UPSC CSAT Analysis 2024, 2023, 2022: Important Topics, Difficulty Level

A comprehensive analysis of the UPSC CSAT paper is crucial for understanding its difficulty level and weightage of topics. Neglecting this UPSC CSAT exam analysis can lead to: 

• Misjudging the UPSC CSAT paper’s difficulty level 
• Failing to prioritize high-scoring topics of the UPSC CSAT paper
• Wasting time studying irrelevant topics

Moreover, analyzing the UPSC CSAT paper empowers you to tailor your preparation strategy according to the actual demand of this exam. This, in turn, significantly increases your chances of qualifying UPSC CSAT.

UPSC CSAT 2024 Analysis

Below, we have provided the detailed UPSC CSAT 2024 exam analysis to help you understand:

• Subject-wise questions distribution
• Difficulty level of each subject

UPSC CSAT 2024 Questions Distribution

Here is the question distribution of the UPSC CSAT 2024 exam:

Key Analysis:

• The difficulty level of the UPSC CSAT 2024 exam ranged from moderate to difficult, with a majority of the questions leaning toward the harder side. However, as compared to the 2023 paper, this year the difficulty level was slightly easier.
• Conceptual questions required a deep understanding of the concepts to answer them correctly. 
• Lengthy, statement-based questions were less as compared to the previous year’s UPSC CSAT paper.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants:

• Prioritize conceptual understanding and practice questions that test your conceptual knowledge.
• Regularly practice mock tests and analyze your mistakes to identify areas where you need improvement.
• Practice under time constraints to improve your speed and accuracy. 
• Identify time-consuming questions and allocate time wisely.

UPSC CSAT 2024 Maths Question Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 Maths question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2024 Maths Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 Maths difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• Maths had around 50% weightage in the UPSC CSAT 2024 exam.
• The number of Maths questions in 2024 was less compared to the 2023 exam.
• Percentage and ratio-based questions were relatively easier to solve.
• Most questions required a strong conceptual understanding to answer correctly.
• No questions were asked from permutation & combination, whereas in 2023, 11 questions were asked from this topic.
• Probability, mensuration, and compound interest questions were not included in 2024, unlike 2023.
• The number of questions based on the number system was fewer than in 2023.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Identifying easy and moderate questions is an essential skill to qualify the CSAT, as these questions constitute more than 50% of the questions asked in maths.
• Practice questions that demand a high level of conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.
• Allocate more time to Maths preparation.
• Solve a variety of quant problems to improve your accuracy.
• Instead of memorizing formulas, strive to understand the underlying concepts. This will help you tackle unfamiliar problems effectively.
• Effective time management skills are crucial to attempt the maths section within the allotted time. So, always practice mock tests under timed conditions.

UPSC CSAT 2024 English Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 English question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2024 English Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 English difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• The number of English questions remained similar to the 2023 exam.
• The number of Level 1 passages (with 1 question) was reduced compared to the 2023 paper.
• Level 2 passages (with 2 questions), were more prevalent in 2024 than in 2023.
• The reading comprehension questions were more challenging than in the previous year.
• Questions were based on abstract topics instead of the usual core UPSC topics. 
• No questions were asked from Level 3 and Level 4 passages. 

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• As the RCs are time-consuming, you should practice as many time-bound mock tests as you can to ensure you can complete the actual exam within the allotted time.
• Level 1 passage is usually easier, and these can be attempted with 80-90% accuracy.
• Level 4 passages should be targeted first as more questions can be attempted after reading the comprehension.
• Focus on understanding the main ideas, arguments, and details in reading comprehension. 

UPSC CSAT 2024 Reasoning Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 Reasoning question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2024 Reasoning Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2024 Reasoning difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• The weightage of reasoning questions has decreased over the years.
• From 24 out of 80 questions in 2014, the number of questions asked from reasoning in 2023 went down to just 11. However, in 2024, there was an increase to 15 questions.
• No question was asked from sitting arrangement and puzzles.
• 4-5 questions on coding-decoding, clock, calendar, etc. were easy to solve. The remaining questions were lengthy and required time to be solved.
• Unlike the 2023 paper, no question was asked from blood relation, letter series, and analytical reasoning. 

