UPSC Mains Attitude Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Topic-wise previous year questions from UPSC Mains — General Studies Paper 4
📋 UPSC Syllabus
Attitude
→ Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Trend Analysis
Year-wise and theme-wise distribution of Attitude questions
2025
1
2023
1
2021
1
2020
2
2016
2
2015
1
2014
1
Content, Structure & Function
1
1
Formation of Attitude
2
2
Attitude Change & Cultivation
2
2
Moral & Political Attitudes
2
2
Social Influence & Persuasion
2
2
Year
Theme
9 of 9 questions
Content, Structure and Function of Attitude
1
"The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." – William James.
202510 Marks150 WordsContent, Structure & Function of AttitudeQ3b
Formation of Attitude
2
A positive attitude is considered to be an essential characteristic of a civil servant who is often required to function under extreme stress. What contributes to a positive attitude in a person?
202010 Marks150 WordsFormation of AttitudeQ4b
3
What factors affect the formation of a person's attitude towards social problems? In our society, contrasting attitudes are prevalent about many social problems. What contrasting attitudes do you notice about the caste system in our society? How do you explain the existence of these contrasting attitudes?
201410 Marks150 WordsFormation of AttitudeQ6
Attitude Change and Cultivation
4
Attitude is an important component that goes as input in the development of human being. How to build a suitable attitude needed for a public servant?
Our attitudes towards life, work, other people and society are generally shaped unconsciously by the family and the social surroundings in which we grow up. Some of these unconsciously acquired attitudes and values are often undesirable in the citizens of a modern democratic and egalitarian society. (a) Discuss such undesirable values prevalent in Today's educated Indians (b) How can such undesirable attitudes be changed and socioethical values considered necessary in public services be cultivated in the aspiring and serving civil servants?
"Hatred is destructive of a person's wisdom and conscience that can poison a nation's spirit.' Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
202010 Marks150 WordsMoral & Political AttitudesQ2a
7
Two different kinds of attitudes exhibited by public servants towards their work have been identified as bureaucratic attitude and the democratic attitude.
(a) Distinguish between these two terms and write their merits and demerits.
(b) Is it possible to balance the two too create a better administration for the faster development of our country?
201510 Marks150 WordsMoral & Political AttitudesQ5
Social Influence and Persuasion
8
In the context of work environment, differentiate between 'coercion' and 'undue influence' with suitable examples.
