UPSC Essay Topics 2024 - Topic-Wise Essay Questions

The UPSC Civil Services mains exam includes UPSC essay topics paper out of 9 papers. Candidates can check trending UPSC CSE essay topics here. These UPSC Essay questions range from multiple topics like Economic Growth, Art & Culture, Women Empowerment, Media & Society, etc. UPSC IAS essay topics are significant for candidates to clear the mains paper 1 of UPSC IAS exam.

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Also See: UPSC IAS Mains question papers (2016-23)  | Complete guide | UPSC CSE sample papers

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UPSC IAS essay exam topics play a vital role in UPSC IAS exam. UPSC IAS mains paper carries 250 marks and aspirants are asked to write at least 2 essays between 1000 to 1200 words in 3 hours. Aspirants need to analyse UPSC essays from last year's question papers to get an idea about UPSC CSE Essay topics. Practising IAS topics from previous years' papers assists candidates to clear the UPSC IAS exam 2024 easily. Candidates are required to read daily newspapers to get a clear idea about UPSC IAS essay 2024 exam topics.

UPSC IAS Essay Topics 2024

UPSC CSE essay paper is one of the 9 papers of the UPSC IAS mains examination. The IAS essay paper analysis is the perspective of aspirants on economic, social and political issues. UPSC usually takes IAS essay questions either from Current Affairs or affecting present society to a large extent. A few of the engaging UPSC CSE 2024 essay questions can be asked from the UPSC 2024 IAS exam.

• Social Media

• Religion

• Surveillance/Privacy

• Urbanisation

• Globalisation

• Democracy

• Bureaucracy

• Water Security

• Media Tourism

• Constitution

• Judiciary

• Food Hunger/Poverty/Security

• Innovation

• Human Resources - Employment

• Development

• Higher Education/Education/Foreign University in Higher Education

UPSC CSE Essay Questions - Previous Years

Aspirants must be aware of the latest trends of the IAS exam pattern 2024 for mains. Candidates will come to know about the types of IAS essay topics asked and important recent essay questions. The UPSC CSE essay topics asked in the IAS Mains exam in previous years are detailed below.

UPSC IAS Essay Topic 2023

Section A

• 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.

Section B

• 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.

Previous year

• Poets are the harmony of the world.

• Forests can be the main area of discussion for economic excellence.

• History of battle between scientific man and romantic man.

• Ship in the Harbour is secured but not for that case.

• When the sun shines, the roof needs repair.

• Move twice on the same river.

• A smile is a solution to all problems.

Topic-Wise UPSC IAS Essay Questions

Every year, the Union Public Service Commission tends to give two or more essays from one of the 9 subjects in the UPSC CSE 2024 exam. To write about these IAS essay questions, candidates must go through reference books on these subjects to get a clear picture of the CSE Essay topics.

1. Environment/Urbanization

• Protection of Ecology and Environment

• Urbanisation

• Urbanisation and its side-effects

• Must a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in the tribal areas?

• Brave human laws can’t resist natural laws.

2. Economic Sectors/MNCs

• Multinational Corporations

• BPO boom in India.

• Special Economic zone - boon or bane?

• Globalisation would finish small sectors.

• Are traditional handcrafts finishing up slowly?

• The Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model of development is more than a boon in the Indian Context.

• Tourism can be the next big thing for India.

3. Education

• Restructuring of the Indian Education System

• Irrelevance of the classroom

• Privatisation of Higher Education in India

• Modern technological education and human values

• What is real education?

4. Women

• The new emerging women's power

• Greater political power will not wash out women’s plight

• The woman is God’s best creation

• Challenges and Prospects of Women's Empowerment

• Empowerment cannot help our women

• Whether women’s emancipation

• If women ruled the world

• The hand that rocks the cradle

• Women’s reservation bill

• Managing Work and Home

• If development is not engendered, it is endangered.

• The fulfilment of a ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.

5. Character

• Attitude makes habit, habit makes character and character makes a man.

• Discipline means success, anarchy means ruin.

• The character of an Institution is reflected in its leader.

• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.

• Joy is the easiest form of Gratitude.

• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.

• A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both

• Custom morality can be a path to modern life.

6. Globalisation

• Modernisation and Westernisation are not similar concepts.

• The implication of globalisation in India.

• The world of the 21st century.

• Nationalism vs Globalization.

• Globalisation and its effect on Indian culture.

• The masks of new imperialism

• My vision of the ideal world order.

• Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role.

7. Science and Technology

• The modern doctor and its patients.

• Value-based education and science

• Spirituality and scientific temper

• The lure of space.

• The march of Science and erosion of human values.

• Science and Mysticism

• Science and Technology are the panaceas for the growth and security of the nation.

• Technology cannot replace manpower.

• Alternative technology for a climate change resilient India.

8. International Organizations/Relations

• Significance of Indo-US nuclear agreement.

• Good fences make good neighbours.

• Restructuring of UNO reflects present realities.

• Has the Non-Alignment Movement lost its relevance in the multipolar world?

9. Security

• Tourism and World Peace

• Are we in a ‘soft’ state?

• Both human intelligence and technical intelligence are important in combating terrorism.

10. Internet/IT

• The cyberworld: its charm and challenges.

• Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to human civilization in the long run.

• Social media is inherently is selfish medium

• A rapid increase in computerization would lead to the creation of a dehumanised society.

11. Media & Society

• Misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India.

• Mass Media and Cultural Invasion.

• Responsibility of media in a democracy.

• How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets?

• Does Indian cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it?

• Is string operation an invasion of privacy?

How to Bring a Good Score on UPSC IAS Essay Topics?

Writing is a way to improve your thought process. It should be exactly what the examiner needs while accessing your written UPSC essay answer scripts. An essay is a well-structured collection of thoughts on any specific topic. The art to score high on the UPSC IAS mains paper 1 requires immense practice and perseverance. The UPSC Essay is never merely a test of factual knowledge but a test of creativity and spirit. To score good marks in UPSC CSE essay questions, follow the steps given below.

1. Choose IAS Essay Topics Carefully

The UPSC IAS Essay paper comprises two sections and candidates need to write one essay from each of the two given sections. Both UPSC essays are of 125 marks each of 1000-1200 words. Before choosing a UPSC essay topic, think over the topic whether it is controversial or you have enough data to write it.

2. Ponder the topic

While selecting the UPSC IAS essay question, think over the topic and select the main keywords that you are going to use during writing the essay. Implement a multi-dimensional approach to it and try to curate a good structure intro body and conclusion.

3. Curate Well

The introduction paragraph is the heart of the UPSC CSE essay topics and must have a concise and clear thought about the topic. The basic theme should be to talk about your views on the topic. The main body of the UPSC Essay should be divided into small paragraphs but must be well interlinked. The UPSC essay topic language should be lucid, convenient and easy to understand. The essay must evaluate your critical thinking ability rather than using decorative words. If needed, candidates must use data and facts. The usage of sayings and quotes adds weight to the UPSC Essay questions. The conclusion paragraph must be seen as self-explanatory. Candidates must have a balanced approach to UPSC IAS essay questions.

4. Go through ABC of Essay Writing

The ABC of UPSC essay writing must stand for appropriateness, brevity and consistency of UPSC essay topics. Following this rule will assist candidates while writing the UPSC CSE essay questions.