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100 Solved Past Papers Essays, CA and PA Questions for CSS and PMS

100 Solved Past Papers Essays and CA and PA Questions for CSS and PMS Aspirants

These 100 solved past papers essays and CA and PA questions will help CSS and PMS aspirants learn the art of writing essays and attempting 20-Marks questions to score high and qualify for the exams.

How to attempt a 20-Mark question? How to pattempt a 20-Marks question in the compulsory and optional subjects to score the highest marks? How to outline arguments and ideas in a 20-Marks question? How to write the body paragraph of a 20-Marks question? How to write an argumentative essay to qualify for this paper? How to write a descriptive essay to qualify for this paper? How to write expository (fact-based) essay to qualify for this paper? How to write an essay’s outline in the CSS and PMS examinations? These have been the hottest questions for nearly every serious competitive aspirant. Unfortunately, none in Pakistan has ever produced relevant and quality solved past papers to help aspirants understand what and how to write to score high and qualify for the exams. As a result, nearly 90 % of the aspirants fail their essay papers straight away. And almost 70 % remain unable to cross 50 marks in their compulsory and optional papers. In this blog, we have gathered nearly 100 CSS and PMS solved essays, Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs questions attempted by Sir Syed Kazim Ali students, who have been scoring the highest marks in these subjects for years. All these solved essays and past papers questions’ link have been taken from Cssprepforum , Pakistan’s most credible and trusted website among millions of competitive aspirants.

Writing has undoubtedly been the base through which CSS and PMS examiners evaluate aspirants’ opinions and knowledge. The better the English writing and presentation skills, the higher the chances of succeeding in the examinations. Simply, writing skills have been the only vehicle an aspirant possesses to transfer his arguments, ideas, and viewpoints on a specific topic to his examiner. So, presenting your arguments coherently, fluently, and relevantly is, undoubtedly, the key to success in the CSS and PMS examinations in Pakistan. No matter whether you are going to take the following CSS and PMS attempt or you have just planned to prepare for them, these 100 Must Read essays and Pakistan Affairs and Current Affairs solved past papers by the highest scorers will definitely help you know the following:

• ✓ How to understand the topics
• ✓ How to break the topics down
• ✓ How to outline your arguments or ideas
• ✓ How to start a 20-Marks question to score high marks
• ✓ How to start an essay to qualify for the CSS and PMS
• ✓ How to write body paragraphs
• ✓ What is unity and coherence in writing
• ✓ How to connect sentences and paragraphs
• ✓ And much more

All the solved past paper questions have been written by Sir Syed Kazim Ali’s students, who have been scoring the highest marks in essays and other compulsory and optional papers because of their writing and presentation skills. Moreover, all the write-ups are evaluated by Sir Syed Kazim Ali, the best CSS and PMS English essay and precis teacher with the highest success rate of his students.

CSS and PMS Solved Essays

The followings are the CSS and PMS past papers essays solved by Sir Syed Kazim Ali students, who scored the highest marks in the essay paper. They are uploaded to help CSS and PMS aspirants know how to develop an outline, write introductory paragraphs, and present their arguments. Click on any to continue reading.

• ✓ Bureaucracy Doldrums | CSS 2021 Solved Essay
• ✓ Is Gender Equality a Myth | CSS 2013 & 2016 Solved Essay
• ✓ Almost Always, the Creative Dedicated Minority has Made the World Better | 2022 PMS KPK Essay
• ✓ Meaning Purposive Education | CSS 2021 Solved Essay
• ✓ Money and Success do not Change People; They Merely Amplify What is Already There | 2022 PMS KPK Solved Essay
• ✓ Can Foreign Aid Help a Country Achieve Economic Stability | CSS 2016 Solved Essay
• ✓ IMF Bailouts: Roads to Stability or Recipes for Disaster | CSS 2020 Solved Essay
• ✓ Islamophobia: Causes and Consequences | Essay for CSS & PMS
• ✓ Pros and Cons of Globalization for Pakistan | Essay of CSS & PMS
• ✓ Crisis of Good Governance in Pakistan: Causes, Impacts, and Remedies | Essay for CSS & PMS
• ✓ Artificial Intelligence: its Merits and Demerits | Essay for CSS & PMS
• ✓ The Overpopulation Crisis in Pakistan: Impacts, Causes, and Suggestions | Essay for CSS and PMS
• For more solved essays visit CSS Essays

CSS and PMS Solved Pakistan Affairs

The followings are the CSS Pakistan Affairs solved past papers questions attempted by Sir Syed Kazim Ali students, who scored the highest marks in the paper. They are uploaded to help CSS and PMS aspirants know how to deal and attempt a 20-Marks question to score high. Click on any to continue reading.

• Discuss the Role of Regional and Nationalist Political Parties in Pakistani Politics. How Far these Parties are Necessary for the Political System | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Discuss the Federal Structure of 1973 Constitution of Pakistan after 18th amendment. Why criticism on 18th Amendment Started Recently? | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Evaluate the factional politics of the early years(1947-58) and their impact on the democratic process of Pakistan. | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Every state designs its foreign policy on its National interests rejecting feelings and emotions. Why did Pakistan prefer emotions, feelings, and ideology in its foreign policy? Also, analyze its impact. | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• What is the volume of grants, aid, and loans in Pakistan’s economy in the last ten years to stimulate growth? Discuss. | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Why did Pakistan join Western Defense Pacts? What cost does it have to pay for that? Explain. | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Discuss the issues and mistrust in US-Pakistan relations after the withdrawal of the US troops from Afghanistan. | CSS 2022 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Enumerate the measures adopted by HEC for promotion of higher education and qualitative research in Pakistan. | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• How CPEC phase II will galvanize industrialization and employment in Pakistan? | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Discuss the Significance of Renewable Energy Resources for Pakistan. | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• How Pakistan should combat the 5th generation war? | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Political stability is mandatory for economic prosperity in Pakistan. Elaborate. | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Critically Evaluate the Evolution of Muslim Separate Identity in the Sub-Continent. | CSS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• How the reform movement of Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi influenced the history of Muslim India? | CSS 2020 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• what are the major provisions of Simla Agreement (1972) between Pakistan and India? How it was helpful for the establishment of durable peace in the region? | CSS 2020 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• What is meant by the term “Proxy War”? Are there any extrinsic factors at play in the internal security situation of Pakistan? | CSS 2020 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Discuss the features of the political culture of Pakistan. | CSS 2020 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• What are the main causes of the energy crisis in Pakistan? What measures do you suggest to address it? | CSS 2020 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Critically examine the Congress Ministries of 1937. How far is it correct to suggest that it paved the way for a separate Muslim homeland in India? | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• How far the nature of the centre province relation has changed under various constitutional amendments? Evaluate. | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• How Far Has The Nature Of Centre-Province Relations Changed Under Various Amendments To The 1973 Constitution? | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• What are the main causes of energy crisis in Pakistan? What measure do you recommend to address it ? | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Critically analyze the key causes of delaying in the construction of dams in Pakistan. Give some suggestions to revert this Collateral loss. | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Efficient use of natural resources can make Pakistan a prosperous nation. Discuss in the light of present situation of Pakistan | CSS 2019 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Enumerate the measures adopted by Pakistan to spotlight the plight of Kashmiri people in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir after 5th August 2019.
• Critically evaluate the foundations of Allama Iqbal’s concept of Muslim separatism in the context of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent. | CSS 2018 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Discuss the role of the judiciary in the constitutional development of Pakistan | CSS 2017 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Give an account of the life and services of Shah Waliullah. How did he save the Indian Muslims from political annihilation and religious degeneration? | CSS 2016 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Critically analyze the elections of 1937 and the sufferings and grievances of the Muslims under the Congress rule in the provinces (1937-1939). How much did it help in popularizing the idea of a separate Muslim state in India? | CSS 2016 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Keeping in view the diverse Muslim reformist Movements of the subcontinent, delineate the sequential unity in the formulation of the ideology of Pakistan. | CSS 2009 Solved Pakistan Affairs
• Critically evaluate the foundations of Allama Iqbal’s concept of Muslim separatism in the context of the Indo-Pak Subcontinent.
• Aligarh Movement injected a new life into the dead body of the Muslim nation and helped to regain its lost glory and prestige. Discuss.
• Introductory Paragraphs Writing Practice On Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi By Sir Kazim’s Students
• Introductory Paragraphs Writing Practice On Sir Syed Ahmad Khan By Sir Kazim’s Students
• Role Of Mujadid Alif Sani, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, For CSS and PMS Aspirants
• What Were The Effects Of Reforms Of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi On Muslim Society?
• What Were The Influence Of Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi Reforms?
• Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi’s Contribution To Indian Muslim
• Role Of Mujadid Alf Sani For Edification of Muslims Of Sub-Continent and His Impact On Society
• What Was The Contribution Of Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi To Sub-Continent Muslims?
• Mujadid Alif Sani, The Revivalist Whose Efforts Saved Sub-Continent Muslims
• What Were The Impacts Of The Reforms Of Mujadid Alif Sani On Muslim Society?
• Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, The Man Who Revived Islam And Save Sub-Continent Muslims
• Highlight The Contributions Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi Rendered For Sub-Continent Muslims
• Role Of Mujadid Alif Sani In The Revival Of Muslims In Sub-Continent
• Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi Services Through The Eyes Of CSS Aspirants
• The Services Of Mujadid Alif Sani, Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi, For The Sub-Continent Muslims
• Effects Of Social Reforms Of Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindi On Muslim Society In The Sub Continent
• Sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi And His Impacts On Muslims Society And Politics
• Shaikh Ahmed Sirhindi Influence on Indian Muslims
• What Influence Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi Has Left On The History Of Muslims Of India? Discuss Critically.
• How Did The Reform Movement Of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi Influence The History Of Muslim India?
• Poverty in Pakistan: Impacts, Causes, and Way Forwards
• Bad Governance In Pakistan: Issues, Challenges, and Way Forward
• What influence Mujadid-Alf-Sani have on the history of Muslims of India?
• How did the reform movement of Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi influence the history of Muslim India?

CSS and PMS Solved CURRENT AFFAIRS

The followings are the CSS Current Affairs solved past papers questions attempted by Sir Syed Kazim Ali students, who scored the highest marks in the paper. They are uploaded to help CSS and PMS aspirants know how to deal and attempt a 20-Marks question to score high. Click on any to continue reading.

