HOW TO PREPARE

Description

TOPPER’S TIPS for Answer Writing in MAINS

The Civil Services Examination can be likened to a complex puzzle, where each successful solution propels candidates forward on their trajectory. At every stage of the examination, namely Prelims, Mains, and the Interview, there are points of elimination.

Each year, lakhs of students take the Civil Services Examination, yet only about 1000 candidates (and sometimes even fewer, depending on the available seats) are selected for the services. Consequently, the probability of success is exceedingly low. While every candidate strives to perform their best throughout the process, only a few manage to achieve success. However, clearing the examination requires the right skills and focused preparation.

One crucial aspect of preparation involves mastering the Art of Answer Writing. 

The 7-5-3 Rule of Answer Writing

The name of this rule is taken from the code of discipline that many martial artists use. The 7-5-3 rule is as simple as the numbers given, where:

•  SEVEN – Candidates’ should aim to answer questions within 7 minutes per question.

•  FIVE – Write 5 points in their answers related to the keyword. It would be better to break down the answer into bulleted points.

•  THREE – Elaborate each point in 3 dimensions as per the requirements listed in the question. The following are useful pointers:

•  Social, Economic, Political and Geographical perspective

•  For, against, and conclusion

•  What/Why/How

Tips by Toppers

Akshat Jain (2018)

•  Practice Answer Writing and attempt mock tests within the proper time limit. 

•  He has mentioned important aspects of writing an answer for UPSC CSE - Structuring content, Attempting mock tests and Analysing mistakes.

•  Your content must be well-structured – it has to be to the point and presented in a way that helps the examiner understand it.

•  After each mock test, analyse answers and compare them with the model answers. 

•  Do note that one does not have to make the handwriting spectacular – legible is what the examiners are looking for.

Kirthi C (2015) 

In my first two attempts, my mains marks were marginally above the cut-off (10 marks) I cleared both the attempts only because of my interview. However, this attempt, there is a drastic improvement in my mains marks. Here are the few changes I made in my Mains answer writing approach and I think they helped me enormously.

•  Diagrams: I drew a lot of diagrams. India and World Maps for geography or International Relations. Also I prepared diagrams for Geo from NCERT books which I thought I would replicate in case Geo questions come in Paper-1.

•  Side headings: In my first two attempts, my answer was just a flow of paragraphs/points or a mix of both. I realized the importance of side headings for an answer in this attempt. I included side headings in almost all the answers for paper-1,2 and 3 of GS. In paper-2 and paper-3, I used Way Forward as the last side heading for some of the answers.

•  Flow Charts: I drew flow charts in Paper-3. I got 113 marks in Paper-3 and I think flow charts have a role to play along with side headings. People who got good marks in paper-1 drew flowcharts for society questions

•  Breadth instead of Depth: Cover as many dimensions as possible in an answer rather than covering the issue in depth with quality analysis. UPSC prefers the no. of dimensions in an answer and I guess it penalizes an in-depth scholarly answer

•  Introduction: Take the key words of the question and explain them. That becomes the introduction. Eg: An introduction for a question on Cooperative Federalism would mean explaining it

Tina Dabi (2015)

It’s crucial is to know the proper word limit of the answers which examiner expects, the formation of proper paragraphs, the importance of highlighting keyword, and all such minute things. From these lessons aspirant would make a lot of difference in one's results.

•  Word Limit – To Stay within the word limit is important because of the Time constraint.

•  Proper paragraphs – It’s about expression, some students feel comfortable in point format, but humanities and social science student are comfortable in paragraphs format.

•  Underlining keywords – Underlining key words and phrases and putting scholars name in Block letters with fetch you some more marks. 

•  Attempt All questions – Attempt all the questions for sure. If you know a little bit, just attempt the question. Because you have to fight for EVERY MARK. 

•  Diagrams are must – Diagrams are very expressive. You can draw them in theory paper also. 

Plan your targets, Plan your Strategy, Especially the strategy that suits you well

Ira Singhal (2014)

•  If you know 1% of the answer, and repeat the same point over and over again 500 times to fit the word limit, then examiner is not going to be fooled, he has seen thousands of copies, let’s not disrespect his intelligence. This only wastes our time and fatigues your hand.

•  Write what you know, and skip the questions where you don’t know the answer.

•  If you know 10-40%, write that much, without bothering about reaching the 100% answer length by writing “stories”.

•  Don’t write vague answers that remotely resemble to what is being asked in the question.

•  You may write in bullet points for both general studies and optional papers in Mains

•  Underline the keywords but don’t use colored pens, it will kill speed and efficiency.

•  It will be good if you draw diagrams, especially for geography questions and GS3.

•  Do read question again and again while writing the answer, to ensure you’re not drifting away from what is being asked?

•  Language matters but don’t write complicated sentences

Gaurav Agrawal (2013)

•  GS and optionals answers are completely different. In optionals, one can write a specialized PhD types answer and be confident of getting good marks – because the examiner who is checking an optional paper would be a specialist herself. But in GS this will not work. The examiner who is checking the optional subject answer in a GS paper in more likelihood would not be a specialist. Rather s/he would be a generalist with limited knowledge and interest in the subject.

•  So if you write some specialized answer or use some specific terms or models from your optional while writing a GS answer, most probably the examiner would not understand/appreciate it. S/he would simply give a zero.

•  Next, this exam is not a science exam. This is a generalist exam, a humanities exam. It’s like a BA or MA exam. You have to not only write those 5 points, but also invent 2 more points and write. 

•  Prepare a list of points for few broad topics. For example, one can remember 10 points on how to improve citizen charter, 10 points on how to remove corruption, 8 points on how to contain inflation, 7 on small states or not, 10 on problems of panchayats and so on. 

•  The good thing is these broad topics are limited and most questions in the GS exam come only as a subset of these broad topics or ask a particular aspect of these broad topics. Once you remember this block of points on any broad topic and a question comes asking you to look at the topic from a particular angle, you can easily and very quickly modify your existing points to meet the demands of the question. Then you just have to write 1 Para each on what came before the question and what happens after the question, and your answer is complete.

•  Prefer writing point and section wise answers this time with proper section and sub sectional headings. It gives an impression that you have covered all aspects, given a thought to the answer before writing and created a structure. 

Haritha V Kumar (2012)

•  The success of a UPSC aspirant is directly proportional to the intensity of desire to become an IAS officer. It is essential to stay focused on the goal and will help to overcome the failures.

•  Work with commitment and a strong determination.

•  Divide the UPSC syllabus into several parts and decide how much to cover each day, instead of studying for a particular number of hours.

•  Do a lot of writing practice before attempting the Civil services mains examination which is written in nature.

•  Be a consistent in reading newspaper. It will help a lot in enhancing the general knowledge and current affairs.

•  Be able to communicate very effectively.

•  Finally, don’t not allow anything to be a road block that averts you from accomplishment of your goal. 

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