My friend Bharat Kallavi posed a very interesting question about opinions in an answer for UPSC. Now it is a very interesting thing. We are used to seeing so many articles in the newspapers, esp the opinion page of Hindu, yojana and other such articles which give you an interesting view point. And there is always a question at the back of our mind whether we would be able to do a similar job when we are posed with questions.
The honest answer is NO and honestly you don’t need to and your answer will be way better cos it will show how you think.
We are definitely expected to bring out an opinion in the answer, justify the opinion with solid facts and make sense to the answer.
And more importantly when you are asked a question – You are expected to think like an administrator, a generalist. I would not ideally recommend following the writing style as that of a newspaper since it would usually be one sided and a passionate display. I do agree that passion is really good for your answer and so is the balance.
Any question asked will expect a few things out of you
1) Staying to the point of the question of course
2) Points in favour / Advantages
3) Points against / Disadvantages
4) Your solutions
5) Overall summary/conclusion (This is where your view comes into picture)
The introduction will usually be a short summary of what you are trying to say, the next paragraph would be about supportive points and the next one about a few concerns or challenges for a particular project. Once you provide this summation, you can create an edge in going a step ahead and suggesting a few more sensible ideas to tackle a challenge. This clearly shows your problem solving attitude and a healthy approach towards both the examination and the job you are going to apply for. And the final conclusion is where you summarize your thoughts into an answer.
Overall I would like to suggest just one thing, try to think analytically, try to look at it both in an objective and a subjective manner and you have a beautfiul opinion to frame your answer.
A few days ago I shared a post on “How To Write Better, Faster And More Effectively” which I hope will help you in this process.
Please let me know below if there are any thoughts upon which you would like to hear from us. I will be more than happy to answer them in my coming posts.
Have a great day ahead.