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Ensure a strong foundation in fundamental reasoning concepts as questions from the clock and calendar were easy to solve with basic concepts. 
• Solve a variety of questions from previous years’ papers and mock tests.
• Analyze your mistakes and learn from them.
• Develop a logical approach to tackle reasoning questions. 
• Work on improving your time management skills to tackle time-consuming reasoning questions efficiently.
• Learn to identify time-consuming questions.

UPSC CSAT 2023 Analysis

Below, we have provided the detailed UPSC CSAT 2023 exam analysis to help you understand:

• Subject-wise questions distribution
• Difficulty level of each component

UPSC CSAT 2023 Questions Distribution

Here is the question distribution of the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam:

Key Takeaways

• The difficulty level of the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam was difficult. 
• Conceptual questions require a deep understanding of the concepts to answer them correctly. 
• More lengthy, statement-based questions were asked in the UPSC CSAT 2023 exam.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Prioritize conceptual understanding and practice questions that test your conceptual knowledge.
• Regularly practice mock tests and analyze your mistakes to identify areas where you need improvement.
• Practice under time constraints to improve your speed and accuracy. 
• Identify time-consuming questions and allocate time wisely.

UPSC CSAT 2023 Maths Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 Maths question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2023 Maths Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 Maths difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• Maths consists of more than 50% weightage in the UPSC CSAT 2024 exam.
• Identifying easy and moderate questions is an essential skill to qualify the CSAT, as these questions constitute more than 50% of the questions asked in Maths.
• More Maths questions were asked in 2023, as compared to the 2022 exam.
• Most questions required a strong conceptual understanding to be solved correctly.
• More questions were asked from permutation & combination and number system as compared to the 2022 exam.
• Ratio, profit and loss, DI, time, speed, and distance, allegation mixture, and average questions were not included in 2023, unlike 2022.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Identifying easy and moderate questions is crucial for qualifying the CSAT, as they account for over 50% of the Maths questions.
• Practice questions that require strong conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.
• Prioritize Maths in your preparation.
• Solve a variety of quant problems to improve your accuracy.
• Instead of memorizing formulas, strive to understand the underlying concepts. This will help you tackle unfamiliar problems effectively.
• Effective time management skills are crucial to attempt the maths section within the allotted time. So, always practice mock tests under timed conditions.

UPSC CSAT 2023 English Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 English question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2023 English Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 English difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• The number of English questions remained similar to the 2023 exam.
• More questions were asked from Level 1 passages (with 1 question) compared to the 2022 paper.
• Less questions were asked from Level 2 passages (with 2 questions) compared to the 2022 paper.
• No questions were asked from Level 3 and Level 4 passages.
• Questions were based on the usual core UPSC topics. 

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• As the RCs are time-consuming, you should practice as many time-bound mock tests as you can to ensure you can complete the actual exam within the allotted time.
• Focus on understanding the main ideas, arguments, and details in reading comprehension. 
• Level 1 passage is usually easier, and these can be attempted with 80-90% accuracy.
• Level 4 passages should be targeted first as more questions can be attempted after reading the comprehension.

UPSC CSAT 2023 Reasoning Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 Reasoning question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2023 Reasoning Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2023 Reasoning difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• The weightage of reasoning questions has decreased over the years.
• From 24 out of 80 questions in 2014, the number of questions asked from reasoning in 2023 went down to just 11.  
• 4-5 questions on coding-decoding, clock, calendar, etc. were easy to solve.
• The remaining questions were lengthy and required time to solve them.
• As compared to the 2023 exam, no questions were asked from direction sense, syllogism, sitting arrangement, puzzles, and clocks.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Ensure a strong foundation in fundamental reasoning concepts.
• Solve a variety of questions from previous years’ papers and mock tests.
• Analyze your mistakes and learn from them.
• Develop a logical approach to tackle reasoning questions. 
• Work on improving your time management skills to tackle time-consuming reasoning questions efficiently.
• Learn to identify time-consuming questions.

