Writing answers in the IAS main exam is an art unto itself! The questions are framed to test your interpretation of the facts at hand in a particular manner. You need to be able to understand and respond to the poser clearly, and concisely using simple language that would put across your ideas and opinions without any ambiguity.
What Would IAS Examiners Look For In Your Answers? Learn From Top IAS Academy In Chennai!
According to experts at IAS coaching centres in Chennai, the examiners are more interested in your interpretation of facts and situations with a strong moral compass rather than a bookish knowledge of them. That will be an accurate measure of how well you are equipped to handle day to day demands of an IAS career on your analytic and decision-making skills.
Here Are Five Expert Tips From One Of The Top IAS Coaching Centres in Chennai!
1. Improve Writing Style
Work on this aspect of answering the UPSC mains exam questions. Your answers must be precise and concise. There is no need to use big words and flowery language. Ensure there are no grammatical errors. Do not make the mistake of padding up your answers. Make every word count!
2. Look For The Directive
The questions asked in an IAS mains exam are quite varied, each expecting a particular style in the answer. First of all, identify the directive word in each question which dictates what your response would look like. You need to know all the possible directive words, understand what each of them demands in your answer and construct it accordingly. There are plenty of materials available that explain how to tackle each kind of question.
Read More Tips Here: Top UPSC Exam Preparation Tips!
3. Build Your Answer
Every answer must have an introduction, body, and conclusion. The opening should not be a repetition of the question. Its function is to set the stage for the actual answer. The conclusion should again not be another version of the introduction but must lead naturally from the body of your response. Also, remember to adhere to word limits, if any, at all times.
4. Manage Time
You need to have a good handle over the time you are spending on each answer, to be able to finish the entire paper in 3 hours. Do a quick once over of the question paper and highlight the directive words and word limit in each question to give yourself a fair idea of the time it would take to complete the answer.
5. Improve Writing Speed
By this time, your writing should be flowing naturally. You should not be spending time thinking about sentence construction and grammar. Concentrate only on the views you are expressing in your answer. So, make writing quickly, clearly and legibly a habit during your preparation itself.
Practice, Practice, Practice! Say UPSC IAS Coaching Experts.
All of the about tips are going to work only if you put them to practice in all your mock exams. With practice, you will not be wasting time figuring out the question while you could be writing the answer. You would be able to configure your writing automatically to fit the word limit. You would also be able to get a quick picture of the time available for each answer. Your answers will practically flow in your mind and on to the paper. In short, you would ace the IAS main exam!
Current Affairs Books for UPSC
One cannot deny the importance of the current affair books. There are many types of books available in the market, out of which the most common are the following.
Quick General Knowledge with current affairs Update (Disha Publication) – it is considered as one of the best books as it is updated and revised every year. The main aim of the book is to give information that needs to be solved in many of the competitive exams.
Philip Mathew’s Manorama Yearbook 2019 – Another great book in the list of best Books as it is filled with general knowledge affairs. It covers all the important events and fields like the economy, polity, banking and many more.