• China Pakistan economic corridor will have lasting impacts on Pakistan Saudi Arabia relations.
• Discuss the instrument and techniques of Hybrid warfare in the context of Pakistan and give suitable recommendations to overcome hybrid warfare.
• Given the evolving global alignments and changing nature of major-power relationships, what is the future of globalism and multilateralism?
• Whether the “Track-II Diplomacy” can be fruitful to resolve Kashmir Issue? Discuss
• Has OIC failed to bring the Muslim Ummah closer and secure its interests?
• Analyze the determinants of Pakistan’s foreign policy?
• The true role of OIC will help strengthen the Muslim world and effectively make them fight Islamophobia. Discuss
• Islamophobia: causes and consequences
• Highlight the political ideas of Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his efforts to inculcate those ideas into the youth of Kashmir
• What is the National Action Plan, and highlight its relevancy and performance so far?
• National Disintegration In Pakistan: Causes, Impacts, and Way Forwards
• Political Instability in Pakistan: Causes, Impacts, and Remedies
• Role of Media in Pakistan: Merits and Demerits
• How can corruption elimination be made a part of the governance systems of Pakistan?
• Corruption in Pakistan, its causes, impacts, and practicable measures
• How can corruption be managed in Pakistan?
• The Foreign policy of Pakistan: issues, challenges, and solutions
• National disintegration in Pakistan: causes, impacts, and solutions
• Corruption in Pakistan: Issues, Challenges, and Way Forward
• The issue of central importance about corruption and accountability in Pakistan is the increase in corruption despite six decades of efforts to eradicate it. Analyze and comment on the root causes of rampant corruption in society.
• How did corruption affect Pakistan’s socio-economic fabric? What are its causes and impacts, and what suggestions you put forward to mitigate them?
• The Overpopulation Crisis in Pakistan: Impacts, Causes, and Suggestions

About the author

Shahzad Faisal Malik is the administrator of CSSTimes.pk and is responsible for managing the content, design, and overall direction of the blog. He has a strong background in Competitive Exams and is passionate and sharing information with others. Shahzad Faisal Malik has worked as a Graphic Designer/Content Creator at CSSTimes in the past. In his free time, Shahzad Faisal Malik enjoys watching Cricket, writing blogs for different websites and is always on the lookout for new and interesting content to share with the readers of this website. As the website administrator, Shahzad Faisal Malik is dedicated to providing high-quality content and fostering a welcoming and engaging community for readers. He looks forward to connecting with readers and hearing their thoughts and feedback on the website.

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• Topic Wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains 1994 2018

Last 25 Years Topic-wise Essay Questions From UPSC Mains (1994 - 2018)

Paper I of the UPSC Civil Services mains exam is the Essay. Here, prelims-qualified IAS aspirants have to write two essays out of a few given topics. The paper is for a total of 250 marks and its marks are taken into consideration for the Final Merit List. In this article, we have listed all the essay topics asked in the UPSC mains exam from 1994 to 2018. We have also classified the last 25 years essay questions into topics to make your preparation easier.

Latest – See the UPSC Essay Topics in the IAS Mains 2020 Essay Paper. Download UPSC Mains 2020 Essay Paper from the linked article.

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UPSC Essay Topics

Administration.

• Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. (1994)
• Politics without ethics is a disaster. (1995)
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy. (1996)
• Need for transparency in public administration. (1996)
• The country’s need for a better disaster management system. (2000)
• How should a civil servant conduct himself? (2003)

Democracy/India since independence

• Whither Indian democracy? (1995)
• What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. (1997)
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? (2000)
• What have we gained from our democratic set-up? (2001)
• How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? (2003)
• National identity and patriotism. (2008)
• In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy. (2012)
• Is the colonial mentality hindering India’s success? (2013)
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. (2015)
• Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task. (2018)

Economic growth and development

• Resource management in the Indian context. (1999)
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country. (2013)
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? (2014)
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. (2015)
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. (2016)
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. (2016)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. (2016)
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. (2017)

Federalism, Decentralisation

• The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. (1998)
• Water resources should be under the control of the central government. (2004)
• Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. (2007)
• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? (2007)
• Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication. (2011)
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality. (2016)
• Water disputes between States in federal India. (2016)

Indian Culture & Society

• The Indian society at the crossroads. (1994)
• New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion. (1996)
• The composite culture of India. (1998)
• Youth culture today. (1999)
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. (2000)
• Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? (2000)
• As civilization advances culture declines. (2003)
• From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? (2010)
• Judicial activism. (1997)
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy. (2004)
• Justice must reach the poor. (2005)

Social justice/Poverty

• Reservation, politics and empowerment. (1999)
• Food security for sustainable national development. (2005)
• The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. (2009)
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for the majority of farmers in India. (2017)
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. (2018)

Media & Society

• Misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. (1998)
• Mass media and cultural invasion. (1999)
• Responsibility of media in a democracy. (2002)
• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? (2007)
• Role of media in good governance. (2008)
• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? (2011)
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? (2014)

Environment/Urbanisation

• Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. (1997)
• Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. (2006)
• Urbanisation and its hazards. (2008)
• Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? (2010)
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. (2017)

Economic sectors/MNCs

• Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs. (1994)
• Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. (2006)
• BPO boom in India. (2007)
• Special economic zone: boon or bane? (2008)
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? (2009)
• Is the criticism that the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified? (2012)
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? (2014)
• Restructuring of Indian education system. (1995)
• Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. (1996)
• Irrelevance of the classroom. (2001)
• Privatization of higher education in India. (2002)
• Modern technological education and human values. (2002)
• What is real education? (2005)
• “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. (2006)
• Independent thinking should be encouraged right from the childhood. (2007)
• Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses? (2008)
• Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges. (2011)
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? (2014)
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? (2014)
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. (2015)
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. (2017)
• The new emerging women power: the ground realities. (1995)
• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. (1997)
• Woman is god’s best creation. (1998)
• Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. (1999)
• Empowerment alone cannot help our women. (2001)
• Whither women’s emancipation? (2004)
• If women ruled the world. (2005)
• The hand that rocks the cradle. (2005)
• Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. (2006)
• Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal? (2012)
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered. (2016)
• Fulfillment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. (2017)

Quotes-based/Philosophy

• Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret. (1994)
• Useless life is an early death. (1994)
• Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. (1995)
• When money speaks, the truth is silent. (1995)
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. (1995)
• Truth is lived, not taught. (1996)
• True religion cannot be misused. (1997)
• Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. (2002)
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave. (2002)
• If youth knew, if age could. (2002)
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. (2003)
• Be the change you want to see in others. (2013)
• With greater power comes greater responsibility. (2014)
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. (2014)
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. (2015)
• “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. (2018)
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. (2018)
• Attitude makes habit, habit makes character and character makes a man. (2007)
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin. (2008)
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. (2015)
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. (2016)
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. (2017)
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. (2018)
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. (2018)
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life. (2018)

Globalisation

• Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. (1994)
• The world of the twenty-first century. (1998)
• The implications of globalization for India. (2000)
• My vision of an ideal world order. (2001)
• The masks of new imperialism. (2003)
• Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. (2004)
• ‘Globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’. (2009)
• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. (2010)

Science & Tech

• The modern doctor and his patients. (1997)
• Value-based science and education. (1999)
• The march of science and the erosion of human values. (2001)
• Spirituality and scientific temper. (2003)
• The lure of space. (2004)
• Science and Mysticism: Are they compatible? (2012)
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation. (2013)
• Technology cannot replace manpower. (2015)
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. (2018)

Internet/IT

• The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. (2000)
• Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. (2006)
• Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run. (2016)
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium. (2017)

International organisations/relations

• Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities. (1996)
• India’s role in promoting ASEAN cooperation. (2004)
• Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement. (2006)
• Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world. (2017)
• Terrorism and world peace. (2005)
• Are we a ‘soft’ state? (2009)
• Good fences make good neighbours. (2009)
• In the Indian context, both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism. (2011)

Miscellaneous

• India’s contribution to world wisdom. (1998)
• The pursuit of excellence. (2001)
• Geography may remain the same; history need not. (2010)
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? (2014)
• Quick but steady wins the race. (2015)

When preparing for IAS Mains, aspirants must focus on UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practise as this will improve one’s speed, efficiency and writing skills. It will automatically help in essay writing as well. 

Also, read:

Frequently Asked Questions on UPSC Essay Topics for UPSC Mains

Q 1. how can i write a good essay in upsc, q 2. does handwriting matter in upsc.

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Essay (UPSC Mains) – Previous Year Questions

• Thinking is like a game; it does not begin unless there is an opposite team.
• Visionary decision-making happens 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.

Value based / Ethical Issues

• 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.

Philosophical

• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• You can not step twice in the same river.
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for.

Miscellaneous / Mixed

• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence. (Environment / Economics)
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world ( Literature / Socio-political-economic impacts)
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man ( History / Values / Philosophy)
• 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.

History / Culture

• History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

Science and Technology

• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• There are better practices to “best practices”. ( Multiple Themes )
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. ( Philosophy / Technology)
• 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.

Social Issues

• 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 ( Technology / International Relation ).
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
• Wisdom finds truth.
• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.

Science & Technology

• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
• A people that value its privileges above its principles lose both.
• “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life.
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.

Environment

• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India.

IR & Security

• Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task.
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium Domain.
• Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multi-polar world Domain.
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India Domain. ( Agriculture )
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India Domain.
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.

Polity & Governance

• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws Domain.
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered.
• Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run Domain.
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
• Water disputes between states in federal India Domain.
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality India.
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. ( Technology / Economy)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare Domain. ( Technology / Economy / Social Sector)
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
• Quick but steady wins the race.
• Technology cannot replace manpower.
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth?
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. ( Education / Ethics)
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. ( Morality / Economics)
• With greater power comes greater responsibility.
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy?
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India?
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
• Are the standardized tests, good measure of academic ability or progress?
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. ( Multiple themes )
• Fifty Gold’s in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? ( Sports / Governance )
• Be the change you want to see in others – Gandhiji
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation.
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the well-being of a country.
• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? ( History / Culture / Growth & Development / Ethics )

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CSS 2023 Solved English Précis and Composition Paper

• Syed Kazim Ali
• February 2, 2023
• CSS Solved Precis
• 43581 Views

CSS 2023 Solved English Précis and Composition Paper | Are you looking for CSS 2023 solved English Précis and Composition Paper? Here is the paper solved by Sir Syed Kazim Ali

Whether it is CSS or PMS, English papers in both examinations are divided into essays and precis. To talk about the precis paper, aspirants think that learning grammar books and memorizing some error rules can help them qualify for this paper. So, they keep practising sentence corrections and grammar exercises from various books, which do not help them crack the paper in the examination. English, for sure, has dozens of cryptic grammatical rules, many of which the CSS PMS examiner does not test. But, without any doubt, the CSS and PMS precis papers are not set out to test grammar rules; they, instead, are set up to check your clarity of the written expression and your language sense. So, as long as you do not learn the functionality of the parts of speech, sentence structuring, appropriate vocabulary usage, and English grammar from basic to advanced level, you cannot crack this paper.

Let’s consider the following sentences

• Crossing the road, a motorbike almost struck me. 

The sentence is wrong because it does not communicate the intended meaning to the examiner. The grammatical meaning of the sentence is that a motorbike was crossing the road . However, the intended meaning is that as I crossed the road, a motorbike almost struck me . 

• Similar to a floppy disk, data is usually stored in the hard disk in sectors .

The sentence is wrong because it also does not communicate the intended meaning to the examiner. The grammatical meaning of the sentence is that the data is similar to a floppy disk . However, the intended meaning is that “ Similar to a floppy disk, the hard drive stores data in sectors. ”

To help CSS and PMS aspirants understand how to attempt the precis paper, I have solved the CSS 2023 Precis and Composition paper. You will find the solution in the following order: 

• ✓  Sentence Correction
• ✓  Pair of Words
• ✓  Prepositions 
• ✓  Punctuation 
• ✓  Translation
• ✓  Precis 
• ✓  Comprehension 

CSS 2023 Solved Sentence Correction

Sentence correction – 1.

