mastering essay & answer writing for upsc civil services pdf

Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services

By awdhesh singh​​, for ias/ ips & state psc main exams | 2nd edition | prelims & mains | cse | state administrative exams paperback – 1 january 2022.

The second Edition of the Bestselling Book Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exam, authored by Dr. Awdhesh Singh, has been thoroughly updated and enlarged. The book contains the decades of experience of Civil Services with the expertise of the author. It prepares you to write best ANSWERS and ESSAYS in the IAS/ PCS Mains examination.

This new Edition now contains 27 Chapters with the addition of 13 New Chapters. This edition also provides Mains Preparation Strategy & Resources.

Reviews From Amazon

Top notch book to enhance your essay writing skill.

Excellent Book by Awdhesh Sir i bought both his Essay and Ethics Book both are wonderful just like his answers on Quora simple yet elegant. Holistic Coverage of Dimensions needed in an Essay and Answer Writing.

The Gem for Essay Writing

Superb book. From reading the first few pages, I am confident I can improve a lot in my weakest area – essay writing. Thank you

The book is really worth buying for UPSC descriptive writing

The book is really worth buying especially for the beginners who want to master the art of descriptive writing. It provides with wise tips and effective guidance particularly for UPSC descriptive writing and in general for all types.

Guide for essay writing

It will present a picture of essay writing in ur mind that would make the essay a cup of tea…

The best from Awdhesh sir

The book is well designed and has easy steps which obviously will need a lot of practice. Awdhesh sir has put in it what he does the best and that reflects. If you need a guide while assessing your own essays, a book like this could help you understand the need parameters.

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“A word after a word after a word is power.” – Margaret Atwood

Essay writing is a creative endeavour, and every writer has his/her writing style. However, the method of writing also depends on the topics of the essay. If you choose the proper method of writing, your essay can stand out. Sometimes, we can also combine two or more methods to write better essays.  

An essay aims to describe an event, person, place, idea or present a coherent argument to prove the thesis. An essay tries to persuade the reader that the viewpoint of the writer is credible. We can achieve this goal in different ways.  

This chapter shall discuss the different methods you can adopt for writing essays.

1. Dialectic Method                            

Dialectic is a method of reasoning where we put together opposing views to find a new point of view, to explain the topic more comprehensively. The classical version of dialectic is attributed to Plato. In his books, Plato presented a back-and-forth dialogue or debate between Socrates and another person (interlocutor).  In the discussion between opposing ideas, Socrates’ interlocutors change or refine their views in response to Socrates’ challenges and adopt a more sophisticated view.  In this process, Socrates often demolished the long-held popular beliefs hitherto accepted to be true by the masses. 

This modern version of dialectic is attributed to the 19th Century German philosopher G.W.F. Hegel. He arrived at the truth by stating a thesis, developing a contradictory antithesis, and combining and resolving them into a coherent synthesis by investigation and reasoning.

A thesis is a statement or a theory which the author wishes to prove. The opposite idea is called ‘antithesis’. An antithesis helps present the opposite point of view and establish its inaccuracy and limitations. While giving the antithesis, you act as a devil’s advocate. Finally, you resolve the contradiction by offering a synthesis that analyses all sides and shows a method to reconcile them. The essays would look stale and boring if you only discuss the thesis and fail to contrast it by emphasizing the antithesis.  

In the essay’s body, you must discuss the pros and cons of a decision or a policy and present all sides of the story. You may also incorporate suitable examples and counter-example to give a complete picture. Your arguments must be clear, forceful, presented with credible evidence from a reliable source, and justified by logic.

Sometimes, you can start the argument by presenting the ‘antithesis’ by highlighting the negative aspect of a policy or decision and its impact on the citizens. You can then submit the positive side forcefully and prove your thesis. 

Example:  Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality (CSE 2016)

In this essay, you have to first form the thesis statement. For example, you can take the stand that the digital economy is a leveller and develop the thesis statement as-

Digitisation is initially adopted by the prosperous population of the society, leading to unemployment among the lower and middle-class people that increases inequality. However, once the masses gradually adopt the technology, it creates more job opportunities and provides a level playing field to people of all sections of society.   

While writing the essay, you may first start with antithesis and establish how digitisation is causing inequality due to unequal access to the internet. You can also explain how digitisation is reducing jobs and increasing unemployment. After that, you can strongly argue that information technology gives everyone a level playing field since the location becomes immaterial in the digital world. Finally, you can discuss the drastic reduction of the cost of equipment like smart phones and broadband, which has made online learning and services accessible to ordinary people. You may also present some recent examples from India and around the world to support your thesis. You can then conclude that digitization benefits ordinary people and reduces inequality. 

Of course, you can also prove the opposite view as well. However, it is advisable to take a progressive view since we can’t avoid digitization in the modern world. In either case, you must present both sides of the argument but put up more potent ideas and pieces of evidence to support your thesis.  

It may be an excellent strategy to avoid an unequivocal stand on this issue. Instead, you must create a synthesis by highlighting the current problems responsible for the digital world’s economic inequality. After that, you can provide suggestions to overcome these limitations and make digitisation, which is inevitable in the modern world, a leveller rather than becoming a source of economic inequality. 

While presenting the arguments, always keep in mind the foundational values and the attributes of ideal civil servants , as discussed in the earlier chapters. As an impartial person, you must balance all the sides. Similarly, as a rational person, your logic must be consistent, and your evidence must be reliable. 

The dialectic method can be employed to write essays on philosophical topics and argumentative types of essays. We shall learn more about using this methodology while discussing essay writing for philosophical issues.

2. Compare and Contrast

Some essays require a comparison of two entities, which are distinct yet interconnected. We can imagine these two entities like man and woman, day and night, happiness and suffering, love and hatred, which look opposed to each other superficially, but are part of the whole in reality. You can’t have one without the other. So instead of being opposites, they are interdependent and complementary to each other. Instead of contradicting, they complete each other. 

Consider the essay topic, “Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”, a famous quote by Albert Einstein explaining science and religion’s interdependence. In this topic, one has to compare science and religion and discuss how they are similar and how they differ. In such essays, you may have one paragraph on the positives and one on the negatives of both science and religion, resulting in at least four paragraphs in the body. 

Then, after highlighting the dissimilarities, you can show their common purpose, i.e., improving the quality of human well-being. In this way, we can create a synthesis and prove the thesis statement.

 It is also essential to link the paragraphs well to smooth the transition from one paragraph to another. More on this concept is discussed later in another chapter.

The following essays can be written using the ‘compare and contrast’ technique:

• Science and Mysticism: Are they compatible?
• ‘Globalisation’ versus ‘Nationalism’
• Crisis faced in India: moral or economic? (CSE 2015)

3. Cause and effect

A famous saying is ‘there is no smoke without fire’, which means everything happens due to a cause. Even rumours are not without any reason. We must find out the relationship between cause and effect. For example, if you are scoring top marks in your class, it may be due to your hard work in your studies. If you stop studying, your performance will fall. 

The ‘cause’ represents the event that happens first, leading to the later event called the ‘effect’. However, the two things must be logically connected. For example, if you watched a cricket match on the TV and cheered for your national team, which won the game, you can’t claim your cheering for the match as the cause of their victory. However, the player’s training, the coach, financial incentive and even the cheering up of the auditorium spectators may be the causes of success to some extent. 

The cause-effect essays can be of two types

• Effect Focus: Here, we focus on one or more effect which results from a cause.
• Cause Focus : Here, we focus on one or more causes that may lead to a particular effect.

There are often multiple causes and multiple effects for something happening. However, we must focus on either cause or effect to maintain objectivity and precision.  Moreover, the relationship between cause and effect is often not linear but cyclic. For example, corruption leads to poverty, and poverty leads to corruption. Hence, a developing country is trapped in a vicious cycle of “poverty-corruption-poverty”. In the same way, happiness leads to success, and success leads to happiness. Hence, “happiness-success-happiness” is a virtuous cycle since happiness and success feed each other for the betterment of each other.

Some examples of cause and effect essays are,

• Food security for sustainable national development (CSE 2005)
• Need brings greed, if greed increases, it spoils breed. (CSE 2016)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. (CSE 2016)
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy. (CSE 2019)
• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity, but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless (CSE 2020)

When you identify a cause-effect topic, you can focus more on the cause or effect. After that, you must make a list of causes and effects. For example, in the essay, ‘Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare’, the following brainstorming questions arise: 

Effect Focus

• How innovation causes economic growth?
• How innovation causes social welfare?

Cause Focus

• What are the causes of innovation (or lack of it)? 
• How can we make society more innovative? 

We can give examples of countries like India, which lack innovation due to which the economic growth and social welfare are affected. But, on the other hand, we can also provide examples of more innovative countries like America or Germany, which has led to economic development and social welfare.  After that, we can give suggestions to improve innovation in our country and explain how innovation can cause economic growth, leading to social welfare, which can further improve innovation. Thus we can create a virtuous cycle of innovation-development-social-welfare-innovation.

4. Problem and solution

A civil servant’s primary job is to solve the nation’s problems. The problem and solution type of essays test these abilities of the candidates. First, you must display a deep understanding of the problems and then provide workable solutions. 

• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. (CSE 2015)
• Urbanisation and its hazards (CSE 2008)
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India. (CSE 2017)
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? (CSE 2009)
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modem life. (CSE 2018)

In these essays, we have to explain the problem in detail and provide solutions. For example, in the essay ‘Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India’, we must first identify the problems associated with India in the farming sector. After that, we can discuss the steps taken by the government to solve these problems. We can then discuss the limitations of the government measures and suggest solutions to solve the problem by offering suggestions to increase the farmers’ income.

