Author: Amit Bhardwaj

Read the first part, here.

After ‘Critical Evaluation’, let us look at some of the other directives that are used by the UPSC examiners with their most commonly accepted definitions.

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#1. Analyse

Break an issue into its constituent parts. Look in depth at each part using supporting arguments and evidence for and against as well as how these interrelate to one another.

“Instances of President’s delay in commuting death sentences has come under public debate as denial of justice. Should there be a time limit specified for the President to accept/reject such petitions. Analyse.” (2014)

#2. Comment

Pick out the main points on a subject and give your opinion, reinforcing your point of view using logic and reference to relevant evidence, including any wider reading you have done.

“Sufis and Medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu/Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.” (2014)

#3. Critically Comment

Pick out main points in the statement, present your views on it which rests on sound logic, reasoning and evidence. Do not forget to arrive at your conclusion.

“Scientific research in India universities is declining, because a career in science is not as attractive as are business professions, engineering or administration and the universities are becoming consumer-oriented. Critically comment.” (2014)

#4. Discuss

Seemingly innocuous, frequently used and probably the most tricky/sticky term whose meaning depends upon the question in which it has been used and how it has been used.

“Discuss” basically entails a debate where we use our reasoning backed up with evidence to make a case for and against an argument arriving at a conclusion.

“How difficult would have been the achievement of Indian independence without Mahatma Gandhi? Discuss.”(2015)

When the examiner has chosen the words “How difficult?”, then you are the one who have to arrive at a conclusion of “Very difficult”,

“A little difficult” or “Not at all difficult”, or any other shade you believe in, depending upon the reasoning and evidence you chose.

“The quality of higher education in India requires major improvement to make it internationally competitive. Do you think that the entry of foreign educational institutions would help improve the quality of technical and higher education in the country? Discuss.”(2015)

In the above question again, you have to arrive at a conclusion.

In the question that follows, they did not just put a full stop after “Discuss” but went on to add what it means i.e. give logical arguments.
“Success of make in India program depends on the success of Skill India programme and radical labour reforms. Discuss with logical arguments.”

However, many a items, examiners ask you to discuss one particular facet of an issue and in such cases they specifically mention what they want you to discuss.

#5. Elucidate

Elucidate means “to make clear”. In several of the questions, where the examiners use this directive, they present us with a cause-effect linkage asking us to “elucidate”. In such cases, we have to basically bring out the linkage more clearly citing evidence and examples.

“The Self Help Group (SHG) Bank Linkage Program (SBLP), which is India’s own innovation, has proved to be one of the most effective poverty alleviation and women empowerment programme. Elucidate.”

#6. Evaluate

Similar to critical evaluation. Even otherwise when we are asked to evaluate something, we arrive at a decision on how good or bad it is depending upon evidence and logic. That is exactly what you do in the questions where we are directed to evaluate a statement. We give our verdict as to what extent a statement or finding is true, or to what extent we agree with them. We give evidence which both agrees with and contradict it and then we arrive at a final conclusion, basing our decision on what we judge to be the most important factors.

“The New Economic Policy – 1921 of Lenin had influenced the policies adopted by India soon after independence. Evaluate.” (2014)

#7. Examine

Look in close detail and establish the key facts and important issues surrounding a topic. This should be a critical examination and you should try and offer reasons as to why the facts and issues you have identified are the most important, as well as explain the different ways they could be construed.

“The penetration of Self Help Groups (SHGs) in rural areas in promoting participation in development programmes is facing socio-cultural hurdles. Examine.” (2014)

#8. Explain

Quite an easy directive per se.

It is basically a clarification. We have to clarify why and how something happens or why is something the way it is.

“Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. How do they influence regional climates, fishing and navigation?” (2015)

“Explain the formation of thousands of islands in Indonesian and Philippines archipelagos.” (2014)

Here we not only have to give the factors that cause ocean currents but also clarify how they cause ocean currents.

This is probably my last blog on the ways to do the things. From now on, more syllabus, rare gyan!

#1. Keep the syllabus of all 3 GS papers side by side and connect the topics.

Once the groups of connected topics are ready, apportion the time available with you according to the number of topics in the group. I have desisted from stating that time should be apportioned as per the importance of the topics because there is no “unimportant” or “less important” topic in syllabus now. The tag has been obliterated with the kind of questions UPSC has been asking.

