(Article) Strategy for the Preparation of Public Administration (Advance Level)

I would like to remind what I have referred earlier that – “Winners do not do different things, they do things differently’. Herein, the requirement is to understand the psychology of the examiner which is possible by putting yourself in the examiner's shoes. What you would like in any answer sheet are required to be visualized....... and those are namely ….... clarity of though, lucidity, good content, well expressed language, in short, GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILL (Written Communication), so that the answer script could represent itself.

The reason why I began with writing skill is that it is the most important in the preparation for the Main Examination. There are many intelligent students, well versed with knowledge about their subject matter and yet they do not score in the Main Examination. But the question is Why ? Of course, luck and destiny is there, but another reason is lack of writing skill.

Thus Civil Services Examination requires a two-pronged strategy to hit the target CONTENT and WRITING SKILL. Now I will wish to analyze both the components in detail.

(A ) CONTENT involves the following elements:

• Conceptual understanding

• Facts

• Analyzing and manipulating the facts.

• Something new, in terms of the knowledge base inter-linkages or  diagrams

Conceptual understanding of the subject is most important. Give a layman’s interpretation to the concepts and relate it with mundane example for long term memory. Facts – After conceptual understanding, the second step is memorizing the important facts. For example , some important theoretical aspects are to be memorized to attempt any question related to the spatial analysis of the matter. Something New – New diagrams, new ideas, original ideas, new content, latest reports, inter linkages etc. must be incorporated.

However, one has to be cautious that a balance is maintained and the ideas are not too radical and should be well integrated with the answer.

(B) Writing Skill involves:

• Be precise and effective.

• Writing should be legible and neat.

• Grammatical errors must not be committed.

• Simple and expressive language should be used.

• Neat diagrams, flow charts should be used whenever it is required to give  precision to your answer.

Writing skill does not mean a decorative language, having extra-ordinary vocabulary. It means that the ideas should be well expressed in a lucid manner. Simple but a expressive language is the demand i.e. the answer sheet should speak out everything for itself with requisite words, depends on the nature of the subject matter. There should be no ambiguity in the answers at all.

Writing Skill comes through practice and is also based on your knowledge treasure and conceptual understanding. This only can give flow and lucidity to your answers. The conceptual understanding will make your answer well organized and integrated.
Thus, writing skill and content both should complement and supplement each other. Writing skill has its base in content and content needs writing skill to be well expressed.