While providing solutions, we must remember that the farming problems are complex and challenging; otherwise, the government would have already solved them. Moreover, most of us don’t understand the issue deeper. Accordingly, suggesting solutions based on our superficial understanding can’t impress the examiner. Therefore, we must use the suggestions or recommendations of some expert group or committee in our essays as much as we can. We can, however, add a few more suggestions of our own, which are practical and workable.

5. Extended definition

In an extended definition essay, you have to analyze a given term in various contexts and provide broader meanings. An extended definition essay allows you to write in a more general way, including opposition to the mundane definitions of the term and casting doubt on them.

Examples of some essays that fall in this category are as follows, 

• Judicial activism. (CSE 1997)
• The composite culture of India. (CSE 1998)
• National identity and patriotism (CSE 2008)
• ‘Globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’ (CSE 2009)
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have (CSE 2020)

In these essays, you can introduce the various definitions of the terms and present your thesis. You can also explain their meaning and significance in modern times. In the body part, you can discuss each term’s pros and cons, threats and opportunities, weak and strong points of the terms. Some of the best ways to extend the definition of the term are:

• Word’s etymology or historical roots
• Describe sensory characteristics (how it looks, feels, sounds, tastes, smells)
• Identify its parts
• Indicate how it is used 
• Explain what it is not
• Provide an example
• Explain similarities or differences between this term and other words or things

Finally, summarise your discussion and end your essay taking a balanced view with an optimistic note and establish your thesis.

For example, when you write an essay on ‘judicial activism’, define the term in multiple ways. The body can highlight the recent judicial activism incidents, some of which have been good for the nation and some not so good and show the judicial reach. Instead of either taking a position in favour of judicial activism or against it, we may take a reconciliatory approach and suggest a way to uphold the dignity of all constitutional institutions. We must emphasise the need for mutual respect of all institutions without compromising the need for checks and balances as provided in the constitution.

6. Temporal Focus

Temporal focus is characteristic thought about the past, present, and future. Thus, we must go through the evolutionary cycle from the past to its current status and then present a vision and road map for the future by offering a solution.

We can write many essays using this technique. A few examples of essays that can be written using this method are as follows.   

• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare (CSE 2016)
• Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multi-polar world? (CSE 2017) 
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life (CSE 2018)
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy (CSE 2019)

For all the above topics, you can discuss their evolution, state their present problems, provide solutions, and give a vision for the future. In the first essay, for example, you can talk about how innovations like fire, metals, farming, etc have transformed the human civilization and have led to the development of nations; or, can discuss the modern world where innovation has led to the development of human civilization. You can then discuss the present status of innovation in India and propose steps to promote innovation. In the same way, you can discuss the evolution of media, or morality, its issues in the present and your solution to tackling the problems in the present with a vision to create a better future.

7. Social Segmentation

Man is a social animal and can’t live in isolation. Individuals are connected in the world just as cells of the body are associated with other cells. Hence, what happens to an individual affects the world and what happens to the world affects the individuals. You can deal with essays on social topics is by showing the implication of action on various segments of society. 

We can divide human society into the following social segments:

We as individuals get numerous benefits from our family, society, country and the world. We are brought up by our parents and protected by the community and the nation. We also get an education, job, and social security due to the government of our country. We also benefit from the innovation, guidance, and knowledge of experts, leaders, and philosophers worldwide. However, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. We have also to fulfil our obligations towards our family members, society, country and the world to get these benefits. We can incorporate all these aspects into our essay.

A few topics where we can use this method of writing essays are as follows:

• The Indian society at the crossroads. (CSE 1994)
• Mass media and cultural invasion. (CSE 1999)
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness. (CSE 2019)
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin (CSE 2008)

For example, when we write an essay on the topic ‘Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin’, we can discuss discipline at the various levels and the importance of discipline for different segments. Therefore, this essay hinges on the keywords like discipline, success, anarchy, and ruin. We can then discuss how each issue is concerned at the individual, family, society, nation, and the world level.

8. Sectoral- Segmentation 

One of the best ways to write an essay is to discuss the different dimensions of an issue. While social segmentation is at a physical level, sectoral segmentation is at the conceptual level.  In today’s complex world, we can’t solve a problem unless we tackle all areas simultaneously. Moreover, any action taken by the government or an individual has implications for various sectors. 

The different sectors of an issue are:

• Environmental

Some examples for such essays are as follows.

• Privatization of higher education in India
• Water disputes between states in federal India
• Is the Colonial Mentality hindering India’s success?
• The challenges of corruption in India

For example, in this essay, ‘The challenges of corruption in India’, we can analyze the various dimensions.

• Social : Indian society accepts corruption and does not condemn corrupt people. Often the honest people are ridiculed. Social awareness can thus help reduce corruption.
• Political : Contesting in an election is extremely expensive, and honest people can’t afford it. Politicians have to take money from unscrupulous business people, and then they are obliged to provide illegal benefits and protection to them. We can make strict laws to reduce election expenses and provide state funding to political parties to reduce dependence on the money acquired through unscrupulous sources.
• Economic : Poverty leads to corruption, and corruption is responsible for poverty. Developed countries usually have lesser corruption while the developing countries have greater corruption. Therefore, we must explain how corruption is hampering growth and prosperity and why we should fight it with great vigour.
• Legal : The laws against corruption in India are complex and have many loopholes. It takes decades for the judiciary to punish a person charged with corruption. The corruption in police and judiciary leads to the acquittal of the guilty. Further, the job security in the government makes it difficult for the government to sack corrupt employees quickly. So we have to make stringent laws to deal with corruption.

Thus, to write an essay on corruption, you can discuss various sectors and then put forth the improvement needed in each sector to reduce corruption in India.

9: Debatable Type

There are a few topics on which a nation may have broad consensus. For example, almost everyone would support strict punishment for corruption, murder or rape. However, there is no consensus on specific issues because of the clash of interests between the people. These issues are controversial because a significant number of people are either in favour or against the case. Moreover, these issues are often emotional, and people take their position based on their convictions and conveniences.

In controversial issues, even experts don’t agree, as the pros and cons of the subject appear to be equally strong. So, for example, you can find similarly strong arguments to support or oppose the government’s reservation policy or positive discrimination.

 In the same way, many contemporary issues like demonetization, electoral bonds, GST, CAA, NRC or Abolition of Article 370, Farm Laws are controversial. In all such matters, many people have an opinion in favour of or against these issues, and there is little chance of one side convincing the other side to change their views.

Some examples of such types of essays are.

• Cooperative Federalism: Myth or Reality (CSE 2016)
• Reservation, politics and empowerment. (CSE 1999)
• Is sting operation an invasion of privacy? (CSE 2014)
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? (CSE 2015)
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? (CSE 2014)

While writing answers on controversial topics like reservation, it is better to avoid taking a clear cut stand on the issue. You must not stand contrary to the government’s policy as you aspire to join the civil services. At the same time, you must also not show excessive praise for the government policy to display your blind faith in the government’s decision when you are well aware that many people are against the policy. Instead, you must present a balanced view highlighting both sides and be diplomatic. Finally, you must provide suggestions to plug the loopholes and accommodate opposing viewpoints.

One way to write such an essay is first to introduce the historical perspective of the issue and then discuss the pros and cons. Finally, you must provide your point of view in the concluding paragraphs. It is important to remember that as a civil services aspirant, you must support the government policies, support constitutional values and be sympathetic to the people’s aspirations. 

Thus, in controversial essays dealing with national policy, the essay’s conclusion is already ‘fixed’, i.e. supporting the government policy. However, it would help derive your conclusion on the strength of evidence and reason rather than emotion. One strategy is to present equally solid arguments for the thesis and antithesis, which would justify you not taking a stand on the issue at hand. Hence, the debate ends up with a tie or a draw. You can now resolve the deadlock by suggesting appropriate measures to plug the present policy’s loopholes and make it acceptable to all sections of society.

10. Discussion Type

In some essays, we discuss the topic from various perspectives. In these essays, we discuss specific issues with different points of view.  We don’t have to reach a conclusion or prove a point. Some examples of discussion type essays are as follows:

• The composite culture of India (CSE 1998)
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? (CSE 2000)
• Justice must reach the poor (CSE 2005)
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. (CSE 2015)

In writing such essays, we must think like an anchor of a TV show where experts from different walks of life participate. Each one of them is giving his own opinions on the issues. Some are supporting while others are opposing the issue.  

For example, consider the topic for discussion: “Why should we be proud of being Indians?. In the panel, one participant may highlight the achievements of India and Indians and thus try to convince them that we must be proud of being Indian. However, the next panellist may highlight our failures and argue that we must be ashamed of being Indian. Finally, there can be another participant who may provide suggestions to improve the conditions of India so that we can overcome our weaknesses and become a strong and developed country.   

A good anchor starts the discussion by posing questions like “who?”, “what?”, “where?”, “when?”, “why?” and “how?”, and ask the participants to share their thoughts. However, he maintains neutrality during the discussion and ensures that every participant shares his thoughts. He must record the points and finally summarise the key attributes. Ultimately, the conversation winds up with concrete suggestions and on an optimistic note.  A good discussion aims to understand an issue from various perspectives and generate ideas to solve a complex problem. 

Experiment with different methods

In this chapter, we discussed the different methods to write essays. First, you must carefully read the topic of the essay and then decide which methodology would suit the theme the best. Then, you can write the same essay using different methods while practising to find out your style and the suitable method. You will gradually learn to trust your intuition and pick the best method to write the essay.

