IAS RANK 198: Shilpi, 2nd Attempt, Mathematics Optional

It seems that scaling is higher in first paper. But in my personal experience, I’ve always found paper 2 easier than paper 1.
I only took a test series from IMS and it was fine. Unlike Humanities subjects, they don’t have to give feedback or even conduct discussion classes. So their inputs are nothing really. I don’t have experience of class room coaching .

Apologies for late reply _/_

yoga123

I’ve replied above about mathematics prep. Pls check previous comments 🙂

yoga123

Hey reader
You may start with Polity and Economics esp if you don’t have a background in these subjects. It would help you in understanding newspaper better as most of the current issues fall under these two categories.

All the best 🙂

yoga123

Hey Rick!
I am on Facebook hiatus currently. PM ur answers on my forumias ID itself 🙂

baapre

May 30, 2016

hello….firstly congratulations ….my optional subject is also mathematics…can u plz provide me some materials/notes for this

readerlong

May 30, 2016

hi Congratulations mam. Thanks for your advice. I will start like this way and What about the General studies? – which subject needs to start first.

rickster:D!

May 29, 2016

Hey ! I have sent u answers on facebook ! kindly see it (devrat) and please check others folder in inbox if NOT there ! 🙂 thanx !

yoga123

May 27, 2016

hey
thanks 🙂
GS is infinite but then there is only one “man who knew infinity” (Ramanujan’s movie title 😛 )

since you are in first year, you’ve got sufficient time to get good hold on various issues.

for that, i would suggest you get into habit of reading newspaper and make yourself aware of issues going on. along with your own reading of newspaper, go through 9 pm forumias daily
updates (available in this portal itself). this will help you in
understanding what all you need to focus on while reading newspaper.
you’ll be able to develop an analytical bent this way.
i hope it helps 🙂

srivatssbv

May 26, 2016

Hi! Congratulations for your success I am in the first year and doing maths hons from DU I also want to take this exam and plan to take maths as an optional can you please give some advice also any tips to handle the seemingly infinite syllabus of GS?
Thanks in advance

anuragc12

Quite creative.Thanks for sharing. 🙂

yoga123

Hey
very simple diagrams were used
for example, in question related to govt spending in agriculture, to show that there is a huge imbalance btw subsidy and capital spending, we would make a simple see-saw type line figure (subsidy on heavier side and capex on ligher side)

in question related to NJAC, to show that there are two organs (Jud and Exec) that are fighting out for 3 options:
1. njac
2. collegium
3. president appointees totally (pre collegium style)
we made a line with a hinge in between and put exec n jud on either side of it. then put option 1 in between (balancing act), option 2 towards judiciary and option 3 towards executive.
this is to reinforce that NJAC is indeed a balancing act.

Many more such innovations. here knowledge remains the same but presentation improves.

i hope u get the idea 🙂

anuragc12

Hello mam,
How were you able to integrate diagrams in your answer? Did you take help from any online resource? Kindly share what technique you followed for that.

yoga123

check ur mail 🙂

sreyabanerjee

thank you very much… 🙂

Sreya Banerjee

Thank you.. 🙂

Vijay Karthik

No. i prepared the portions of my optional geography which matches the prelims and up-to first 5 chapters in each paper . I said we could practice writing test in GS papers,essay paper and optional paper in 3 months.

Neharika

Thanks a lot ! Plz mail it here : neharikasingh2025@gmail.com

yoga123

hey i tried to share a google drive link where i have uploaded all Art and Culture material but not being able to post it here. let me know your email id, i will send you there.

and thank you very much.
all the best to you. 🙂

yoga123

hey Sreya
Since you’re in first year, you should make yourself aware of events happening around..start reading newspaper..in some time you’ll get “sense” of issues you’d need to deal with in your full time prep.
one more advice: along with your own reading of newspaper, go through 9 pm forumias daily updates (available in this portal itself). this will help you in understanding what all you need to focus on while reading newspaper. you’ll be able to develop an analytical bent this way.
i hope it helps 🙂

sreyabanerjee

Hi , Congratulations yoga123 @ shilpi 🙂
I’m currently in B.pharm 1st year, and planning to start preparing for UPSC asap, but I’m quite confused regarding my preparation, like how and from where to start! As the syllabus is vast. It’ll be very helpful if you facilitate me on this, thanks . 🙂

Neharika singh

Hello Shilpi ,
Congratulations . I am awed by your accuracy in Prelims and yeah GS and Interview Scores !
This ll be my first attempt. I am particularly confused on how to do Art and Culture. CCRT seems too overwhelming. Plus I am mostly not able to judge what to focus on. It will be really helpful if you could share your notes.
Also did u read from the website itself ? If u have PDF please share. I got the printed material from market , but the font is too small.

