In the Civil Services Mains, the General Studies papers are a battlefield where everyone fights for a few extra marks. But the Essay Paper (Paper-I) is a goldmine. A good essay can fetch you 140-150 marks, while a bad one leaves you at 80. That 70-mark gap is the difference between becoming an IAS and failing the exam. UPSC Essay Writing
At Trademark IAS, we don’t teach you to write “English”; we teach you to write “Arguments.” Here is the definitive guide to mastering UPSC Essay Writing.
1. The Challenge: “Philosophical Essays” UPSC Essay Writing
Gone are the days of simple topics like “Women Empowerment.” Recent UPSC papers are filled with abstract quotes like: “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for.”
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The Trap: Most students get stuck because they run out of ideas after 2 pages.
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The Solution: Use the PESTLE Framework to generate unlimited dimensions.
2. The “PESTLE” Technique (Never Run Out of Points) UPSC Essay Writing
When you see a topic, don’t start writing immediately. Brainstorm using these lenses:
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P – Political: (Laws, Governance, Constitution).
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E – Economic: (GDP, Poverty, Employment).
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S – Social: (Caste, Gender, Education, Health).
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T – Technological: (AI, Space, Digital Gap).
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L – Legal/Environmental: (Climate Change, Justice).
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E – Ethical: (Values, Morality, Integrity).
Example: If the topic is “Science without humanity is dangerous,” apply PESTLE.
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Political: Bio-weapons.
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Technological: AI taking jobs.
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Environmental: Industrial pollution.
3. The Structure of a Topper’s Essay UPSC Essay Writing
A 1200-word essay must flow like a river, not a list of bullet points.
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Introduction (10%): Start with an Anecdote (a short real-life story) or a powerful Quote.
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Tip: Don’t define the topic; illustrate it.
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The Body (80%): Use the “Temporal Approach” (Past -> Present -> Future) or the “Sectoral Approach” (Individual -> Society -> Nation -> World).
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Conclusion (10%): Always end with “Visionary Optimism.” Connect your conclusion back to the story you started in the Introduction (The Cyclic Method).
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Writing GS Answers: Don’t just dump data. An essay needs flow and coherence.
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Getting Political: Avoid criticizing the government aggressively. Be constructive.
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Complex English: You are not Shashi Tharoor. Simple, lucid language wins.
Conclusion
UPSC Essay Writing is not about knowledge; it is about connecting the dots. You already know the content from your GS preparation; you just need to learn how to weave it.
Want to Practice? Join our “Weekend Essay Challenge”. Write one essay every Sunday, and get it evaluated by our experts.
[Download List of Important Quotes] | [Submit Your First Essay]
