Hello! Firstly, I want to wish everyone writing Prelims 2022 all the best! The first stage of this exam is the most unpredictable. In my three attempts, I failed to clear Prelims in the first two. My biggest takeaway during my third try (CSE 2021) was how important it is to stay calm and confident.
I found it useful to convince myself, sometimes to the point of delusion, that I will clear this time. Even if my mock scores were low or I could not recall many facts. I kept revising as much as I could.
Even if you feel what you are reading will not be asked, it is better to have no regrets. Thus, do not give up. In the last few days, I found studying to be the only way to keep my anxiety at bay. PYQs help too.
Be ready with the basics and trust your intuition.
I hope Sunday goes well for you!
P.S. If your nerves won’t let you sit still, don’t be alone. Sitting with my parents and revising out loud worked for me.
Note: Please read this after CSAT Exam Hello, I hope Prelims went well. It is a long, difficult, and exhausting day. My only advice is that if you believe you have given a competitive attempt, take a break and start preparing for Mains. I did check my answers against some answer keys but there is a lot of variation even amongst them. Best to let it be. I made my parents confiscate the question paper to avoid thinking about it.
This exam is uncertain and one way to find some stability is to play mind games with yourself to ensure you work better. Even if you don’t clear the cut off, keep working hard. This is the best time to prepare for mains.
All the best!
Coaching Institutes Joined by Pragya Jat UPSC IAS Topper
Coaching Institutes/ModulesI was enrolled in:
1. Vajiram and Ravi: I joined the classroom program for General Studies in 2018, right after I graduated. Two months in, I realized it was not working for me. I did collect all the yellow books and material and used them selectively later on.
Prelims: 2. VisionIASPrelims Test series (for CSE 2019): Joined as my friends had done so. Gave a few tests but did not utilize fully.
3. Insights Prelims Test Series (for CSE 2020): did not use properly as I was overwhelmed; did not clear Prelims either.
4. Insights Prelims Test Series (for CSE 2021): gave many mocks online. Found the MCQs to be tough but it did help me feel prepared. I got back in touch with my UPSC peers in this attempt and realized none of them were part of a paid test series for prelims. There really isn’t a right way to do this. 🙂
+ for Prelims 2021 I solved FLTs from many different institutes (whichever I could find online) and did sectionals from Insights.
Mains 2021: 5. ForumIAS MGP+ (for CSE 2021): I joined in May 2021, as Prelims had been postponed. Wrote 2 Ethics mocks before Prelims. After Prelims, I wrote around 8 tests (including 2 essay tests). I solved all the tests orally. I would read the question, quickly write down points and then compare with the Model Answer given.
6. Sociology Test Series, ForumIAS (for CSE2021): I joined right after Prelims. I did not have sociology peers so I cannot claim to have the much information on other test series available. I joined since it suited my schedule and I did not want to spend much time making this decision. I wrote 3 tests (Two for Paper I and One for Paper II). I watched the value addition classes for these tests and added points to my base material. I also orally solved the other 5 tests and went through their model answers (+added points to my notes)
7. Current Affairs Classes, ForumIAS: Joined after prelims 2021 in online mode. I watched all classes and added points to Dipin Sir’s printed notes. Helped me a lot!
Interview 2021: Maybe since it was my first mains and I had not faced failure before, I was confident I would be giving the interview. I took a few (3-4) days off and started preparing.
I signed up for as many programs as I could before the Results were declared. After results, I had very little time so I barely used any of these programmes.
8. ForumIAS IGP 2021 (paid): I took part in a group discussion before results. Did not attend any mocks.
9. Insights Interview programme (free of cost): I gave an online one on one mock with Vinay Sir.
10. KSG Panel Mock with Khan Sir (free of cost): This was the only in-person mock I gave. KSG also sent me a DAF based question bank which I used for practice. This was the only one I had received before my interview.
My interview was on 6th April (second day). I was extremely anxious in the preceding three weeks. So I worked on my answers at home and limited traveling to give mocks. I also practiced speaking, with my parents as my panel. The thought of appearing in front of a mock panel would make me extremely agitated, but I was surprisingly calm while speaking. The feedback from the two mocks I did give was decent.
