Problem Solving — Mains Strategy

Mains Strategy

The written questions are reasoning practice for objective Preliminary Paper II, not a descriptive CSAT Mains syllabus. Structure an answer around the decision: define the problem, identify the relevant evidence, compare feasible actions and explain how the selected action would be assessed. Keep hypothetical examples labelled as such rather than presenting them as findings about a real public office.

In the queue example, derive the eighteen-person backlog and state the steady-rate assumption. Then explain why that arithmetic leaves the choice of remedy open. A help desk, roster change and extra counter should be compared using their likely effects, costs and resource dependencies. Avoid adding benefits from overlapping interventions as if they were independent.

For a pilot evaluation, separate the measured change from its explanation. If arrivals fall while waiting time improves, propose a comparison that accounts for demand before assigning the whole gain to the intervention. A strong conclusion combines an actionable next step with an honest statement of uncertainty and a measure that reflects the original objective.