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Pre  2012

1. Consider the following factors:(2012)

1. Rotation of the Earth
2. Air pressure and wind
3. Density of ocean water
4. Revolution of the Earth

Which of the above factors influence the ocean currents?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3

(c) 1 and 4

(d) 2, 3 and 4

• Rotation of earth – Coriolis force deflects ocean currents
• Winds are the primary mover
• Now look at 3, density of water. High density water will sink,

2. When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following :

1. Deep gorges
2. U-turn river courses
3. Parallel mountain ranges
4. Steep gradients causing land-sliding

Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for Himalayas being young fold mountains?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 4 only

(c) 3 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

• NCERT
• Himalayas young mountain, youthful river flowing through that so deep gorges and U turn river courses correct
• Young and fold, so originated in series so parallel ranges
• Steep gradient

3. Normally, the temperature decreases with the increase in height from the Earth’s surface, because

1. the atmosphere can be heated upwards only from the Earth’s surface
2. there is more moisture in the upper atmosphere
3. the air is less dense in the upper atmosphere

Select the correct answer using the codes given below :

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

• Everyone knows about 1 that atmosphere is heated by infrared radiation emitted by earth not by the ultraviolet radiation of sun
• 2nd statement is not true. What explains higher moisture in upper atmosphere. In fact moisture is more in lower atmosphere
• 3rd statement is true. Air is less dense, meaning can hold less heat thus temperature is low

4. Consider the following agricultural practices 

1. Contour bunding
2. Relay cropping
3. Zero tillage

In the context of global climate change, which of the above helps/help in carbon sequetration/storage in the soil?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 1, 2 and 3

(d) None of them

5. Which of the following is the chief characteristic of ‘mixed farming’?

(a) Cultivation of both cash crops and food crops

(b) Cultivation of two or more crops in the same field

(c) Rearing of animals and cultivation of crops together

(d) None of the above

• NCERT Question
• Mixed farming is agriculture with animal husbandry

Learnig -Interrcropping

6. Consider the following crops of India :

1. Cowpea
2. Green gram
3. Pigeon pea

Which of the above is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

• Common sense suggests all <i am not sure of the answer though>
• All three belong to same family

7. Consider the following crops of India :

1. Groundnut
2. Sesamum
3. Pearl millet

Which of the above is/are predominantly rainfed crop/crops?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

• Pulses and oilseeds are grown in rainfed areas.
• Ground nut – oil seed -grown in M.P.
• Sesmum – oil seed
• pearl millet – pulse

8. Consider the following areas:

1. Bandipur
2. Bhitarkanika
3. Manas
4. Sunderbans

Which of the above are Tiger Reserves?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 3 and 4 only

(c) 2, 3 and 4 only

(d) l, 2, 3 and 4

• Bhitarkanika is a wetland and has been asked before this and after this
• It’s famous for birds, not tigers, not a tiger reserve
• Exclude 2, reach the answer

9. A particular State in India has the following characteristics :

1. It is located on the same latitude which passes through northern Rajasthan.
2. It has over 80% of its area under forest cover.
3. Over 12% of forest cover constitutes Protected Area Network in this State.

Which one among the following States has all the above characteristics?

(a) Arunachal Pradesh

(b) Assam

(c) Himachal Pradesh

(d) Uttarakhand

• Only in North East and Andaman can 80% of area be under forests, Himachal and Uttarakhand ruled out
• Forest area in Assam can not be >80%. A large part of Assam is valley. It’s forest area is actually <50%

10. With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements :

1. The country’s total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States.
2. In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands larger than that of wetlands.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

• Factual but wetlands very very important
• Doubt could be b/w Gujrat (rann of kutch and coastal wetland) and West bengal (sunderbans)
• 2nd is also factual

11. The acidification of oceans is increasing. Why is this phenomenon a cause of concern? 

1. The growth and survival of calcareous phytoplankton will be adversely affected.
2. The growth and survival of coral reefs will be adversely affected.
3. The survival of some animals that have phytoplanktonic larvae will be adversely affected.
4. The cloud seeding and formation of clouds will be adversely affected.

