How To Answer UPSC Main GENERAL STUDIES Paper

Try to work on the following qualities and you will go far:

- Simplicity of Language: It is quite necessary to acquire skill of writing in simple and lucid language. Someone said “Its quite simple to write tough but quite tough to write simple”. Same was the feeling for me while preparing the answers, in simplest possible language. No or rare complex sentences, hard to grasp, are used. Daily routine words’ use is maximised to make candidates feel that without having command over or using superfluous language and heavy words or phrases, good answers can be drafted. Candidates will feel more confident having a glance at these answers.

- Precise Presentation: To be precise, to go straightly to the point, is sine qua none for writing good answers. You are not expected to write all what you know on the point but only what you are asked in the question. So, without divulging in hitherto discussions or narrations, you must write the answers precisely. However, to be precise doesn’t necessitate to go with heavy sentences. Just intelligible, simple and logical structure of questions can pay you a higher dividend.

- Logical flow of language: Not just while writing essays but even in questions, an examiner always wants a logical flow of language.
Logical flow consists of good connectivity among points, intelligible arrangement and presentation of datas and information. But, of course, they must have perfect relativity with the question. However, no important word should be missing, no extra word should be added and every word must find place at its proper requirement.

- Word Limit: General Studies papers are regarded as decisive in candidate’s success or failure. Not because of candidate’s lack of knowledge or understanding only, but also and mostly because of not having the skill and discipline of maintaining words limit, he has to lose sometime.
Though some relaxation and flexibility is permissible in word limit, but not more than ten percent of words. 

- Clarity of thought: What a candidate must command is clarity of thoughts. As the nature of examination is active involvement of candidate and many questions require to present his understanding and views, they must learn to be clear in presentation of their own thoughts and ideas. They are even not required to blindly follow views presented by experts, nor are they expected to think expertly over the matters, but just should have an ability to understand the topic with as much ability as a generally good educated person, without having the topic studied specially and expertly. 

- Information and data: A candidate must have enough information and data regarding the topic. He must include them to sufficient extent but yet, it is to be always, kept in mind that more emphasise over them may prove harmful and create an impression that you have mug-up the question or figures. So, you can have a view that here, though informations and data are included but not emphasised beyond limit. It is used in such a manner that it does not harm the flow of language. Don't crowd out the mind of the examiner with numbers, figures, names and locations. Yet, you have a space to fill some necessary content and informations in answers.

- Proper Structure of Answers: Structure of an answer is decided by the direction of question. If you are asked to examine, you cannot end up just discussing a question. Similarly, when asked to review you are not expected to argue or elucidate the question. So, structure of a question plays an important role in drafting an answer.