Subject: Trivia

Not everyone has a flawless academic record and experiencing setbacks is okay. Sometimes we get so haunted by one failure, which usually happens to be trivial, that we get too terrified to even try again. But as this proverb suggests, even if you fail seven times, you stand up on the eighth.

We received a few mails from the test takers saying that the quality of questions at CD is much ahead of those at Vision, Insights, Drishti (hindi) but that sometimes make the test takers feel a bit demotivated of their test taking abilities.

This post is intended for all those test takers – don’t worry about your wrong attempt in the mocks. Don’t go so hard on yourself. Your actual marks are going to be +10 from what you get here. Make sure you attempt the tests to the fullest abilities and then red the explanations thoroughly. 

This is the time to get out of Maslow’s basement

This is Abraham Maslow’s finest creation.

In his 1943 paper “A Theory of Human Motivation”, Maslow arranged the motivation factors of our needs and deeds in an order of priority. A psychology student would need no initiation in this but for the rest of us, think of it as the bollywood equivalent of “roti kapda aur makaan”.

Only after one has his basic needs fulfilled will he think of achieving something for the others or look for nirvana for himself.

But why on earth are we talking about Maslow?

Because we want you to get out of the Maslow’s basement, go out and conquer the 5th step of the process. Think of how this translates for an average UPSC candidate –

Step 1, 2 are the basic preparation steps where you lay out the ground work – read up on NCERTs, get the regular books, make notes etc.

Step 3 is the social need when you discuss concepts with your peers, exchange views and tips and answer each other queries. You feel like a part of the family at CD when you help each other out and you slowly prepare your grounds for the Step 4

Step 4 is the testing time folks. Here’s where all that you have been through comes out to give you quick, timely feedback so that you prepare yourself for the FINAL NIRVANA on the Step 5 which is the UPSC day!

Do not MISS out on this step. Do not go back to the basement levels 1 & 2. This is the time to rise up to the occasion and learn from your mistakes. Don’t fall prey to a false ego hurt which you may receive when you hit a bad score. GET UP and GET GOING!

Mock #9 is LIVE and it will be closely followed by Mock #10. Both are based on current affairs.

The Full Length tests are starting on 11th July. These will be close group tests and will be accessible only to the students who register for them. If you haven’t already – REGISTER TODAY.

Look forward to more participation and more sincere attempts from you all!

Update:

The solutions for this mock are now available in a downloadable pdf. Download

What’s this?

Discussion blog page for those who just attempted prelims mock #9. 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. 25 questions each.

When will the detailed explanations be uploaded?

Every weekend (on sunday). Look out for this blog again and you will find a google drive link from where you can download the explanation pdfs.

Update:

The solutions for this mock are now available in a downloadable pdf. Download

What’s this?

Discussion blog page for those who just attempted prelims mock #8. 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. 25 questions each.

When will the detailed explanations be uploaded?

Every weekend (on sunday). Look out for this blog again and you will find a google drive link from where you can download the explanation pdfs.

The last dinner table experience was amazing. So many teachers and so many students! Click here to go to visit the Round 1

This time, we intend to tweak the concept a little bit. Since prelims are fast approaching, let’s make it more useful.

Do one of the following:

1) Ask for a memory trick/ mnemonic which can help you retain a difficult passage in a subject.

2) Suggest a memory trick on a difficult subject/ chapter which can help the readers.

You may want to tell your strong points/ favorite subjects/ sub subjects which can help other users ask better queries.

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PS – Please, please, please – do not ask very vague questions, “How to remember all the names of the RED list?”

PPS – Hope you have read Dr. V’s tit bits and his uncanny explanations on prelims questions. Try to step into his shoes and come up with memory hacks!

PPS #2 – To the readers who view this blog on the app, you won’t be able to have a look at the comments so please open this blog over mobile or desktop web

Update:

The solutions for this mock are now available in a downloadable pdf. Download

What’s this?

Discussion blog page for those who just attempted prelims mock #7. 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. 25 questions each.

When will the detailed explanations be uploaded?

Every weekend (on sunday). Look out for this blog again and you will find a google drive link from where you can download the explanation pdfs.

Major Update:

Hats off to the community for an amazing participation. We never do this thing (flashing numbers and claiming a top spot etc.), but these numbers are insane. Notice the REAL time users. If the participation remains this high over the weekend, we will make it a weekend affair!

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Think of this as a dinner table conversation with no theme. The idea of this blog is to experiment with a hypothetical BIG family dinner table setting!

Do one of the following:

1) Ask CD readers a question.

2) Answer someone’s question.

You may want to tell your strong points/ favorite subjects/ sub subjects which can help other users ask better queries.

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PS – Please, please, please – do not ask very basic questions akin to “i am in class 12th but want to become an IAS officer, what to do!”

PPS – No questions on what book to study. But yeah you can ask about opinions on books, classes, subjects, optionals etc.

