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WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

Following are the topics on which our followers have written (and writing essays) every Sunday to hone their essay writing skills. The topics are chosen based on UPSC previous year topics. Writing one essay on each Sunday will help you get better marks in this paper.

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 1 CSE 2017

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 25 CSE 2015

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 40 CSE 2015

[VIDEO] How to Improve Marks in Essay and Ethics Papers?
[VIDEO] How to Write Philosophical Essays

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2024

March 30, 2024 : A Business That Makes Nothing More Than Money Is Poor Business
March 24, 2024 : If Voting Really Made Difference, They Would Not Let Us Do It
March 17, 2024 : Cinema Is Not A Slice Of Life, But A Piece Of Cake.
March 10, 2024 : Education Can give skill, but a liberal education can give dignity
March 3, 2024 : Sometimes when you lose your way you find yourself
February 25, 2024 : Who Looks Inside Awakes, Who Looks Outside Dream
February 18, 2024 : Never Let School Interfere With Your Education
February 11, 2024 : Whoever Controls the Media Controls the Mind
February 04, 2024 : A certain darkness is needed to see the stars
January 28, 2024 : Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it
January 21, 2024 : Subtle Is powerful
January 14, 2024 : The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital.
January 07, 2024 : Give them Quality. That’s The Best Kind of Advertising

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2023

December 31, 2023 : The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain
December 24, 2023 : All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos
December 17, 2023 : We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge
December 10, 2023 : Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent
December 03, 2023 : Be a Voice, Not an Echo
November 26, 2023 : A Society that has more justice is the society that needs less charity
November 19, 2023 : Sell Your Cleverness and Buy Bewilderment
November 12, 2023 : love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within
November 5, 2023 : Clothes Make The Man
October 29, 2023 : Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
October 22, 2023 : Mathematics is the music of reason
October 15, 2023 : Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines
October 08, 2023 : Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
October 01, 2023 : Not All Who Wander Are Lost
September 24, 2023 : Visionary Decision-Making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic
September 17, 2023 : Thinking Is Like A game. It does not begin unless there is an opposition team.
September 10, 2023 : Unless we have well-educated people, we are vulnerable on National Security
September 03, 2023 : Harsh Laws are, at times, better than No laws
August 27, 2023 : Nations Do Not Die From Invasion. They Die From Internal Rottenness
August 20, 2023 : In Individuals, insanity is rare; In groups, parties and nations, it is the rule.
August 13, 2023 : Economics Is Too Important To Leave To The Economists.
August 06, 2023 : A self without a book-shelf is naked.
July 30, 2023 : Wrong Choices Lead To Right Places
July 23, 2023 : Credit where credit is due.
July 16, 2023 : A right is not what someone gives you; it’s what no one can take away from you.
July 9, 2023 : The measure of intelligence is the ability to change
July 2, 2023 : Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
June 25, 2023 : In the long run , the sword will always be conquered by the spirit
June 18, 2023 : The company you keep determines your Success
June 11, 2023 : A disciplined mind brings happiness.
June 4, 2023 : Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future but to shape it
May 28, 2023 : Action breeds confidence and courage
May 21, 2023 : A library is a hospital for the mind
May 14, 2023 : Self-Education is Life-Long Curiosity
May 7, 2023 : Silence is Spurious Golden
April 30, 2023 : The price of greatness is responsibility
April 23, 2023 : Progress is impossible without change
April 16, 2023 : The Impact of Artificial Intelligence.
April 9, 2023 : People would rather believe than know.
April 2, 2023 : Prioritizing education technology for global growth
March 26, 2023 : Technology is a weapon against poverty
March 19, 2023 : Every choice you make makes you
March 12, 2023 : Patience is a virture ; virtue is a grace
March 5, 2023 : Before any fight, it is the fight of mind
February 26, 2023 : The Measure of a man is what he does with Power.
February 19, 2023 : When you kill time, you kill life.
February 12, 2023 : Delayed success mostly stays forever.
February 05, 2023 : The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
January 29, 2023 : Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.
January 22, 2023 : I am what I am, so take me as I am
January 15, 2023 : Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased
January 08, 2023 : Time hurts but it also heals. It punishes but it rewards too- it is the greatest teacher ever for a human.
January 01, 2023 : The Beginning is the End and the End is The Beginning.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2022

December 25, 2022 : To tolerate is purely an act of mind
December 18, 2022 : The arc of moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice
December 11, 2022 : Religion is a culture of faith; Science is a culture of doubt.
December 04, 2022 : My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read
November 27, 2022 : Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits
November 20, 2022 : We are always blind as we want to be
November 13, 2022 : By your stumbling, the world is perfected.
November 6, 2022 : You cannot step twice in the same river
October 30, 2022 : Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.
October 23, 2022 : A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
October 16, 2022 : The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining
October 9, 2022 : A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for
October 2, 2022 : History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man
September 25, 2022 : Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world
September 18, 2022 : Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence
September 11, 2022 : Culture changes with economic development.
September 4 2022 : We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.
August 28 2022 : The obstacle is the path.
August 21 2022 : What is to give light must endure burning.
August 14 2022 : “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” Aristotle.
August 7 2022 : Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” Albert Einstein
July 31, 2022 : A bad conscience is easier to cope with than a bad reputation. Friedrich Nietzsche.
July 24, 2022 : Time is all we have and don’t
July 17, 2022 : Life fritters away when distractions become your lifestyle
July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn
July 3, 2022 : Mind – a beautiful servant? Or a dangerous master?
June 26, 2022 : Education Breeds Peace
June 19, 2022 : A great leader is never angry
June 12, 2022 : That which hurts, instructs; That which instructs, creates; Creates Wonders!
June 05, 2022 : Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do
May 29, 2022 : The journey is a reward as well as destination
May 22, 2022 : Imagination creates reality
May 15, 2022 : The curious paradox is, only if we accept things as they are, things can change
May 08, 2022: The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves, while wiser people are so full of doubts
May 01, 2022: Loyalty To Country Always. Loyalty To Government Only When It Deserves
April 24, 2022: Successful Investing Is Anticipating The Anticipations of Others
April 17, 2022: Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear
April 10, 2022 : Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn
April 03, 2022 : Forgiveness is the final form of love
March 27, 2022 : The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless
March 20, 2022 : Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form.
March 13, 2022 : Everything we hear is an opinion; not a fact
March 5, 2022 : There are better practices to “best practices”
February 27, 2022 : History repeats itself first as a tragedy second as a farce.
February 20, 2022 : What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
February 13, 2022 : Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
February 6, 2022 : The real is rational and the rational is real.
January 30, 2022 : Philosophy of Wantlessness Is Utopian, while the philosophy of materialism is chimera.
January 23, 2022 : Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
January 16, 2022 : The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
January 09, 2022 : Knowing oneself is the beginning of all wisdom
January 02, 2022 : Biased Media Is A Real Threat To Indian Democracy

