Hi there…I am sorry to have not replied to the queries. I haven’t had the time to do so. Moreover, I feel I have shared almost everything regarding the old pattern. I am completely out of touch with the current trend and change in pattern.
Kindly go through the posts as well as the comments and responses. I am sure you would find most of your doubts cleared.
Remember, you might face setbacks but how well you fight back is what matters in the end. All the best!!!
Anay Dwivedi 
I’ll certainly keep that in mind.
Thanks a lot for running this blog, It has provided some really useful information to me.
sir whn u r leaving 4 mussoorie?/ do u hav any plans for delhi @pavan sirs academy? want to meet u
Hello Sir,
Many congratulations on your great feat
I am very happy reading yours, Prakash sir’s blog, garima mam’s blog,Tanvi mam’s blog and really inspired by your methodology.
Because of my keen interest in taking up CSE I have now started with my preparation.
But my academics have been always a big concern.
Class X aggregate 58%
Class XII aggregate 44%
B.E. aggregate 58.6%
If I do good then what are the odds that these lower than average credentials will have an impact on my selection.
As the UPSC web informs:
“The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career.”
And further they are looking for a well educated youth.
As in many other exams such as CAT they look into overall good profile.
I have the zeal and now have cultivated the integrity.
Kindly guide me through this as I am sometimes demotivated by these facts.
hi raviram…
do not worry abt acads…just concentrate on the cse…interview is very subjective…in spite of getting 90% always there r many (incl me) who get 135 out of 300 in the interview whereas others might get 200 irrespective of their backgrnd…so ur mains score is the only thing which matters and is in ur hands…all the best
we can understand the delay 4 a disciplined personality like u.it must had a solid cause.
anyways great work by u.
keep on doing this great journey u great man……..
hats off 2 u…………
all the very best sir
Hi, Anay
Your blog is very helpful especially for us who can not join a coaching class.
I hope you will be able to reply some of our queries during busy schedule at LBSNAA.
Good luck for your career as an IAS .
Hoping to join you next year.
hi anay..
wat u said is xactly true..im presently facing those set backs..
feeling very lazy esp to prep notes..showin it as d reason,im avoidin some topics at times..
so wat im doing was underlying d imp points in d text nook itself..which i would write in my notes..if at all prep it..and also writing d entire gist of the para in one word by the side of the para…for now i found dat to be helpful,,but not sure whether the strategy is good..also a bit sceptical if dat would help in revision times…
what say??
no problem sir, whenever ur free, u reply.
i had given my 4th attempt of ias prelims on may 23rd 2010, but i dint clear. im preparing for this ias since 2002.
so im writing 2011 csat prelims. i need some help from u for only csat prelims.
for mains i’ve already prepared very well. my mains optionals r p.a. & psychology.
i wanted to know that what is d total marks kept for csat paper?
thanzxs…
hi there…
i m sorry, i dnt knw nething abt csat..and as far as i knw the pattern hasnt been declared so far by the upsc…so wait till something is announced…
ok sir…thanxs for ur suggestion.. as bcoz everybody is looking for what would be the syllabus, & no one is aware about the marks kept for csat paper… so for me the doubt raised…
any way sir thanzxs….
i had got ur reply to my email id so i replied sir…
hi sir,congratulations for ur triumph in civils nd it is worth inspiring of u the patient answering to each nd every civil aspirant’s query,my Q is i m a beginner nd after going thru a lots of interviews of toppers,one thing commonly said was aspirants should have a grip on the basics.Now how do i/we get a stronghold of basic fundamentals,is it thru ncert(but u said earlier that u didn’t go thru any ncert books)??
hi pheroz
by basics…wht is meant is tht u get an idea abt the concepts and understand them well rather than concentrating on mugging up facts and figures…
so once u understand a given topic…and read more and more…u will realise tht most of the things r connected to one another…
for eg there r many schools of psychology which studied the subject in a different manner…but it is not tht they r completely independent…one school borrowed idea frm another but at the same time disagreed on a particular aspect and hence a new way of studying the subject emerged…so basics wud mean u understand the links, concepts, etc rather than just remembering who said wht…
i hope u got the idea…feel free to ask for clarifications…
Hi Anay,
Heartiest congratulations on your grand success !!!!!
Can you please let me know any blog run by successful candidate with sociology as optional?
