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UPSC CSE Prelims 2026 — Comprehension Questions with Answers
All 19 Comprehension previous-year questions from UPSC CSE Prelims 2026, each with the correct answer and a full explanation. Practise them as a free, timed mock test with instant scoring.
Practice Comprehension as a timed test →- Q1.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following conclusions are valid? 1. Seven Sanskriti Angans, representing different regions of India, had been showcased in Kalagram. 2. Regional artistry was recognised via the inspiration drawn from iconic temples. 3. India's ancient history had been crafted by the contemporary craftsmanship of 230 artisans into creations to behold. 4. Art forms from all regions had been showcased in these living galleries. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 2 only
- b)2, 3 and 4
- c)1, 2 and 4
- d)1 and 3
- Q2.Reading Comprehension
Which one of the following statements is not correct?
- a)Paintings from four States of India have been mentioned.
- b)Stepping into Kalagram is likened to stepping into another world.
- c)The Angans have been described as living galleries.
- d)Kalagram is divided into thematic zones, inspired by well-known temples of India.
- Q3.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following conclusions are valid? 1. Sport is more than just games; it is a way of life. 2. Sport can help mitigate the problems of seclusion among the young. 3. Earning laurels in sport can help one secure a job on the basis of an assigned quota. 4. Standard corporate sector skills cannot be learnt through sport. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 3 only
- b)2 and 4 only
- c)1, 2 and 4
- d)1, 2 and 3
- Q4.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Parents are not encouraging enough when it comes to children playing sport. 2. Participation in sporting activities can help develop life skills. 3. Sport as a way of life can help evolve the very nature of society itself. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 3
- b)2 and 3
- c)2 only
- d)3 only
- Q5.Reading Comprehension
26. Which of the following conclusions is/are valid? 1. Though SARS-CoV-2 and HMPV are similar viruses with somewhat different epidemiology, the former became a pandemic because it was novel and people had not been exposed to it in the past. 2. The two viruses have fundamentally different impacts on human populations and should not therefore be dealt with in a similar manner.
- a)1 only
- b)2 only
- c)Both 1 and 2
- d)Neither 1 nor 2
- Q6.Reading Comprehension
27. Which of the following reflect the intent of the writer in the above passage? 1. To evolve methodologies for objective analysis of the two viruses 2. To establish the epidemiological similarities and differences between the two viruses 3. To offer a better understanding of the remedies of HMPV when analysed in conjunction with SARS-CoV-2
- a)1 and 2
- b)2 and 3
- c)1 and 3
- d)None of the above
- Q7.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are not correct? 1. Tech-savvy farmers will drive the AgTech companies of the future. 2. The development of advisory services by the government programmes for the use of AI tools in agriculture would be helpful. 3. In the US and Europe, AI tools have replaced traditional agricultural practices. 4. The integration of large datasets for use in real-time agronomic analysis is already a reality.
- a)1 and 3 only
- b)1, 3 and 4
- c)2 and 4
- d)3 only
- Q8.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following conclusions is/are valid? 1. Only a serious offence as categorised by the revised JJ Act, justifies the transfer of a case to the adult judicial system. 2. The JJ Act, 2021, categorises an offence as a serious offence based on the maximum sentence it carries, rather than on the minimum sentence.
- a)1 only
- b)2 only
- c)Both 1 and 2
- d)Neither 1 nor 2
- Q9.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. If an offence has no minimum punishment, it cannot be considered heinous as per the JJ Act, 2015. 2. As per the JJ Act, 2021, an offence for which there is a provision for a maximum sentence of seven years or more, but no minimum sentence, is to be considered a serious offence.
- a)1 only
- b)2 only
- c)Both 1 and 2
- d)Neither 1 nor 2
- Q10.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following inferences is/are correct? 1. The source of the energy we consume is the key to the battle for cleaner air. 2. Bans are effective where the will is strong and the people are convinced that such bans are for the greater good of society. 3. There is judicial approval for a policy that intervenes fiscally to facilitate benevolent pricing for cleaner fuel.
- a)1 and 2
- b)2 and 3
- c)1 and 3
- d)1 only
- Q11.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Thermal power stations in Delhi were required to summarily shut down. 2. CNG supplies had to be assured once diesel vehicles were prohibited from plying. 3. The Supreme Court banned the use of coal across the National Capital Region.
- a)1 and 2
- b)3 only
- c)2 only
- d)2 and 3
- Q12.Reading Comprehension
Which one among the following statements most appropriately reflects the point of view of the given passage?
- a)If AI were to take over customer service, there would be no work left for human subjects to do.
- Q13.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following conclusions, made on the basis of the given passage, is/are correct? 1. The advent of new customer-service technology had invariably sparked fears about job losses. 2. Often it is found that instead of job losses, alternative channels for employee engagement are discovered while certain tasks are replaced by technology. 3. The advent of technology inevitably leads to stressful outcomes. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 3
- b)2 only
- c)3 only
- d)1 and 2
- Q14.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following conclusions is/are correct? 1. All landlords essentially have some goodness trapped within them. 2. The common grazing grounds of a village are intended for use by the cattle of that village. 3. Landlords who believe in tradition tend to be more concerned about their tenants. 4. Winds later in the day tend to be cooler post the hot winds of the morning. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 3
- b)2 and 4
- c)3 only
- d)2 only
- Q15.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements are not correct? 1. The landholdings of Rai Sahib were currently not being used for farming. 2. Temperamentally, Rai Sahib was as greedy as other landlords. 3. It cannot be ascertained that Rai Sahib could have made some money by leasing out the grazing land. 4. It may be asserted that Rai Sahib valued his tenants and wanted to protect their livelihood. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 2
- b)1 and 3
- c)3 and 4
- d)1, 2 and 4
- Q16.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Radical action can also be attributed to mild surrender where one acts against societal expectations. 2. Submitting to one's limitations, given the effect of age and other factors, ought not to be conflated with laziness.
- a)1 and 2
- b)3 only
- c)2 and 3
- d)2 only
- Q17.Reading Comprehension
Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. Hugh Grant was watching, from the Royal Box, the men's semifinal match on Centre Court between Flavio Cobolli and Novak Djokovic. 2. The phrase 'unexpected ace' in the context uses a term from the game of tennis to highlight Hugh Grant's somewhat uncharacteristic act of catching 'forty winks'; an act that is viewed with opprobrium. 3. Grant subjects the demands of society to the wisdom of his body. Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)1 and 2
- b)3 only
- c)2 and 3
- d)2 only
- Q18.Reading Comprehension
64. Which of the following statements is/are correct? 1. The convergence model divides nations into three phases of economic progress. 2. At the heart of the convergence theory is the closing of the gap between labour and productivity. 3. Technology leaders typically have arrived earlier at different economic eras. 4. The time period covered by the convergence theory presented herein encompasses, as mentioned, 4012200 years.
- a)2 and 4
- b)2 and 3
- c)3 only
- d)1, 3 and 4
- Q19.Reading Comprehension
Consider the following three statements, namely S1, S2 and S3 : S1. Protecting the environment is an existential exigency for humans, given the impact of environmental degradation on climate change. S2. Scientific consensus has not been achieved with regard to the extent of the contribution of human intervention to climate change. S3. Environmental activism includes climate alarmism and other extremist points of view that often become the focus of climate change deniers. Which of the following relationships based on the statements given above is/are correct? 1. S3 is a counterpoint to S1 2. S3 is unconnected to S1 and S2 3. S2 could be the reason for S3 Select the answer using the code given below.
- a)2 and 3 only
- b)1, 2 and 3
- c)1 and 2 only
- d)3 only
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