Which of the statements given above is /are correct?

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

• 2 is correct, everyone knows that. Corals calcium Skelton, acid will dissolve that skeleton
• 1 is also true with similar logic, calcareous that is calcium Skelton will be dissolved by acid
• Now look at 4,  cloud seeding would be affected by particulates present in the atmosphere not that in ocean. Exclude 4, include 1 and 2
• shelter during a cyclone or tsunami

12. Which one of the following is the characteristic climate of the Tropical Savannah Region? 

(a) Rainfall throughout the year

(b) Rainfall in winter only

(c) An extremely short dry season

(d) A definite dry and wet season

• Covered in titbits
• Rainfall in winters only in Mediterranean
• Rainfall through out in evergreen forests
• Short dry season would not be conducive for fires

source

Hello All,

So finally even the FLTs are over and now it’s a matter of days before you implore the unrelenting examiner to hand over the question booklet to you while still trying to adjust in the small chairs. 🙂

Anyway, let’s get down to the final business. After Dr. V’s Art of MCQs marking, Prelims Titbits, Paper Analysis series, 17 Mazes, 10 Mini Mocks and 4 FLTs down it can be safely assumed that you have revised, analysed and practiced enough.

BUT all of us at CD put together can help you only till this point. Now it is squarely upon you to perform. This is the time you can learn your lessons. Tomorrow may be too late.

After a roller coaster ride of 700+ questions with discussions and disagreements on answer choices, I hope that all of you did enjoy the MCQs. And now the last sermon:

#1. If you feel that you did not perform up to the mark in the mocks, just sleep over it! Many toppers have this tendency hardwired in them. They never perform in the mocks and always outperform others in the actual test.

#2. Do whatever lies within your capacity. That you shall succeed cannot be a pre-condition to your preparation. It just increases stress. Just go out and do your best.

#3. Don’t let setbacks hold you back. Perseverance takes you far, to the unconquered territories and to the unimaginable heights.

#4. None of the previous toppers were placed on earth to clear UPSC under some utopian design of the cosmos. No universe conspired to see them become Indian Civil Servants. Truth be told, they were average boys and girls who chose to take this exam, respected their choice and worked hard to get it done. And believe it or not but deep down each one of us knows if we are actually working to achieve our goal or are just pretending that we are working.

#5. At the end, the only person who can see you through this exam is you. We can guide you, your parents can ensure you have all you luxury needed to prepare your exams, your friends can motivate you but you are the one who has to study. And if you are not, you are letting down many who have pinned their hopes on you.

And now the tips which many of you might have read about a year back as well.

#6. Reach the venue well before the scheduled time so you do not enter the examination hall, catching up on your breath. It not only affects your performance, it disturbs others as well.

#7. Enter the Roll Number, Series Code etc. carefully on the OMR sheet. You cannot erase it as it is to be marked with a black ball point pen.

#8. The first page of the question booklet contains the instructions to the candidates and is seldom read by them assuming it to a copy-paste from the previous years. READ IT. You never know when UPSC may add/delete/alter an instruction.

#9. Do count the number of pages as indicated. Never takes more than 30 seconds.

#10. Read the questions carefully.

#11. Read all the answer choices before you zero in on the one you wish to mark as your response on the OMR sheet. Remember UPSC clearly mentions that in case you feel there are more than one correct alternative, mark the ‘most appropriate’ one as your answer i.e. Option (a) may appear to be correct but Option (d) may be the most appropriate. So read all of them before you mark your response.

#12. There are a good number of questions wherein several statements are given and you are asked to choose the correct/incorrect ones. First of all be sure whether you are being asked to choose the statements which are ‘correct’ or ‘not correct’. Thereafter check the statements which you know to be definitely correct or definitely incorrect. Use it to zero in on the answer. Knowing the definitely incorrect statements is as good as knowing the definitely correct ones.

