The judiciary, economics, society, government policies, geography, science and technology, and federalism are some areas for UPSC essay topics. Students have to answer 1 essay topic from Sections A and B.
The UPSC Essay Topics 2023 are segmented into two sections - Section A and B with 4 topics each. The topics are "Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team", "Visionary decision-making at the intersection of intuition and logic", "Not all who wander are lost".
UPSC essay topics are from various areas: Administration, Democracy/India since Independence, Judiciary, Economics, Federalism, Decentralisation, Indian culture and Society, Environment, Socialisation, and Science & Technology. The essay questions are part of civil services mains exams. Each essay topic must be written within 1000 to 1200 words.
Table of Contents
- UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years PDFs: Download Link
- UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years
- How to Prepare for UPSC Essay Topics?
UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years PDFs
In the table below are the UPSC essay topics from the previous years. These are the official PDFs. Students can download the PDFs by clicking on the links.
| Years | PDFs |
| 2023 | Click Here |
| 2022 | Click Here |
| 2021 | Click Here |
| 2020 | Click Here |
| 2019 | Click Here |
| 2018 | Click Here |
| 2017 | Click Here |
| 2016 | Click Here |
| 2015 | Click Here |
| 2014 | Click Here |
UPSC Essay Topics from Previous Years
UPSC essay topics are divided into two sections: Sections A and B. Students have to choose their desired topic. There are 4 topics in each section. Here are the UPSC essay topics from 2023 to 2014.
- UPSC Essay Topics 2023
- UPSC Essay Topics 2022
- UPSC Essay Topics 2021
- UPSC Essay Topics 2020
- UPSC Essay Topics 2019
- UPSC Essay Topics 2018
- UPSC Essay Topics 2017
- UPSC Essay Topics 2016
- UPSC Essay Topics 2015
- UPSC Essay Topics 2014
UPSC Essay Topics 2023
Section A
- Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team
- Visionary decision-making at the intersection of intuition and logic
- Not all who wander are lost
- Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane
Section B
- Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands - two equally harmful disciplines
- Mathematics is the music of reason
- A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity
- Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school
UPSC Essay Topics 2022
Section A
- Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence.
- Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.
- History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man.
- A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ship is for.
Section B
- The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
- You cannot step twice in the same river.
- A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
- Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.
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UPSC Essay Topics 2021
Section A
- The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
- Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
- Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
- The real is rational and the rational is real.
Section B
- Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
- What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
- History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.
- There are better practices to "best practices".
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UPSC Essay Topics 2020
Section A
- Life is long journey between human being and being humane.
- Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self.
- Ships do not sink because of water around them, ships sink because of water that gets into them.
- Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
Section B
- Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have.
- There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless.
- Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality.
- Technology as the silent factor in international relations.
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UPSC Essay Topics 2019
Section A
- Wisdom finds truth.
- Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
- Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
- Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
Section B
- South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
- Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.
- Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
- Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.
UPSC Essay Topics 2018
Section A
- Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India.
- A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
- Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.
- Management of Indian border disputes-a complex task.
Section B
- Management of Indian border disputes-a complex task.
- The past' is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
- A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both.
- Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
UPSC Essay Topics 2017
Section A
- Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India.
- Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India.
- Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.
- Has the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world?
Section B
- Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
- Fulfilment of 'new woman' in India is a myth.
- We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws.
- Social media' is inherently a selfish medium.
UPSC Essay Topics 2016
Section A
- If development is not engendered, it is endangered.
- Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.
- Water disputes between States in federal India.
- Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare.
Section B
- Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality.
- Cyberspace and Internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run.
- Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
- Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality.
UPSC Essay Topics 2015
Section A
- Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
- Quick but steady wins the race.
- Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
- Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil.
Section B
- Technology cannot replace manpower.
- Crisis faced in India - moral or economic.
- Dreams which should not let India sleep.
- Can capitalism bring inclusive growth ?
UPSC Essay Topics 2014
Section A
- With greater power comes greater responsibility.
- Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
- Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability or progress?
- Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
Section B
- Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
- Is sting operation an invasion on privacy?
- Fifty Golds in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India?
- Tourism Can this be the next big thing for India?
How to Prepare for UPSC Essay Topics?
Preparation for UPSC essay topics is important. One hundred twenty-five marks are allotted to each topic, and the total marks for the paper are 250.
Therefore, here are some of the preparation tips:
- Research for Topics: Students are advised to review the popular essay topics. Do a thorough research on the topic and support the essay with facts.
- List Down the Topics: Once the topics are gathered, students must divide them into judiciary, polity, administration, society, economics, etc. This process helps in collecting supporting information quickly.
- Know the Latest Events: UPSC essay topics are usually from the latest events. The knowledge of events is tested; students must watch the news or read Pratiyogita Darpan to know the latest events.
- Practice Writing: The writing has to be fast and precise. Students must choose a topic, start writing on it, and time themselves.
- Proofread: Students must also proofread their essay topics if there are mistakes that will cost them a deduction of marks.
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