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GENERAL STUDIES AND ESSAY MAINS ANSWER WRITING PROGRAM - 2023

SPECIAL FOCUS on Answer Writing and Content Development enhancement

THEME: Confidence, Command, and Execution                                                                                  QUALITY: As per UPSC Standards

The UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination for 2023 is scheduled on 17th June 2023. The Answer Writing Program-2023 will commence after the Preliminary Examination.
The journey of gaining confidence and success in the forthcoming Main Examination commences with SHIELD IAS MAINS ANSWER WRITING PROGRAM – 2023 program.
Answer Writing Program-2023 will cover Paper 1- Essay and General Studies Papers- I, II, III, and IV.

The Goal of PROGRAM- 2023 is to provide:

  • The optimum number of confidence-building tests
  • Intense focus on UPSC standard questions on Thematic areas, Current Affairs along with Conceptual & Analytical areas
  • Coverage of tests from Preparatory, to Thematic and then Advanced levels
  • Final Full Paper Tests ( to be taken as Final tests before the real test i.e. actual examination)
  • Discussion classes
  • One-to-one mentoring
  • Provide a one-stop solution for Main Examination Test preparation.

OVERVIEW
General Studies and Essay Papers

Mains Answer Writing Program – 2023 adopts the UPSC approach: The UPSC in the main examination asks the following nature of questions.

Fundamental questions: On the analysis of the recent papers, it is found that UPSC is increasingly asking questions to test the basic and fundamental understanding of an aspirant. So, instead of superficial knowledge proper understanding of individual and relational aspects of all major concepts are required.
Application and current affairs-based questions: Another prominent trend that is being observed is that UPSC is increasingly using current affairs for asking questions to test fundamental knowledge through its application in day-to-day happenings.

GENERAL STUDIES- PAPER I

Sample past questions of UPSC

History: Why did the industrial revolution first occur in England? Discuss the quality of life of the people there during industrialization. How does it compare with that in India at present?

Geography: What is the concept of seafloor spreading? Discuss the prominent evidences in its support.

Indian Society: Critically examine whether the growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India.

Note: On the basis of the above sample questions, Mains Answer Writing Program-2023 will focus on the following:

  • Program will have core and basic questions which are usually asked in Paper I.
  • The part related to Indian Heritage and Culture will require understanding of Indian art sculpture, dance, architecture, music, festivals, folklore, drama; literature etc. Hence questions will be prepared to capture the evolution of Indian art and culture since ancient times.
  • Questions on the part related to Modern Indian History shall cover the period between ‘The Revolt of 1857’ and modern times.
  • The Post-independent India section will have questions relating to the following areas: integration of Indian states; linguistic reorganisation of states; task of nation building; secularism, communalism, backward classes and affirmative action.
  • In the segment History and Geography of the world society, questions will focus on human and economic aspects.
  • For World History, the focus will be on : industrial revolution and its impact; the two world wars: causes and effects; the League of Nations and the UNO; the process of decolonization; major ideologies: Communism, Socialism, and Capitalism; the Cold War; policy of Non-Alignment; Globalization.

GENERAL STUDIES- PAPER II

Sample past questions of UPSC

Polity: Discuss the possible factors that inhibit India from enacting for its citizens a uniform civil code as provided for in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

Governance: Initially Civil Services in India were designed to achieve the goals of neutrality and effectiveness, which seems to be lacking in the present context. Do you agree with the view that drastic reforms are required in Civil Services. Comment.

Social Justice: Critically evaluate the recent measures taken by the government to address the vulnerabilities of the transgender community.  

International Relations: Increasing interest in India in Africa has its pros and cons. Critically examine.

Note: On the basis of the above sample questions, Mains Answer Writing Program-2023 will focus on the following:

  • Questions on role of government in public life and giving direction on different policy matters has to be covered under governance.
  • Questions on different aspects of the Constitution like Supreme Court judgments during the past one year are important in the constitution segment.
  • Questions on Indian political system, significance of India’s foreign policy with focus on India’s interaction with rest of the world; Indian’s relations with major world powers like US, China, Russia, France, UK and European Union.
  • Question on immediate neighbours and role in India’s foreign policy.

GENERAL STUDIES- PAPER III

Sample past questions of UPSC

Economy: Do you think the three farm acts recently passed by the Indian Parliament would address the challenges of agricultural marketing, streamline the supply chains and boost income levels of farmers? Give arguments in support of your answer.

Science: What is ‘Big Data’? What are the challenges in ‘Big Data Analytics’? List out its advantages and disadvantages. 

Environment: Discuss role of carbon trading and carbon credit in promoting green and low carbon economy in India and the World.   

