UPSC Mains Essay Paper

The UPSC essay paper is one of the important papers of the civil services mains exam. Furthermore, the marks obtained in the UPSC essay paper 2022 will be counted for merit ranking. Thus, it is essential to give priority to essay papers in preparation.

In broader terms, candidates are required to write two essays, pick one IAS essay topics from each of sections A and B and write in about 1000-1200 words each. Moreover, each UPSC essay paper carries 125 marks, making a maximum of 250 marks.

Thus, the candidates should adhere to the best books, and strategies, and solve the previous year’s UPSC essay paper with answers to prepare well for this section.

In this article, we have shared complete details on the Essay 1 exam paper for the candidates aspiring for the upcoming UPSC IAS exam.

UPSC Essay Topics-Overview

• As per the UPSC notification, the essay paper is one of the nine subjects in the IAS main exam. Thus, the candidates are required to write essays on multiple topics.
• Hence, it is advised to stay updated with the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in proper order and write concisely.
• Moreover, credit is usually given for effective and exact expression. The maximum mark for essay questions UPSC is 250 and the exam duration is 3 hours.

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UPSC Essay Previous Year Papers

Candidates should solve past UPSC essay paper with answers to strengthen their preparation. This will improve their writing skills and also help them to understand essay UPSC topics asked in the exam over years.

Hence, we have shared below the official UPSC essay previous paper PDF link for ease of the aspirants.

How to Prepare for UPSC Essay Topics in IAS 2023 Exam?

While preparing for the IAS mains exam, candidates devote their maximum time to studying general studies and optional subjects. However, they should give equal importance to the UPSC essay paper.

Let’s look at the best preparation tips to excel in the Essay 1 exam paper.

• Inculcate the habit of reading newspaper editorials on a daily basis. It is also observed that many times essay questions are based on current affairs.
• Next, jot down relevant quotes from the newspaper/books and use them when writing an essay.
• Practice writing on the IAS essay topics related to health, women, education, science, internet, technology, etc to improve your vocabulary and overall writing skills.
• Select the essay topic wisely. Candidates should go through all the topics carefully and pick the topic they are familiar with.
• Candidates should also ensure that their essay includes an introduction, body, basic theme, and conclusion.
• Lastly, ask for feedback on the essay from the mentors, seniors, or teachers. This will help them to discover their weak points and allow them to focus more on improving the same for better results.

Best Books for UPSC Essay Paper

Along with the best preparation strategy, candidates should pick the most reliable Books for UPSC and study material for the essay paper. Let’s look at the expert-recommended books for essay preparation shared below:

Check the latest CSAT books for UPSC.

FAQs

Q1. How to write an essay for IAS exam?

Ans. Candidates must prepare an outline first before writing the essay. This will also help them to prepare an introduction/conclusion, ideas, quotes, etc that can be used to write a good essay for the IAS exam.

Q2. What comes in essay paper of UPSC?

Ans. The UPSC essay paper is one of the nine subjects in the IAS main exam. Moreover, candidates need to write two essays with a word limit of 1000–1200 for each paper. Each essay paper carries 125 marks, making a maximum of 250 marks.

Q3. Which type of essay comes in IAS exam?

Ans. There are four types of essays in the IAS mains exam including narrative essay, descriptive essay, informative essay, and persuasive essay.

Q4. Is handwriting important for IAS?

Ans. Candidates will not get extra marks for good handwriting in the essay paper because the quality of the answer matters. However, bad handwriting can definitely decrease the chances of scoring high marks on the paper.

Q5. How can I improve my UPSC essay?

Ans. To improve the UPSC essay preparation, one should keep their outline consistent, avoid using too many jargon/technical terms, and practice essay writing to strengthen the preparation.

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