What is Asked in the Statistics Section of GS in the IAS Main Exam?

Questions on Statistics are asked in the Paper II of General Studies in the UPSC Civil Services Main examination. UPSC syllabus covers the Statistics section so that candidates who finally become Civil Servants can understand its application in economics, business, industry, scientific research, administration etc. Statistics covers 40 marks in the Second Paper of GS. It tests the candidate’s ability to draw conclusions from information given in statistical, graphical or diagrammatical form and to point out deficiencies, if there is any.

Generally Questions are asked on tabulation, diagram, pie chart, general arithmetical calculation etc. Some logic-based questions are also asked in the Statistics section. The long questions are generally asked from the section consisting of mean, median, mode, bar diagram, pie chart, data related to Tabular form correlation and regression etc. The short questions are generally asked from the section consisting of mean and variance or combined set, Index number and average etc.