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2021

December 26, 2021 : What Gets Measured Gets Managed
December 19, 2021 : The enemy of stability is complacency
December 12, 2021 : A clear conscience fears no accusation
December 05, 2021 : Power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas
November 28, 2021 : The whole is more than a sum of its parts
November 21, 2021 : Scientific and technological progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity
November 14, 2021 : The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
November 7, 2021 : Lawlessness is the result of failure to cultivate a sense of self-evaluation
October 30, 2021 : What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make
October 24, 2021 : Science for the economic freedom of humanity
October 17, 2021 : An interdependent world cannot be an inequitable world
October 03, 2021 : Strength comes from an indomitable Will
SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 : Ethnocracy and concentration of power can derail even an affluent nation
SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 : Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.
SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 : Culture of entitlement comes with unreasonable expectations and insecurities
SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 : Literacy is a vital skill that enhances dignity, improves health outcomes, empowers people to access their rights and bolsters opportunities
AUGUST 29, 2021 : A parliamentary system of government rests on a functioning opposition as ‘no democracy can do without it’.
AUGUST 22, 2021 : Development must lead to dismantle all kinds of human unfreedom
AUGUST 15, 2021 : Sport is a reflection of larger social phenomena
AUGUST 8, 2021 : Every social stratum has its own Common Sense and its own good sense
AUGUST 1, 2021 : Capitalism without competition is not Capitalism. It is Exploitation.
JULY 25, 2021 : We don’t have to sacrifice a Strong Economy for a Healthy Environment
JULY 18,2021 : We Need not a social conscience, but a social consciousness.
JULY 11, 2021 : The cure for evils of democracy is more democracy.
JULY 04, 2021 : No Constitution by itself achieves perfect justice
JUNE 27, 2021 : Our world has achieved brilliance without conscience.
JUNE 20, 2021 : Our common humanity demands that we make the impossible possible.
JUNE 13, 2021 : Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.
JUNE 06, 2021 : The political problem of mankind is to combine three things: economic efficiency, social justice and individual liberty.
MAY 30, 2021 : Economics without ethics is a caricature & ethics without economics is a fairy tale.
MAY 23 , 2021 : Indecisiveness is the rival of Progression
MAY 16 , 2021 : Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.
May 09, 2021 : The possession of arbitrary power has always, the world over, tended irresistibly to destroy humane sensibility, magnanimity, and truth
May 02, 2021 : The truth of character is expressed through choice of act ions
April 25, 2021 : It is not our differences that divide us; It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.
April 18, 2021 : Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
April 11, 2021 : Solutions emerge if situations are not forced
April 04, 2021 : Morality is subservient to materialistic values in present times
March 28, 2021 : Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible
March 21, 2021 : Our major social problems are not the cause of our decadence but are a reflection of it
March 14, 2021 : The Future of Multilateralism : Towards a responsible Globalization
March 07, 2021 : Subtlety may deceive you; Integrity never will
February 28, 2021 :Technology as the silent factor in international relations
February 21, 2021 :Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality
February 14, 2021:There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless
February 07, 2021: Culture is what we are civilization is what we have
January 31, 2021: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
January 24, 2021: Ships do not sink because of water around them , ships sink because of water that gets into them
January 17, 2021: Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self
January 10, 2021: Life is long journey between human being and being humane
January 03, 2021: The Covid pandemic has revealed the urgent need for effective governance everywhere”
December 27, 2020: Challenges of 21st Century – insurmountable?
December 20, 2020: Too much Democracy is Detrimental to Development
December 13, 2020: Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2020

December 06, 2020 : As you Start to walk on the way, the Way appears
November 29, 2020: Need of the Hour is to Maximise Possibilities of Agriculture in India
November 22, 2020: The survival of democracy depends on its ability to lower social uncertainty
November 15, 2020: There is no greatness where there is no simplicity
November 08, 2020: Inequality can be Reduced by the Power of the Market rather than the Government
November 01, 2020: Civil liberties are fundamental to the functioning of modern democracies
October 25, 2020: Artificial Intelligence is Not All Evil – It can Promote Social Good Too
October 18, 2020: Wherever law ends, tyranny begins
October 11, 2020:Hyper-globalism is threat to human prosperity
September 27, 2020: Our World is in a Surplus of Multilateral Challenges and a Deficit of Solutions
September 20, 2020: In India Agriculture and the Farmer are both the Victims of Narrow Political Vision
September 13, 2020: India Needs Aggressive and Pragmatic Neighbourhood Policy
September 6, 2020: “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his attitude .
August 30, 2020: The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal
August 23, 2020: Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.
August 16, 2020: Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.
August 09, 2020: Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value
August 02, 2020: New Education Policy 2020: A Progressive Policy with Diverse Challenges
July 26, 2020: In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power but carries the ultimate responsibility
July 19, 2020: Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance
July 12, 2020: The human spirit must prevail over technology
July 05, 2020: When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
June 28, 2020: Today India Needs ‘Harmony in Diversity’, Not Unity in Diversity.
June 21, 2020: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
June 14, 2020: Post Independence, the Issue of Land is at the Core of India’s Non-Achievement of Its Development Aspirations
June 7, 2020: Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste
May 31, 2020: Despite Challenges, To be a Healthy and Successful Nation, India must Ensure Universal Health Coverage
May 24, 2020: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
May 17, 2020:The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little
May 10, 2020: Urban Exclusion of Migrant Workers in India is a Reality and Needs Urgent Robust Policy Measures
May 03, 2020: Uncertainty should ignite creativity, not depravity
April 26, 2020: The fool doth think he is wise but the wise man knows himself to be a fool
April 19, 2020: Social Harmony, not Social Distancing, is the final solution to all our problems
April 12, 2020: It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities
April 05, 2020: Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking
March 29, 2020: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them”
March 22, 2020: In order to understand the world one has to turn away from it on occasion
March 15, 2020: Pandemics such as COVID-19, though Catastrophic, are in the end Meant to Reset Humanity and its Priorities
March 08, 2020: Those who have wisdom have all: Fools with all have nothing
March 01, 2020: Indifferentism is the worst kind of disease that can affect people.
[VIDEO] Perspectives on Essay Topic of Feb 23
February 23, 2020: To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.
February 16, 2020 : When civil services does its job, people will not need social service
February 09, 2020 : The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.
February 02, 2020: Ability will get you success, Character will keep you successful.
January 26, 2020: Media’s duty is to inform public, not manufacture opinion.
January 19, 2020: Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes
January 12, 2020 : Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition
J anuary 5, 2020 : All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal
December 29, 2019 : There cannot be daily democracy without daily citizenship
December 22, 2019: War is the ultimate Price we pay for lasting Peace
December 15, 2019 : Inclusivity and Plurality are the hallmarks of a peaceful society
December 08, 2019: Justice Loses Character if it becomes Revenge
December 01. 2019: Economic Growth and Development are Shaped by the Societies in which they Operate
November 24, 2019: Social Media is the Fourth Pillar of Democracy
November 17, 2019: Media is No More a Fourth Pillar of Democracy
November 10, 2019: Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling
November 03, 2019:Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
October 27, 2019: Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
October 20, 2019: South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities
October 13, 2019: Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success
October 06, 2019: Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society
September 29, 2019: Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be
September 22, 2019: Wisdom finds truth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2019

