A Handbook of Select Essays – 8th Edition is a specially designed book for aspirants of the UPSC Civil Services Examination and other competitive exams where essay writing plays a crucial role. Developed by Drishti Publications, this edition combines a rich collection of model essays with a clear strategy on the what, why and how of essay writing.

The book begins with a detailed chapter on Essay Writing: What, Why and How? explaining how to interpret topics, brainstorm ideas, prepare outlines and structure powerful introductions, bodies and conclusions. It also guides you on language, coherence, multidimensional analysis and use of relevant examples.

Key Highlights

• Covers essays asked in UPSC CSE Mains 2025 with high-quality model answers.
• Topic-wise essays divided into themes such as Politics & Governance, Economic Issues, Social Issues, Environment & Science, India & the World, Philosophy & Ethics and more.
• Each essay demonstrates balanced arguments, logical flow, quotations, data and contemporary examples to help you understand the expectation of UPSC evaluators.
• Helps in building content, structure and writing style for both Paper I (Essay) and General Studies papers.
• Useful not only for UPSC CSE but also for State PSCs, CAPF and other examinations where essay writing is asked.

This handbook acts as a ready reference and practice companion for aspirants who wish to improve their essay-writing skills and score better in the Mains examination.