UPSC Civil Services (Mains)
Chemistry optional
- 2 papers
- 250 marks each
- 3 h per paper
- 5 of 8 questions, Q1 and Q5 compulsory
Paper II covers organic chemistry and spectroscopy.
Paper II, organic chemistry and spectroscopy
Questions by topic
Every part of the 2021 to 2025 papers filed under its syllabus unit: 226 parts and 2000 marks in all. Open a unit to see all its questions, newest first, each on its own page.
- 1 Delocalised covalent bonding8 parts60 marks
- 2 (i) Reaction mechanisms6 parts50 marks
- 2 (ii) Reactive intermediates12 parts100 marks
- 2 (iii) Substitution reactions18 parts140 marks
- 2 (iv) Elimination reactions9 parts85 marks
- 2 (v) Addition reactions15 parts115 marks
- 2 (vi) Reactions and rearrangements26 parts275 marks
- 3 Pericyclic reactions19 parts185 marks
- 4 (i) Preparation and properties of polymers14 parts100 marks
- 4 (ii) Biopolymers7 parts80 marks
- 5 Synthetic uses of reagents21 parts200 marks
- 6 Photochemistry16 parts130 marks
- 7 Spectroscopy54 parts475 marks
- – Outside the listed units1 parts5 marks
Each part is filed under the one unit it mainly tests. Where a part touches two units, the section it was set in and the wording of the syllabus decide.