#2. Give specific dates to the groups by which you intend to finish them off.

It will actually give you an idea of the time you have at hand because if you take too many days you shall reach near November-December and there shall not be days left for revision and polishing. This “10 days for this topic” approach would better be supplanted with “By 10th of this month”.

#3. Prepare time table not just for the months as above but for every day.

Try to stick to it to the maximum extent possible but above 80 strike rate is commendable. Anything below it needs serious introspection.

#4. Make notes on daily basis or by next day at the maximum. If you think you can procrastinate it to the weekend then it shall never happen.

By weekend we will have seven copies of The Hindu and note-making from them shall appear a gigantic task. One month down the line, there shall be thirty copies covered in dust. Break this “I will do this tomorrow” jinx. Tomorrow never comes, more so when you have a formidable opponent like UPSC. And not to mention, a day lost by you is a day gained by your competitors and there are lakhs of them out there!

#5. Don’t try to study every subject together.

History on Mondays, Polity on Tuesday, Economics on Wednesday and so no approach shall not pay rich dividends. At the max pick up two subjects at a time, finish them off and then pick up others.

#6. Maintain safe distance from candidates with negative attitudes…

…or who try to show off the books they have covered. If they do, randomly select a page and throw a question at them. More often than not the reply shall be “bas yahi reh gaya tha baki book to ho gayi.”

#7. Choose one or two standard books you wish to use for covering a topic.

Make notes. And supplement it with related news from the papers. Trying to cover a topic from ten different books shall not add anything to your preparation.

#8. Read-Revise-Write. Enough on it already.

No writing practice, no use of revision. No revision, no use of reading. So either R-R-W or don’t do it.

#9. Don’t even think about being able to write the best answer to every question in the paper.

“Best answer” in UPSC is a myth. We just have to be careful about what the question is asking and use the information we hold in the best manner possible. This “Best manner” is the “Best answer”. At the end of the day, you have to just secure about 50-52 percent marks to be the topper!

#10. Every year the exam shall get tougher. Yes that is the harsh reality!

As the examiners exhaust the questions, they start delving deeper into the topics, current issues keep on getting more complex, new topics keep getting added in the syllabus and then there is this sword of may-be-revised pattern/syllabus hanging over our heads. Bottom-line is finish it off as soon as possible. There should not be any let-up from your side. No excuses, as simple as that. If you have given your best shot, the best shall follow. The cardinal rule of karma – You reap what you sow.

#11. Don’t get burdened with criticism even it is excruciatingly painful and unexpected.

It hurts the most when it comes from close quarters but then that is how it is. Take it in your stride to come back with a vengeance. Success wins uncountable friends and failure leaves you with very few. Stay with these very few.

#12. Exercise, eat well and keep yourself healthy.

Stress during this examination can be unbearable at times. These are the times when your mental strength and your emotional intelligence holds you firm. Don’t lock yourself in a room. Go out, meet friends. Get refreshed. Make this preparation a part of these years of your life. Don’t make it your life.

Iti Samaptam!

This question appeared in IAS Mains this time and I am just using it as an example to drive home a particular point.

“The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate.”

Now just focus on 4 things in this question to help me drive home an important point – 

No. 1: The examiners has chosen to name J&K, HP and UK particularly in this question.

No. 2: Examiners talks about “reaching carrying capacity”

No. 3: The reason has been attributed to “tourism”

No. 4: The examiner asks you to critically evaluate the statement.

To answer this question in a way that gets us marks we must know following 2 terms absolutely clearly –

#1. Carrying Capacity:

Technically, “the carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water and other necessities available in the environment”.

For our purpose, “the population size that can be supported with the given resources”.

#2. Critically Evaluate:

The critical evaluation means giving our verdict as to what extent a statement or finding stated is true, or to what extent we agree with it. We also need to provide evidence which both agree with and contradict an argument. Come to a final conclusion, basing our decision on what we judge to be the most important factors and justify how we have made our choice.

The mistake most of the candidates might have made:

Critical evaluation requires the candidates to provide evidence both to support and contradict a statement and then reach a conclusion. Unfortunately, most candidates who attempted this question would have given evidence only to support the statement.

