TIPS TO CRACK UPSC CIVIL SERVICES MAINS EXAMINATION
Civil Services Examination conducted by UPSC has three stages – Prelims, Mains and Personality Test (PT). The ranking of a candidate in the final merit is decided by IAS Mains exam and PT. And between these two, Mains exam is most critical for the simple reason that it constitutes nearly 86% marks of the total marks (1750 Marks out of total of 2025 Marks).
ANSWER WRITING TIPS FOR IAS MAINS EXAMINATION
Comprehension of question/ Question interpretation
First and the foremost, it is important to understand the demand of the question clearly. Reading the question twice is a good habit. This obviates the chances of any confusion or misunderstanding a question. Various directives given in the questions e.g. Elaborate, Discuss, Critically Analyze, Explain etc. need attention as it would give direction to how you would frame your answer. For example, in questions with “critically analyze” directive, you will need to elaborate on both the sides i.e. the positives and negatives; the Pros and Cons. Before putting the pen on paper, give yourself 15-20 secs to structure the answer in your mind.
2. Structure of answer
“Introduction, Body, Conclusion” format is one of the tried-and-tested approach of writing an answer. Introduction should not be more than 10% of your answer. Avoid writing lengthy introductions as this would eat into the actual meat of your content in terms of space and time. Body is the part of your answer where you put maximum focus to show that you have understood the question well and you have the acumen and knowledge to answer it. Conclusion is equally important aspect of your answer. At times, it does get under-valued. However, this is the part in your answer which would leave a positive or negative impact on the evaluator. This is kind of a summary of your complete answer. So do not leave it. Conclusion should always be optimistic, forward looking, non-critical and suggestive in nature, wherever required.
3. Quality of argument/ answer
Quality of arguments is central to getting good score. It is important that one must prioritize the points and write the best ones at the beginning. Remember, examiners have years of experience and unequaled proficiency in their respective domains. They can easily see through the depth of knowledge in the first few lines of your answer itself. Hence, it is important that most relevant and substantial points / arguments are given first.
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