UPSC CSAT 2022 Analysis

Below, we have provided the detailed UPSC CSAT 2022 exam analysis to help you understand:

• Subject-wise questions distribution
• Difficulty level of each component

UPSC CSAT 2022 Questions Distribution

Here is the question distribution of the UPSC CSAT 2022 exam:

Key Analysis:

• The difficulty level of the UPSC CSAT 2024 exam ranged from moderate to difficult, with a majority of the questions leaning toward the harder side. 
• Conceptual questions require a deep understanding of the concepts to answer them correctly. 
• Lengthy, statement-based questions were asked in the UPSC CSAT paper.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants:

• Prioritize conceptual understanding and practice questions that test your conceptual knowledge.
• Regularly practice mock tests and analyze your mistakes to identify areas where you need improvement.
• Practice under time constraints to improve your speed and accuracy. 
• Identify time-consuming questions and allocate time wisely.

UPSC CSAT 2022 Maths Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2022 Maths question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2022 Maths Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2022 Maths difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• Maths consists of around 50% weightage in the UPSC CSAT 2022 exam.
• More Maths questions were asked in 2022, as compared to the 2021 exam
• Identifying easy and moderate questions is an essential skill to qualify the CSAT, as these questions constitute around 75% of the questions asked in maths.
• From 28 out of 80 questions in 2015, the number of questions asked from maths in 2022 increased to 38.
• Most questions required a strong conceptual understanding to be solved correctly.
• As compared to the 2021 exam:
  • No questions were asked from Pipes & Cistern.
  • More questions were asked from permutation & combination and number system. 
  • Less questions were asked from percentage, ratio, and average.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Identifying easy and moderate questions is an essential skill to qualify the CSAT, as these questions constitute more than 50% of the questions asked in maths.
• Practice questions that demand a high level of conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills.
• Allocate more time to its preparation.
• Solve a variety of quant problems to improve your accuracy.
• Instead of memorizing formulas, strive to understand the underlying concepts. This will help you tackle unfamiliar problems effectively.
• Effective time management skills are crucial to attempt the maths section within the allotted time. So, always practice mock tests under timed conditions.

UPSC CSAT 2022 English Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2022 English question distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2022 English Difficulty Level

Below are the UPSC CSAT 2022 English difficulty levels.

Key Analysis

• The number of English questions was the same as compared to the 2021 exam. 
• The number of Level 1 passages (with 1 question) was reduced compared to the 2021 paper.
• Level 2 passages (with 2 questions), were more prevalent in 2022 than in 2021.
• 9 questions were asked from the Level 3 passage, which weren’t asked in the past 3 years.
• No questions were asked from the Level 4 passage. 

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• As the RCs are time-consuming, you should practice as many time-bound mock tests as you can to ensure you can complete the actual exam within the allotted time.
• Focus on understanding the main ideas, arguments, and details in reading comprehension. 
• Level 1 passage is usually easier, and these can be attempted with 80-90% accuracy.
• Level 4 passages should be targeted first as more questions can be attempted after reading the comprehension.

UPSC CSAT 2022 Reasoning Questions Distribution

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2022 Reasoning questions distribution.

UPSC CSAT 2022 Reasoning Difficulty Level

Below is the UPSC CSAT 2022 Reasoning difficulty level.

Key Analysis

• The weightage of reasoning questions has decreased over the years.
• From 22 out of 80 questions in 2015, the number of questions asked from reasoning in 2022 went down to 15.
• As compared to the 2021 exam:
  • No questions were asked from coding and decoding, letter series, and analogy.
  • More questions were asked from the alphanumeric series, sitting arrangement, puzzle, and clock.
  • Less questions were asked from ranking & order, syllogism, and calendar.

Key Takeaways for UPSC CSAT Aspirants

• Ensure a strong foundation in fundamental reasoning concepts.
• Solve a variety of questions from previous years’ papers and mock tests.
• Analyze your mistakes and learn from them.
• Develop a logical approach to tackle reasoning questions. 
• Work on improving your time management skills to tackle time-consuming reasoning questions efficiently.
• Learn to identify time-consuming questions.

Conclusion

The UPSC CSAT exam analysis serves as a compass for aspirants navigating the complexities of these exams. By understanding the difficulty level topic weightage and prioritizing important topics, you can tailor your preparation strategy and qualify the UPSC CSAT 2025 exam.