- Instructions
- Section-A: 125 Marks
- Section-B: 125 Marks
- Previous Papers vs. 2015
- Essay-list: Topic wise last 23 years (1993-2015)
- Essaylist: Yearwise Last 23 years (1993-2015)
Instructions
- On 18th December 2015, UPSC conducted the Essay paper for the civil services mains examination.
- 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 medium other than authorized one.
- Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
- Any page or portion of the page left blank, must be struck off clearly.
Section-A: 125 Marks
Write any one of the following essay in 1000-1200 words.
- Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
- Quick but steady wins the race.
- Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
- Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil.
Section-B: 125 Marks
Write any one of the following essay in 1000-1200 words.
- Technology cannot replace manpower.
- Crisis faced in India – moral or economic.
- Dreams which should not let India sleep.
- Can capitalism bring inclusive growth?
Previous Papers vs. 2015
| Earlier Papers | 2015 |
|---|---|
| 2014- new trend started: Total 8 essay topics divided equally in two sections and you’ve to write one essay from each section | System continued |
| 2014: section “A” two essays on education | Three essays on ethics/philosophy, and one on education. |
| 2014: section “B” two essays on economy (1) Policy paralysis (2) tourism- next big thing for India | Trend continued. Although some of the topics can be classified in two or more ways e.g. Indian crisis- moral or economy = both an essay on ethics as well as on economy. |
| 2014: 6 out of 8 topics ended with “question-mark”, requiring the student to take a stand. | Two topics required the student to take a stand
|
| 2014: Leadership / power related Essay: With greater power comes greater responsibility. | Trend continues: Character of an institution is reflected in its leader. |
| 2001: The march of science and the erosion of human values. | Technology cannot replace manpower. |
| 2002: Modern technological education and human values. | Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil |
| 1993: My vision of India in 2001 |
|
| Since last two years no essay on women (2013,2014) | Trend continues for the third year in succession (2015), no essay on women. |
Essay-list: Topic wise last 23 years (1993-2015)
Economy, Development
- Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. -2015
- Can capitalism bring inclusive growth? -2015
- Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country? -2014
- Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India? -2014
- GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the wellbeing of a country-2013
- 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
- Protection of ecology and environment is essential for sustained economic development. -2006
- BPO boom in India. -2007
- Globalization would finish small-scale industries in India. -2006
- Economic growth without distributive justice is bound to breed violence. -1993
- Ecological considerations need not hamper development. -1993
- Multinational corporations – saviours or saboteurs -1994
- Special economic zone: boon or bane -2008
- Resource management in the Indian context. -1999
- Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country? -2010
- Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death? -2009
- The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society. -2009
- Urbanization is a blessing in disguise. -1997
Education
- Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil-2015
- Is the growing level of competition good for the youth? -2014
- Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress? -2014
- Modern technological education and human values. -2002
- Credit – based higher education system – status , opportunities and challenges -2011
- “Education for all” campaign in India: myth or reality. -2006
- Privatization of higher education in India. -2002
- Irrelevance of the classroom. -2001
- Value-based science and education. -1999
- Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ? -2008
- Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the childhood. -2007
- Restructuring of Indian education system. -1995
- Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education. -1996
- What is real education? -2005
Indian Democracy, society, culture, mindset
- Dreams which should not let India sleep. -2015
- Is sting operation an invasion on privacy? -2014
- Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? -2014
- 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
- Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it? -2011
- Indian culture today: a myth or a reality? -2000
- Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values. -2000
- Youth culture today. -1999
- Mass media and cultural invasion. -1999
- The composite culture of India. -1998
- The Indian society at the crossroads. -1994
- Geography may remain the same ; history need not. -2010
- From traditional Indian philanthropy to the gates-buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift? -2010
- Modernisation and westernisation are not identical concepts. -1994
- New cults and godmen: a threat to traditional religion -1996
- How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets? -2007
- ‘ globalization’ vs. ‘ nationalism’ -2009
- National identity and patriotism -2008
- Responsibility of media in a democracy. -2002
- Why should we be proud of being Indians? -2000
- True religion cannot be misused. -1997
- Globalizations and its impact on Indian culture. -2004
International issues
- India’s role in promoting ASEAN co-operation. -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
- The global order: political and economic -1993
- Importance of Indo-US nuclear agreement -2006
- Good fences make good neighbours -2009
- Terrorism and world peace -2005
- Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities -1996
Quote based, Philosophy, Ethics
- Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole. -2015
- Quick but steady wins the race. -2015
- 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
- Be the change you want to see in others (Gandhi)-2013
- Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin -2008
- Attitude makes, habit makes character and character makes a man. -2007
- There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so. -2003
- Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem. -2002
- Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilisation. -1995
- Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds. -1995
- Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret -1994
- Useless life is an early death. -1994
- He would reigns within himself and folds his passions and desires and fears is more than a king. -1993
- Compassion is the basic of all morality would -1993
- If youth knew, if age could. -2002
- The paths of glory lead but to the grave. -2002
- The pursuit of excellence. -2001
- Truth is lived, not taught -1996
Polity, administration
- 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
- Justice must reach the poor -2005
- Water resources should be under the control of the central government. -2004
- The misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India. -1998
- The language problem in India: its past, present and prospects. -1998
- Reservation, politics and empowerment. -1999
- When money speaks, the truth is silent. -1995
- How should a civil servant conduct himself? -2003
- Politics without ethics is a disaster. -1995
- Judicial activism. -1997
- The vip cult is a bane of Indian democracy -1996
- Need for transparency in public administration -1996
- Whither Indian democracy? -1995
- Politics, bureaucracy and business – fatal triangle. -1994
- How far has democracy in India delivered the goods? -2003
- What we have not learnt during fifty years of independence. -1997
- My vision of India in 2001 a.d. -1993
- In the Indian context , both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism -2011
- Is autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization? -2007
- The country’s need for a better disaster management system. -2000
- Are we a ‘soft ’ state ? -2009
- Role of media in good governance -2008
- Judicial activism and Indian democracy. -2004
- What have we gained from our democratic set-up? -2001
- Urbanisation and its hazards -2008
- Food security for sustainable national development -2005
Science-Technology
- Technology cannot replace manpower. -2015
- Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation-2013
- Science and Mysticism : Are they compatible ?-2012
- Computer: the harbinger of silent revolution. -1993
- The march of science and the erosion of human values. -2001
- The modern doctor and his patients. -1997
- Increasing computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanized society. -2006
- The cyberworld: its charms and challenges. -2000
- The lure of space. -2004
- Spirituality and scientific temper. -2003
Women empowerment
- Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal ?-2012
- Men have failed: let women take over. -1993
- Women’s reservation bill would usher in empowerment for women in India. -2006
- The hand that rocks the cradle -2005
- If women ruled the world -2005
- 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
- Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight. -1997
- The new emerging women power: the ground realities. -1995
73 Comments on “[Download] UPSC Mains 2015: Essay Paper; Bonus: last 23 years’ papers topicwise & yearwise”
What are the main points which is important for AC capf preparation??????
Dear sir kindly provide guidelines for those beginner who want to appear in hindi medium as well.
All is well sb thik hoga
Sir kya essay only english m hi likhna hota h. Maine mains k liye hindi subject chuna hai mera first attempt hai.
sir maine mains exam k liye Hindi language ko chuna hai to essay hindi main likhna hoga ya english main
Sir mai ne B. sc [math’s(h)] se kiya hai. Lekin optinal subject mai kuchh or lema chahta hu or midiam hindi lena hai kyo ki meri hindi. English se kafi better hai. Or sir. CSAT ke liye kaise pritretion kro bahot. Canfuse hu mai kya kru or kai se karu sir please help me plz plz
Sir i want to know that in upsc main exam hv any realtion to take english or Hindi mediam plz explain
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SIR, MY NAME is karan i’m starter of upsc and now what i do , i mean which books will suitable for prepration and starter of upsc .
please .. ans …
some recmonned ncert .
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Namste sir .. Mera optional sub. History h uske liye hindi medium ki to book or history ke important part,, or kitne sal me konse khand se kitne num, ke kitne person aaye or ho ske to sir pichle ten year ke chapter wise questions paper ,…..,
sir am present b.tech 3rd year can i apply upsc 2017
Yo..i was thinking the same thing..
Can I apply upsc form in B.tech last year sir?
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Everyone is directionless in the beginning. As for poor vocabulary and not being able to write more than 100 words. If you work on it,these things can improve.
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http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/11/25/auto-correct Best regards, Asuncion
sir i am new to prepare IAS exam but i have no idea how to study then how many time spend for the preparation please answer me sir
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Thank for UPSC mains essay paper analysis
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sir I am a student of Assamese medium. my question sir can i give personal test in Assamese language .
Thanks sir
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Best
I don’t know