September 15, 2019: Kashmir Problem – Historical Injustice or Misguided Geopolitics?
September 08, 2019: India’s Space Ambitions – Are they Welfarist?
September 01, 2019: India – $5 Trillion Economy: Dream or Reality?
August 25, 2019 Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
August 18, 2019 The mind is everything. What you think you become.
August 11, 2019: Virtue is Knowledge
August 04, 2019: Inclusive governance begets Inclusive growth
July 28, 2019: India’s headache: Unemployment or Underemployment?
July 21, 2019: The road to science and spirituality are opposite, but we should tread both
July 14, 2019: India is a leading power, rather than just a balancing power
July 07, 2019: Should the world embrace democratic socialism or progressive capitalism?
June 30, 2019: Impact of Digital Revolution on Human Wellbeing
June 23, 20 19: Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty
June 16, 2019: The definition of happiness is the full use of your powers, along the lines of excellence.
June 09, 2019: Not Corruption, Communalism is the Greatest Threat India is facing Today
May 19, 2019: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
May 12, 2019: Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake
May 05, 2019: Happiness equals reality minus expectations
April 28, 2019: Political correctness is tyranny with manners
April 21, 2019: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
April 07, 2019: Dogma is the sacrifice of wisdom to consistency
March 31, 2019: The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
March 24, 2019: Terrorism has No Religion
March 17, 2019: Money and Religion – Great Unifiers of Humankind?
March 10, 2019: Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in decay
March 03, 2019: Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower
February 24,2019: Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens
February 17, 2019: Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by fighting back
February 10, 2019: Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
February 03, 2019: You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality
January 27, 2019: Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever
January 20, 2019: All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
January 12, 2019: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.
January 06, 2019: National security is Irreversibly linked to good economic growth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2018

December 28, 2018: To plan for smart development, governments and business must recognize nature’s role in supporting economic activity
December 23, 2018: Government Surveillance – Good or Bad?
December 16, 2018: Trade Wars – Economic or Geopolitical?
December 02, 2018: Immigration is Not a Threat, but Fundamentally it’s an Economic Issue
November 25, 2018: A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both
November 18, 2018: “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values
November 11, 2018: A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge
November 04, 2018: Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task
October 28, 2018: Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India
October 21, 2018: Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
October 14, 2018: Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it
October 07, 2018: Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
September 30, 2018: Commercialization of Space : Importance and the need for regulation
September 23, 2018: E-commerce as a new form of trade and its challenges to India.
September 16, 2018: Ability is nothing without opportunity
September 09, 2018: Death Penalty eliminates Criminals, not Crime.
September 02, 2018: Dissent is the foundation of democracy.
August 26, 2018: Mars Mission and Mob lynchings are two obverse faces of India
August 19, 2018: Strengthening Land Rights Strengthens Development
August 12, 2018: Age of Big Data: Data is the New Oil, History is its oldest bank
August 05, 2018: Strong Institutions and fair procedures, not personalities constitute the fundamentals of good governance
July 29, 2018: Social reform is a myth if places of worship are open only to all castes and not to all genders.
July 22, 2018: Section 377, not the carnal acts banned under it is ‘against the order of nature ‘
July 15, 2018: Schooling Is Not Education
July 08, 2018: Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster.
July 01, 2018: Normal human activity is worse for nature than the greatest nuclear accident in history
June 24, 2018: Gender Sensitive Indian Society is Prerequisite for Women and Child Empowerment
June 17, 2018: Where Should India Invest More – Human Capital or Human Development?
June 10, 2018: Has Democracy Taken Backseat Due to the Rise of Populists and Demagogues?
June 03, 2018: We won’t have a society ,if we destroy the environment
May 27, 2018: Can Development and Environment Protection Go Together?
May 20, 2018: Governor is the Choke Point of Federal Circuit of India
May 13, 2018: Anonymity is the Best and the Worst Feature of Urbanism
May 06, 2018: A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes
April 29, 2018: Guaranteeing Right to Vote may Establish a Democracy, But Ensuring it’s Right Use Only Will Bring a True Democracy
April 22, 2018: Stereotyping is an Ideological Force Which Hinders and Endangers Consolidation of India
April 15, 2018: Can Education and legislation Address Violence Against Women and Children in India?
April 8, 2018: Banking Crisis in India – Failure of Governance and Regulation?
April 1, 2018: Privacy is the fountainhead of all other rights
March 25, 2018: Impact of Technology on Human Relations and Human Productivity
March 18, 2018: India’s Focus should be on Ease of Living, not on Easy of Doing Business
March 11, 2018: A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody
March 04, 2018: Capitalism can not Bring Inclusive Growth
February 25, 2018: The unprecedented advance of technologies facilitate individual empowerment but at the cost of Institutions and Democratic societies
February 18, 2018: Threats being Faced by Liberal Democratic Systems are both Dangerous and Permanent
February 11, 2018: For India, Stigmatised Capitalism is Better than Crony Socialism
February 04, 2018: Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.
January 28, 2018: Politics of Identity is the Politics of the Weak
January 21, 2018: Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime
January 14, 2018: Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding
January 07, 2018: The Root Cause of Agrarian Distress in India – Failure of Policies or Failure of Governance?

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2017

December 31, 2017: Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India
December 24, 2017: Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth
December 17, 2017: Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
December 10, 2017: Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India
December 03, 2017: Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms
November 19, 2017: Has the Non- Alignment Movement(NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world
November 12, 2017: Social media is inherently a selfish medium.
November 04, 2017: We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws
October 29, 2017: Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
October 22, 2017: Harith Diwali, Swasth Diwali : What measures are needed to deal with Festivity and Air Pollution?
October 15, 2017: Biggest Threat to Humanity – Moral Crisis or Climate Change?
October 08, 2017: The monsoon is a defining aspect of India’s nationhood
October 01, 2017: India’s Infrastructure Story – Why is India not able to Build like China?
September 24, 2017: Impact of Digital Technologies on Globalisation
September 17, 2017: Urbanisation and Solid Waste Management in India – Challenges and Opportunities
September 10,2017: Gender Equality and Peace: Are They Connected?
September 03, 2017: Recent Natural Disasters – What do they Reveal about Humanity?
August 27, 2017: Godmen – A Threat to Indian Society and Culture
August 20, 2017: Corruption in India: Neither Systemic Reforms nor Surgical Strikes would End it
August 13,2017: Interrelationship between Gender Equality and Sustainable Development
August 06, 2017: Utility and relevance of Parliament in our polity
July 30, 2017: Caste System – Source of India’s Eternal Inequality?
July 23, 2017: Indian Democracy, Media and Public Opinion – Does Public Opinion Matter in Policymaking?
July 16, 2017: Poverty and Environment – Their Interrelationship is the Key to Sustainable World
July 09, 2017: Soft Power is India’s Strength, not its Weakness
July 02, 2017: Technology and Jobs – Is Technology a Curse?
June 25, 2017: Democracy’s Relevance in the Face of New Global Threats
June 18, 2017: Federalism in India – Competitive or Cooperative?
June 11, 2017: Peace, Environment and Development: Are these Interrelated?
June 04, 2017: Role of Technology in Development – Is Technology Helping or Hindering Development?
May 28, 2017: Poverty is a State of Mind
May 21, 2017: Does India Need Superpower Status?
May 14, 2017: India’s Achilles Heel – Lack of Ambition or Lack of Leadership in Achieving Greatness?
May 07, 2017: Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.
April 29, 2017: The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation
April 23, 2017: To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom
April 16, 2017: One-Party-Dominant System – Is it Good for India?
April 09, 2017: Should Youth in India Consider Politics as Career?
April 02, 2017: Can World Save Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War?
March 26, 2017: Low, stagnating female labour-force participation in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms?
March 19, 2017: When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw
March 12, 2017: The marks humans leave are too often scars
March 05, 2017: Environmental Challenges and Geopolitics: How to save our Environment?
February 27, 2017: Radical Solutions are Needed to Address Today’s Radical Problems
February 19, 2017: India’s Importance in the Post-truth World
February 12, 2017: The Role of Politics in Development
February 05, 2017: Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored
January 29, 2017: Building Walls and Banning Refugees – Does this Help Humanity?
January 22, 2017: Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality
January 15, 2017: Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run
January 08, 2017: Water disputes between states in federal India
January 01, 2017: Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2016

