I am Rahul Bansal, AIR 251 in UPSC 2021. I will share UPSC preparation strategy for those who are preparing with full time jobs and family.
This is something which has not been given enough attention and require special efforts. so if anyone has any query plz feel free to ask. I will upload my strategy soon.
Hello all, I am sharing my background so that aspirants can find information relevant to them. Also if anyone has query related to anything, plz feel free to ask. Regarding booklist, time management with job and family, i will share detailed videos and notes
Graduation – Btech Information technology Job experience – 1. Java developer in Vinsol(startup)
Business technology associate (data analyst) in ZS associates for 17 months
Auditor in cag for 1 month
Currently assistant section officer in Ministry of external affairs for more than 4 years ( Through SSC CGL)
attempts – 5 Prelims – 4 Mains- 3 interview – 2
optional – mathematics
I am also sharing my Cse 18 marksheet for your reference.
atleast give 3 months only for prelims if attempting prelims. Mains preparation should be before 3 months or after completion of prelims( not in between)
dont read any newspaper in last 2 3 weeks.
booklist (must be followed irrespective of coaching material) a. polity – laxmikanth latest edition (use highlighter to mark important things. no need to make notes) b. environment – shankar ias notes (use highlighter to mark important things. no need to make notes) c. geography – mrunal.org has videos by rajtanil solankai madam. watch the videos and follow the books she recommend during the videos. just follow her for complete preparation of geography.u can make notes here d. economy – mrunal sir videos. again just follow his videos religiously. nothing else. (use highlighter to mark important things. no need to make notes) e. ancient and medieval history – old and new ncert of 11th class. u can make notes for this f . art and culture – nitin singhania notes . focus more on architecture , paintings , dance , music , bhakti sufi . rest just read once. (use highlighter to mark important things. no need to make notes)
g . modern history – specturm old. (use highlighter to mark important things. no need to make notes)
h. science and technology , ir, society and all other items – current affairs. no other books
i. current affairs – Insightindia daily , vision ias daily , vision pt 365 . u have to make notes for daily affaira
j . test series – gs score wali achi hai. only one of ur choice but only one
few pointers for prelims – u have to revise all the above items atleast 3 times before prelims. not less than 3
prelims is unpredictable. so dont expect any strategy to be foolproof. this is the minimum u have to do.
try to remember things by revoking them in ur head . its good strategy to remember so much
Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper Prelims Preparation Strategy while attempting Questions
What to keep in mind while attempting prelims.
dont guess. Attempt those where u r minimum 50% sure. I attempted only 73 questions in prelims this year .
dont take csat lightly. Many good students have scored more than 100 in gs but didnt qualify due to poor csat.
for csat atleast attempt 2 mock tests before actual exam. It will boost confidence.
I have habit of marking circles first with pencil so that if i have filled wrong circle, i can rub it . Then u can use pen once u r sure of marking correct circles
in last week just revise static part especially polity and history
c . gs paper 2 – iasonly material for polity , governance + vision ias mains 365 for ir
d. gs paper 3 – iasonly material for economy , security , disaster + vision ias mains 365 for agriculture , science
e. gs paper 4 – atul garg videos. u have to make notes for that
Time and resource management for UPSC CSE Exam
Preparations with and without full time job are completely different ball game. Concentration is affected and so the continuity. Since, i am also married with a kid, my preparation plan was totally different which i am sharing with all of you.
PRELIMS
1. I had skipped 2020 Cse due to marriage and mental impact of covid which was new at that time. therefore, I lost the touch which made my preparion tougher for 2021 cse 2. Getting more than 5 hours was luxury for me. I used to get 1 hour in metro from home to office, 1 hour in lunch, 1 hour after office, 1 hour in metro from office to home and 1 hour at home. Utilizing every second with utmost dedication and perseverance is the key. It has to be ur driving factor. 3. I will use this opportunity to thank my parents, wife and seniors in office who stood for me and understood my problems. Their backing made me strong and dedicated. 4. If you are preparing with job, You can make your plan as follows:
a. Start with polity and economics. laxmikanth for polity and mrunal sir video and notes for economics. Do Polity at office and home while economics in metro. Please complete both within 45 days with one revision. b. once you are done with polity and economics start with geography from rajatanil solanki mam videos on mrunal sir youtube channel. Follow whatever she says in the videos. You can make your own notes or use my uploaded notes. Complete the geography in 1.5 months with revision. c. After geography start with ancient and medieval history from old and new ncert of 11th class. Complete them in 15 days. Then go for nitin singhania old notes for art and culture and complete them in 15 days. Take 15 days more forrevision. d. Then start modern history from old spectrum book. Take 20 days to complete with revision. e. Then go for environment from shankar ias notes and complete them in 20 days with revision. f. This way, static portion can be completed in 6 7 months. Go on with ur revision after that. g. meanwhile once u have completed the polity and economics, current affairs should also be started in background. I have already told on how to prepare current affairs. h. vision pt 365 and any test series should be done after static is complete. i. optional subject like mathematics requires lot of time, hence once u r done with static , 4 hours should be given to mathematics.
