Unlocking the door to a career in public service through the UPSC examination is akin to embarking on a transformative journey—a journey marked by rigorous preparation, steadfast determination, and the pursuit of excellence. This voyage, heavily supported by the best UPSC books and UPSC study material, consists of three pivotal stages: the prelims, mains, and the personality test, each stage presenting its own set of challenges. While the UPSC prelims books test the objective knowledge of candidates, the mains exam aims to assess their in-depth understanding and conceptual clarity, thus comprising subjective type and descriptive questions. In the UPSC exam, students are required to write four general studies papers, two optional papers, and two essays. Since each essay paper is worth 125 marks, making a total of 250 marks, it plays a key role in helping a student sail through. IAS books, especially those curated by Disha Publication, offer comprehensive coverage of all necessary topics.
Recent trend analysis reveals that all the toppers of the UPSC exam performed exceptionally well, heavily relying on UPSC preparation books. It was also found that students who aced the essay papers also scored well in the other papers. There is an obvious and direct correlation between the two since the other papers are descriptive in nature. Thus, mastering the art of essay writing, with the help of best books for UPSC preparation, holds paramount significance for aspirants. Here are some crucial tips to make you stand out:
During Preparation:
Read Newspapers Daily
Develop a habit of reading newspapers daily as many of the questions asked by the Union Public Service Commission are based on current affairs. Besides, factual knowledge from UPSC study material can be used to strengthen arguments in all types of essays.
Dive into Diverse Content
Expand your horizons by reading a variety of essays and articles from IAS mains books. The more perspectives you explore, the richer your understanding becomes.
Make it a point to note down topic-wise relevant quotes from UPSC preparation books, which you may use in your exam. These will also help you form strong opening and closing lines.
Prepare for Topics Beforehand
It is advisable to prepare some essays beforehand for general topics such as development, environment, technology, women, education, agriculture, economy, healthcare, etc. Mold these as per the need of the exam, using insights from IAS prelims books and best books for UPSC preparation.
Practice, Practice, and Practice!
There’s a reason why people tell you, “Practice makes a man perfect.” Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a stellar essay. Set aside time each day to hone your writing skills using best UPSC books. The more you practice, the more refined your answers will get, thus fetching you better marks. It is best to get feedback from experts and mentors to help you perform better.
While Writing the Paper:
Choose Wisely
Selecting the right essay topic sets the tone for your entire response. Take your time to decide which topic aligns best with your strengths and knowledge base. Avoid rushing into a quick decision, but don't dwell on it excessively either.
Dissect the Topic
It is important that you answer all parts of a topic. Break down the essay prompt into its constituent parts to ensure comprehensive coverage. Address each aspect individually, ensuring a thorough exploration of the topic. Suppose your topic is: “Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic.” (UPSC 2023). An ideal approach to answering this question is to break the topic into small individual parts and answer them separately, using strategies learned from IAS books.
Craft a Clear Thesis and an Antithesis
The thesis serves to inform the reader of the writer’s stance and point of view. It should be clear and crisp, and it must be specific in addressing one main idea. Developing an antithesis is important as it gives a 360-degree view of the topic, a technique often discussed in UPSC study material. It helps provide a balanced stance to your write-up. It is also necessary that you write a great introduction and conclusion to hook the examiner’s attention and get him to read your entire essay, as suggested in best UPSC books.
Engage in Brainstorming
Apart from being the standard method of generating new ideas and solutions in management and administration, brainstorming is a crucial step of essay writing as well. It refers to actively and aggressively thinking about a topic and jotting down all relevant points, examples, and quotations that can bolster your argument, derived from comprehensive UPSC preparation books.
Research and Recall
This goes hand in hand with brainstorming. Here, you are supposed to recollect quotations, information, examples, etc., from IAS mains books to support your thesis and antithesis statement. Draw a mind map.
Prioritize and Reorder
Since you are time-bound and there is a limitation of the word limit too, you must prioritize which ideas to include first, and drop down any irrelevant stuff, a skill honed through diligent study of IAS prelims books. Next, you must rearrange your ideas so as to offer logical consistency.
Structure the Essay Properly
An essay is broadly divided into three parts: introduction, body, and conclusion. Your essay should neither have just three long paragraphs nor 15-20 very short ones. It should be of optimum length and each paragraph must contain one cohesive idea.
Foster Flow and Cohesion
All ideas of your essay should hold together. The transition from one point to another should be smooth and not abrupt. There should be cohesion between the paragraphs, along with synergy of facts, data, and information. The use of lucid language increases the quality of the overall reading experience, a tip often found in the best books for UPSC preparation.
Inject Uniqueness
Rather than writing a generalized article, it is desirable that you make it unique by including anecdotes (be it of your own or some great personality that you follow), examples, diagrams, flowcharts, maps, and illustrations. This helps the examiner understand that you have in-depth knowledge of the subject and grabs his attention, a technique encouraged by best UPSC books.
This step involves rearranging, adding, or subtracting words, sentences, or even entire paragraphs. While revising, you can restructure and rephrase your ideas, clarify unclear positions, identify and strengthen weak points, etc., all guided by insights from UPSC study material.
Edit and Proofread
Editing and proofreading are crucial steps but often overlooked by aspirants. Once you’re done with essay writing, it is essential that you check it for any grammatical, punctuation, and spelling mistakes and correct them in order to avoid the risk of giving your examiner a bad impression, a final step emphasized in UPSC preparation books.
Transform your UPSC preparation with these essential tips and turn your dream into reality! For expert guidance on essay and answer writing, grab a copy of Mastering Essay and Answer Writing for UPSC Civil Services by Dr. Awdhesh Singh, the top resource on the market. Explore Disha Publication’s range of premier UPSC books, designed to help students across India excel and conquer this challenging exam. Take your preparation to the next level today!