So, out of 12.5, basically they would have already lost 4-5 marks for the portion they just did not attempt (this is the reason for the huge difference in the anticipated marks and the actual marks that the candidate gets).

All right? So when you answer a question, don’t just read it in a cursory manner and start writing immediately (something I had stated earlier as well). The questions are frame with a purpose.

Examiner takes time to frame them and probably that’s the reason we don’t find any other exams coming even remotely closer to UPSC.

So, now you know how important it is to just know what the question asks before we answer.

Will soon write about the various terms used in the paper and what they mean to help you write exactly what the examiner wants and get marks!

Overtime I have been asking you to prepare every topic ‘holistically’ considering all its dimensions.

But what exactly is this ‘covering a topic holistically with all its dimensions’?

Leaving literary verbose aside and truth be told, it simply means pondering over a topic for a while to see to which other topics it is related to and coming up with some questions that can be framed from it. And that is all we can do or should do while covering a topic ‘holistically’.

Let me explain it with an example.

Let us pick up the topic “Disaster and Disaster Management.” So, what other topics it can get connected to, keeping our imagination grounded in practicality, otherwise it can be connected to everything and anything.

First of all it gets directly connected to “Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.” from GS1.

Why? Because these events are disastrous. Right? So while you cover this topic, you shall also cover earthquake, cyclones and Tsunami. Or if you have covered that topic before, you will have enough information to use in this topic.

But indirectly it is connected to important social issues. Which may be more important because this dimension, if covered in an answer sets it apart from rest of the answers of other candidates.

How? After Nepal earthquake, there were reports of human trafficking. Now if this dimension is mentioned in your answer while covering the aftershocks of a disaster, shall not it set your answer apart from other run-of-the-mill answers because most of the other answers shall be still hovering around broken bridges, number of casualties and shortage of essentials (not that they are to be missed in the answer)?

After every disaster, we hear reports of anthropogenic philanthropy but at the same time we hear of cases of unethical behaviour of the highest order. Cases of hoarding of essentials, charging high prices, human trafficking, embezzlement of relief funds, et al keep making news. And if you were there as the in-charge of relief operations then what shall be the options available with you to set the things right? Is not it a fit case for a case study in GS4?

So, go ahead, frame a case study, engage in group discussion and come up with a practical answer for dealing with such situations or to deal with any ethical dilemmas that you may face in such situations.

Then while we read newspapers, we get to know so many things which are impossible to get from any other source. I still remember reading an article in The Hindu about the ‘Himalayan Tsunami’ which mentioned that no state had a State Disaster Response Force in place at that time.

Will you get this information from any other source? However disturbing it may be, but what a piece of information while you answer that why our post-disaster response is in shambles?

Now moving on, while we ponder over this topic, what all things come up in your mind? Here is what comes to my:

1. What is ‘Disaster’ and ‘Disaster Management’?
2. What is the disaster profile of our country?
3. Why is there a spike in the frequency and intensity of disasters?
4. What can be done to mitigate the effects of disasters?
5. Who are more vulnerable to disasters?
6. What is pre- and post-disaster management?
7. What are economic and social impact of a disaster?
8. Any case study of success in disaster preparedness? I remember reading about Odisha’s response in the face of Phailin and how it became a case study of near perfect management.
9. National Disaster Management Act (NDMA) and its features.
10. What is the present state of our preparedness?
11. How well NDMA has been executed?

And that is all. If you can answer all this, you can tweak the information you shall hold by answering them to write a decent enough answer to every disaster related question in the exam.

And have it from me, the confidence that you shall get by answering these questions will get reflected in your writing, your interview and any discussion you may get engaged in.

That is all for now! Keep Learning!

Ok, so finally the cat is out of the bag and so are the number of analysis!

Some viewing it as a different coloured cat this time, some claiming a particular question was frame taking a cue from a particular news which appeared on a particular date in the newspaper (phew!), some delving deep into the question-wise analysis while others still wondering what exactly happened!

 Even though the real UPSC- bashing will start only after the Optional Papers are over, let us see if we can really make out anything from investing time in analysing the GS papers.

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#1. Questions can be divided into the statements picked up from different sources and others which were actually framed with just the topic in mind.

The former one are naturally difficult to deal with while the second category is still manageable.

