Vaibhav Rawat AIR 25 UPSC CSE 2020
Optional - PSIR
I will share my notes and experience of UPSC CSE here, for now.
This post is addressed to all the repeaters.
"What changes did I make this year?"
"What made my score jump from 70 to 97 in GS3 and 111 to 121 in GS4?"
"Why I scored only 122 in IR vs 143 in 2019?"
I have shared my perspective on these questions in the session at InsightsIAS. Link of the video is pinned.
Here, I will try to give more clarity over what I have discussed in the video.
This was my assessment after the main exam and before the interview call came -
Essay 130-140
GS1 105-110
GS2 95-100
GS3 90-95
GS4 110-115
PS 130-140
IR 140-150 | optional score ~ 280
After the final results came, my assessment became this -
Essay ~ 140
GS1 ~110
GS2 ~100
GS3 ~ 95
GS4 ~ 115
PS ~ 140
IR ~ 150-160 | Optional score ~ 300
PT ~ 190
To my disbelief the score was only 122 in IR. I don't think I can ever agree to this assessment. Never mind.
In GS1 I scored only 85. Amomg GS 1, 2 and 3 I felt the most comfortable in this paper while writing the main exam.
However, in GS4 I knew I had done well. Fortunately the marks reflected that. But I wonder in case I was given 100~105 marks in GS4, I would have accepted them humbly. But that would have made all the difference in the world. Atleast in mine (Okay! Only in mine). Reducing my total by ~20 marks. I would not have made it to the IFS. Which is why this exam is so harsh.
One can only connect the dots looking backward. One can justify any score in hindsight. Whatever worked is unknown. Hence, what will work is also unknown.
Statements like :
"I drew 19 diagrams"
"I made 15 flowcharts"
"I wrote positive conclusions"
"I quoted many facts and reports"
All such statements can only be given in retrospect. Only with some sense of inflated ego around one's success. But success is delusional. Again never mind.
With full responsibility, I can tell you this that the same method or the same strategy could yield vastly different result. Many people experience this over their consecutive attempts.
But then is there nothing that we can do? Ofcourse we can.
I have shared the details of my preparation above. They include-
1. The resources/material that I read.
2. Approach that I followed for balancing revision and answer writing practice.
3. The test series taken and utility of the feedback given.
You may pick and choose from these details whatever you think that suits your style. To plug the loopholes in your preparation.
However, there is this one advice which could be universally applicable.
Hedge the risks. Plan wisely. Work smart. I would suggest you to watch the pinned video if you are not aware of what I mean here.
Generally speaking - Prepare all subjects. Read good content. Understand all subjects. Think critically about each question asked. Do the basics right. Finally give your best performance in each paper for those 5 days. One can't really predict will it be well received or not or which papers will be well received and which ones will be disregarded.
Moreover, while you listen to fortunately successful people including myself always remember this. One can only share what one has done. Or what one think works. There is no assured path. There is no finality of truth.
Focus on the process. Make yourself better everyday in the process. More suitable to be a civil servant. Believe that results will come. Even if they don't come, never bother. UPSC will decide your result. Not success. Full effort is full success. All the best.
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