(December 25, 2016) – Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality
(December 18, 2016) – Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare
(December 11, 2016) – Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms
(December 04, 2016) – If development is not engendered, it is endangered
(November 27, 2016) – Social media is better at breaking things than at making things
(November 20, 2016) – Deglobalization is good for the world
(November 12, 2016) – Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others
(November 06, 2016) – It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence
(October 30, 2016) – Reducing Poverty while also Conserving Nature is an Impossible Task
(October 23, 2016) – Poverty can be eliminated by putting science at the heart of development
(October 16, 2016) – People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people
(October 09, 2016) – Better Access is Key to Inclusive Cities
(October 02, 2016) – The weaker sections of Indian society – Are their Rights and Access to Justice Getting Better?
(September 25, 2016) – Imagination is more important than intelligence
(September 18, 2016) – Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life
(September 11, 2016) – Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance
(September 04, 2016) – It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it
(August 28, 2016) – If one can Address Moral Crisis, many of World’s Problems can be Solved
(August 21, 2016) – Overdependence on Technology will Advance Human Development
(August 14, 2016) – Geography may remain the same ; history need not
(August 07, 2016) – Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom
(July 31, 2016) – To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all
(July 24, 2016) – True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing
(July 17, 2016) – We Can Not Fight Terrorism – We have to Live With it
(July 10, 2016) – A house divided against itself cannot stand
(July 02, 2016) – When the going gets tough, the tough get going
(June 26, 2016) – India a Reluctant Participant in the New Global Order?
(June 19, 2016) – Inclusiveness in India – Still a Dream?
(June 12, 2016) – No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
(June 05, 2016) – Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted
(May 29, 2016) – It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere
(May 22, 2016) – Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress
(May 15, 2016) – Fire is a good servant but a bad master
(May 08, 2016) – The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
(May 01, 2016) – Labour Reforms in India and its Role in Economic Development
(April 24, 2016) – It takes a whole village to raise a child
(April 17, 2016) – Trust take years to Build, Seconds to Break
(April 10, 2016) – Cleanliness is next to Godliness
(April 03, 2016) – Honesty is the Best Policy
(March 27, 2016) – Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes
(March 20, 2016) – Caste System – India’s Enduring Curse
(March 13, 2016) – Fortune favors the bold
(March 06, 2016) – Quick but steady wins the race
(February 28, 2016) – Dreams which should not let India sleep
(February 21, 2016) – Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole
(February 14, 2016) – Technology cannot replace manpower
(February 7, 2016) – Character of an institution is reflected in its leader
(January 31, 2016) – Can Capitalism bring Inclusive Growth?
(January 24, 2016) – Crisis Faced in India – Moral or Economic?
(January 17, 2016) – Too many cooks spoil the broth
(January 10, 2016) – The Best Things in Life are Free
(January 3, 2016) – Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

WEEKLY ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2015

27 December 2015
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Essay Writing for UPSC - Weekly Essay Writing Programme

By vajiram & ravi.

Essay Writing for UPSC: Writing an essay for the UPSC Mains Exam requires a structured and well-organised approach. The UPSC essay paper is not just limited to assessing a candidate's creative writing skills, but rather, the focus is on evaluating a candidate's ability to think critically, express their ideas clearly, and present a balanced perspective on various issues. This article discusses the do’s and don'ts that need to be remembered while writing your Essay for the UPSC Mains Exam.

Check: UPSC CSE Mains 2023 Essay Question Paper

Essay Writing for UPSC

The UPSC Mains Examination comprises a total of nine papers, inclusive of an essay paper. The Essay Paper is categorised into sections A and B, each containing four topics. These topics hold a value of 125 marks each, thereby totalling 250 marks (125×2). Candidates are required to choose one topic from each section and compose an essay spanning 1,000 to 1,200 words within the allocated three-hour duration. UPSC provides the following guidelines in its Notification on the Essay Paper:

Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics.
They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion and to write concisely.
Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

Essay Writing for UPSC - What is Expected?

When preparing for the UPSC Mains Essay Paper, there are a few basic points that you should remember. The paper tests the diversity of your content and not its creativity .

When writing your Essay Paper for the UPSC Mains Exam, your focus should be on the following points-

Diversity of the content: Incorporating diverse content in the essay paper not only enriches the content but also showcases your depth of knowledge, analytical skills, and ability to present a comprehensive perspective on complex topics.
Focus on the topic: Centre your essay around the core theme of the chosen topic. By maintaining a clear focus on the topic and consistently reinforcing its relevance, your essay becomes a well-structured and compelling piece that effectively communicates your ideas to the examiner.
Clarity, Depth, and Language: Language plays a crucial role in conveying your ideas effectively. Use precise and simple language to articulate your points and maintain a formal and coherent tone throughout the essay. Focusing on clarity of thought ensures that your ideas are easily understood by the examiner, and providing an in-depth analysis supported by relevant examples, data, and arguments, helps showcase your ability to engage with the topic critically.
Providing Evidence: While stating a Quote, there should be evidence to support your thought. This helps you to avoid the superficial treatment of the subject and delve into its complexities, showcasing your ability to engage with the topic critically.

How to Write Essay for UPSC Mains?

Writing an essay for the UPSC Mains Exam requires a structured and well-organised approach.

Choose the Right Topic

Read the given UPSC essay topics carefully and choose the one that resonates with your strengths and interests. Pick a topic that allows you to showcase your knowledge and understanding effectively.

Brainstorm Ideas

Spend some time brainstorming ideas related to the chosen topic. Jot down key points, arguments, examples, and relevant data that you could use to support your essay.

Create a Structure

A well-structured essay has a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Your introduction should introduce the topic and provide a brief overview of your stance. Each body paragraph should focus on a specific point, argument, or example. The conclusion should summarise your main points and reiterate your thesis.

Format for UPSC Essay Writing

The UPSC essay format requires a thoughtful approach to convey your ideas effectively. There are three stages or steps in any essay - Introduction, Body paragraphs, and Conclusion.

Introduction Paragraph of an Essay

Craft a strong introduction paragraph that outlines your main argument or perspective. This paragraph should be concise and provide a roadmap for your essay. You can begin your essay with a quote, and the last line of the introduction paragraph should end with reinforcing the main topic.

For example: Topic: The Health of the Nation is more important than the Wealth of Nation

Start your essay with a quote-

“P ublic Health depends upon winning over Hearts and Minds. It's not enough to just have a good policy; you have to convince people to actually follow it .”

In a country's journey forward, we often talk about how having a lot of money is crucial. But there's another side to this story, which says that the good health of the people in a country is even more vital. If there is something that COVID-19 has taught us, it is how no economy with ample amounts of money can guarantee the health of its nation and how the health of its citizens eventually affects the wealth of the country. This idea highlights how the health of the nation is more important than the wealth of the nation.

