The daily question
How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for preservation of balance of power?
Write today's answerBefore that: 1 November: thinking and the opposite team · Essay · 1200 words · 125 marks
One UPSC Mains question every day, written in the format the paper uses.
The newest question is at the top of this page. Every past question stays up, listed at the bottom, newest first.
How to use it
- Read the question. Note the marks and the word limit.
- Set a timer: 7 minutes for a 10-mark answer, 11 minutes for a 15-mark answer. That is the pace you need in the exam.
- Write the answer without looking anything up.
- Submit it and read the evaluation.
- Then open the approach and the model answer, and compare them with yours.
- Write down one thing you will do differently next time.
The model answer is on the page, behind a button. Write first and look after. If you read the model answer first, you see what a good answer looks like but get no practice writing one.
What the evaluation covers
| Criterion | What it checks |
|---|---|
| Content relevance | Did you answer the question that was asked, as the directive word asks |
| Structure | Can a marker see the introduction, the separate points and the conclusion |
| Analysis | Does the answer look at more than one side, and reach a view |
| Evidence | Are schemes, articles, reports and data used to support a point, not just named |
| Conclusion | Does it say what should happen next, instead of repeating the body |
You also get one change to make in your next answer.
Keeping it up
One answer a day is the goal. On a busy day, write a 150-word answer instead of skipping. Missed days are fine: work back through the list below when you have time.
More in this section
A 15-mark, 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 question on the First World War and the balance of power. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A UPSC Mains Essay topic on thinking and opposition, 1000 to 1200 words for 125 marks. An approach and a model plan open after you write your essay.
A 10-mark, 150-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 question on carbon capture, utilisation and storage. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
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A 20-mark, 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 4 case study on a bank manager who used a dormant account to help a colleague. Approach and model answer open after.
A 15-mark, 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 3 question on structural unemployment and how India measures it. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 15-mark, 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 question on the Citizens' Charter and why it falls short. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 15-mark, 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 question on the linguistic reorganisation of states. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A UPSC Mains Essay topic on justice and charity, 1000 to 1200 words for 125 marks. An approach and a model plan open after you write your essay.
A 10-mark, 150-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 question on judicial independence and democracy. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 10-mark, 150-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 question on Harappan architecture. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 4 question on impartiality and non-partisanship in civil servants. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on the difference between the capital and revenue budgets. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 2 question on self help groups, microfinance and rural women. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on what the Gupta and Chola periods gave Indian heritage. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A UPSC Essay topic from 2020 on social justice and economic prosperity: its form, four guiding questions and a model plan that opens after you write.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on the causes, effects and management of coastal erosion. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on why landslides differ in the Himalaya and the Western Ghats. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 20-mark UPSC GS Paper 4 case study on exam cheating and pressure from management. An approach and a model response open after you write yours.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on how far micro-irrigation can solve India's water crisis. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 2 question on the gains and limits of Direct Benefit Transfer. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on how far the moderates laid the base for the freedom movement. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A UPSC Essay topic from 2022 on preparing in good times: its form, four guiding questions and a model plan that opens after you write your essay.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 2 question on the Election Commission and the Model Code of Conduct. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on whether caste still explains Indian society. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 4 question on the components of emotional intelligence. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on buffer stocks, stable farm prices and the problems of storing grain. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 2 question on the aims of the SCO and what the grouping offers India. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on what disability means and why India needs inclusive policy. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A UPSC Essay topic from 2024 on whether ideas with large consequences are always simple: its form, four guiding questions and a model plan after you write.
A 150-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on artificial intelligence in clinical diagnosis and patient privacy. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 1 question on the French Revolution and why its ideas still matter. An approach and a model answer open after you write yours.
A 20-mark UPSC GS Paper 4 case study on a bribery network in a district collectorate. An approach and a model response open after you write yours.
A 250-word UPSC GS Paper 3 question on maritime security, India's sea trade and coastal threats. An approach and a model answer open after you write.
A 250-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 2 question on cooperative federalism, with an approach and a model answer to open once you have written yours.
A 150-word UPSC Mains GS Paper 1 question on urban wetlands, with an approach and a model answer to open once you have written yours.