Essay

Actually, the Essay Paper in the UPSC Civil Services (Main) Examination does not have a fixed syllabus like GS or Optional Papers.

The UPSC notification mentions it simply as:

“Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics. They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay, arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion, and write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.”

Key Features of the Essay Paper

  • Paper Name: Essay (Paper-I in Mains)
  • Marks: 250
  • Time: 3 hours
  • Structure:
    • You have to write two essays, each of about 1000–1200 words.
    • Topics are usually given in two sections (A & B), with 4 topics each.
    • You must pick one topic from each section.

Broad Areas from Which Essay Topics Are Asked

Though no syllabus is prescribed, past years’ papers show themes generally come from:

  1. Philosophical/Abstract topics – e.g., “Wisdom finds truth”
  2. Social issues – e.g., women empowerment, education, poverty, health
  3. Economic issues – e.g., globalization, digital economy, cooperative federalism
  4. Political/Constitutional themes – e.g., democracy, liberty, federalism
  5. Science, technology, environment, ethics
  6. Global issues – e.g., climate change, international relations, peace & conflict

👉 So in short: there is no fixed syllabus, but the topics usually test your ability to think deeply, structure arguments, provide balanced viewpoints, and write clearly.

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