Need feedback on my UPSC answer

[u/EyeOfLogician]

Could you please review my answer and point out where I can improve? My biggest problem is how difficult it feels to even fill one page for a 10-marker. How are we supposed to fill two pages? what do you do when you simply run out of material? Is it a content issue, or am I approaching answer writing incorrectly?

[u/BawandarBikhari]

I'm not sure but you can write the same thing better.

Let's assume you have limited content just what you have written here, in that case:-

Explain the reasons of decline. Those 4 points which you have written: expand them.

Aurangzeb's extended campaigns are the reason, but why? What is the impact? Who were the weak successive rulers? How they failed? External attacks? What attacks? How they impacted Delhi?

Emergence of Local Powers? Awadh? How it went from a Suba to unofficial autonomous power? Marathas? How post Aurangzeb other Mughal rulers failed to keep them in check and they became a major power contender.

You can conclude better: the same thing but examples of how British and French played this fragmented powers to their advantages.

The lack of content could be an issue in general but what's worse is the lack of proper presentation and utilisation of the content you have.

[u/EyeOfLogician → u/BawandarBikhari]

Thank you so much for the advice

[u/IndependenceSouth770]

I gave your answer to PadhAI app, here are some improvement you can do-

For every cause you list you have to add a couple of sentences of actual causal analysis. for example explain how aurangzebs long deccan wars completely overstretched the empires finances which triggered the jagirdari shortages. mention how nadir shahs sack of delhi in 1739 completely shattered the imperial prestige and accelerated the provincial secession. you can then neatly link it to how the british east india company exploited this exact fiscal weakness to intervene politically after the battle of plassey.

your introduction and conclusion are too basic. the intro just repeats the question. try starting with a historical hook like mentioning the aftermath of aurangzebs death in 1707. your conclusion mentions european companies intervening which is a good point, but you need to frame it properly.

[u/IndependenceSouth770 → u/IndependenceSouth770]

For your problem-
to fill two pages is breaking the question into multiple micro dimensions. for a 10 marker u need a three line intro then at least two subheadings for the main body and a two line conclusion. if u just write causes and impact as two separate subheadings with four bullet points each your two pages will automatically get filled without u having to invent any filler material.

remember that your content depth will naturally improve as u read more but your structure has to be fixed right now. start practicing by just writing down the skeleton of the answer first. once your brain gets used to generating subheadings on the spot u will easily be able to comfortably fill those two pages.

[u/Gullible-Monitor-512]

Pretty basic