Passing in the UPSC exam is an important milestone for someone who wants to become a government officer. Being able to write comprehensible answers, is one of the most important requirements for clearing the UPSC exam. It’s because the questions contained in the 2nd part of the UPSC exam; the Mains, are subjective where you have to write answers. Read this article to know the 7 IAS Mains answer strategies that will improve your writing quality and articulation in the exam.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 1 – Hone your writing skills for the Essay:
Since you have to write answers in a limited time frame is important in UPSC, you have to work on the same. You must know that every exam in Mains has a duration of 3 hours. It’s also important to write as much as you can because, for the essay writing paper, your writing should be attractive to the reader. Also, you should read because they have to write essays on several topics. For the Essay paper, it’s important to include quotes from famous authors. When you write a lot, you are not going to make any spelling and grammatical errors in your writings.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 2 – Write in a concise manner –
Make sure that you use short sentences in the Essay. The examiner should not have a problem reading your long sentences. If he has a problem, you will be poorly marked. Also, if you are going to use an anonymous term in your essay, please be sure to define it earlier.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 3 – Read about current affairs –
You can get the videos about the current affairs from the coaching institute, but it’s important to make notes. During the preparation for the UPSC exam General Studies(GS) exams, you can go through these notes. You can also study them during revision. But notes should be prepared carefully so that they don’t miss out on any important part.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 4 – Don’t beat around the bush –
While answering questions in the GS exams, make sure that the answers are not ambiguous. They answer the question which is asked. Your handwriting should be beautiful.
Also Read : UPSC Civil Service Exam: Everything to Know about the Indian Civil Service Exam
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 5 – Use keywords
Use keywords in your answers and highlight them. With underlined keywords, it’s easier for the examiner to go through your answers.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 6 – Prepare essay drafts
You might not be able to come up with the best possible essay at the time of writing the exam. Hence, it’s better to write the essay beforehand. You can prepare several rough drafts for essays that are likely to be asked. This way, you will know what to write in the final exam. Since the Essay exam carries 250 marks, it’s important to focus on it also. You must have a strong introduction in an essay that can persuade the reader to read it forward. For the Essay preparation, you can also focus on reading non-fictional books where you can find important arguments in favor of one topic or against it. These books help in shaping an argument when you are writing an essay.
IAS Mains Answer Strategy 7 – Also, use directional keywords
The questions in the GS papers contain certain directional keywords which should be included in the answers. You should also write answers covering several domains. For example, a question asked from the polity domain can also be related to topics in international relations, internal security, and governance.
In the end, whatever arguments have been cited by you, make sure you have examples to support them. This way, the examiner will be convinced that you have prepared thoroughly for the exam.
Also Read : All You Need To Know About UPSC Prelims Preparation