His knowledge of languages and international relations aid him in his work.

Sentence Correction

His knowledge of languages and international relations aids him in his work.

Explanation 

If a prepositional phrase comes between the subject and the verb of a sentence, it usually leads non-natives to commit subject-verb agreement errors. If it comes, you always have to see the subject coming before the preposition in a prepositional phrase; if the subject is singular, the verb is singular, and so on. Similarly, in this sentence, a prepositional phrase is put between the subject and verb of the sentence, which has nothing to do with the main verb of the sentence. And the subject of the sentence is singular, so you just need to place a singular verb, “Aids”, to correct the sentence.

Sentence Correction – 2

The ambassador, with his family and staff, invite you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday afternoon.

The ambassador, with his family and staff, invites you to a reception at the embassy on Tuesday afternoon.

Explanation

If two singular or plural subjects are connected with any of the following words, we always place the verb and the pronoun according to the first subject.

Subject Connectors

• ✓ As well as
• ✓ In addition to
• ✓ Together with
• ✓ Along with
• ✓ Including
• ✓ Excluding
• ✓ Accompanied by
• ✓ Suggested by
• ✓ Headed by
• ✓ Guided by
• ✓ Controlled by
• ✓ 3 rd V + by

Important Note

Always remember, in this case, we always enclose the second subject within commas – because they have nothing to do with action played by the subject.

• ✓ Alia, as well as Ali, is going to watch a movie.
• ✓ Pakistan, guided by America, has decided not to engage herself again in Afghanistan.
• ✓ You, as well as I, are going to watch a movie.
• ✓ He, along with his friends, is going to watch a movie.
• ✓ India, suggested by Americans, invested a lot in Afghanistan.

Sentence Correction – 3

This year, he will sit in the CSS examination.

This year, he will sit for the CSS examination.

In this sentence, there is an issue with the phrasal verb. The phrasal verb “ Sit In ” means to attend a meeting or discussion with taking an active part in it. The other meaning of it is to occupy a place to record a protest.

However, the idiomatic expression “ Sit for an exam ” means to take an examination in a formal setting or situation.

Therefore, to correct the sentence, we just need to replace “ Sit In ” with “ Sit for ”.

• ✓ All CSS aspirants will have their personal belongings inspected before they sit for the examination to ensure that no one is able to cheat.
• ✓ It was only when Nimra sat for her final test that she realized she had left her calculator at home.
• ✓ If my teacher hadn’t convinced me to sit for the CSS examination, I would never have gotten into CSA.

Sentence Correction – 4

The Chief Executive will let us know whether or not he can attend the meeting.

The Chief Executive will let us know whether he can attend the meeting.

In this sentence, the problem exists in the expression “ Whether or not ”. Let me help you understand it. Most non-natives get confused when to use “ Whether ” and when to use “ Whether or not ”.

The use of “Whether Or Not”

We use “ Whether or not ” to give an opposite alternative. We use “ Whether or not ” when we want to mean despite , regardless , notwithstanding , etc. It presents a binary choice between two options. We use this when we want to tell somebody that something will happen regardless of whether A happens or B happens. Remember, “Whether or not” is a commonly used expression that means “regardless of whether.” A synonym for whether or not is “even if.”

• ✓ They will go to the mart whether or not it rains. They will go to the mart even if it rains.
• ✓ She will be there whether or not she is ready. She will be there even if she is not ready.
• ✓ I am going to join you tonight whether or not I finish my work. I am going to join you tonight even if I do not finish my work.
• ✓ Fatima always says what she thinks, whether or not it is polite. Fatima always says what she thinks, even if it is not polite.

The use of “Whether”

However, we use the expression “ Whether ” (without not), when we want to mean “ If ”. In this case, we use “ Whether ”, instead of “ Whether or not ”. Remember, “ Whether ” is a conjunction that we usually use to express an indirect question.

• ✓ My brother still does not have an idea whether (if) the mail has arrived. (Did the mail arrive?)
• ✓ I called the hotel to see whether (if) they take reservations in advance. (Do they take reservations?)
• ✓ He is not sure whether (if) his answer was good enough to be published. (Will his answer be published?)

When to use “Whether” and when to use “Whether or not”

If the sentence doesn’t make sense with “ if ,” you should use “ whether or not ”.

Thus, to correct the answer, we have to replace “ Whether or not ” with “ Whether ”.

Sentence Correction – 5

When he came back from vacation, Aslam and me plan to look for another apartment.

Correct Sentence

• ✓ When he comes back from vacation, Aslam and I will plan to look for another apartment.
• ✓ When he returns from vacation, Aslam and I will plan to look for another apartment.
• ✓ When he came back from vacation, Aslam and I planned to look for another apartment.

In this sentence, there are multiple errors.

• ✓ Verb error in the first clause
• ✓ Objective case error
• ✓ Another verb error in the second clause

When we want to talk about future situations, events, plans, etc., that can be possible, we use the first conditional. In the first conditional sentences, the structure is the following:

If/When/Unless/As long as/As soon as + Present Simple + Present Indefinite Tense

• ✓ When (if) my brother arrives, I will leave.
• ✓ When (if) I get a good job, I will buy you something expensive.

Thus, to correct the sentence, we have to replace “ Came Back ” with “ Comes Back or Returns ”, and “ Plan to look ” with “ Will Plan to Look ”.

Sentence Correction – 6

If some of you make a noise, they shall be punished.

If some of you make a noise, you shall be punished.

Sentence Correction – 7

He came to me to enquire what is the salary attached to the appointment.

Sentence Correction 

He came to me to enquire what the salary is attached to the appointment.

In this sentence, there is an error in the use of a noun clause. Whether a noun clause works as a subject or an object in a sentence, we never write this clause in interrogative form. So, to correct the sentence, we just need to place “ IS ” after the word “ Salary ”. 

Remember, the verb in a noun clause has nothing to do with the verb in the main sentence. 

Sentence Correction – 8

I am too tired that I do not hunt words and idioms in my English book.

• ✓ I am too tired to hunt words and idioms in my English book.
• ✓ I am too tired that I cannot hunt words and idioms in my English book.

In this sentence, there are two errors: a verb of possibility and “Too…To” construction.

When we use the adverb “ Too ” in the first clause, we always use a modal verb ( can, could, etc. ) in the next clause.

Moreover, the adverb “ Too ” has a negative connotation that means more than what is necessary or desired. And by reading the sentence, we can understand that the subject is tired enough that he cannot do anything.

So, to correct the sentence, we have to replace “ That I Do Not ” with “ To ” or with “ That I Cannot ”

CSS 2023 Solved Pair of Words

1- antic vs antique.

2- Drought vs Draught

3- Quaint vs Queer

4- Momentary vs Momentous

5- Compliment vs Complement

6- Eminent vs Imminent

7- Feint vs Faint

8- Immigrant vs Emigrant

CSS 2023 Solved Prepositions

Re-write the following sentences after filling in the blanks with an appropriate preposition.

The neighbours came  ______  my house to see what’s going on in the house.

Sentence with appropriate preposition

The neighbours came  to  my house to see what’s going on in the house.

The phrasal verb “ Come To ” means physically moving to a place to do an action or activity. So, the correct preposition here would be “ To ”.

She sat  _____  the shade of the tree.

• ✓ She sat  in  the shade of the tree.
• ✓ She sat  under  the shade of the tree.

The correct answer would be “She sat in/under the shade of the tree.” The use of both ‘ in’  and ‘ under’  is correct. While the natives tend to use “ in the shade of the tree ” and that’s why it is very frequently used in forming sentences in the English language. However, the use of  “under the shade of a tree”  is also grammatically correct. So, we can use both.

The moon does not shine  _____  its own light. 

The moon does not shine  by  its own light            

By + Its/Her/His/Your/One’s/Etc. + Own  means by oneself. We use this construction to show that somebody or something does or does not do something by itself. So, the correct preposition is “ By ”. 

The burglar jumped  _____  the compound wall.

The burglar jumped  over  the compound wall.

The phrasal verb “ Jump Over ” means to travel over the top of something by leaping. So, the correct preposition here would be “ Over ”.

She entered  _____  an argument with them.

She entered  into  an argument with them.

The phrasal verb  “Enter Into”  means to become involved in an activity, argument, situation, matter, or discussion. So, the correct proposition here would be “ Into ”.

I have been working hard ______ arithmetic.

I have been working hard on arithmetic.

The preposition “ On ” has many uses in the English language. However, to fill in the given blank, we must understand that we always work on a subject or skill. So, the correct proposition here would be “ On ”.

He got  _______  his bicycle.

• ✓  He got  down from  his bicycle.
• ✓  He got  down off  his bicycle. 

Get Down From  or  Get Down Off  means to come or go down from a higher to a lower position. We use these phrasal verbs to describe a person removing himself from an object relatively higher to the surface, such as a tree, ladder, roof, bicycle, bike, bus, etc. 

It cannot be done  ______  offence.

It cannot be done  without  offence.

CSS 2023 Solved Punctuation

Original paragraph.

While taking a nap on the porch one hot summer day hodja dreamed that a stranger promised to give him ten pieces of gold the stranger placed them in hodjas hand one by one until he reached the tenth piece, which he hesitated to give him come on what are you waiting for said hodja you promised me ten just then he woke up he immediately looked at this hand and saw that it was empty he quickly shut his eyes again stretched out his hand and said all right I ll settle for nine

Solved Punctuation by Sir Syed Kazim Ali

While taking a nap on the porch one hot summer day, Hodja dreamed that a stranger promised to give him ten pieces of gold. The stranger placed them in Hodja’s hand one by one until he reached the tenth piece, which he hesitated to give him. “Come on! What are you waiting for?” said Hodja. “You promised me ten!” Just then, he woke up. He immediately looked at this hand and saw that it was empty. He quickly shut his eyes again, stretched out his hand and said, “All right, I’ll settle for nine!”

CSS 2023 Solved Paragraph

Urdu paragraph.

بزرگ نے بتایا کہ جنگل کے پار ایک پہاڑ ہے جہاں وہ پھول اگتا ہے جس کی خوشبو سے آنکھوں کی کھوئی ہوئی روشنی لوٹ آتی ہے۔ مگر پہاڑ بہت بلند ہے اور اس پر بے شمار چٹانیں ہیں، کانٹے دار جھاڑیاں ہیں اوربڑے بڑے پتھر ہیں جو راستہ روک لیتے ہیں۔ اس پہاڑ پر جانے کے لیے کئی لوگ آئے اور چلے گئے مگر ایسا کوئی شخص نہیں آیا جو پھول تک پہنچا ہو۔ شاید اسی لیے دنیا میں دکھ اور تکلیف ہے اور انسان روشنی کی تلاش میں ہے

Translation by Sir Syed Kazim Ali

The sage said there is a mountain across the forest where the flower grows, whose fragrance restores the eyes’ lost light. However, the mountain is very high, with countless rocks, thorny bushes and big stones blocking the way to that. So to get their hands on that flower, a great many people came and went, but none reached that. That may be why there is grief in the world and man is searching for light.

