For Prelims

Dear All,
Hope your preparation must be going on at the fullest of your capacity.

Remember the dialog of "Sirf 70 minutes" of Chak De India. The same applies to you "Sirf 70 days" for prelims... fod do. Go for it. Give 100%. Small steps can finish the big and complex laps of these exam in an organized way. Remember it's a marathon not sprint. But finishing in time and achieving small milestones would benefit you in long run which is the very nature of this exam.

Set daily targets and complete them. Solve at least 40 to 50 tests (if time permits) from two different coachings in the coming days.
Take tests in proper exam type setup keeping watch on your desk.

Those who are in the service and in job. Make sure you do 40 to 50 pages of readings on daily basis. Cover more on weekend, holidays, etc. Definitely try to get leave for a month before prelims.

Stay focused, Stay calm.
You may feel sometimes that you forget everything whenever you read another topic. It happens with everyone. Don't worry. Just keep doing as per your schedule and make sure you cover at least 3 times the whole syllabus (generally prescribed standard books) of prelims. Those who follow their schedule and routine seriously and keep checking their knowledge by taking tests will definitely clear prelims. Also, tests will help to rectify your silly mistakes you do while attempting the paper. It also helps in maintaining the rhythm which require to take actual exam. On the exam day you will feel like it's just one more test. So, tests are really important.

Try to attempt All India Prelims open exam of various coachings in which you will compete at all India level and get All India Rank in that test. Don't get disheartened by the rank. Keep preparing it will give you extra push. It works as the nitrogen cylinder in the racing cars. It ignites you to prepare well as those are the real competitors who you are going to fight in upsc prelims. If you get good rank in these tests, don't think that you know everything. Upsc has it's own set of surprises so keep preparing well until you see your name in the final pdf.

Solo or Group Study
Remember, Prelims is more of a solo game. It doesn't require much of a group discussion or peer contacts as it may need in Mains or interview. Yet, some discussion do benefit, but beware of time to outcome ratio. Don't waste time unnecessarily. Rather, read-revise-think-analyze..if still in doubt then talk to someone - ask, discuss, that too for the limited period of time and may be over breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner or in the predecided fixed time. It is beacuse, time is limited and we don't realize until it's too late.

Many aspirants spend their precious time in discussion over tea - coffee and outcomes are not that great as far as the nature of the exam goes. So, don't delve into the discussion of extra current affairs i.e. political stuffs, sports, personality and other debates. They are not going to come in this exam.

Last but not the least,
Everyone knows but let me repeat.
Now, it is also the time to put answer writing and optional on hold for the time being and focus only on prelims. Of course, After prelims you can resume that.

Hope you would find it helpful. Stay healthy, stay safe. If you are not healthy, none of things mentioned above would be helpful in anyway.

BE POSITIVE (...haha.. Not covid positive)
Good Luck.

These few words for your motivation, Stay focused. All the Best.

कुछ दिन और धैर्य रख,
तू इतिहास रचेगा ।। 1 ।।

देख तेरे कदम ना डगमगाए,
अर्जुन बन, लक्ष्य पर अपना ध्यान टिकाए ।
ना विचलित हो बाह्य क्रियाकलापों से,
परिस्थितियों का सामना कर बिन घबराए ।
क़ाबिलियत है तुझमें,
तू कुछ कर गुजरेगा ।
कुछ दिन और धैर्य रख,
तू इतिहास रचेगा ।। 2 ।।

नादान मत बन ए मेरे दोस्त,
जगा अपने इन्द्रियों को अंतर्ज्ञान से ।
हिम्मत को जुटा,
उठ खड़े हो स्वाभिमान से ।
सफलता-असफलता के पैमाने से ना घबराए,
तू चुनौतियों का सामना कर सदा मुस्कुराए ।
अंतर्मन से पाने की अगर लालसा रखेगा,
समय गवाह है ।
कुछ दिन और धैर्य रख,
तू इतिहास रचेगा ।। 3 ।।