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Essay writing, gs paper 1 – history, geography, society, gs paper 2 – polity, governance, and international relation, gs paper 3 – economy, environment, internal security, gs paper 4 – ethics, integrity and aptitude.

• Dear aspirants, your shortlisting for the UPSC IAS Interview will be based on your score in the IAS Mains exam scheduled to be held between September, 2019.
• The IAS Main exam is a complete subjective test where you have to appear in 5 tests – Essay Writing, GS 1, GS 2, GS 3 & GS 4.
• The essays/ questions in these tests evolve around your understanding of the various events, ideas & issues prevailing in India. Your success depends upon two aspects – your understanding and your ability to present your thoughts. Every examiner looks into your answer, to see how well you have grasped the topic. It is important, therefore, to arrange your ideas, facts or quotes in a systematic way. A well-presented answer compels the examiner to read through at a first glance.
• In this regard, we are pleased to present our free e-books to help you in this journey.

What is asked in the exam? You have to write essays on 2 Topics out of a list of 8 Topics, in 1000 – 1200 words, in 3 Hours. For example

• What are the major water disputes between states in India? Can a centralized approach help solve water disputes?
• What is the importance of higher education in 21st century and how can it make a difference in people’s social life?
• Do you think skilling the youth has become vital for tackling unemployment in India?
• Do you think it would be possible to sustain high growth in the long term without environmental care?
• What role do you see for India in changing global world order?

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Further, our Essay book contains a comprehensive list of 121 essays to tackle all such essays for UPSC Exam. With the upcoming independence day, we are pleased to make our ebooks available starting at the attractive price of just 9 rupees !

What is asked in the exam? You have to write answers to 20 Questions, in 150/ 250 words (as mentioned against each question) in 3 Hours. For this, we are pleased to share with you an ebook containing following topics:

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• Tips on how to write the Best Answers to GS Paper 1 Questions
• 25 Most Important Topics for IAS Mains GS 2019 Paper-1
• Important Cultural sites and Monuments in India.
• Classical and Regional Dances of India.
• Hindustani, Carnatic and Regional music of India.
• Indian Architecture like- Indus Civilization, Buddhist Architecture, Temple Architecture, Indo-Islamic Architecture, Modern Architecture.
• Indian Sculpture – Indus Civilization, Buddhist Sculpture, Gupta Sculpture etc.

What is asked in the exam? You have to write answers to 20 Questions, in 150/ 250 words (as mentioned against each question) in 3 Hours.

• Tips on how to write the Best Answers to GS Paper 2 Questions
• 25 Most Important Topics for IAS Mains GS 2019 Paper-2
• Delegation by the legislators and disqualifying them by the Speaker.
• Contribution to Clean India Mission and Water Conservation by Local Government.
• Limit of expenditure set by the Election Commission.
• Gandhi’s views in the Indian Constitution.
• Right to Information.
• Tips on how to write the Best Answers to GS Paper 3 Questions
• 25 Most Important Topics for IAS Mains GS 2019 Paper-3
• Sustainable Development
• Universal Basic Income
• Important International Environmental Conventions and Conferences
• Environmental Pollution
• Biotechnology and Its Applications

What is asked in the exam? You have to write answers to 12 Questions, in 150/ 250 words (as mentioned against each question) in 3 Hours.

• Tips on how to write the Best Answers to GS Paper 4 Questions
• 20 Most Important Topics for or IAS Mains GS 2019 Paper-4
• Civil Service Values
• Moral Values and Obligations
• Conflict of Interest in different situations
• Ethical Conduct and Code of Ethics
• Approaches to deal with malpractices in public service/ administration

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Mastering Essay & Answer Writing For UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exam

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He is a young and dynamic faculty in UPSC CSE field who has himself appeared in UPSC Interview and scored 120+ consecutively 3 times in UPSC Prelims. Overall he has appeared for 4 Mains and 1 Interview in UPSC CSE. He has also cleared various other competitive exams like IBPS PO (Selected as PO and worked there for more than 2 years), UPSC EPFO (reserve list) etc. This experience makes him understand the challenges and limitations that aspirants face in preparing for UPSC CSE.

Sourabh possesses the distinguishing feature of qualifying for Personality Test (Interview) of UPSC CSE in both of his attempts. Along with this, he has also scored 285+ score in Public Administration optional in both of his attempts. His expertise lies in giving right and honest guidance to aspirants and in the span of last 1.5 years, he has mentored 1000+ students across the country. Before joining Prepp IAS, he had been associated with Vision IAS as a guest faculty.

Senior Faculty in UPSC CSE field with experience of teaching multiple subjects in multiple leading civil services coaching institutes. He has appeared for 4 mains and 2 interviews in UPSC CSE, with two 140+ scores in Prelims. His exam-oriented teaching jazzed up with wit makes classes interactive and interesting which can surely help students in solving questions.

He is a teacher by passion and has experience of more than 5 years in teaching and guiding UPSC CSE Aspirants. He has taught in many reputed offline and online institutes like VISION IAS, Dheya IAS, Future IAS, residential coaching of Haj Committee of India etc. He himself has appeared for Personality Test (Interview) for UPSC and understands the demand of the exam. He has guided thousands of UPSC Aspirants across India in past 5 years.

She did her Master’s in Histroy from University of Delhi. Shubhangi has more than 04 years experience of teaching History to UPSC CSE aspirants. She has taught History in various institues throughout the country.

Ekta Batra teaches Reading Comprehension to UPSC aspirants and believes in holistic development. Reading comprehension occurs when words on a page are not just mere words but thoughts and ideas. Comprehension makes reading enjoyable, fun, and informative. She ensures to refer to all the above aspects in my classes.

He is B. Tech in Electronics and Communication and teaching CSAT from 2017 . He has worked with many reputed institutes in the field of UPSC like SRIAS, ALS and many others. Prior to that he has taught aptitude and reasoning under campus placement drive in different reputed universities like Banasthali University, Mody University.

She has over 5 years of expertise in teaching Ethics for UPSC CSE. She has scored 130 marks on the Ethics paper herself and understands the intricacies of the subject matter. Her teaching methodology involves a balanced approach between theoretical concepts and practical application, which helps students grasp the subject matter in a comprehensive manner.

She is a dedicated educator for past 6 years who believes in the concept of Learner’s First. She has taught in many reputed offline and online institutes like Edukemy and Edge IAS. She herself wrote 02 UPSC CSE Mains and appreared in State PSC interview twice.

Logical Guessing and Elimination Expert for PrelimsScore 120+ in Prelims multiple time Since earning his B.Tech degree in Computer Science & Engineering from NIT Allahabad, Sumant has written 4 UPSC CSE Mains and 1 Indian Forest Services Mains. He has spent half a decade helping aspirants navigate complicated concepts. He is a problem-solving expert. Prior to joining Prepp IAS, Sumant was senior faculty at Unacademy and StudyIQ. He is a famous name in the field of UPSC CSE education and a renowned faculty of General Studies for UPSC.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main objective of the prayas: mastering upsc cse answer writing in 90 days, how is the prayas: mastering upsc cse answer writing in 90 days structured.

Phase 1: Focuses on daily answer writing practice with detailed workshops and personalized feedback.

Phase 2: Includes 08 half-length tests to improve time management and answer writing techniques.

Phase 3: Simulates the real examination atmosphere with full-length GS tests and personalized feedback.

What is the objective of the workshops in PRAYAS: Mastering UPSC CSE Answer Writing in 90 Days structured?

Who can benefit from the prayas: mastering upsc cse answer writing in 90 days, when does the prayas: mastering upsc cse answer writing in 90 days start, what is the mode of delivery, and what are the class timings, can one join gs-specific sessions, how to submit answers in prayas: mastering upsc cse answer writing in 90 days, will model answers be provided, which is the best course for answer writing, currently running courses.

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Hear it From The Learners

“ It was a very well-planned elaborate course. It was really very helpful as it gave a taste of how the real exam would be. Also Known ”

“ The course was really helpful. It was a whole package of learning on how to go for answer writing in UPSC. The faculty members were really supportive and very active in clearing our doubts. I got to know where i am lacking, what are my weaknesses and faults and what improvements i need in the journey of UPSC. Overall i can say it was a fruitful output with minimum input. Looking forward for further courses as well. Thankyou. ”

“ Very detailed feedback on answers were provided which made me aware of the lacunae in my preparation and helped to further rectify it. ”

“ Helped me a lot to improve my writing skills. When started I was not confident, but now I'm able to deal with the questions confidently. Special thanks to sourabh sir. ”

“ Thanks to prepp ias team special thank to Siddharth sir n Saurabh sir this course is very helpful to me, apke daily guidence bht helpful hai.this is the best platform for the upsc aspirant ”

“ I started my preparation 3 months ago with prepp IAS daily guidance UPSC 2022, this course helped to understand what exactly answer writing means before this i was not sure where to start, how to start, what to write to practice answer writing but after this course i m at least sure about this if i have enough content i can write answer and i Really want to keep practising answer writing with prepp IAS Team, Looking forward for another series ”

“ As a beginner and a state psc aspirant, now I can understand the question and changed my thought process thank u team prepp ”

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Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exams 2nd Edition | Prelims & Mains | CSE | State Administrative Exams Paperback – 1 January 2022

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The second Edition of the Bestselling Book Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exam, authored by Dr. Awdhesh Singh , has been thoroughly updated and enlarged. The book contains the decades of experience of Civil Services with the expertise of the author. It prepares you to write best ANSWERS and ESSAYS in the IAS/ PCS Mains examination.