All the best for your training…
With Regards,
Tushar Nikhare
Pune
sir wanna ask tht wud it be better join mukul pathak sir classes on regular basis or purchase th notes frm shopes in mukharjee nagar and do self study?
hi anjali…
it depends on wht ur way of studying is…i wud suggest if u have time..then do join his classes…
sir,do u know any toppers with anthropology as optional ?any blog or so?il b vry gr8ful sir..
hi arul…
iva sahay air 3 had anthro as an optional…but she doesnt have a blog or an email address tht i know of…
so u need to find someone u knw who took it as an optional or a good coaching instt…
Sir Kindly reply to my query too..
I have been awaiting for your reply…
I am re-writing my query sir,
“Hello Sir,
Many congratulations on your great feat
I am very happy reading yours, Prakash sir’s blog, garima mam’s blog,Tanvi mam’s blog and really inspired by your methodology.
Because of my keen interest in taking up CSE I have now started with my preparation.
But my academics have been always a big concern.
Class X aggregate 58%
Class XII aggregate 44%
B.E. aggregate 58.6%
If I do good then what are the odds that these lower than average credentials will have an impact on my selection.
As the UPSC web informs:
“The candidate will be interviewed by a Board who will have before them a record of his career.”
And further they are looking for a well educated youth.
As in many other exams such as CAT they look into overall good profile.
I have the zeal and now have cultivated the integrity.
Kindly guide me through this as I am sometimes demotivated by these facts.
“
hi anay.i am from mumbai and due to no good coaching in the city i have planned to come to delhi for prelim cum main oct batch.could u please tell me which institute to join for gs,pol sci,sociology.i had decided vajiram for gs and polsci(shubhra ranjan teaches there),vaji or upendra for sociology.what would u suggest.dude really need your advice as i have no time and am in a rush.please reply as i have had mixed reactions for vajiram.
thanks
hi abhijeet
i m sorry…cant guide u for socio and pol sc…for socio..u may ask tanvi sundriyal and for pol science maitrey kulkarni…their blog address/contact details r given in the references post on my blog…
for gs…sriram is good…
hi sir
heartiest congratulations for your great success.
i must congratulate and thank you for your excellent blog . it is very informative and helpful for asirants like us .
i saw your interview video on srirams website. i wanted to ask you about institute for gs coaching. i know that vajiram is the best and their notes are the most reliable. but i am not too happy about their 350+ students- batches , which in my opinion is not very conducive to good discussions and doubt solving .i also think that dictating each and every point wastes a lot of time unnecessarily . i am considering srirams as an alternative . i saw in the list given by you that you didnt atend their regular gs classes, but do you have any idea about it . most toppers rate it highly in terms of personal attention . how is it compared to vajiram?
your opinion on this will be very helpful to me.
thanks in advance , and my best wishes for your future
gaurav
hi anay.waiting for your reply.also am confused with vajiram and sriram for gs.thanks
Sir: I’m currently pursuing B.Tech (4th yr). I’m attending Geog. classes at ALS. My 2nd optional is PubAd. Actually, I intend to enrol in LLB program after graduation as I’m eyeing CSE ’12. Does Law course complement PubAd?
hi there…
plz ask tanvi sundriyal air 6..her blog address is given in the references post…
she is an engineer and did her law while prep for upsc simultaneously… moreover, she had pub ad as her 2nd optional..so she is the best person to guide u on this…
sir,
though i am little late,
still many congrats to you for your grand success.
hi sarang…
thanks a lot…
all the best!!!
Thanks sir for ur valuable advices these are very useful.need some help regarding my planning pls guide me wherever i am wrong.i have joined mains batch of gs from vajiram june batch(going to appear in 2011)just in order to get the sufficient knowledge of gs mains.from oct i will cover the sociology and botany(done m.sc)and will try to finish uptill january from feb i will prepare for pre.pls tell me if my strategy is ok or not do i have to change it.
hi vijay…
the strategy seems to be good…try ur best to implement it…do not leave GS at any point of time…go thru the newspapers daily…
all the best!!!
sir,
from the mains point of view from when should we follow the news paper religiously for current events ..since the mains is in october
hi there…
i kept cuttings from may end to october 3rd…my mains were on the 23rd of oct…
Congratulation sir,
On an average how many paper cuttings were made in an edition of “ The Hindu”? this is because i felt most of the articles were either opinion based or were too specific? i will be writing csat 2011, so what will be the ideal time for paper cuttings? What you did with the previous year’s paper cuttings?
