General Science — Biology (Cell, Genetics, Disease, Nutrition, Human Body)

What should you study in General Science?

• Cell biology — prokaryote vs eukaryote, cell organelles
• Genetics — DNA, RNA, gene expression, CRISPR-Cas9
• Human diseases — communicable (TB, HIV, malaria) vs non-communicable
• Nutrition — macronutrients, micronutrients, deficiency diseases

How often is General Science asked in UPSC Prelims?

Asked in 6 of 10 years, including 3 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

1. 2016: asked
2. 2017: not asked
3. 2018: asked
4. 2019: not asked
5. 2020: asked
6. 2021: not asked
7. 2022: asked
8. 2023: not asked
9. 2024: asked
10. 2025: asked

About the Prelims GS Paper I paper

General Studies Paper I is the Prelims paper that decides the cut-off: 100 multiple-choice questions for 200 marks, with negative marking for wrong answers. See all 88 Prelims GS Paper I topics.

Related topics to study next

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