Table Of Content11. Closing Thoughts
PART III: FAQs
PART IV: Sample Answers
Essay
GS-1
GS-2
GS-3
GS-4
Anthropology
Preface
My UPSC journey was long and brutal, consisting of three failures,
five attempts, and six long years. Throughout the journey, there were
moments of absolute despair and deep disappointment. But, what agonised
me the most was that I couldn't figure out the reason why I was failing. It
was only in my fifth attempt that I understood my inadequacy: I wasn't
able to write good answers in the exam. Once I realised it, I worked on my
answer writing skills. As my answers became better, so did my marks,
ultimately helping me secure All India Rank 1.
If I knew back in 2012, what I now know about the exam, my journey
surely would have been shorter and sweeter. Though I have no regrets, I
wouldn’t wish anybody else to go through the same agony solely because
there is no guidance. So, after the result, I felt the urge to share these
learnings with the aspirants who are struggling with this exam and this led
to me blogging about my UPSC journey. What I posted had one common
theme: They not only mention the resources and book lists, but also
illustrate how to write effective answers.
I believe that this practical perspective resonated with a lot of
aspirants. I received a lot of mails telling me how those posts have helped
them write better answers and score well. Every time I read a thankful
message or comment, it has filled me with happiness and reinforced my
motive to provide guidance on answer writing to as many aspirants as
possible.
There are tons of resources on the web telling aspirants what to read
and where to read from. But, there is hardly any book that tells you how to
apply what you read in the exam hall. In the UPSC exam preparation,
which source you refer to does not make much of a difference. Whether
it’s Indian Express or the Hindu, Spectrum or Bipin Chandra — they cover
almost the same content. What makes the difference is how an aspirant is
able to apply that learning in the actual exam. The examiner checking your
copy will have no idea about the number of books you’ve read or the
number of hours you’ve slogged. Your answers are all that he has to judge
you on. So, it makes sense to learn, practice, and perfect the art of answer
writing.
It is this specific addition on the topic of answer and essay writing that
this book seeks to make. In the following pages, I have refined and
condensed everything I learnt about essay and answer writing. This is a
book I wish someone gave me when I started my preparation in 2012.
HOW SHOULD YOU USE THIS BOOK?
No two aspirants are the same. Some might be just starting out with
Prelims, while others may be struggling with scoring well in Mains. Given
this diversity, I tried my best to make this book relatable to everyone.
Given the practical nature of the book, I’ve made an effort to include
many examples to drive home the point I am making. Though many would
be tempted to use the same examples in your exam, I urge you to desist
from it. The best way is to understand the principles and try to come up
with your own examples.
Moreover, it would be a mistake to think that reading this book alone
would be sufficient to write great answers. This book is merely a compass.
Don’t just read this book. Get into the habit of writing consistently, and
incorporate the learning as you write. Doing is the best form of learning.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
No idea is entirely unique or original. Every idea is inspired from
something or someone else. The same goes for this book. Over the years, I
have benefited immensely from the works of great authors whose writings
have helped me become a better writer, a better thinker, and a better
person. In the book, I’ve given due credit wherever I referred to their
work.
For their advice and assistance, my sincere thanks to Varun Reddy
(IAS 2019), Koya Sree Harsha (IAS 2018), and Apurva Pandey (IAS
2018).
I am grateful to my friends and family for their love, support, and
understanding.
This book is a personal project. It has no professional editor,
proofreader, marketer or a distributor. I just wanted to write and share the
knowledge. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Copyright
This ebook is for your personal consumption only. It may not be re-sold
or given away to other people. If you want to share this book with
another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient.
Kindly stay away from the pirated versions.
I have worked on this book for many months, investing more than 500
hours in researching, writing, proofreading, and publishing. Please stay
true to your integrity by purchasing only a genuine copy of this book.
Thank you for respecting my hard work.
I also have a personal blog where I write on UPSC exam preparation, my
experiences in the service, and other topics of general interest. You can
get new updates delivered to your inbox by subscribing to the blog.
SUBSCRIBE
PART I: Essay Writing
1. How to Prepare for the Essay
Essay paper carries the same marks as any GS paper, yet it does not get
the equivalent attention that it deserves from aspirants— first timers and
experienced aspirants alike. They believe that since they have already
studied a ton for the GS papers, it would be sufficient to write a good
essay. This is a miscalculation. Knowledge from GS papers is necessary
but not sufficient to score well in the essay paper.
In my initial attempts, I did not allot much time for Essay preparation.
Therefore, it is not a coincidence that in all of those years, my essay scores
hovered around just 100. Once I realised my failings, I started collecting
useful quotes, preparing notes, and even making rough drafts for
frequently asked topics in the essay paper. All this effort helped me score
155, much higher than in any GS paper.
Below are some tips necessary to conquer the essay paper.
MASTER GS TOPICS
The core content of your Essay will come from your GS preparation.
For example, to write an essay on a topic like NAM and its relevance, you
need to have a solid grip on India’s foreign policy, how it has evolved,
what its core tenets are, and which major treaties we’ve signed. Without
such knowledge, any essay you write will sound shallow and
unimpressive. Therefore, it should be clear that being good at GS is a
necessary prerequisite for writing good essays. Along with this core
knowledge, other components of essay such as anecdotes, quotes, good
command over language provide a backbone in making your essay