“Constitution of India”-DD Basu for polity/gs… were you referring to “Introduction to constitution of India”- D D Basu or any other concise/thin book from the same author?
At what reading did you start making points/notes? ( first, second, third???)
Usually how many books have you referred for a topic?
Were you in a dilemma while quitting the job for preparation? Seriously what will be your honest suggestion for me( a second year mtech and have a childhood dream to become an ias officer… did not accept the campus placement offer in order to study, but joined M.Tech as a backup)… im in a dilemma wether to take a break after mtech… please help…
Thanks for all the wonderful work you are doing and wish you a satisfying career..
regards
Srikanth
reply here or mail me : 118hss@gmail.com
Sir,please tell how to read ARC recomendations…?
I mean are we supposed to read it fully and what was your approach in dealing with them..
Thanks…
hi there…
i went thru arc 2 reports…only the recomm summary…noted arnd 30 points every report…the points which i cud easily understand and remember…
Pretty excellent post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have incredibly enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing for your feed and I hope you article again soon.
hi anay jst send u a mail for your kind reply. REGARDS ANTRIKSH
hi anay.waiting for your reply
hi anay..
can u suggest some source for economics otherthan spectrum..
heardabout PDE..wats dat?a magzine or a book…
sorry if i sound too naive..no one else to ask!!
hey Tejas,
PDE stands for special issue of Pratyogita Darpan Economics… its suggested by many..
hii sir, how r u?
sir i have started prep optional-1 for csat-2011, i m taking PA as one of my optional,
so i am trying to complete it about 80% till jan-feb ,
sir i am studying it topic wise. is this will work? i also have past 10 years mains test pattern.. so i am analysing it,
sir if u could please give me the imp topics list for mains prospective i would be thankful to you.
hi abhinav…
u r following the right strategy…go ahead…
there’s nothing imp or unimp…i prepared all the topics as anything can b asked in the exam…so be prepared for anything…
Thanks a ton sir,
That was quite a confidence booster..
I have already started with GS..
But little bit confused about the optionals..
Kindly suggest further is there any sort of scaling in mains..
[Only a certain % of the lot are to be taken from a particular stream]
Moreover I am looking forward to take English Literature as my other optional other than Pub Ad.
Please give your suggestions on choice of Literatures as well..
Thanks in anticipation
n All the very best Sir,
Best Regards,
Ravi
hi raviram
no point in thinking abt the scaling…i dnt think anyone can say authoritatively abt the process…
regarding litt or any other optional…if u have the interest and aptitude, just go ahead and take it…
Congrats Anay sir,
I have only one request to make. This is probably very difficult to do because of the time constraints. Can you please upload all the answers that you wrote for GS 2009 and Pub Ad 2009 ? (as done by Surpreet singh gulati AIR-2 at http://piedhornbill.blogspot.com/ ) I have always been trying to get the REAL ANSWERS that have been awarded extraordinary marks so that I can set a bench mark for myself during my preparation. But, I haven’t been able to get any.
Definitely that will give us a fair idea of how to approach the exam. For example, your answers on corruption, china’s peaceful doctrine, coastal regions development were really eye openers.
Regards,
Ramsundar
hi there…
i m very sorry…i simply dont have the time…finding it difficult to reply to the queries as well…but i have uploaded all the answers i had with me on this blog…
check ur internet connection…if my scanned answers do not appear when u load the page…
hi sir
you have mentioned repeatedly in your blog that the simplest possible language is the best strategy for answer writing
but if one is confident and comfortable wih slightly ornate language, wont that be an added advantage over others , especially in essay?
hi sir
i have another question
almost all the toppers are unanimous in their opinion to be true to the interview board
you have mentioned that you always wanted to be in ias and did engg. as a sort of backup
in my case, i always wanted to be in the ias , i did mbbs as a sort of second choice/ fallback . how do you rate the judiciousness of telling a somewhat better sounding version of this truth to the board , or will it be downright foolish/ suicidal?
