Class Notes 4 You

Hello everyone, myself Dr Rahul kanwaria. Currently in IRS Income Tax. I did MBBS from GMC Nagpur, MD medicine from BJMC, Ahmedabad.  Medical science optional.  This was my 4th CSE interview in a row.  AIR 350 in 2023. Rank 683 in 2022.  Rank 536 in 2021.  Gave interview in 2020.  2019 failed in Prelims. Strategy for last 45 days Here's the UPSC CSE Prelims GS 1  Solve Previous Year Papers (PYQs)     - Analyze past years' question papers to understand the exam pattern and common topics.     - Identify frequently asked questions and recurring topics. (Many topics/questions get repeated every year) Practice Mock Tests     - Regularly attempt mock tests to simulate examination conditions and improve time management.     - Use mock tests to identify and address weak areas.     - Practice full tests from various coaching institutes but avoid relying solely on their question quality. (do not get carried away ...

Hello folks!  My name is DIVYA YADAV. By God's grace I've secured AIR 498.  My optional is PSIR. I've created this group to help the aspirants in their UPSC preparation.  Before 1.5 months of Prelims  Everyone would tell you what to study and how many mocks to give etc.  I just want to say that you should take care of your health during this time.  For physical health Take a minimum 7 hours of sleep. Stay hydrated. Avoid street food or junk food till your exam. Engage in any kind of exercise for at least 20-30 mins (like walking or simple stretching etc.)  For mental health Just stay positive. Don't get disheartened by low marks. Learn from mistakes and keep improving. Everything will be fine at the end. Have faith in your efforts. Believe in NISHKAM KARMA - don't think about the result just think about your efforts.  Best of luck 🍀🍀 Regarding Mocks What is the purpose of mocks? The only purpose of mocks is practise. Take mocks as mocks only and...

Clarification on coachings - Since many institutes are using my pictures and will continue doing so in future, I am writing this post. I have NOT taken CLASSROOM COACHING from any institute, neither for GS nor for optional. Though, I have taken Test series and Mock interviews at all the 3 stages. My REASON for not joining classroom coaching - 1. GS - I did not feel the need as I had figured out what to read, how to read through toppers talk on Internet, plus my home is situated in Delhi itself but it takes around 2 hours to reach ORN, I could not spare so much travelling time every day and did not want to live in PG when my home was in the same city. 2. Optional - I was willing to take coaching for optional as I was advised that it requires greater depth. I even contacted few institutes, but either the course timing was not suiting me, whereas at some other places I received a rather dull response. So I decided I should prepare it on my own, ofc through help from internet. My suggesti...

Essay Writing Approach for UPSC Civil Services Examination Clearly mention Topic of your essay. Put it in a box. Don’t start an essay with another quotation. You can use quotations in your body part or conclusion part. You can quote Hindi or Sanskrit quotes also, but write them in English only (if your medium/language of essay writing is English) Ex: Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ✅ And not वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् Introduction is the most important part of an essay. You need to hook the examiner to your essay. Simply telling, the overall attention span is less, hence, try to keep your introduction to the point (2-3 paragraphs max). Just after introduction raise specific questions from the essay topic which you are likely to address in your essay — setting thesis) Next most important part is the flow in essay. There shouldn’t be sudden jump. Please use phrases adequately to set in the flow. Paragraphs should be small and to the point. UPSC has outrightly laid out parameters (as to what they are expect...

7 DEADLY SINS OF UPSC PREPARATION 1. Current Affairs without Static  This leads to lack of understanding of fundamentals and inability to form linkages across papers. 2. Mocks without PYQs The gravest of all sins with no possible redemption.  3. Hardwork without Breaks This strategy is often attempted by ‘serious aspirants’ to achieve superproductivity but is actually counterproductive.  4. Mains without Answer Writing Practice  Often results in phenomenons like - non completion of paper, generic content, lack of brain-hand coordination.  5. Answers without IBC Format A good structure is a prerequisite of a good answer and to compensate for the average content.  6. Learning without Revision  The most difficult part of the process is revision, but the number of revisions has a direct correlation to recall time.  7. Planning without Execution  Fancy, colourful planners and a new time table every fortnight do more harm than good. A plan is as go...

Kanika Goyal AIR-9 UPSC CSE 2022  Strategy and Notes (CSE): Hello all, finally starting beyond the marksheets shared above, I would like to utilise this democratic platform to share the strategy and notes, the trials bundled with tribulations and the idea of smart work embedded in hard work dedication and perseverance including my all-time favourite cost-benefit analysis with you all.  My formulas for understanding the examination are:  1.Deconstruct the syllabus 2. Make notes (4 rules)        i. 10% rule : not more than 10% of the source        ii. Note down : Headings -subheading and basic structure of the source text and develop interlinkages        iii. Facts ,Figures, data, Names : For value addition which is LiT but easy to forget       iv. Continue to shorten them further as you revise them  3. Understand and match the demand utilizing the Previous year papers (both prelim...

