The limits UPSC prints
10 marks: 150 words. 15 marks: 250 words. 20 marks (some optionals): about 300 words. Essay: 1,000 to 1,200 words each. The limit is printed on the paper and is a signal about depth, not a target to exceed.
What toppers actually write
Measured across the GS answers in the bank, counting the words as transcribed from the booklet photographs:
| Marks | Answers | Avg words | Avg pages | With a diagram |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 marks | 1,874 | 175 | 2.0 | 30% |
| 15 marks | 1,040 | 251 | 3.0 | 29% |
| 20 marks | 380 | 332 | 4.4 | 39% |
Toppers run a little over the printed limit, and a diagram or a table replaces words rather than adding to them. Two pages for a 10-marker is normal because of headings, points and white space, not because of long paragraphs.
By paper
| Paper | 10-mark avg words | 15-mark avg words | With a diagram |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS Paper 1 | 175 | 249 | 18% |
| GS Paper 2 | 175 | 251 | 33% |
| GS Paper 3 | 179 | 249 | 28% |
| GS Paper 4 (Ethics) | 174 | 298 | 34% |
| Optional subjects | 176 | 253 | 19% |
What to cut when you are over
- The second sentence of the introduction. One definition or one fact is enough.
- Any point without an example. Merge it into the point above.
- The restated question. Headings from the question already do that job.
- Adjectives. "Significant", "various", "crucial" carry no marks.
writeupsc reads the word count from the photograph and shows it against the limit, beside what the toppers wrote for the closest questions. Try it on an answer.
Questions
Is it a problem to write less than the limit?
Only if parts are missing. A 10-marker with every part covered and two named examples in 130 words is fine. The bank's average of 175 words is a description of what toppers did, not a rule.
Does a diagram count toward the word limit?
No. It replaces words. A flowchart of a process or a map of a region often says in one drawing what a paragraph would take.
How many pages should a 15-mark answer take?
About 3.0 pages in the bank, written with headings and points. A single dense page reads as one paragraph even when it is not.
See how your own answer compares.
Photograph the sheet the way you wrote it. 1 free evaluation with a Google account, no card.