01  ETHICS ·       The paper consists of twelve questions with these divided into two sections. Before 2018, there were fourteen questions, though now the complexity has been increased and the number of questions has been reduced. ·       All the questions are compulsory. ·       The questions are of 10 marks and 20 marks depending on the length of the answer required. The 10 marks questions need answers within 150 words while the 20 marks questions need answers within 250 words. ·       The total marks allotted to this paper are 250 marks. ·       The questions are of two types: ü Conceptual understanding based questions to test the candidate’s understanding of ethical issues and concepts related to integrity and aptitude (125 marks). ü Case studies based questions to test the candidate’s application of those concepts to situations involving the candidate and other stakeholders such as politicians, pressure groups, the public and other people (125 marks) ·       This paper is highly open ended and the most variable of all the four General Studies Papers and the nature of questions vary widely from year to year. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the syllabus, and the last few year’s patterns as well. ·       It is highly recommended that students must attempt the case studies first as it is time consuming area. ·       In Mains 2018 only we Predicted the same Thirukkural that was asked in GS 4. What does this quotations mean to you in the present context: “Falsehood takes the place of truth when it results in unblemished common good.”- Tirukkural. (150 words). (UPSC MAINS GS-4 2018). Strategy for Ethics and Integrity (UPSC GS-IV) General Studies Paper IV (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude) is BOTH an easy paper and tough paper for the same reason. One must be well versed the micro-level nuances of the expectations w.r.t. this specific paper. ·       Understand the demand of syllabus – UPSC mentions that “ This 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. Questions may utilize the case study approach to determine these aspects”. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the ‘ethical competence‘, but not the ‘knowledge about ethics‘. ·       Overall, scoring in ethics paper is a game of keywords, awareness about self, and ability to project oneself as an individual who is pragmatic and productive while being committed to personal and professional ethics. ·       The nature of examination is of generalist kind. Hitherto UPSC has been asking questions that require the application of common sense while keeping ethical principles in mind. ·       Scoring well in ethics paper is the sine qua non for ESCALATING your RANK in final list and getting one’s desired service. Like the essay paper, this paper offers maximum returns. With CORRECT strategy one can easily score good marks. ·       Read only TWO BOOKS ISSUED BY OUR INSTITUTE. Our Class notes are highly dependable and time saver. ·       Ethics answer writing is wordplay of key jargons. Make a list of key jargons. Workout all previous year papers. Prepare a Definition for Each of the Terms with illustrations. If the question pertains to a specific ethical value, you must introduce the answer with a crisp definition, followed by an example. The definition can be a personal one, reflecting what it means to you. ·       Incorporate examples from current, social issues, professional life, your areas of interest etc. Examples related to Administration – Civil Services form the core of answer writing in Ethics paper. For Example – Khemka Syndrome, Sagayam IAS – Incidents. Examples are what make your answer come alive. Without them, an ethics answer would be a pointless theoretical rambling. ·       Use PICTORIAL TOOLS in Ethics to be innovative and unique. This will give you a competitive edge over others. ·       Also, be ready to use a hypothetical situation if there are no real-life examples or anecdotes. Always start such examples with SUPPOSE….. ASSUME…. and so on. *To illustrate, for a question on ‘conflict of interest’, you can write an example as suppose an IAS officer is a part of an interview panel. While taking interviews, he/she discovers that a candidate is a son of his friend. Then that IAS officer should disclose that fact. He should abstain from taking interview of that candidate. *These kinds of scenarios have to be created in the exam hall depending upon the nature of the question. So, that kind of thinking has to be developed beforehand. ·       One more important tip – every case study you solve is a hypothetical scenario. So, you can use the case studies you may have practiced as hypothetical scenarios for your answers in the exam. ·       There is never a set answer for a case study. The idea should be to learn from the format: * Actors * Dilemmas * Answer Body * Points * Keywords * Theory * Diagram * Conclusion ·       Try to provide practical solutions. Ideal solutions, if unworkable, would not fetch you marks. Give out-of-the-box yet practical solutions. ·       Try to provide specific solutions. Avoid generalized solutions. To illustrate, don’t say, “I would take steps to promote transparency. Mention how you would promote transparency. ·       When you are asked to give all the options available to you – give even the most undesirable course of action as one of the options. However, don’t choose that option. To illustrate, in a case that mentions the offer of a bribe to you, mention ‘acceptance of bribe’ as one of the options. But prefer the options that entail ‘rejection of bribe’. ·          Do not touch upon only core issues. Also, touch upon peripheral issues in a