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30 Best Quotes for Essay Writing

December 10, 2023 by Sandeep

The essay is an independent, educational, and scientific student research. In writing this paper, students master the methods and gain the ability to conduct research. In addition, essay writing helps form the student’s creative thinking, test the skills of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting literature, and formulate conclusions and suggestions.

Successful essay writing depends on strict adherence to the basic requirements. These requirements relate primarily to the scientific level of the work, its content, structure, form of presentation of the material, and design. The teacher may not accept works in violation of state standards and established requirements. Inconsistencies in the design can significantly affect the final evaluation of the work. The student’s compliance with all the requirements for writing and design of the essay instills certain skills in conducting research, which will be useful in creating other types of papers.

All of the above points are important to gain the ability to complete an essay. However, this is not an as simple type of student paper as it may seem at first glance. Students often have difficulty in both essay writing and designing. Fortunately, today everyone can find someone to write a paper online. It is only necessary to pay the set price. The best writers work for an online company DoMyEssay. To get their help, you should visit the site and request, “Please, do an essay for me.” The high quality and reliability of writing services are guaranteed for everyone.

Requirements for Quotes & References in Essay Writing

A compulsory component of any scientific work is a scientific citation. It is essential to cite the source from which the materials or individual results are borrowed or the ideas and conclusions based on which the problems, tasks, issues to which the work is devoted are developed. Such links make it possible to find relevant sources, check the accuracy of citations, obtain the necessary information about these sources.

The use of references in essays is mandatory and is used in the following cases:

• When quoting fragments of text, formulas, tables, illustrations;
• When paraphrasing, non-verbal reproduction of a fragment of another’s text;
• When analyzing the content of other publications in the text;
• When referring to other publications where the material to be discussed is more complete.

The absence of a link is a copyright infringement, and an incorrect link is considered a serious error. All sources cited in the list of references must be indicated in the text of the paper.

Importance of Correct Citation in Student Papers

The importance of citation is in the need to demonstrate the breadth of research and interest in the publications of other authors, to confirm own arguments with statements from other sources. Text borrowed from other sources is used for this purpose.

Here are three main functions that quotes perform in essay writing :

• Places your work in context, creates dialogue;
• Pay tribute to the previous work that formed the basis of your research;
• Maintains the authenticity and accuracy of scientific literature.

List of Helpful Quotes You Can Use in Your Essay Writing

Below is a list of 30 quotes you can use in your essay writing:

• The simplest example is more convincing than the most eloquent sermon (Lucius Annec Seneca);
• It is not people who need rules, but rules need people (S. Dube);
• The one who is no longer able to serve as anything serves as a good example (Andre Siegfried);
• Take an example from your elders, while they behave approximately (Jerzy Leszczynski);
• The need to set a good example for your children robs middle-aged people of all pleasure (William Feder);
• Remember: sooner or later, your son will follow your example and not your advice (Pierre Corneille);
• An example is stronger than a threat (Pierre Corneille);
• Bad examples are stronger than good rules (Joey Locke);
• You only have one life. You have to live it as fully as possible (Jojo Moyes);
• When life is good, there is no need to argue about it (Ray Bradbury);
• There are moments in life that change us once and for all (Jeffrey Deaver);
• The reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The person who never reads experiences only one (George Martin);
• On our path in life, we will meet everyone who is destined to meet us (Charles Dickens);
• What is the sense of life? Serve others and do good (Aristotle);
• Those who illuminate the lives of others will not be left without light themselves (James Matthew Barry);
• In general, I live without hesitation, so I always have fun (Francis Scott Fitzgerald);
• An example is always more powerful than a sermon (Samuel Johnson);
• When it comes to budget, everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die (Jean Chrétien);
• Violating our duty, thereby we violate our rights (Jean-Jacques Rousseau);
• You cannot talk about the budget without knowing approximately the figures of its income and expenses (Theodor Herzl);
• Civilization road paved with tax receipts (Andrew McKenzie);
• If you know how to spend less than you get, then you have the Philosopher’s Stone (Benjamin Franklin);
• Only two incentives make people work: the thirst for wages and the fear of losing them (Henry Ford);
• There is no perfection in the world (Antoine de Saint-Exupery);
• You are forever responsible for the one you tamed (Antoine de Saint-Exupery);
• It’s good where we are not (Antoine de Saint-Exupery);
• All adults were children at first, only a few of them remember this (Antoine de Saint-Exupery);
• Live and learn (Lucius Annec Seneca);
• The end justifies the means (Ignatius de Loyola);
• Truth is in wine (Pliny the Elder).