i know this is a very subjective question , and the outcome depends on my ability to defend my arguments ; i just wanted to know your opinion on this
Hi anay, i am Waseem, how are you, all the best for FC at LBSNAA, i have decided to go to delhi, i want your advice reg coaching institute for GS based on your personal experiences, and some other suggestions/advice from you, my optionals are pub ad and psychology, i have decided to take one optional coaching along with GS, my optionals are Pub ad (first optional) and psychology, kindly suggest me which optional will be bettet to take now before prelims. and one more thing you said you were doing paper cutting for mains preparation in your blog, were you following same strategy for prelims or you were making notes from newspaper
Thanking you in anticipation
Waseem
hi waseem…thanks
for GS…if u want to join coaching classes…sriram’s is good…even though i didnt join it but have heard it’s good…
for pub ad…do contact pavan sir…for psych mukul pathak sir is the best…
i kept newspaper cuttings only after the prelims got over…did it for 4 months just before the mains…but i did read the newspaper regularly earlier as well…
hi anay,
My writing skills are pretty ordinary. Im keeping FLASHCARDS & SENTENCE BANK. Can you suggest some other ways of improving writing skills? I’ve a couple of years at my disposal.
hi there…
dont worry too much abt writing skills…read newspapers…they r the best sources of info as well as the most effective tool when it comes to improving ur language and writing skills…
try to write on a topic every alternate day or so and surely with some patience and perseverance u will improve and b much more confident…
sir,how did u managed job and self-study…nd how u keep ur motivation level high..sir my mind just oscillates between future,enemies and frustrations…sir how to keep the vison of getting good marks in exams high….and what upsc looks for in answers…..can it be good idea if we know something about a question in exam and then we write it in a presentable manner with little known facts and extend it to a long looking answer.
hi there…
if u really want something…motivation is no longer an issue…
as for answer-writing, kindly go thru my posts on tht…u need to have decent knowledge abt the developments occuring arnd u in order to write answers which wud fetch u marks…
sir,plz tell me which newspaper should be read as i cant get The hindu.,most of the successful candidates advice to read it.then..?
Hi sir,..
i want to know which is good coaching for me …vajiram or sriram…i have done gs from als last year(2009 winter)…..and will appear in 2011(1st attempt)……i find it hard to join vajiram(distance problem).I personally think that with changing pattern ,self study is best to crack gs……am i right???
hi radhey shyam…
yup, i wud have preferred srirams…but u must understand..it depends frm person to person…i didnt join any coaching for gs during this attempt as i knew self-study wud b the best option for me…u have to decide accordingly…but remember, even if u join classes…they only provide a direction…all the hard work has to be put in by u…
Hi sir…
congrats for ur success……
I have one querry…..which is good coaching instt for me …vajiram or sriram….i find it difficult to join vajiram(distance problem)….i hv already done gs from als(winter 2009)…and i’ll be appering inn 2011(1st attempt)…..plze reply sir.
hi radhey shyam…thanks
i wud say srirams is better for gs as personal attention is very important…
hello sir
i want to know abt the difference between policy and act?
is it imp to write case study in answers?
how we can write and include the current issues in paper1 as it is more theoretical?
sir plz give me reply i m waiting for it for last 2-3 days
plz respond me to my query
could you please mention the books you followed for Pub Ad paper 2
hi there…
kindly refer the pub ad mains post…i didnt refer any other sources apart frm the 1s mentioned…
Hi,
First of all thanks a lot for being a source of inspiration and guidance for thousands out here..
Now I would also like to join others here to get something out from your experience in my UPSC preparation..
I am a software engineer having 4 yrs of exp and finally considering everything I think this is the time I should start preparing for the IAS.. I have started preparing from September 1st.. and have finalized on Pub Ad and Psychology as my optionals..
Now I want your help to figure out how to be an IAS 🙂 and that too in first attempt with a full time job (cant quit due to certain issues).. following are few points which I would like you to go through so that you get complete idea of my availability and limitations-
1- I think 30 hrs a week efforts are manageable for me. (considering I can read news online in office 1 hr for all 5 days)
2- Can’t join any classes before prelims (can leave job after that and join)
Given above I need to be very selective so please guide me and thousands like me by drawing an outline about how to approach different things and cover all..
Meanwhile I will go through all the posts to find out most out of this blog..
Thanks in advance.. 🙂
hi there…thanks
1. regarding the time u can devote for prep…i think it is more than enough…only thing is u have to be consistent…cant miss out on prep for even a day…
2. classes r not at all reqd for the prelims…for pub ad mains…yes, some guidance might b reqd for answer-writing…but tht comes later…1st u need to prepare on ur own for the prelims after finalising ur strategy…
for sources, my strategy, etc…i m sure u wud have got an idea frm my posts…
First of all thanks for the reply :)..