case study. To illustrate, suppose a case study in which “you are the head of the committee investigating the irregularities of colleges. You are in the dilemma whether to recommend for the derecognition of college and spoil the career prospects of students or to recommend their regularization in the light of future of thousands of students. You have been offered a bribe of Rs. 5 crores.” In this case study, a core issue is ‘whether to regularize colleges’. Most candidates would just address this issue in their answer. However, there is another issue, the ‘peripheral issue’, that is, the offer of a bribe. Try to address that issue as well. While addressing bribe issue, please don’t just say – “I won’t accept the bribe”. Also, say – “I would lodge a complaint against the person who has offered me the bribe”. ·       Let your solutions try to balance conflicting options as much as possible. (Caution – such balancing may not happen always). Consider the examples mentioned in the previous point. Most candidates would say, either “I shall recommend derecognition of colleges because errant colleges have to be punished” or “I shall recommend for regularization of colleges because of the future of students”. Rather, try to think of a solution that penalizes the colleges and at the same time rescues the career prospects of thousands of students. One such solution can be – allowing already enrolled students to finish their course and recognizing their degrees while prohibiting any fresh admissions. Or, accommodation of students of such colleges in other recognized colleges. ·       Last but not the least – Ethics paper has an emphasis on articulation and practical examples, which comes only with adequate practice. Besides, case studies across the years tend to have similar themes and ideas. So answering a lot of these beforehand will give you a sense of confidence to tackle any type of question.

02  ESSAY An essay is “Any short composition in prose that undertakes to discuss a matter, express a point of view, or persuade us to accept a thesis on any subject.”- M.H. Abrams, American literary critic.           “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. Securing approximately more than 50% of the marks is considered good. Hence 125+ is a good mark in this paper while 110-125 is considered average. Points to Ponder ·       Your essay should be understandable to the general people who have no idea about the issue- hence the language should be simple yet grammatically correct and express your opinion exactly. ·       Before you attempt writing an essay, make a rough draft. It should be an overall structure inclusive of all the points that are going to be discussed in detail in the essay. ·       Use ornamental language very judiciously as it can backfire instead of being appreciated. There should be a balance between the simplicity of the essay and the ornamentation such that it keeps the readers hooked while giving them a vivid idea about your perception. ·       You never get a second chance to give First Impression. Pay attention to your introduction and conclusion. The introduction should make the person curious to read further while the conclusion should remind the person of everything the essay has covered so far, in a nutshell. 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. A good way to start your essay is to have that touch of humanity and warmth in your introduction. ·       The tone of the essay should be impersonal-your opinion should be voiced with logical backup but must be done such that it does not express disdain or disregard of other views on the same subject. ·       Read through the editorial sections of The Hindu, Indian Express and Livemint. There will be essays on different topics by renowned writers and editors. Try to grasp their writing style and implement some of them in your work. Keep a track of key jargons used in editorials. Make notes of good phrases, idioms, and words you come across while reading and also search their exact meaning. ·       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. Structuration of essay This is a crucial part of essay writing where aspirants often fail to maintain coherence. However, if you make it a habit to create a rough draft of the subheadings and framework, you can easily complete the essay in three hours while maintaining a crisp flow throughout. ·       Instead of loosely arranged lengthy paragraphs, let your essay be made of simple lucid short paragraphs packed tightly with content. ·       The paragraphs should be hooked logically. (i.e) transition smoothly from one para to the next is must. This can be done in three ways. 1.    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. 2.    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. 3.    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. Don’ts in essay writing ·       Don’t write in points or bulleting. Essays should be in a paragraph form. ·       Do not focus excessively on only one point- this will be interpreted as being biased towards a particular perspective or idea. The essay will as a result lack multi-dimensional depth. ·       We can get carried away while writing about a topic we are passionate about. However, in IAS mains essay you have to strictly ensure that your passion or perception does not get expressed through your write-up. ·       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. ·       Avoid being too personal and name politicians or political parties. On selection, the aspirant is going to be a bureaucrat, not a politician. ·       Don’t use quotes just for the sake. 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.