• This new Edition now contains 27 Chapters with the addition of 13 New Chapters . This edition also provides Mains Preparation Strategy & Resources

• The book explains the purpose of the Essay paper and elucidates the methodologies to write essays on any topic.

• It explains the structure of an Essay for all six types of Essays with a special chapter dedicated exclusively for Philosophical topics .

• It expounds the techniques of Brainstorming and Mind-Mapping to prepare the readers for spontaneous Essay Writing on any Topic.

• The Best practices of Essay Writing explained in the book helps you fetch additional marks in examination.

• The book investigates the common mistakes and provides their step-by-step resolution .

• In addition, the book provides 30 Model Essays to learn and practice. In 15 of these Mind Maps have been provided along with strategy of developing the Essay with the help of the Mind Map .

• It provides a large number of Quotations, Anecdotes, Stories, Poems and Studies that can make your essay stand apart.

• The Answers to the 4 General Studies Papers are very critical to score high in the Main Exam.

• The book provides a lot of Tips, Ideas & Suggestions to achieve that perfectness required for a BEST Answer .

• ISBN-10 9355641192
• ISBN-13 978-9355641199
• Publisher Disha Publication
• Publication date 1 January 2022
• Language English
• Dimensions 21.59 x 13.97 x 1.21 cm
• Print length 360 pages
• See all details

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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Disha Publication (1 January 2022); Disha Publication
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 360 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9355641192
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-9355641199
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 280 g
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 21.59 x 13.97 x 1.21 cm
• Country of Origin ‏ : ‎ India
• Net Quantity ‏ : ‎ 1 Count
• Importer ‏ : ‎ Disha Publication
• Packer ‏ : ‎ Disha Publication
• Generic Name ‏ : ‎ Book
• #186 in UPSC Civil Services

About the author

Awdhesh singh.

Dr Awdhesh Singh is a best-selling author and former IRS officer. He did his B Tech from IIT (BHU) Varanasi, M Tech from IIT Delhi and PhD from ABV-Indian Institute of Indian Institute of Technology & Management (IIITM) Gwalior. He is the founding Director of Awdhesh Academy, an online learning platform. He is also a top civil services educator at Unacademy and Prepladder.

He took voluntary retirement in 2016 after serving the Government of India for over twenty-five years. He was awarded ‘Certificate of Merit’ by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in 2011 and “Presidential Award by the Government of India in 2015.

He has written eight books, over 500 articles, and over 5,600 answers on Quora.com. He is the sixth most followed writer on Quora Globally, with over 3.35 lakh followers and over 225 million answer views.

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Customers find the book useful for developing great writing skills. They say it provides wise tips and effective guidance particularly for the UPSC. Readers also describe the writing quality as superb, lucid, and descriptive.

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Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exam Paperback – June 30, 2020

• Language English
• Publication date June 30, 2020
• Dimensions 7.99 x 10 x 1.85 inches
• ISBN-10 8194528658
• ISBN-13 978-8194528654
• See all details

From the Publisher

Mastering Essay & Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services IAS/ IPS & State PSC Main Exam is authored by a former IRS officer and a bestselling author. The book contains decades of experience of Civil Services with the expertise of the author. It prepares you to write best ANSWERS and ESSAYS in the IAS/PCS Mains examination.

Essay Writing forms a very important part of the UPSC Civil Services IAS Main Exam. There is one complete paper based on Essay Writing in which the student has to attempt 2 out of 8 Essays in 1000-1200 words each. Further in the English Compulsory paper as well the aspirants have to attempt 1 out of 4 Essays in around 600 words. The essays being asked range from contemporary social, political or economic topics to Philosophical topics. Apart from the knowledge the examiner also judges you on the presentation of your Essay. It requires a lot of skills to write a good Essay – Unique Introduction, Assimilation of thoughts, adhering to word/ time limits, perfect conclusion, etc. Also you need to plan meticulously while writing your IAS Main Answer as you have to stick to word/ time limit. Here also you need to develop the skill to write or present your best answers. Dr. Awdhesh, an ex IRS Officer himself, is an authority on IAS Essay/ Answer Writing topic with loads of teaching experience.

Essential features of the book

Why Should You buy this Book?

About DISHA: In a market that is fragmented, Disha Publication has managed to make its significance felt since its inception. Our books are synonymous with high quality educational publishing and are considered a choice for reference book materials. We consistently try to offer the most progressive, futuristic and aspirant-focused study materials and journals across India. Disha publishes and distributes print and digital learning materials with strengths in school books, competitive exam books, e-books and online test series. We have published a gamut of books that caters to various competitive exams and entrance exams. Disha is a provider of K–12 education content and material for Competitive Exams. Disha caters to not just the academic abilities of the students but also prepares them for the bigger challenges of life.

Dr. Awdhesh K. Singh is a best-selling author, educator and a former IRS officer. He took voluntary retirement in 2016 after serving the Government for over twenty-five years. He is the Founder of Awdhesh Academy, an online learning platform and among the best educators of Civil Services courses of ‘Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude’ and ‘Essay and Answer Writing’ on Unacademy. He has done his B. Tech. from IIT (BHU) Varanasi, M. Tech. from IIT-Delhi and Ph.D. from ABV - Indian Institute of Information Technology & Management (IIITM) Gwalior. He is a prolific writer who has authored five books on the topics of Spiritual Intelligence, Myths, GST and Happiness. He has written over 500 articles and over 5,000 answers on Quora.com. He has been a ‘Top Quora Writer’ and presently the ‘Fifth Most Followed Writers in the World’ on Quora with over 3 lakh followers and over 150 Million views on his answers.

Product details

• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 8194528658
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-8194528654
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.7 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.99 x 10 x 1.85 inches

About the author

Awdhesh singh.

Dr Awdhesh Singh is a best-selling author and former IRS officer. He did his B Tech from IIT (BHU) Varanasi, M Tech from IIT Delhi and PhD from ABV-Indian Institute of Indian Institute of Technology & Management (IIITM) Gwalior. He is the founding Director of Awdhesh Academy, an online learning platform. He is also a top civil services educator at Unacademy and Prepladder.

He took voluntary retirement in 2016 after serving the Government of India for over twenty-five years. He was awarded ‘Certificate of Merit’ by the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in 2011 and “Presidential Award by the Government of India in 2015.

He has written eight books, over 500 articles, and over 5,600 answers on Quora.com. He is the sixth most followed writer on Quora Globally, with over 3.35 lakh followers and over 225 million answer views.

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Chapter 8: Mastering the Art of Essay Writing for UPSC Civil Services Examination

An aspirant’s journey: from neglect to success.

Imagine a candidate, let’s call her Anjali, embarking on her Civil Services journey. Initially, Anjali focused heavily on technical subjects, viewing the essay component as secondary. This common oversight stemmed from a belief that her strong academic background would naturally translate into essay success. However, in her first attempt, Anjali’s essay score was markedly low, pulling down her overall ranking.

Determined to rectify this, Anjali changed her strategy. She began dedicating time to essay practice, analyzing top-scoring essays, and engaging in diverse reading to broaden her perspectives. She focused on structuring her arguments coherently and practicing writing under timed conditions. This renewed focus paid off in her subsequent attempt, where her essay score improved significantly, contributing to a much higher overall ranking.

Introduction

The art of essay writing in civil services examinations is akin to a strategic game. It’s not just about showcasing knowledge but about how effectively one can argue, persuade, and present ideas within a structured format. Unlike other papers that focus on objective information, the essay offers a canvas to aspirants, challenging them to paint their thoughts, insights, and viewpoints with a broad stroke of subjectivity and creativity. The essay carries a significant weight of 250 marks, which can be the difference between success and mediocrity in the overall ranking.

Emphasizing a Strategic Approach

• Understanding Expectations: The first step in mastering essay writing is understanding what the examiners seek. They are not just looking for a display of knowledge but the ability to critically analyze, synthesize diverse viewpoints, and present arguments cohesively.
• Balancing Content and Form: While the content is king, the form is equally crucial. A well-written essay is not just about what is said but how it’s said. It requires a balance between depth of content and elegance of expression.
• Tailoring to the Topic: Each essay topic demands a unique approach. Whether it’s a current affair issue, a philosophical query, or a socio-economic discussion, the key is to tailor your content and style to fit the topic seamlessly.
• Cultivating Originality and Insight: Examiners look for a spark of originality and personal insight. This involves not just echoing information but adding a personal touch, showcasing unique perspectives, and demonstrating deep understanding.
• Practicing and Refining: Like any other skill, essay writing demands practice. Regular writing, followed by critical evaluation and refinement, is essential. This is where aspirants can experiment with different styles, structures, and approaches to find what best showcases their strengths.
• Time Management and Structuring: Managing time effectively to plan, draft, and revise the essay is crucial. A well-structured essay with a clear introduction, a comprehensive body, and a conclusive end leaves a lasting impression.

Understanding the Essay Paper

Essay Paper Format and Scoring

In the Civil Services Examination, the essay paper is a distinct component that assesses candidates’ ability to articulate, analyze, and provide a coherent argument on diverse topics. Typically, this paper includes a choice of topics, allowing aspirants to select the one they are most comfortable with. The format is designed to test not only knowledge but also the expression, coherence, and relevance to the topic.

The scoring of the essay paper reflects its significance. It carries a substantial weight of 250 marks, which directly impacts the overall ranking of a candidate. A well-crafted essay can be a deciding factor in the success of an aspirant.

The Range of Potential Scores

Scores in the essay paper can vary widely. It’s possible to score as low as 50 or soar above 150. This scoring spectrum means that the essay can be a game-changer. A high score can significantly elevate a candidate’s total marks, improving their chances of securing a top rank or even making it to the final list.

