84 and this year would have got 82 (except those 3 correct on his advice but 40 wrong) – I would advice people not to follow his advice.. cause probability its sheer luck – its valid only for a very large statistical data.. like if u might have at least 1lakh answer to correct – Roman Saini – You just got lucky..
126 in Paper 2( last year score 154)… dont know what to do now.. this was my 3rd attempt…. and this time i left my job 3 months before… whereas last time i appeared while working…
Totally shattered… will give one final attempt next year.. and CAT this year…
Did he forced you to follow his advice ? He also said that to read the paper in 1st 10 mins and then attempt accordingly ,.. Paper was a bit tricky , most of the questions had more than 1 possible, so elimination cant help every time.
“Listen to everyone. Follow no one “..
hahaha……haad yr…..kisi dusre apne aap se jyda vishwas…….kamal krte ho yr……
Master Chief if I am not wrong you are from HBTI, right? If I may ask you batch if you don’t mind? I am 2009 batch pass out from same college, food technology.
Sorry bro, you have mistaken me for someone else
:)
Oops! My bad.
same here…….based on Roman Saini’s youtube advice i also took unnecessary risk in paper 1………….n now i am getting even lower marks than sure correct attempts…….i sud hav stuck to my original strategy of attemptin only sure ones…
Moral of story : Dont change ur strategy at last moments based on anyone’s advice…..be it the topper’s……….n what may work for any topper XYZ may or may not work in our situation….
I thought I was alone, I also learnt the lesson brother
Same thing I did.. Left job to prepare for this uncertain patterned exam :( Eliminate krte krte bewkoof ki tarah 73 attempt kiye n as per cl key 40 marks.. And 132 in paper 2.. I wish I could undo it..Bt more hard work n rattafication needed.
Paper 1-105 . paper 2- 69 sc category. Chances
Paper 1 = 94 paper 2 = 155
Any Chance ?
Getting around 280. Thanks Mrunal.
UPSC is expecting candidates,to Qualify mains, who did 3 Ph.D’s , viz.,
1.Ph.D in Environmental Science,
2.Ph.D. in Art & culture,
3.Ph.D. in Geography(Tribes of India)
Candidates ,with real understanding of society,nation and gross route knowledge of rural india are/were become/became scape goats in the game play of UPSC and Delhi Coaching centres(any other carporate coaching centres). The trend of decreasing marks of the candidates, who got selection these years, in general studies is clear cut evidence.
Friends we should realise that UPSC had always surprised many in the past, and such probability of surprises always exist….what i mean is cutoff and other related things are relative and not absolute,that depend on various factors…it can be very high,high, moderate,or low….. so stop thinking too much…’coz if you qualify by GOD’s Grace and goodwill…you should be prepared for MAINS …..and if you don’t(GOD forbid) you will only enhance your chances in CSP’15….Rest all of you are smart enough to understand……ALL THE BEST!!!!!
i got 230(85+145)
i believe that the paper 1 was moderately easy and i focussed on the enviornment and culture thoroughly hence, i am getting around 120 to 130 in paper 1 and 160 in paper 2, most of the colleagues here in IIM(Ahemdabad) are above 230…hence i dont expect the cutoff to be to around 210 or 220……..lets be realistic guyzz..general category dont have a chance at 210 and 220 as only few(a critical mass) is needed to fill the seats….
Dear hari….some ans are wrong from CL Nd GA soln..Last year GS highest marks was 126..so can’t expect more than this..
sir, i have problem about writing skill for mains examination ,so plz tale how i can prepare to improve my skill with efficiency.because i am preparing for 2015 attempt. so i can better do job on my writing skill which is most imp for aspirant.and plz tale in sufficient manner so that i will get right path.
No offence, but its “tell” not “tale”. :)
getting b/w 200 – 210 (general )… what’s the chances friends???
frnds this is actual cuttoff….
GEN-174
OBC-190
SC- 145
ST- 140
source- UPSC
I am amazed ppl are analysing cut offs on their own… as someone in previous comments said that we are doing it with mindset of last years 241… thats saying 220 or 230 etc etc, remember even while last year analysis we were saying 215 or 220 taking in mindset of that past 209 cut off(12) or 196 cut off(11),
leme tell u ppl ,not just a day has gone past the exam and we are seeing expert analysis…. OH Friends even UPSC wont know till few weeks wat cut off they will have to mark…
Cut off depends on prime factor of
-Firstly, How many students actually appeared which even today itself they wont be taking for granted wat orally they wud have been told by centre heads all over country,as such it will take few days to get all the omr sheets- all over from India to reach them and compile the data,thus only then they wud have a official record of candidates presence.
