Précis Writing: Preserve Meaning in Fewer Words

Syllabus connection

The UPSC Civil Services Examination 2026 notice includes précis writing in the qualifying English paper. The paper must be answered in English. Hindi explanations in this lesson support learning; write the exercise itself in English. UPSC 2026 notice, page 33

What to preserve

A précis is a concise, connected account of the passage's central meaning. For this practice, retain the main claim, the essential reasons, any important qualification and the conclusion. Remove repetition and examples that are not needed to understand that argument. Do not add your own opinion, external information or a stronger claim than the writer makes.

A short summary can take different lengths. In a précis task, follow the length, title and presentation instructions actually given. The 60-word target below is chosen for this lesson; it is not a universal UPSC rule.

A practical method

1. Read the whole passage before shortening individual sentences.
2. State its main argument in one rough sentence.
3. List the supporting points in the order needed to understand the argument.
4. Draft a connected paragraph in your own words. Preserve relationships such as cause, contrast and qualification.
5. Check that every statement is supported by the original.
6. Count the words and revise grammar, repetition and unnecessary detail.

Original practice passage

The following scenario is fictional and was written for this exercise.

During a trial month, the town library stayed open for two evening hours on three days each week. The change followed complaints from residents who could not visit before work ended. Staff recorded attendance and invited visitors to explain what they needed. Students used the tables, while workers borrowed books without joining study sessions. However, evening attendance alone could not establish whether the trial served people who had previously been excluded. Some regular visitors had simply moved their visits to a later time.

To understand the difference, staff compared questionnaires with earlier attendance records. They also asked why some residents still stayed away. Several respondents mentioned an unreliable bus connection rather than the library's closing time. The librarian therefore recommended keeping the evening opening on two busy days, testing a small collection at a neighbourhood centre, and reviewing both arrangements after three months. She rejected the suggestion that a single attendance total should decide the policy. A useful service, she argued, should be judged by whom it enables to participate, as well as by how often its doors are used.

Your task

Write a précis of exactly 60 words. Give it a brief title. For this exercise, count whitespace-separated words and exclude the title from the count. The original passage contains 180 words. Complete your own answer before viewing the model.

Model answer

Measuring Access to a Library

A library trial of longer evening hours attracted visitors, but attendance totals did not establish whether previously excluded residents benefited. Feedback revealed both changed visiting habits and transport barriers. The librarian proposed retaining selected evening sessions, testing a neighbourhood collection and reviewing the results. She favoured assessing who could participate rather than relying solely on the number of recorded visits.

Word count: 60, excluding the title.

Why this works

The answer preserves the trial, the limits of attendance totals, the evidence about barriers, the proposed response and the principle for evaluation. It omits the exact opening hours and the detail about students because the central reasoning remains clear without them. It does not claim that the trial failed or that the neighbourhood collection has already succeeded.

Practice rubric: 10 points

This is a learning rubric created for this exercise, not an official UPSC marking scheme.

• Main argument and essential supporting ideas: 4 points.
• Accurate meaning without unsupported additions: 2 points.
• Connected, clear English in your own words: 2 points.
• Compliance with the stated length and title instructions: 2 points.

Repair a misleading sentence

Draft: The library trial proved that longer hours were useless.

Problem: The passage does not establish this. It questions what an attendance total alone can show.

Improved sentence: Attendance figures alone did not establish whether the trial widened access.

After checking your answer, underline any claim that cannot be traced to the passage and remove or revise it.