Answer Writing: How to Reduce Think Time?

I have been getting queries about how to reduce time taken to think points for GS answers. As you must be aware, 250 marks question paper needs to be solved in 180 minutes. Hence, following time limits must be kept in mind for different marks questions:

Also you need to write X number of points for X marks question to give yourself best opportunity to score at least 50% marks. Therefore, write 10 points for 10 markers to score about 5-6 marks. This approach will ensure that you get 115-120 marks overall.

Now question comes, how to write so much in so less time? How to speed up the thought process?

Answer to it lies in:

• Revise course material 4-5-6 times so that it is on your tips and you need not think much before writing.

• Here comes importance of making point wise notes. If you have revised say 10 points on a topic about 4-5-6 times then you will write at least 6-7 points without much delay.

• Learn syllabus. If you know the syllabus then you can tackle even the toughest of questions for which you don't know much without taking too much time to think. This is because you know the syllabus keywords and at least 3-4 points in a current affairs based question can be made from syllabus itself.

• Always pay attention to number of questions and markers in the question paper as soon as you get it. And, divide 3 hours into hourly targets of X questions per hours. If there were 20 questions of 12.5 marks each then I used to write 6-7-7 questions per hour.

• Keep looking at the clock to keep a track of things.

• Keep reminding yourself about the time limits.

• Practice answer writing as much as you can to increase speed. This will reduce panic during exam. Panic free mind thinks better and faster!!

Key is also in realizing the fact that there is hardly any time in Mains to revert back to a skipped question. This is possible in Prelims but not in Mains as you would tend to utilize remaining time according to number of questions left, forgetting the fact that you have skipped a question. So, do not skip a question that you don't know. Rather, write whatever you know, write bigger font, leave more space between lines , draw more diagrams and just fill the space within the restricted time. Attempting all questions is very important! Do not think that leaving such question will buy you more time for other questions. NEVER!!!