#13. Use elimination method judiciously.

#14. DO NOT indulge in indiscriminate guess work. You should be able to eliminate at least two choices before you mark the answer while guessing.

#15. Mark the responses carefully in the answer sheet as there is no/little scope of altering it.

#16. Coming to Paper II, even though it has been made qualifying, do attempt all the questions you can.

#17. Most importantly, do not worry about the cut-offs in the examination hall. Focus on the paper. Cut off can be discussed in the evening, even though it is fruitless.

#18. After Paper I, maintain a safe distance from those claiming to have attempted 80, 90 or even 100 in some cases. By evening they will come down to 60 and 40, the next morning when they regain their senses.

#19. Keep the OMR sheet tidy.

#20. Do not forget to carry your roll number and black ball point pens.

Best of Luck and do well!

Regards,

Unbounded Wisdom

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The solutions for all the FLTs have been uploaded on the portal. Click here to download them.

Pre 2013

1. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?

1. Abyssinian Plateau : Arabia
2. Atlas Mountains : North-Western Africa
3. Guiana Highlands : South-Western Africa
4. Okavango Basin : Patagonia

• Atlas mountain easy question, was also in news related to terrorism and coup in Mali/ sahel region
• Abyssinian plateau is in Ethiopia (in Africa) ( in world history, we study abyssinia defeating Italy in 1896)
• Guiana Highland= In South America
• Okavango basin/swamp= In Southern part of in Africa.

2. “Climate is extreme, rainfall is scanty and the people used to be nomadic herders.” The above statement best describes which of the following regions?

1. African Savannah
2. Central Asian Steppe
3. North American Prairie
4. Siberian Tundra

• savannah don’t have extreme climate
• Central Asian steppes have. Plus nomadic herders. Imagine mongols and Mongolia
• Prairies have farms, no nomadic life
• Tundra can not have herders, climate is just not suitable for that

Learning – difference b/w Sawannah and grasslands, names of grasslands, Koeppen classification

3. The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why?

1. It occupies a linear rift valley.
2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.
3. The land slopes to the west from Central India.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. None

• See statement 2 was asked in this year’s CAPF exam
• 3rd is factually wrong
• 1 is given in NCERT. It also seems the only plausible reason as rift valley can force the direction

Learning – rivers and tributaries mentioned in NCERTs

4. Consider the following statements:

1. Natural gas occurs in the Gondwana beds.
2. Mica occurs in abundance in Kodarma.
3. Dharwars are famous for petroleum.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 only
3. 2 and 3
4. None

• Geologic history of India very important. You can answer all such questions from that.
• It’s common knowledge, Gondwana is famous for coal fields nor natural gas
• Dharwar (Karnataka) has other minerals like iron, manganese not petrol
• Mica occurs in Kodarma <kodarma mines in Jharkhand>

Learning – geologic history of India

5. Which of the following is / are the characteristic/ characteristics of Indian coal?

1. High ash content
2. Low sulphur content
3. Low ash fusion temperature

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

• High ash ie low quality. Indian coal is low quality. We import coking coal
• Low sulphur is also common knowledge
• But ash fusion temperature is generally not given in books. This statement was wrong. Indian coal actually has high ash fusion temperature

6. Which of the following statements regarding laterite soils of India are correct?

1. They are generally red in colour.
2. They are rich in nitrogen and potash.
3. They are well-developed in Rajasthan and UP.
4. Tapioca and cashew nuts grow well on these soils.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. 1, 2 and 3
2. 2, 3 and 4
3. 1 and 4
4. 2 and 3 only

• Covered in titbit
• Easy question
• No major soil rich in nitrogen. Exclude 3, only option left is
• 2 is also incorrect as they occur in areas with high rainfall
• Laterite soil is found on western ghats, tapoica and cashews grow there
• Laterite soils are rich in iron and aluminum

Learning – Soils of India, characteristics and geographical spread

7. Consider the following crops

1. Cotton
2. Groundnut
3. Rice
4. Wheat

Which of these are Kharif crops?