• IAS Preparation
• UPSC Preparation Strategy
• Tips For Writing Quotes For UPSC Mains

Tips for Writing Quotes for UPSC Civil Services Mains

It is a part of a UPSC civil services aspirant’s armour to learn quotations to sprinkle in his/her answers, particularly in the essay, ethics and also the general studies papers. Quotes apart from being beautiful in its form offer depth and sometimes humour too. Many greats of the past and present have said some amazing words from which we can get inspiration and also embellish our own answers in the IAS exams. But before mugging up a hundred quotes to write in the IAS exam , learn the do’s and don’ts of using quotes in your answers.

• Don’t pepper your answers unnecessarily with random quotes. Relying too much on other people’s words show a paucity of ideas in the writer.
• Don’t change the words of a quotation. If you don’t remember the exact words, don’t write the quote. It would be factually wrong.
• Don’t attribute a quote to the wrong person. It indicates stupidity if not anything else.
• Don’t give irrelevant quotes. Just because you think a quote is beautiful and you know it doesn’t mean you have to use it. It should be applicable to your answer and the topic.
• Avoid politically charged or controversial quotes by active politicians. It could show bias, unless the statement is neutral and general.
• Generally, UPSC tends to like quotes by Gandhi, Nehru, Marx, Max Weber, Emile Durkheim, etc.

Aspirants would find this topic very helpful in framing their preparation strategy for IAS Exam .

Topic wise quotes for UPSC

Given below is a list of useful quotes that you can use in your UPSC exams.

Democracy is the road to socialism. – Karl Marx

Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers. – Aristotle

Democracy is a faith in the spiritual possibilities of not a privileged few but of every human being. – Dr. S Radhakrishnan

Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard. – H .L .Mencken

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. – Winston Churchill

The rights of democracy are not reserved for a select group within society, they are the rights of all the people. –  Olof Palme

Advertising is the very essence of democracy. – Anton Chekhov

(Racism) is not about how you look, it’s about how people assign meaning to how you look. – Robin Kelley

I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved. – Ambedkar

The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. – Karl Marx

Revolutions are the locomotives of history – Karl Marx

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs. – Karl Marx

History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as a farce. – Karl Marx

Without tradition, art is a flock of sheep without a shepherd. Without innovation, it is a corpse. – Winston Churchill.

Fighting corruption is not just good governance. It’s self-defence. It’s patriotism. – Joe Biden

Democracy, good governance and modernity cannot be imported or imposed from outside a country. – Émile Jamil Lahoud

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. – George Bernard Shaw

Environment

We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment. – Margaret Mead

We don’t have to sacrifice a strong economy for a healthy environment. – Dennis Weaver

Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man. – Stewart Udall

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Important Quotations for UPSC Essay Paper

Importance of Quotes for UPSC Essay Writing

Relevant quotations, though not necessary, always improve the quality of your Essay if used appropriately. It also tells the examiner that you have grasped the core idea of the Essay Topic. Having said that, we often forcefully use the quotations which becomes counter-productive. Sometimes we feel that we have memorized them with so much difficulty and hence if we do not use them, it would be huge waste of effort.

So Quotations for UPSC Essay are like ammunition that you need to keep in your back-pocket but use only when it is appropriate. I had made a list of quotations for the Essay Paper just a couple of days before the exam day and memorized them. Here is the list of UPSC Essay Quotations the I had prepared.

You can also download quotes for UPSC essay pdf format. Link for PDF download is given at the bottom.

Quotations on Education

• “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”  Nelson Mandela
• “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”  Mahatma Gandhi
• “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”  Margaret Mead
• “I have never let my schooling interfere with my Education.”  Mark Twain
• “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learnt in school.”  Einstein
• “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.”  Aristotle
• “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.”  Swami Vivekananda

Quotations on Science and Religion

• “All thinking men are atheists.”  Ernst Hemingway 
• “Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind…”  Issac Newton
• “The notion that Science and Spirituality are somehow mutually exclusive does a disservice to both.”  Carl Sagan
• “Science without Religion is lame and Religion without Science is blind”  Einstein
• “What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.”  Christopher Hitchens

Quotes on Democracy

• “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”  Churchill
• “The tyranny of a prince in an oligarchy is not so much dangerous to the public welfare as the apathy of a citizen in a democracy”  Montesquieu
• “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.”  Abraham Lincoln
• “There cannot be daily democracy without daily citizenship.”  Ralph Nader
• ” I understand democracy as something that gives the weak the same chance as the strong.”  Mahatma Gandhi
• “Democracy is not law of the majority but protection of the minority.”  Albert Camus
• “In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power, but carries the ultimate responsibility.”  Norman Cousins

Quotes on Materialism/Consumerism

• “A fellow who is ashamed merely of shabby clothing or modest meals is not even worth conversing with.”  Confucius
• “To live fully, we must use things and love people, not love things and use people.”  Powell John
• “The world has enough for everyone’s need but not enough for everyone’s greed.”  Mahatma Gandhi
• “If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there would be peace.”  John Lennon