 The questions from GS 1 as under are more likely statements picked up from the novels/books/reference sources that the examiner might have read out of hobby or may be with an ulterior motive to vent his/her anger at UPSC candidates in the guise of  keeping its standards high.

“The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without breakdown to the present day. Comment.”

“Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment.”

I, for one, refuse to believe that this question was asked because a Mesolithic site was discovered and the news appeared in the Hindu on 09.11.2015. A one-off discovery does not really motivates an examiner to frame a question. And, even if the assertion is assumed to be true, we cannot really do anything about it. Every other day some sites are discovered and until and unless a particular discovery becomes all too important and appears regularly in news, we really need not rack our brains doing a PhD on them.

“It would have been difficult for the Constituent Assembly to complete its historic task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India in just three years, but its experience gained with the Government of India Act, 1935 .Discuss.”

It shall be foolhardy to set ourselves a target of reading all the novels/books available in the remote hope of getting a statement from them in the paper. The cost-benefit ration shall be extremely poor. And have it from me the battle shall not be won by such questions. Even the topper might not have attempted them well. So don’t lose your sleep over them.

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#2. Major events of last two-three years assume significance as many a questions are being from them.

This should not come as a surprise as UPSC is known to keep the topics that become too common in cold storage to revive them in coming years. But we must give it to UPSC that while framing questions from such events they pick up only the ones that really got everyone sit and take notice.

“What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences?”

“Public health system has limitation in providing universal health coverage. Do you think that private sector can help in bridging the gap? What other viable alternatives do you suggest?”

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#3. Though not a rule but it was generally observed that UPSC shied away from controversial topics (even if moved enough eyeballs) that had political underpinnings.

This time around they picked up such issues and framed questions.

“Khap panchayats have been in the news for functioning as extra – constitutional authorities, often delivering pronouncements amounting to human right violations. Discuss critically the actions taken by the legislative, executive and judiciary to set the things right in this regard.”

 The only reference to Khaps was in a Psychology Paper – II way back in 2009 or 2010.

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#4.  Issues that appear that appeared too simplistic or routine to warrant any serious attention from Mains point of view were converted to questions.

 

“Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three Mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?”

“Does the right to clean environment entail legal regulation on burning crackers during Diwali? Discus in the light of Article 21 of Indian Constitution and judgements of the apex in this regard.”

 It has been observed that so-called simple issues are more complex to answer. 

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#5. GS2 and GS3 remain heavily lopsided towards Current Affairs which should be a respite.

 “Too many questions to be quoted here.”

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#6. Geography continues its march with not too difficult or unheard of topics.

“India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity.”

“How far do you agree that the behaviour of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscape? Discuss.”

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#7. They stick to the pattern of asking questions from the topics that generally remain in oblivion.

It seems to be their way of ensuring that these topics get the respect they deserve.

“Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non- farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India.”

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#8. World History remains hinges on popular topics. It is expected to remain so for at least few more years till they exhaust the common topics.

“Why did the industrial revolution first occur in England? Discuss the quality of life of the people there during the industrialization. How does it compare with that in India at present times?”

“To what extend can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically.”

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#9. The number of questions has been maintained at 20 in all three papers which can be taken as a hint that now UPSC is really serious about “content matters more than the size of the answer.”

No 25 questions papers where candidates need to rush even to attempt all questions. They might continue with this pattern in coming years as well.

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#10. What does all this entail for a future aspirant?

• Cover all topics.
• While reading a topic, think over its different dimensions and answer them all before you label it as “covered”.
• Newspaper continues to remain the latest textbook to be covered every day.
• No escape from note-making and keep updating them.
• While reading issues, try to answer the seemingly innocuous questions in pointed manner. Many might have fumbled for words while answering “What is ISIS and its mission?”
• Do not read too much into the paper and drive judgements. Every years papers looks the toughest for first few months and then it appears quite easy.
• Do not think that you can never answer such questions and shall never be able to secure a rank. Many a toppers shall have below 100 marks in multiple papers. So take it easy.
• Study regularly (14 hour study one fine day and then a 2 day break is not the way to go), Stay focused, Don’t just listen to advice but also follow them, Don’t compare yourself to others but just make yourself better than you were the previous day!

That’s all for now. Stay blessed!

