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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. 

Moderator Update: This thread has crossed 1 million views and has thousands of comments slowing down the website. We are closing this and moving to the next thread

https://forumias.com/post/detail/Official-How-was-Mains-2021-Paper-Essay-and-GS-Discussion-1641542963#main_comment


jack_Sparrow,rootand121 otherslike this
1.7m views

6.6k comments

@Vinay12 Thanks so much for sharing your notes, sure does help in getting insight to note making. Also, you might want to check out ForumIAS's MGP brochure. At the end of it you'll find annexure 2 which has all key concepts that one should preferably cover under a topic. You can use it to double-check your sub-topic list.


Vinay12,
5.2k views

@psyduck thnx I'll see that :) 

19th oct targets

1) newspaperdone 

2)10-12pm revision of last week topicsdone

3) 12-1.30pm monthly CA (part1/3)nope

4)4-7pm economy static portion + backlog40%

5) 8-9pm answer writing 🤷‍♀️

Gaurav,IamThat
5.5k views

Reposting again, anyone? 


5.3k views

Reposting again, anyone? 


:) I am really sorry for being unable to live up to my words. Rest, I can exhort a few for this exercise, let me try. :) 

Vinay12,
5.1k views

@Always_confused @Tara16 @Wordsmithyy @JessicaPearson You all may participate if you find it useful :) 

Vinay12,
5.1k views

I gave the prelims this year. I don't hope to pass, I am out by a big margin. So, aiming for 2021 now.

Right now, I plan to devote time to optional preparation (Mathematics) till mid December atleast. Also, I am planning to write test series for optional. I am not focusing on essay, answer writing and other mains specific preparation as I hope that I will cover it in the gap between pre and mains. I will put in minimal time for answer writing and essay by simply looking at previous year solved mains paper and essays. Most of my daily study goes in optional preparation.

Apart from optional study, I devote roughly 2 hours to daily current affairs( Forum 9pm + factly + daily current affairs MCQ) + newspaper analysis by Shankar IAS.

After 15th December, I would start preparing for prelims so that I don't miss this time. This would include static + monthly current affairs + Forum full test series.

Can anybody comment on my strategy so that I could know what I should be doing if I am doing the wrong thing?

Nomadic_mahn15,
5.2k views

I gave the prelims this year. I don't hope to pass, I am out by a big margin. So, aiming for 2021 now.

Right now, I plan to devote time to optional preparation (Mathematics) till mid December atleast. Also, I am planning to write test series for optional. I am not focusing on essay, answer writing and other mains specific preparation as I hope that I will cover it in the gap between pre and mains. I will put in minimal time for answer writing and essay by simply looking at previous year solved mains paper and essays. Most of my daily study goes in optional preparation.

Apart from optional study, I devote roughly 2 hours to daily current affairs( Forum 9pm + factly + daily current affairs MCQ) + newspaper analysis by Shankar IAS.

Can anybody comment on my strategy so that I could know what I should be doing if I am doing the wrong thing?

Hey, welcome aboard. Sorry to say but your strategy doesn't seem to be proper as you have planned to cover Mains specific prep and answer writing in between Prelims and Mains which is totally uncalled for. Actually, distantly it seems that you would be able to do them in those 81 days gap but actually nervousness in those days will be at all time high and believe me it would not be possible for you to start something new in that gap. Keep that time only for writing Mains full length tests and hardcore revision. Rest, complete all other things well in advance. You don't have to stress out much for Essay and Ethics as one day in a week from now on will give full justice to them. But you must prepare for GS I, II, III from now itself by going through each subtopic mentioned in syllabus and making specific notes for them which could come handy for revision after Prelims. Also, you must allot some time in a day for answer writing from now itself. This is at least what I feel. :) Let others pour out their thoughts too. 

TwoFace,peeluand2 otherslike this
5.4k views

20th Oct

Eco - 3 hours -- Done

Env - 3 hours -- Done

CA - 30 pages -- Pending

Gaurav,Vinay12
4.9k views

20th Oct - work day

Will do only newspaper, DailyCA and eco- mains some topics if I get time. 

#review: did only daily ca

Gaurav,
5.1k views

I gave the prelims this year. I don't hope to pass, I am out by a big margin. So, aiming for 2021 now.

Right now, I plan to devote time to optional preparation (Mathematics) till mid December atleast. Also, I am planning to write test series for optional. I am not focusing on essay, answer writing and other mains specific preparation as I hope that I will cover it in the gap between pre and mains. I will put in minimal time for answer writing and essay by simply looking at previous year solved mains paper and essays. Most of my daily study goes in optional preparation.

Apart from optional study, I devote roughly 2 hours to daily current affairs( Forum 9pm + factly + daily current affairs MCQ) + newspaper analysis by Shankar IAS.

After 15th December, I would start preparing for prelims so that I don't miss this time. This would include static + monthly current affairs + Forum full test series.