Ajay Rathod

But this is not recommandable at all . i am doing this to save time and to complete static part and my option till prelims. thats the only target. We cant prepare Optional deeply in those 3 months.

yoga123

Hey girish
Thanks a lot 🙂

yoga123

Hey thanks 🙂
U can send msg me on forumias itself . my username is yoga123
Or u can join me on FB and send PDFs.

Vijay Karthik

Hey Ajay. i am also planning to do the same like u..i.e . writing practise in the 3 months just from Aug-Nov end.

rickster:D!

Hi ! shilpi thanx for your guidance ! could we please mail u our answers/essays ? would be thankful 🙂 !

girish kumar

congrats…mam…really cracking upsc with maths is a brave job…& thanks 4 being @forumias,it’s motivational 4 us… 🙂

Definite

Okk !! but why does everyone get less marks in Paper 1 , despite being the more easier one as compared to Paper 2 ….. also plzz tell ur experience about IMS …thnx

yoga123

all the best to you 🙂
and thanks 🙂

The Dark Knight

Thank you so much for your guidance 🙂

Have a great career ahead 🙂

yoga123

say it with lots of smiles, but your eyes shouldn’t be shining all that much. this should do the trick.

The Dark Knight

I’ve said many times ” I don’t know ” in different styles since I read that line.

But confused about how can I make interviewer feel bad about asking that question , what type of expressions would be helpful ? O.o

yoga123

some tips written above 😉
just don’t be insecure about anything.
and practice how to say “I don’t know” pretty well.

The Dark Knight

Bravo !

Any tips for interview ? 😀

yoga123

essay: 137
GS1 : 107
2: 76
3: 102
4. 90
Math total: 190
Interview: 206

saatakarni

marks pls

yoga123

hey Arjun, thanks 🙂
in reply to your questions:
1. Current Affairs: “only reading the editorials from Hindu” may remain insufficient, you should back it up with at least Vision notes (as you suggested yourself). look at some of the questions in GS 2 and GS 3 and you’d see the inadequacy of the Hindu yourself.

2. Art and Culture: I prefer going through CCRT/NIOS material by myself. case in point: few prelims questions is this question of 2014 prelims:
A community of people called Manganiyars is well-known for their
martial arts in North-East India
musical tradition in North-West India
classical vocal music in South India
pietra dura tradition in Central India

One can solve this question if one has done CCRT properly.
when 100 questions decide everything, each question counts 🙂

3. old/new both would work

4. don’t need to remember all of it, in fact it has become pretty redundant now. but just for the sake of it, categorise chapters topic wise: polity, economy, social (like normal syllabus) and when you’re going through these topics, just take a look at IYB as well. it won’t feel like a burden this way and your recalling chances would get better.

arjunk

Congratulations dude! You’ve scored really well on GS and Interview!

I had a few questions regarding GS. Whenever you have the time can you help me out with them?

1. Current Affairs: I’ve not been relying mostly on Jagran Josh or GKtoday for it.. Im only reading the editorials from Hindu, should I be change this strategy? I was taking up Vision and/or Insights current affairs notes as well after this to plug any gap.

2. Art and Culture: I suppose everyones weak point, are Nitin Singhania notes actually worth it? Or some standard source like CCRT/ Spectrum would be better off?

3. When you mean Geography NCERTs, you mean the old ones or the new ones?

4. How on earth does one remember things from india year book??

yoga123

Hey I left about 120-130 in both papers combined.
But I don’t exactly know how much of it was correct. I didn’t check my answers.
I got paltry 71+119 in Math.

But it’s not the problem of subject as people have scored over 300. They may guide you better. 🙂

Definite

Congratulations !! Could you plzz tell how much marks was your correct attempt in Maths Optional papers (approx)… I just want to get the idea of level of marking this time

yuva24

Thank you very much..

yoga123

I’ve an Honours degree in mathematics, So for me the choice became quite natural.
As far as material is concerned, I used book list mentioned by Prakash Raj Purohit, Kashish Mittal, Nitish K in their blogs which can be found online.
All the best 🙂

yuva24

Could you please tell the materials you referred for mathematics optional? And is there any special reason behind your choice of optional?

yoga123

Thanks, Atul. 🙂
All the best to you too.

Atul Das

Congratulations yoga123 @ shilpi….best of luck for future…

yoga123

A very subjective question indeed.
3 months may seem less going by usual standard. But think of them as about 100 days, the u won’t think of it as a very short period.
Also, if you’ve a natural aptitude for it (which I believe some people definitely do), then you need not worry all that much.

N thanks a lot 🙂

Ajay Rathod

Thanks a lot and all the best for your future .I do have lot of respect for people who takes math as a career options and you took it as a optional .Bravo.

i have one thing to ask , Does these three months after prelim are enough for mains writing practice as i am planning to do it after prelims .

yoga123

Yes I agree with you completely. Nothing out of the box.. Simple ideas help more than out of the box solutions in this exam and elsewhere 🙂
Just sprinkle them with clarity of thought.

Ajay Rathod