1. 1 and 4
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. 2, 3 and 4

• NCERT
• Wheat everyone knows is rabi crop – wheat holi
• Eliminate 4
• Now look at 1 – cotton – kharif crop

Learning – Kharif, Rabi, Zaid season

8. Consider the following pairs :

1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim
2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh
3. Dongaria : Odisha
4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu

Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 3 only
2. 2 and 4 only
3. 1, 3 and 4 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

• Tribes are asked but difficult to remember
• Dongaria – Odisha is easy as dongaria kondh tribe was in news due to POSCO project
• Karbi would be of Assam – karbi aunglong protest for separate state
• Exclude 2, include 3. You can eleminate 2 options but you still need to know about 4
• Bonda are the most primitive tribal groups in Odisha

9. Variations in the length of daytime and night time from season to season are due to

1. the earth’s rotation on its axis
2. the earth’s revolution round the sun in an elliptical manner
3. latitudinal position of the place
4. revolution of the earth on a tilted axis

Simple NCERT question taught in 5th standard that season are due to tilt. Only one option related to tilt

10. On the planet earth, most of the freshwater exists as ice caps and glaciers. Out of the remaining freshwater, the largest proportion

1. is found in atmosphere as moisture and clouds
2. is found in freshwater lakes and rivers
3. exists as groundwater
4. exists as soil moisture

• 1 and 4 can be easily excluded as they would be very low percentage
• B/w lakes and rivers v/s ground water, simple logic suggests, even lakes and rivers replenish ground water reserves so that should be more
• In any case it is taught in 7th – 8th Std. Ground water >>>> river lake water

11. During a thunderstorm, the thunder in the skies is produced by the

1. meeting of cumulonimbus clouds in the sky
2. lightning that separates the nimbus clouds
3. violent upward movement of air and water particles

Select the correct answer using the codes given below.

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3
3. 1 and 3
4. None of the above produces the thunder

• Thunder is caused by lightning.
• When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel.
• Once then light is gone the air collapses back in and creates a sound wave that we hear as thunder.
• The reason we see lightning before we hear thunder is because light travels faster than sound!

http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-thunderstorms.htm

12. The annual range of temperature in the interior of the continents is high as compared to coastal areas. What is / are the reason / reasons?

1. Thermal difference between land and water.
2. Variation in altitude between continents and oceans.
3. Presence of strong winds in the interior
4. Heavy rains in the interior as compared to coasts.

1. 1 only
2. 1 and 2 only
3. 2 and 3 only
4. 1, 2, 3 and 4

• Similar question was asked in CAPF this year. Maximum annual range of temperature
• You know 1 is correct Ie Continentality difference in specific heat, thermal difference
• Statement 2 is a bogus statement, what does altitude has to do with any of that
• Exclude 2, include 1
• Statement 4 is also wrong, not heavy rainfall in interior but less rain fall in interior

Learning – continentality, sea breeze – land breeze

13. Consider the following:

1. Electromagnetic radiation
2. Geothermal energy
3. Gravitational force
4. Plate movements
5. Rotation of the earth
6. Revolution of the earth

Which of the above are responsible for bringing dynamic changes on the surface of the earth?

1. 1, 2, 3 and 4 only
2. 1, 3, 5 and 6 only
3. 2, 4, 5 and 6 only
4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

• 4th is obviously correct, eliminate option 2
• But what the hell is dynamic change?? I have no idea

 

What’s this?

Discussion blog page for those who just attempted FL#4. Discussion is open for any question which you had a doubt about, brainstorming on ways to arrive at a particular answer, any other interesting tit bit that you may share etc.

Where are the prelims mocks held?

Go to the link and start attempting the mocks. Click here. 100 Questions – True to UPSC pattern.

When will the detailed explanations be uploaded?