Statistical Insight

Historically, the average score in the essay paper has fluctuated. It’s common to find candidates scoring in the mid-range, around 100-120 marks. However, there have been instances of exceptional performances where candidates have scored upwards of 150, demonstrating a mastery of essay writing. These statistics underscore the importance of the essay paper in the overall assessment.

Anecdote: A Successful Candidate’s Journey

Consider the story of a candidate who initially struggled with essay writing. Despite having strong knowledge in other areas, their essays lacked coherence and failed to make a significant impact. Realizing the importance of this paper, they dedicated time to develop their essay-writing skills – focusing on structure, clarity, and relevance. Their efforts paid off remarkably in the next attempt, where they scored well above the average, significantly boosting their total score. This turnaround not only illustrates the transformative power of mastering essay writing but also serves as a testament to how a focused approach can overcome initial shortcomings.

The Pitfalls of Neglecting Essay Preparation

Misconceptions about Essay Evaluation

The subjective nature of essay evaluation often leads to misconceptions:

• “It’s All About Opinions”: Many aspirants believe that since essays are subjective, any well-written opinion is sufficient. However, the evaluation criteria extend beyond mere opinion to include clarity of thought, coherence, and the ability to present a well-rounded argument.
• “Content Over Form”: There’s a false notion that content trumps writing style. In reality, how you present your ideas (structure, clarity, and language) is just as crucial as the ideas themselves.
• “No Need for Practice”: Some aspirants think that essay writing doesn’t require practice, assuming their general study will suffice. Regular practice in essay writing, however, is essential for developing the skills to organize and express thoughts effectively under exam conditions.
• “Wordiness Equals Depth”: A verbose essay doesn’t equate to a quality one. The skill lies in expressing complex ideas succinctly and clearly.
• “Predictable Topics”: Assuming essay topics will align with current events or hot topics can backfire. The examination often includes abstract themes, requiring a more nuanced approach to writing.

Avoiding these pitfalls requires acknowledging the essay’s unique challenges and dedicating appropriate time and effort to master this critical component of the Civil Services Examination.

Strategies for Effective Essay Writing

• Focus and Coherence in Topic Exploration
• Clarity in Vision: Begin by establishing a clear understanding of the essay topic. It’s like setting a clear destination on a map before starting a journey.
• Staying on Course: Keep the essay tethered to the core theme. Imagine your essay as a river flowing seamlessly towards the ocean, never straying into unconnected streams.
• Integrating Ideas: Connect different ideas like weaving threads into a fabric, ensuring each thread complements the overall pattern.
• Organizing Thoughts and Presenting a Clear Argument
• Structure: Picture your essay like building a house, starting with a solid foundation (introduction), erecting the main structure (body paragraphs), and finishing with a roof (conclusion).
• Logical Progression: Ensure each paragraph transitions smoothly to the next. Think of it as walking through different rooms in a house, each room leading logically to the next.
• Supporting Evidence: Use examples and evidence like pillars supporting each point. This solidity in argumentation can make your essay more persuasive.
• The Art of Concise yet Comprehensive Writing
• Economy of Words: Treat each word as a precious commodity. Use them sparingly, but effectively.
• Depth Over Breadth: Aim for depth in your writing. It’s like digging a well; the deeper you go, the more enriched the content, rather than skimming over a wide surface area.
• Clarity and Precision: Strive for clarity and precision, akin to a photographer focusing a lens to capture a sharp image.
• Importance of Error-Free and Impactful Language
• Accuracy in Language: Ensure your essay is free from grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Think of these errors as pebbles on a path; too many can hinder the reader’s journey through your essay.
• Powerful Vocabulary: Use words that are strong and effective, yet simple. Consider your vocabulary as a tool kit, where each tool has a specific and impactful use.
• Tone and Style: Maintain a tone that resonates with your audience. It’s like adjusting the volume and timbre of your voice in a conversation to maintain listener engagement.

Rhetorical Question: “How Can Your Essay Stand Out Among Thousands?”

• Unique Perspective: Offer a unique angle or perspective in your essay, akin to an artist choosing a unique color palette for a painting.
• Personal Touch: Incorporate a touch of your personal experiences or insights. It’s like leaving a personal signature on your work.
• Engaging Narrative: Craft your essay in a way that captivates the reader from the beginning to the end. Think of it as telling a story where every sentence adds to the intrigue or builds towards a conclusion.

 Key Components of an Effective Essay

• Maintaining a Natural Flow and Logical Progression

A well-crafted essay should read like a clear stream of thought, seamlessly transitioning from one idea to the next. This clarity is achieved through a logical progression of ideas, where each paragraph and sentence logically follows from the one before. Imagine your essay as a conversation with the reader, where you guide them gently from point to point, avoiding abrupt or jarring transitions. It’s akin to a well-organized journey where each stop brings a new perspective but is part of a coherent path.

• The Balance Between Different Viewpoints

In an effective essay, especially on complex topics, it’s crucial to acknowledge and explore multiple perspectives. It’s not about fence-sitting but rather showing an understanding that issues often have more than one facet. Think of it as viewing a sculpture: to appreciate its beauty, you need to see it from different angles. This balanced approach demonstrates critical thinking and a mature grasp of the subject matter, as you weigh contrasting viewpoints before drawing your own conclusions.

• Covering All Dimensions of a Topic

An essay should be a window that offers views of all relevant aspects of the topic. These aspects often include:

• Social: Consider the impact on society, social norms, and community dynamics.
• Economic: Look at financial implications, economic theories, or the effect on trade and industry.
• Political: Explore governance, policy implications, and political theories or actions.
• Cultural: Reflect on cultural traditions, changes, and influences.

This comprehensive approach ensures that your essay provides a rounded understanding of the topic.

• Integrating Holistic and Respectful Perspectives

Your essay should not only present a range of perspectives but also do so respectfully. This means recognizing the validity of differing viewpoints and avoiding dismissive or biased language. Imagine you are a moderator in a debate, where you need to ensure that all voices are heard and considered fairly. This approach not only enriches your essay but also reflects your ability to engage with complex issues thoughtfully and empathetically.

• Crafting Engaging Introductions and Conclusions

The introduction is your chance to pique the reader’s interest. Start with a hook – a question, a striking fact, or a brief story – that directly relates to your topic. Think of it as the first impression in a meeting: it should be inviting and set the tone for what’s to come.

The conclusion, on the other hand, is your final word. It’s not merely a summary but a place to impress upon the reader the significance of your arguments. It should leave the reader with something to ponder or a sense of closure. Consider it akin to the closing remarks of a speaker, leaving the audience with a resonant message.

Enhancing Presentation and Style in Essay Writing

The Impact of Neat Handwriting and Structured Paragraphs

• Visual Appeal: The first impression of your essay is visual. Neat handwriting instantly makes your essay more readable and engaging. It’s akin to walking into a well-organized room; it invites the reader in.
• Structured Paragraphs: Each paragraph should act like a stepping stone in a river, guiding the reader smoothly through your arguments. Start with a topic sentence, follow with supporting sentences, and conclude with a sentence that leads to the next paragraph. This structure ensures clarity and coherence.

Navigating the Pitfalls of Grammar and Spelling

• Accuracy Matters: Grammatical and spelling errors can distract the reader and diminish the credibility of your arguments. These mistakes are like small stones in a shoe, seemingly minor but greatly affecting the journey.
• Proofreading: Always allocate time for revising your essay. This is where you can catch and correct these errors. Think of it as polishing a gem – the intrinsic value is there, but the polish brings out its true brilliance.

The Power of Simple, Yet Impactful Language

• Clarity is Key: Complex language or jargon can obscure your message. Your goal is to communicate ideas, not to confuse your reader. As da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” Aim for clear, straightforward language that conveys your ideas effectively.
• Powerful Words: Choose words that are strong and specific. Instead of saying “very big,” say “immense.” These choices add precision and strength to your writing.

Bringing It All Together

• Remember, the goal of your essay is to communicate your ideas as clearly and effectively as possible. Neat handwriting, structured paragraphs, correct grammar, and simple yet powerful language are tools to achieve this goal. They enhance the reader’s experience, ensuring your ideas are not just read, but understood and appreciated.

The Art of Using Quotes and Citations

Incorporating Relevant Quotes Naturally

The use of quotes and citations in essays, especially in competitive exams like the Civil Services, is akin to adding seasoning to a dish. It enhances the flavor but should never overpower the main ingredients. Here’s how to use them effectively:

• Context is King : Ensure that every quote you use directly relates to your essay’s topic. It should feel like a seamless part of the narrative, not an afterthought. For instance, if discussing leadership, a quote by Nelson Mandela might be apt.
• Subtlety Over Show : Use quotes to subtly underscore your point rather than to show off knowledge. The reader should feel that the quote naturally extends your own thoughts.
• Sparingly and Strategically : Think of quotes as a spice – too much can ruin the dish. Use them sparingly and at strategic points in your essay to reinforce an argument or introduce a new section.

Avoiding Controversial or Out-of-Context Citations

• Steer Clear of Controversy : Unless your essay topic specifically deals with a controversial subject, avoid using quotes that might be polarizing or provocative. The goal is to demonstrate balanced thinking and sound judgment.
• Stay True to the Source : Misquoting or taking quotes out of context can discredit your essay. Ensure that the quote supports the point you’re making and that you’re using it as the author intended.
• Diverse Perspectives : If your essay topic allows, include quotes from a variety of sources, reflecting diverse perspectives. This showcases your understanding of the subject from multiple angles.