Quotations on Peace/Justice

• “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” William Gladstone
• “Peace and Justice are two sides of the same coin.”  Eisenhower
• “Poverty is the worst form of violence.”  Mahatma Gandhi

Quotes by Mahatma Gandhi

• “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
• “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.”
• “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”
• “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”
• “Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment. Full effort is full victory.”
• “Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from indomitable will.”
• “The good man is the friend of all living things.”
• “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.”
• “The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
• “I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”
• “There are people in the world, so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.”
• “Violent means will give violent freedom.”
• “There is higher courts than courts of justice and that is conscience.”
• “To believe in something, and not to live it, is dishonesty.”
• “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.”

Quotes on Women Empowerment

• “If you want something said, ask a man; if you want something done, ask a woman” Margaret Thatcher
• “There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women.” Kofi Annan
• “Educate a man and you educate an individual. Educate a woman and you educate a family.” A. Cripps
• “I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men, they are far superior and always have been.” William Golding
• “If women are expected to do the same work as men, we must teach them the same things.” Plato
• “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” Hillary Clinton
• “There is no hope for that family or country where there is no estimation of women, where they live in sadness. For this reason, they have to be raised first.” Swami Vivekananda

Quotes on Freedom of Speech, Liberty

• “People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.” Soren Kierkegaard
• “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”  Benjamin Franklin
• “If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.”  George Orwell
• “Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.” George B. Shaw
• “When governments fear the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson

By no means this is any exhaustive list. But I also need to tell you two things. One is that I could use 3 quotations from this list in the first essay. Second, I didn’t use any quote for the second essay.

READ: Sample Essay Written by IAS Topper (Score:164)

7 thoughts on “Important Quotations for UPSC Essay Paper”

Sir, please update with quotation of a new topic- “Science and technology”. I would be grateful to you.

Great initiative…. Thank you…

Thank u so much 🙂

APPRECIABLE. KEEP IT UP. THANKS.

Thank you so much sir.

Please send some essays of toppers

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UPSC Topper Rushikesh Reddy Shares His Entire Notes for Aspirants Who Prepare by Self-Study

Last updated on September 29, 2023 by Alex Andrews George

Rushikesh Reddy, the young engineer from IIT Delhi who secured All India Rank 95 in UPSC Civil Services Examination 2019-20 is extra-ordinary in many ways. He deeply wishes to give back to society in ways he could.

By an unparallel gesture, Rushikesh shared all the online notes made by him during the last 5 years of his preparation to be freely downloaded by fellow aspirants who prepare online by self-study.

The notes are available for free download as PDF (e-book) from the ClearIAS Store .

An online student of ClearIAS, Rushikesh Reddy expects his allocation to be in the Indian Police Service (IPS).

Table of Contents

Rushikesh Reddy Notes: UPSC Prelims Quick Revision Material (PDF)

The UPSC Prelims Quick Revision Material (PDF) is a compilation of highly useful information (prepared in point format) for the Preliminary Examination. This material primarily covers NCERTs, online economy lectures, and questions from various test series attempted by Rushikesh.

You can click here to download the PDF for FREE.

Rushikesh says that the notes (Prelims) are not exhaustive. Apart from the notes, Rushikesh advises aspirants to refer to textbooks covering static areas like Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth, Environment by Sankar etc. He also recommends learning from websites like CCRT for culture topics. He suggests using the notes only for quick preparation of NCERTs or last-minute revision.

Rushikesh Reddy Notes: UPSC Essay Value Addition Material (PDF)

The UPSC Essay Value Addition Material (PDF) is a compilation of important quotes and data which can be used in the Essay Paper in Civil Services Main Examination. The PDF also contains interesting examples and anecdotes. The points in this PDF can add value to your essays and is a must-read for every aspirant.

Rushikesh Reddy Notes: UPSC Mains Value Addition Material – Useful Data (PDF)

The UPSC Mains Value Addition Material (PDF) is a compilation of useful data (statistics) which can add value to General Studies answers of Civil Services Main Examination. Use of data (statistics) can help you prove your stand in General Studies answers, and thus can boost your marks.

UPSC Mains General Studies Notes Compilation

Rushikesh Reddy had previously shared his notes for UPSC Mains General Studies . Those notes are available on InsightsonIndia.com, another website Rushikesh Reddy used for his preparation.

Preparation Strategies of Rushikesh Reddy

Read the topper’s interview of Rushikesh Reddy with ClearIAS to understand his preparation strategies.

‘There is no such secret for success’ says Rushikesh. He feels that consistent hard work with smart strategy worked for him to ace UPSC Exam . He worked for an average of 8-9 hrs every day and planned the preparation on a daily, and weekly basis and ensured that he stuck to those.

