Civil Services Mains 2023 · Essay Paper

UPSC Mains 2023 Essay Question Paper

8 essay topics, each with a model answer

The complete UPSC Civil Services Mains 2023 Essay question paper — all 8 essay topics as they appeared, on the sectional essay topics. Each links to a structured model answer with an outline, key points and examples. Attempt the question first, then open the answer to check your structure and coverage.

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Q1
Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team.
125 marks 1200 words Hard Model answer →
Q2
Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →
Q3
Not all who wander are lost.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →
Q4
Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →
Q5
Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →
Q6
Mathematics is the music of reason.
125 marks 1200 words Hard Model answer →
Q7
A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →
Q8
Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
125 marks 1200 words Medium Model answer →

Other 2023 Mains papers

GS Paper 1 GS Paper 2 GS Paper 3 GS Paper 4