Selecting the Right Topic

Selecting the appropriate topic for an essay in the Civil Services Examination is not just about picking a subject; it’s about aligning your strengths and knowledge with the topic to maximize your scoring potential. Let’s break down this process:

Understanding Your Strengths and Interests

• Self-Reflection: Start by assessing your own interests and areas of strength. Are you more inclined towards politics, economics, social issues, or technology? Understanding your own preferences is crucial.
• Knowledge Base: Reflect on the subjects or issues you are most informed about. Which topics do you find yourself reading and discussing most often?
• Comfort Zone: Consider the topics that you feel most comfortable articulating your thoughts on. Comfort in expression often leads to clearer and more persuasive essays.

Criteria for Topic Selection

• Familiarity: Choose a topic you are familiar with. Writing on a known subject reduces the time needed for additional research and allows for a more in-depth discussion.
• Resource Availability: Ensure there are sufficient resources and reference materials available for the topic. This will help in citing relevant examples and data to strengthen your essay.
• Relevance and Scope: Opt for topics that are not only currently relevant but also offer a wide scope for discussion. This allows for a multi-dimensional analysis, a key aspect of a good essay.

Introspection: Choosing Your Topic

• List Creation: Write down five topics that interest you. They can range from current affairs to more theoretical subjects.
• Analysis: For each topic, jot down key points or ideas you would include. This step helps in gauging your comfort and depth of understanding in each area.
• Resource Check: Briefly research each topic to assess the availability of resources and data. This could involve a quick online search or a review of books and articles.
• Evaluation: Compare your lists. Which topic had the most substantial points and available resources? Which one did you find easiest to brainstorm?
• Decision: Based on this analysis, select the topic that stands out as the most feasible and compelling for you.

The right topic is not just about what is trending or commonly chosen; it’s about where your knowledge, interest, and resources intersect. This approach ensures you are not just choosing a topic, but strategically positioning yourself for the best possible outcome in your essay writing.

Remember: Your choice of topic can significantly influence your performance, so take the time to make a considered decision. Avoid rushing into a topic based solely on its popularity or perceived ease. Your unique perspective and understanding are your greatest assets in the essay paper.

Cultural and Historical References in Essay Writing

• Parallels with Historical Figures Known for Their Writing Prowess

Incorporating examples of historical figures renowned for their writing can significantly enrich an essay. These references not only provide a rich context but also demonstrate the writer’s awareness of historical perspectives.

• For Instance: Drawing on Mahatma Gandhi’s eloquent advocacy for non-violence and civil rights can provide a powerful example in essays dealing with social justice or political ethics. Gandhi’s writings in “Harijan” or “Young India” exemplify clarity, conviction, and persuasion, qualities that are essential in essay writing.
• Another Example: Referencing Winston Churchill’s speeches, known for their rhetorical brilliance, in essays about leadership or crisis management can illustrate the power of words in shaping public opinion and inspiring action.
• Current Affairs and Their Relevance to Essay Topics

Incorporating current affairs into essays showcases a candidate’s awareness of ongoing global and national issues, reflecting their informed and contemporary worldview.

• For Example: In an essay on climate change, referencing recent international summits or policy changes demonstrates an understanding of the evolving nature of global responses to environmental issues.
• Case in Point: Essays on technology and ethics could benefit from citing recent advancements in AI or data privacy laws, showing the writer’s grasp of the cutting-edge issues in technology.

Integrating Cultural and Historical References

Incorporating these references involves more than just name-dropping; it requires a thoughtful connection to the essay’s theme.

• Analyzing Rather than Stating: Instead of merely mentioning Gandhi, delve into how his principles of Satyagraha could apply in contemporary conflict resolution.
• Drawing Lessons: Use Churchill’s leadership during WWII to draw lessons about crisis management or decision-making under pressure.
• Making It Relevant: Tie current events to the essay topic in a way that enriches the reader’s understanding. For example, in discussing economic policies, refer to how recent global events (like a pandemic or a financial crisis) have shaped fiscal strategies.

Avoiding Clichés and Tropes

While integrating these references, it’s crucial to avoid clichés and overly used phrases. Instead of grandiose language, focus on clear, precise, and relevant descriptions.

• Be Specific: Instead of vaguely referencing “Churchill’s leadership,” specify a particular speech or decision and its impact or relevance to your point.
• No Over-generalizations: Avoid broad, sweeping statements about historical events or figures. Be nuanced and specific in your analysis.

Incorporating cultural and historical references and current affairs in essays is a skill that elevates the quality of writing, showcasing depth, perspective, and a strong connection to the world. It’s about painting a picture that is both vivid and meaningful, using the past and present to illuminate ideas and arguments.

Avoiding Common Mistakes in Essay Writing for Civil Services

Overstepping Word Limits and Time Management

Precision in Language: A fundamental aspect of essay writing is adhering to word limits. This discipline ensures that your ideas are conveyed effectively without unnecessary elaboration. It’s not just about fitting your thoughts into a predetermined box, but about honing them to their most potent and impactful form.

Techniques for Staying within Limits:

• Outline First: Draft a brief outline before diving into the essay. This roadmap helps you stay on track, covering all necessary points without veering off into tangents.
• Practice Conciseness: Train yourself to express ideas succinctly. It’s about finding the balance between thoroughness and brevity.
• Regular Practice: Writing regularly under timed conditions can enhance your ability to gauge the length of your essay intuitively.

Time Management Tips:

• Allocate Wisely: Divide your time between planning, writing, and reviewing. For instance, if you have an hour, consider spending 15 minutes planning, 40 minutes writing, and 5 minutes reviewing.
• Watch the Clock: Regularly check the time to ensure you’re on track. This habit prevents last-minute rushes that can compromise essay quality.

Avoiding a One-Sided Narrative

Embracing Multiple Perspectives: The world isn’t black and white, and neither should your essay be. Presenting a one-sided argument in your essay can make it seem narrow and superficial. To create depth, consider different viewpoints.

Strategies for a Balanced Approach:

• Research Broadly: Gather information from diverse sources to understand the multifaceted nature of the topic.
• Empathy in Argumentation: Put yourself in others’ shoes to understand their perspective. This doesn’t mean agreeing with every view but acknowledging and addressing them.
• Counterarguments: Include and address counterarguments. This demonstrates critical thinking and the ability to engage with opposing ideas.
• Historical and Cultural Context: Provide context to arguments by referencing historical and cultural factors. This broadens the scope of your essay.

Reflective Questions for Balance:

• “Am I addressing the complexities of the issue?”
• “Have I considered the counterpoints to my argument?”

Additional Tips:

• Avoid Generalizations: Steer clear of sweeping statements that can oversimplify complex issues.
• Fact-Checking: Ensure your arguments are backed by accurate data and sources.

The Question you need to answer for yourself:

• “What is your biggest challenge in essay writing, and how do you plan to overcome it?”

This question invites self-reflection and encourages aspirants to identify and articulate their own writing challenges. By recognizing these challenges, aspirants can seek specific resources or strategies to address them. For instance, if structuring an essay is a challenge, focusing on books or resources that offer guidance on essay frameworks might be beneficial. Sharing and discussing these challenges with peers can also provide new perspectives and solutions.

Summary of Key Learnings

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Essay Writing for Civil Services Examination

• 13 Aug 2018
• 20 min read

Understanding Essay Writing

An essay is a short piece of writing that sheds light on any given topic. M.H. Abrams, the American literary critic, notes that the essay is “Any short composition in prose that undertakes to discuss a matter, express a point of view, or persuade us to accept a thesis on any subject.”

Broadly speaking, there are two types of essays - formal and informal. In the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE), we are concerned with the formal essay. The formal essay is relatively impersonal, the author writes it as an authority and such essays tend to be less emotional. Formal essays can also have factual elements in it, like quoted statistics from a government report etc. It is never in the form of a conversation, never uses first-person references and seldom gets intimate with the audience. In short, a formal essay has a certain degree of seriousness attached to it.

Essay writing for CSE

• For the CSE essay paper, two essays have to be written under 3 hours in the 1000-1200 word limit. Each essay carries 125 marks for a total of 250.
• The essay paper is divided into two sections - A and B, each carrying a choice of 4 essays each, and the aspirant has to choose only one essay from each section.
• The instructions in the syllabus are clear in what is being expected from the aspirant. Aspirants are ‘expected to keep their thoughts closely to the subject and arrange their ideas accordingly.It furthur tates that, credit will be given for effective and coherent expression’.
• The underlined keywords are important because after content, these are the exact parameters on which the essay will be evaluated. 

Beginning Essay Writing

Practice makes perfect. For scoring good marks in the essay, one needs practice. But, before we get to the practising part, we should do some basic homework first. We would start by looking at what a well structured essay is, how it can be planned, what elements can be added to make the essay more scoring, and most importantly, how to do it all within the prescribed time limit.

Basic structure of an essay

The most common method of structuring a essay is breaking it up into paragraphs. In this technique, besides the introduction and the conclusion, there will be body-paragraphs. In these body-paragraphs, the aspirant will have to fit in all his content.

• Body-paragraphs can broadly be supportive, critical or narrative. Ideally, one can start any argument in an aptly phrased narrative paragraph which describe the topic in some detail and then move on to a supportive paragraph containing a few positive facts/ideas on the topic. Though critical paragraphs look best when they are placed last, there are no such rules, and for some topics it can be used as the opening paragraph for the topic.
• The most important part of the essay is perhaps the introduction. First impressions are very important, and a well thought out introduction will definitely make a positive impression on the examiner. We will discuss how to write a proper introduction later in this strategy.
• Similarly, the conclusion is where one can score additional marks if done properly. This will also be discussed later.