The Value of Toppers Notes

Not every topper prepare such comprehensive notes as Rushikesh Reddy. And not every topper who prepare such notes will share those notes for FREE. One can imagine the value of these notes if commercialised. However, Rushikesh is different.

Rushikesh’s notes, without doubt, in future will be used by lakhs of aspirants who prepare online by self-study!

The hard work Rushikesh has put is clearly visible in each of these notes.

This topper’s notes will give a new direction to beginners on how to prepare notes to secure a top rank in the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

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Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and social entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training , Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped many aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

Reader Interactions

September 4, 2020 at 11:18 am

I need an exact syllabus of upsc for IAS..

September 4, 2020 at 11:34 am

@Dr.lvlychaudhary – The syllabus for UPSC CSE can be accessed from the Menu section of ClearIAS website and App.

September 5, 2020 at 4:36 pm

Yes I also needed

September 4, 2020 at 5:54 pm

Dear sir, Very usefull. One of my request to you. My daughter is preparing for UPSC Civil services exam 2021. I’m unable to provide her Rs. 4999/- at a time to deposit it into on your online scheme. But I can deposit it Rs. 1000/- each month. Can you help my child to accept Rs. 1000/- each month, consecutively four months ? Thanks and regards. Nrusingha Narayan Dash. Bhubaneswar, Odisha.

September 4, 2020 at 6:12 pm

@ Nrusingha – Many banks offer EMI on this amount. You can see the EMI option once you click the payment button. ClearIAS does not offer direct instalment facility for the fees as the total amount is only Rs.4999. However, if you face any financial concerns, you can always write to our finance team ‘contactus[at]clearias.com’. They will surely help you.

September 5, 2020 at 10:29 am

Sir / ma’am

Please provide me guidenes upsc. Suggest the best books and any help.

September 5, 2020 at 11:17 am

@Ankita – The recommended books for UPSC Preparation can be accessed from the Menu Section of ClearIAS website/ClearIAS app.

September 5, 2020 at 5:23 pm

The link for essay value addition contains same material as for Prelims Revision Kindly upload the appropriate file thanks

September 5, 2020 at 7:02 pm

@ R – The links are now updated. Thank you for pointing out.

September 5, 2020 at 5:30 pm

Respected sir/ mam, Are these prelims specific notes of rushikesh sir cover the current topics for prelims 2020?

September 5, 2020 at 7:04 pm

@Fatima – It covers many current topics relavant for this year as well. Though extremely useful for quick revision, as Rushikesh himself says, don’t consider these notes as exhaustive. You need to read beyond.

September 11, 2020 at 10:11 pm

Sir I am Santanu Mondal from Patanda panskura purba Medinipur West Bengal, I am a GDS Post master, I want to clear UPSC exam, please provide me syllabus of upsc, and which books is needed for the exam prelims as well as mains. How can I start… Which portion should be read carefully… Please guide me….

September 11, 2020 at 10:27 pm

@Santanu – All the above details can be accessed from ClearIAS Menu itself. All the best!

August 9, 2021 at 7:06 pm

When will CCC of may june nd july 2021 ll get uploaded.?..it is already august now….

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The UPSC essay paper is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. With this, the scores obtained in the UPSC essay topics will also be considered in the merit list. Hence, it is important to cover all the aspects of the UPSC essay syllabus .

In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. Moreover, they are required to choose one IAS essay topic out of the four options in each section i.e. A and B.

The UPSC essay paper is conducted for 250 marks with one essay UPSC paper for 125 marks. Therefore, aspirants should use the best books and strategies to excel in this section.

In this article, we have compiled all the details of the UPSC IAS essay for the candidates aspiring for the upcoming civil services exam.

UPSC Essay Paper 2023 Structure

• As per the UPSC exam pattern , the essay paper is one of the nine subjects in the civil services main exam. In this paper, aspirants need to write essays on assigned UPSC essay topics .
• Candidates should practice writing essays on multiple topics in order to learn how to arrange their ideas and execute the same in the proper order.
• Furthermore, the UPSC essay paper will carry 250 marks with an exam duration of 3 hours.

UPSC Essay Previous Year Papers

The previous year’s UPSC essay paper is one of the finest resources to prepare well for this section. This will strengthen their vocabulary and writing skills and also provide them insights into the type of essay topics UPSC asked over the years.

Hence, we have compiled below the official UPSC essay previous paper PDF link for 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, and 2018 for the reference of the candidates.

Best Strategy for UPSC Essay Writing

UPSC essays must be well-formatted and presented in a manner that the readers can easily understand without any obstacles. Above all, it must include the ideas about the issue mentioned in the question.