Writing in Paragraphs

Writing in paragraphs is important in an essay because it enhances readability and organisation. Each paragraph should focus on a specific idea, argument, or point, making it easier for readers to follow the logical flow of your thoughts . Paragraphs create visual breaks, helping to structure your essay into manageable sections. The following points have to be kept in mind while framing your Essay Paragraphs:

Address Counter-arguments:

Acknowledge potential counter-arguments and address them in your essay. This shows that you have considered multiple perspectives and strengthened your argument.

Use Examples:

Incorporate real-life examples, case studies, and anecdotes to illustrate your points. Examples make your essay more relatable and persuasive.

Gather Evidence:

Collect relevant current affairs facts, statistics, historical examples, and real-life incidents to support your arguments. Ensure that your evidence is accurate and well-researched.

Logical Flow:

Maintain a logical flow between paragraphs and ideas. Each paragraph should transition smoothly to the next, creating a coherent narrative.

Use of simple Language:

Write in a clear, concise, and coherent manner. Avoid using overly complex language that might obscure your message. Focus on communicating your ideas effectively.

Avoid Repetition:

Be mindful of repeating the same points or ideas. Each paragraph should contribute something new to the discussion.

Conclusion of the Essay

The conclusion serves the purpose of providing a seamless ending to the essay. It's worth noting that a strong ending holds the same level of significance as a compelling beginning. Both aspects contribute to achieving higher scores.

To effectively conclude an essay, you can utilise various elements, including facts, statistics, reasons, examples, quotes, opinions, experiences, and sensory details . The essay's conclusion can take on several forms: it might involve briefly reiterating the main points, suggesting potential future steps or actions, or injecting an engaging personal comment or relevant anecdote.

An alternative approach to concluding an essay involves revisiting the topic introduced in the introduction. This is known as a 'cyclic return,' and it's a straightforward method employed in many essays to bring the discussion full circle.

Ultimately, a conclusion should carry a positive perspective, seeking out the silver lining amidst challenges. It should also strive for clarity and brevity, ensuring the ideas are expressed concisely.

Proofread and Revise the Essay

Once you've finished writing, take some time to proofread and revise your essay. Check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and clarity of expression.

Vajiram & Ravi Weekly Essay Writing Programme

Examining the essays from UPSC previous year question papers allows one to grasp the concepts, aspects, and remedies essential for addressing those issues. Gaining a basic comprehension of intricate societal challenges holds the key to crafting a strong essay for the UPSC Mains Exam.

In order to help the aspirants regularly practise Essay Writing, Vajiram & Ravi have come up with a weekly essay writing Programme- Pensive Essay Writing Programme . It provides two essay topics every Saturday for you to practise. You can submit your Essays on vajiramandravi.com.

Vajiram & Ravi Essay Module

We have also introduced an Essay Module to help the aspirants clarify and organise ideas and information to analyse primary sources and employ critical judgement, among other things. This will improve knowledge and aid in the learning process. It will strengthen your writing abilities to write lucidly, coherently, and persuasively, as well as the ability to structure an argument.

The Essay Module Offers the Following Features:

The module provides 12-13 lectures, each dedicated to a specific theme.
Well-curated and concise Handouts covering essential themes for every lecture will also be provided to comprehensively meet the content requirements of the Essay Paper.
In addition, 4 full length Essay Tests, with Personalized and Objective Evaluation, followed by a Test Discussion will be offered- all based on current UPSC CSE trends. Module is available in both online and offline mode.

How to write a Great UPSC Essay for the IAS Mains?

Upsc essay is the first paper you will write.

The IAS Mains Exam usually starts with the Essay paper in the first session. So, Essay is effectively the first paper you handle in the Mains. Consequently, it may lead to some stress on the morning of the exam for beginners. Don’t worry, though. You will soon get used to the rigour of attempting 3 hour papers.

Change in Pattern : 2 UPSC Essays in 3 Hours

An important change brought out by the UPSC from 2014 onward is to ask candidates to write two UPSC essays in 3 hours rather than write a single essay as was the case before. This calls for time management. Equal time should be spent on both the topics. It should not be the case that you spend two and a half hours for writing the first essay and scribble something down for the second one.

This change in pattern from asking a single question to two questions is a good one. Previously the range of marks in the essay varied hugely. Say, from 40 marks to 160 marks out of the total of 250. This year the essay scores seem to have stabilised and the huge variation has reduced. This reduces the luck factor too. If an examiner holds a contrarian view to your first essay and is inclined to award you lesser marks, the second essay on a different topic may appear better to her and so the overall marks do not slide down too much.

A key thing to keep in mind while writing an essay in the Mains exam is that UPSC is not testing your skill as an essayist. They are trying to test whether you will make a good administrator by reading your essay. This can be shown by generally adopting an optimistic view on major issues and by taking an ethical stand. So it does not matter if you do not have a rich vocabulary and a great command over English. You can still get a lot of marks in the Essay paper if you follow some of the tips below.

Points to Remember while writing the UPSC Essay paper:

1. A Great Introduction 2. A Great Conclusion 3. Usage of day-to-day examples 4. Usage of personal anecdotes 5. Quoting famous personalities 6. Small paragraphs 7. A neat handwriting 8. Usage of Sub-Sections 9. Usage of Current Affairs

If you manage to grab the reader’s attention in the introduction. half the job is done. When an examiner is correcting thousands of copies if your introduction stands out (in a good way that is), her job becomes easier as she will now look favorably through the rest of the answer paper.

How to grab the reader’s attention in the introduction?

You can present:

– An interesting fact – A piece of knowledge that is surprising – A very intriguing quote – A short personal anecdote – Provoke the reader through a question – State a paradoxical situation

Most of the times, the examiner reads the introduction and the conclusion fully, but simply skims through the body of the essay. It is not a disadvantage. You just have to use this in your favour.

And how to have a great conclusion?

If you just restate the ideas which you have already mentioned in the body of our essay, the conclusion may feel flat. A memorable and lasting impression should be left on the reader. Hopefully, we should write something that stays on in the reader’s mind long after she has finished correcting your essay. A graceful exit is required. For this you can:

– Try to create a powerful image in the mind of the reader – End with a thought-provoking quotation – Talk about what action can be done – End on an interesting twist of logic

You can quote nationalist leaders of India like Tagore, Gandhi, Nehru, Ambedakar and the like depending on your personal preferences. But the quote should be in keeping with the theme of the essay. And not something you have twisted somehow into the context of the essay. Also, the exact words of the original quote must be written. And not some reproduction in your own words. It leads to you losing credibility in the eyes of the examiner. Especially if the examiner has encountered the quote before, which she most probably has.

As regards the body of the IAS essay, keep these points in mind

– Analyse the topic from various perspectives; historical, geographical, economical, geopolitical, ethical viewpoint etc. It should be a multi-pronged essay. You are aiming to become a generalist administrator and your essay too should show you as one: Not delving too deeply into any esoteric topic but handling a variety of different topics.

– Do not use any advanced term which you learnt while preparing for your optional or your college graduation subject. Like if you have psychology as your optional, do not use any terms in the essay which only a psychologist would know. Or, if you have done economics in your graduation, you should not make the entire essay too economics-oriented and start using complex terms (even if they are with explanation) which only an economist would have encountered before.

Write in a very simple manner . The essay should show your analytical side, yes. But not so analytical that the examiner will have to read an “Introduction to Psychology” handbook before she has to correct your essay. She will just give the minimum marks possible if she is not able to understand what you have written.

– Use short sentences. They are easier to read and comprehend. Long winding sentences would get you nowhere.