अपने इम्तिहान की जानकारी,
हासिल तो कर ली तूने ।
खून पसीने एक करके,
मेहनत भी दिखाई तूने ।
वक़्त बलवान है,
यह सिद्ध सार्थकता की पहचान है ।
तेरी एड़ी चोटी के जोर का,
अपने आप रंग दिखेगा ।
बस कुछ दिन तो धैर्य रख,
तू इतिहास रचेगा ।। 4।।

- ओम कान्त ठाकुर (भा•प्र•से•)

अस्वीकरण (DISCLAIMER) - "रचेगा" - शब्द सभी लिंगों के लिए प्रासंगिक है ।

यह कविता खासकर सिविल सेवा परीक्षा के अभ्यर्थियों को ध्यान में रख कर लिखी गई है । परंतु, यह रचना हर क्षेत्र मे कार्य कर रहे लोगों को प्रोत्साहित करने और लक्ष्य प्राप्ति के लिए एक ऊर्जा स्रोत की तरह काम करेगी ।

Your last minute check list.

A message for Prelims

You have done it all. Just have Confidence & Be calm till the last minute of the exam.

If questions look tough then it must be tougher for others. So, just keep solving with proper reasoning and intelligent guess without thinking anything else.

All the Best for Prelims & Good Luck👍👍

If you too have fear of essay writing (especially metaphorical/philosophical essays). Then, there are few good books for aspirants writing mains exam.

Must read
1. Dharma - by Amish (many kinds of mythological examples relevant for contemporary times even good for ethics paper). Take it lightly as you MUST NOT deviate from your present mains schedule.

2. Sapiens - by Yuval Noah Hariri

PS - Those who are writing next mains (not the coming one). You can read both and some more could be -
* Immortals of Meluha - by Amish
* Alchemist - Paulo Coelho

All the best.

For new aspirants -
Please Read Full

Predict the unpredictable nature of UPSC with right preparation and correct approach.

Since there have been growing randomness in prelims papers yet one can score good marks by following right sources and smart techniques. Further you see many coachings claim that their resources are sufficient to clear this exam and no need of other sources like Newspapers or any current affairs materials. This claim by coachings is bogus. Belive me, no coachings can guarantee the rank. It may have clicked for some toppers but not for all. And coaching materials may be necessary but not sufficient.

As far as unpredictability is concerned, here are few things I want to tell. Fix these things already once explained by me.

* Fix your books as per syllabus
* Fix your schedule
* Fix your Daily routine

* Plus Fix the following as well -

daily dose -
*Newspaper (TH/TIE),
*Sansad TV news and debates;
*newsonair.nic.in - All India Radio programs such as - spotlight.
For sports just listen - SportScan program as sports are again being asked in upsc. Listen while morning evening walk or jogging, while having lunch dinner, or in free time like travelling.
* answer writing practice - few answers everyday, start only after you have read ncerts at least once, and reading newspaper for at least 3 months continuously. You can also start if you have completed your coaching, etc.

weekly dose
*Essay writing - 1 per week.
*Revision of that weeks study

monthly dose -
*current affairs magazine of any ONE coaching only. Need to read at least 4 times before prelims exam. Don't make notes from it in details.
*yojana / kurukshetra - read once take good points, examples and facts from it and then revise from these notes only.

Once you have already decided to make a career in civil services then you must make a detailed strategy to tackle the vast syllabus and resources of upsc despite many challenges.

Hope it is worth it

All the best and Good Luck

A stone is broken by the last stroke of hammer. But, this doesn't mean that the first stroke is useless.

One can get anything by continuous and persistent effort

Those who failed in Prelims this year or writing the very first attempt in 2022. Stay calm and keep going. This phase is integrated studies for Mains only, at least till Feb. Once you complete your ncerts, Complete your optional, ethics, GS syllabus which only comes in Mains, practice daily answer writing, weekly essay writing (if you feel so), current affairs, yojana magazines, etc.
Rest will fall in line
Good luck.

Ethics Strategy (as many aspirants have been asking the same)

SHORT REPLY
•You must have Good Dictionary Definitions for each ethical terms(syllabus) with examples.