The detailed explanations will be provided to subscribers only. You can find the explanation pdf uploaded on the Document centre within the portal on the coming Sunday.

Pre 2014

1. Which of the following phenomena might have influenced the evolution of organisms?

1. Continental drift
2. Glacial cycles

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2

• Common sense. Continental drift would mean some animals would be stuck to one continent, others on different with no chance of meeting and mating.
• Similarly glacial cycles would affect evolution  as many would not be able to tolerate extreme cold and would become extinct plus sea level rise due to glacial melt

2. The seasonal reversal of winds is the typical characteristic of

1. Equatorial climate
2. Mediterranean climate
3. Monsoon climate
4. All of the above climates

5th Std kids know the answer

Learning – Learn everything about monsoon given in NCERT

3. With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statement:

1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand.
2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool.
3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

• Pashmima goat is found in jammu and Kashmir not in uttarakhand. So 1 and 2 can not be correct simultaneously
• If such a community is asked, it must be tribal. UPSC asks about tribes.
• Now look at the options
• Tribes are asked but it’s difficult to remember all of them. Just focus on ones in the news, It’s tribe of Jammu and Kashmir

4. Consider the following towns of India:

1. Bhadrachalam
2. Chanderi
3. Kancheepuram
4. Karnal

Which of the above are famous for the production of traditional sarees / fabric?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. 1, 3 and 4

• Kanchipuram is famous for sarees plus this has been asked in previous year
• Karnal is in Haryana, no such thing there
• You have eliminated two options
• Now look at Bhadrachalam – it’s not famous.  You may not know it but as you have been able to eliminate 2 options, make a guess

5. Consider the following rivers:

1. Barak
2. Lohit
3. Subansiri

Which of the above flows / flow through Arunachal Pradesh?

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

• NCERT – tributaries of Brahmputra
• Barak river you must know as it’s part of national waterway 6. You know it’s course. Also important because of issues over Teepaimukh dam
• Exclude it, you reach the answer

Learning – National waterways, rivers and their tributaries given in NCERT, Surma – Meghna river system

6. Consider these pairs

1. Cardamom Hills	Coromandel Coast
2. Kaimur Hills	Konkan Coast
3. Mahadeo Hills	Central India
4. Mikir Hills	North-East India

Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2
2. 2 and 3
3. 3 and 4
4. 2 and 4

Look at this image in your atlas and try to learn the locations. It;s very imp

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• See, mahadeo hills was asked in 2015 also
• It’s in m.p. ie central India. 3 is definitely correct
• Now b/w 2 and 4, mikir in North East
• Or if you Kaimur hills is in central highlands, you can exclude all other options
• Cardamom hills you know are on the western ghats while coromandel coast is east coast

Learning – Hills and plateau of India and rivers originating from them are very important. Just look at the map

7. 

National Highway	Cities connected
1. NH 4	Chennai and Hyderabad
2. NH 6	Mumbai and Kolkata
3. NH 15	Ahmedabad and Jodhpur

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 3 only
3. 1, 2 and 3
4. None

• No need to remember all the highways
• This question was not doable

8. Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?

1. Andaman and Nicobar
2. Nicobar and Sumatra
3. Maldives and Lakshadweep
4. Sumatra and Java

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• Easy. NCERT Question
• You know the southern most point is in Great nikobar and is 6 degree 45 so 10 degree channel would not be south of India but b/w Andaman and Nikobar or Maldives and Lakshdweep
• 8 degree channel is b/w Maldives and Minicoy

Learning – Southern most point of India v/s southern most point of mainland India, Eastern and western most point of India, Duncan passage, 8 degree channel, Importance of Andaman and Nikobar island

9. Turkey is located between

1. Black Sea and Caspian Sea
2. Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea
3. Gulf of Suez and Mediterranean Sea
4. Gulf of Aqaba and Dead Sea

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• Very easy. Map based question
• Turkey in news due to civil war in Syria
• You know turkey is in Asia and Europe

Learning – Bosphorous, sea of marmara, dedanalles strait, Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba

10. What is the correct sequence of occurrence of the following cities in South-East Asia as one proceeds from south to north? 1.Bangkok 2.Hanoi 3.Jakarta 4.Singapore Select the correct answer using the code given below.