Candidates must note that the general essay papers also play an important role in compensating for the less scores in general studies and optional papers. Hence, it is advisable to focus on improving the vocabulary and writing skills from the first leg of the preparation.

Let’s look at the best strategy to score high marks in the UPSC essay topics in the main exam.

• Go through the entire UPSC essay syllabus to cover all the aspects of the section.
• Build a habit of reading newspaper editorials and journals every day. Going by the trend analysis, it is found that many essay questions were asked directly from current affairs in the past few years.
• Next, note down relevant quotes from the books/magazines/journal and implement them whenever required in the essay writing.
• Focus on IAS essay topics related to democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc as questions can be asked from these topics.
• Pick the essay topic very carefully. Also, it is advised to take some time to think about the topic and collect ideas and thoughts.
• One should make sure that the essay comprises sections like introduction, main body, theme, and conclusion.
• Moreover, aspirants can also reach out to their mentors, experts, seniors, or teachers for feedback on their essay writing. This will allow them to recognize their mistakes and focus more on their weak points for effective preparation.

Read More: How to write an essay for UPSC here!

Best Books for UPSC Essay Writing

Along with the best UPSC essay strategy , aspirants should also choose the finest books that comprise multiple essay topics UPSC for the exam. Here, we have shared below the best books and resources to strengthen the preparation of the general essay section:

• Monthly Current Affairs Magazines by OnlyIAS
• Only IAS Yogana Magazine
• Only IAS Praarambh Post-Independence India
• Only IAS Kurukshetra Magazine
• Only IAS Praarmabh Indian Society
• The Hindu (editorial articles)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How to score 150 in UPSC essay?

Ans. One can score 150 marks on the UPSC essay paper by managing time effectively throughout the exam and avoiding any kind of deviation from the topic.

Q2. What are the topics for UPSC essay?

Ans. Some of the important IAS essay topics include democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc

Q3. What is essay paper 1 in UPSC?

Ans. The UPSC essay paper 1 is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. The maximum mark is 250 with a duration of 3 hours.

Q4. Is UPSC essay tough?

Ans. Yes, the UPSC essay paper is moderately tough as per the past year’s exam analysis. However, it also depends on the aspirant knowledge of the topic.

Q5. How many pages is 1,000 words in UPSC?

Ans. 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced is about 1000 words in UPSC.

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ESSAY STRATEGY By Anudeep Durishetty, UPSC Civil Services Exam Topper, All India Rank – 1 CSE-2017 – How to write a good Essay in UPSC Mains, Explained 

Essay strategy.

How to write a good Essay in UPSC Mains, Explained 

By Anudeep Durishetty

UPSC Civil Services Exam Topper, All India Rank – 1 CSE-2017

Novelist Stephen King put it beautifully when he said, “I write to find out what I think.” 

Writing is a window to your thought process. What you write on paper will tell the reader how you think, how you argue and the way you substantiate your viewpoint. This is why for most competitive examinations and academic entrance tests, essay is mandatory. 

In the Civil Services Exam too, we have a paper worth 250 marks, equivalent to a General Studies paper. Despite its importance, essay paper often does not get the attention it deserves from aspirants. First timers think they will write an excellent essay in the final exam itself, whereas experienced aspirants believe that since they had already studied a ton for GS, it will alone be enough to write a good essay. This is a fatal miscalculation. 

I was one of those who made these errors in the past, and it is not a coincidence that I scored only 100 in CSE 2015. But in 2017, I devoted adequate time to this paper. I collected useful quotes, prepared notes and even made rough essay drafts for frequently asked topics. All this effort in essay paper helped me score 155. 

What follows is an elaborate post on how you should tackle the Essay paper. I’ve organised the content as follows: 

What UPSC says about the essay paper 

• How and from where to prepare? 

Improving language and expression 

• On subheadings and rough drafts 
• What you must avoid 
• How to write a powerful introduction? 
• Developing the content of an Essay 

Substantiating your arguments 

• How to conclude an Essay 
• My notes, quote collection and sample essays 

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

Essay distinguishes itself from GS in the sense that in GS, marks will be awarded purely for content. But in essay, examiners will pay special attention to not just the content, but also the language, coherence and the way you organise your write-up. 

So you must take adequate care to arrange your ideas properly and not commit any fundamental spelling or grammatical errors. 

How and from where to prepare?  