Yes Anay.. I referred to your blog before finalizing the books and will keep checking the posts related to my doubts..
I am also trying to find out someone who can check my answers and suggest how to improve..
wish me luck as I agree with what you said luck needs to be on your side to make things work 🙂
Thanks in advance..
all the best ankush…
Sir,
i am very grateful to you for spending your valuable time and all the trouble of bloging for helping us cse aspirant through this blog.
Having read your all posts i have a question for you.
1) looking at the new pattern of questions of gs prelims(2010) gs mains(2009) and pubad mains what would have been your strategy if you were to give exams again.would it be the same or would you suggest some modifications.would you suggest more concentration on some specefic areas or anything else
Please reply
thank you
hi ravi
i wud have followed the same strategy i followed last yr…but let me be honest…success cant be guaranteed…a lot depends on luck…
i covered all the topics in the syllabus as Qs frm any topic can b asked in the exam…
hello sir,
i want to know abt the difference between policy and act?
is it imp to write case study in answers?
how we can write and include the current issues in paper1 as it is more theoretical?
hi
hi sir,
you have mentioned repeatedly in your blog that the simplest possible language is the best strategy for answer writing
but if one is confident and comfortable wih slightly ornate language, wont that be an added advantage over others , especially in essay?
hi gaurav
nope..tht is wht has to b avoided…irrespective of the kind of vocabulary u possess…always try to write ur answer in simple english incl in the essay…
hi sir,
i have another question
almost all the toppers are unanimous in their opinion to be true to the interview board
you have mentioned that you always wanted to be in ias and did engg. as a sort of backup
in my case, i always wanted to be in the ias , i did mbbs only as a sort of second choice/ fallback . how do you rate the judiciousness of telling a somewhat better sounding version of this truth to the board , or will it be downright foolish?
i know this is a very subjective question , and the outcome depends on my ability to defend my arguments ; i just wanted to know your opinion on this
hi gaurav
i wud say u need to b honest abt it..there’s no harm in accepting the fact tht u always wanted to be a civil servant..every1 plans something for the future…and u planned mbbs as a fallback option…nothing wrong with it at all…in fact tht shows how determined u r to b in the civil services…
even if they try to question u on this…u can always say tht civil services wud always provide u a wider scope of working for the people…and tht u wud use ur knowledge of medicine for better implementation of govt schemes whenever u can…
hi anay first i congrts u for u r achivement.
iam also preparing for csat11.my optionals are
history and pub ad.for pub ad i brought mohith and prasad&prasad(paper1) and avasthi & avasthi(paper 2).
what is u r opinion about these book.iam starting my preparation from october.
iam not intrested in coaching class.i request u pls suggest me in right way.pls mail
me u r suggestions.
hi naveen…thanks
kindly go thru my pub ad mains post…i have shared my strategy there…
hi naveen…thanks
kindly go thru the pub ad mains post…i referred only the sources i have listed…
hello sir,
having read all your posts ihave a question for you.
1)looking at the changing pattern of questions of pre2010,mains gs 2009,mains pub ad 2009,what would have been your strategy if suppose you would be giving this years mains exam again.would is be the same as previous or would you suggest some alterations.
2)did you cover all topics in the mains pud ad syallabus perfectly or did you put some topics in option.
hi there…
1. i wud have followed the same strategy i followed last yr as i realised the mistakes i had been committing in my previous attempts…
2. i covered all the topics as Qs can b asked frm any given topic…
hi kamlendra
dont worry…Qs asked r not always direct…wht u r required to do is to write an answer based on wht u knw…so u have to adapt accordingly while u r taking the exam…
for pub ad..i suggest if possible, meet pavan sir at sriram’s delhi…refer to pub ad post on my blog…
sorry to bother you again anaybhai
have some more questions
1) i was going through previous years pub ad mains question papers and felt that most of the questions are in the form of idioms(somewhat) and statments of thinkers.well my english is average and i can make out from which point of the syallabus the questionis asked is but fail to understand what the paper setter exactly wants from my answers. any help on this
2) i read somewhere in your replys that explain,comment ,elucidate etc(cant remember the exact words in your reply) will have the same answers.so for example if i make a note (600 words like you have posted) on arthashastra should i write it for any 60 marker question that falls on arthashastra because if i start to make notes regarding all the possibilities on the type of question that may fall on arthashastra then i fell it is quite tasking job.its the same problem for all the other points in the syallabus.