Looking for the last ten years of CSS and PMS Solved Essays and want to know how Sir Kazim’s students write and score the highest marks in the essays’ papers? Then, click on the CSS Solved Essays to start reading them. CSS Solved Essays

CSS 2023 Solved Precis

Original passage.

On the question of freedom in education, there are at present three main schools of thought, deriving partly from differences as to ends and partly from differences in psychological theory.  There are those who say that children should be completely free, however bad they may be ; there are those who say they should be completely subject to authority, however good they may be; and  there are those who say they should be free, but in spite on freedom they should be always good.  This last party is larger than it has any logical right to be; children, like adults, will not all be virtuous if they are all free. The belief that liberty will ensure moral perfection is a relic of Rousseauism and would not survive a study of animals and babies. Those who hold this belief think that education should have no positive purpose but should merely offer an environment suitable for spontaneous development. I cannot agree with this school, which seems to me too individualistic and unduly indifferent to the importance of knowledge. We live in communities which require cooperation, and it would be utopian to expect all the necessary cooperation to result from spontaneous impulse. The existence of a large population on a limited area is only possible owing to science and technique; education must, therefore, hand on the necessary minimum of these. The educators who allow most freedom are men whose success depends upon a degree of benevolence, self-control, and trained intelligence, which can hardly be generated where every impulse is left unchecked; their merits, therefore, are not likely to be perpetuated if their methods are undiluted. Education, viewed from a social standpoint, must be something more positive than a mere opportunity for growth. It must, of course, provide this, but it must also provide a mental and moral equipment which children cannot acquire entirely for themselves.

Solved Precis

Among the three schools of thought regarding freedom in children’s education, Rousseau galvanized the third one, which states that freedom is necessary for children to be upright. However, to the author, despite being well received, this view doesn’t hold water as it overlooks the fact that children, on their own, cannot be so virtuous. Arguably, the world today not just requires impulsive intuition to be cooperative but is in dire need of a well-coordinated, self-controlled, and disciplined community. Thus, education should be of dual advantage and must provide both a map for advancement and a basis for children’s morality and upstanding.

• ✓ Title: Meaning Purposive Education
• ✓ Total word count (311)
• ✓ Total words in precis (101)

CSS Solved General Science & Ability Past Papers

Want to read the last ten years’ General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers to learn how to attempt them and to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers have been solved by  Miss Iqra Ali  &  Dr Nishat Baloch , Pakistan’s top CSS GSA coach having the highest score of their students.  General Science & Ability Solved Past Papers

CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers

Want to read CSS Pakistan Affairs Solved Past Papers and learn how to attempt them to score high? Let’s click on the link below to read them all freely. All past papers’ questions have been attempted by Sir Kazim’s students, who scored the highest in the subject. CSS Solved Pakistan Affairs

CSS Solved International Relations’ Past Papers

Have you opted for International Relations in the CSS examination and want to score above 150? Then, click on the CSS Solved International Relations’ Past Papers by  Miss Abeera Fatima , the top IR scorer and the best IR coach in Pakistan.  CSS Solved International Relations Past Papers

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UPSC Essay Topic wise Question Papers of last 31 years (1993-2023) for Civil Services IAS/IPS Exam Free Download

In the UPSC mains examination, essay paper is worth 250 marks and three hours. Here is the topic wise questions from the earlier years for the benefit of civil service IAS IPS aspirants.

1.1 India Since Independence

1.2 federalism, decentralization, 1.3 administration, 1.4 judiciary, 1.5 poverty, social justice, 1.6 indian society, culture and values, 1.7 media, tv & cinema, literature, 2.1 growth vs development, 2.2 environment vs development, 2.4 sectors of economy, 3.1 values in education, 3.2 scheme implementation, 3.3 higher education, 4.1 character, honesty, ethics, 4.2 knowledge, 4.3 compassion, 4.4 truth and reality, 4.5 youth, discipline, 4.6 towards excellence, 5.1 @national politics, 5.2 @world / quote type, 5.3 empowerment overall, 5.4 compared to men, 6.1 globalization, 6.2 international org./ bilateral, 6.3 security, 6.4 history, 7.1 science and religion, 7.2 science and education, 7.3 computer and internet, 7.4 sci-tech: others, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2023, appendix: linear paper of upsc essay 2022, appendix: model answer pe free lecture & powerpoint, appendix: syllabus of essay paper in upsc, 1 india: democracy, administration, society, culture.

• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? -2013
• In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy -2012
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. -2015
• Why should we be proud of being Indians? -2000
• Whither Indian democracy? -1995
• How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? -2003
• What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. -1997
• What have we gained from our democratic set-up? -2001
• My vision of India in 2001 a.d. -1993
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India. -2017
• Water disputes between States in federal India. -2016
• Cooperative federalism : Myth or reality. -2016
• Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative, economic and developmental implication -2011
• Evaluation of panchayati raj system in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people. -2007
• Water resources should be under the control of the central government. -2004
• The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. -1998
• There are better practices to “best practices”. -2021
• How should a civil servant conduct himself? -2003
• Politics without ethics is a disaster. -1995
• The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy -1996
• Need for transparency in public administration -1996
• The country’s need for a better disaster management system. -2000
• Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. -1994
• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws. -2017
• Justice must reach the poor -2005
• Judicial activism and Indian democracy. -2004
• Judicial activism. -1997
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।) – 2023
• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless (बिना आर्थिक समृद्धि के सामाजिक न्याय नहीं हो सकता, किन्तु बिना सामाजिक न्याय के आर्थिक समृद्धि निरर्थक है ) -2020
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness. -2019
• The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. -2009
• Food security for sustainable national development -2005
• Reservation, politics and empowerment. -1999
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have (जो हम है, वह संस्कार; जो हमारे पास है, वह सभ्यता ) -2020
• Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? -2000
• Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. -2000
• The composite culture of India. -1998
• The Indian society at the crossroads. -1994
• From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? -2010
• New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion -1996
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy. -2019
• Responsibility of media in a democracy. -2002
• Role of media in good governance -2008
• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? -2011
• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? -2007
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? -2014
• Mass media and cultural invasion. -1999
• The misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. -1998
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world (कवि संसार के अनधिकृत रूप से विधायक होते हैं) – 2022

2 Economy, Development

• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. -2018
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. -2016
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare. -2016
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms. -2016
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. -2015
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? -2014
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country-2013
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? -2015
• Resource management in the Indian context. -1999
• Economic growth without distributive justice is bound to breed violence. -1993
• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence (आर्थिक समृद्धि हासिल करने के मामले में वन सर्वोत्तम प्रतिमान होते हैं।) – 2022
• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India. -2018
• Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? -2010
• Urbanisation and its hazards -2008
• Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. -2006
• Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. -1997
• Ecological considerations need not hamper development. -1993
• Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. -2006
• Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs -1994
• Special economic zone: boon or bane -2008
• Is the criticism that the ‘Public-Private-Partnership’ (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified ?-2012
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India. -2017
• BPO boom in India. -2007
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? -2014
• Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? -2009

3 Education

• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in – school. (- शिक्षा वह है जो विद्यालय में विधालय में सीखी गई बातों को भूल जाने के बाद भी शेष रह जाती है।)
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. -2017
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil-2015
• Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the childhood. -2007
• Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? -2014
• Irrelevance of the classroom. -2001
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? -2014
• Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. -1996
• Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ? -2008
• What is real education? -2005
• “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. -2006
• Restructuring of Indian education system. -1995
• Privatization of higher education in India. -2002
• Credit – based higher education system – status, opportunities and challenges -2011

4 Quote based, Philosophy, Ethics

• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities (हर असमंजस के लिए मुस्कराहट ही चुनिन्दा साधन है) – 2022
• Philosophy of wantlessness is a Utopian, while materialism is a chimera. -2021
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me. -2021
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (सरलता चरम परिष्करण है ) -2020
• Ships don’t sink because of water around them ships sink because of water that gets into them (जहाज अपने चारों तरफ के पानी के वजह से नहीं डूबा करते, जहाज पानी के अंदर समां जाने की वजह से डूबता हैं ) -2020
• Life is a long journey between being human and being humane.  (मनुष्य होने और मानव बनने के बीच का लम्बा सफर ही जीवन है)-2020
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be -2019
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society -2019
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success -2019
• Wisdom finds truth -2019
• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both. -2018
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modem file. -2018
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed. -2016
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. -2015
• With greater power comes greater responsibility. -2014
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword. -2014
• Attitude makes, habit makes character and character makes a man. -2007
• He would reigns within himself and folds his passions and desires and fears is more than a king. -1993
• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।) – 2023
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।) – 2023
• The real is rational and the rational is real. -2021
• Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self (विचारपरक संकल्प स्वयं के शांतचित्त रहने का उत्प्रेरक है )-2020
• ‘The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values. -2018
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge. -2018
• There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. -2003
• Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. -1995
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude. -2017
• Compassion is the basic of all morality of the world -1993
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. -2015
• Be the change you want to see in others (Gandhi)-2013
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it. -2018
• Truth is lived, not taught -1996
• When money speaks, the truth is silent. -1995
• Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. -2002
• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining (छप्पर मरम्मत करने का समय तभी होता है, जब धूप खिली हुई हो) – 2022
• You cannot step twice in the same river (आप उसी नदी में दोबारा नहीं उतर सकते) – 2022
• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin -2008
• Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret -1994
• If youth knew, if age could. -2002
• Youth culture today. -1999
• Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? -2014
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।) – 2023
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।) – 2023
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है) – 2023
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) – 2022
• Quick but steady wins the race. -2015
• Useless life is an early death. -1994
• Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. -1995
• The paths of glory lead but to the grave. -2002
• The pursuit of excellence. -2001

5 Women empowerment

• Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. -1997
• Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. -2006
• The new emerging women power: the ground realities. -1995
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. -2021
• If women ruled the world -2005
• The hand that rocks the cradle -2005
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality (पितृ-सत्ता की व्यवस्था नजर मैं बहुत काम आने के बावजूद सामाजिक विषमता की सबसे प्रभावी संरचना है) -2020
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth. -2017
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered. -2016
• Whither women’s emancipation? -2004
• Empowerment alone cannot help our women. -2001
• Women empowerment: challenges and prospects. -1999
• Woman is god’s best creation. -1998
• Men have failed: let women take over. -1993
• Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal ?-2012

