2016 GS-IV Emotional IntelligenceVerbatim · UPSC

Anger is a harmful negative emotion. It is injurious to both personal life and work life. a) Discuss how it leads to negative emotions and undesirable behaviours. b) How can it be managed and controlled?

Paper

GS-IV

Question

Marks

10M

Word Limit

150W

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Practice Answer Writing

Word limit: 150 wordsMarks: 10MSuggested time: 7 min

How to approach this question

Directive: Discuss

Present multiple viewpoints in detail before a balanced conclusion.

Structure (10 marks · about 150 words)

Introduction: define the core term or set the context in two or three lines.
Body: two to three dimensions, each backed by an example, data point or case.
Conclusion: a balanced, forward-looking way ahead.

This sub-point (Concepts of emotional intelligence) has been asked 6 times since 2013

20132025

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Real evaluated answer copies where a topper tackled this question (or a very close one). The learnings below are drawn straight from their actual answer, not a model answer.

Vandita handwritten UPSC Mains answer to "Buddha quote on anger as grasping a hot coal (interpretation)" (GS4, Rank 403, CSE 2024)

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VanditaRank 403CSE 2024

Answered a closely related question

Their question: “Buddha quote on anger as grasping a hot coal (interpretation)”

2016_Q6 is the 'anger is a harmful negative emotion, how to manage it' question; the topper's Buddha hot-coal interpretation supplies both the diagnosis and the management framing.

Key learnings from their answer

›For the Q2a/Q3 quote-interpretation questions, Vandita pairs each classic thinker with a sharp current-affairs hook rather than abstract gloss, Mandela's lesson on minority atrocities linked to Uyghurs in China, Buddha's anger/forgiveness quote to USA-Cuba relations, and Tagore's 'letting go' quote to the Kuki-Meitei Manipur conflict and the Abraham Accords -> in Ethics, prove you understand a thinker by mapping their idea onto a specific live event, not by restating the quote.

What they cited: USA–Cuba relations — Buddha forgiveness/anger quote (Q3b)

Quotes used: “Gautama Buddha — 'Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal...' (Q3b prompt)”

See Vandita's answer copies View the full evaluated copy →

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About This Question

Paper

GS Paper IV: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude

Subject

Emotional Intelligence

Subtopic

Concepts of emotional intelligence

Section

A (Theory)

Source

Official UPSC 2016 paper, Q7 (verbatim)

Official UPSC syllabus: Emotional intelligence — concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.

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2025GS-IV Q6

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2025GS-IV Q5

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2025GS-IV Q4

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2025GS-IV Q3

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2025GS-IV Q2

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is UPSC Mains 2016 GS-IV Question 6 about?▼

This is a verbatim UPSC Mains 2016 GS-IV question from the "Emotional Intelligence" area of the official syllabus. It carries 10 marks with a 150-word limit.

How should I approach this UPSC Mains question?▼

For a 10-mark question with a 150-word limit, decode the directive verb first, then structure your answer with a crisp introduction, 2–3 substantiated body points, and a forward-looking conclusion within the limit.

Anger is a harmful negative emotion. It is injurious to both personal life and work life. a) Discuss how it leads to negative emotions and undesirable behaviours. b) How can it be managed and controlled?

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Anger is a harmful negative emotion. It is injurious to both personal life and work life. a) Discuss how it leads to negative emotions and undesirable behaviours. b) How can it be managed and controlled?

Practice Answer Writing

How to approach this question

Learn from a topper's answer

About This Question

Related Questions

Students Also Practiced

Frequently Asked Questions