Keywords of the essay syllabus

• 'closely': Any deviation from the topic will be tolerated only up to a certain point. One must, therefore, as a rule stick as closely as possible to the topic at hand. Any example, quote, anecdote or reference must be on topic or related closely to it.
• 'arrange': The essay must be in an arranged form. The aspirant is supposed to plan ahead and form a structure of the essay before actually writing it down.
• 'orderly': The ideas or arguments put forward in the essay must follow an order. A haphazard essay that does not flow sequentially, must be avoided at all costs.
• 'concise': The essay and the matter discussed therein must be expressed as precisely possible. Clarity of thought and brevity of expression is what is looked for in the CSE essay.
• 'effective': The essay must be written in a language that makes a strong impression. Thus, one needs to be conveying a point with every sentence, every paragraph. Flowery language is best avoided.
• 'coherent': Coherence is required of all forms of writing, including answer writing, but in the CSE essay one must be extra careful to check that all individual sentences in the essay are making sense. Also, paragraphs as a whole must convey a clear and well thought out exposition on the theme of the essay.

Planning to write an essay

A good essay needs planning. There are three steps to it - defining or understanding what the essay is going to be about in very clear terms, brainstroming on the topic and thirdly, devising the outline of the essay.

Central idea of the thesis statement

• All CSE essays have a thesis statement. For example, in CSE 2016, the following essay was asked— ‘Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare’ . Here the central idea is ‘innovation’. The aspirant is supposed to explore those dimensions of innovation that affect ‘economic growth and social welfare’. In doing so, the aspirant should not veer from the central topic of innovation but if possible add a few related ideas which may supplement the overall central idea that not only socio-economic but also other areas like technology and culture are affected by forces of innovation.
• In another essay asked in CSE— ‘Water disputes between States in federal India’ – the central idea is how the water disputes between various Indian states have played out and what are its various dimensions. Constitutional, legal, social and political dimensions, for ex, are a must for addressing this topic. In order to find out the various dimensions of any given topic we should perform a brainstorming exercise.

Brainstorming for essay writing

• Brainstorming for essay is a crucial step. Brainstorming helps you get all the ideas at one place for quick reference. There are no hard and fast rules, but typically one can begin with the given topic and immediately start listing the things that come to mind. One can ideally devote an entire page for this exercise.

Brainstorming guide

• The first requirement for brainstorming is focus. One should be able to focus single-mindedly on the job at hand, which in this case is jotting down as many points as possible regarding the essay topic.
• Boundaries must also be properly defined. If the topic does not absolutely require a particularly complex point or if it does not require following a difficult train of thought, it should be avoided. Keeping the essay as simple as possible without sacrificing the most valid points is what we should be looking for.
• Then we must set a time limit for the brainstorming session. Ideally, for CSE that time limit works out to about 25 minutes per essay. Within that time limit one is supposed to come up with all the necessary points and plans for writing the essay.
• Another important point to be made here is that aspirants should have a fair understanding regarding  the expectations of the CSE examiner from the essay. Every topic will have some basic ideas that the aspirants must necessarily try to explore or address. During brainstorming such a requirement can be searched for.
• In the brainstorming exercise one may also take help of diagrams, flow-charts, mind-maps etc., if needed. Sometimes doing this may clear things up to a great extent or even save precious time.
• Three things that one must exclusively do while brainstorming are — identify causes and factors, define the various issues and make a list of associated ideas. Doing this is key to success in the entire brainstorming exercise.

Adding elements to the essay

• Any good essay will definitely have a multitude of elements and dimensions to it. For CSE essay writing, there are certain basic rules that one can follow while searching for these elements and dimensions.
• The first of such rules would be to follow and uphold Constitutional values at all times . This is very crucial for essay writing in CSE, that the values enshrined in our Constitution reflect in whatever idea, problem or solution we discuss in the essay. At no point should one try and support an idea that is unconstitutional.
• One must also be democratic while addressing issues . The concepts of ‘freedom and equality’ should be the guiding principles while suggesting solutions and while criticising events or issues.
• Generally, one must also avoid taking absolutist/non-compromising positions . In fact, the best way to handle complex problems is to find the middle ground.
• One must also try not to make sweeping generalisations on any given issue. Instead, there should be hints of patience, justice and understanding in addressing or discussing any given topic.
• Lastly, there are two more things that an aspirant need to keep in mind while attempting the CSE essay. (A) Do not question the topic itself, which is to say, in other words, do not contradict yourself. Pick a position (ideally, the middle path) and stay true to it throughout the essay. (B) Never use positively, things that are universally considered or used in a negative sense, and vice-versa. For ex, one must not say that ‘terrorism’ under certain conditions is equivalent to a freedom struggle, even though quotes like ‘one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter’ are quite common.

Elements in an essay

• The three basic elements — social, political and economic — form the bedrock of a good CSE essay.
• To these, one may add other dimensions like Constitutional, legal, technological, technical etc. 
• Another important element is the persona Good personal experiences or anecdotes can no doubt be used to increase the effectiveness of the essay but these should stay within the accepted framework of ethical conduct.

PESTLE Analysis

• Political – Economic – Sociological – Technological – Legal – Environmental Analysis.
• Use PESTLE Analysis to figure out the various aspects, dimensions, factors etc of any given topic.

Outlining the essay

• Before writing the essay, it is best to outline it. To outline an essay means to figure out what to say in the introduction/conclusion, which idea comes where, or even what quote to use for the essay etc.
• Outlining the essay in rough helps us grasp the entirety of the essay before actually writing it. It helps us get the big picture, and also see what we could be missing.
• It is said that once we can figure out the conclusion to our essay, it becomes much easier to not only begin but finish it with confidence.

Writing An Essay 

Sticking to the time limit

In the CSE, one has to write two essays in 3 hours which translates into 1 hour 30 minutes for each essay. Out of this, around 45 minutes to 1 hour will be required to write one essay. One can add another 10 minutes for the revision of one essay. This leaves us with roughly 30 minutes of time to prepare the essay in rough, and it includes time for carrying out the brainstorming and outlining exercises.

How to introduce the essay

• The goal of the introduction should be to arouse the reader’s interest in the topic and to prepare the reader for what is to follow.
• A good introduction to the essay can be a brief explanation of the essay topic itself. It can be made further interesting by adding to it some personal experience, or some relevant anecdotes or quotes
• The introduction should not be confusing or lacking in clarity, rather it should be able to immediately clear up any doubts regarding the topic if there is any.

Writing in paragraphs

• In a stand-alone paragraph, the concluding sentence announces that the paragraph is finished, complete. In an essay, the concluding sentence of a paragraph is more likely to play the role of a transitional device, joining one paragraph to the next.
• Flow is very important in an essay. It is also connected to writing order. Writing orders are of two types
• Known-to-New is the order of writing where the author by choice goes from known (given) concepts to unknown ones. New material is gradually added to build on the unknown.
• Simple-to-Complex is the order of writing where the author first establishes a base of concepts that are easily understood and then develops over it increasingly complex ideas.
• One can use the FREQOES method to add matter to the various paragraphs.

How to conclude the essay

• The essay can be concluded in the following ways - restating the main points in brief and with different wordings (summarizing), suggesting a way forward or a course of action, or adding an interesting personal comment or any relevant anecdote.
• Another way to conclude the essay is by returning to the discussion begun in the introduction. This is called the ‘cyclic return’ and a lot of essays follow this simple method of concluding an essay.
• The conclusion should bear a positive outlook, it should see the silver lining in the clouds. It should also be as clear and concise as possible.

Revising the essay

• To revise, read the essay in its entirety, underlining (preferably with scale and pencil) important words or phrases. Correct spelling or grammatical mistakes if any. Make sure the pages look clean and tidy.
• One may add or omit a few words but it should not be overdone. It is also not advisable that entirely new ideas/sentences are inserted in the essay at the time of revision, unless such information is critical to the essay.

Some tips on essay writing

• One can go through the CSE previous year’s essays and understand the concepts, dimensions and solutions required to solve those. Having a simple understanding of complex social problems is the secret to writing a good essay for the CSE.
• One can also keep handy a small collection of quotes or quotable phrases and citable anecdotes to be used while writing the essay. This keeps one prepared for writing any type of essay.

Mastering Essay and Answer Writing PDF Download for Free

• February 27, 2024

Mastering Essay and Answer Writing Book released by Disha Publication is an excellent guide to Essay writing for UPSC and other Public Service Exams. Download this Book in PDF format and read it on your Smartphone.

Table of Contents

Many of us dream to become Civil servant but only few stud taste the Success.

UPSC or other State PSC exams is conducted in 3 Stages:

> Prelims > Mains > Interview (Personality Test)

Mains Paper including Essay paper are descriptive and we need great Writing Skills. So, one must improve his/her writing skill to succeed in Competition.

About Author: Awdhesh Singh

He was selected in IRS (Indian Revenue Service) in 1990 and worked in Revenue Department for more than 25 years.

But now he took voluntary retirement and follow his passion of writing & published Five books till now.

He has been teaching many students about Essay & Answer Writing on Unacademy for more than a year and received top rating from his students.

Download Mastering Essay & Answer Writing Book in PDF

Mastering Essay & Answer Writing Book is not a typical book. This Book reflects the Author’s Insight that he gained over the years as a writer, teacher and a Civil servant in this Book.

This Book helps you providing a practical help to develop your writing Skill. It is possible to write great essays & answers if you have great in-depth knowledge about the Topic.

Book Details:-

Common Mistakes in Essay Writing

No matter how well you’ve prepared for a competition, there’s always the chance you’ll make a silly mistake. And while you may not be able to avoid every pitfall, there are some common mistakes that you can definitely avoid.