Most of the content you write in Essay will come from your GS preparation. Apart from this, the following sources will help: 

• Reading non-fiction  helps you develop a matured thought process. Apart from imparting knowledge, they will also let you come across good figures of speech, art of argumentation, powerful rhetoric and unique content etc. For example, in an essay on Artificial Intelligence, I took arguments from Yuval Harari’s  Homo Deus  to argue that AI is an imminent threat to humanity. Or if you read  Why Nations Fail,  a book replete with examples, you will understand the importance of innovation, political and economic freedoms in propelling a nation forward. So my suggestion is, apart from UPSC related material, develop the hobby of reading non-fiction books. I do not mean to suggest that you should start reading one  non-fiction book per topic to get good scores in Essay, but reading them occasionally in your free time will benefit you in the long run. 
• Referring to specific magazines:  For certain topics, you can refer to specific issues of Yojana/EPW/Economic Survey etc. Example: for an essay on tribal issues or public health, you can go through specific issues of these magazines for getting the latest statistics (IMR, MMR, malnutrition levels etc) and also about the positives and criticisms of govt schemes in that sector. 
• Collecting good stories/anecdotes and quotes  Anecdotes, quotes and real life stories you see in newspapers and books which can be used in essay should be noted down. In most of my essays, I used to start with a relevant story or an anecdote that has the essay topic as its underlying theme. Apart from these, I also used a couple of quotes of eminent persons. 

         List of quotes, anecdotes I collected are available in the link at the end of this article.  

Language in essay must be simple and clear with as little jargon as possible. If you want to use complex definitional terms such as, say, ‘Constitutionalism’ or ‘Sanskritisation’ please define it in sentence just before you use it. Examiner will also understand clearly what you want to convey. Clear writing is clear thinking. And that is what any reader looks for. 

Keep your sentences short and powerful. Long, winding sentences makes it difficult to read and understand. If you tack on one clause after another through conjunctions, what you get is a bad sentence sprawl.   

Example of a bad sentence sprawl: 

At the end of World War 2, on the one hand, while capitalism was successfully championed by the nations in North America and Europe, on the other hand, it was USSR that put Communism at the forefront due to which there was an ideological clash between the  the  two superpowers which had led to proxy wars in various parts of the globe, a nuclear arms race and a rapid deterioration of the security of the world.  

(By the time readers finish reading it, they will lose their breath and the point of the sentence) 

So I had a simple rule: If you run out of your breath while  reading a sentence, then probably you will have to break it into two. 

Rewriting the aforementioned example after breaking it into two (which makes it much easier to read and comprehend): 

After World War 2, while the North American and European nations championed capitalism, USSR put communism at the forefront. This ideological clash between the superpowers led to several proxy wars, a nuclear arms race and a rapid deterioration of world security.  

Vocabulary   

There is no need to memorise complex words for writing a good essay. But an occasional use of a powerful word, or a good phrase definitely gives your write-up an edge. 

Also, I believe that learning numerous words by rote will not make them stick in your brain for long. The best way to build your vocabulary is by reading non-fiction and English newspapers. While reading these, if you come across a good turn of phrase, or a word that you don’t recognise, please note it down in a book, find its meaning and understand the context in which the word was used. This helps in long term memory. Having a dictionary app on your phone also helps. 

Building vocabulary is a slow process, but with consistency, anyone can become better at using an expansive set of words. 

Subheadings & Rough Drafts 

We can be a little innovative in our subheadings. Instead of bland subheadings such as ‘ Benefits of Nuclear Energy’  we can use “ Nuclear Energy: Promise or Peril?’  Similarly, for the essay on Social Media, instead of writing ‘ Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media ’, I wrote  “Social Media: A Double Edged Sword”  

You can find my collection of a few such subheadings in the link to my notes, given at the end of the article. 

I also prepared a rough draft for a few essay topics (link given at the end). You may need to modify the structure as per the demand of the question. 

What you must avoid in Essay 

• Do not focus excessively only on one point, or one dimension (such as the historical or political aspect) Your essay needs to be expansive and multi-dimensional. 
• During preparation, we read a lot and it’s understandable that we feel strongly about certain topics. And since essay offers freedom to write, it’s very easy to get carried away with such a topic. But make sure that you write what is asked, not what you know or feel like. No  mann   ki   baat . Always stick to the subject of the topic. It helps to read the question in the midst of your essay to ensure that you are not steering away from the topic. 
• If you are not comfortable writing about abstract philosophical topics (I am terrible at writing them), avoid such questions. Your choice of topic has no bearing on the marks and that is why, selecting an unpopular topic just for the sake of it is unwise. Also, if there’s a technical term in the question, be doubly sure that you understand it correctly. For instance, in 2014, there was a question on ‘standard tests’, which is a technical term. I misunderstood it and wrote a generic essay. I got 112. 
• When you take a final stand on an issue, it’s best to avoid extreme or highly unpopular opinions. We are free to have any opinion in the privacy of our minds, but in UPSC essay why take that risk? For instance, in an essay on Capital Punishment, in the main body content, you should present a case for both abolition and retention. But when you take a stance, it’s best to be an abolitionist. 
• No ranting. You might be a great fan of Karl Marx, but if there’s a question on Capitalism, do not rant or rail against it  You must present both the positives and negatives of Capitalism and end the essay on a balanced note. 
• Do not dedicate disproportionate amount of time for the first essay and scamper through the second. Both carry equal marks, so please invest equal time. 