-Secondly how many exact vacancies they have(not just rounding 1300 but exact), then the multiplying factor {as per last data(s) 20} or watever they desire, to select for mains.. ie NO. of candidates SELECTED for MAINS =VACANCIES x 20 [Eg. 1300×20=26000]
-thirdly to fix till what last threshold marks they are getting the last candidate selected ie the last number of count as mentioned above
(taking above example again- the last threshold marks of a candidate to be in top 26000, to be fixed,means watever the 26000th candidate having the marks will be the last one to fix cut off
NOW wat if a no. 1st scores 320 and 26000th scores 280 [means all are too intelligent to be in that short interval
wat if no.1st scores 330 & 26000th scores 200 or [big interval]
wat if no. 1st scores 320 & 26000th scores 175 [more big] In this case the cut off shall be fixed at 175
So how do we know,how many candidates are securing how many marks? we dont have data of those lucky eg. 26000 students and analysing on our own
AS I SAID EVEN UPSC WILL NOT KNOW TILL SOME TIME…
so let us not get into that ASSUMING and rather wait for conclusive INFERENCES :D :D post the result and enjoy studying for mains now irrespective whether one gives this time or next time
thanks.. feeling a lot better
They do not clear 20 times to no. of vacancies rather 15 times only. So total selection this year will be around 1300*15=19500/-
Last year they selected around 15000. So this year 4500 more candidates will be selected.
Hopefully my believe is cut-off will around 210 for general and 200 for OBC(JAT community is added in central OBC list So don’t expect a difference of 20 marks it will be at max 10 marks)
You people believe it or not cut-off will be near to 210 for general.
Ya may be 15 or20 , watever they wish but such things we cant assume now
The number of candidates
to be admitted to the Main Examination
will be about twelve to thirteen times the
total approximate number of vacancies to
be filled in the year through this examina-
tion.- Advertisement
Gs p.1-96 & Gs p.2-124 chances are?
Category?
Last year got 217, This year 182. OBC. Any Chance??????
plz correct “महिना” to “महीना” in “MAINS मौत का महिना”.
i am going to get around 235+.
in gs paper 1 there was enough space to score well.
in paper 2 i found it was speed game + standard of Q was bit high
I am only getting 160, this time. My first half-hearted attempt though, just for getting experience. I wasn’t expecting the paper to be dominated by Culture and Environment though, also knew most question in paper 2 but missed some 24 question due to paucity of time and lack of practice on my part. Anyways can someone highlight their strategy for CSAT paper? How do you go about solving it? I went behind the RComprehensions first ended up missing on rest of the papers – How do you guys go about solving paper 2?
thanks.
getting these tight views of candidates i think, i hv to do more hardwork on my part of GS for my first attempt right next year …..
Mission Impossible @ Level 1 Fail- Getting Less than 200. Comprehensive sucks hell lot of time. Gearing up for CSE-15 .
Iam just a beginner aiming for 2016 Telugu medium background.haven’t gone to coaching.I want to go to coaching after gaining a little bit of subject knowledge.which is the best book and best way to start my journey.
ur at right place bro…..jst go thru recommended book by Mrunal sirji n successful candidates interview which u get at this site only…..
how is avnati associated with budhdha anybody
has a solution to that question??
Buddha was invited by his desciple to avanti but he did visted, because he thought that his desciple would be enough to preach the angry king of Avanti.
sorry , “not” is missing in my earlier comment. Buddha did not avanti.
Went thru all ur reasoned comments..many of them hold logic..bt i will simply say one thing that i hav been clearin prelims from last fiv tyms consecutively that too with a fair margin…bt this tym sweatin hard n keepin d finger cross.. 195 +-5..obc… ..bt my individual analysis still makes me optimist…rest god knows…
Time is too low so prepare your main exam…
mrunal sir! suggest me a good book to study environment..
if you want to do phd, then go for MC DAS, ecology other wise class 12 NCERT biology is enough
There is no separate book for Env. Have to prepare notes from several sources, like –
1. THE HINDU
2. Environment Chemistry – NCERT
3. NIOS Env & Biodiversity
4. Economic Survey (Env chapter)
5. FYP (Env chapter)
6. NCERT
7. downtoearth.org (For fodder)
I followed all the above and able to handle 18 Qs
Please add if any one having more resource.
getting 175 …sc candidate
Cut off will be 215-225 for General
As from my past experience Paper 1 was more difficult as compared to last two years
getting 175 total —sc cat
Guys when does upsc release its keys
After all the discussions on the cut offs. Lets put things in this manner. No matter what the cut offs are, upsc might declare the result after some 45 days considering this years tight schedule. Therefore its better to start preparing for mains irrespective of whether one thinks he clears the cit off or not. Its just appr 6 weeks of prep which will not get wasted and which will not kill u. Btw..my score is also probably hanging around the cliff.justafter smashing my brain for analysing the cut offs thought the above is a better approach for the exam.
Pardon for any grammatical errors. Posted it thru my mobile.
Well, I believe this year the cut off will be lower than 2011,, simple logic- paper was tougher then ever, reduce 15 marks for English, than further reduce 15 marks for decision making. Now we also have to factor in the nature of question, last year there were a good number of questions based on one single set (for e.g. sitting arrangements), but this year not many, individual problems were in plenty and individual problems are time consuming. Remember in 2011 and 2012 the cut off was 197 and 208 even with English and decision making. So I think we should compare this years paper with 2012 or 2011 and straight away reduce 20 marks from that.