Update: Participate in the FREE Target Mains initiative going over at CD – Click Here

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Let’s take the case of a question on TAPI to see how one can approach answer writing.

#1. Discuss the strategic significance of the TAPI pipeline and the potential challenges faced by it.

TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline recently made headway and shall bring gas from the Galkynysh gas field at India’s doorsteps in Punjab.

The pipeline is not just a insurance against the energy challenges of the participant countries but reopening a historic route connecting South Asia to Central Asia. India shall find a particularly attractive proposition in the project given the proximity and abundance of Turkmenistan’s reserves.

The pipeline is expected to play a major role in securing India’s interest in Central Asia especially in the backdrop of the energy-guzzling China securing half of its energy needs from the region. TAPI might be a game changer for the geopolitical stability for the region ensuring that India, Pakistan and Afghanistan get more strategically fused.

However, the project might get encumbered with several challenges and needs to be insulated against the terrorism, securing it from Taliban across the Durand Line and from the militant groups in Pakistan.

The project’s success shall also depend upon the TAPI countries disallowing any bilateral disputes from holding the pipeline to ransom and burying the history of doubt and skepticism to enable it to emerge as the pivot of a connected, cooperative, peaceful and prosperous region.

Dissection:

Given above is just an outline for an answer where you know some facts and use some names-dropping to make a decent enough answer.

Facts like Galkynysh field, Durand Line, Chinese interest.

Name calling like geo-political stability, strategically fused, pivot.

Now let’s get some basic things right, now that we are set to write mains. Have it from me that there shall be many questions to which you shall only have a fleeting idea. And even in those questions where you have a fair idea of answers, it all gets messed up given the stress.

So, first thing first, yes you are going to write probably the toughest exam in the country but don’t let it get the better of you as it would get the worse out of you in the paper.

As I said before, before you start writing, pick up the central theme of the question and ensure you conjure up enough theme related words to be put in the answer. For example, a question on strategic importance shall appear empty without words like geo-politics. Little names-dropping you see.

Even though the paper setter might have used an acronym in the question, you must expand it when you use it first time in your answer. Later you can use the acronym. Also, when you use an acronym expand it first time, write the abridged form in bracket and then use it. Expand USA as United States of America when you use it first time.

In the examination hall, don’t look for the ‘best’ answer. There has never been and there shall never be one. At the end of the day, it all boils down to how well you used your information, how connected you remained to the question and, most importantly, how pleased the examiner was after reading your answer (because UPSC claims that they don’t give any model answers to the examiners. Sound a white lie to me).

Ok? So Best of Luck once again and do well.

You must have had practised writing enough, must be trying to locate your centre and might be a little nervous as well. It is ok! After all you are about to get into the battleground of probably the toughest examination in the country. Do not let the nervousness overwhelm you. 

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Thy who lost sweat practicing, shall lose no blood!

You must have read a plethora of tips about how to writing answers, I thought of sharing few from our side. Here are quick 19 on answer writing for IAS Mains:

1. Write in simple, grammatically correct English. No literary prose is needed.

2. Try to give the context of the answer if you can in your opening remarks. End it with a something concrete and do not leave it hanging in air with an abrupt end which mostly happens due to paucity of time.

3. Write in points or paragraphs as you feel comfortable. There is just no restriction or stated rule for or against any of these ways of answering.

4. The thoughts should flow across the answer seamlessly with no hopping from one idea to another but in a systematic manner.

5. Try that you don’t leave any question unattempted as it forecloses any chance of getting any mark even if the examiner was in a jubilant mood. But that does not mean you should write just about anything. Just think of one-two relevant point and write it.

6. Come over this ‘Should ‘black’ or ‘blue’ pen be used?’. Use whichever of them you are carrying.

7. Avoid cuttings and over-writing (that college tactic to write an alphabet such that it can be interpreted as a ‘b’ or ‘d’  shall not work in UPSC). College examiners could be approached to make them interpret the word as we wanted them to interpret. No such liberty is available in UPSC.

8. In case you want to underline certain sentences, do it there and then. If you leave it for the fag end, it shall entail reading the answer all over again and you really might not be able to finish reading them all.

9. Do not write in the margins as is also instructed by the UPSC. And these fellows do take their instructions seriously. In any case if you had something really good to write you would have written it in the main portion. Anything written in margins shall only be superfluous in most cases.