HOW TO APPROACH THE UPSC CSE MAINS GS-1 PAPER ? By AIR-2  GS 1 COMPRISES OF  10Q *10 MARKS EACH = 100  10Q*15 MARKS EACH = 150  TOTAL OF 250 MARKS The sources that i mentioned here were the ones that i used as per the availability but they are not very rigid, can be substituted. Now let us break down the entire syllabus into identifiable sub parts and tackle each one of them individually. Indian Culture - Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from Ancient to Modern times.   Sources - UPSC PYQ 2013 onwards ( to get a fair understanding of what are the type of questions and not miss out on any repeated questions )  Nitin Singhania sir’s book of art and culture. - only the chapters i did for prelims but more specifically the chapters on LITERATURE, DANCE, ARCHITECTURE, COINS, TRAVELLERS, BHAKTI AND SUFI ( i am attaching my notes i made out of the book for pre and mains here itself on the channel)  Referred to notes of Vision ias for t...

My strategy and approach for the essay paper  The essay paper in CSE Mains comprises two essays carrying 125 marks each. This paper has the potential to decide your rank given the marks differential lying from 70s to 150s. The changing pattern of the paper which is now shifting more towards writing philosophical/ inference driven/interpretation based essays on the one hand gives an upper edge to candidates to reflect their creative side and showcase their true personality, thoughts and vision . On the other hand it has become challenging for some candidates as well. In the CS Mains 2022, I secured 131 marks in the essay paper .  I would like to share my approach and strategy for this paper. Resources  UPSC essay papers 2017 onwards Model solutions of any institute  Read topper essay copies of previous years like Vikram Grewal, Anudeep Durishetty sir Collection of examples, anecdotes and quotes  Approach   I started breaking down any essay topic of the previ...

Golden formula for time management in UPSC CSE MAINS:   RECOMMENDED BY TOPPERS  Ist Essay : 95 mins (25 mins for structure + 70 mins for writing) IInd Essay : 85 mins (20 mins for structure + 65 mins for writing) 10 marker: 7 mins 15 marker: 11 mins 20 marker: 14 mins Jump to next question whenever you breach the time limit.  All the best!

Remember its just an exam that you have to Qualify (and not ace)…so prepare like that. It just the hall ticket to Mains. Prelims won’t make you IAS or anything. Hence don’t give more than 65-70 days for its preparation….anything more is futile and improper use of time. This may be called as a traditionally humanities exam but in my opinion the preparation has to be done in a very scientific manner based of data and numbers…after all its a game of numbers, at all stage. So always measure and track your performance and learn/analyse from that data.  This is more of a game of your attitude than your knowledge. Presence of mind is immensely important and can beat knowledge any day. Particularly paper like CSE Pre 2020 can be qualified based on option elimination and intelligent guessing. Keeping positive attitude while attempting exam is extremely important. Often you know the answer and you just get over-critical of yourself and end up leaving the question or wrongly attempting. Your ...

Before reviewing your answer, you should read question again and understand its demand. In the first appearance itself, your answer look neat and well presented (in case you are writing on paper). Good presentation includes neat handwriting, clean spacing between lines and paragraphs, absence of struck words/sentences. Appearance should create good impression. Presentation should be inviting and please evaluator.  Structure – don’t write in paragraphs, especially in GS-1,2 and 3. Structure your answer as per directions given in New Secure. If structure is absent, you will definitely get low marks as you are forcing evaluator to search for points – making his job difficult. Next, in the introduction, all parts of answer should be addressed in 2-3 lines. Observe if you are giving only definition or background information. Introduction is very important and when you make a valid point in it, reward the answer.  In the body, you must address all parts of the question. If any part ...

L ast one month of Mains exam (few takeaways I would like to share): 1) This one month creates a huge difference in the way your answers gonna be written (being nervous, dissatisfied with completion of syllabus, fear of future -becomes multifold)-So CHILLAX and be consistent in tests and Revision and only think of 3hr=20Q... everything gonna be alright. 2) Body is temple .....since mains is a marathon..so balance day with workout/walk for minimum 20-30min...and be mentally active engaging in a hobby or try being calm with meditation (let the thoughts flow freely) 3) 20Q in 3hrs is not impossible but HARD to accomplish in quality...so PRACTISE in SIMULATION MODE is the key. 4) Never skip Breakfast or Lunch during prep or on Exam day(Even GluconD is effective for an hr only....scientifically brain uses only Glucose ,but body deduces it from carbohydrates and proteins too...to keep glucose levels in blood at optimum values...) So, try and test with light food which suits your body during...

Test series for UPSC CSE Prelims: Subject wise or full length ? ● I wrote around 40 - 45 prelims mock tests of different institutes available freely on the internet. Multiple mocks help reduce the bias generated by practising single institute mock papers. ● Subject wise mocks are good to assess your core subject strength. 1-2 subject wise mocks per subject is sufficient for revising one subject properly. ● But most of the elimination techniques, logical guesswork and overall feel for prelims could only be developed by solving full length mocks. ● Try to write the full length mocks simulating the exam-like environment, even if you are in your room. Sit continuously for 2 hours at a stretch, if possible in the morning hours, I even wrote many full length mocks wearing masks. ~ 10 Subject wise mocks of Vision IAS ~15 Full length mocks FLTs from Vision IAS 8 Forum IAS Stimulator tests 3 4 full length mocks from InsightsIAS ● Last but not at all the least, please go through the last 10 year...

