Importance of Essay Test Series in IAS Preparation There is no denying that UPSC is one of the most challenging examinations to crack. The results of the exam act as a stepping stone for people who want to foray into civil services. Students who dream of this career prepare rigorously for all 9 papers and strive to score good marks for qualifying. The essay paper in the exam carries 250 marks in total and plays a huge role in the final tally. So let us now see the essential pointers to remember while preparing for the essay test series.
Why Is Essay Important in IAS? We all know that an essay is a well-formed and informative piece of document that can be written on a variety of topics. The paper acts as a boon for those candidates who are very well-versed in structuring pieces of information and systematically presenting them. While the topics both come from predictable and unpredictable areas, aspirants preparing for the essay test series must know these key pointers. They are: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
Selecting the Topic Brainstorming the Ideas. Sequencing your thoughts. Highlighting facts and quotes. The exact representation of data. Stick to concise writing. Having an awareness of the topics. Proofreading.
1. Selecting The Topic: Topic selection is the major highlight while writing an essay. Students who appear for the IAS exams have to write two topics from a set of 8 and then write the essays. Always make sure that whenever you pick the topic, choose the one you are comfortable with. Also, do avoid controversial and sensitive topics as they will not fetch you good marks.
2. Brainstorming The Ideas: Once you are done with the topic selection, do think for a while and jot down the crucial facts related to the essay. Executing this step correctly will help you rearrange the data and save you time to do other things.
3. Sequencing Your Thoughts: Writing essays that feel logically consistent is also very pertinent. So, before you start scribbling down, sequence the ideas and thoughts systematically. Also, do not forget to add a reasonable conclusion and introduction as they will catch the eye of the evaluator.
4. Highlighting Facts and Quotes: Do not forget to add facts and figures to the essay while you summarize them. Make use of recent statistics and authentic information and stray away from jotting down made-up stuff.
5. Exact Representation of Data: Not many people know this but authentically representing views while writing an essay is extremely important. This means that the overall message you want to convey and correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation shall be crystal clear to the reviewer.
6. Stick To Concise Writing: The word limit for an essay test series in the UPSC examination is between 1000-1200. Thus, all aspirants shall stick to it and mention points within the prescribed limit only.
7. Having an awareness of The Topics: General awareness of topics is mandatory for candidates sitting for UPSC exams. The best way to do this is by expanding your knowledge horizon regarding trending topics in the world. Source for topics related to current affairs whenever you get free time as this will help you prepare for the exams in general.
8. Proofreading: Last but not least, after you complete writing your essay, proofread it thoroughly to avoid any spelling and grammar errors. Conclusion: So next time you prepare for mock tests or the final IAS exams, keep in mind all these points and then start penning the essay. These essential steps will help you navigate smoothly in your writing and also keep errors, repetition, and silly mistakes out of your way.