Topic Eclipses
Asked 2 times across 2 UPSC exams over 37 years (1979–2016), peaking in 1979.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 1 of 2 PYQs
- Most asked in 1979
- Recurs across 2 years (1979–2016)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 1979 → CDS 2016
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (1 of 2) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CDS2016
Which one of the following statements is not correct?
- A Position of the Sun, Earth and Moon in a straight line of 180° angle is known as syzygy.
- B Syzygy conjunction causes solar eclipse.
- C Syzygy opposition causes lunar eclipse.
- D Syzygy conjunction occurs at the time of perihelion only. ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Geography › Geomorphology
CSE1979
Solar eclipse occurs when.
- A Earth comes between sun and moon
- B Moon is at right angle to the earth
- C Moon comes between sun and earth ✓
- D Sun comes between moon and earth
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Geography › Geomorphology
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