Dear readers,
In this article, we will discuss the exam pattern, syllabus, time management strategy and general approach to tackle the Compulsory English Language paper.
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducted the 2015 Civil Services Prelims exam on August 23rd to recruit candidates for 24 prestigious services across government departments. Around 15,000 candidates successfully cleared the preliminary exam and will be appearing for 2015 Civil Services Mains exam, which will be conducted from December 18th – 23rd.
UPSC’s Civil Services Mains exam comprises a total of nine papers, including two qualifying papers. They are:
1) Any Modern Indian Language (300 marks)
2) English Language (300 marks)
The objective of the Compulsory English Language paper is to test candidates’ ability to read & understand serious descriptive prose and express themselves clearly and correctly. It is a qualifying paper, which means that the marks secured in this paper will not be included in the total marks obtained in the exam.
As per the UPSC’s notification, you should obtain at least 25% marks (75/300) to succeed in this paper. So, let’s first understand the general pattern of the same.
Compulsory English Language Paper Pattern:
This paper has to be solved within 3 hours. The five major types of questions asked are as follows:
Question Marks
1) Write a short essay 100
2) Reading Comprehension 15×5 = 75
3) Write a précis based on a passage 75
4) a. Write the correct sentence 1×10 = 10
b. Supply the missing word/s 1x 5 = 5
c. Use correct form of verbs 1x 5 = 5
d. Write antonyms 1x 5 = 5
5) a. Rewrite the sentence as directed 1×10 =10
b. Make sentences 1x 5 = 5
c. Fill in the blanks 1x 5 = 5
d. Make sentences using phrases 1x 5 = 5
Time management strategy:
1. You should attempt questions 4 & 5 first. Question 4 usually have topics that test your vocabulary skills. Considering the previous year papers, these questions are simple and it will hardly take you 10-15 minutes to solve this question.
2. You should then move on to question 5, in which you will usually face questions based on advanced grammar topics like: Change the Voice, Direct-Indirect Speech, Change the Degree, etc. While attempting such type of questions, You have to rewrite the sentence as directed without changing its meaning. With good practice, you can easily secure maximum marks in such questions. Sub-questions like Commonly Confused Words are usually quite easy.
3. You can thus tackle questions 4 & 5 within the first 20-25 minutes. It is advisable to attempt single questions based on vocabulary and
4. Reading Comprehension: After the easy part, you should move on to question 2 i.e. ‘Reading Comprehension’.(as per the previous year papers) In this, it is essential to understand the gist of the passage, ideas discussed and the theme. Read the passage a second time with a critical mindset before answering questions.
5. Use the data provided in the passage to write comprehensive answers. Ability to focus, write brief answers and good reading speed are some traits that will help you to solve this section better.
6. Time management is very important in RC as you might get engrossed in the questions and thus waste a lot of time. Ensure that each answer does not exceed 200-250 words and try to answer all five questions within 60 minutes.
7. Essay: After RC, you should go for essay writing. The topics given for essay are usually quite easy and test your thought processes rather than factual & statistical knowledge. Of the four topics given, choose one in which you can write a meaningful essay of around 600 words. Do not waste much time in choosing the topic.
8. Allocate around 60-65 minutes for the essay. In the first 10 minutes make a blueprint, which should include all the important ideas you will elaborate on. Also, mention quotes, names, facts etc. in the blueprint so that you do not forget to include these facts in the right sequence.
9. Your essay should have three major parts, namely:
i) Introduction
ii) Body
iii) Conclusion
10. Though additional references of people, books, events and quotes enhance your essay’s quality, make sure not to digress from the core topic.
11. You should refrain from presenting too personal and negative viewpoints as it will affect your marks.
12. Make a habit of reading newspaper editorials and books on different subjects to not only develop a good command over language but also the ability to grasp complex ideas.
13. Précis: You should go for précis writing in the remaining 40-45 minutes. This question is worth 75 marks and is the usually the toughest in the whole paper. As per the previous year papers, we can conclude that the theme and core topics chosen for Précis are quite difficult to understand and thus time-consuming.
14. The objective of writing a précis is to shorten a
15. Now prepare a rough draft with the core idea, important
16. If there is an idea or concept explained in detail, try to rewrite it in brief. Prepare a second draft based on the points enumerated in the first one. Remember: never deviate from the core idea. Go through this draft once again and write a fair précis with an appropriate title.
General Tips:
a) The Compulsory English Language paper is scheduled in the afternoon, immediately after the Essay paper. As candidates need only 75 marks out of 300 to qualify, many do not take this paper seriously. However, note that every year around 10-12% students
b) The questions asked in this paper are usually equal to matriculation level. Thus, two weeks of preparation will easily help you score the required marks.
c) Make sure you maintain a neat handwriting as it is crucial for a good first impression.
d) Present your thoughts & ideas in a lucid manner instead of being too verbose.
e) Divide your time as per the time management strategy given above and try to attempt every question with high accuracy.
Best of Luck!!!