Here are some important things to keep in mind when writing an essay for any competitive exam:

• Always see the big picture rather than focusing on details
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help
• Don’t be afraid to admit that you need help
• Make sure that your writing is free from grammar and spelling mistakes
• Don’t be afraid to use the spell check
• Don’t try to be imaginative and creative
• Don’t try to impress the examiner with your vocabulary
• Don’t try to be too smart

Tips for Writing an Essay

• Don’t just write about what you know and what your hobbies are
• Write to convince people instead of just explaining something
• Don’t write in big words or use complicated terms
• Don’t write in the passive voice
• Be very specific with your thesis statement
• Use simple language and a clear way of writing
• Don’t use the same words and phrases
• Don’t write the introduction first
• Choose a topic that you really like and are interested in

Useful Essay Books you should prepare for:-

Useful Books for Competitive Exams

Best books for competitive exams [pdf].

Disclaimer: Pavithran.Net doesn’t aim to promote or condone piracy in any way. We do not own any of these books. We neither create nor scan this Book. The Images, Books & other Contents are copyrighted to their respective owners. We are providing PDFs of Books that are already available on the Internet, Websites, and Social Media like Facebook, Telegram, Whatsapp, etc. We highly encourage visitors to Buy the Original content from their Official Sites. If any way it violates the law or if anybody has Copyright issues/ having discrepancies over this post, Please Take our Contact Us page to get in touch with us. We will reply as soon as we receive your Mails.

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Download UPSC Essay PDF Books for Mains

Are you looking for the Essay Writing books for UPSC? In this post, we share important  UPSC Essay PDFs for upcoming mains exams.

We at JobsCaptain, try to give you maximum resources to crack UPSC Mains Essay Examination. Below shared all UPSC essay writing books are also useful for all state Public Services Commissions exams such as GPSC, BPSC, UPPSC, RPSC, MPSC etc.

First, let’s read the basic information:

Download UPSC Essay PDF

Let’s download UPSC Essay PDF Books for Mains Exam:

• Prabhat 145+ Essays for Civil Service Examinations PDF
• Modern Essays Book PDF by Arihant for UPSC
• Vision IAS Mains Essay 2022 PDF – Download
• QUOTE Book for UPSC Mains Answer Writing – Download PDF
• 151 Essays Arihant PDF Book for Civil Services Examination
• CSE (Mains) – Ethics & Essay Book PDF – Download
• UPSC Mains Essay Sample Paper – Open PDF

We hope above Essay Writing Books for UPSC/Civil Services Mains Exams and State PSC exam will help you in the upcoming examination.

• 10 Essay Writing Books PDF for Competitive Exams
• UPSC Main Essay Previous Year Paper with Answer PDF
• Indian History Related Essay/Descriptive Questions

Thank you for reading. Moreover, if you need any additional books for the UPSC mains exam then do comment below.

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UPSC CSE Mains Exam 2024: Strategies To Score Better In Optional Subjects

To excel in upsc mains optional subjects, focus on mastering core concepts, integrating current affairs, and practicing timed answer writing. balance your preparation with mental well-being..

By Ravi Kapoor 

Scoring well in your optional subject is crucial for securing a high rank in the UPSC exam. As optional papers carry 500 marks (250 marks for each paper), they can significantly impact your overall ranking. With the Mains exam just a few days away, it’s time to focus on refining your strategy to maximize your score in the optional papers.

This article will cover broad strategies that can be applied to most mainstream optional subjects like Sociology, Anthropology, Public Administration, Political Science & International Relations (PSIR), and Psychology. While the nuances may differ across subjects, the principles remain the same: mastering static content, integrating dynamic elements, and practicing answer writing effectively.

Strategies To Score Better In UPSC Mains Optional Subjects 

• Master the Static Content

Core Concepts:  Revisiting fundamental concepts and theories should be your top priority in the final days of preparation. A strong foundation in static content will ensure that you can tackle any question that comes your way.

• Sociology: Focus on key sociological theories like Functionalism (Durkheim), Conflict Theory (Marx), and Symbolic Interactionism (Goffman). These theories often form the backbone of questions related to social change, structure, and institutions.
• Political Science & International Relations (PSIR): Revise core political theories such as liberalism, socialism, and realism in international relations. For example, the 2022 question on "Realist theories of international relations" required a clear understanding of realist principles and their contemporary relevance.
• Anthropology: Focus on the basics of physical anthropology, tribal studies, and social anthropology. For instance, concepts like "Marriage, Kinship, and Family" are repeatedly asked, as in the 2020 question about the social structure of tribal communities.

Past Year Questions:  Analyze previous year questions to identify recurring themes. This exercise will give you insights into the topics frequently asked, helping you prioritize your revision effectively.

• Sociology: Questions related to caste, gender, and social mobility appear frequently. For example, the 2019 Mains had a question on the role of caste in Indian society, a topic that recurs in various forms.
• Public Administration: Recurring topics include governance models and administrative reforms. The 2021 question on "Good Governance" was rooted in static content, but integrating dynamic content made it stand out.

Concise Notes:  In the final days, concise notes are invaluable for quick revision. Ensure your notes summarize key concepts, theories, and case studies, making them easy to recall during the exam.

• Anthropology: Summarize theories of evolution, like Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism, into short points. This helps when answering questions related to human evolution, as seen in past exams.
• Psychology: Break down psychological theories such as Freud’s Psychoanalysis and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs into digestible points, ensuring you can explain them succinctly in the exam.
• Integrating Dynamic Content

Current Developments:  While static content forms the base of your preparation, integrating current affairs will add depth and relevance to your answers. The UPSC increasingly asks questions that require the application of theoretical knowledge to current events.

• Political Science & International Relations (PSIR): Link international developments, such as India’s evolving foreign policy, to IR theories. For example, in the 2021 Mains, a question about India's stance on multilateralism could be enhanced with insights from recent diplomatic developments, like India's role in the Quad alliance.
• Public Administration: Incorporate recent government policies and reforms. For example, questions about governance can be linked to initiatives like the National Digital Health Mission, providing contemporary relevance to static content.

Case Studies:  Use relevant examples or case studies to enrich your answers. For instance, in Sociology , you could mention recent movements like #MeToo or farmer protests when discussing social change or rural sociology. In Anthropology , cite tribal movements for autonomy to contextualize theories of tribal integration and exclusion.

• Effective Answer Writing Practice

Answer writing is crucial in UPSC Mains. The ability to write concise, well-structured answers within a limited time frame is often the difference between success and failure. Here’s how you can improve your answer writing technique in the final days.

Blend Theory with Application:  UPSC Mains questions often demand a blend of theoretical knowledge and real-world application. This is particularly true for optional subjects like Public Administration  and PSIR , where theoretical answers alone may not fetch top marks.

• Public Administration: When writing on administrative reforms, always cite real-world examples. For instance, in a question on e-governance, mention successful initiatives like the Aadhaar-enabled service delivery model or the digitization of land records in India.
• Sociology: If answering a question on the changing structure of family in India, cite recent trends like increasing nuclear families and how these are influenced by modernity and economic factors.

Structured Approach:  A well-structured answer stands out. Always start with a brief introduction, followed by the main body, and end with a concise conclusion.

• Introduction: Define key terms or introduce relevant theories. For example, in a Psychology  question on motivation, start with a definition and mention Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
• Body: Break the answer into well-defined sections. For example, if answering a PSIR  question on "Theories of State," discuss the social contract theory, Marxist view, and pluralist perspective in separate sections.
• Conclusion: Summarize your answer, ensuring you address the core question. If applicable, mention the future prospects or challenges associated with the topic.

Practice Timed Writing:  In these final days, practice writing answers within a set time frame. This will help you manage your time effectively during the actual exam.

• Optional Papers: Pick previous year questions and set a timer for each answer. Try to complete a 10-mark question within 7-8 minutes and a 20-mark question within 11-12 minutes.
• Model Answers: Review model answers from coaching institutes to understand how to frame high-scoring responses. Compare your answers with these models to identify areas of improvement.
• Staying Updated and Engaging with New Information

Even though it’s the last leg of preparation, staying updated with recent developments can make your answers stand out. Follow relevant journals, editorials, and news articles related to your optional subject.

• Political Science & IR: Stay informed about India’s evolving foreign relations with China, the US, and neighboring countries. This will provide fresh content to enrich your answers.
• Public Administration: Engage with recent administrative reforms and governance reports. For example, knowing the key points from the NITI Aayog's recent reports on cooperative federalism or decentralized planning will provide a competitive edge.
• Mental Preparation and Managing Stress

The pressure to perform in the Mains can be intense, but managing stress and keeping calm are critical.

• Focus on Strengths: While preparing for your optional subject, focus on areas where you feel most confident. This will not only boost your morale but also ensure you can answer questions on these topics well.
• Stay Positive: UPSC Mains is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep a positive mindset, and remember that consistent effort in the final days can make a significant difference.
• Rest and Recharge: While preparation is important, so is rest. Ensure you get adequate sleep and take short breaks during study sessions to recharge your mind.

Your optional subject can be the game-changer in determining your final rank in the UPSC exam. By mastering core concepts, integrating dynamic content, and practicing effective answer writing, you can significantly improve your chances of scoring well. Remember, the last few days are about refining your preparation, not overwhelming yourself with new information. Focus on revision, timed practice, and keeping your mental state balanced for optimal performance in the exam. Good luck!

(The Author is a former IRS Officer & Chief UPSC Mentor at Testbook)

[Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP News Network Pvt Ltd.]

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