Tips For Writing Better Answers In UPSC Main

Examination
insightsonindia.com/2013/08/19/tips-for-writing-better-answers-in-upsc-main-examination

August 19, 2013

Many a time we hear from many serious aspirants things like this – “ I work hard, read so
much, every year I write mains, yet I fail to qualify for the Interview. Even if I qualify, I end up
getting just 4-5 marks more than the cut-off. I am confused.”

Or this – “I attempted all the questions and wrote relevant points which I had read from my
own notes. Yet, I fail to understand why UPSC has given me so less marks! I hate UPSC“.

Hating UPSC doesn’t help in this matter. Instead, one has to introspect if what they wrote
was indeed a ‘right answer’ to the questions in the examination. For a moment, leaving
aside your ego, ask yourself, “Did I really ‘analyze’ the question, or ‘examined it critically’, or
as the question demanded, did I ‘evaluate’ the question and answered accordingly?”

Majority of you would agree that in the heat of the exam we seldom answer accurately to
the question. We ‘explain‘ instead of ‘examining’ the question; or we just ‘ enumerate‘ many
points in the hope of filling the answer with ‘relevant points’ when the question was indeed
asking you to ‘critically analyze‘.

UPSC asks different kind of questions to test your

analytic and critical abilities, which are necessary
for any aspiring candidate to function impartially
when he becomes an officer.

Bureaucrats, in their day-to-day business have to

deal with many situations that tests their analytic
and critical abilities. They ‘discuss‘ issues with their
colleagues or subordinates; they have to ‘analyze‘
various factors before taking a final decision; they
need to ‘examine‘ a case to assess its merit; they
have to ‘evaluate‘ a situation before passing an
order; and they may have to ‘comment‘ on different
files based on empirical evidences.

These skills will enable you to form an unbiased opinion or judgement in such diverse
situations.

So what is the way forward?

Tips For Writing A Better Answer

Two important factors decide the good outcome of your answer: one, understanding the
question completely. Second, sticking to the word limit.

1/6
To understand a question fully, one must know that a question has keywords. Every
question has a ‘topic’ and a ‘directive’.

For example,

” Gandhian strategy of non-violence and satyagraha had its own limitations”. Examine.

In the above question, the topic is ‘limitations of Gandhian strategy of Non-violence and
satyagraha‘ and the directive is ‘ Examine‘.

If we give an ‘explanation’ to this answer how Gandhian strategy had limitations and how it
affected Freedom struggle, the examiner is sure to give less than average marks. Instead,
the directive points us towards a definite course of answering, here, ‘examination’ of the
statement.

So, what does ‘Examine’ precisely mean?

Before we move to that, one should know that UPSC often gives many other directives in its
questions and each demand a precise answer. Frequently used directives are,
‘Examine’, ‘Comment’, ‘Analyze’, ‘ ‘Evaluate’, ‘Discuss’, ‘Critically Examine’, Critically
Comment’, ‘Critically Analyze’ and ‘Assess’.

Examine and Critically Examine

When you are asked to examine, you have to probe deeper into the topic, get into details,
and find out the causes or implications if any .

In the case of above question on Gandhi’s strategy, you have to probe the details of his
strategy, find that if it really had limitations and provide a balanced view. All within a given
word limit.

When asked to ‘critically examine‘, as in the following question,

“In the context of the growing demands for the ban of endosulfan in the country,’critically
examine‘ the issues involved.What, in your view, should be done in the matter?” (2012, Paper-
I)

In this question, you have to probe in detail two aspects: one, good and bad of Endosulfan.
Second, implications of its ban. And arrive at an unbiased conclusion.

When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, all you need to do is look at the good
and bad of something and give a fair judgement.

Comment and Critically Comment

The directive ‘comment’ is usually followed by a statement made by some famous

personality, or taken out from a famous book. When you are asked to comment, you have
to pick main points and give your ‘opinion’ on them based on evidences or arguments
stemming from your wide reading.

Your opinion may be for or against, but you must back your argument with evidences.

2/6
These types of question offer you a chance to consolidate your reading of different
subjects to justify your opinion.

Example,

“There is an urgent need for the Planning commission to revise the chapter on health in the
12th Five year Plan document”. Comment (GS-I 2012, UPSC)

Your answer to this question must contain your opinion backed by certain evidences. If you
agree with the statement, first mention what are the shortcomings in the chapter on health
and offer your opinion in the form of suggestions backed by data from certain reports or
committees.

Critically comment is also forming opinion on main points but in the end you have to
provide a fair judgement.

Example,

Critically comment on the extent, scope and implications of Non Communicable Diseases in
India.

To this question most of us tend to provide facts on extent, scope and implications, but it
demands a fair opinion from our part based on evidences. Here one can form an opinion on
how dire the situation is and how costly it can prove to health and wealth of the people and
nation.

Analyze and Critically Analyze

When asked to analyze, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the
topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.

When you are asked to analyze, you have to examine each part of the problem. It is a
broader term than ‘Examine’.

