This book is the second volume in The IAS Book of Essays series, covering all UPSC Civil Services Main Examination essay questions from 2020 to 2022.
Written in a reflective and philosophical style, the essays in this volume are not model answers to memorise, but invitations to think. They are designed to help aspirants cultivate clarity, balance, and ethical depth while engaging with contemporary issues.
The years 2020-2022 marked a period of global uncertainty, moral questioning, and rapid change. The essays of this volume reflect that atmosphere, exploring themes such as responsibility, freedom, ambiguity, choice, resilience, and adaptation - without haste and without dogma.
This book is intended for serious UPSC aspirants who wish to write essays with a free mind, grounded reasoning, and quiet confidence. It continues the same writing philosophy as the first volume, encouraging original thought rather than imitation.
This volume is best read alongsideThe IAS Book of Essays - Part I (2014-2019), and will be followed byPart III (2023-2025).