– Have a solid thesis statement before you start writing the body of the essay. And mention it in your introduction. The essay must have consistency in thoughts and continuity in presentation. All the arguments which you put forth in the body of your essay should have a single aim. To convince your reader of the central thesis of the essay.

For example, in the UPSC 2014 Essay paper there was a question on whether tourism had great potential in India. So your central thesis could be that you believe that tourism is definitely a high-potential sector in India and with adequate investment in infrastructure it will fulfill its potential. After that every single paragraph in your essay should be about convincing the reader of the validity of your thesis statement. But from various perspectives. Say medical tourism, spiritual tourism, cultural tourism etc.

– Do not adopt an unnecessarily negative tone about any topic. If you are pessimistic about any issue, suggest ways by which you can overcome that problem. Also, it is not advisable to criticize the Government. If you have to absolutely it should be constructive criticism. But generally, refrain from doing so.

– Use short paragraphs . No one likes to read long winding clumps of words. You can occasionally use single-line paragraphs for writing a sentence of impact.

– Give real-life case studies and day to day examples to drive home the point.

Topic selection

As for topic selection for your essay, there will be some tough topics and some relatively easy ones. I do not want to pronounce some categorical statement that certain topics (like philosophical topics) do not give very high marks, so do not write them. Choosing the topic depends on your interest and a basic idea of what your strengths are. Devote the first 10 minutes of the exam to think and choose the topic which you want to write an essay on. It will be worth it. It is a very bad idea to change the topic of your essay during the middle of the exam.

The best way to prepare for the Essay paper is by writing mock essays. Say around ten. Pick the last five year UPSC essay papers. Choose two essays from each paper. And write the two essays in exam conditions by shutting yourself away in a room. Devote exactly three hours to the paper. Then get it evaluated from a trusted teacher or friends or by people who have already cleared the exam. Incorporate the suggestions given in your next exam. Practise and perseverance are the keys to cracking not just the Essay paper of the IAS exam but entering the IAS itself. 🙂

» Index of topics on preparing for Civil Services (Main) Examination.

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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.

UPSC Essay Paper 2023 Structure

As per the UPSC exam pattern , the essay paper is one of the nine subjects in the civil services main exam. In this paper, aspirants need to write essays on assigned UPSC essay topics .
Candidates should practice writing essays on multiple topics in order to learn how to arrange their ideas and execute the same in the proper order.
Furthermore, the UPSC essay paper will carry 250 marks with an exam duration of 3 hours.

UPSC Essay Previous Year Papers

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.

Best Strategy for UPSC Essay Writing

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.

Go through the entire UPSC essay syllabus to cover all the aspects of the section.
Build a habit of reading newspaper editorials and journals every day. Going by the trend analysis, it is found that many essay questions were asked directly from current affairs in the past few years.
Next, note down relevant quotes from the books/magazines/journal and implement them whenever required in the essay writing.
Focus on IAS essay topics related to democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc as questions can be asked from these topics.
Pick the essay topic very carefully. Also, it is advised to take some time to think about the topic and collect ideas and thoughts.
One should make sure that the essay comprises sections like introduction, main body, theme, and conclusion.
Moreover, aspirants can also reach out to their mentors, experts, seniors, or teachers for feedback on their essay writing. This will allow them to recognize their mistakes and focus more on their weak points for effective preparation.

Read More: How to write an essay for UPSC here!

Best Books for UPSC Essay Writing

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:

Monthly Current Affairs Magazines by OnlyIAS
Only IAS Yogana Magazine
Only IAS Praarambh Post-Independence India
Only IAS Kurukshetra Magazine
Only IAS Praarmabh Indian Society
The Hindu (editorial articles)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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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UPSC : GUIDELINES ON ESSAY WRITING

Upsc : guidelines on essay writing .

An essay is a written exposition on a given subject which allows the writer to organize her/ his thoughts intellectually, and present them in a logical and coherent manner. Essay writing aids in critical reading and in developing written communication skill. It fosters a spirit of logical inquiry and an ability to identify significant aspects of any topic. It allows the writer to construct arguments supported by evidence.Essay is a critical examination of the issue which presents its various dimensions. All pertinent questions are raised and answered. The author is required to take a stand after examining all facts and facets and present it in a convincing and well thought out manner. The objective of an essay is to convey the author’s thoughts on the topic s/he sets out to examine. A well written essay can shed new light on the subject and add significantly to the existing body of knowledge.

Theme and Topic:

1. National Security: Threats to National Security in Coming Decade 2. National Integration and Communal Harmony : Science and Technology as a promoter of Communal harmony in the Society 3. Human Rights : Nationalism, Globalisation and Humanitarian Crisis-The paradox of our times 4. Science and Human Development : Nurturing Scientific Temper in India: Challenges and Prospects

Note: 100 marks will have a weightage of 10 marks in Director’s assessment. Style: Every individual has a style of expression and word usage. It becomes very clear to the reader when an essayist cobbles up random quotes from various sources since there is no consistency in style. Use of short and simple sentences is preferable. It is better to spread out complex/compound sentences. Flowery language and archaic use puts off readers and more often does not communicate the meaning at all. Word / phrase usage should be appropriate. Refer to get the correct meaning and the context of usage of words, whenever in doubt. Usually essays are written in third person singular. However, narrative in the first person can be adopted if you have a flair for it. Avoid use of words which convey vagueness or uncertainty. Avoid repetitive use of words. (Example –but, therefore, supposedly, as they say, not only but also, used to etc.) Lay out: Every essay has the following layout1. Introduction 2. Body /Discussion 3. Conclusion Plan the word limit for each of these sections. As you research the topic, it is useful to take notes with relevant references and later on arrange them in logical sequence.

Introduction generates interest in the topic. A statement, a quotation or an incident can be used to open an essay. The body contains review of available literature, raises pertinent issues or questions, presents them in the context, and sheds light on the views of the author and the thought process that leads her/him to those views. Every idea is presented in one or more separate paragraphs arranged in logical sequence. When there is a need to reiterate an idea already discussed, it can be mentioned in detail. While reinforcement of a line of thought may need reiteration, try and reduce redundancy. Pay attention to Grammar and spelling. The conclusion of an Essay is more than just a summary. It gives a comprehensive idea of what has been discussed and the settled thoughts of the author after due inquiry.

Referencing: Same guidelines to be followed as given for the Book review. Foot notes:

Foot notes can be given wherever relevant. Care should be taken that they are short and never longer than the main text on the page. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. The Essay has to be put through Turn it in Software before submission. More than 10% of commonality will attract penal action and the essay will be marked zero.The entire activity of Essay writing should result in knowledge and skill enhancement to the writer. A good essay gives a comprehensive idea of the topic and makes for an interesting reading. Suggested References: Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M Williams, (2008) The Craft of Research, University of Chicago Press: Chicago

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UPSC Essay Writing, How to write essay, Format, Essay Topics

In UPSC Essay Writing "perfect essay" cannot be written using any certain method. Check How to write the essay?, Format of writing an essay and essay writing topics here

Table of Contents

UPSC Essay Writing

Many often, candidates for the IAS exam skip the essay writing portion of the preparation process because they believe that their preparation for general studies will adequately prepare them for the UPSC Essay paper. But you must be able to compose an essay for the UPSC exam in order to pass the main exam.

