UPSC Mains Strategy

Imagine knowing everything about “Climate Change,” but when the examiner asks you to “Discuss,” you stare at the blank paper for 5 minutes. Result: You leave 5 questions unattempted. You fail. UPSC Mains Answer Writing

The Civil Services Mains is a race against time. You have to write 4,000 words in 3 hours. That is approximately 7 minutes per question. You don’t have time to think; you only have time to write. At Trademark IAS, we drill the “IBC Framework” into our students. Here is how to master UPSC Mains Answer Writing.

1. The Golden Rule: Structure > Content UPSC Mains Answer Writing

The examiner checks hundreds of copies. They don’t read every word. They scan for “Structure.” Every answer must have three distinct parts:

A. Introduction (10% of space) UPSC Mains Answer Writing

• Purpose: To show you understand the question.

• How to Start:

  • Definition: (e.g., “Food Processing Industry refers to…”)

  • Data/Fact: (e.g., “According to NITI Aayog, India processes only 10% of its food…”)

  • Constitutional Article: (e.g., “Article 21 guarantees…”)

• Tip: Never spend more than 30 seconds thinking about the Intro. Memorize standard intros for common topics.

B. The Body (80% of space) UPSC Mains Answer Writing

• The “Heading” Hack: Break the question into parts.

  • Question: “Discuss the challenges and opportunities of AI.”

  • Heading 1: “Challenges of AI” (Write 4 points).

  • Heading 2: “Opportunities of AI” (Write 4 points).

• Bullet Points: Never write paragraphs. Use bullets. It makes the answer look dense and readable.

• Diagrams/Maps: A picture speaks 100 words. Draw a rough map of India for Geography questions or a flow chart for Economy.

C. Conclusion (10% of space) UPSC Mains Answer Writing

• Purpose: To leave a positive impression.

• How to End:

  • Way Forward: Give a solution.

  • SDG Link: Link it to Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., “This will help achieve SDG 5: Gender Equality”).

  • Visionary: End with “New India” or a PM’s quote.

2. The “Directive Word” Trap

UPSC tries to trick you with words at the end of the question.

• Discuss: Write Pros + Cons.

• Analyze: Dig deep into the “Why” and “How.”

• Critically Examine: Focus more on the negatives/shortcomings, but end with a positive solution.

• Elucidate: Explain with examples.

3. Speed vs. Quality UPSC Mains Answer Writing

• The Dilemma: Should I write 15 perfect answers or 20 average answers?

• The Winner: 20 Average Answers.

• Math: If you leave 5 questions (10 marks each), you lose 50 marks straight. You can never recover from that.

• Strategy: Practice writing “bad” answers fast. Quality comes with time; speed must be forced.

4. Which Pen is Best? UPSC Mains Answer Writing

Don’t overthink this.

• Pilot V5 / V7: Good flow, but smudges if paper is thin.

• Butterflow / Pentonic: Cheap, reliable ball pens. Best for speed.

• Rule: Use the same pen for practice that you will use in the exam hall.

Conclusion

Answer writing is a muscle. You build it by doing it daily. Don’t wait to finish the syllabus. Start writing today. Even if you know nothing, write a bad answer. A bad answer is better than a blank page.

Need Feedback? Join our “Daily Answer Writing (DAW)” Telegram group. Post your answer at 10 AM, and get it reviewed by mentors by 6 PM.

[Join DAW Telegram Group] | [Download Topper’s Sample Copy]