UPSC directive words, one at a time
The directive word tells you what to do with the topic. Find it before you plan anything.
How often each one appears
These are the counts across all 553 GS questions set in 2020 to 2026, Papers 1 to 4. Each question is counted by the first directive word in it.
| Directive | Questions | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No directive word | 174 | 31.5% |
| Discuss | 126 | 23% |
| Explain | 65 | 12% |
| Examine | 39 | 7% |
| Comment | 28 | 5% |
| Any critically form | 26 | 5% |
| Analyse | 20 | 4% |
| Suggest | 16 | 3% |
| Justify | 15 | 3% |
| Describe | 14 | 3% |
| Evaluate | 12 | 2% |
| Elucidate | 9 | 2% |
| Critically analyse (one of the 26 critically forms) | 4 | 0.7% |
Learn discuss, explain and examine first. In 2020 to 2026 they made up 230 of the 553 questions. Critically analyse appeared four times in those seven years.
Questions with no directive word have their own lesson: questions with no directive.
What each one asks for
| Directive | What your answer does | A real question |
|---|---|---|
| Discuss | Sets out more than one side, weighs them, ends with your view | "Discuss the impact of Macaulay's Minute on colonial administration and education in India." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Explain | Shows how or why something happens, step by step. No verdict needed | "The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain." (UPSC Mains 2025, GS Paper 1) |
| Examine | Takes the claim apart and tests each part against evidence | "The centre of global trade is gradually shifting from the Atlantic region to the Indo-Pacific region." Examine this statement. (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Comment | Gives your judgement on the statement, with reasons | "Linguistic reorganization of Indian States was driven by popular pressure from below. Comment." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Critically examine | Examines each part, then says which parts hold and which do not | "Critically examine the challenges of demographic transition in contemporary India." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Analyse | Breaks the topic into parts and shows how they connect | "Analyze the importance of Ashokan inscriptions for reconstructing Mauryan history." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Elucidate | Makes the claim clear with explanation and examples | "The significance of the Gandhian movements lay in the masses they mobilized. Elucidate." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Evaluate | Judges how well something worked, against a stated standard | "Evaluate the impact of globalization on Indian youths with reference to social, political, economic and cultural spheres." (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1) |
| Justify | Argues for the claim with evidence | "The process of desertification does not have climate boundaries. Justify with examples." (UPSC Mains 2020, GS Paper 1) |
| Suggest | Gives specific measures, each tied to a problem | "Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario." (UPSC Mains 2020, GS Paper 3) |
UPSC spells analyse both ways. The 2026 papers use both spellings.
Two directives in one question
A question can carry two directive words. Each one asks for its own part of the answer.
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)
Explain asks for the challenges and why each one is a challenge. Suggest asks for measures. Give both parts their share of the words.
What critically asks for
Critically asks you to judge. Give the strengths and the weaknesses, then say which side carries more weight. Your verdict can be favourable. A list of problems with no verdict does not answer a critically question.
How the directive changes the answer
Here is one real question, and what the answer would look like under three directives.
"Tundra regions are ecologically fragile but economically important." Examine this statement critically.
(UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 1)
| If the question said | Your first sentence does this | The body does this |
|---|---|---|
| Explain | Says why the tundra is fragile and why it is valuable | Covers permafrost and short growing seasons, then oil, gas and minerals. No verdict |
| Discuss | Says there is a case each way | Weighs extraction against conservation, then gives your view |
| Examine critically (the real wording) | Says how far the statement holds | Tests each half, says where the two halves conflict, ends on a verdict |
The same opening, written twice
For the tundra question above.
| An opening that describes | An opening that examines critically |
|---|---|
| Tundra regions lie in the Arctic and on high mountains. They have permafrost, low temperatures and short summers. | The statement holds. The oil, gas and minerals that make the tundra valuable are extracted in ways that thaw the permafrost that makes it fragile. |
| Tells the examiner what the tundra is | States a position and names the conflict the answer will test |
Steps
- Underline every directive word in the question. If there is a second one, underline that too.
- Write your first sentence so it does what the first directive asks.
- For discuss and any critically form, plan at least one point on the other side.
- Check the last part of the question has its own words in your plan.
- If there is no directive word, use the question form instead. See questions with no directive.
Mistakes and what to do instead
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Describing when the question says examine | Name the parts you will test in the first sentence |
| Listing only problems for a critically question | Give strengths and weaknesses, then a verdict |
| Answering the first directive and dropping the second | Give each directive its own section and its own words |
| Ending a discuss answer with "there are views on both sides" | Say which side you find stronger, and why |
| Spending revision time on critically analyse | Practise discuss, explain and examine first |
Your turn
A question reads: "India's global diaspora acts as a living bridge, as a critical economic factor and knowledge network in transforming cultural heritage into geopolitical influence and strategic leverage worldwide." Critically examine this statement. (UPSC Mains 2026, GS Paper 2). Which opening does the directive ask for?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: (C) A statement of how far the claim holds, with the parts the answer will test, such as remittances, lobbying and soft power.
The answer is (C). Critically examine asks you to test the statement in parts and reach a verdict. The opening should say how far the claim holds and name the parts you will test. (A) defines terms the question did not ask about. (B) is a list of facts with no judgement. (D) gives a verdict before testing anything, and it ignores the evidence on the other side, such as remittances.
✍️ Your turn
Here is an opening written for the wrong directive. Question: "Examine the role of the 'Gig Economy' in the process of empowerment of women in India." (UPSC Mains 2021, GS Paper 1, 10 marks). Opening as written: "The gig economy is a labour market of short-term, task-based work arranged through digital platforms such as Zomato, Swiggy and Urban Company. It has grown quickly in Indian cities." Rewrite this opening in two or three sentences, 30 words or fewer, so that it examines rather than describes.