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Topic Opportunity cost
Asked 6 times across 3 UPSC exams over 7 years (2014–2021), peaking in 2021.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 3 of 6 PYQs
- First appeared in CDS 2014 — 4 years before CSE 2018 (allied exams preview CSE)
- Most asked in 2021
- Recurs across 5 years (2014–2021)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2014 → CSE 2018 → CAPF 2019
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (5 of 6) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CAPF2021
Which one of the following statements about production possibility frontier is not correct?
- A The production possibility frontier slopes downwards to the right as the resources are limited.
- B The different combinations of various goods and services given the available resources and technology are denoted by the production possibility frontier.
- C Any point on or inside the production possibility frontier is attainable under the existing technology and resources.
- D On the production possibility frontier, the output of one commodity can be increased without changing the output of another commodity. ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Economy › Macroeconomics
CDS2021
Which one of the following is the opportunity cost of a chosen option?
- A Out of pocket cost
- B Out of pocket cost plus cost incurred by the Government
- C Value of all opportunities forgone
- D Value of next best alternative that is given up ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Economy › Macroeconomics
CDS2020
Suppose an agricultural labourer earns ₹400 per day in her village. She gets a job to work as babysitter in a nearby town @ ₹700 per day. She chose to work as agricultural labourer. Which one of the following is the opportunity cost of the agricultural labourer?
- A ₹1,100
- B ₹700
- C ₹400
- D ₹300 ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Economy › Macroeconomics
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