1. 4-2-1-3
2. 3-2-4-1
3. 3-4-1-2
4. 4-3-2-1

Map based difficult question

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P.S. – Not all questions were doable in this paper but don’t go after them. Just focus on doable questions.

P.P.S. – Everyone is free to point out mistakes. Free to criticize, suggest changes etc. Everything is welcome but do so without insinuating or attributing motives

source

If you just sit and observe, you will see how restless your mind is. If you try to calm it, it only makes it worse. You attempt the mock test and you see a question on Indian Classical dance which you think is an easy sitter but you just can’t seem to recollect. You feel like your preparation is inadequate and you grow a distaste for the mock which you are attempting.

“If only I revise the things again and then give this mock again, I will have a more realistic score”. This is what you tell yourself and you don’t attempt your mocks correctly!

Stop right there. Don’t think like that. Stop the monkey chatter and take the things as they come. Don’t live in the fool’s paradise that your best is yet to come. No. Who knows? This is you right here and you have got to make the best out of your limited knowledge by tikdams or educated guesses and not fell prey to the wishful thinking on covering the whole syllabus again.

To get into your best test taking abilities, try to meditate everyday. Follow this 6 phase process recommended by Steve Jobs:

1. Sit cross-legged in a quiet place, preferably on a low pillow to reduce strain on your back. Take deep breaths.
2. Close your eyes and listen to your inner monologue, the thoughts that spin through your mind all the time: work, home, TV, whatever. Those thoughts are the chattering of your “monkey mind.” Don’t try to stop it from chattering, at least not yet. Instead just observe how it jumps from thought to thought to thought. Do this for five minutes every day for a week.
3. After a week, without trying to silence your monkey mind, during the meditation, shift your attention to your “ox mind.” Your ox mind is the part of your brain that thinks slowly and quietly. It senses things around you. It doesn’t try to assign meaning to anything. It just sees, hears, and feels. Most people only really hear their ox mind when they experience a “breathtaking moment” that temporarily stops the monkey mind from chattering. However, even when your monkey mind is driving you crazy with rush-rush-rush and push-push-push, your ox mind is still there, thinking its slow, deep thoughts.
4. Once you’re feeling more aware of your ox mind, ask it to start quieting your monkey mind down. What worked for me was imagining the monkey mind going to sleep due to the slow walking of the ox as it moves patiently along a road. Don’t get upset if your monkey mind keeps waking up. It’s a monkey, so it can’t help acting like one. However, you’ll find that, despite its protests, your monkey mind would rather give it rest and stop making all that tiring and tiresome noise.
5. As your monkey mind calms down, continue to shift your attention to your ox mind. Each breath will seem to take a long time. You’ll feel the air on your skin. You may feel your blood flowing through your body. If you open your eyes, the world will look brand new and even rather strange. A window, for example, becomes just a square thing that full of light. It doesn’t need to be opened or closed or cleaned or repaired or anything else. It’s just there. You’re just there.
6. While it can take a while to get there, you’ll know you’re doing the exercise correctly when it seems as if no time has passed at all between when you started the timer and when it goes off. When you succeed at that, gradually increase the amount of time you spend each day. Weirdly, no matter how long you practice, it will seem as if no time has passed.

Here’s how this may help you in your preparation and test taking strategies:

1. It will calm you down
2. Make you more perceptive to the subtle tones of texts and questions and help you identify with the art of smart guessing
3. Keep you stress free and be more confident of your preparation levels

If you already have another mojo working for you, share with us over the comments.

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PS: The Flagship Prelims Module for IAS 2017 has already started. Click here to attempt your tests. 