6 International issues, Internal Security, History

• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities. -2019
• Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. -1994
• ‘globalization’ vs. ‘nationalism’ -2009
• National identity and patriotism -2008
• Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. -2004
• The masks of new imperialism. -2003
• As civilization advances culture declines. -2003
• The implications of globalization for India. -2000
• My vision of an ideal world order. -2001
• India’s contribution to world wisdom. -1998
• The world of the twenty-first century. -1998
• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role. -2010
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संबंधों मैं मौन करक के रूप मैं प्रौद्योगिकी) -2020
• Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world ? -2017
• Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities -1996
• The global order: political and economic -1993
• India’s role in promoting ASEAN co-operation. -2004
• Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement -2006
• Management of Indian border dispute is a complex task. -2018
• In the Indian context , both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism -2011
• Are we a ‘soft’ state ? -2009
• Good fences make good neighbours -2009
• Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? -2007
• Terrorism and world peace -2005
• True religion cannot be misused. -1997
• History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce. -2021
• Geography may remain the same ; history need not. -2010

7 Science-Technology

• Spirituality and scientific temper. -2003
• Science and Mysticism : Are they compatible ?-2012
• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge! -2021
• Modern technological education and human values. -2002
• Value-based science and education. -1999
• The march of science and the erosion of human values. -2001
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. -2021
• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling. -2019
• ‘Social media’ is inherently a selfish medium. -2017
• Cyberspace and Internet : Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run -2016
• Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. -2006
• The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. -2000
• Computer: the harbinger of silent revolution. -1993
• Technology cannot replace manpower. -2015
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation-2013
• The modern doctor and his patients. -1997
• The lure of space. -2004

Section-A (write any one)

• Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. (- सोच एक खेल की तरह है, यह तब तक शुरू नहीं होता है जब तक कि एक विपरीत टीम/पक्ष न हो।)
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic. (- दूरदर्शी निर्णय तभी लिए जाते है अंतर्ज्ञान और तर्क का परस्पर मेल होता है।)
• Not all who wander are lost. (- भटकने वाले सभी गुम नहीं हो जाते।)
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane (- रचनात्मकता की प्रेरणा अलौकिक ता में चमत्कार ढूंढने के प्रयास से उपजति है)

Section-B (write any one)

• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines. (-लड़कियां बंदिशों के तथा लड़के अपेक्षा के बोझ तले दबे हुए होते हैं दोनों ही समान रूप से हानिकारक व्यवस्थाएं हैं।)
• Mathematics is the music of reason. (- गणित ज्ञान का संगीत है।)
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity. (- जिस समाज में अधिक न्याय होता है उस समाज को दान की कम आवश्यकता होती है।)

Answer one-one essay from each section in 1000-1200 words

• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man (इतिहास वैज्ञानिक मनुष्य के रूमानी मनुष्य पर विजय हासिल करने का एक सिलसिला है।) – 2022
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for (जहाज बन्दरगाह के भीतर सुरक्षित होता है, परन्तु इसके लिए तो वह होता नहीं है) & 2022
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right (केवल इसलिए कि आपके पास विकल्प हैं, इसका यह अर्थ कदापि नहीं है कि उनमें से किसी को भी ठीक होना ही होगा) – 2022

Essay: 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 orderly fashion, and to write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.

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Essay Paper UPSC 2020 (Mains): Question Paper and Analysis

Last updated on January 9, 2021 by ClearIAS Team

UPSC conducted the  Essay Paper , as part of the Civil Services Main Exam 2020 on 08-01-2021.

There were 8 Essay topics, out of which candidates were asked to write on two topics in 3 hours.

Table of Contents

Essay Paper UPSC 2020 Instructions

• Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
• The essay must be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in the medium other than the authorized one.
• Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
• Any page or portion of the page left blank, must be struck off clearly.

Essay Question Paper – UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2020

Write two essays, choosing one topic from each of the following Sections A and B, in about 1000-1200 words each:

• 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

Though aspirants were asked to write only two essays out of eight, most aspirants faced difficulty to select the right combination of two essays.

A philosophical theme was present in most of the essay topics in Section A as well as Section B.

As per most aspirants, the essay topic ‘Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self’ seemed the most tricky one. Only a few attempted that topic.

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UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.

As we have mentioned many times, Essay needs a different approach than GS. Only those candidates with good essay writing skills will score high in this year’s essay paper.

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WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

Following are the topics on which our followers have written (and writing essays) every Sunday to hone their essay writing skills. The topics are chosen based on UPSC previous year topics. Writing one essay on each Sunday will help you get better marks in this paper.

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 1 CSE 2017

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 25 CSE 2015

ESSAY STRATEGY by Topper – Rank 40 CSE 2015

• [VIDEO] How to Improve Marks in Essay and Ethics Papers?
• [VIDEO] How to Write Philosophical Essays

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2024

• June 23, 2024 : Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.
• June 16, 2024 : Saint Has A Past. Sinner Has A Future
• June 9, 2024 : The worst disease in the world today is corruption and the cure for it is transparency.
• June 2, 2024 : Escape Competition Through Authenticity.
• May 26, 2024 : Creativity Is Allowing Yourself to Make Mistakes. Art Is Knowing Which Ones to Keep.
• May 19 2024 : In No Man’s Land, the only way to survive is to adapt.
• May 12, 2024 : Economics is concerned with what emerges, not what anyone intended.
• May 5, 2024 : A right is not what someone gives you; it’s what no one can take from you.
• April 28, 2024 : We come nearest to the great when we are great in humility.
• April 21, 2024 : Well done is better than well said.
• April 14, 2024 : Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative. 
• April 07, 2024 : Came from plant, use it; made in plant, don’t.
• March 30, 2024 : A Business That Makes Nothing More Than Money Is Poor Business
• March 24, 2024 : If Voting Really Made Difference, They Would Not Let Us Do It
• March 17, 2024 : Cinema Is Not A Slice Of Life, But A Piece Of Cake. 
• March 10, 2024 : Education Can give skill, but a liberal education can give dignity
• March 3, 2024 : Sometimes when you lose your way you find yourself
• February 25, 2024 : Who Looks Inside Awakes, Who Looks Outside Dream
• February 18, 2024 : Never Let School Interfere With Your Education
• February 11, 2024 : Whoever Controls the Media Controls the Mind
• February 04, 2024 : A certain darkness is needed to see the stars
• January 28, 2024 : Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it
• January 21, 2024 : Subtle Is powerful
• January 14, 2024 : The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital. 
• January  07, 2024 : Give them Quality. That’s The Best Kind of Advertising

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2023

• December 31, 2023 : The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain
• December 24, 2023 : All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos
• December 17, 2023 : We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge
• December 10, 2023 : Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent
• December 03, 2023 : Be a Voice, Not an Echo
• November 26, 2023 : A Society that has more justice is the society that needs less charity
• November 19, 2023 : Sell Your Cleverness and Buy Bewilderment
• November 12, 2023 : love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within
• November 5, 2023 : Clothes Make The Man
• October 29, 2023 : Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
• October 22, 2023 : Mathematics is the music of reason
• October 15, 2023 : Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines
• October 08, 2023 : Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
• October 01, 2023 : Not All Who Wander Are Lost
• September 24, 2023 : Visionary Decision-Making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic
• September 17, 2023 : Thinking Is Like A game. It does not begin unless there is an opposition team.
• September 10, 2023 : Unless we have well-educated people, we are vulnerable on National Security
• September 03, 2023 : Harsh Laws are, at times, better than No laws
• August 27, 2023 : Nations Do Not Die From Invasion. They Die From Internal Rottenness
• August 20, 2023 : In Individuals, insanity is rare; In groups, parties and nations, it is the rule.
• August 13, 2023 : Economics Is Too Important To Leave To The Economists.
• August 06, 2023 : A self without a book-shelf is naked.
• July 30, 2023 : Wrong Choices Lead To Right Places
• July 23, 2023 : Credit where credit is due.
• July 16, 2023 : A right is not what someone gives you; it’s what no one can take away from you.
• July 9, 2023 : The measure of intelligence is the ability to change
• July 2, 2023 : Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. 
• June 25, 2023 : In the long run , the sword will always be conquered by the spirit
• June 18, 2023 : The company you keep determines your Success
• June 11, 2023 : A disciplined mind brings happiness.
• June 4, 2023 : Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future but to shape it
• May 28, 2023 : Action breeds confidence and courage
• May 21, 2023 : A library is a hospital for the mind
• May 14, 2023 : Self-Education is Life-Long Curiosity
• May 7, 2023 : Silence is Spurious Golden
• April 30, 2023 : The price of greatness is responsibility
• April 23, 2023 : Progress is impossible without change
• April 16, 2023 : The Impact of Artificial Intelligence.
• April 9, 2023 : People would rather believe than know.
• April  2, 2023 : Prioritizing education technology for global growth
• March 26, 2023 : Technology is a weapon against poverty
• March 19, 2023 : Every choice you make makes you
• March 12, 2023 : Patience is a virture ; virtue is a grace
• March 5, 2023 : Before any fight, it is the fight of mind
• February 26, 2023 :  The Measure of a man is what he does with Power.
• February 19, 2023 : When you kill time, you kill life.
• February 12, 2023 : Delayed success mostly stays forever.
• February 05, 2023 : The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
• January 29, 2023 : Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.
• January 22, 2023 : I am what I am, so take me as I am
• January 15, 2023 : Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased
• January 08, 2023 : Time hurts but it also heals. It punishes but it rewards too- it is the greatest teacher ever for a human.
• January 01, 2023 : The Beginning is the End and the End is The Beginning.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2022

• December 25, 2022 : To tolerate is purely an act of mind
• December 18, 2022 : The arc of moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice
• December 11, 2022 : Religion is a culture of faith; Science is a culture of doubt.
• December 04, 2022 : My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read
• November 27, 2022 : Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits
• November 20, 2022 : We are always blind as we want to be
• November 13, 2022  : By your stumbling, the world is perfected.
• November 6, 2022 : You cannot step twice in the same river
• October 30, 2022 : Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.
• October 23, 2022 : A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
• October 16, 2022 : The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining
• October 9, 2022 : A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for
• October 2, 2022 : History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man
• September 25, 2022 : Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world
• September 18, 2022 : Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence
• September 11, 2022 : Culture changes with economic development.
• September 4 2022 : We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.
• August 28 2022 :  The obstacle is the path.
• August 21 2022 : What is to give light must endure burning.
• August 14 2022 : “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” Aristotle.
• August 7 2022 : Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” Albert Einstein
• July 31, 2022 : A bad conscience is easier to cope with than a bad reputation. Friedrich Nietzsche.
• July 24, 2022 : Time is all we have and don’t
• July 17, 2022 : Life fritters away when distractions become your lifestyle
• July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn
• July 3, 2022 : Mind – a beautiful servant? Or a dangerous master?
• June 26, 2022 : Education Breeds Peace
• June 19, 2022 : A great leader is never angry
• June 12, 2022 : That which hurts, instructs; That which instructs, creates; Creates Wonders!
• June 05, 2022 : Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do
• May 29, 2022 : The journey is a reward as well as destination
• May 22, 2022 : Imagination creates reality
• May 15, 2022 : The curious paradox is, only if we accept things as they are, things can change
• May 08, 2022:  The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves, while wiser people are so full of doubts
• May 01, 2022:  Loyalty To Country Always. Loyalty To Government Only When It Deserves
• April 24, 2022: Successful Investing Is Anticipating The Anticipations of Others
• April 17, 2022: Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear
• April 10, 2022 : Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn
• April 03, 2022 : Forgiveness is the final form of love
• March 27, 2022 : The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless
• March 20, 2022 : Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form.
• March 13, 2022 : Everything we hear is an opinion; not a fact
• March 5, 2022 : There are better practices to “best practices”
• February 27, 2022 : History repeats itself first as a tragedy second as a farce.
• February 20, 2022 : What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• February 13, 2022 : Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
• February 6, 2022 : The real is rational and the rational is real.
• January 30, 2022 : Philosophy of Wantlessness Is Utopian, while the philosophy of materialism is chimera.
• January 23, 2022 : Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
• January 16, 2022 : The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
• January 09, 2022 : Knowing oneself is the beginning of all wisdom
• January 02, 2022 : Biased Media Is A Real Threat To Indian Democracy