10. Avoid using red ink for writing or underlining.

11.  When you use diagrams/maps, give them a title, give them a number like fig1. or fig2. and give their reference at the relevant point in your answer.

12. Do not actually sit down to count words. Those who have been practicing answer writing shall have a fair idea of how many of their sentences/paragraphs make up 150-200 words. (Another benefit of answer writing). And this is how even the examiners will guess the number of words in your answer if they must. They shall never actually count them. (And of course you must also remember that content matters more than the length)

13. Some of us have this tendency that as we write on un-ruled sheets, our sentences tend to get tilted in a particular direction. It is annoying for the examiner to tilt his/her head at odd angles to read what you might have written. So avoid it.

14. Ensure your hand-writing is legible. If it is illegible, who can stop the examiner from just marking it with a zero or one or two and move on. No one is going to question him/her. So why give him/her this chance?

15. UPSC instructs that unwritten pages should be crossed. Please do it with a small diagonal line across the page. Avoid a big cross cutting across the length and breadth of the page which might also leave a mark on the back page.

16. When you are done with an answer, draw a small horizontal line telling the examiner it is over.

17. Keep the booklet neat. You must have noticed that sometimes, when we write, our palm rests on the sheet. Ensure it is free of any ink marks (or is sweaty) which may leave smudges on the answer sheet.

18. Keep the water bottle that you may carry on the ground near your seat. I have heard cases where the bottle was kept on the table itself loosely capped in a hurry and an inadvertent push by an invigilator or a fellow candidate had the candidate’s hard work floating in water.

19. Carry enough number of pens/pencils and other stationery. And do carry a stencil of the geometrical figures.

And finally, 

Wish you lots of writing and lots of answers that you have already prepared!

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Want to read more?

• IAS Mains answer writing – Explained via a model answer
• IAS Mains 2015 GS Paper Analysis: The Ringside View
• IAS Mains Writing Essentials – Reading and answering a question as it should be!
• IAS Mains Writing Essentials – Reading and answering a question | Part 2

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Prelims has a fair number of questions from Geography and fair number of them are actually based upon the map reading by the candidates. Geography Mains Paper II has 10 map based entries carrying a weight of twenty marks (as in the last paper).

So let us see how we can attempt Map Based Questions in IAS Prelims and Mains.

For Geography Optional:

The weightage carried by map based question has been reduced from 60 to 20 as in the last year’s paper. Twenty is good enough score to be ignored and even more for the claim that getting these entries right enthrals the examiner and weighs heavily in getting good score in Paper II and a poor attempt in the map entries has opposite effect on the examiner and consequently your score in the paper (though the claim still remains to be verified by any UPSC examiner or UPSC itself). So let us see what the trend is and how we can make the best out of it.

#1. In the last two years, the entries asked have been the ones that are not unheard of (who can forget the yesteryear’s Akrimota, Pirotan, Meghnagar,Van Tivu which had candidates literally in tears in that year). Luckily now, the entries can be easily located in the Atlas and a geography candidate would have definitely prepared about 8 out of them. So, do prepare all the prominent entries in the Atlas well in advance.

#2. Many of the entries are picked from the places that repeatedly appear in current affairs but for some unknown reason are still ignored by the candidates. Make a note of all such recurring places, locate them and prepare the write-up. While locating such entries scanning its neighbourhood shall not be a bad idea either and is recommended.

#3. Do have a outline map of India and practice and make small write-ups behind it itself. Helps in quick revision and breaks the monotony of referring to the Atlas.

#4. If you are not sure of an entry take a calculated risk and at least mark it in the right state if you must. Nellore marked in Tamil Nadu can sometimes infuriate sensitive examiners. That is to say don’t take wild risks.

#5. Don’t ignore the question to be attempted in the last 15 minutes which appears to be the general tendency among the candidates. In the last minutes you shall be too tensed to might just mark them wrong and then waste time in erasing and cutting. Treat the question on par with other question.

#6. If you do not know most of the entries (something I do not foresee going by the latest trend but for an examiner fired with strong wanderlust who decides to ask unheard of entries. In that case God Bless Us!)

