Topic Viruses
Asked 3 times across 3 UPSC exams over 5 years (2017–2022), peaking in 2017.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 1 of 3 PYQs
- Most asked in 2017
- Recurs across 3 years (2017–2022)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2017 → NDA 2020 → GEO 2022
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (3 of 3) 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.
GEO2022
Which one of the following statements is correct about a virus?
- A It is a free-living organism.
- B It contains nucleic acid and protein. ✓
- C It can synthesize proteins.
- D It can generate its own energy.
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
NDA2020
Which one of the following statements is correct about effects of antibiotics on viruses ?
- A Viruses are "non-living" entities but it can interact with antibiotics
- B Taking antibiotics cures viral infections
- C Viruses do not possess metabolic pathways on which antibiotics can function, whereas bacteria have such pathways
- D Viruses are resistant to antibiotics ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
CDS2017
Most viruses that infect plants possess
- A single-stranded DNA
- B single-stranded RNA ✓
- C double-stranded DNA and RNA
- D double-stranded RNA only
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
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