Analysing ISS Previous Year Question Papers (PYQs) reveals the type of derivations, theorem applications, and applied statistical questions that UPSC consistently tests in the Statistics papers.
Available ISS PYQs
| Year | Papers Available | Access |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | All 6 Papers (ISS) | upsc.gov.in |
| 2022 | All 6 Papers | upsc.gov.in |
| 2021 | All 6 Papers | upsc.gov.in |
| 2020 | All 6 Papers | upsc.gov.in |
| 2019 | All 6 Papers | upsc.gov.in |
How to Download ISS PYQs
- Visit upsc.gov.in → Examinations → Previous Year Question Papers.
- Look for IES/ISS Examination and select the year.
- Download the ISS-specific Statistics papers (Papers III–VI) along with shared Papers I and II.
Key PYQ Insights by Paper
- Paper III (Probability): Derivation of standard distribution properties, characteristic functions, and convergence theorems appear in most years.
- Paper IV (Statistical Methods): Regression diagnostics, canonical correlation, and discriminant analysis problems are recurring.
- Paper V (Sampling): Numerical estimation problems involving stratified, cluster, and PPS sampling are consistently featured.
- Paper VI (Applied Statistics): Index number computation, life table construction, and interpretation of NSO survey data are standard question types.
Answer Keys
UPSC does not release model answers for ISS descriptive papers. Candidates should verify their answers against standard Statistics textbooks and M.Sc. lecture notes. Only the General Studies Paper (Paper II, if MCQ-based) has an answer key released officially.