please reply
thankyou
hi there…
the 2nd part of the question answers the 1st part…
prepare notes on a given topic and no matter wht Q is asked u have to write wht u know and wht u can relate to the said topic…
no need to worry abt ur english, etc…just remember the points and keywords and frame ur answer accordingly…
thanx a lot sir for such a quality info
Still can u suggest me a blog with info about botany mains I wasn’t able to search one….
hello sir,
i want to prepare same strategy as of yours and I am very comfy with it till now….
But one thing….
Why did you not study DD basu and spectrum polity portion together..?why did you not make notes from DD basu?why did you follow DD basu after you were done with spectrum polity..?
I will be of great sir if you clarify me this…or may be I got your prepration of polity wrong…
hi amit…
i started with spectrum…i didnt knw abt dd basu at tht time…i was in mumbai pursuing engg and spectrum was the only book i had…
i did make notes frm dd basu…spectrum polity does contain many things not given in dd basu…like sources frm where some of the articles in our const r derived, types of veto, etc etc
so go thru both if possible…and doesnt matter in which order u do it…
Hi anay, thanks for your advice , i have one serious doubt reg notes preparationn mainly for optionals, i was preparing notes for psycho, and i have done it for two chapters, but when i came across views of some toppers with psycho as optional they say that to prepare notes after giving one reading, i want your views here, thanks
hi waseem…
it entirely depends on wht u r comfy with…i used to make notes in the 1st reading itself and kept adding points in subsequent readings…so no hard and fast rule…
Hi Anay,
1] From where did u cover RESEARCH METHODS ?
2] How did u go wid chaplin and krawiec?
Thanks…and Wishes…
hello sir,
is it imp to write case study in answers?
how can we write and include the current issues in paper1 as it is more theoretical?
congratulations sir..
could u plz help me in gettin in touch with a topper with geology as one of the optionals…
hi rakshit
m sorry, i dnt knw neone personally with geology as an optional…
hello sir,
dis is swati one of your recent followers…….i hv just started my preparations for upsc exam……..i m persuin engg frm GEC bhopal……..3rd year……..
i hv started with reading THE HINDU, CSC, tata mcgraw hill (general science prelims)……..and i often go thru the NCERTS for history……….
i’ll b thankful if u can plz guide me to take my early steps to prepare for the exams………preparations specially on a daily routine basis structure!!!!!!!!!
eagerly waiting for ur reply……….
hi swati..
u r on the right track…kindly go thru my gs prelims post as well..
as for daily routine…it entirely depends on u…try to cover them in these 2 yrs and get an idea abt the concepts…
hello sir,
dis is swati one of ur recent followers………..
m persuing BE frm GEC bhopal…………i hv recently started with my upsc exam preparations………….i hv started with reading THE HINDU, csc, Tata mcgraw hill(general science)……….i hv decided my 2 optional subjects- pb ad and history……….
i’ll b thankful if u can assist me through my early steps for the preparations…..on a daily basis preparation structure………..
EAGERLY WAITING
for ur reply!!
please tell me raus ias study circle is good or not…..
hi can u please let me know the criteria for country posting in case of IFS…Do they give any choice as in the case of ias (cadres)?why are people not opting for ifs these days unlike the yesteryears where almost all toppers used to opt for the same.Please throw some light on this….i’m confused…any bare realities? will be grateful for an answer…
hi rohon…
as for the 1st part…sorry, i have no idea abt IFS country posting, etc…as far as i knw…it comes only later once they join the FSI in delhi…so none of the IFS probationers knws at present where he/she is heading…
as for service preference…it depends on the individual…it might b just tht those with IAS preference made it to the top of the list…so u c very few opting for IFS, etc..but then there r many others with IFS as 1st preference as well…
hello Anay,
Needless to say, thoroughly indebted for the wonderful blog. I am preparing for CSE2011 with optionals- pubAd and psychology(no background in either). I am a bit worried about my timelines at this point of time and I wanted to know if, in your opinion, it requires a more concerted effort on my part or not.
I should be completing my PubAd notes by the end of october or at the very latest mid november. I have done about 90% of my target work in history (notes from BC and grover supplemented with spectrum). Am also happy with my current handling of current affairs.
