Arpit Chauhan AIR-20 UPSC CSE 2021 PSIR Strategy.
Hello everyone.
I have given a TOPPERS TALK at Vision IAS that has now been released.
In this 3hr 20min long video, I have tried to share my strategy for various stages of the exam as well as different GS/optional papers along with taking certain doubts from the students.
Essay, GS, optional, prelims, notes making, answer writing have been comprehensively covered.
This is the closest assessment of my strategy on my own and a better way of giving back to the aspirant community in both practical and motivational terms.
I hope any aspirant preparing for the exam would be able to draw certain DOs & DONTs from this that would take them a step closer to their destination.
Thank you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAsM3Z5HgrA&t=7737s
PSIR (POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS)
Hello Everyone!!
Many of you have asked me regarding my optional strategy. So, here is something.
My optional subject was PSIR (POLITICAL SCIENCE & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS) although I am a graduate in Mechanical Engg.
Reasons for opting this subject were its evergreen nature, overlap with GS (especially GS-2) and most importantly, my interest in it.
Like rest of my preparation, my optional subject was also prepared without any coaching and solely with the help of books and other material available in the market and Online.
Do remember, your resources and material shall be decided by you based on the time available with you for the preparation phase and your previous knowledge of the subject (if any).
Here I am sharing the resources I referred to for PSIR and the sequence in which I read them.
1. First of all, I read 6 books for PSIR which were :
i) An introduction to Political theory by O P Gauba
ii) Global politics by Andrew Heywood
iii) Political ideologies by Andrew Heywood
iv) Western political thoughts by Brian R. Nelson
v) Does the elephant dance by David Malone
vi) Challenge and Strategy: Rethinking India's Foreign Policy by Rajiv Sikri
You can skip v & vi but I would suggest you to read the 3 books (ii, iii & iv) but that too, only if you are a book person and like reading books and making your own notes.
Books are, on any given day, the best source of knowledge. But remember, the aim here is not reading the book but covering the UPSC syllabus
2. Secondly, I followed IGNOU PSIR material for BA/MA which is important from the UPSC syllabus point of view. This is good quality material and can be easily found online. But again, remember not to read it in the entirety but only what is in the syllabus.
3. After covering all these sources, I referred to Shubhra Ranjan's handwritten PSIR notes available in the market. I found them quiet comprehensive and aligned to the syllabus.
If you do not like reading books and want material in notes form, then these are the notes for you.
Ma'am has covered the syllabus in such a way that appropriate depth and breadth of most topics (especially static part) has been compiled in these notes {although one would still need to put in enough efforts on their own for paper I section B & paper II section B}
Apart from all these things, reading newspapers as well as online articles (as from ORF) shall be done, especially for the IR part (paper II part B).
For example, ORF articles can help one to make comprehensive notes regarding India's state of relations with major global players (as is demand of the syllabus) and all other topics which are dynamic in nature.
The above is a collections of sources I referred to (as far as I can remember). I'll add if I recall something else.
In later articles, I'd focus on other important aspects of optional as :
—> notes making
—> importance of attempting PYQs
—> answer writing
For latest/ Updated PSIR PYQs Book - Click
Till then, keep studying and learning👍
WHAT MAKES A GOOD ANSWER?
Obviously, this is a subjective area but still, some points shall be kept in mind :
1. Addressing the demand of the question should be your single most priority (rest all is just gap filling)
2. keep using headings, sub-headings, diagrams, flowcharts, etc. to enhance presentation (but use them only where they fit)
3. make the work of the examiner easy by not writing unnecessary things
4. use of authentic data/facts/reports along with the source is appreciated (but again, bogus/unsure data shall be avoided)
HOW WILL YOU BE ABLE TO WRITE A GOOD ANSWER?
Writing in the exam hall is an entirely different story, and especially when you see some unexpected questions.
On one's part, things that would help in writing a good answer are:
1. Crisp, Concise and consolidated notes would be useful
2. multiple revisions (that bring things on your fingertips) shall be given
3. regular answer writing practice along with evaluation & feedback (self/peer/institute) is advisable so that you do not face a time crunch in the exam
COACHING INSTITUTES
Classroom coaching (Online/Offline) : NONE
CSE 2020 :
Mains : Mock tests of Forum IAS & Vision IAS (for GS) & Shubhra Ranjan (for PSIR)
Personality test : Mock interviews @ Rau's IAS, Vajirao & Reddy, Unacademy, Byju's, KSG & Vision IAS
CSE 2021 :
Mains : Mock tests of Vision IAS (for GS)
Personality Test : Mock interviews @ Next IAS, Unacademy, KSG, Vajirao & Reddy, One-on-one @ Vajiram.
NOTES MAKING :
I believe notes making is one of the most crucial part of one's preparation (although people do clear the exam without notes too)
The size of your notes and your command over them reflects the stage of your preparation.
Initially, your notes would probably be non-consolidated, un-coordinated and spread out in a haphazard manner.
But as you read and revise them again and again (as the static part), more and more things will begin settling in your mind and the size of your notes would eventually reduce with every reading (that is to say, you would figure out the more important part of them)
Moreover, it is equally important to time and again keep adding current affairs content to your notes so that every thing related to one topic (current + static) is in one place.