PPS #2 – To the readers who view this blog on the app, you won’t be able to have a look at the comments so please open this blog over mobile or desktop web

“Success doesn’t give inspiration; the struggle behind success gives you the inspiration. But success is important because only then people will be interested to know your struggle. The attitude and the approach to do something matters and each individual can become a building block for a beautiful society.”

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What separates a doer from a dreamer?

• What made Pranjal Patil, a 26-year-old visually-impaired Ulhasnagar resident to keep up with her studies, travel to complete her studies and then get on with her UPSC prep and clear it in 2015?
• Ramesh Gholap – a differently abled but humongously ambitious aspirant from Maharashtra who studied at a zilla parishad school, completed college from correspondence  BUT cleared UPSC with an AIR 287. Why did he keep up at it? Why did he not give up when the odds were against him?
• Nirish Rajput (31), son of Virendra Rajput, a tailor, failed the civil service examination three times but never lost heart. The fourth time, he passed with a rank of 370 and has been selected for the Indian Administrative Service. He failed thrice – 3 times over and cleared it on 4th. Why did he keep up at it?

They all kept up at it because the struggle was worth it. Reaching to the top is acknowledged by the society but the climb is the most rewarding.

As we approach the IAS Prelims 2016, give this final months to mocks and full length tests. Do not collect the explanations sheet and answers keys and let them collect dust as you try and complete your syllabus. GET INTO THE ACTION MODE NOW.

Be so good they can’t ignore you

If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.

If you have committed to yourself that IAS 2016 is going to be your last prelims and that the next year is going to be among the snow clad hills of mussoorie, then make the next move.

Commit yourselves to the mocks that are going on at prelims.civilsdaily.com. These are FREE mocks and you will be writing along with 5,000+ students and this is as good a real time validation for your preparation levels (as you can get).

But, it’s not just about the All India Ranks in these mocks, it’s about getting to know your subject level weaknesses in time. To be able to learn and fill your knowledge gaps and discuss among the Civilsdaily community members.

So that when the times comes to test yourself on Full Length tests, you are at your best to PERFORM. 

Sign up for the Full Length tests, starting from 10th July 2016. Click here and commit to your greatness. Do it now rather than later. Circle the date 10th July on your desk calendars or notebooks. Make sure you are prepared a month ahead in advance from the actual Prelims.

Research says that pre-committed goals are achievable. Salman Khan says that “ek baar maine commitment kar di to fir main apne aap ki bhi nahi sunta.”

Be like Salman. Commit to your success. 

Every day, it seems there are a thousand things pulling at our attention and energy – chapters left to revise, subjects we did not pay any attention to, test series which are dangling on our heads like those menacing daggers and of course the D-Date of the IAS Prelims.

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What routines can we practice to help us stave off these unwanted fears, nagging uncertainties and remain focussed for the next month and a half?

#1. Take 3 minutes every morning and focus on 3 things that you are deeply grateful for and 3 that you strive to accomplish in life.

Think big – don’t think of the immediate exam, don’t think of the next task at hand but think of the ideal future that you dreamt of. The finish line and beyond to this marathon which has been ON for an year or so. Feel the warm glow, the soft brush of the sunflower field as you walk through it.

This is the psychology of positive reinforcement and this will ensure that your subconscious works towards making that dream a reality.

#2. When you are depressed and feeling like there is no way out, how do you keep moving? 

• Shun the useless motivational crap. When you are down, you are down. Period. The point #1 works as positive reinforcement only when you commit to it as a daily habit NOT as a knee jerk – feel good trick to fool your mind.
• Do this – Sit down. Take up a blank page. And start writing 50 things which need to happen to make things right for you. This may sound stupid but it is not. Trust us. When you start writing things, after the first 10 generic, stupid ideas you will get into the zone of problem solver. 

The first 10 will be the most obvious ideas – the next 20 will seem vague and random but the last 20 or last 10 will have the most nuanced wisdom which you can give to yourself. These will be the most actionable items and will help you let go of the fear of unknown and get back to action.

#3. Stop being commitment phobic. Don’t wait for the right time to test yourself. Don’t wait for the ideal number of revisions before you attempt those mocks. Any mocks will do. Be the smart one here. It’s okay to feel embarrassed at your low scores NOW than to feel dejected after the exam. It’s okay to learn from your peers now than to sit in the crowd and take in gyaan from the rankers an year later.

There is a chinese proverb, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

Or better, this

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So, commit to the CD Mocks today

5,000+ students have already registered their attempts and are filling their knowledge gaps. The leaderboard is LIVE and your ranks will give you a ready reckoner of your improvement areas.

Here’s the link to the mocks.

• The mock #6 to #10 are FREE to give you the runway for the FINAL Mocks
• The last 4 Full Length tests are PAID and will help you evaluate your overall growth for the final lap!

Go, Go , Goo.

Update:

The solutions for this mock are now available in a downloadable pdf. We have tried to make them as detailed as possible. Download

What’s this?

Discussion blog page for those who just attempted prelims mock #6. 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. 25 questions each.

When will the detailed explanations be uploaded?

Every weekend (on sunday). Look out for this blog again and you will find a google drive link from where you can download the explanation pdfs.