•You must have the art to answer case studies. Make your answer to include many ethical dimensions justified with ethical terms and ethical theories.
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Detail reply - How to Approach

Booklist do it in the following order.
1. Lexicon book, (read half of the book, theory part only)
2. ethics in governance (2nd ARC),

After 1st reading is over. Now, in 2nd reading Make notes of the above. Notes must have definitions, examples, possible diagrams, relevant theories as per syllabus.

3. Michael Sandel video Harvard (on YouTube). For this Make notes simultaneously.

* Now, Read case studies from lexicon (the other half of the book) and try to answer. Just brainstorm. Include more ethical keywords in the answer and think multidimensional.

*You can also note down examples from My Notes or Abhishek Surana sir's notes (just Google it). This is more than sufficient. It has All possible contemporary examples covering ethics syllabus.

* For more, watch few videos of vision, or other coachings on how to approach for case studies.

* Solve upsc papers from 2013 to 2020, just think (no need to write, beginners can write if they have time)
---------

Now you are ready.
Ethcis can be revised in 2 days. Keep thinking the related current affairs topics, examples, case studies coming in newspapers to the questions asked in exam/test series.

All the best.

Have Confidence and do well. Best of Luck to all appearing for prelims tomorrow.

An Essay to practice -

"The subconscious mind resemlbles a fertile field in which weeds will grow in abundance, if the seeds of more desirable crops are not sown therein"

A good topic to Practice this type of Metaphotical (philosophical) essays; as nowadays UPSC asks both the essays of such similar nature.

"Practice makes a person perfect"

Do Practice 2 more months for Mains, before switching completely to Prelims oriented preparation.

Good Luck

Hope your preparation is going on in full swing for exam
Just a bit from my side to push you extra miles on the World Poetry Day 21st March -

लक्षित चित्त

जब-जब थका हारा,
अकेला मन मेरा ।
तब-तब उठ जागा,
देखा नया सवेरा ।
लक्ष्य ने दिलों-दिमाग़ पर,
है डाला यूँ बसेरा ।
आशा की किरणों पर,
चित्त उड़ चला मेरा ।

ना सुबह दिखती ना शाम,
ना ही होती कोई थकान ।
जब तक हासिल ना कर लूँ मुकाम,
ना थमेगा कदम मेरा ।
आशा की किरणों पर,
चित्त उड़ चला मेरा ।

जिंदगी की उलझनों को,
रखा दूर ऐसे ।
मीन चक्षु पर ध्यान लगा,
कौन्तेय अर्जुन जैसे ।
अर्जित किया है विद्याधन,
ना लूट सके कोई लुटेरा ।
आशा की किरणों पर,
चित्त उड़ चला मेरा ।

योद्धा बनूँ वीर,
बाँध हिम्मत रहूँ धीर ।
ख़ामोश ना बैठूँ,
जबतक तरकश में है तीर ।
साक्ष्य ज्ञान को बताना,
सच्चा धर्म निभाना ।
जीवन में सबके हमने,
है खुशियों को बिखेरा ।
आशा की किरणों पर,
चित्त उड़ चला मेरा ।

ना डगमगाए मेरे पग पथ से,
हिम्मत संजोए अपने हठ से ।
इन्द्रियों को रख नियंत्रित,
नाकामयाबी ना बनाए डेरा ।
बनी रहे रब की दुआ,
दूर करूँ युग का हर अंधेरा ।
आशा की किरणों पर,
चित्त उड़ चला मेरा ।

- ओम कान्त ठाकुर (भा•प्र•से•)

Dear Aspirants,

The time has come for these techniques, hoping that it may help you a bit in your Mains preparation,
if you ask anyone about upsc mains they might say it is basically the test of your Writing Skills

Most of the prelims qualified candidates have the same knowledge level as far as GS & Essay papers are concerned, yet those who have Good writing skill win the game

however bad your papers go, or even if you do some silly mistakes, one with Good writing style makes maximum out of whatever they have with this skill and inner confidence

I myself including many of my friends batchmates qualified this exam multiple times by improving ranks only because of these kinds of writing techniques, I believe

All the best and Good Luck to those who are appearing