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Questions to Neyawn - Post it here

Dear All,
Since I get a bit of emails and answering each email sometimes becomes tedious , particularly when the same thing has to be repeated, I am using this thread to answer any questions you may have with respect to preparation.

What you can post
  • Preparation related queries
  • Any advice or input with respect to career / life decisions
  • Inconvenient questions / social media rumours and clarifications ( since that is what most people end up asking )

What you cannot post
  • Coaching related query 
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  • Any academy related requests that should be routed through official Helpdesk

Any such posts will be deleted.


Neyawn,PaulAtreidesand2 otherslike this
2.8k views

5 comments

Sir, I want to ask about future course of action.

I gave 2025 Mains, got 618 (E-70; GS-319; Anthro.-229). Failed 2025 Mains and '26 Prelims (2nd attempt) badly due to 'not following calendar'.

Post prelims failure, no planned studies done. Firstly prepared half notes for polity mains, gone through awfg '26 (not written but read it wholly), wrote essay, gs mains'26 at home, ~wrote some other tests, revised ethics from coaching notes, have read newspaper daily.


Issues I think I have-
1. Mains Notes not made: I have bulky selfmade Anthro notes, and for GS - no selfmade notes, but Coaching Notes (Note Making feel like loosing time).
2. Essay Writing - I have NO idea, what to do. I got fine feedback before Mains '25 but very very low score in actual paper.
3. I am loosing track of time.

Questions:
1. What should be my course of action for next 3 months broadly? What is the work needed for really good GS written Score?
2. Should I keep Geography, Modern History, Environment and most of Science&Tech of Mains to be done with Prelims as it looks more efficient? and IR Mains for post-prelims?
3. How to even make Notes for GS1,2,3? How bulky (like 50 sides of pages) should they be? And should they be my last notes before Mains?
4. Is there any 'proven' way to Essay which gets 110+?
5. Should I sit for other exams like EPFO, CAPF (or CGL) before Prelims'27 for decreasing 'exam anxiety'?


Any other advice you would like to give? Please.

Thanks! for taking out you time.
Neyawn,
562 views
  1. In the next three months make sure you have an iteration of entire GS syllabus. Actually 1.5 months for GS 2, 1.5 months for GS 3, 1 month for GS 4, and last 1.5 months to GS 1. 
  2. Essay can continue alongside. 
  3. Check if your handwriting has legibility issues. DM me a pic or page and i should be able to give you my views. If handwriting legibility issues are there then there will be averaging tendency in awarding marks. Examiner may have to read more closely . And if he finds fault and uses the red ink then marks go for a toss.
  4. Yes Q2 subjects should be and could be done at the end
  5. For subjects like IR and in fact dynamic issues you can take a look at the most popular CA course - it neatly does the job.
  6. You do one thing, just take year long MGP papers of last year and make short notes of it you will cover the full syllabus. Then use it to write MGP of 2027. Alternatively you can go for CD X factor which someone shared with me last week and I felt it was good, though you may end up reading more than is required.
  7. Try to sit for 8-10 hours a day at least. Have a task list and only study as per the task list. If it’s not written on the ToDo don’t do it.
  8. Remember, action is the antidote to anxiety
P.S. the timeline I have shared should give you enough time for optional one paper solidifying at least along with GS .

I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS| No Coaching Review / Rant / promo / Complaint Allowed including ForumIAS Academy. All such threads will be deleted. I am working to rebuild ForumIAS Community in the limited time span that I have. Coaching threads attract wrong crowd / people. ForumIAS Academy will run limited support threads on the community. No new course launches will be announced here.

ketoke7759976,
960 views
Additionally do not say away from making micro notes the year of the mains. It is just rewriting things for the day of the exam. Short notes of 30-40 pages in micro handwriting with no space.
It’s like cheating notes except that you take it to the exam hall but discard it outside the exam hall. Will only have some diagrams , value addition and things you want to push in the exam.

I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS| No Coaching Review / Rant / promo / Complaint Allowed including ForumIAS Academy. All such threads will be deleted. I am working to rebuild ForumIAS Community in the limited time span that I have. Coaching threads attract wrong crowd / people. ForumIAS Academy will run limited support threads on the community. No new course launches will be announced here.

ketoke7759976,
646 views
I checked your handwriting. It is not your limiting factor. Finish off as I said mgp last year test questions , make notes and solve this year 2027 mgp papers + CA 2027, you will be sorted. Itne me call aa jayega.

I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS| No Coaching Review / Rant / promo / Complaint Allowed including ForumIAS Academy. All such threads will be deleted. I am working to rebuild ForumIAS Community in the limited time span that I have. Coaching threads attract wrong crowd / people. ForumIAS Academy will run limited support threads on the community. No new course launches will be announced here.

154 views
Sir you talked about wion news in the post mains session. Can you please share link of the same (15-20 mins summary) for interview prep. 
396 views
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