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2021

• December 26, 2021 : What Gets Measured Gets Managed
• December 19, 2021 : The enemy of stability is complacency
• December 12, 2021 : A clear conscience fears no accusation
• December 05, 2021 : Power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas
• November 28, 2021 : The whole is more than a sum of its parts
• November 21, 2021 : Scientific and technological progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity
• November 14, 2021 : The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
• November 7, 2021 : Lawlessness is the result of failure to cultivate a sense of self-evaluation
• October 30, 2021 : What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make
• October 24, 2021 : Science for the economic freedom of humanity
• October 17, 2021 : An interdependent world cannot be an inequitable world
• October 03, 2021 : Strength comes from an indomitable Will
• SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 : Ethnocracy and concentration of power can derail even an affluent nation
• SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 : Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.
• SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 : Culture of entitlement comes with unreasonable expectations and insecurities 
• SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 : Literacy is a vital skill that enhances dignity, improves health outcomes, empowers people to access their rights and bolsters opportunities
• AUGUST 29, 2021 : A parliamentary system of government rests on a functioning opposition as ‘no democracy can do without it’.
• AUGUST 22, 2021 : Development must lead to dismantle all kinds of human unfreedom
• AUGUST 15, 2021 : Sport is a reflection of larger social phenomena
• AUGUST 8, 2021 : Every social stratum has its own Common Sense and its own good sense
• AUGUST 1, 2021 : Capitalism without competition is not Capitalism. It is Exploitation.
• JULY 25, 2021 : We don’t have to sacrifice a Strong Economy for a Healthy Environment
• JULY 18,2021 : We Need not a social conscience, but a social consciousness.
• JULY 11, 2021 : The cure for evils of democracy is more democracy.
• JULY 04, 2021 : No Constitution by itself achieves perfect justice
• JUNE 27, 2021 : Our world has achieved brilliance without conscience.
• JUNE 20, 2021 : Our common humanity demands that we make the impossible possible.
• JUNE 13, 2021 : Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.
• JUNE 06, 2021 : The political problem of mankind is to combine three things: economic efficiency, social justice and individual liberty.
• MAY 30, 2021 : Economics without ethics is a caricature & ethics without economics is a fairy tale.
• MAY 23 , 2021 : Indecisiveness is the rival of Progression
• MAY 16 , 2021 : Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.
• May 09, 2021 : The possession of arbitrary power has always, the world over, tended irresistibly to destroy humane sensibility, magnanimity, and truth
• May 02, 2021 : The truth of character is expressed through choice of act ions
• April 25, 2021 : It is not our differences that divide us; It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.
• April 18, 2021 : Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
• April 11, 2021 : Solutions emerge if situations are not forced
• April 04, 2021 : Morality is subservient to materialistic values in present times
• March 28, 2021 : Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible
• March 21, 2021 : Our major social problems are not the cause of our decadence but are a reflection of it
• March 14, 2021 : The Future of Multilateralism : Towards a responsible Globalization
• March 07, 2021 : Subtlety may deceive you; Integrity never will
• February 28, 2021 :Technology as the silent factor in international relations
• February 21, 2021 :Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality
• February 14, 2021:There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless
• February 07, 2021: Culture is what we are civilization is what we have
• January 31, 2021: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
• January 24, 2021: Ships do not sink because of water around them , ships sink because of water that gets into them
• January 17, 2021: Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self
• January 10, 2021: Life is long journey between human being and being humane
• January 03, 2021: The Covid pandemic has revealed the urgent need for effective governance everywhere”
• December 27, 2020: Challenges of 21st Century – insurmountable?
• December 20, 2020: Too much Democracy is Detrimental to Development
• December 13, 2020: Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2020

• December 06, 2020 : As you Start to walk on the way, the Way appears
• November 29, 2020: Need of the Hour is to Maximise Possibilities of Agriculture in India
• November 22, 2020: The survival of democracy depends on its ability to lower social uncertainty
• November 15, 2020: There is no greatness where there is no simplicity
• November 08, 2020: Inequality can be Reduced by the Power of the Market rather than the Government
• November 01, 2020: Civil liberties are fundamental to the functioning of modern democracies
• October 25, 2020: Artificial Intelligence is Not All Evil – It can Promote Social Good Too
• October 18, 2020: Wherever law ends, tyranny begins
• October 11, 2020:Hyper-globalism is threat to human prosperity
• September 27, 2020: Our World is in a Surplus of Multilateral Challenges and a Deficit of Solutions
• September 20, 2020: In India Agriculture and the Farmer are both the Victims of Narrow Political Vision
• September 13, 2020: India Needs Aggressive and Pragmatic Neighbourhood Policy
• September 6, 2020: “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his  attitude .
• August 30, 2020: The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal
• August 23, 2020: Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.
• August 16, 2020: Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.
• August 09, 2020: Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value
• August 02, 2020: New Education Policy 2020: A Progressive Policy with Diverse Challenges
• July 26, 2020: In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power but carries the ultimate responsibility
• July 19, 2020: Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance
• July 12, 2020: The human spirit must prevail over technology
• July 05, 2020: When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
• June 28, 2020: Today India Needs ‘Harmony in Diversity’, Not Unity in Diversity.
• June 21, 2020: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
• June 14, 2020: Post Independence, the Issue of Land is at the Core of India’s Non-Achievement of Its Development Aspirations
• June 7, 2020: Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste
• May 31, 2020: Despite Challenges, To be a Healthy and Successful Nation, India must Ensure Universal Health Coverage 
• May 24, 2020: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
• May 17, 2020:The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little
• May 10, 2020: Urban Exclusion of Migrant Workers in India is a Reality and Needs Urgent Robust Policy Measures
• May 03, 2020: Uncertainty should ignite creativity, not depravity
• April 26, 2020: The fool doth think he is wise but the wise man knows himself to be a fool
• April 19, 2020: Social Harmony, not Social Distancing, is the final solution to all our problems
• April 12, 2020: It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities
• April 05, 2020: Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking
• March 29, 2020: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them”
• March 22, 2020: In order to understand the world one has to turn away from it on occasion
• March 15, 2020: Pandemics such as COVID-19, though Catastrophic, are in the end Meant to Reset Humanity and its Priorities
• March 08, 2020: Those who have wisdom have all: Fools with all have nothing
• March 01, 2020: Indifferentism is the worst kind of disease that can affect people.
• [VIDEO] Perspectives on Essay Topic of Feb 23
• February 23, 2020: To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.
• February 16, 2020 : When civil services does its job, people will not need social service
• February 09, 2020 : The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.
• February 02, 2020: Ability will get you success, Character will keep you successful.
• January 26, 2020: Media’s duty is to inform public, not manufacture opinion.
• January 19, 2020: Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes
• January 12, 2020 : Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition
• J anuary 5, 2020 : All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal
• December 29, 2019 : There cannot be daily democracy without daily citizenship
• December 22, 2019: War is the ultimate Price we pay for lasting Peace
• December 15, 2019 : Inclusivity and Plurality are the hallmarks of a peaceful society
• December 08, 2019: Justice Loses Character if it becomes Revenge
• December 01. 2019: Economic Growth and Development are Shaped by the Societies in which they Operate
• November 24, 2019: Social Media is the Fourth Pillar of Democracy
• November 17, 2019: Media is No More a Fourth Pillar of Democracy
• November 10, 2019: Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling
• November 03, 2019:Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
• October 27, 2019: Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
• October 20, 2019: South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities
• October 13, 2019: Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success
• October 06, 2019: Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society
• September 29, 2019: Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be
• September 22, 2019: Wisdom finds truth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2019

• September 15, 2019: Kashmir Problem – Historical Injustice or Misguided Geopolitics?
• September 08, 2019: India’s Space Ambitions – Are they Welfarist?
• September 01, 2019: India – $5 Trillion Economy: Dream or Reality?
• August 25, 2019 Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
• August 18, 2019 The mind is everything. What you think you become.
• August 11, 2019: Virtue is Knowledge
• August 04, 2019: Inclusive governance begets Inclusive growth
• July 28, 2019: India’s headache: Unemployment or Underemployment?
• July 21, 2019: The road to science and spirituality are opposite, but we should tread both
• July 14, 2019: India is a leading power, rather than just a balancing power
• July 07, 2019: Should the world embrace democratic socialism or progressive capitalism?
• June 30, 2019: Impact of Digital Revolution on Human Wellbeing
• June 23, 20 19: Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty
• June 16, 2019: The definition of happiness is the full use of your powers, along the lines of excellence.
• June 09, 2019: Not Corruption, Communalism is the Greatest Threat India is facing Today
• May 19, 2019: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
• May 12, 2019: Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake
• May 05, 2019: Happiness equals reality minus expectations
• April 28, 2019: Political correctness is tyranny with manners
• April 21, 2019: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
• April 07, 2019: Dogma is the sacrifice of wisdom to consistency
• March 31, 2019: The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
• March 24, 2019: Terrorism has No Religion
• March 17, 2019: Money and Religion – Great Unifiers of Humankind?
• March 10, 2019: Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in decay
• March 03, 2019: Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower
• February 24,2019: Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens
• February 17, 2019: Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by fighting back
• February 10, 2019: Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
• February 03, 2019: You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality
• January 27, 2019: Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever
• January 20, 2019: All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
• January 12, 2019: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.
• January 06, 2019: National security is Irreversibly linked to good economic growth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2018