Can anybody comment on my strategy so that I could know what I should be doing if I am doing the wrong thing?

Bhai, have you seen next year calendar? Hardly 75 days between prelims and Mains. Do as much mains as possible right now till Jan / Feb. And in my opinion you are spending too much time on daily news analysis.

Gaurav,IamThatand1 otherslike this
4.6k views

Gauravsaid

I gave the prelims this year. I don't hope to pass, I am out by a big margin. So, aiming for 2021 now.

Right now, I plan to devote time to optional preparation (Mathematics) till mid December atleast. Also, I am planning to write test series for optional. I am not focusing on essay, answer writing and other mains specific preparation as I hope that I will cover it in the gap between pre and mains. I will put in minimal time for answer writing and essay by simply looking at previous year solved mains paper and essays. Most of my daily study goes in optional preparation.

Apart from optional study, I devote roughly 2 hours to daily current affairs( Forum 9pm + factly + daily current affairs MCQ) + newspaper analysis by Shankar IAS.

Can anybody comment on my strategy so that I could know what I should be doing if I am doing the wrong thing?

Hey, welcome aboard. Sorry to say but your strategy doesn't seem to be proper as you have planned to cover Mains specific prep and answer writing in between Prelims and Mains which is totally uncalled for. Actually, distantly it seems that you would be able to do them in those 81 days gap but actually nervousness in those days will be at all time high and believe me it would not be possible for you to start something new in that gap. Keep that time only for writing Mains full length tests and hardcore revision. Rest, complete all other things well in advance. You don't have to stress out much for Essay and Ethics as one day in a week from now on will give full justice to them. But you must prepare for GS I, II, III from now itself by going through each subtopic mentioned in syllabus and making specific notes for them which could come handy for revision after Prelims. Also, you must allot some time in a day for answer writing from now itself. This is at least what I feel. :) Let others pour out their thoughts too. 

+1

Gaurav,
4.4k views

@Vinay12 Good Morning. I have started my studies again after a gap, will gain momentum in a day or two and thereafter will start updating here. 

Vinay12,
4.8k views

Hello everyone,

I'm new here. Gave UPSC - pre twice but didn't clear it, as I didn't plan / revise properly. So this time I'm aiming to clear with proper strategy. I want to finish studying GS4+ optional+ GS1 before Feb end. So, guide me along the way.

DAY 1 - Daily Target

1) ETHICS- Dimensions

2) Art and culture up to Chalcolithic 

3)Optional 2 subtopics

Gaurav,Vinay12
4.8k views

Hello everyone,

I'm new here. Gave UPSC - pre twice but didn't clear it, as I didn't plan / revise properly. So this time I'm aiming to clear with proper strategy. I want to finish studying GS4+ optional+ GS1 before Feb end. So, guide me along the way.

DAY 1 - Daily Target

1) ETHICS- Dimensions

2) Art and culture up to Chalcolithic 

3)Optional 2 subtopics

Hi, nice to know that you figured out where you went wrong in your earlier attempts and making improvements on it with a clear intent. And yes, we all will guide each other while in journey to reach our destinations. :) 

Mauraisles,
4.7k views
@Gaurav Goodmorning. Cool, Keep the 🔥burning. 
Happy reading :) 


Gaurav,
4.9k views
@Mauraisles This is a good strategy, I had the same plan till someone came and changed my strategy (to complete all gs and optional portions) finishing gs1 and 4 is good. All the best :) 


4.9k views

21st oct

Gng to apply for LLR license, after that

1) 3-6 pm Mains eco - testdone

2) 8-10pm Prelims eco done

3) newspaper done & daily ca 


4.9k views

21st Oct

Eco - 3 hours -- Pending

Env - 3+2 hours -- Done

Vinay12,
4.6k views
» show previous quotes

Bhai, have you seen next year calendar? Hardly 75 days between prelims and Mains. Do as much mains as possible right now till Jan / Feb. And in my opinion you are spending too much time on daily news analysis.

@TwoFace Thank you for the suggestion. I will definitely try to accommodate answer writing in my preparation before prelims.  I ascribe my poor score in prelims 2020 due to lack of knowledge in current affairs and science and technology. I did my 2020 preparation for current affairs only by reading Vision monthly magazine multiple times. So, I am trying to expand my current affairs source by reading daily current affairs from forum and newspaper analysis along with preserving Vision monthly current affairs, and I do find them helpful. However, if you find it excessive/consuming too much time, please do suggest another way to cover current affairs. I shall be grateful for the help.

4.7k views

22nd oct targets

Next 10 day cycle begins, 

9-12pm eco - agri 5 subtopics (3topics done)

2-5pm optional - modernity&social change (60%)

6-8pm static env &biodiversitynope

8.30-10.30pm - answer writing & daily cadone

psyduck,
4.6k views
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