The problem areas are these-
– i have not touched Psychology yet. I am optimistic that it should take me 2-3 months for a preliminary reading + making notes and am betting on putting the finishing touched after prelims.
– Rest of the GS syllabus, I have done a preliminary reading of(except Dutt and Sundaram which I have read selectively(40%)). I am concerned about finding time for making notes.
– Polity, I am planning on revising directly from D D Basu during feb-May as about revising Goh Cheng Leong. I will be taking notes of topics outlined in NCERT (hopefully)
I am afraid I don’t have enough time since I want to keep the post prelim months completely for revision. I would greatly appreciate if you could tell me how I can optimise my preparation process. Especially with regards to making notes, which tend to take up a lot of time especially if you need to collate from multiple sources.
Forever grateful for and in anticipation of your reply, I remain,
Yours truly,
Divyanshu
hi there…
u r going good…dnt be worried too much…just do as much as u can as u will never b in a position where u will b confident tht u r done with ur prep…if tht happens, there’s surely sth not in order…
as for optionals…if u can finish one of the optionals before the prelims…preferably by dec this yr as csat is also gng to b there…then tht wud b good…as for psych…dnt worry too much…u can just go thru the basics…and do it in detail after the prelims get over…
yes, note making takes a lot of time…but it is worth it…once they r ready…it hardly takes any time to revise..moreover, making notes in itself makes u understand a lot…
so just go ahead with ur plan as i feel u r in a very good position…only thing reqd is confidence in ur ability…
also, after the prelims, there’s lot of time to cover an optional and GS and revise other things…so even if u r 70-80% of ur target before the prelims…it is surely good enough…
hello anay sir,
congrates for your mindblowing success in cse. m also preparing for this. i am little bit confused about coaching classes for public administration.. to join minocha sir or to pawan sir? please help.. – shital
hi shital…thanks
in my opinion, pavan sir is the best…
Dear Anay Bhaiyya!
Congratulations for your achievement!!
I am a 2011 CSE aspirant.I would like to ask you a doubt
I prepare for my general studies by making notes from “The Hindu”,but from which month’s issue onwards should i consider?I started from 2010 august onwards.Should i make notes from the past issues? if so, from which month’s onwards?
hi renju…thanks
notes frm aug 2010 onwards wud suffice…b regular with the newspaper and dnt leave it out on any day…also, do REVISE frm time to time…
hello anay sir
this is rakhee.I had appeared for interview in 2009.That was my first atempt.But i could not clear this year s prelims…I did my coaching from vajiram for geography.Now i m in chennai.Would it be a better idea to go to delhi for gs coaching this december in srirams.The importance of gs as 1.I got lesser marks in gs in my mains.That pulled me down . 2.If the pattern changes to csat,i would have to do gs more thoroughly.
Also,sir i have been facing problem,while writing answers on India and World questions.Could you provide with some model answers.How far our opinion is required in writing those answers.Suppose India s Palestine Policy.
Thanks sir
hi rakhee…
if u feel u need help in gs with respect to the right orientation and approach…then gng to delhi may b a good idea…
but if it is more abt reading extensively and covering the events effectively, then u can do it on ur own…the idea is to focus on few things and keep revising as much as u can…
so i didnt join any classes and focussed on newspapers and 1 magazine for GS…
for answer-writing…u have to relate the events…newspapers give u very good info…keep cuttings and classify them into different folders as i have suggested in the newspaper reading post…with adequate revision, u will urself feel the difference…
thanks sir.
hello anay sir
cld you pls specify newspaper reading from prelims perspective.
tnx
Hey anay
Hope ur training is going fine. I know its really busy for you, but can u pls clear this doubt of mine.
Its about the 20 marks ‘comment’ question. If the question is,say
‘Administrative questions are not political questions’. comment (without saying it is wilsons comment)
How should one approach it? Should we write about why wilson said this and say about wilsons approach to pub ad or consider the statement independently and give our personal views on it?
hello sir
how i hav 2 cover geography for GS?
Sir,
Is Economics for Spectrum and ET is enough of pre as well as mains point of view?
I am going to start eco from 20th and plan to finish it in 1 month.But the thing is that most of the aspirants do it from Dutta and Sundram,and I do not think that I can complete it in one month.
