By Sarmad Mehraj
Here are five last-mile pointers to help candidates sail through the written segment of the UPSC CSE (Main)
The Civil Services Examination, conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is one of the most coveted examinations for students aspiring to be recruited to the higher Civil Services of the Government of India. With the UPSC CSE (Main) scheduled to begin on September 16, 2022, here are some essential last-minute answer-writing tips to approach the written exam with a clear and confident mindset.
Read the instructions carefully
While you should be mindful of how much time you devote to each answer, don’t rush when you are reading the questions. Follow the instructions on the exam paper and make sure your response satisfies all the requirements of the question. Sometimes failing to read the instructions could lose you more marks than poor revision. For instance, if a question reads ‘answer should not be more than 250 words’ you can finish the answer in 200 words as well. Do not cross the word limit. The goal should be to answer all the questions.
Be concise and impactful
Answers written with clarity and organisation are important. Before you begin writing your answer look closely at the question and ensure you chart an appropriate answer format. Fine tune the wording, use points instead of paragraphs, and make sure your writing flows well. Writing should be legible, and support your answers with diagrams, flowcharts as much as possible. Answers that give a clear concise descriptions and explanation make the biggest impact on examiners.
Stick to word limit
The most common fault in any written work is a failure to keep to the point. The UPSC Mains exam consists of 9 descriptive papers conducted over a five-day period. Candidates are expected to write answers in the booklets issued at the examination hall, and no extra sheets are provided. By cutting down on needless words, candidates will not only be better positioned to complete the paper on time, but it will also encourage examiners to evaluate the straightforward and to-the-point answers more favourably.
Include visual aids
In the UPSC mains exam, diagrams, tables, and charts have the power to significantly improve the quality and readability of answers. They serve as a quick and efficient way to summarise information and demonstrate the candidate’s comprehension. That said, remember to only include diagrams that bring value to the solution rather than just decorating it. Diagrams must be added strategically to communicate the deeper nuances of your ideas to the examiner in a simplified format.When starved for time in the last 30 minutes of the exam, diagrams can be used to convey the maximum information in limited space.
Use all the time available
While you should strive to finish your answers well before the exam’s end, it is a good idea to use every minute of your exam time to check and double-check your final performance. Begin with the answers that will offer you the most marks, underline the important pointers in the answer and see if you can improve on them. Then, if you still have time, go over the remaining sets of answers — you may just notice something that needs to be changed. Check whether you have answered all parts of the question, covered all the main points and supported your responses with suitable examples and reasons wherever necessary.
Stay on track with these last-mile strategies to make the most of your answers for the UPSC Mains 2022. All the very best to all the candidates!
The author is Teacher and VP, Product (UPSC) at BYJU’S.
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