So, in this piece, we’ll go over some advice for writing essays for the UPSC, offer resources for practise, and debunk some common misconceptions concerning essay papers.

How To Write Essay In UPSC?

Read the subject and comprehend it: Know exactly what is expected of you. The subject should be dissected into its constituent parts.
Plan: Organising and brainstorming your ideas prior to writing your essay will make the process much easier. It’s a great idea to weave together your thoughts and supporting details into a web.
Clearly cite your sources: Do some research. Use quotes and paraphrase from your sources rather than plagiarising.
The thesis, or main argument, is the most important portion of your essay. Make it persuasive. Establish a strong argument for it.
Once you have corrected any errors in your initial draught, you can start composing the essay’s final draught.
Read your response very carefully to make sure there are no mistakes and that you didn’t miss anything.

Format of Essay Writing

We can only barely produce an essay with a reasonable amount of content, to be honest. A “perfect essay” cannot be written using any certain method. There are, of course, ways to compose an essay that is sufficient and has a decent probability of being graded. There is no set format for an essay. Because it is a creative process, it shouldn’t be constrained. But while writing essays, there is a core structure that is frequently followed. So let’s examine the basic structure of an essay.

Introduction

This serves as your essay’s introduction. You can give a very brief summary of your essay in the opening paragraph. Paragraph writing abilities can be helpful in this situation.

This is the central idea of your essays. The body of your essay is what you write about; it comes after the introduction and before the conclusion. The information that is most important and necessary to the essay can be located here. This goes beyond a single paragraph.

This paragraph serves as the essay’s epilogue. Even though a conclusion could occasionally just be a restatement of the opening, it should nevertheless contain original phrases and words. The conclusion of a story or an argument is another ideal place to recap it. You can conclude your essay by providing a moral or a summary of the story. Make sure to wrap up any loose ends in your essay’s conclusion.

Essay Writing Topics

Candidates can start practicing with the UPSC Previous Year Essay Topics in the table below in order to improve your essay-writing abilities for the UPSC.

Sharing is caring!

UPSC Essay Writing FAQs

How to write a good essay in upsc.

Collecting good stories/anecdotes and quotes: Anecdotes, quotes and real life stories you see in newspapers and books which can be used in essay should be noted down.

What is the best source for UPSC essay?

Newspapers are the best source for Essay preparation.

How long is UPSC essay paper?

Candidates are required to write two essays and the word limit of each essay would range between 1000-1200 words.

Which stage of UPSC is difficult?

Prelims is considered as the difficult stage in UPSC.

Which subject is shortest in UPSC Optional?

Philosophy is usually considered to be the shortest optional subject for UPSC.

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Topic Wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains 1994 2018

Last 25 Years Topic-wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains (1994 - 2018)

Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services mains exam is the Essay. Here, prelims-qualified IAS aspirants have to write two essays out of a few given topics. The paper is for a total of 250 marks and its marks are taken into consideration for the Final Merit List. In this article, we have listed all the essay topics asked in the UPSC mains exam from 1994 to 2018. We have also classified the last 25 years essay questions into topics to make your preparation easier.

Latest – See the UPSC Essay Topics in the IAS Mains 2020 Essay Paper. Download UPSC Mains 2020 Essay Paper from the linked article.

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UPSC Essay Topics

Administration.

Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. (1994)
Politics without ethics is a disaster. (1995)
The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy. (1996)
Need for transparency in public administration. (1996)
The country’s need for a better disaster management system. (2000)
How should a civil servant conduct himself? (2003)

Democracy/India since independence

Whither Indian democracy? (1995)
What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. (1997)
Why should we be proud of being Indians? (2000)
What have we gained from our democratic set-up? (2001)
How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? (2003)
National identity and patriotism. (2008)
In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy. (2012)
Is the colonial mentality hindering India’s success? (2013)
Dreams which should not let India sleep. (2015)
Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task. (2018)

Economic growth and development

Resource management in the Indian context. (1999)
GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country. (2013)
Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? (2014)
Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. (2015)
Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. (2016)
Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. (2016)
Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. (2016)
Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. (2017)

Federalism, Decentralisation

The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. (1998)
Water resources should be under the control of the central government. (2004)
Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. (2007)
Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? (2007)
Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication. (2011)
Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality. (2016)
Water disputes between States in federal India. (2016)

Indian Culture & Society

The Indian society at the crossroads. (1994)
New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion. (1996)
The composite culture of India. (1998)
Youth culture today. (1999)
Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. (2000)
Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? (2000)
As civilization advances culture declines. (2003)
From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? (2010)
Judicial activism. (1997)
Judicial activism and Indian democracy. (2004)
Justice must reach the poor. (2005)

Social justice/Poverty

Reservation, politics and empowerment. (1999)
Food security for sustainable national development. (2005)
The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. (2009)
Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for the majority of farmers in India. (2017)
Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. (2018)

Media & Society

Misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. (1998)
Mass media and cultural invasion. (1999)
Responsibility of media in a democracy. (2002)
How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? (2007)
Role of media in good governance. (2008)
Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? (2011)
Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? (2014)

Environment/Urbanisation

Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. (1997)
Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. (2006)
Urbanisation and its hazards. (2008)
Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? (2010)
We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. (2017)

Economic sectors/MNCs

Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs. (1994)
Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. (2006)
BPO boom in India. (2007)
Special economic zone: boon or bane? (2008)
Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? (2009)
Is the criticism that the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified? (2012)
Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? (2014)
Restructuring of Indian education system. (1995)
Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. (1996)
Irrelevance of the classroom. (2001)
Privatization of higher education in India. (2002)
Modern technological education and human values. (2002)
What is real education? (2005)
“Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. (2006)
Independent thinking should be encouraged right from the childhood. (2007)
Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses? (2008)
Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges. (2011)
Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? (2014)
Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? (2014)
Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. (2015)
Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. (2017)
The new emerging women power: the ground realities. (1995)
Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. (1997)
Woman is god’s best creation. (1998)
Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. (1999)
Empowerment alone cannot help our women. (2001)
Whither women’s emancipation? (2004)
If women ruled the world. (2005)
The hand that rocks the cradle. (2005)
Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. (2006)
Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal? (2012)
If development is not engendered, it is endangered. (2016)
Fulfillment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. (2017)

Quotes-based/Philosophy

Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret. (1994)
Useless life is an early death. (1994)
Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. (1995)
When money speaks, the truth is silent. (1995)
Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. (1995)
Truth is lived, not taught. (1996)
True religion cannot be misused. (1997)
Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. (2002)
The paths of glory lead but to the grave. (2002)
If youth knew, if age could. (2002)
There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. (2003)
Be the change you want to see in others. (2013)
With greater power comes greater responsibility. (2014)
Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. (2014)
Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. (2015)
“The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. (2018)
Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. (2018)
Attitude makes habit, habit makes character and character makes a man. (2007)
Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin. (2008)
Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. (2015)
Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. (2016)
Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. (2017)
A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. (2018)
A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. (2018)
Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life. (2018)

Globalisation

Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. (1994)
The world of the twenty-first century. (1998)
The implications of globalization for India. (2000)
My vision of an ideal world order. (2001)
The masks of new imperialism. (2003)
Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. (2004)
‘Globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’. (2009)
Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. (2010)

Science & Tech

The modern doctor and his patients. (1997)
Value-based science and education. (1999)
The march of science and the erosion of human values. (2001)
Spirituality and scientific temper. (2003)
The lure of space. (2004)
Science and Mysticism: Are they compatible? (2012)
Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation. (2013)
Technology cannot replace manpower. (2015)
Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. (2018)

Internet/IT

The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. (2000)
Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. (2006)
Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run. (2016)
Social media is inherently a selfish medium. (2017)

International organisations/relations

Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities. (1996)
India’s role in promoting ASEAN cooperation. (2004)
Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement. (2006)
Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world. (2017)
Terrorism and world peace. (2005)
Are we a ‘soft’ state? (2009)
Good fences make good neighbours. (2009)
In the Indian context, both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism. (2011)

Miscellaneous

India’s contribution to world wisdom. (1998)
The pursuit of excellence. (2001)
Geography may remain the same; history need not. (2010)
Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? (2014)
Quick but steady wins the race. (2015)

When preparing for IAS Mains, aspirants must focus on UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practise as this will improve one’s speed, efficiency and writing skills. It will automatically help in essay writing as well.