Hi all, just got the news of some aspirant committing suicide after not able to clear upsc. This is horror for family and close friends to say the least.
I just want to say few things which can be of some use to anyone concerned:
Upsc is big thing and no one can doubt that but it is not the only thing. No one should rely only on Upsc for career prospects. In my case, i simultaneoulsy appeared in cat, sbi po and ssc cgl. Simply because nothing is certain in life. No matter how much potential one has, he cannot be sure about anything.
Please diversify your plans if you have failed in first 2-3 attempts. I have so many friends who could not clear upsc but well settled in ssc jobs and it sector. I was also happy in my current job.
Suicidal thoughts and depression are really common but unfortunately not given enough attention. I was also hopelessly depressed after my 3rd attempt when i didnot get name in final pdf but think about me when after giving interview , i couldnt clear pre in next. At those times, ur parents and friends can only help u. Think of what will happen to your parents, siblings and friends. They didnot come in your life because u will be ias but because they love you.
Give your best and leave to god the rest. Kismat mein hoga to mil jayega, nhi to jai raam ji ki krdo.
This life is not just yours. Bhut logo ka haq hai apke upr. Dont do bad to them.
Mains Answer Writing Preparation Strategy by Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper
For those who are writing mains for first time or want value addition:-
key is to complete syllabus. Easy said than done, so how to do it. Take one part of syllabus and prepare something on it. for Eg- citizen charter is mentioned in gs2. So prepare atleast definition, data , diagram , pros, issues, 2nd arc recom on citizen charter so that if any question comes on cc, u can write something on it. In this way everypart of syllabus must be addressed.
structure must be strong. It can vary from person to person but it must have few parts. Definition , Data , diagram , map , pros, cons, suggestions , way forward. these things must be present in ur answer to give it more aesthetics. You can add as per ur understanding.
dont let any part of syllabus be ur weakness. You know what is ur best part and what is weak. So dont be afraid of working on ur weakness. In my case gs1 was my achilles heel so i worked on it and got 103. Every part of syllabus should be strong.
use examples a lot in gs4 and if required in other papers too. You can prepare them beforehand and use them in exams.
attempt 15 markers first. try to improve speed. In this competitive times, u can not just leave questions.
prepare diagrams and maps by practice.
golden rule- more revision- more retention – better attempt
45 days UPSC Mains Preparation Strategy by Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper
Since around 45 days are left for mains, normally we students become anxious on how to spend this valuable time. My advice will be to :
Complete remaining topics atmost in next 15 days. Dont be tensed if you are unable to cover certain topic. No topper has ever covered complete syllabus.
Optional must be top priority. It is truly the game changer. Half time must be given to optional. Your target should be to score above 300 in optional. Dont be complacent when it comes to optional.
Answer structure i hope is ready by now. If not, start writing today. You are already late if u havent written anything yet. Focus should be to prepare answer format which can be followed across all mains papers. Refer previous post on what an ideal answer contains.
Revision is the key. Please remember the golden rule- more revision- more rentention- better attempt. Make sure that u get atleast 2 revisions even if it means u have to leave certain topics altogether.
This might sound cliche but believe me, its very important and that is, sleep well. Learning with tired mind is ineffective.
post script – I have reopened comment section. Please ask query only if related to mains 2022.
Important topics for UPSC CSE mains 2023 Exam by Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper
Important topics for mains which are often neglected and are high scoring
Gs3 – govt budget, inclusive growth, disaster, subparts of security
They are separate parts and should be prepared exclusively and not as part of big topic
They are highly scoring as often questiond are straightforward and repetitive in nature
Prepare some basics on all of them like def, data, pros, cons, recommendations etc
refer content from material as mentioned in parent group
These parts can be game changer as it was in my case. Prepare them judicially
Current affair Preparation Strategy for UPSC CSE Exam by Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper
Current affair timelines:
Atleast from jan 2022. My advice is to cover from June 2021.
If you havent covered backlog upto today then, read monthly from vision and insights for backlog.
From today cover ca as advised in previous posts from sources mentioned in parent grouo several times.
Notes are crucial for ca. Not more than 1 page daily.
While making notes, think what is important for prelims perspectives. Note it down with all relevant details. Eg – Recent appointnment of President is in news. So write down all details which are often not in books and simultaneously read all other details from laxmikanth. Take it as opportunity to revise that part from book. or take example of ED in news. In this case write down basic features of ed i.e parent organization, its mandate etc.
If anything is only imp for mains, i advise read it but dont note it. Leave it for mains.
If you find any imp quote or data. Use it.
UPSC Prelims strategy by Rahul Bansal UPSC Topper for 2023 Prelims Exam
target for next pre:
optional must get ready by oct or max nov. Dont delay it as u will require lot of revisions.
all the gs syllabus must be completed by nov or max dec.
Revise two things simultaneously. In my case it used to be polity and eco, after that, geo and history, after that rest. Benefit is that u wont forget previous gs part before moving on.
Start attempting mocks after revision only. Dont buy. Use free mocks
essay and ethics if possible, plz complete asap. It will provide u more time during mains to focus on optional and gs
