The aim of this blog post is to familiarize the aspirants with important tips to be have in mind while writing Mains answers in UPSC examination or while practicing answer writing.
Your Answer reflects Your personality in Mains
During the interview or personality test, the candidate is physically present before the board,but it is only your answer paper that is present before the examiner in Mains examination. Hence, you need to be aware of this fact and ensure that your answers reflect not just your preparation and knowledge but also your approach to any given question. In this regard, here are the important points for answer writing.
Understand the question and also the key words in the question.
Break the question into sub questions and create suitable sub-headings for various aspects of the question.
Have a simple introduction to the answer with suitable facts and statistics from government sources or international agencies wherever possible.
Break the answer into sub-headings and write simple answer but precise points below the sub-headings.
Provide an overall conclusion based on the question and always maintain a positive outlook in the conclusion.
Link the answer to various government schemes in that particular area wherever possible.
Provide some flow charts, pie-charts, tables where you can summarize some points in a lucid manner. But don’t answer the entire question only through such tables. You should write the important points in simple sentences.
Stick to word limit and Don’t deviate beyond 10%
Key words and their Importance
All the mains questions invariably carry a key word as part of the question. These are the key words which you can find in the Mains questions.
1.Critically Evaluate, Analyse, Examine
Provide a brief synopsis of the topic and list down pros and cons, benefits and challenges, issues and suggestions (depending on the topic). Both aspects should be 50:50. Present a holistic picture.
2. Give your Opinion, Comment, Views
Provide a balanced view whether it is for or against. But don’t provide your personal opinion. It should be based on a dispassionate analysis by an intelligent person. And even if the opinion or views is one-way, in the concluding remarks provide the other side as well to balance your answer.
Your side of opinion can be 70%-80%, but the conclusion should also carry synopsis of counter view before you conclude.
3. Discuss
Most often repeated key word in the Mains examination at present. Keep it simple and as lucid as possible. Bifurcate or trifurcate the topic into sub-headings and discuss from various important angles. Provide a well-rounded conclusion.
4. Elucidate
Here the question is asking you to provide points supporting the statement provided. So don’t try and analyse the statement but provide points in support of the statement with a conclusion.
5. Enumerate
Just list down the points and there is no need for detailed analysis / Explanation.
6. Narrate
Relate it to the time frame to which the question pertains and bring out thorough information of the event / situation.
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