For Prelims:

#1. What has been mentioned about the entries in the current affairs remains true here as well, in fact even more so in Prelims. So do locate them in the Atlas.

#2. Whenever you are bored with reading heavy stuff, try map reading. Many claim it is rejuvenating and that is not without truth.

#3. The questions asked in Prelims like arranging cities or rivers or hills or the likes in a particular order are designed in a way that the entries asked are at enough distance physically that the candidates can use elimination method or even their cursory reading of Atlas to zero in on the right answer.

#4.  If you have no idea about an entry, do not attempt it. More often than not it shall be a trap question. In 2009, a deceptively innocuous question on the country of location of Barail Range was asked and I still admire the examiner who had enough candidates waylaid into marking alternatives other than India.

#5. When you are dealing with map based questions and have enough time at disposal (which might be a rarity) and want to take a calculated risk then try to picture each entry separately in the Atlas and use elimination method.

#6. Do cover all the prominent entries from every continent. It is an easy attempt.

#7. When you locate a current entry in the Atlas, also notice the neighbourhood, for the neighbourhood is more enticing for few. For example, the examiner may not ask about the country the Sinai Peninsula is part of but the water bodies between which it is located.

#8. It might sound cliché now but is the most important instruction and that is, ‘Please do what you have just read in the above points!’

Happy Mapping!    

Continuing with our series to guide you from being an aspirant to an officer, here is our take on the selection of the optional for IAS Preparation.

And unless your answer resonates with Alia Bhatt’s, you should stick with us and bear with this long-ish post of ours 😉

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CSE syllabus and pattern underwent a sea change in 2013 when UPSC introduced a paper on Ethics, did away with one optional and scattered GS across three papers while still keeping the Essay paper. A candidate is to choose an optional from the list of the available 25 + 1 (Literature) subjects at the time of applying for the examination and the subject so chosen cannot be changed while filling up the DAF (earlier the change was allowed).

The optional subjects were a big deciding factors in a candidate’s success till 2012, when they carried a weight of 1200 out of a total of 2000 in the Mains. From 2013, the optional carries a weight of 500 marks out of 1750. On the face of it, the utility of optional as a deciding factor in the selection appears diminished, however, nothing can be farther from the truth.

Optional subject still play a crucial a crucial role in the final selection of the aspirants. Why? Because the marks obtained by the aspirants in GS and Essay papers have not varied drastically (very few could cross 110-120, in fact few toppers even got marks in 90s especially in Ethics paper) but the double digit rankers scored really well in their optional. And, therefore, choosing an optional is a decision which should be based on sound logic and nothing else. Be Wise, Be Safe should be the guiding principle while selecting the optional.

It can be safely asserted that the number and variety of criterion for preferring one optional over others varies directly with the number of candidates making the selection. However, let us see if we can settle down on some common criterion which can guide an aspirant through the final choice.

#Factors-For, which should guide your selection of the optional:

1. Your interest in the subject. In fact, it should be the paramount criterion. The reason behind this factor to be paramount is simple enough. If you are interested in a subject, you shall not get bored easily, you shall ponder over it more and in general you would not mind spending more hours to it compared to a subject that you have to study with no inherent interest in it.
2. Familiarity with the subject. Candidates do look for a subject that they might have studied at graduation level for they are already familiar the syllabus, the books and with what it takes to be at it for a long time.
3. Overlap with the GS syllabus. If the optional selected by you can also supplement your preparation for certain portions of the GS, nothing like it!
4. Availability of a reliable coaching institute if you have decided to go for classroom coaching.
5. Availability of study material (This particular criterion has been rendered redundant  in certain cases with the advent of internet but still for certain other optional, the material available on internet may not suffice from the exam point of view).
6. The topics in the syllabus to be covered is a natural concern for the aspirants. But generally it helps when you are already familiar with the subject and therefore with the topics.
7. Few candidates also look for the type of questions that are being asked in the paper but, here, we shall suggest you to be cautious as no-one and nothing prevents UPSC from changing the type of questions. (One year they might ask fact-based questions in a subject making it appear easy but next year might make it entirely opinion/analysis based and difficult to handle)

To be practical, none of the above criterion can be used in isolation while choosing an optional but an approach guided by using above points together can certainly be beneficial in making you pick-up the right optional.

