UPSC Mains directives: what each question asks you to do

The whole wording controls the answer. Directives guide your approach; they are not rigid official templates.

Explore relevant dimensions coherently.

Original practice question

Discuss how urbanisation affects social mobility.

Possible outline

Explain employment and education opportunities, barriers in housing and work, differences across groups, then draw a balanced view.

Avoid: Listing unrelated facts.

Break down mechanisms and relationships.

Original practice question

Analyse how urbanisation can reproduce inequality.

Possible outline

Connect migration, labour markets, housing costs and service access; explain feedback loops and variation.

Avoid: Describing outcomes without explaining causes.

Investigate a proposition using reasons and evidence.

Original practice question

Examine the role of local governments in managing urban growth.

Possible outline

Consider powers, finance, coordination and accountability; assess the claim against actual institutional capacity.

Avoid: Accepting the proposition without testing it.

Test strengths, limitations and assumptions.

Original practice question

Critically examine the claim that urbanisation reduces inequality.

Possible outline

Show opportunities, exclusion mechanisms and contextual differences; qualify the claim with conditions.

Avoid: Treating critical as purely negative.

Judge against relevant criteria.

Original practice question

Evaluate the effectiveness of urban housing policy in reducing inequality.

Possible outline

Use affordability, access, location and implementation as criteria; weigh gains and limits before judging effectiveness.

Avoid: Offering advantages and disadvantages without a verdict.

Determine degree, significance or extent.

Original practice question

Assess the contribution of public transport to inclusive cities.

Possible outline

Weigh reach, affordability and access to work against last-mile gaps and unequal coverage.

Avoid: Making an absolute claim without considering extent.

Present a reasoned response to a statement.

Original practice question

“A city is inclusive only when its opportunities are accessible.” Comment.

Possible outline

Interpret accessibility broadly, develop supporting arguments, recognise constraints and state a reasoned view.

Avoid: Expressing an unsupported opinion.

Make how or why something happens clear.

Original practice question

Explain why wetland loss increases urban flood risk.

Possible outline

Trace loss of storage and infiltration to runoff peaks; show how construction and rainfall interact.

Avoid: Repeating the question in different words.

Clarify an idea with explanation and illustration.

Original practice question

Elucidate the idea of substantive equality in public service delivery.

Possible outline

Distinguish identical treatment from fair access; illustrate assisted services for citizens facing different barriers.

Avoid: Giving examples without explaining the idea.

Support a claim with convincing reasoning and evidence.

Original practice question

Substantiate the view that accountability strengthens public trust.

Possible outline

Show how transparent decisions, enforceable responsibility and redress can make institutions more trustworthy, with relevant evidence.

Avoid: Collecting facts without connecting them to the claim.

• Discuss urbanisation and inequality: explore opportunities, barriers and distribution across groups.
• Analyse the relationship: explain mechanisms linking urban growth to inequality.
• Critically examine a claim of reduced inequality: test the claim and its assumptions against counterevidence.
• Evaluate policy effectiveness: set criteria, weigh performance and reach a qualified judgement.

The facts may overlap, but the work those facts must do changes.

1. What is the action word?
2. What claim must I investigate?
3. Is there more than one demand?
4. Which relationship needs explanation?
5. What evidence is relevant?
6. Is balance or comparison required?
7. What judgement follows?

Apply this to the practice questions, then use the planning guide and writing guide to develop your answer.