The UPSC essay paper is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. With this, the scores obtained in the UPSC essay topics will also be considered in the merit list. Hence, it is important to cover all the aspects of the UPSC essay syllabus.
In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. Moreover, they are required to choose one IAS essay topic out of the four options in each section i.e. A and B.
The UPSC essay paper is conducted for 250 marks with one essay UPSC paper for 125 marks. Therefore, aspirants should use the best books and strategies to excel in this section.
In this article, we have compiled all the details of the UPSC IAS essay for the candidates aspiring for the upcoming civil services exam.
The previous year’s UPSC essay paper is one of the finest resources to prepare well for this section. This will strengthen their vocabulary and writing skills and also provide them insights into the type of essay topics UPSC asked over the years.
Hence, we have compiled below the official UPSC essay previous paper PDF link for 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 for the reference of the candidates.
| Year | IAS Essay Topics |
| 2022 | Section-A
Section-B
|
| 2021 | Section A
Section B
|
| 2020 | Section A
Section B
|
| 2019 | Section A
Section B
|
| 2018 | Section A
Section B
|
UPSC essays must be well-formatted and presented in a manner that the readers can easily understand without any obstacles. Above all, it must include the ideas about the issue mentioned in the question.
Candidates must note that the general essay papers also play an important role in compensating for the less scores in general studies and optional papers. Hence, it is advisable to focus on improving the vocabulary and writing skills from the first leg of the preparation.
Let’s look at the best strategy to score high marks in the UPSC essay topics in the main exam.
Read More: How to write an essay for UPSC here!
Along with the best UPSC essay strategy, aspirants should also choose the finest books that comprise multiple essay topics UPSC for the exam. Here, we have shared below the best books and resources to strengthen the preparation of the general essay section:
| The following articles given in the table below can be referred to for UPSC IAS exam preparation: | |
| UPSC IAS Interview Courses | IAS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS DOWNLOAD |
| OLD INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTIONS | UPSC INTERVIEW MARKS |
| UPSC IAS Interview 2023 | NOTES/BOOKS FOR UPSC INTERVIEW |
Q1. How to score 150 in UPSC essay?
Ans. One can score 150 marks on the UPSC essay paper by managing time effectively throughout the exam and avoiding any kind of deviation from the topic.
Q2. What are the topics for UPSC essay?
Ans. Some of the important IAS essay topics include democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc
Q3. What is essay paper 1 in UPSC?
Ans. The UPSC essay paper 1 is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. The maximum mark is 250 with a duration of 3 hours.
Q4. Is UPSC essay tough?
Ans. Yes, the UPSC essay paper is moderately tough as per the past year’s exam analysis. However, it also depends on the aspirant knowledge of the topic.
Q5. How many pages is 1,000 words in UPSC?
Ans. 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced is about 1000 words in UPSC.
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