Art of

Effective Essay Writing

for UPSC CSE

Essay

DELHI AHMEDABAD BHOPAL CHANDIGARH GUWAHATI HYDERABAD JAIPUR JODHPUR LUCKNOW PRAYAGRAJ PUNE RANCHI SIKAR
 The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts its annual Civil Services Examination (CSE) to identify
and select candidates who would go on to play a central role in the development of the country. To carry out the
varied roles and responsibilities in the public service effectively, Civil Servants are required to possess certain
skills and abilities which are assessed through the Essay Paper of the Mains Examination.

ESSAY

ESSAY The Significance of Essay Writing in the UPSC Examination

Through the Essay Paper, the UPSC peaks into the knowledge and interest
of the aspirant over a variety of topics. Additionally, it evaluates an
aspirants’ analytical skills, articulation of thoughts and expression of
ideas in a coherent and logical manner. In other words, the ability to
construct and weave a narrative around an issue in an engrossing and
thoughtful manner is assessed.

Two Categories of Essays

A careful analysis of the Previous Year Questions reveals that Essay topics in this Paper can be broadly
categorized into Information-based essays and Philosophical essays The Information-based essays
primarily rely on the knowledge-related aspect of the essay topic that includes facts, data, evidence, etc.
Whereas, Philosophical essays deal with abstract topics and ideas with diverse interpretations.

Therefore, aspirants preparing for Essay Paper should be comfortable dealing with both types of essays,
especially the Philosophical essay topics which have been predominantly asked by UPSC in the recent
past.

Beginning the Essay Writing

Essay is a work of non-fiction prose interwoven around a subject or

topic in the form of arguments, its analysis, discussion, and
solutions. The essence of the essay lies in its structure and flow. A
well-structured essay is like a carefully designed building having a
robust foundation and a good architecture. The structure of an
essay essentially constitutes an Introduction, the Body and the
Conclusion.

Introduction is like a doorway to the essay and must highlight the relevance of the essay, whereas body
forms the core of an essay which provides scope to the writer to discuss the theme of the essay over multi-
ple dimensions along with its limited elaboration. Conclusion gives a sense of completion to the essay
through a closure statement. Here, one can give practical solutions, both short term and long term, to the
issues highlighted in the thesis statement.

AY
ESS
Choosing the Right Topic

Through the Essay Paper, the UPSC peaks into the knowledge and interest
of the aspirant over a variety of topics. Additionally, it evaluates an
aspirants’ analytical skills, articulation of thoughts and expression of
ideas in a coherent and logical manner. In other words, the ability to
construct and weave a narrative around an issue in an engrossing and
thoughtful manner is assessed.

Brainstorming for Ideas

Brainstorming aids in idea generation by exploring various aspects of the topic. It consolidates related
ideas for easy reference, not only for the main essay content but also for crafting diverse essay introduc-
tions and conclusions.

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 Deliberating Upon Introduction

Depending on the essence of the essay topic, it's pivotal for an aspirant to thoughtfully choose the type of
introduction that resonates with the theme. A compelling introduction can be anchored on references to
notable personalities, insightful quotations, evocative anecdotes, or engaging narrations. The goal is to
craft an introduction that not only aligns with the essay's theme but also captivates the reader's interest
right from the outset, setting the tone for the subsequent discussion.

Body: The Most Substantive Part of the Essay

The body is the most substantive part of the Essay that reflects a
multitude of qualities including multidimensional thinking, analytical ESSAY

ability, time management skills, among others. The explanations

provided in this section should be diverse and can come from
various sectors such as Social, Political, Historical, Economic, Cultural,
Environmental, Ethical, etc. depending on the subject matter of the
Essay.

Alternatively, it can have temporal dimensions such as Ancient, Medieval, Modern, Post-Independence,
Post-LPG, Contemporary, etc. Prospects, issues, challenges, and solutions, wherever present should be
explored.

The guiding principle while providing these arguments is that they should conform to the constitutional,
legal, ethical, moral, and cultural mores of the society. They should further be well-substantiated with
suitable examples, wherever possible.

ESSAY

Ultimately a Conclusion

The conclusion is crucial, as it summarizes key points, reinforces the

thesis, and leaves a lasting impact, enhancing the essay's effectiveness.
Impactful conclusions can be provided in different manners by using
quotations, stories, poems, etc. depending on the theme and underlying
idea of the topic. Conclusions can also be prescriptive in nature while
trying to address some issue or challenges. However, it is pertinent to
note that they should be practical, have an optimistic undertone and
provide forward looking visions. A coherence in the whole essay can also
be achieved by adopting a cyclic approach by linking the conclusion to
the introduction.

Balancing Substance and Style Through Presentation

Crafting a strong essay demands a balance between content and style. Hence, the significance of presen-
tation methods should not be underestimated. Smart presentation improves the lucidity and effective-
ness of arguments, thus facilitating a more efficient transmission of ideas. Further, it not only captivates
the reader but also imparts a seamless logical structure and enhances the essay's clarity and coherence.

Learning from the Insights of Toppers

Toppers, who have excelled in the exam in previous years, highlight-

ed the importance of various presentation tools in adding more
value and impact to the essay. An analysis of their answer scripts
reveals effective use of headings & subheadings, simple and concise
language, judicious use of diagrams, content highlighting
techniques, and small paragraph, among others that add more
value and voice to the content.

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 Scan the QR Code to download
[UPSC Topper Essay Preparation
Approach & Strategies]

Right Feedback and Continuous Improvement

Applying the conventional wisdom and toppers insights into developing and improving the essay writing
skills requires regular and continuous practice. Essay writing skills can further be honed when the practice
is supplemented by valuable feedback from mentors, teachers and peers. Quality and constructive feed-
back is like a mirror reflecting strengths and areas of improvement ultimately paving the path to enhance-
ment of essay writing skills.

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[Instant Personalized
Mentoring]

Analyzing the Trend and Perspectives

Careful analysis of trends and patterns of the essay topics in previous year papers is crucial. By analyzing
the previous years essay papers, one can obtain valuable insights into the topics, themes and perspec-
tives asked in the essay paper. Continuous analysis and practice of the previous years topic facilitates
targeted preparation, time management and greater sense of exam readiness.

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[Analysis and Discussion of
Essay Paper 2023]

The Journey of essay writing is not just a test of one’s writing prowess but an evaluation of one’s capacity
to think critically and express oneself with clarity. Let the essay be your canvas, and the words your brush,
painting a portrait of your intellect, ideas and convictions. In doing so, one not only prepares for an exam-
ination but also embarks upon intellectual exploration and self-expression.

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