My strategy was that I made STATIC notes in hard copy form and CURRENT notes in online form (EVERNOTE) and before every stage of the exam (pre/mains), my focus used to be on consolidating them and then proceeding with further revisions.
For Newspapers, my strategy was to keep adding things from articles/news under specific GS papers' headings on a daily basis in online form (examples of which I shall share later). Similar was my approach towards websites/magazines that I referred to.
{An alternative way is to make separate notes from newspapers (although I avoided this in order to achieve better consolidation)}
Eventually, you would reach a stage where you would be able to revise your notes within hours.
Precise, Concise, Crisp and consolidated notes at the end are a recipe for good marks as I always say that your answer in mains is a reflection of the quality of your notes.
Another important thing to be considered is that your notes should be YOUR OWN and no one's notes can guarantee you success.
Ensure that your notes are within your reach and do not focus on making notes of each and every thing in an elaborate manner otherwise revision would be time-consuming and tiresome and notes would not serve their intended purpose.
I'll share some of my notes to make myself more clear later👍
NEWSPAPER READING
Newspapers have become an indispensable part of CSE preparation.
CSE mains especially has become the kind of exam where newspaper reading would give you an extra advantage (more so in GS-II & III)
For example, CSE 2021 questions as :
— V-shaped economic recovery
— Role of women in judiciary
and many others had a direct reference in the newspapers
As with any other resource, people do clear the exam without following newspapers regularly BUT I'd advice you against it.
Which newspaper to read?
You can read any newspaper you like but the most commonly followed ones are The Hindu & The Indian Express
Personally, I followed The Hindu and referred to Explained section of The Indian Express
How to read Newspaper & make notes out of it?
Reading newspaper in minimum time is a skill that would come to you by practice.
Initially, people read The Hindu for even 4-5 hrs on a daily basis. This is a wrong approach.
Try to finish the newspapers & making notes out of them (if you wish to do so) in 1-1.5 hrs max.
For current, as mentioned in my earlier posts, I preferred making online notes (on Evernote & Quip)
Let's say you're reading an article on Health/Education sector in India. Then try to incorporate any important data/facts/reports/commissions/way forward from it into your GS-II subheading of Health/Education.
Do not dwell on any article for too long or focus on memorising the writer's point of view on the issue.
Some people tend to make notes from newspapers at a separate place altogether. That's another way of doing things but I preferred otherwise.
Articles on abstract topics or those devoid of any data/facts are not of much use and can be skipped.
Try to make newspaper reading and making notes out of it a habit. If you are able to reflect in your mains answer copies the current context in which the question has been asked, it would always be beneficial for you. Also, for that particular answer, the entire content would be provided by newspapers in some form or the other.
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Focus on just the important parts of the newspaper as Editorials, etc. and do not read them just for reading them but try to extract from them as much as you can.
Hello people!
This is a bit subjective post on a bit sensitive issue which I am going to write due to queries regarding same by many of you.
******The necessity of coaching******
As already mentioned in previous posts, I did not take any online/offline coaching for GS/optional in any of my attempts.
Hence, my opinion is susceptible to be a bit biased but I would try to give you a balanced view here (as far as possible).
How coaching can help?
— save your time
— reduce efforts on your part
— provide regular guidance
— make you part of the 'competing crowd'
— tell you what to study and how to study
How can it act against you?
— costly affair for many
— environment can demotivate you if your commitment is not deep-rooted
— guidance can get mixed with mis-guidance
— one size fits all approach might not be suitable for all
Why I didn't go for coaching?
I believe that UPSC is an exam for which coaching is neither sufficient nor mandatory and self-study has no substitute. I felt during early stages of my preparation that this exam can be cleared by one's own strategy without need of hand-holding.
What mistakes aspirants do at coaching?
Based upon my interaction with many aspirants currently/previously in coaching, I feel the following things (Disclaimer : This is only an outsider's point of view)
— many teachers ask you to neglect basic books and claim that 'notes are sufficient'. Based on my opinion and experience, neglecting basic books is not a very good strategy
— aspirants complain of not getting enough time for self-study due to constant hustling between GS & optional classes
—aspirants constantly keep comparing themselves with others around them (on just 1-2 parameters) and get demotivated
One shall clearly understand that it is not the responsibility of any institute/teacher to get you selected and no one can guarantee that either. The fees you pay to any institute is for the classes/material/guidance and not selection and it invariably remains the same whether you're selected or not and your institute will anyhow find many students to claim them as their own no matter your result.
Coaching can show you the path but it is you who have to walk. Don't depend too much on coaching and do not blame them if not selected.
If you feel the need and can afford it, please attend coaching but remember, it is not a pre-requisite for this/any exam.
Also, it is perfectly possible to clear this exam without any coaching and many people have been doing this year after year. Whether at coaching or on your own, your efforts are needed to beat the competition. Have faith in yourself and do never feel afraid if you're on your own without any coaching.
Always remember : Your selection is your responsibility and yours only.
Keep studying 👍 and you shall make it