How to Write Answers for UPSC Mains

Civil Service Mains Exams test the candidates on various aspects, and the UPSC mains exam comprises contrastive questions. Three hours are allotted for the essays paper without word limits. But optional papers have 250 as the word limit, whereas 150 to 200 is the word count for general studies. Therefore, enhancing your writing skill becomes pivotal during the preparation for the Civil Service Mains Exam. Time is also a notable point to be remembered. Writing a convincing and yet systematic answer in such a short time is essential.  Today, in this article we will see How to Write Answers for UPSC Mains.  

STRUCTURE OF AN ANSWER

Introduction 

An introduction should be an outlook or a preview of your main answer and not a summary of your answer. Make it crisp and legible. Avoid beating around the bush. Write only what is required. 

Main Body

Try writing the main body in different paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a specific point and throughout the paragraph, try to justify the main point with facts or evidence. Avoid writing or emphasizing the same points again and again.

Keeping your answers simple and accurate is best, rather than using any ornamental words or adjectives. Always keep in mind that by the end of each paragraph, your points should be explained clearly. It would be best to go through the question after you are finished explaining a point to have a clear framework of your answer in mind and keep on track and not deviate from the main points while writing the long answers.  

Conclusion 

Write a conclusion such that it gives a perfect structure to your answers. The conclusion should provide closure to your answer and a chance to emphasize the key points of the answer. Don’t try to propose a new idea at this point; instead, focus on giving absolute clarity to your answer.

It will help if you practise answer writing so that it can boost your confidence. You can also take the help of a mentor who can guide you. The Thought Tree or T3 is one such coaching that provides mentorship to their students. They also help their students in answer writing so tell personally how they can improve. This makes them the best IAS Coaching in Jaipur.      

FORMAT OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS

In civil service exams, you will face a wide variety of questions. For example, in some questions, you will be asked to discuss, elucidate, explain, give reasons, etc. Therefore, it is very important to understand the question thoroughly. Before you start attempting your questions, spend at least 5 minutes reading the questions properly and deciding which questions will attempt.

Create a blueprint of your answer in your mind before writing so that you don’t miss out on any points. Keep your answers authentic and precise, showing the examiner the systematic arrangement of your answer and clarity of your thought while approaching a problem. 

So, answer writing practice is the key to writing an appropriate answer. Always add some facts and figures to make your answer interesting rather than just making it a passage. Usage of simple language is best so that ornamental words or adjectives do not distract from the actual point.  

So, practice writing the best version of your answer in a minimum time so that you inculcate a habit of analyzing and answering the questions quickly and effectively in a short time, which will eventually improve your speed.

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Tips on How to Write Answers for UPSC Mains  

Every aspirant is repeatedly advised about writing a precise answer, but something else is even more important than the introduction, main body, or conclusion. The important thing that decides you are qualifying the UPSC mains is the viewpoint or context of your answer because every aspirant appearing for the exam knows the facts, numbers, or the concept. So your viewpoint and how well you can explain it is the main aspect that sets you apart from others.

Now let’s take a quick look at some important and commonly occurring terms which are used to frame questions in UPSC mains exams and also how to tackle these questions:

1. Enumerate

In these questions, you must give the facts or numbers. You need not explain the point in detail.

2. Evaluate 

In questions where you are asked to evaluate, give evidence to support the statement given in the question. According to your understanding, consider the statement and give a proper explanation for the question. You could also propose your personal opinion on the topic.

3. Discuss 

In questions where you are asked to discuss, you are expected to give an argument by understanding every nuke and corner of the issues. Analyse every point related to it and state your reason for supporting the argument or for opposing it. Give importance to the effects of the issue and then analyse it.

4. Examine 

In these types of questions, you should have deep knowledge about the particular topic. So while answering these types of questions, dive deep into the topic and try to include every detail without missing anything. Write the causes that lead to that event from a uniform point of view. Always remember to constrain your answer within the given word limit.

5. Comment

When coming across these types of questions, you will notice that a famous line or statement by any well-known personality will be given. First, read the line carefully and understand what it means, then decides whether you support or oppose the idea conveyed through the line. Then explain why you support or oppose the ideology by presenting facts and evidence in your favour. This is a chance to exhibit your skills on how to read and perceive different subjects and give a reasonable opinion.

6. Analyse 

This type of question may confuse you a bit. Analyse is a broader version of examine. In questions you are asked to analyse, you have to break the particular topic into different fragments, examine them carefully, and give an arbitrary idea of the whole topic. Analyse each of the fragments carefully and build an accord between each fragment of the answer. Towards the conclusion, you could give an appropriate perception.

Conclusion

Finally, after discussing the various points on ‘How to Write Answers for UPSC Mains’, we can conclude this topic with the most important thing that should be done: the rigorous practice and the hard work you put behind it.