Thus, I decided not to appear for more mocks.
+After mains, I also joined interview telegram groups of IASbaba and ShankarIAS. Did not give mocks at these places though.
Final thoughts: I have shared all the coaching centers I have associated with over my CSE journey and the impact they had on my preparation. My suggestion to anyone considering joining coaching would be to consider their personal working styles and whether a particular module would help them.
I am grateful for having my parents’ support throughout the process, whether financial, intellectual, or emotional. I did make some errors, especially early on, when I blindly followed what others were doing. Not everyone may have the space to do that. Take all advice with a pinch of salt. Create your own path.
Pragya Jat UPSC IAS Topper Preparation Strategy for Mains Exam
Essay Strategy Mains Score: 132 Mains Topics: 1. The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. 2. What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
Between Pre and Mains, I wrote 2 essay tests. I would have liked to write more but was short on time. Further, I used to practice past year essay questions by taking twenty minutes to create a rough outline of what I would write. I did this for 5-6 topics.
Main learnings from tests: Write from a balanced perspective. Read the topic carefully and explicitly connect your points to the topic. Cover as many dimensions as possible. Give examples under each dimension as opposed to five examples under one. Ground the discussion in the world around you. Think of unique perspectives (pro/con, harm/benefit)
How I would attempt the paper: 1. Pick a topic- Spend twenty minutes creating a draft. I would have to force myself to spend the whole twenty as my instinct would be to quickly jot down headings and begin writing. It is better for the flow and structure of the essay to think patiently. 2. Write the essay in 110 minutes. 3. Repeat for next topic.
This is, of course, an approximation. I often found that I would take ten minutes extra to write the first essay as compared to the second. Sometimes, I would create the rough outline of both essays in the beginning itself.
I did not follow a strict method of introducing (with story, anecdote, quote etc) while writing essays. I usually went with the Introduction that seemed to make sense to me in that moment. I used quotes and examples within the body as well if it seemed appropriate.
How I broke down a topic: I used to debate a little bit in college. The emphasis there was always to break down the meaning of each word and analyze it. We were told to logically substantiate the arguments in support of or against the motion.
I found myself applying a similar thought process for the Essay paper. Except that in CSE more points are given for appreciating all sides of an issue (Or so I’ve been told).
This approach helped me attempt philosophical topics as well.
How I enriched content: I compiled quotes and examples from various sources. The Compilation of quotes from Anudeep Durishetty Sir’s blog became my base material. I also printed out the ethics/essay notes Shubham Kumar Sir had uploaded on his telegram channel. I would highlight and learn the quotes/examples I wanted to remember and revised them three-four times. I went through them once the night before the paper as well.
For each topic (eg. Education, honesty etc), I would keep only 2-3 (max) quotes in mind.
My father also helped me by noting down some anecdotes and quotes he found in other Toppers’ Copies and on the internet. He would often note down a para when what I needed was a line. I highlighted the relevant part and revised it once before the paper. (Thank you, Papa. I know you will read this.)
I even found some quotes by doing simple google searches. For instance, I would type “Culture quotes” in the search bar and go through the images.
This went on in addition to my GS and Optional preparation. I would take the half an hour before dinner or twenty minutes before bed to work on my essay content. Sociology and GS also helped in providing examples to be used in the essay paper.
Pragya Jat UPSC IAS Topper Notes
I made these between prelims and mains for quick revision.
Sources: 11th and 12th Geography NCERTS (base material) Mrunal Sir’s Youtube Geography lectures ppts Vajiram Yellow Book Test Series Model Answers
Note: These are in no way comprehensive. I made them to practise diagrammes so I could use them in answers. Also, the focus was on areas PYQs have been asked on.
Also, I’ve mentioned sources I might have used even for a single page. Please don’t think that all of them have to be covered throughly. Use only that which works for you +helps in syllabus completion.
For industrial location portion, I referred to Mrunal Sir’s website. I went through the material there maximum 1-2 times and only to gather the overview.