#Factors-Against, which must not guide your selection of the optional:

1. Do not choose an optional because a friend or a family member suggested it. None of them shall own responsibility in case the choice does not work out well. They shall simply say, they only made a suggestion and you decided.
2. Because it is the most common optional (Believe it or not many serious candidates fall prey to this and waste attempts before they even realize it and still many realize it after exhausting their attempts). Time and again I hear candidates choosing an optional because it has high ‘success-rate’. I could never comprehend this terminology because I believe, it is the candidates who become successful in this exam and not the subjects.
3. Because it is more scoring. Candidates have cleared this exam with almost every optional in the list and not just with the so called scoring optional. In UPSC there is no high scoring-low scoring optional but only a paper, an innocent examinee and a ruthless examiner. High scoring-Low scoring optional is a myth.
4. Don’t let your judgment be guided by the optional chosen by the previous year toppers. Probably they topped the examination because they did not base their choice of options on the subjects chosen by still past toppers. I have not seen any ranker exhorting any candidate to choose an optional selected by them simply because they topped with it.

#So how should we go about this process?

1. First go through the list of all the optional subjects available before you.
2. Then take a pen and strike off the optional that you shall certainly not choose. For example a computer engineer shall immediately strike off subjects like Literature or may be subjects like Zoology and Biology. Medical students may strike off subjects like History or Geography or Law. Clear?
3. Now go back to your school/college days and try to recollect the subject that interested you the most. The subject for which you never bunked the classes. The subject for which you were all ears in the class and that made you learn more and more about it.
4. Go back to the list of remaining subjects.
5. Now use the Factors-For and Factors-Against to choose the optional from the remaining list.

In the end, go with the optional take strikes a chord with you and not the one which is most successful or most popular. Happy Selection!

 

Ah, so finally the results are out! The UPSC’s Official pdf for “IAS Prelims 2015 results” is hosted at this post – click here

Thought of having a small word with all of you before I come back again in more detail.

What if you cleared it?

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First of all congratulations! So UPSC has given you the ticket to enter the ring. Now you to capitalize on it. Abhi bas ticket mili hai dost, picture abhi baki hai. You have a little over 60 days with you. And that’s all you have. No point in lamenting what you could have covered by now. Cover whatever you can now. Remember I stand by my assertion that about 50 percent of those who have cleared the Prelims might actually be the one who have not prepared anything at all waiting for result to be out. So your competition is only with the remaining half. Plan each day ahead, and I really mean each day, meticulously.

If at all, only a small fraction of the syllabus might be left for you to cover at least once. Finish it off as soon as possible and in any case by this month end.  Start revising what you have already covered and practice writing if you have not started already. Focus on the areas where you are most comfortable, revise them and strike it off from the syllabus list. It takes the burden off your head if you see the list of remaining topics go short. Do not leave any topic. If you cannot cover it in detail just have enough points to write at least 50 words on it. It might sound cliché but please start practicing writing.

One more thing, don’t wait for the last day to fill the DAF. Fill it very carefully. Read the instructions given to fill it. Fill the cadre and state preferences as you want them and not because some earlier topper suggested a particular order. You are the one who will get the service and state, not them. Be it your own choice as per your liking and preferences.

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What if you did not clear it?

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If you gave it for any reason other than for actually making it, then just party!

But if you really prepared for it and still could not make it, then don’t get disheartened (I understand it’s easier said than done). Whatever I might say here, tonight and a day or two ahead are going to be tough especially answering sadists that surround us. Be prepared to hear “Ye banenge IAS?” , “Ban gaye collector?”…It’s ok. It hurts. Really really hurts. But then it is for you to decide whether to want to get overwhelmed with such negative criticism or take it in your stride. You will get a chance to respond, you just need to reinvent your strategy.

Tonight just sleep over it. You might wish to cry. Do it. It unburdens your heart and clears your mind. Especially for guys, it is ok to cry.

Ok. So what next. See if you could not make it through then it means that there must be some inadequacy. And by this time you might already have known where you could have done better. Work over it. We shall come back to Prelims strategy pretty soon. Right now you can even take a break. Then keep preparing for Mains in the same momentum. Yes, I meant Mains only. That’s what we all prepare for. Prelims will be taken care of next time by you and us, together. We shall come with the strategy soon.