• December 28, 2018: To plan for smart development, governments and business must recognize nature’s role in supporting economic activity
• December 23, 2018: Government Surveillance – Good or Bad?
• December 16, 2018: Trade Wars – Economic or Geopolitical?
• December 02, 2018: Immigration is Not a Threat, but Fundamentally it’s an Economic Issue
• November 25, 2018: A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both
• November 18, 2018: “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values
• November 11, 2018: A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge
• November 04, 2018: Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task
• October 28, 2018: Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India
• October 21, 2018: Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
• October 14, 2018: Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it
• October 07, 2018: Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
• September 30, 2018: Commercialization of Space : Importance and the need for regulation
• September 23, 2018: E-commerce as a new form of trade and its challenges to India.
• September 16, 2018: Ability is nothing without opportunity
• September 09, 2018: Death Penalty eliminates Criminals, not Crime.
• September 02, 2018: Dissent is the foundation of democracy.
• August 26, 2018: Mars Mission and Mob lynchings are two obverse faces of India
• August 19, 2018: Strengthening Land Rights Strengthens Development
• August 12, 2018: Age of Big Data: Data is the New Oil, History is its oldest bank
• August 05, 2018: Strong Institutions and fair procedures, not personalities constitute the fundamentals of good governance
• July 29, 2018: Social reform is a myth if places of worship are open only to all castes and not to all genders.
• July 22, 2018: Section 377, not the carnal acts banned under it is ‘against the order of nature ‘
• July 15, 2018: Schooling Is Not Education
• July 08, 2018: Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster.
• July 01, 2018: Normal human activity is worse for nature than the greatest nuclear accident in history
• June 24, 2018: Gender Sensitive Indian Society is Prerequisite for Women and Child Empowerment
• June 17, 2018: Where Should India Invest More – Human Capital or Human Development?
• June 10, 2018: Has Democracy Taken Backseat Due to the Rise of Populists and Demagogues?
• June 03, 2018: We won’t have a society ,if we destroy the environment
• May 27, 2018: Can Development and Environment Protection Go Together?
• May 20, 2018: Governor is the Choke Point of Federal Circuit of India
• May 13, 2018: Anonymity is the Best and the Worst Feature of Urbanism
• May 06, 2018: A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes
• April 29, 2018: Guaranteeing Right to Vote may Establish a Democracy, But Ensuring it’s Right Use Only Will Bring a True Democracy
• April 22, 2018: Stereotyping is an Ideological Force Which Hinders and Endangers Consolidation of India
• April 15, 2018: Can Education and legislation Address Violence Against Women and Children in India?
• April 8, 2018: Banking Crisis in India – Failure of Governance and Regulation?
• April 1, 2018: Privacy is the fountainhead of all other rights
• March 25, 2018: Impact of Technology on Human Relations and Human Productivity
• March 18, 2018: India’s Focus should be on Ease of Living, not on Easy of Doing Business
• March 11, 2018: A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody
• March 04, 2018: Capitalism can not Bring Inclusive Growth
• February 25, 2018: The unprecedented advance of technologies facilitate individual empowerment but at the cost of Institutions and Democratic societies
• February 18, 2018: Threats being Faced by Liberal Democratic Systems are both Dangerous and Permanent
• February 11, 2018: For India, Stigmatised Capitalism is Better than Crony Socialism
• February 04, 2018: Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.
• January 28, 2018: Politics of Identity is the Politics of the Weak
• January 21, 2018: Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime
• January 14, 2018: Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding
• January 07, 2018: The Root Cause of Agrarian Distress in India – Failure of Policies or Failure of Governance?

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2017

• December 31, 2017: Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India
• December 24, 2017: Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth
• December 17, 2017: Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• December 10, 2017: Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India
• December 03, 2017: Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms
• November 19, 2017: Has the Non- Alignment Movement(NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world
• November 12, 2017: Social media is inherently a selfish medium.
• November 04, 2017: We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws
• October 29, 2017: Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
• October 22, 2017: Harith Diwali, Swasth Diwali : What measures are needed to deal with Festivity and Air Pollution?
• October 15, 2017: Biggest Threat to Humanity – Moral Crisis or Climate Change?
• October 08, 2017: The monsoon is a defining aspect of India’s nationhood
• October 01, 2017: India’s Infrastructure Story – Why is India not able to Build like China?
• September 24, 2017: Impact of Digital Technologies on Globalisation
• September 17, 2017: Urbanisation and Solid Waste Management in India – Challenges and Opportunities
• September 10,2017: Gender Equality and Peace: Are They Connected?
• September 03, 2017: Recent Natural Disasters – What do they Reveal about Humanity?
• August 27, 2017: Godmen – A Threat to Indian Society and Culture
• August 20, 2017: Corruption in India: Neither Systemic Reforms nor Surgical Strikes would End it
• August 13,2017: Interrelationship between Gender Equality and Sustainable Development
• August 06, 2017: Utility and relevance of Parliament in our polity
• July 30, 2017: Caste System – Source of India’s Eternal Inequality?
• July 23, 2017: Indian Democracy, Media and Public Opinion – Does Public Opinion Matter in Policymaking?
• July 16, 2017: Poverty and Environment – Their Interrelationship is the Key to Sustainable World
• July 09, 2017: Soft Power is India’s Strength, not its Weakness
• July 02, 2017: Technology and Jobs – Is Technology a Curse?
• June 25, 2017: Democracy’s Relevance in the Face of New Global Threats
• June 18, 2017: Federalism in India – Competitive or Cooperative?
• June 11, 2017: Peace, Environment and Development: Are these Interrelated?
• June 04, 2017: Role of Technology in Development – Is Technology Helping or Hindering Development?
• May 28, 2017: Poverty is a State of Mind
• May 21, 2017: Does India Need Superpower Status?
• May 14, 2017: India’s Achilles Heel – Lack of Ambition or Lack of Leadership in Achieving Greatness?
• May 07, 2017: Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.
• April 29, 2017: The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation
• April 23, 2017: To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom
• April 16, 2017: One-Party-Dominant System – Is it Good for India?
• April 09, 2017: Should Youth in India Consider Politics as Career?
• April 02, 2017: Can World Save Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War?
• March 26, 2017: Low, stagnating female labour-force participation in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms?
• March 19, 2017: When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw
• March 12, 2017: The marks humans leave are too often scars
• March 05, 2017: Environmental Challenges and Geopolitics: How to save our Environment?
• February 27, 2017: Radical Solutions are Needed to Address Today’s Radical Problems
• February 19, 2017: India’s Importance in the Post-truth World
• February 12, 2017: The Role of Politics in Development
• February 05, 2017: Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored
• January 29, 2017: Building Walls and Banning Refugees – Does this Help Humanity?
• January 22, 2017: Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality
• January 15, 2017: Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run
• January 08, 2017: Water disputes between states in federal India
• January 01, 2017: Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2016

• (December 25, 2016) – Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality
• (December 18, 2016) – Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare
• (December 11, 2016) – Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms
• (December 04, 2016) – If development is not engendered, it is endangered
• (November 27, 2016) – Social media is better at breaking things than at making things
• (November 20, 2016) – Deglobalization is good for the world
• (November 12, 2016) – Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others
• (November 06, 2016) – It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence
• (October 30, 2016) – Reducing Poverty while also Conserving Nature is an Impossible Task
• (October 23, 2016) – Poverty can be eliminated by putting science at the heart of development
• (October 16, 2016) – People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people
• (October 09, 2016) – Better Access is Key to Inclusive Cities
• (October 02, 2016) – The weaker sections of Indian society – Are their Rights and Access to Justice Getting Better?
• (September 25, 2016) – Imagination is more important than intelligence
• (September 18, 2016) – Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life
• (September 11, 2016) – Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance
• (September 04, 2016) – It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it
• (August 28, 2016) – If one can Address Moral Crisis, many of World’s Problems can be Solved
• (August 21, 2016) – Overdependence on Technology will Advance Human Development
• (August 14, 2016) – Geography may remain the same ; history need not
• (August 07, 2016) – Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom
• (July 31, 2016) – To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all
• (July 24, 2016) – True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing
• (July 17, 2016) – We Can Not Fight Terrorism – We have to Live With it
• (July 10, 2016) – A house divided against itself cannot stand
• (July 02, 2016) – When the going gets tough, the tough get going
• (June 26, 2016) – India a Reluctant Participant in the New Global Order?
• (June 19, 2016) – Inclusiveness in India – Still a Dream?
• (June 12, 2016) – No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
• (June 05, 2016) – Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted
• (May 29, 2016) – It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere
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More From Forbes

College essays that worked and how yours can too.

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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS - JULY 08: A view of Harvard Yard on the campus of Harvard University on ... [+] July 08, 2020 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have sued the Trump administration for its decision to strip international college students of their visas if all of their courses are held online. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The college essay is a pivotal piece of the college application showcasing your individuality and differentiated outlook to admissions officers. What makes an essay truly shine? Let’s dive into the words behind three standout essays highlighted by university websites and a school newspaper's brand studio so you can get into the right mindset for crafting your own narrative.

Embracing Differences: Finding Strength In Uniqueness

Essay Excerpt: ‘Bra Shopping ’ (Harvard)

Featured by the Harvard Crimson Brand Studio , Orlee's essay recounts a student's humorous and insightful experience of bra shopping with her grandmother, weaving in her unique family dynamics and challenges at her prestigious school.

What Works:

• Humor and Honesty: The student's humor makes the essay enjoyable to read, while her honesty about her challenges adds depth.
• Self-Awareness: She demonstrates a strong sense of self-awareness, embracing her uniqueness rather than trying to fit in.
• Resilience: Her narrative highlights resilience and the ability to find strength in differences.

For Your Essay : To write an essay that embraces your uniqueness, start by identifying a quirky or challenging experience that reflects who a key insight into your experience. Think about how this experience has shaped your perspective and character. Use humor and honesty to bring your story to life, and focus on how you have embraced your differences to become stronger and more resilient.

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, finding connections: humor and self-reflection.

Essay: ‘Brood X Cicadas ’ (Hamilton College)

As an example on Hamilton's admissions website, Nicholas writes about the cicadas swarming his hometown every 17 years and draws a parallel between their emergence and his own transition to college life. He uses humor and self-reflection to create a relatable and engaging narrative.

• Humor: Nicholas uses humor to make his essay entertaining and memorable. His witty comparisons between himself and cicadas add a unique twist.
• Self-Reflection: By comparing his life to the cicadas’, he reflects on his own growth and readiness for change.
• Relatability: His narrative about facing new experiences and challenges resonates with readers who have undergone similar transitions.

For Your Essay: To infuse humor and self-reflection into your essay, start by identifying an ordinary experience or object and think about how it relates to your life. Write down funny or insightful observations about this connection. Use humor to make your essay more engaging, but ensure it still conveys meaningful self-reflection. This balance can make your essay both entertaining and profound.

Persistence and Multicultural Identity: Life Lessons From Tortilla Making

Essay: ‘ Facing The Hot Griddle ’ (Johns Hopkins University)

In this essay published by Hopkins Insider, Rocio uses the process of making tortillas to explore her multicultural identity and the challenges she has faced. Her story beautifully weaves together her Guatemalan heritage and her experiences growing up in the United States.

• Metaphor and Symbolism: The process of making tortillas becomes a powerful metaphor for the student’s journey and struggles. The symbolism of the masa harina and water mixing parallels her blending of cultural identities.
• Personal Growth: The essay highlights her perseverance and adaptability, qualities that are crucial for success in college.
• Cultural Insight: She provides a rich, personal insight into her multicultural background, making her story unique and compelling.

For Your Essay: To write an essay that explores your identity through a metaphor, start by thinking about an activity or tradition that holds significant meaning for you. Consider how this activity relates to your life experiences and personal growth. Use detailed descriptions to bring the activity to life and draw connections between the process and your own journey. Reflect on the lessons you've learned and how they've shaped your identity.