Also, read:

Frequently Asked Questions on UPSC Essay Topics for UPSC Mains

Q 1. how can i write a good essay in upsc, q 2. does handwriting matter in upsc.

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WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE
WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES - 2023. December 31, 2023 : The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain. December 24, 2023 : All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos. December 17, 2023 : We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge. December 10, 2023 : Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent.
Essay Writing For Civil Services Examination
For the CSE essay paper, two essays have to be written under 3 hours in the 1000-1200 word limit. Each essay carries 125 marks for a total of 250. The essay paper is divided into two sections - A and B, each carrying a choice of 4 essays each, and the aspirant has to choose only one essay from each section.
How to Write Essay in UPSC Exam
In this paper, you will have to write two essays, each with a word count of 1000-1200. One topic can be selected from a choice of four topics. The Essay Paper is for a total of 250 marks, with one essay for 125 marks. Download UPSC Mains 2021 Essay Paper from the linked article. Download UPSC Mains 2020 Essay Paper from the linked article.
How To Write A Good Essay In Civil Service Mains Exam?
Understanding Essay Paper in IAS Exam. 250 marks out of 2025 (12.3 %) are the weight-age of essay paper on total Civil Services Mains Marks as per the latest UPSC syllabus. ... Examination. Write an essay on any one of the following topics: In the context of Gandhiji's views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ...
Essay Syllabus
UPSC Civil Service Mains Paper 1 (popularly known as essay paper) is now of 250 marks. Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.
7 Easy Steps on Essay Writing for UPSC Mains Exam
The Essay Paper in the IAS Mains Exam consists of two sections A and B with four topics each of 125 marks and a total of 250 (125×2) marks. Candidates have to select a topic from each section and write about it in 1,000 to 2,000 words within the given time of three hours. ... Essay writing also needs continuous reading; hence it is suggested ...
How to write an essay for IAS Exams (Effective Essay Format)
The Right Way To Prepare For Your IAS Essay Paper. 1. Start with an example. Surf the Internet for essays by toppers and experts. Read their write-ups and understand their approach on the topic. The more you read, the more knowledge you will gain as to what is expected by the UPSC. 2. Open the newspaper's editorials.
Essay Writing for UPSC
Essay Writing for UPSC. The UPSC Mains Examination comprises a total of nine papers, inclusive of an essay paper. The Essay Paper is categorised into sections A and B, each containing four topics. These topics hold a value of 125 marks each, thereby totalling 250 marks (125×2). Candidates are required to choose one topic from each section and ...
Essay Paper UPSC 2021 (Mains): Question Paper and Analysis
UPSC conducted the Essay Paper, as part of the Civil Services Main Exam 2021 on 07-01-2022. There were 8 Essay topics, out of which candidates were asked to write on two topics in 3 hours. Candidates were supposed to answer about 1000 words for each essay (about 10-12 pages).
How to Write UPSC Essay for IAS mains| ForumIAS Blog
The best way to prepare for the Essay paper is by writing mock essays. Say around ten. Pick the last five year UPSC essay papers. Choose two essays from each paper. And write the two essays in exam conditions by shutting yourself away in a room. Devote exactly three hours to the paper.
PDF Drishti Publications
The style, presentation and content of essays vary as per the purpose and targeted audience. Essay writing is an important component of various competitive examinations. However, we will focus our strategy on the kind of essay which is to be written in the Essay paper of the Civil Services Main Examination conducted by the UPSC.
How To Write An Essay For UPSC
6 Easy Steps on Essay Writing for Civil Services Examination. IAS aspirants should formulate a strategy that aligns with the exam requirements in order to excel in the UPSC essay papers. Hence, we have shared the top six easy steps to be followed in the UPSC essay writing in order to excel in the upcoming IAS CSE 2023 exam.
Model Essays
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6 Easy Steps On Essay Writing For UPSC Mains Exam 2024
Essay Writing UPSC - Important Tips & Steps. How to Write Essay in UPSC? - Many times during IAS exam preparation, aspirants ignore the essay writing part with the confidence that they are well prepared for the UPSC Essay paper through their General Studies preparation.But to crack the mains exam you must know how to write essay in UPSC Exam.So, in this article, we will see some tips for essay ...
UPSC Essay
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.
Essay for UPSC
Essay Paper is one of the nine papers for the mains exam. If you have read the article thoroughly you will be able to write essays on your own. IAS Essay Writing can be mastered only by practice. Consistency and Patience will help you become a good writer. Read books, editorials, news articles, and keep practicing Essay Writing. ALL THE BEST!!
Upsc : Guidelines on Essay Writing
The Essays in English, should be in Times New Roman or Verdana font, font size 12, with a spacing of 1.5 on an A4 size sheet. Evaluation: Essay carries 10 marks for Director's Evaluation and will be assessed by the respective Counsellor in case of essays other than the Essay on National Security. The Essay on National Security will be ...
Essay Writing UPSC Mains
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UPSC Essay Writing, How to write essay, Format, Essay Topics
UPSC Essay Writing. Many often, candidates for the IAS exam skip the essay writing portion of the preparation process because they believe that their preparation for general studies will adequately prepare them for the UPSC Essay paper. But you must be able to compose an essay for the UPSC exam in order to pass the main exam.
Essay Course for UPSC CSE
Benefits: A lot of questions in actual UPSC CSE Mains (Essay) could be easily answered by attending the ClearIAS Essay Program. ClearIAS Essay program offers a very high Return on Investment (RoI). Many questions in the actual UPSC Civil Services Examination can be directly or indirectly answered from ClearIAS Classes, Study Materials, and Exams.
Essay Paper
The UPSC Civil Service Mains Exam contains a paper on essay writing. Here you will be asked to write two essays each one carrying 125 marks making a total of 250 marks. You will be given two sets of four topics out of which one has to be chosen from each section. Here there is no prescribed syllabus and the topic could be socio-economic in nature.
UPSC Essay Topics From Last 25 Years
Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services mains exam is the Essay. Here, prelims-qualified IAS aspirants have to write two essays out of a few given topics. The paper is for a total of 250 marks and its marks are taken into consideration for the Final Merit List.
Answer Writing Challenge for Civil Service Exams
Answer Writing Challenge for Civil Service Exams - 31 March 2024; Besides the welfare schemes, India needs deft management of inflation and unemployment to serve the poor and the underprivileged sections of society. Discuss. Critically examine the procedures through which the Presidents of India and France are elected.
Free Answer Writing Practice Question For IAS Mains Exam 2023
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