UPSC Civil Services · Mains · PSIR Optional

UPSC PSIR Optional 2026 — Question Paper

The complete paper as UPSC set it on 30 August 2026, Paper I and Paper II, transcribed from the bilingual question paper.

56 questionsPaper I & Paper II
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PaperI
Section A
1

Write on the following in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

aResurgence of political theory10 marks
bPost-colonial theory of State10 marks
cThe freedom of the pike is death to the minnows.10 marks
dLegitimacy is always a ‘social construct’.10 marks
eHerbert Marcuse turned Freudianism on its head in his critical theory.10 marks
2
a“Rights of the man are separate and independent of the State.” Critically analyze the perspective of Laski.20 marks
b“Fortune favours the brave.” In the light of this statement, discuss Machiavelli’s concepts of ‘virtue’ and ‘fortune’.15 marks
cDiscuss B. R. Ambedkar’s views on democracy and State socialism.15 marks
3
aMill’s work was crucial to the development of liberalism, because it straddled the divide between classical and modern theories. Analyze.20 marks
bWollstonecraft developed first systematic feminist critique. Discuss her main ideas.15 marks
cDiscuss Gandhi’s approach to property in relation to trusteeship.15 marks
4
a“Representative democracy is not an absolute principle, rather a question of time, place and circumstances.” Analyze the statement. Mention the major challenges to representative democracy.20 marks
bWhat is capability approach? Elaborate the distinctive features of the capability theory of equality.15 marks
cAnalyze Kautilya’s Saptanga theory. How do you explain its significance in present-day politics?15 marks
Section B
5

Answer the following in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

aHow did Swadeshi grow into a demand for Swaraj?10 marks
bThe Constitution of India was secular even before the word was included in the Preamble. Comment.10 marks
cIdentity has become an important phenomenon in the modern politics in India. Discuss.10 marks
dEnding proxy leadership in Panchayati Raj is a necessary step towards true grassroots democracy. Comment.10 marks
eDiscuss the impact of liberalization on agriculture sector in India.10 marks
6
aFrom passive resistors to armed revolutionaries, the Indian Freedom Struggle has a strong imprint of women freedom fighters. Elucidate.20 marks
bWhen there are multiple stakeholders of power, conversation and consensus become the natural ingredients of governance. Analyze with respect to coalition politics.15 marks
cEvaluate the Centre-State relation with reference to Article 293 and analyze its implications for the Indian federal structure.15 marks
7
aElucidate the prominent trends in voting behaviour in contemporary India, and discuss how astroturfing affects the scenario.20 marks
bHighlight any five constitutional provisions that restrain the powers of the executive, and evaluate their effectiveness in current times.15 marks
cMap the different types of ethnic conflicts that have emerged in 21st century India.15 marks
8
aDiscuss the causes and consequences of inter-State water disputes in India.20 marks
bCritically comment on the shifts in the functioning of the Indian Parliament in the last two decades.15 marks
c“The lack of political will in preventing environmental degradation is one of the major challenges that India is experiencing.” Comment.15 marks
PaperII
Section A
1

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

aCriticism of the institutional approach in comparative political analysis has come up in successive waves. Comment.10 marks
bExtractive capitalism10 marks
cDiscuss various methods of Balance of Power.10 marks
dClientilism10 marks
eWhat role does identity and technology play in the conceptualisation of Defensive realism?10 marks
2
aDiscuss the factors responsible for the changing nature of states in contemporary industrial societies and explain its impact.20 marks
bInternational Human Rights frameworks are hostage to politics among nations. Comment.15 marks
cDiplomacy has always rested on two pillars: Institutional memory and individual craft. Elaborate.15 marks
3
aNATO, the oldest surviving collective security system, is facing challenge of transactional coercion from its own biggest member. What future does NATO have amidst such developments?20 marks
bTheories of international relations which claim objectivity inevitably harbour subjective biases. Elucidate.15 marks
cDoes power transition theory reflect the dynamics of US-China relations?15 marks
4
aQUAD requires more robust architecture than the summit driven mode to tide over the current challenges. Elaborate.20 marks
bHow did the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) reflect geo-political division of the world during the cold war?15 marks
cWhat is UNCLOS? Explain its salient features.15 marks
Section B
5

Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50

aDescribe India’s objections to agricultural negotiations at the World Trade Organisation.10 marks
bWhat strategic options can India exercise as a response to the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan?10 marks
cDiscuss the three areas of security co-operation between India and Israel.10 marks
dDiscuss the main features of the land-boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh.10 marks
eAnalyse the relevance of India-Brazil economic co-operation in strengthening the bilateral relations between the two countries.10 marks
6
aAccelerating of Chinese influence across South Asia is fundamentally reshaping the region’s geopolitical landscape. This is a big foreign policy challenge for India. Analyse.20 marks
bCritically evaluate the important factors of India-Maldives relations on the eve of sixty years of diplomatic ties between the two countries.15 marks
c“The mother of all deals” is a transformative milestone in Indo-EU trade relations. Elaborate on the new Security and Defence partnership.15 marks
7
aHow does illegal cross border migration pose challenges to India’s security? Discuss the steps taken by the government in this direction and their effectiveness.20 marks
bThe island of Kachchatheevu remains an intractable issue in India-Srilanka relations. Comment.15 marks
cIndia has adopted multi-alignment to fulfill its core values and interests in International relations. Discuss.15 marks
8
aCritically evaluate India-Russia relations in the 21st century. How have both the countries responded to America meddling in their relations in the recent times.20 marks
bIndia has recognised that West Asia is not a single contest, but a tangle of rivalries, bargains and anxieties. Comment.15 marks
cExamine India and South-Africa co-operation through bilateral and multi-lateral forums.15 marks
Questions are reproduced as printed in the English version of the paper, including UPSC’s own spellings. To search the earlier years by year, marks or syllabus topic, use the PYQ Finder; every linked question there opens a flow snapshot and the handwritten answer.
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