CSE 2021: Plan / Strategy / Daily Routine
Hello 2021 aspirants. I thought it would be nice if we can share what we are doing and intend to do with one another here.
This could be a thread for discussing everything prep for 2021.
No one method fits all but to see the plans and progress made by fellow aspirants might help with the finer details of preparation and also keep one on track.
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Targets -
Acts and Policies of Modern
Modern PYQ
Geography PYQ
Economics static to be started
Newspaper
@The Force Couldn't agree more!
@sjerngal I scored 50 and I don’t give a damn and you shouldn’t too. They ask the most useless questions ever. Elimination just doesn’t work in these tests because in the quest of making tough papers they frame tricky options and that is not the case in Upsc papers. Last year I wasted a lot of my time on useless CA because of these tests and ignored mains prep and the result is that I failed mains terribly. Don’t bother with vision tests anymore. If someone is scoring high in these tests that means they have wasted a lot of their time on useless CA which will hardly make any difference in real exam and will be utterly useless for mains. So stick to basics and trust your gut in the actual exam. Don’t let tricky option framing by these mocks second guess yourself in Upsc exam. All the best.
This makes so much sense. Thank you for putting this thought in words. Somebody had to say this.
Not putting down any test series, but it eventually is - Read our current affairs material and get rewarded.
Though i dont feel its any wrong to NOW probably get in the depth of is it 126 or 32 bits in IPv6 or something else in PT's. As all we are doing right now is battling prelims anxiety and no better way to do it than getting to see a good score in a mck
My skin is a great indicator of the stress and choas in my life. When I have Stuff going on, when I am taking too much stress, I stop taking care of it. Also I take a lot of stupid eating decisions. I eat/drink dairy products which I shouldn't because my skin is lactose sensitive. Chai is a toxic ex. I used to spend a lot of time with it but I now have realized how bad it is for me & I have managed well to stay away from it. But still in my weaker moments, I cannot resist its urge.
Currently, my acne levels are at their peak in the last two years.
.
I will give an extreme case w.r.t solving mocks. Last year, I gave my first prelims but I did not prepare for it specifically and I hadn't studied geo and environment, art and culture specifically till then for mains or for prelims. I was studying totally with mains in my mind.
I did not write a single mock test, I did not solve a single mcq. But I scored 100+ which wasn't too bad. This time, I have just decided to be good with PYQs & revising my primary stuff till death.
The mocks have a lot of what I call "asshole" questions. UPSC has like 2 or 3 of these kind of questions, which are to be left alone. PYQs really give you a perspective on what to expect. UPSC isn't trying to act "unattainable". It wants people with a good understanding of the country. Even the questions that look factual are related somehow to conceptual & important stuff. We feel they are out of nowhere because we haven't studied that subject in a structured manner and that's why we can't locate them in a particular place. Like after I studied Science and Tech with Santosh Sir, every single S&T pyq fell in place. Similarly, this year Art & Culture with Nikhil Sir kindda help me do that. Now, we need to be forward looking and ask if this was asked, what else I should be prepared with.
The mocks are just trying to act smart and they aren't helping. They are like those people who act "unattainable" because of their own insecurities. Don't take the pain they inflict too seriously. The one (UPSC) is a lot more understanding and full of empathy.
I am solving about 20-25 mocks. They have their utility in the sense that they put me into the groove of solving MCQs. Also I am trying to solve question banks (Vivek Singh 550 MCQ thing, Laxmikanth objective, etc) to test if the topic I have prepared are well done. This can help me avoid dumb mistakes. They all give me an idea which topics I am not good at. So, a good feedback mechanism. But mocks aren't a reliable indicator of where I stand. Let us keep a good balance. Let us not fetishize the mocks. All we can do is learn from mocks. Like a mock can tell me that I am not good at solving questions from a particular topic at a particular depth. If I worship mocks, I would first cry & waste some time and then go on to fill that gap in my knowledge base by studying that particular topic in that particular depth. But guess what, it's just too much maan. So, if PYQs are my primary guide. I can also look at the question I couldn't answer and ask if they are aligned with the core of PYQs. If yes, only then you go on to study those topics at the required depth.
