It’s just as critical to develop your writing skills as it is to prepare for the UPSC mains test. This is because, regardless of what you have read, learned, and practiced, what matters is what you have put in the answer booklet of UPSC mains exam online. The amount of time you spent studying is irrelevant to the examiner; you are only given a grade based on what was read by him or her in the form of your responses.
As crucial as studying for this test is, writing the response in the UPSC Main test. Your objective, while you study for this exam, is to gain knowledge and craft a strong response. Numerous applicants fail to pass the test because of poor writing abilities and a disregard for the truth, depending on the type of writing they use—keywords, a thorough and succinct response, appearance, language, selection of words, number of words, drawings, etc.
Here are some tips that will help you write all the UPSC mains answer confidently and more accurately.
Strategies for writing UPSC’s mains answers
Read and comprehend the question carefully and properly
You must be able to clearly understand what each question’s instruction, such as “discuss/critically discuss,” in the Mains examination asks you to accomplish. To fully understand what the examiner expects from you in the answer, refer to the attached table on the numerous instructions and their interpretations. This additionally represents the most fundamental ability you should possess to write excellent answers.
Prepare a mental framework before you begin writing
On a war footing, you must learn this very important talent. It should be the case that as soon as you have read and comprehended a question, you instantly begin formulating the outline of your response in your head. It gets easier and simpler to do this with practice.
If necessary, scribble down in pencil whatever comes to mind as you remember it. The final point is crucial since, occasionally, we have a tendency to forget or we are unable to recollect information from memory at the last minute (or while writing), which can significantly lower the calibre of our response.
Stick to the word limit of the question asked
Maintaining the word count will improve your grade. The word count for some questions maybe 150, while for others it may be 250. Check the word count carefully before beginning your response.
In the test room, a common rule of thumb that might be useful is that if the question has a 150-word restriction, the answer should be prepared in no more than 1.5 A4 pages. If it is 250, compose the response on no more than 2.5 A4 pages. Not only can precise responses help you get better grades, but they’ll also save you a ton of time.
Bring creativity and critical thinking to your answers
Automation cannot take the role of creative and critical thinking, even if it were to replace all that humans now do. UPSC mains exam online is looking for this in prospective applicants. It seems to sense that the Commission bases the majority of its queries on the well-known command to “Critically Analyse.”
Your solutions should be in the creative or critical thinking path if the question requires it. Make careful to give both arguments — for and against — in your response if you are requested to critically examine.
Do not overanalyse your thoughts
You must have a thorough awareness of a certain topic and be able to communicate it in a way that is easily understood by UPSC. As a result, one should avoid including any opinions, ideas, or arguments in their writing unless they are required.
Overthinking and philosophical zing should be avoided while preparing Mains exam answers since they might cause misunderstanding. Additionally, you may utilize the time and effort you save to effectively respond to additional queries.
Begin with a confident introduction
The introduction should ideally (very) quickly describe the main idea of the answer in addition to introducing the topic, issue, or idea to the examiner. If the question consists of two or more parts, each portion must be briefly introduced. The introduction should not, under any circumstances, exceed 20% of the allotted words; instead, it should be no more than 10% of the allowed words. For an essay of 200 words, the introduction should be no more than 20 to 40 words.
Divide your answer into bullet points
Unless it is necessary to do differently, every sentence or bullet should only include one point, with the most significant points or those that you can completely recollect coming first. When asked to explain both the good and bad features of a subject, you can either list every advantage in one paragraph before listing the disadvantages, or you can choose to present all the benefits and drawbacks in one paragraph.
Do include a balanced conclusion to your answer
You can counteract your conclusion with a sound opinion. Although the viewpoint need not be unique, it should ideally (and in most cases) be favourable. Never conclude on a depressing note or tone; always look for the bright side of things.
Conclusion
Practice writing down your responses for UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination 2023 is a wonderful technique to produce replies that are clear and efficient. Our responses should never read like a book passage and should always engagingly deliver the facts and ideas. It is advisable to utilize plain English and steer clear of flowery, ornate language that diverts our focus from the original facts and our ideas on a certain subject. Making a habit of drafting down responses might help you manage the time given for the test and produce the best answer you can in that period. One’s manner of expression is improved, and one becomes accustomed to time and word constraints. The tips and strategies given above will surely help one write better and clear answers in the UPSC exam.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. What is the 7-5-3 rule for writing the UPSC Mains answers?
The 7-5-3 Rule of Answer Crafting is a straightforward guideline that might aid candidates in crafting their responses. The numbers 7 and 5 indicate that candidates should attempt to respond to questions within 7 minutes, respectively. The number 3 indicates that candidates should give their replies using a 360-degree perspective.
Q2.what is the best presentation for answers?
Your responses should be typed or handwritten in nice, readable cursive. Where appropriate, provide headers and subheadings. If tables and figures can improve the quality of your responses, provide them as well.
Q3. Is good handwriting a benefit of UPSC?
You should be aware that having neat handwriting won’t help you score more because answering correctly is what counts. However, poor handwriting can result in a loss of points; in the UPSC examinations, one point might make the difference between passing and failing.