In the geography portion, you just have to stick to basics. Basics meaning class 11 and class 12 geography esp. Physical geography and geography of India. If you have done that, you would be able to solve 75% of the questions easily.

Study physical geography well, because it is conceptual and therefore will not fail you during the exam. You should be able to solve all the physical geographical questions in the exam if you study the “Fundamentals of Physical Geography” NCERT XI textbook thoroughly.

Solve past year question papers esp conceptual questions of physical geography which will give you good insight into level of your preparation and help you correct your flaws

Imp topics  (just basics)

• latitudes and longitudes
• Revolution, rotation and seasons
• Solar system  
• layers of the atmosphere pressure belts, global atmospheric wind, cyclones
• types of rainfall (convection, orographic, frontal)
• monsoons
• ocean currents
• jet streams
• Elnino la nina modoki ENSO indian ocean dipole maiden jullien oscillation
• Go through India’s physical geography. NCERT would suffice
• Rivers and hills, soils given in NCERT most imp
• Learn geological history of India well which would help you answer questions related to mineral resources
• Basics of agriculture- again NCERT would suffice
• Map marking

Prelims 2015

1. In the South Atlantic and South Eastern Pacific regions in tropical latitudes, cyclone does not originate. What is the reason?

(a) Sea Surface temperature are low

(b) Inter Tropical Convergence Zone seldom occurs

(c) Coriolis force is too weak

(d) Absence of land in those regions

• Option C is wrong. Coriolis force is weak only in the region around 0-5 degrees North or South latitudes.
• Option D is wrong as land cuts off moisture from the cyclone and a responsible for dissipation of cyclones
• Confusion b/w a and b
• UPSC ruled absence of ITCZ would be the answer

Learning – cyclones, naming of cyclones, tropical v/s temperate cyclones (learn from the titbit)

2. Which of the following pairs of States of India indicates the eastern most and Western most State?

(a) Assam and Rajasthan

(b) Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan

(c) Assam and Gujarat

(d) Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat

• Simple question. Map based
• Has been asked before

3. Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity?

(a) Bhitarkanika National Park

(b) Keibul Lamjao National Park

(c) Keoladeo Ghana National park

(d) Sultanpur National park

• Floating vegetation points in the direction of floating park, the only floating park in the world, located in Manipur which is a part of Loktak Lake.
• Bhitarkanika is in Odisha,has been asked before
• Keoladeo in Rajasthan – was asked last year
• Sultanpur in Haryana – only option  left would be the answer

4. What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture?

1. Proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in soil can occur.
2. Increase in the acidity of soil can take place
3. Leaching of nitrate to the ground-water can occur.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

(a) 1 and 3 only

(b) 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

• Statement 1 is absurd. If there is more nitrogen in the soil, less need for nitrogen fixing bacteria. In any case if fertilizer increased bacteria one dose of fertilizer would suffice for eternity  
• Statement 3: common sense. If something is in increased concentration and also water soluble, would obviously leach
• Exclude 1, include 3

5. What explains the eastward flow of the equatorial counter-current?

(a) The Earth’s rotation on its axis

(b) Convergence of the two equatorial currents

(c) Difference in salinity of water

(d) Occurrence of the belt of calm near equator

• Controversial question. Go with what UPSC says
• C and d are obviously wrong.
• A that’s earth’s rotation is reponsible for winds and currents changing directions but then what’s special about earth’s rotation that would move counter current in opposite direction
• B is the last option standing

6. Consider the following pairs:

Place of Pilgrimage  Location

1. Srisailam : Nallamala Hills
2. Omkareshwar : Satmala Hills
3. Pushkar : Mahadeo Hills

Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1,2 and 3

• Pushkar is in Ajmer everyone knows that.
• There’s only aravali in Rajasthan no mahadeo hills
• Exclude 3

7. The area known as ‘Golan Heights’ sometimes appears in the news in the context of the events related to

1. a) Central Asia
2. b) Middle East
3. c) South-East Asia
4. d) Central Africa

• Map based question.
• Golan height was and is very much in news due to civil war in Syria. Terrorism from Golan heights

8. Consider the following rivers :

1. Vamsadhara
2. Indravati
3. Pranahita
4. Pennar

Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?