How to transition smoothly from one para to the next 

This can be done in three ways. 

Through a link sentence at the end of a para:  

Here, at the end of a para, you write a sentence that signals to the examiner what’s coming next. For example, let’s say you have just written a para about the threat posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) to jobs. At the end of that para you can write a link sentence—   “Further, we must be mindful of the fact that Artificial Intelligence poses a major challenge not just economically, but also ethically.”  And in the next para, you can write about the ethical issues concerning AI. 

Through a question:    

Instead of a link sentence, you can also add a question at the end of a para so that examiner’s attention is helplessly carried to the next. To take the similar example as above, the question can be something like—   “Thus we have examined the threat posed by AI to our economy, but what about the challenges brought by AI to our ethics and morals?”  And in the next para, you can write about the ethical issues concerning AI. 

Signalling the shift at the start of next paragraph: 

Here you can simply add a word or two at the beginning of a para that signals a shift in your subtopic. For example in an essay on  Globalisation , let’s say you have just written a para about its historical evolution and impact. You can start the next para with something like—  “Politically too, globalisation has had a tremendous impact……” This way examiner immediately knows what to expect. 

These steps will ensure that the transition between paragraphs is not abrupt. 

How to write a good Introduction to your Essay? 

Essay introduction can be: 

a fictitious incident or story (where you introduce a character);  a real life anecdote;  a quote; or  a simple definition of the words in the question (not recommended in Essay) 

In GS, definitional approach is a great way to introduce your answers. But in essay, they are rather stale, lacking in any human element. I always believe that a good way to start your essay is to have that touch of humanity and warmth in your introduction. 

In my Mains exam, this was my introduction to the essay ‘Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classroom’ 

“The year was 1945. Towards the end of a gruesome world war, the world powers decided to carve up the Korean peninsula along the 38th parallel.  

“Before partition, North and South Korea might have been homogeneous in every respect, but after the division, they steered onto different paths. While schools in the North chose to ‘educate’ their children in the worship of a cult leader, ideological indoctrination and servility, its southern counterpart focused on liberal education, innovation and economic growth.  

“Today, almost seven decades later, the difference in the fates of these people and the trajectories of both these nations cannot be more stark. One is known for gross violation of human rights, while the other a champion of liberal democracy. One is known for gut-wrenching poverty, while the other unbridled prosperity.  

“This only proves the age old adage that the destiny of a nation is indeed shaped in its classrooms.”  

Similarly, for the Social Media essay, my introduction sought to bring to the fore the paradox of Social Media. I wrote on how social media was leveraged to crowdsource help and rescue during Chennai floods in 2015. At the same time, I mentioned how it was used nefariously in 2012 to cause mass exodus of northeast people from Bangalore. And taking cue from this introduction, in the main body, I discussed about the inherent selfishness and altruism associated with social media. 

These real life stories, anecdotes and incidents are everywhere in our books and newspapers. So when you come across them, note down and ponder as to how you can use them in your essay.   

Developing the Main Content from the Topic 

This is like spinning the web from a thread. Depending on the topic, you can choose among the following options that fits best. 

• Temporal : Past, present and future 
• Sectoral :  Media, Science & Tech, Business, Sports, Religion, Politics, Administration etc 
• Walks of Life : Individual, Family, Professional workplace, Society, Community, National, Global 
• Problem & Solution:  Concept (historical evolution+status), benefits, problems, solutions 
• Standard : Social, Political, Economical, Administrative, International, Environmental, Historical, Scientific, Security/Defence, Legal 

Example: for a topic like  “Has  Globalisation  delivered on its promise?”  I find the problem & solution method an apt way to develop your narrative. So choose as per the question. 

In the main body of the essay, each para must have an argument or an idea and a reasoning to back that argument. You can substantiate it through a real life example, a statistic, an authentic committee or organisational report etc. 

For example, if you are arguing that Capital punishment is an expensive form of justice, you should be able to given an example or a statistic or Law Commission’s opinion as to how the subjects of death penalty are overwhelmingly from poor communities. 

Statistics, examples, expert opinions and constitutional provisions are crucial and they make your arguments authoritative. 

Concluding an Essay 

Conclusion needs to be on  a futuristic, optimistic note. You need to summarise the complete essay in 3-4 sentences, after which you can write your vision for future. 

