HOW TO WRITE A GOOD ESSAY FOR IAS EXAM

THE TRAJECTORY OF ESSAY WRITING FOR I.A.S EXAM

- Saroj Kumar Samal

   M.A(Gold-Medalist) M.Phil(Sociology) & LL.B

   Director, Saroj Samal’s I.A.S, New Delhi

   Email: sarojksamal@gmail.com

Writing a good essay is an art as well as a science. It is an art in the sense that it needs creative imagination. It is a science in the sense that it should be systematically and substantially planned, organized and focused.

The art of writing a good essay is subjected to variation with respect to selection of topics of essay. The science of essay demands that it has certain invariable steps to be followed i.e introduction, body & conclusion.

An essay is all about presentation of not only your own ideas but also the presentation of ideas that you require with proof that would make someone understand the topic.

The trajectory of essay writing goes through three distinctive and successive stages

 

→ Introduction → Body → Conclusion

            In the introduction to an essay you should write a short, concise summery of the main points to be addressed. You should not go into details and repeat the same in the main body. Introduction should be written in such a manner that it would induce inquisitiveness in the evaluator. You may start with short sentences or you may start with quotation of renowned authors or personality to make introduction captivating.

Body of the essay should be designed as per the topic selected by you. For example in case of argumentative essay body should constitute sufficient reasons for the topic as well as reasons against the topic. Body of an essay consists of synthesis of analysis as well as facts. If the body is flooded with facts without proper analysis, it will not score well.

The conclusion should restate the points that you made and finish by focusing upon the ultimate point of essay. Conclusion should reflect an optimistic thought.

A good essay has the following features

1.         Focussed – The essay gets straight to the point and utilizes clear argument. The writing should not deviate from the given topic.

2.         Organised – The essay writer should consider the structure and sequence in which it would be written

3.         Supported – Good essays put the points that can be substantiated by facts or statements within the text that is  being analysed.

4.         Lucid – Good essays are written by using proper spelling, punctuation marks and grammar.

The essay written by an IAS aspirant radiates his/her personality – Ideas, analysis, assessment, values, attitude, aptitude, opinion, persuation, conviction, perspective as well as         written  communication ability.

Do’s of Essay writing

→ Make the introduction captivating

→ Maintain coherence among paragraphs

→ Adoption of good analysis

→ Clarity of expression

→ Focusing on the topic

→ Optimistic vision

→ Balanced approach

→ Proper conclusion

Dont’s of Essay writing

→ Excessive criticism should not be given

→ Pessimistic approach should be avoided.

→ Abrupt conclusion should be avoided

→ Anti establishment orientation to be avoided

→ Too much facts and example should be avoided

Let me mention the frameworks of the essays asked by UPSC Main exam in 2013.

Sample Essays

UPSC – 2013

1.         Be the change you want to see in others (Gandhiji)

→ What do you mean by change(change means any alteration, modification within a person or within a society)

→ Change in one-self

→ Change in other

→ Gandhian approach of change (Slow, Steady and continuous approach to change)

→ Gandhian theory of changing the heart of enemy

→  Appealing to conscience or ethical consciousness of enemy.

→ The Gap between precept and practice.

→ How to bridge the gap between two.

→ When our approach towards others is changed, we experience internal transformation which helps us in adjusting with other. In this way others can easily accept us.

→ Ultimately it leads towards peaceful co-existence in the society.

2.         Is colonial mentality hindering India’s success?

→  What is colonial mentality

→  Colonial mentality is characterized by superiority complex on part of one and looking down upon others

→  Colonial mentality is characterized by the principle of divide and Rule.

→  It is characterized by the feeling of apathy, neglect and diplomatic jesture.

→ It is characterised by  misappropriation of public money for personal gain

→ What do you mean by success. It is an all embracing concept. It means reaching at the goal. In Indian context, it is characterized by inclusive growth, promoting social justice, participative democracy, and citizen sensitive approaches.

→ How during the colonial regime India’s progress was hampered (Drain of resource to Britain, British policy of making a conspiracy against India Muslims after sepoy mutiny, safety valve approach of formation of Indian national congress, assurance to muslims for providing official patronage after formation of I.N.C, a conspiratory policy to divide the congress into moderate and extremists, communal electorate, separate electorate, propagation of Bi-nation theory of Mohammad Ali Jinnah etc.)

→ How in post Independent India there’s no colonialism but colonial mentality is prevailing. (Negative aspects of Bureaucracy, populist approach of political parties and governments, proliferation of vote bank politics and competitive politics, decentralization of democracy along with decentralization of rampant corruption, gap between formal rationality and substantial rationality, how formal rationality is dominating every spheres of social life etc.)

→ How this mentality is hindering success. a realistic assessment of it.

→ How to improve socio-political situation in India

3.         GDP along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the well being of a country.

→ What is GDP?

→ What is GDH?

→ GDH should be explained in terms of social justice, inclusive growth, welfaristic measures, reducing the gap between rich and poor.

→ What is social justice

→ What is inclusive growth

→ What is welfarism

→ How all these approaches have been adopted by various countries all over the globe to reduce the gap between the rich and poor

→How the state of India has adopted this.

→ How we have achieved spectacular success as well as conspicuous failure in this matter.

→ We have come a long distance in this matter but we have to go a long distance.

4.         Science and Technology is the panacea for the growth and security of a nation

→ What is science (systematic accumulation of Knowledge and systematic application of methods)

→ What is a nation (A socio cultural entity)

→ What do you mean by security (Security covers various areas like food, fuel, fodder, flora-fauna, employment, environment, health, education, protecting the sovereignty of the state)

→ Contribution of S&T for all the above mentioned areas

→ Contribution of S&T for increasing the productivity of agriculture and manufacturing process of industry and service economy.

→ Contribution of S&T for employment generation, poverty eradication, removal of irrational thought of the people.

→ Role of S&T in stopping cross border terrorism, infiltration

→ Role of S&T for promoting regional parity and in this way stopping insurgency, Maoism, Extremism, Radicalism

→ Ethical dimension of S&T

→ Ethical aspect of S&T and national security.