Example,

“Conflicts in Indian society are not so much social as they are economic in nature”. Analyze.

This question though appears confusing, if broken into component parts, i.e, into conflicts
arising out of social factors and economic factors, and then examining (probing deeply) the
nature of each part, it becomes easy to conclude your answer. (In this question, ‘economic
nature’ mentioned is nothing other than ‘development’ – whose lack is the root of major
conflicts in our society these days)

Critically Analyze:

You need to conclude with a fair judgement, after analyzing the nature of each component
part and interrelationship between them.

Example:

3/6
“Analyze critically the interlinkages between the Convention on Biodiversity and FAO treaty
on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.”

As critical analysis of this question involves separate examination of COB and FAO Treaty
and the examination of their inter-relationship – if both are in harmony with each other or
there is any conflict between them (they are in harmony).

Observe the word ‘interlinkages’ in the question itself.

Evaluate

When you are asked to evaluate, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of
the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidences. You have to appraise
the worth of the statement in question. There is scope for forming a personal opinion here.

Example,

Has the RTI made a noticeable impact on our governance system?Evaluate.

While answering this question, you have to, based on evidence, appraise whether the RTI
act has really made an impact on governance and give your opinion on the issue.

Discuss

This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the
details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons
for both for and against arguments.

Example,

Discuss the contentious issues that have caused the prolonged constitutional logjam in
Nepal.

The question is self-explanatory. You have to debate the issues both for and against, find
the reasons and examine them. There are various actors, factors involved in Nepal which is
prolonging the finalization of their constitution. Focus on the causes.

(At the end of this article, links to few PDFs is given that will give you definitions for 10-15
commonly used directives.)

In the Examination Hall

General Studies papers are a headache for many aspirants – “ so many questions, but so
less time to answer all of them” – is the common complaint we hear before and after exam.
Previously, one could answer only for 400-450 marks out of 600 marks in GS.

So, is there a way out to attempt at least 500+ marks in the exam?

Yes. There is a way. But it requires hard work. A plan and its execution. Everyday.

But How?

4/6
Practice, Practice and Practice. Everyday. Only through practicing answer writing every day,
keeping in mind the different directive words, the demand of the question and the word
limit (from this year UPSC will provide question-cum-answer sheet), you will be able to write
fast and think fast in the exam hall.

Before entering the exam hall, your mind should be trained to quickly identify the nature of
the question. In the 3 hours you get, more time must be spent on thinking about the
answer, not on questions.

A thorough practice before the final exam also saves you from panics in the exam hall.

Most aspirants go to exam hall without knowing the subtle differences between directive
words and end up giving a very general answer that would fetch only average marks.

To get a top rank, you must have at least 100 marks above the cutoff marks. This is
possible only if you answer more number of questions and more accurately.

Points to remember when you are in the exam hall :

Read the instructions on the question paper – there will be a chance of introducing
certain changes from that of previous year’s
Allot 5 minutes to scan the whole question paper – while scanning quickly mark the
questions by pencil which you think you are comfortable answering
Now start with big questions – Read 2-3 times the question. Underline the main
topic/issue and most importantly, the directive word.
Underline the word limit too.
Don’t jump into the answer. Think on the question. And think quickly the outline of
your answer.

The Basic Anatomy of an Answer

Introduction is a must. It is the best part of the answer where you tell the reader what is
awaiting him in next few paragraphs. You must state your thesis in a clear statement.
Introduction is not a summary of your answer. It leads the reader to your answer in clear
manner.

In the next paragraph, you start arguing based on the thesis in the introduction and
directive word of the question. Throughout the answer, you must remember the directive
word.

Split your answer into few small paragraphs containing one single idea that is a continuum
of the previous paragraph and an indicator to the next one.

Remember, you should read the question after each paragraph.

The introduction and all the paragraphs should lead to a logical conclusion. Don’t repeat
the question or introduction in your conclusion. Also there is wrong perception that your
conclusion should ‘suggest’ something. No, the conclusion to your answer must stem from
the body of your answer. It can not be a separate part in the answer.

5/6
Don’t use jargon. Don’t be verbose. Don’t use flowery/ornamental language. Simplicity wins
the hearts. Be precise and effective. Make the examiner happy.

Finally I would like to say that, when you answer a question, you ‘answer’ it. Don’t dump the
facts, don’t exhibit superfluous knowledge and end up getting mediocre marks.

Some related documents (for more Directive words and their definitions):

1. http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/pdfs-of-study-guides/writing-skills-
pdfs/essay-terms.pdf
2. http://elc.uark.edu/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Answering-the-Essay-Short-
Answer-Exam-Question.pdf
3. http://tullyshistoryclass.weebly.com/uploads/8/0/3/5/8035589/key_terms_for_essa
ys.pdf
4. http://writingskills.calpoly.edu/gwr/wpe/tips/directive_words.html
5. http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/320006/directive-words.pdf
6. http://education.exeter.ac.uk/dll/studyskills/answering_questions.htm

6/6