(a) 1,2 and 3

(b) 2,3 and 4

(c) 1,2 and 4

(d) 2 and 3 only

• Rivers imp but obviously you can’t learn every tributary of every major river so a difficult question
• Pennar is much to the south, can be excluded

9. Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?

(a) North Coastal Andhra Pradesh

(b) South-West Bengal

(c) Southern Saurashtra

(d) Andaman and Nicobar island

• Evergreen forest would not be found in other 3 options as not sufficient rainfall there.
• Andman and nikobar have many Islands so chances of vegetation other than evergreen also thetec

10. Which one of the following National Parks has a climate that varies from tropical to subtropical, temperate and arctic?

(a) Khangchendzonga National park

(b) Nandadevi National Park

(c) Neora Valley National Park

(d) Namdapha National park

• Difficult question.
• Go with what UPSC says

11. Consider the following statements

1. 1. The winds which blow between 30o N and 60o S latitudes throughout the year are known as westerlies.
2. 2. The moist air masses that cause winter rams in North-Western region of India are part of westerlies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

1. (a) 1 only
2. (b) 2 only
3. (c) Both 1 and 2
4. (d) Neither 1 nor 2

• No winds blow b/w 30 north and 60 south. It should have been between 30 and 60 north
• 2nd has been asked so many times in both prelims and mains
• Western disturbances responsible for winter rains in North which is good for wheat and leads to snowfall on hills

12. Tides occur in oceans and seas due to which among the following?

1. Gravitational Force of the Sun
2. Gravitational Force of the Moon
3. Gravitational Force of the Earth

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2, and 3

• If 1 is true, 2 has to be true. Sun is also exerting gravitational pull so is moon. Pull is pull, does not matter who pulls
• Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of gravitational forces exerted by the Moon, Sun, and rotation of the

13. In which of the following activities are Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites used?

1. Assessment of crop productivity
2. Locating ground water resources
3. Mineral exploration
4. Telecommunications
5. Traffic studies

Select the correct answer using the code given below

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 4 and 5 only

(c) 1 and 2 only

(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and

• For telecommunications geo-stationary satellites / your INSAT CLASS satellites are used
• easily eliminate statement 4
• Now look at statement 3, remote sensing is sensing from a distance so sensing from a distance if minerals are there, 3rd is true

14. Consider the following States:

1. Arunachal Pradesh
2. Himachal Pradesh
3. Mizoram

In which of the following states do ‘Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests’ occur?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

• Easy
• typical rain forests in areas with high rains ie north east, islands of Andaman nikobar, western slopes of western ghat- very small area of India
• Himachal is clearly wrong

15. Which one of the following countries of South-West Asia does not open out to the Mediterranean Sea?

(a) Syria

(b) Jordan

(c) Lebanon

(d) Israel

• Map based question you could easily solve if you were looking at the maps with the newspaper
• Was in news due to civil war in Syria and refugees in Jordan

16. In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species?

(a) Tropical moist deciduous forest

(b) Tropical rain forest

(c) Tropical thorn scrub forest

(d) Temperate forest with

• Asked before
• Teak dominant species of tropical moist deciduous

17. “Each day is more or less the same, the morning is clear and bright with a sea breeze; as the sun climbs high in the sky, heat mounts up, dark clouds form, than rain comes with thunder and lightning. But rain is soon over.”

Which of the following regions is described in the above passage?

(a) Savannah

(b) Equatorial

(c) Monsoon

(d) Mediterranean

• Simple
• No seasons on equator
• Rain/ afternoon shower due to convection

P.S. – Everyone is free to point out mistakes. Free to criticize, suggest changes etc. Everything is welcome but do so without insinuating or attributing motives