How many words do toppers write, by paper and marks?
Every paper and mark value with at least 15 answers in the bank. “Middle half” is the range the middle 50% of answers fall in; “over the limit” counts answers longer than 150 words (10 marks) or 250 words (15 marks).
| Paper | Marks | Answers | Median words | Middle half | Avg pages | Over the limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS Paper 1 | 10 | 286 | 174 | 153–196 | 2.0 | 77% |
| GS Paper 1 | 15 | 274 | 248 | 218–285 | 2.9 | 49% |
| GS Paper 2 | 10 | 377 | 175 | 156–196 | 2.0 | 79% |
| GS Paper 2 | 12 | 40 | 238 | 224–258 | 2.7 | – |
| GS Paper 2 | 15 | 362 | 253 | 220–278 | 3.0 | 52% |
| GS Paper 3 | 10 | 393 | 176 | 159–197 | 2.0 | 82% |
| GS Paper 3 | 15 | 372 | 252 | 219–279 | 3.0 | 52% |
| GS Paper 3 | 20 | 17 | 383 | 358–414 | 5.0 | – |
| GS Paper 4 (Ethics) | 10 | 818 | 172 | 153–192 | 2.0 | 78% |
| GS Paper 4 (Ethics) | 15 | 32 | 263 | 244–375 | 3.8 | 62% |
| GS Paper 4 (Ethics) | 20 | 354 | 324 | 284–383 | 4.3 | – |
| Essay | 125 | 61 | 1,169 | 992–1,283 | 11.4 | – |
| Optional subjects | 10 | 1,021 | 179 | 157–197 | 2.0 | 81% |
| Optional subjects | 15 | 495 | 255 | 226–283 | 2.9 | 53% |
| Optional subjects | 20 | 380 | 335 | 297–371 | 3.7 | – |
Measured from the toppers’ answer copies in the writeupsc bank; UPSC does not publish marked answer sheets. Words are counted on the transcription of each booklet page.
Do toppers go over the word limit?
For 10-markers, mostly by a little; for 15-markers, about half the time. 79% of GS 10-mark answers are longer than 150 words and 51% of 15-mark answers longer than 250. The median 10-marker is 16% over 150; the median 15-marker is within 1% of 250. The middle half of 10-markers sits between 155 and 195 words, so doubling the limit is not something toppers do.
How many pages is that?
About 86 words a page in the GS answers, because of headings, points, white space and the occasional diagram. A 10-marker fills about two pages and a 15-marker about three.
How long are optional answers?
Median words by subject and marks (number of answers in brackets; subjects and marks with fewer than 10 answers left out).
| Subject | 10 marks | 15 marks | 20 marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropology | 167 (233) | 255 (166) | 344 (85) |
| Economics | 174 (171) | 240 (66) | 324 (60) |
| Geography | 167 (10) | – | – |
| Political Science and International Relations | 176 (265) | 249 (205) | 346 (82) |
| Psychology | 184 (70) | 267 (53) | 330 (24) |
| Sociology | 189 (272) | – | 320 (126) |
What should you do with this?
- Write to the printed limit; the toppers’ 10-markers run about 16% over it, their 15-markers barely at all.
- If your 10-markers run under 130 words, check for a missing part of the question before adding words.
- Spend the extra time on a named example per point, which is where the marks are.
writeupsc reads your word count from the photograph and shows it beside what the toppers wrote for the closest questions. Try it on an answer, or read the word-limit guide.
Questions
How many words should a 10-mark UPSC answer be?
The limit is 150. Toppers in the bank write a median of 174 words, and 79% go over 150.
How many words should a 15-mark UPSC answer be?
The limit is 250. The median topper 15-marker in the bank is 252 words.
How long is a GS4 case study answer?
About 324 words (median of 354 20-mark GS4 answers), usually over four pages.
Are these from the real UPSC exam?
They are toppers’ answer copies published after the result. UPSC does not publish candidates’ answer sheets.
See how your own answer compares.
Photograph the sheet the way you wrote it. 1 free evaluation with a Google account, no card.