It's my opinion. But it is something I am convinced is the right way right now.
Bss bhai isko to save krke rkh rha hu thanks for this
Done for the day. Did my first FLT today and scored pathetically, seeing all these messages here are heartening 😅
Achieved today:
Ancient (short session)
Mod India (short session)
Test
Ind Geo (which took so goddamn long because I tried to compile all the Agri schemes that I got wrong from previous tests, and then realise that I could have just read them from the compilation anyway. My brain works in the most nonsensical ways sometimes)
July 2020 C/A
CSAT
Didn’t manage to do analysis of test. It’ll have to wait for tomorrow. Good night folks, overall not the best, not the worst.
THE_MECHANIC,Day 3
Targets :
Newspaper
Optional Lectures - 2
Economy Ncert - 2 chapters
History Ncert - 2 chapters
Revision of Modern History - Plassey to 1857
Good morning everyone and have a studious start to the month.
Not a good day . Couldn't complete even half of the targets and that too for no good reason. Could only complete
Newspaper
1 lecture (3hrs)
1 chapter NCERT economy
I spent a good amount of time today just sitting and daydreaming. Whenever I tried to study, my mind would just wander.
What I managed to do:
Modern History (75% of planned)
Newspaper
PYQs (50% of planned)
CA (50% of planned)
S&T class
Tomorrow I hope waking up with a fresh mind enables me to concentrate further
I will give an extreme case w.r.t solving mocks. Last year, I gave my first prelims but I did not prepare for it specifically and I hadn't studied geo and environment, art and culture specifically till then for mains or for prelims. I was studying totally with mains in my mind.
I did not write a single mock test, I did not solve a single mcq. But I scored 100+ which wasn't too bad. This time, I have just decided to be good with PYQs & revising my primary stuff till death.
The mocks have a lot of what I call "asshole" questions. UPSC has like 2 or 3 of these kind of questions, which are to be left alone. PYQs really give you a perspective on what to expect. UPSC isn't trying to act "unattainable". It wants people with a good understanding of the country. Even the questions that look factual are related somehow to conceptual & important stuff. We feel they are out of nowhere because we haven't studied that subject in a structured manner and that's why we can't locate them in a particular place. Like after I studied Science and Tech with Santosh Sir, every single S&T pyq fell in place. Similarly, this year Art & Culture with Nikhil Sir kindda help me do that. Now, we need to be forward looking and ask if this was asked, what else I should be prepared with.
The mocks are just trying to act smart and they aren't helping. They are like those people who act "unattainable" because of their own insecurities. Don't take the pain they inflict too seriously. The one (UPSC) is a lot more understanding and full of empathy.
I am solving about 20-25 mocks. They have their utility in the sense that they put me into the groove of solving MCQs. Also I am trying to solve question banks (Vivek Singh 550 MCQ thing, Laxmikanth objective, etc) to test if the topic I have prepared are well done. This can help me avoid dumb mistakes. They all give me an idea which topics I am not good at. So, a good feedback mechanism. But mocks aren't a reliable indicator of where I stand. Let us keep a good balance. Let us not fetishize the mocks. All we can do is learn from mocks. Like a mock can tell me that I am not good at solving questions from a particular topic at a particular depth. If I worship mocks, I would first cry & waste some time and then go on to fill that gap in my knowledge base by studying that particular topic in that particular depth. But guess what, it's just too much maan. So, if PYQs are my primary guide. I can also look at the question I couldn't answer and ask if they are aligned with the core of PYQs. If yes, only then you go on to study those topics at the required depth.
It's my opinion. But it is something I am convinced is the right way right now.
Someday I hope you write a book. I'll be waiting in line for an autographed copy.
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