You can source some useful terms from the speeches of PM Modi. Phrases like  Sabka   saath   sabka   vikas ,  Reform-Perform-Transform, Building A New India  etc can come handy.  Rhetoric, lofty expressions, constitutional ideals, sanskrit slokas and quotes are a good way to conclude your essay. 

But suppose in your introduction, if you had written about a fictitious character, then it’s always advisable to end your write-up with a reference to that character. It gives a sense of completeness to the essay. 

Readers should keep in mind that these notes are written rather haphazardly (I mean who makes notes thinking that in future, they might have to upload them publicly :D)  

They are fragmented in certain pages, so you may not be able to comprehend them completely, but nevertheless I hope you take home something useful.  

Link to handwritten notes: 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jmVMGOzAk2d9B5Y0HQ9XpVF5Mh2IXGku  

Quote collection:  

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jk71jLao60hHwJoTuGYaIDgJWccxa5Xn  

List of Topics one needs to prepare:  

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1q0W0PeH-80EKt6ucJTFOVPUlmXvCIzd-  

Sample Essay:    

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jqfUi1FXdG0icBdJpdQvwH1wlAizCMvo  

https://anudeepdurishetty.in/my-upsc-marksheet/

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Important UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years: Download PDF

Annesha Deb ,

Mar 4, 2024 | UPSC CSAT

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The judiciary, economics, society, government policies, geography, science and technology, and federalism are some areas for UPSC essay topics. Students have to answer 1 essay topic from Sections A and B.

The UPSC Essay Topics 2023 are segmented into two sections - Section A and B with 4 topics each. The topics are "Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team", "Visionary decision-making at the intersection of intuition and logic", "Not all who wander are lost".

UPSC essay topics are from various areas: Administration, Democracy/India since Independence, Judiciary, Economics, Federalism, Decentralisation, Indian culture and Society, Environment, Socialisation, and Science & Technology. The essay questions are part of civil services mains exams. Each essay topic must be written within 1000 to 1200 words. 

Table of Contents

• UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years PDFs: Download Link

UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years

How to prepare for upsc essay topics, upsc essay topics from previous years pdfs.

In the table below are the UPSC essay topics from the previous years. These are the official PDFs. Students can download the PDFs by clicking on the links. 

UPSC essay topics are divided into two sections: Sections A and B. Students have to choose their desired topic. There are 4 topics in each section. Here are the UPSC essay topics from 2023 to 2014. 

UPSC Essay Topics 2023

Upsc essay topics 2022, upsc essay topics 2021, upsc essay topics 2020, upsc essay topics 2019, upsc essay topics 2018, upsc essay topics 2017, upsc essay topics 2016, upsc essay topics 2015, upsc essay topics 2014.

• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team 
• Visionary decision-making at the intersection of intuition and logic
• Not all who wander are lost
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane
• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands - two equally harmful disciplines
• Mathematics is the music of reason
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity
• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school
• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence.
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man.
• A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ship is for.
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• You cannot step twice in the same river.
• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

Also Check : UPSC Toppers Answer Sheet: Download PDF

• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. 
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me. 
• Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
• The real is rational and the rational is real.
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge! 
• History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.
• There are better practices to "best practices".

Also Check : How to Crack UPSC?

• 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. 
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have.
• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless.
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality.
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations.

Also Check : Easiest Optional Subjects for UPSC

• Wisdom finds truth.
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
• 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.
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India.
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.
• Management of Indian border disputes-a complex task.
• The past' is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both.
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India. 
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India.
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.
• Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world? 
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• Fulfilment of 'new woman' in India is a myth.
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws.
• Social media' is inherently a selfish medium. 
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered.
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.
• Water disputes between States in federal India.
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. 
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality.
• Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run.
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality.
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
• Quick but steady wins the race. 
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
•  Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever  devil. 
• Technology cannot replace manpower. 
• Crisis faced in India - moral or economic.
• Dreams which should not let India sleep.
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth ?
• With greater power comes greater responsibility.
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? 
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? 
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India?
• Tourism Can this be the next big thing for India?

Preparation for UPSC essay topics is important. One hundred twenty-five marks are allotted to each topic, and the total marks for the paper are 250. 

Therefore, here are some of the preparation tips:

• Research for Topics: Students are advised to review the popular essay topics. Do a thorough research on the topic and support the essay with facts. 
• List Down the Topics: Once the topics are gathered, students must divide them into judiciary, polity, administration, society, economics, etc. This process helps in collecting supporting information quickly. 
• Know the Latest Events: UPSC essay topics are usually from the latest events. The knowledge of events is tested; students must watch the news or read Pratiyogita Darpan to know the latest events. 
• Practice Writing: The writing has to be fast and precise. Students must choose a topic, start writing on it, and time themselves. 
• Proofread: Students must also proofread their essay topics if there are mistakes that will cost them a deduction of marks.

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