Conclusions that go somewhere
The conclusion is the last two or three lines of a GS answer. This lesson shows you what to put in them.
How long
| Answer | Conclusion |
|---|---|
| 10 marks, 150 words | 20 to 30 words |
| 15 marks, 250 words | 30 to 40 words |
What a conclusion can do
Pick one of these three jobs. Each example closes the same real question:
The states in India seem reluctant to empower urban local bodies both functionally as well as financially. Comment. (UPSC Mains 2023, GS Paper 2, 10 marks)
| Job | What you write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Say what should happen, and who acts | A named action and a named actor | States should pay State Finance Commission awards on time and in full, so that cities can plan beyond one budget year. |
| Say what follows | The consequence of your argument | Without their own money and staff, councils will keep carrying blame for services they do not control. |
| Say what it depends on | The condition your answer rests on | Functions handed over on paper will stay on paper until the money and staff move with them. |
Match the conclusion to the directive
| The question says | End on |
|---|---|
| Discuss, Examine | Your view after weighing the sides |
| Comment | Your judgement on the statement, in one sentence |
| Critically examine, Critically evaluate | Your verdict: how far the claim holds |
| Suggest measures, What steps | The measure that should come first, and why |
| A plain question with no directive word | A direct answer to that question |
The test for any conclusion
Read your last sentence and ask one question. Could it sit under a different question without changing a word?
If yes, rewrite it. Add a named actor, a named action, or a condition that only fits this question.
Worked example
Explain the key challenges for India's energy security. What measures do you suggest for ensuring energy security along with economic growth and sustainability? (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 3, 15 marks)
| Weak conclusion | Strong conclusion |
|---|---|
| Thus, a holistic and multi-pronged approach with the cooperation of all stakeholders is the need of the hour for India's energy security and sustainable development. | Dependence on imported oil is the challenge the others follow from. Domestic renewable capacity, built with grid storage, should come first, so that growth no longer rises and falls with the oil price. |
| Fits any question on any paper. Names no actor and no action. | Ranks the challenges, names the first measure, and links growth and sustainability as the question asked. |
Words to check
These words often appear in conclusions that say nothing. They are not wrong. When you see one in your conclusion, check that the sentence names something specific.
| Word or phrase | Replace with |
|---|---|
| Holistic approach | The two or three actions you mean |
| Multi-pronged strategy | The prongs, named |
| All stakeholders | The body that should act: a ministry, the states, gram sabhas |
| Need of the hour | What should happen, and by when |
| Way forward | The step itself |
Mistakes and what to do instead
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Repeating the body in fewer words | Say what should happen next, or what the answer depends on |
| A line that fits any question | Name an actor, an action or a condition from this question |
| No verdict when the question says Comment or Critically examine | End on one sentence that gives your judgement |
| Leaving out the conclusion when time is short | Drop your weakest body point and write a one-line conclusion |
| A quote in place of a conclusion | Your own sentence. A quote can support it but not replace it |
Your turn
✍️ Your turn
Write a conclusion of 20 to 30 words for this question: "Does India’s tribal development policy reflect the aspirations for a socially grounded and equity-based governance? Justify your answer." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 2, 10 marks). Then test it. Could it sit under a different question? If it could, rewrite it before you submit.