  CURRENT AFFAIRS sources and approach for UPSC CSE  1. Indian Express (I didn't make detailed notes) 2. VISION Monthly Magazine (last 1.5 years) 3. Raus DNS videos (selectively for polity and economy issues I face difficulty in understanding) 4. Compilation of reports (Shankar IAS magazine) How to read current affairs for UPSC ● I have seen people spend hours reading multiple newspapers and then reading detailed explanations and watching explanation videos. ● This is a perfect example of information overflowing. And I am very sorry to say but too many coaching centres/websites in the market are responsible for creating this craze for current affairs. ● The amount of time you are putting into current affairs is not going to help you. You must have realised this after seeing this year's prelims paper. UPSC is either asking very prominent current affairs or some very obscure facts that nobody is aware of. Better keep your sources limited and revise them repeatedly. ● UPSC syllab...

  SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY booklist and approach for UPSC CSE Prelims  ● Current affairs magazines were my only source for this portion. For complex topics e.g. RFID, Bitcoin, 5G, orbits, RT PCR etc. I took help of random youtube videos to get my concepts clear. ● If you have enough time, consult two different institutes' magazines of science and tech for better coverage. I studied Vision and Raus compass. ● For basics of biotechnology, the last four chapters of class 12 NCERT biology books are recommended. However, I don't read it because of my biology background. ~ UPSC CSE Topper. 

ENVIRONMENT booklist and approach for UPSC CSE Prelims 1. PMFIAS Environment ● I had both Shankar IAS and PMF IAS environment books. I found Shankar's style of presentation very uninteresting. Therefore shifted to PMFIAS. I found it more handy, better representation and good to revise. ● Rest is your choice. 2. National Parks, Biosphere Reserves, Wildlife sanctuary, Ramsar sites, Tiger Reserves  of India ● State wise prepared separately. Practicing on the blank India map helps in remembering exact location. ● Other than wildlife sanctuaries, I tried to remember the rest of the protected area of each and every state. ● Special attention to be given for protected areas located in North eastern states. ● Combine your knowledge on geography here too in terms of physiography, river system, vegetation, climate etc.  ~ UPSC CSE Topper. 

  ECONOMY booklist and approach for UPSC CSE Prelims ● Economy is the subject which took me the maximum time to find a proper book. ● I started with Ramesh Singh, left it within two months. I felt it was too big and too dry to comprehend. Picked up Sanjeev Verma next. Though the writing was good, I felt the gap in my understanding still remains. ● I spent a lot of time understanding the concepts of basic economics. Once done, rest becomes easy. For anyone who doesn't have a background, please pay special attention to this subject. 1. NCERT Class 12 Macroeconomics ● Quite helpful for building the basics. Ignore the numericals. In six chapters , the major points of the macro issues are discussed.  ● Take help of any YouTube lecture if you feel difficulty to understand. Be as specific as you can while searching, e.g. not the budget but terms like revenue deficit, remittances etc. 2. Shankar Ganesh ● A very small but useful book. Read the definition, know the terms and do research...

POLITY booklist and approach for UPSC CSE Prelims 1. Indian constitution at work . Class 11 NCERT ● This is an excellent awe inspiring read to know about our democratic structure and the need of having a constitution. I will recommend everyone embarking on the service of the nation to read it at least once. Hardly takes 2 3 days to complete. 2. M. Laxmikanth ● Laxmiknth is one of the few books that seriously needs countless times of revisions . ● Ideally you should read it line by line but still, highlight the portions you tend to forget easily. Try to identify the TRAPS hidden between the lines. I get those identified by making mistakes in prelims mock tests . (Vision and Insights both Prelims mocks do wonderfully horrifying jobs of trapping students in the examples) 3. Bare Acts of constitution for Fundamental Rights + DPSPs + Fundamental Duties, ● Very important to remember the exact wordings used in these cases. Ideally, one should read and remember the article numbers also by hea...

GEOGRAPHY booklist and approach for UPSC CSE Prelims 1. NCERT Class 11 and 12 ● Total 4 books are there, two books on physical geography are of utmost importance. Prepare it thoroughly, study each of the maps and diagrams given. ● Made short notes of 10-12 pages from Human geography and Economic Geography. 2. PMFIAS Geography ● Keep India physical geography NCERT as the base and add extra points from this source as value addition. Freely available on the net. ● Especially chapters like physiography, river, vegetarian etc. 3. Mapping ● Geography through maps la-excellence coaching youtube videos (last 4 years) ● Dristi IAS places on news videos, excellent animation and description 4. Random animation videos ● Very helpful to understand core geographical concepts eg cyclone, la nina etc. Amit Sebgupta's youtube channel is one of them.  5. GC Leong   • All the climatic regions  last 10 12 chapters. ~ UPSC CSE Topper.