How many questions does a candidate need to attempt?

A candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.

Are there any compulsory questions?

Yes, Questions no. 1 and 5 are compulsory.

From which section must candidates choose questions?

Candidates must choose at least ONE question from each Section (A and B) from the remaining questions after attempting the compulsory ones.

In which language should the answers be written?

Answers must be written in ENGLISH.

UPSC Civil Services Main 2025 English Literature Paper II PDF

Name: UPSC Civil Services Main 2025 English Literature Paper II PDF
Creator: UPSC
Keywords: UPSC Civil Services Main 2025, English Literature Paper II, Question Paper PDF, UPSC Mains English Literature, Civil Services Exam 2025

Central Government Jobs Administrative / Civil Services 2025

Year 2025
Conducted By UPSC
Questions 8
Maximum Marks 250
Duration Three Hours
Languages English

Exam Details

Detail	Information
Examination	UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination
Year	2025
Conducting Body	UPSC
Paper	English Literature Paper - II
Subject	English Literature
Duration	Three Hours
Maximum Marks	250
Number of Questions	8
Question Type	Descriptive / Subjective

This is the English Literature Paper II from the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination held in 2025. The paper consists of 8 descriptive questions divided into two sections, requiring candidates to attempt five questions in total, with compulsory questions 1 and 5. This paper is crucial for aspirants aiming to assess their understanding of literary analysis, critical commentary, and essay writing skills in English Literature for the UPSC Mains exam.

Major Topics Covered

English Literature
Modernism
Poetry Analysis
Literary Criticism
W.B. Yeats
T.S. Eliot
W.H. Auden
Philip Larkin
A.K. Ramanujan

Why This Paper is Important

Useful for UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination preparation
Helps understand the latest exam pattern
Useful for practice and self-assessment
Covers frequently asked General Studies topics
Helpful for analysing question trends

Related Resources

UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 English Literature Paper I
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2024 English Literature Paper II
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 General Studies Paper I
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 English Literature Paper II Answer Key
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination English Literature Syllabus
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination Exam Pattern
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination Exam Pattern
UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination

Instructions

There are EIGHT questions divided in TWO SECTIONS.
Candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.
Questions no. 1 and 5 are compulsory and out of the remaining, any THREE are to be attempted choosing at least ONE question from each Section.
The number of marks carried by a question / part is indicated against it.
Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to.
Attempts of questions shall be counted in sequential order.
Unless struck off, attempt of a question shall be counted even if attempted partly.
Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet must be clearly struck off.

Questions (page 2)

Q2. Answer all of the following:

(a) Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" explores the psychological chaos and alienation associated with modernism. Discuss.

(b) Comment on W.B. Yeats' apocalyptic and prophetic enunciations contained in the prescribed poems.

(c) On the basis of your readings of A.K. Ramanujan's poems, trace the elements of quintessential Indian ethos contained therein.

Q3. Answer all of the following:

(a) Analyse W.H. Auden's poetry as a blend of 'historical context with modern critique.'

(b) Philip Larkin's poems of disgust and despair hid a wounded romantic temperament behind a mask of irony. Elucidate.

(c) Discuss how modernism in literature experimented with language, form and style to represent the complexities of the then contemporary human life. Make use of the prescribed texts to substantiate your answer.

Question paper preview

Scanned pages 1–2 for reference. Download the official PDF for the full paper.

UPSC Civil Services Main 2025 English Literature Paper II question paper page 1 instructions scan PDF download. Official UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination 2025 English Literature Paper II page 1 instructions and exam header. — Page 1

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Frequently asked questions

What is the name of the exam?

The exam is the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination.

What is the year of this question paper?

The year of this question paper is 2025.

Which paper is this from the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination?

This is English Literature Paper - II.

Who conducts the Civil Services Examination?

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination.

What is the question type for this paper?

This paper consists of descriptive questions.

How many questions are there in total?

There are EIGHT questions in total.

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