UPSC CMS 2025 Previous Year Questions

Paper I (Medicine + Paediatrics) tested clinical scenarios in cardiology, neurology, infectious diseases, and child health. Paper II (Surgery + OBG + PSM) emphasised surgical oncology, obstetric emergencies, and revised national health programme data under NHM 2025 framework. Cardiology maintained its position as the top-tested Paper I subject with 15 questions — the highest single-topic count in the entire 2020–2025 series. Pulmonology held strong at 12 questions, and Infectious Disease remained a staple at 12 questions. Rheumatology continued its emergence with 7 questions, building on the foothold it gained in 2024. Pediatrics was allocated 36 questions, sustaining the increased weightage introduced in 2024. In Paper II, PSM further expanded to 52 questions, confirming the structural shift first seen in 2024. OBG was reduced to 34 questions with a near-equal Obstetrics-Gynaecology split. The most notable Paper II development was the rise of Non-communicable Diseases under PSM to 6 questions, reflecting India's evolving public health priorities under the National Health Mission.

The official answer key for UPSC CMS 2025 was released by UPSC after the examination. Several questions had representations filed; final keys incorporated corrigenda. Disputes arose primarily in the NCD section of PSM (recently revised programme targets) and in Rheumatology (updated classification criteria conflicting with older textbooks). CMS Prep has applied the final official key and flagged all disputed questions with explanatory notes.

Download the UPSC CMS 2025 question paper PDF and official answer key from our Telegram channel.

Cardiology at 15 questions covered heart failure classification, valvular disease management, arrhythmia protocols, and ECG-based diagnosis. Pulmonology at 12 questions spanned interstitial lung diseases, respiratory failure, and tuberculosis. Endocrinology rebounded to 11 questions, featuring diabetes complications and thyroid disorders. Rheumatology's 7 questions covering RA, SLE, and vasculitis confirmed it as an ascendant subject. Gastroenterology stabilised at 10 questions, suggesting a new equilibrium. Haematology dropped to 5 questions, its lowest in the series.

PSM at 52 questions further consolidated the 2024 expansion. The standout within PSM was Non-communicable Diseases rising to 6 questions, covering NPCDCS programme targets, screening guidelines, and disease burden statistics. Communicable Diseases held steady at 11 questions, while Epidemiology at 6 questions tested study designs and measures of association. GI Surgery dropped to 6 questions — its lowest level since 2020 — marking a significant decline from the 2021–2023 highs. Surgery's overall allocation reduced to 34 questions, with General Surgery and Surgical Oncology also contracting. Obstetrics at 20 questions regained some ground from 2024, while Gynaecology remained at 14.

2025 continued the cardiology-heavy trend from 2024 and introduced more Rheumatology in Paper I. PSM's Non-communicable Diseases topic gained significant weight, reflecting current public health priorities. The paper was moderately difficult, with the PSM expansion rewarding candidates with strong public health fundamentals. The GI Surgery decline caught Surgery-focused candidates by surprise. Clinical vignette complexity continued to increase, with several Medicine questions requiring multi-step diagnostic reasoning.

As the most recent paper in this series, the 2025 paper is your primary reference for understanding the current UPSC CMS exam pattern. Start your final-stage revision with this paper to calibrate your preparation against the latest question style, subject weightage, and difficulty level. The PSM-dominant Paper II structure is the defining feature to prepare for — allocate at least 40% of your Paper II revision time to PSM topics, including Biostatistics calculations, Communicable and Non-communicable Diseases, and national health programme data. For Paper I, prioritise Cardiology, Pulmonology, Infectious Disease, and the newly prominent Rheumatology. After mastering this paper, work backward through 2024 and 2023 to build breadth across the full topic range. Use the 2020–2022 papers for foundational recall practice in the earlier, more straightforward question style.

See how this year compares to all six years of UPSC CMS papers — subject weightage shifts, topic trends, and a measurable difficulty trend across 2020–2025.