PS: I would be done with polity and history and one optional by 20th of this month
hi himanshu…
yes, economics from ET and spectrum is enough…use dutt and sundaram for reference only…no need to do it completely…
one more thing which I wanted to know that were you ever asked in interview that what do you do for living?
If so then what was your reply?
Hey anay
Hope ur training is going fine. I know its really busy for you, but can u pls clear this doubt of mine.
Its about the 20 marks ‘comment’ question. If the question is,say
‘Administrative questions are not political questions’. comment (without saying it is wilsons comment)
How should one approach it? Should we write about why wilson said this and say about wilsons approach to pub ad or consider the statement independently and give our personal views on it?
Anay Bhaiyya,
Thank you so much for your reply!!
But m sorry that, lemme clarify it again.
Its said that there will be questions from 1 year’s newspapers (2010 may to 2011 may) for the 2011 prelims.So,should i make notes from the past issues….could you please tell me it exactly because i don’t want to miss any portions from the beginning.Moreover,i don’t want to waste my time preparing from irrelevant issues.
For the 2011CSE, stuffs(including Frontline,CSC, The Hindu….)from 2010 Jan is required or not?
Or as u said “from 2010 Aug” would put me on a safe zone?…..So,shall i ignore the rest completely?
Anay Bhaiyya,
The book by D.D Basu is titled as “Indian Constitution” or “Indian Polity”?
Which one should i ask for? or are they the same books?
Anay Bhaiyya,
One more question…..
which book should i use for economy from prelims point of view?
Thank you!!
Anay Bhaiyya,
One more question…..
which book should i use for economy from prelims point of view?
Thank you!
sir..
am in 2nd yr at coll presently…
optionals r like going pretty well…am sure that they’d be over by the time i complete my college..but am confused regarding da gs…
with oll da respect to the topperz….its like any topper i tok to…gives da impression n advice dat i should be goin 4 gs only in da lst yr(da coaching one before da xams)…but den i feel dat dey arn’t true in telling so…
its must swell up to gr8 levels by dat tym…dats my foresighted assumptions….n am sure dat u’d agree 2..
xcept 4 newspapers n few monthlies rightnow…what xtra should i do 4 gs…[i am religious with newspapers..hindu n TOI but not wid da monthlies]….
+ n plz tell me da relevance of reading magazines like “frontline” n “eco n pol weekly”…..dey seem 2 exhaustive into a topic n time consuming n to not so mucha avail….dey certainly rn’t goin to be coming into any prelim r mains n intrview maybe
Hello sir,
I am unable to find some topics of chapter 5 of paper 2 in fadia and fadia.Could you please tell me from where did you do it i.e ‘Plans and Priorities’?
Thanks
sir gud eve
i have some general queries regarding preliminary xam so am writing my quries i need ur guidance in such queries
1.would it b sufficient to hit the target by giving 6-7 hrs daily at the study???
2.by tking postal guidance would it b better to avail it from which institute(sriram,vajiram,raus)????
3.if a person applys for the xmination but at the last moment hew does not find himself comfortable to apper abd he does not appear in d xam in d same yr
so wheather he will lose one 4m his chances or not???
4.for prelimnary is it b sufficient by d foolowing books or any more is required if so pls specify
GENETRAL STUDIES-1.SPECTRUM HAND BOOK
2.YR.BOOK(MIN OF I&B)
3.TIMES OF INDIA,THE ECONOMICS TIMES
4.CIVIL SRVICE CHRONICLE,FRONTLINE
APPTITUDE-1.Q APPTITUDE -R S AGGARWAL
WHICH EVER IS NOT APPLICABLE PLS STRIKE DAT OUT
X PECTING UR VALUABLE RESPONSE
GUD NI8 SIR
hello sir,
this is swati glad to here ur response………
i wanted to know dat is a very gud personality for being an IAS is extremely important for selection purpose……..i mean i hv heard dat dose who prepare for upsc mostly have charming and intellectual presence……..is it rly dat necessary………i m determined to b an IAS n assured to put in lot of hard work…..bt is it enough?????
i m sorry if u find it stupid:)
waiting for ur reply!!!
hello sir,
i jst wanted to know dat wat preparations r to be done for Indian foreign services……..
i m interested in developing as an IFO………..could u help me as in wat is the procedure n requirements for dis???????
waiting for ur rply!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
Hello Sir,
Hope u r doing gud…i want to ask dat how one should approach for interview prep..
thnx….