10 Proven UPSC Essay Writing Tips from IAS Toppers to Boost Your Score

The essay paper often feels like the most open-ended part of the UPSC Mains and that is exactly what makes it so tricky. Unlike the GS papers, which have succinct answers, in the essay paper, you need to blend your thoughts into a structured write-up with some reflection. You are provided four topics from each section and expected to choose one from each section, subsequently writing two full-length essays of 125 marks each. It can be daunting as nothing seems worse than a blank page. However, those who have cracked this exam say that steady habits such as frequent reading and writing form the backbone to bring one’s voice into the examination halls.

10 UPSC Essay Writing Tips from IAS Toppers to Boost Your Score

We outline 10 UPSC Essay Writing Tips from IAS Toppers to Boost Your Score in the UPSC Mains Exam. Who were gracious enough to explain what truly worked for them. From topic selection to writing a refined essay with a proper flow and structure, this guide has been curated with their best advice on how to write essays effectively.

1) Start early with essay practice

Most of the candidates begin their preparation for essay writing at the very last moment. When beginning your Mains preparation, make it a point to write one essay every week. Also, analyzing the essays of previous toppers will aid you in improving the framework of your essays.

2) Read widely to write better

Broadening the scope of your reading is essential to refining your writing. It not only boosts your skills but also strengthens your ability to create impactful essays.

3) Choose topics you know well

Selecting the appropriate topic is arguably half of the task’s battle. When choosing from four options provided in each section, do not select one purely based on its appeal. Choose the option that you are most at ease with. Being familiar with a subject lets you delve deeper into it and articulate your ideas more clearly.

4) Manage your time smartly

Given that you have to write two essays, dedicate 1.5 hours for each. Take almost 20 minutes to organise your essay. Even when you feel very confident with your plan, reviewing it will always be beneficial. Once the structure is decided, writing around 1000 words should take no more than an hour when fully organised.

5) Make essays engaging and relatable

Captivating the examiner can be done through personally relatable content, documenting real-world issues, or history. In Essay Writing tips, well-thought-out and placed examples of anecdotes elevate the overall strength of your essay while also showing observational intelligence which often increases marks.

6) Craft strong introductions and conclusions

An essay’s introduction is comparable to the opening scene of a movie. Just as a film needs an engaging beginning, an essay needs a strong start. It should provide some glimpse of what is to come but leave the audience wanting more.

An effective introduction creates interest as well as worry and captures the examiners’ attention and makes them eager to read through the rest of the writing. There is no uniform formula for creating sets of openings and closings; however, quotations or statistics, anecdotes or facts might serve the purpose. The ending must be objective while summarising the core idea of the essay.

7) Use quotations effectively

Quotations should flow naturally into the context of your essay and build upon the topic, rather than seem out of place. Make sure that any quotes added are appropriate and constructive concerning themes presented in the essay while avoiding controversy.

8) Ensure a seamless flow

The flow of the essay matters significantly in grabbing the examiner's focus. Every section should connect to the subsequent one on its own and there must not be any doubts remaining in the examiner’s mind. This organic connection is very difficult to attain without consistent practice and discipline.

9) Adopt a balanced perspective

Avoid leaning toward the extremes, as they do not provide reasonable or balanced arguments. The impact of an essay broadens its depth when approached from different angles. Consider social and cultural, economic and political, philosophical and religious, scientific, historical, geographical, as well as environmental perspectives.

10) Focus on clean, clear presentation

Write clear and concise sentences in short paragraphs. Use simple phrases, and properly format the text. Highlight important concepts or terms and keep everything organised. Pay attention to spelling and grammar issues because it shows how well you think.

Final Thoughts

The above-mentioned strategies have aided successful UPSC toppers to write essays with depth of knowledge and analysis. Essay writing mastery indicates preparedness in dealing with complex issues that public administration poses, where clear communication and robust reasoning is indispensable. Vajirao & Reddy IAS Institute, established in 1989, provides the best IAS coaching in Delhi for UPSC/CSE preparation. Known for its comprehensive and structured approach, the institute offers coaching for both Prelims and Mains, focusing on General Studies, optional subjects, and Personality Test preparation.