A winning college essay isn’t simply about parading your best accomplishment or dramatizing your challenges. It’s not a contest for which student is the most original or entertaining. Rather, the essay is a chance for you to showcase your authenticity, passion, resilience, social awareness, and intellectual vitality . By sharing genuine stories and insights, you can create an essay that resonates with admissions committees and highlights your unique qualities.

For you to have the best possible essay, mindset is key. Here’s how to get into the zone:

• Reflect Deeply: Spend time thinking about your experiences, challenges, and passions. Journaling can help you uncover deep insights.
• Discuss and Share: Talking about your stories with friends, family, or mentors can provide new perspectives and emotional clarity.
• Immerse Yourself: Engage in activities that you are passionate about to reignite the feelings and memories associated with them.
• Draft Freely: Don’t worry about perfection on the first try. Write freely and honestly, then refine your narrative.

The secret to a standout college essay lies in its authenticity, depth, and emotional resonance. By learning from these successful examples and getting into the right mindset, you can craft an essay that not only stands out but also provides a meaningful insight into who you are. Remember, your essay is your story—make it a piece of writing that you will always be proud of.

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GUNS, JUDGES, AND TRUMP

25 Pages Posted: 27 Jun 2024

Rebecca L. Brown

USC Gould School of Law

Lee Epstein

University of Southern California

Mitu Gulati

University of Virginia School of Law

Date Written: June 22, 2024

This Essay reports data on the impact of Bruen and its predecessor, Heller, on gun rights cases. Put mildly, the impact was significant, increasing not only the number of cases in the courts but also the partisanship displayed in the application of Bruen. And that partisanship increase was particularly large on the part of Trump-appointed judges. The Supreme Court has now decided Rahimi, its first opportunity to apply Bruen. While the Court's new decision blunted some of the sharpest concerns raised by Bruen, it did not eliminate the key concern, recommitting itself to a test that places considerable unguided discretion in judges, inviting partisan bias. Thus, the revolution that the Court has wrought through Bruen and Heller seems only to have just begun.

Keywords: Guns, Second Amendment, Trump Judges

Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation

USC Gould School of Law ( email )

699 Exposition Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90089 United States 213-740-1892 (Phone) 213-740-5502 (Fax)

University of Southern California ( email )

2250 Alcazar Street Los Angeles, CA 90089 United States

HOME PAGE: http://epstein.usc.edu/

Mitu Gulati (Contact Author)

University of virginia school of law ( email ).

580 Massie Road Charlottesville, VA 22903 United States

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Readers respond to essays on long Covid, hypochondria, and more

By Patrick Skerrett June 22, 2024

F irst Opinion is STAT’s platform for interesting, illuminating, and maybe even provocative articles about the life sciences writ large, written by biotech insiders, health care workers, researchers, and others.

To encourage robust, good-faith discussion about issues raised in First Opinion essays, STAT publishes selected Letters to the Editor received in response to them. You can submit a Letter to the Editor here , or find the submission form at the end of any First Opinion essay.

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“Long Covid feels like a gun to my head,” by Rachel Hall-Clifford

Thank you for this. I’m a 65-year-old woman who’s Covid cautious and wears a mask in public places (yes, in 2024). I’ve never had Covid as far as I know, and I try to keep up with the research. I feel like everybody would be more cautious if they read this article on long Covid, because it helps to really understand the horrible ways that a mild case of Covid can affect your life in ways that are unimaginable.

— Hildy Hogate

“I’m a hypochondriac. Here’s how the health care system needs to deal with people like me,” by Hal Rosenbluth

Health anxiety is the less biased term, rather than hypochondria with all its comic baggage.

Though the writer likes full body scans for himself and they suit his particular fears, many, many people with health anxiety, including me, wouldn’t get within 10 feet of a full body scan. It would be the opposite of reassuring.

Even if it did reassure for the moment, anyone with health anxiety knows reassurance is short-lived. A scan done in, say, January, might reassure a non-anxious person for the next six months. But it would be the rare person with health anxiety who would feel reassured for more than a couple of weeks.

And why on earth would you want to create a separate billing code for this, which would, without question, be used to pick out, stigmatize, and limit access to medical care? That doesn’t help patients, it soothes and enriches insurers, who would undoubtedly limit access to care based on a scan. How long would it take before you called to make an appointment with your doctor and were told sorry, your insurance won’t cover an office visit — your scan said you have no problems?

The writer’s personal experience, psychology, and taste for scans are just that, personal. They don’t generalize to most, or even many, of those who suffer from health anxiety.

— Maria Perry

“NIH needs reform and restructuring, key Republicans committee chairs say,” by Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Robert B. Aderholt

I agree with the authors that NIH needs reform. I was an athletic, otherwise healthy person who was struck down and disabled by long Covid in January 2022. For over two years, I’ve watched life pass me by as NIH has fumbled the $1.15 billion allocated to it by Congress to study and treat long Covid. This initiative, known as RECOVER, has failed to publish any research that furthers our understanding of the underlying cause of long Covid and the vast majority of clinical trials they’ve launched are for drugs that people have already tried and found unhelpful.

Perhaps NIH would not have bungled the long Covid funding had it not completely ignored other post viral diseases, namely myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) for the past 40 years. ME receives only $15 million a year — the most underfunded disease per patient burden at the NIH.

NIH should reevaluate how it allocates funding to diseases and base allocations on objective patient burdens. HIV, a disease with treatments that allow people with it to live mostly normal lives, receives $3.3 billion annually through NIH. Meanwhile, ME patients are disabled, have no approved treatments, and suffer a higher patient burden. Covid long haulers are suffering the same fate, many struck down as first wavers in March of 2020 are still disabled and sick as ever over four years later. Despite this, there is still no yearly allocation for long Covid in NIH’s baseline budget, as funding has only ever come from one time appropriations. NIH should right-size funding for ME and long Covid and start taking these diseases seriously.

— John Bolecek, long Covid patient

“Addressing health care workers’ trauma can help fight burnout,” by Sadie Elisseou

Thank you for writing this essay on the trauma and burnout that are all too common among today’s health care workforce. I applaud you for underscoring the importance of trauma-informed organizations and the critical value of workplaces that are safe, supportive, and flexible.

As a nurse educator and researcher, I have come to understand the important role of resilience in the work that nurses do. Considering two-thirds of nurses (65%) experience burnout, resilience-building skills are critical to mitigating nurse exhaustion and preserving our nation’s nursing pipeline. If actions are not taken to better protect the physical and mental health of our healthcare workforce, patient care will suffer. Lawmakers must take notice.

Some efforts in Congress have been successful. Congress has introduced legislation to reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Provider Protection Act , bipartisan legislation that recognizes the need for mental health resources and support programs for healthcare professionals. Since its original enactment, this act has been instrumental in funding grant programs for mental health training, education, peer support, and crisis intervention services.

The reauthorization of this measure would expand grants to more than 200,000 other types of health care settings as well as renew the focus on reducing administrative burden for health care workers. While this bill is not a perfect solution, it does provide needed to support for a workforce that is understaffed, overworked, and in need to relief.

I urge Congress to finish the job and fully reauthorize the Dr. Lorna Breen Provider Protection Act this year.

— Stephanie Turner, R.N., Ed.D., M.S.N., ATI Nursing Education

About the Author Reprints

Patrick skerrett.

Acting First Opinion Editor

Patrick Skerrett is filling in as editor of First Opinion , STAT's platform for perspective and opinion on the life sciences writ large, and host of the First Opinion Podcast .

STAT encourages you to share your voice. We welcome your commentary, criticism, and expertise on our subscriber-only platform, STAT+ Connect

To submit a correction request, please visit our Contact Us page .

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British Academics Despair as ChatGPT-Written Essays Swamp Grading Season

‘It’s not a machine for cheating; it’s a machine for producing crap,’ says one professor infuriated by the rise of bland essays.

By  Jack Grove for Times Higher Education

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The increased prevalence of students using ChatGPT to write essays should prompt a rethink about whether current policies encouraging “ethical” use of artificial intelligence (AI) are working, scholars have argued.

With marking season in full flow, lecturers have taken to social media in large numbers to complain about AI-generated content found in submitted work.

Telltale signs of ChatGPT use, according to academics, include little-used words such as “delve” and “multifaceted,” summarizing key themes using bullet points and a jarring conversational style using terms such as, “Let’s explore this theme.”

In a more obvious giveaway, one professor said an advertisement for an AI essay company was  buried in a paper’s introduction ; another academic noted how a student had  forgotten to remove a chatbot statement  that the content was AI-generated.

“I had no idea how many would resort to it,” admitted  one U.K. law professor .

Des Fitzgerald, professor of medical humanities and social sciences at  University College Cork , told  Times Higher Education  that student use of AI had “gone totally mainstream” this year.

“Across a batch of essays, you do start to notice the tics of ChatGPT essays, which is partly about repetition of certain words or phrases, but is also just a kind of aura of machinic blandness that’s hard to describe to someone who hasn’t encountered it—an essay with no edges, that does nothing technically wrong or bad, but not much right or good, either,” said Professor Fitzgerald.

Since  ChatGPT’s emergence in late 2022 , some universities have adopted policies to allow the use of AI as long as it is acknowledged, while others have begun using AI content detectors, although  opinion is divided on their effectiveness .

According to the  latest Student Academic Experience Survey , for which Advance HE and the Higher Education Policy Institute polled around 10,000 U.K. undergraduates, 61 percent use AI at least a little each month, “in a way allowed by their institution,” while 31 percent do so every week.

Professor Fitzgerald said that although some colleagues “think we just need to live with this, even that we have a duty to teach students to use it well,” he was “totally against” the use of AI tools for essays.

“ChatGPT is completely antithetical to everything I think I’m doing as a teacher—working with students to engage with texts, thinking through ideas, learning to clarify and express complex thoughts, taking some risks with those thoughts, locating some kind of distinctive inner voice. ChatGPT is total poison for all of this, and we need to simply ban it,” he said.

Steve Fuller, professor of sociology at the  University of Warwick , agreed that AI use had “become more noticeable” this year despite his students signing contracts saying they would not use it to write essays.

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He said he was not opposed to students using it “as long as what they produce sounds smart and on point, and the marker can’t recognize it as simply having been lifted from another source wholesale.”

Those who leaned heavily on the technology should expect a relatively low mark, even though they might pass, said Professor Fuller.

“Students routinely commit errors of fact, reasoning and grammar [without ChatGPT], yet if their text touches enough bases with the assignment, they’re likely to get somewhere in the low- to mid-60s. ChatGPT does a credible job at simulating such mediocrity, and that’s good enough for many of its student users,” he said.

Having to mark such mediocre essays partly generated by AI is, however, a growing complaint among academics. Posting on X,  Lancaster University  economist  Renaud Foucart  said marking AI-generated essays “takes much more time to assess [because] I need to concentrate much more to cut through the amount of seemingly logical statements that are actually full of emptiness.”

“My biggest issue [with AI] is less the moral issue about cheating but more what ChatGPT offers students,” Professor Fitzgerald added. “All it is capable of is [writing] bad essays made up of non-ideas and empty sentences. It’s not a machine for cheating; it’s a machine for producing crap.”

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