Do You Need to Adopt Different Approaches for Answer Writing in GS and Optionals?

  • The responses from GS and Optionals are entirely dissimilar. Since the examiner who would be looking over an economics paper will be an economist, one can compose an answer worthy of a bright academic in Optionals and be confident of receiving high marks. However, this won't function in GS.

Why is it critical to evaluate your answers?

Rationale

  • Self-Assessment: In civil services preparation, it is important to be honest with oneself. It is good to have a positive outlook but at the same time, one needs to be critical of one’s flaws and correct them.
  • Importance of Answer-writing: Answer writing is an important aspect of civil services preparation. For example, 1750 out of 2025 marks is for merit ranking descriptive papers in UPSC Mains. Thus, one needs to constantly evolve and grow while writing answers. Evaluating your answers helps you achieve the same.
  • It's more likely that the examiner who is reviewing the economics response on a GS paper is not a professional economist. He or she would be a generalist with little expertise and enthusiasm in the area.
  • If you write Optional level answers in GS papers, most likely, the examiner would not comprehend or value it. Additionally, he or she wouldn't take the time or trouble to go back and review the word or model you wrote.
  • The examiner also has no interest in going to the trouble of comprehending a different point of view in your response.
  • So, no academic type stuff. Just stick to basic points and present them in a way which is easy to read.
  • Use Diagrams, Facts and Figures.

We should design our responses in a way that makes the examiner’s job easier. He or she would like reading them and award us higher scores.

  • You have studied hard. You know everything, so what can you do to score high in the Mains examination? The following points can create wonders for your answer writing:
    • Answers should be multifaceted
    • Try and keep the introduction and conclusion very short
    • Avoid reiteration of the similar thoughts
    • Use as many concepts as possible especially for your optional papers
    • Give as many examples as possible to support your view. Try to have a contemporary relevance to you answer
    • Write in simple language, academic jargons is not appreciated by the UPSC
    • Your answers need to be more dynamic and holistic. As UPSC says “The candidates must give relevant, meaningful and succinct answers”
    • Write answers directly; do not beat around the bush.

IAS/PCS Preparation Tips/Tricks