How feasible is to have a SFG like program for Optionals? Lets pour in our views to help the admin evaluate the same.

*My comment is purely based on the assumption on your premise that prelims will be postponed to beyond June*

1. I agree with your suggestion that SFG like programme for optional could be highly beneficial especially amidst the postponement. It keeps us focussed and via piecemeal approach ensures that after 30 days (assuming thats course of the programme), substantial portion is covered if not entire. 

2. But looking at it from ForumIas perspective, beginning SFG like programme for optionals they do not currently have faculty for (like PSIR) can be challenging especially from cost perspective (setting timetable, questions, correction, discussion etc). But they can certainly try it out for other optionals like Sociology, Anthropology and History. 

My suggestion :-

1. SFG like model can work for Ethics and Essay. 

1a. It can cater to wider audience (helps students and institute)

1b. Portion of ethics and practise of essay is feasible to be fairly completed within 30 days 

1c. These 2 subjects are most benefitted by crowd sourcing method, as it provides wider perspective. 

1d. Getting answer writing practise in these 2 will make it much easier for us if mains preparation time is reduced. And if not reduced, it will help us focus on GS during that time.

1e. 3-4 times a week ethics paper, with 2 case studies and 5 Part A questions

1f. Twice a week essay.

@Prophet  +1 

Thank you for your feedback. I understand that there are multiple challenges in starting such a program for optional. And the final call would be taken only after thorough analysis of economic and logistic work ability of the program by ForumIAS team. 
But we can at the most provide them primary data regarding the demand of this course. 

Your idea of ethics and essay is also very suitable as it would surely reduce our work load during pre mains interval.  

last year i had suggested the same before mains 2019, but they didnt do it. anyway, i wanted to brush up my optionals and ethics paper. in case things dont materialise, can we do discussion here or answer writing practice for ethics on a regular basis ? if 4-5 of us join , we can sustain this.

choti singh sir's thread was very helpful for me personally. but new examples have to come. we must not bank on academy alone, if they dont do it, we should not have a plan B.

also if people crowd source , it will be the best. better than any coaching 

Starting SFG like program for Optionals will be most productive in terms of success in MIANS, as we all know optional marks matter more.

1)This can be done by dividing syllabus(of each optional) into 15-20 segments and conducting test on each segment on every alternate day. Test can be of 5questions of 10marks each(50 marks), this will reduce load on a ‘human’ evaluating these papers.

(as ForumIAS says SFG is not a test series, but a better way to cover and revise syllabus thoroughly, then same way aim of program for optional should be same,so number of questions doesn’t matter)

2)ForumIAS can decide on limiting number of students subscribing to these program depending on their Resources availability (like limiting this program only for SFG1&2 programs and your previous students) 

3)looking at current sfg list we have around 400-500 students giving tests regularly in online mode plus 100-200 from SFG1(on an average 50-60 students per optional, amd around 100-150 for optionals like Anthro, considering all these students also subscribe to these program, means it is a maximum limit), so evaluating 50 x 5 =250 questions is the task, which if possible can be distributed and timely MERIT list can be uploaded( i stress on merit list, bcoz it is one of the major factor driving us to stick to program sincerely)

4)Also the way we had current affairs test on every Saturday during SFG program, we can have a 1 essay test every weekend.

so in total this program will be responsible for covering 750 marks in a span of 30-40days.

(obviously only if UPSC postpones prelims) 

@Hayagreeva has suggested an awesome idea of implementing AWFG( Answer writing focus group). It is quite feasible.@forumiasacademy  should give a thought over the same.

Also with respect to the evaluation part - forum ias may consider one week gap between the test and evaluation? 

@forumiasacademy