How to write attractive essay in upsc?
Answers
Novelist Stephen King put it beautifully when he said, “I write to find out what I think.”
Writing is a window to your thought process. What you write on paper will tell the reader how you think, how you argue and the way you substantiate your viewpoint. This is why for most competitive examinations and academic entrance tests, essay is mandatory.
In the Civil Services Exam too, we have a paper worth 250 marks, equivalent to a General Studies paper. Despite its importance, essay paper often does not get the attention it deserves from aspirants. First timers think they will write an excellent essay in the final exam itself, whereas experienced aspirants believe that since they had already studied a ton for GS, it will alone be enough to write a good essay. This is a fatal miscalculation.
I was one of those who made these errors in the past, and it is not a coincidence that I scored only 100 in CSE 2015. But in 2017, I devoted adequate time to this paper. I collected useful quotes, prepared notes and even made rough essay drafts for frequently asked topics. All this effort in essay paper helped me score 155.
What follows is an elaborate post on how you should tackle the Essay paper. I’ve organised the content as follows:
What UPSC says about the essay paper
How and from where to prepare?
Improving language and expression
On subheadings and rough drafts
What you must avoid
How to write a powerful introduction?
Developing the content of an Essay
Substantiating your arguments
How to conclude an Essay
My notes, quote collection and sample essays