UPSC Mains Answer Writing is one of the major parts of the Civil services exam. The UPSC Mains Exam includes 9 papers, one of which is the Essay Paper. The Essay Paper is divided into sections A and B, each offering four topics. Candidates must choose one topic from each section, with each essay carrying 125 marks, a total of 250 marks (125×2). The essays should be written in 1,000 to 2,000 words; candidates are given three hours to complete them. Raj Ias Academy will be sharing how you can improve your answer writing for the UPSC exam.
The success rate for UPSC exams is less than 0.01% yet a number of aspirants were able to crack UPSC. With the right approach you can clear UPSC and be the part of those 0.01% students. Essay writing carries a total of 250 marks and plays an important role. Keep reading to know more.
Skilful Answer Writing for UPSC Mains: Tips for Success
Writing effective answers in the UPSC Mains exam is crucial for scoring high marks. It’s about what you know and how well you can present your knowledge. Here are some practical tips to help you improve your answer-writing skills for the UPSC Mains:
1. Increase Your Reading Count
One of the best ways to improve your writing is by reading more. As part of your IAS preparation, you’re already reading a lot, but start focusing on writing style in newspapers, magazines, and articles. Good writing habits get absorbed unconsciously, which will be reflected in your answers. So, the first step toward improving your answer writing is reading more.
2. Maintain a Consistent Structure
A well-structured answer is key to present your ideas clearly. Ensure that every response includes a defined introduction, body, and conclusion. This approach makes your answer more readable and helps you address all important points in an organised manner. You can even add some diagrams, charts or maps to support your answers.
3. Avoid Unnecessary Jargon
While writing your answers, avoid using technical terms or jargon that aren’t necessary. Keep your language simple and straightforward. You don’t need to show off by using complex words—quality matters more than quantity. The examiner will appreciate clear, concise answers rather than long-winded explanations which are not even required.
4. Stay Away from Generalizations
Avoid making general statements that can’t be backed up with facts. Instead, focus on providing concrete information and examples to support your points. This will make your answers stronger and more credible.
5. Avoid Overusing Quotes
Quotes and metaphors can improve your answers but don’t use them too much. Only include them if they truly add value. Overusing such elements can make your writing feel unnatural. Keep it simple unless the question calls for a more creative approach.
6. Make Your Writing Error-Free
Take extra care to avoid grammatical and spelling mistakes. Writing error-free answers shows you have a strong command of the language, leaving a positive impression on the examiner. Always revise your answers to ensure they are polished and clear.
7. Practice is most important
The key to success is consistent practice. Regularly practice writing answers from previous years’ questions or mock papers. This helps you refine your writing style, manage time better, and improve your ability to present information.
Use the IAS Sathi app
All these tips are important, and you’ll get better with practice. However, having the right guidance and feedback is key. Practicing the right way is more important than just practicing. To help you with this, download the IAS Sathi app. It lets you practice answer writing, checks and analyses your answers, gives you marks, and provides detailed feedback based on UPSC guidelines.
Download now
Planning Your Essay
Good essays need planning. There are three steps:
- Understand the essay topic clearly.
- Brainstorm ideas related to the topic.
- Create an outline of the essay.
Before you UPSC Mains Answer Writing practice make sure to outline your essay. Decide how to introduce the topic, what arguments to present in each section, and how to conclude. Outlining helps you visualise the entire essay and stay on track. Raj IAS Academy believes in right practice and proper guidance. If you have any questions make sure to comment down. Contact us to enrol for three day free demo classes!
In a recent podcast with Anuj Sharma Sir, he emphasised the importance of preparing fixed content for certain topics guaranteed to appear in the exams and advised against wasting time on introductions and conclusions.
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