Security: Do you think that the “Naga Peace Pact” is a hasty and hazy one, and hence it is not going to help government contain insurgency in the North-East regions? Substantiate

Note: On the basis of the above sample questions, Mains Answer Writing Program 2023 will focus on the following:

  • Questions on Scientific and technological developments will focus on recent developments. Emphasis would be on India’s advances and future programmes on science and technology.
  • Questions on economic development will focus on every aspect of the management of our economy. There should be emphasis on the social sector, issues related to Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), disinvestment policy etc.
  • Questions on Environmental security and disaster management.
  • Security is one of the greatest concerns to our country; a good number of questions will be dealt in this aspect.

GENERAL STUDIES- PAPER IV

Sample past questions of UPSC

Question: Integrity and Aptitude

(a) One of the tests of integrity is complete refusal to be compromised. Explain with reference to a real life example.

(b) All human beings aspire for happiness. Do you agree? What does happiness mean to you? Explain with examples.

Ethics in Governance

(a) What does ‘accountability’ mean in the context of public service? What measures can be adopted to ensure individual and collective accountability of public servants?

(b) What do you understand by the term ‘objectivity’? How it can be displayed by a civil servant? Illustrate with examples. 

Case Study

In recent times, there has been an increasing concern in India to develop effective civil service ethics, code of conduct, transparency measures, ethics and integrity systems and anti-corruption agencies. In view of this, there is need being felt to focus on three specific areas, which are directly relevant to the problems of internalizing integrity and ethics in the civil services. These are as follows:

  1. Anticipating specific threats to ethical standards and integrity in the civil services;
  2. Strengthening the ethical competence of civil servant; and
  3. Developing administrative processes and practices which promote ethical values and integrity in civil services.

Explain all the above with examples

Note: On the basis of the above sample questions, Mains Answer Writing Program-2023 will focus on the following:

  • The Program test paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society.
  • Focus on Case Studies based Questions. This will test the candidates’ ability to draw conclusions from information presented to point out deficiencies therein.
  • Following are the core areas on which emphasis of the questions will be – ethics, attitude, aptitude for the civil services, emotional intelligence, contribution of thinkers, public service/ values and integrity, honesty and probity in public life.

ESSAY PAPER

Sample past essays of UPSC

Section A: Philosophical

  • Life is long journey between human being and being humane.
  • Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self.
  • Ships do not sink because of water around them, ships sink because of water that gets into them.
  • Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.

Section B: General

  • South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
  • Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.
  • Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
  • Rise of Artificial intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.

Note: On the basis of the above sample essays, Mains Answer Writing Program-2023 will focus on the following:

  • More focus on philosophical essays with explanations.
  • General topics to be crafted in a manner where students are able to utilise their GS papers knowledge with confidence while writing essays.
  • Sustained handholding and one-to-one mentoring till the Main 2023 examination.

Syllabus

The UPSC Main Examination will consist of the following papers:

  • Qualifying Papers:
Paper‐A

 

 One of the Indian Language to be selected by the candidate from the Languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.

 

 300 Marks
Paper‐B

 

 English

 

 300 Marks
  • Papers to be counted for merit:
Paper‐I Essay 250 Marks
Paper-II General Studies-I: (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society) 250 Marks
Paper-III General Studies-II: (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations) 250 Marks
Paper-IV General Studies-III: (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster

Management)

 250 marks
Paper-V General Studies-IV: (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) 250 Marks
Paper-VI Optional Subject ‐ Paper 1 250 Marks
Paper-VII Optional Subject ‐ Paper 2 250 Marks
  • For Final merit:
Sub Total (Written test) 1750 Marks
Personality Test 275 Marks
Grand Total 2025 Marks

Note:

  • The papers on Indian languages and English (Paper A and paper B) will be of Matriculation or equivalent standard and will be of qualifying nature. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for ranking.
  • Evaluation of the papers, namely, ‘Essay’, ‘General Studies’ and Optional Subject of all the candidates would be done simultaneously along with evaluation of their qualifying papers on ‘Indian Languages’ and ‘English’ but the papers on Essay’, General Studies and Optional Subject of only such candidates will be taken cognizance who attain 25% marks in ‘Indian Language’ and 25% in English as minimum qualifying standards in these qualifying papers.
  • The question papers for the examination will be of conventional (essay) type.
  • Each paper will be of three hours duration.
  • Candidates will have the option to answer all the question papers, except the Qualifying Language Papers, Paper-A and Paper-B, in any one of the languages included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India or in English. Notwithstanding this, the Candidate will have the choice to write the Optional Papers in English also if candidates opt to write Paper I-V except the Qualifying Language Papers, Paper-A and Paper-B, in any one of the language included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.