The most talked about issue within the fraternity of aspirants- the issue on which aspirants with all the knowledge and information cannot afford to get complacent is- the art of “Answer writing”.
Recently I was approached by one of the students appearing in C.A (finals), asking about their skills for dealing with subjective papers in her exams. Not only for the UPSC candidates but for all the students who are required to write subjective answers within the time-bound limit of examination, answer writing seems troublesome. No matter how well you have read but unless you are unable to replicate that bundle of information in a systematic and synchronized way in your answer, you will not be rewarded with meritorious marks.
The essence of the IAS mains exams is the technique of answering questions. Based on the subjective responses that a candidate is asked to write during mains exam, UPSC evaluates a candidate out of 1750 marks.
“Quality-Quantity-Time” conundrum
UPSC expects you to write around 4000 words in 3 hours in a General studies paper comprising of 20 questions, For a 10-maker question a candidate has to write an answer in 7.2 minutes, and for a 15-marker question, the desired time is 10.8 minutes. Consequently, the candidate has to balance between writing quality answers in a given time frame while making sure that they respond to all the questions in the exams. This hardship faced by candidates can be summarized as the “Quality-Quantity-Time” conundrum.
Outmaneuvering Quality conundrum
Candidates must keep in mind that the more information load you have in your mind, the more difficult it gets to write quality answers. The roots of the problem lie during the preparation phase when the candidate is reading the textual material.
One must keep in mind while reading, the word limit examiner prescribes. It is advisable that one must keep it crisp and concise while preparing a particular topic. Your focus should be centered on “keywords” and “facts” required for substantiating an argument while carving out a logical concept from textual information.
Also, before going through the text, one must gauge and analyze the previous year’s questions asked by UPSC on such a topic. This will enable you to assemble your intellectual faculties in the areas where your maximum inputs are required, and make learning a diligent drill.
In my opinion and experience a meritorious answer has 5 basic traits :
- Address-It must deal with all the parts of the question has asked. For making sure of your complete address, divide the question into sub-components from the keywords given in the question itself.
- Synchronization –The arguments in your answer must be systematically arranged to enable evaluation for the examiner, a pleasing exercise. Do not mess with the chronology in your answer, simply putting it, -“Write first things first”
- Structure– The answer must have an Introduction, a Body, and a conclusion. Before you start to write an answer, chalk out a rough sketch of the content you are going to write based on the directives given in the question. This will help you structure your answer in an organized fashion.
- Presentation –The facts and keywords quoted in the answers must be underlined. Try to use diagrams and flowcharts wherever deemed necessary. Nice handwriting always adds value to your articulation.
- Substantiation –For every topic that a candidate prepares, one must remember that substantiation adds value to your answer by supporting your arguments with facts and examples. Hence, the candidates must equip themselves with such facts, data, examples, reports, indexes, and quotations- which shall help in adding substance to their answers.
Outmaneuvering Quantity conundrum
In the mains examination, a candidate is given 180 minutes to write 20 questions. Based on a precise calculation a candidate must be able to attempt 10 markers in 7.2 minutes for a 15-marker question, the desired time is 10.8 minutes, including the question reading time. For accomplishing this task in such a short period is difficult, such skills require regular rehearsal for reproducing a quality answer. Thus candidates must constantly discipline themselves with these skills while writing a test series and getting feedback for their answers from the evaluating mentor.
There was a very famous advertisement for bornvita chocolate beverage (oriented toward physical growth children) which said “Do the maximum mistakes while you are rehearsing”. That stands true for every candidate in any state of competition. Rectify every mistake before you enter that exam hall. Do not be a perfectionist but at least try to be one.
Conclusively, Success is not the end goal or the destination rather success is a constant process of evolution, a daily experience one gets on accomplishing micro goals everyday.
For me being successful means
S – See your goal
U – Understand the obstacles
C – Create a positive mental picture
C – Clear your mind of self-doubt
E – Embrace all challenges
S – Sacrifice free time
S – Show the world you can do it
F – Feed your focus
U – Utilize all opportunities
L – Learn from all failures
“Defeat yourself to win over others”
Good luck.