[Guidance ] My strategy to clear IAS in last attempt!
Hi i am 30 years old guy with last attempt left to appear for upsc in 2021 so please guide me that how should i use the attempt to maximize my chances of selection, i have done many mistakes but now here its difficult to write everything but either guide me or give me your contact number so i can share it .
I have given prelim once only in 2014 and then i have not prepared for this exam and now i am remain with my last attempt so please tell me what should i do to maximize my chances of success.
plmokn25688524,Nomadic_mahn15
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
Nomadic_mahn15,@Neyawn Fix my preparation please. 3 Attempts - 3 Mains - 1 interview (though OBC Cut off). Opted out of 2019 attempt to fix shortcomings.2016 Mains - 720 ( Essay -155, Ethics- 85, Optional - 240)2017 Mains - 773 ( Essay - 137, Ethics -65, Optional -280)2018 Mains - 660 ( Essay -115, Ethics -78, Optional -210)Spent last year:- Redoing entire optional- Redoing entire Ethics- Finished all parts of GS 3 - by looking at previous year questions.- Finished GS 1 society by looking at previous year questions.Can you fix my case? :-/
Okay. Please do not use the words "fix my case". Gives a bad impression on other members :P
There are so many people here who have gone through this, and fixed their case with some observations.
I can just share how people fix their case.
One is by presentation, which I am sure you must already have worked on.
The other is content.
Thanks to Forum itself there has been a shift away from content. However this is being clearly rewarded.
The only thing you can do is make specific notes on each topic - rough notes and have specific things to say on each topic.
And where you cannot, you must take whatever classes you deem right. Not unacademic ones. Proper ones from regular coachings.
I will give you an example.
Like for example if there is a question on Attitude vs Aptitude, a Level 0 guy will write Attitude is EVERYTHING. Attitude is outlook towards life , blah blah. He thinks that I have written 2 pages, will get marks.
The guy says , but I have written 2 pages.
Then there is Level 1 guy. He has either "deliberated" on this topic question OR made notes OR taken classes before seeing the question in the exam.
He will be able to make a table and write the points like
Attitude
- predisposition to like or dislike something
- difficult to change
- helps in better people skills, and life skills
- people who have right attitude are managers and leaders
Aptitude
- innate ability
- can be trained
- easier to acquire or develop than attitude
- usually specialists in their jobs
- may not have people skills
- may no be great leaders
- may possess individual brilliance , but may not be team players
and so on.
This is a bare minimum. You can think of more points.
Then there is a level 2 guy , who will add some keywords - like attitude is about mindset, aptitude is about skillset.
A level 3 guys will draw a venn diagram and shade the common area and say a right balance of both attitude and aptitude is need for success in life.
He may also say - they are like two wheels of a chariot ( taking from polity - FR and DPSP ) or give the analogy of blind man and the lame man, one knows where to go ( attitude ) but without aptitude can't. And so on..
So make sure that you have deliberated and made some notes on each topic.
And watch your optional. It is not working for you.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
@Knowtheunique If you have not prepared and still want to write the attempt just like that, you can refer to this video
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
@Neyawn Fix my preparation please. 3 Attempts - 3 Mains - 1 interview (though OBC Cut off). Opted out of 2019 attempt to fix shortcomings.2016 Mains - 720 ( Essay -155, Ethics- 85, Optional - 240)2017 Mains - 773 ( Essay - 137, Ethics -65, Optional -280)2018 Mains - 660 ( Essay -115, Ethics -78, Optional -210)Spent last year:- Redoing entire optional- Redoing entire Ethics- Finished all parts of GS 3 - by looking at previous year questions.- Finished GS 1 society by looking at previous year questions.Can you fix my case? :-/
Okay. Please do not use the words "fix my case". Gives a bad impression on other members :P
There are so many people here who have gone through this, and fixed their case with some observations.
I can just share how people fix their case.
One is by presentation, which I am sure you must already have worked on.
The other is content.
Thanks to Forum itself there has been a shift away from content. However this is being clearly rewarded.
The only thing you can do is make specific notes on each topic - rough notes and have specific things to say on each topic.
And where you cannot, you must take whatever classes you deem right. Not unacademic ones. Proper ones from regular coachings.
I will give you an example.
Like for example if there is a question on Attitude vs Aptitude, a Level 0 guy will write Attitude is EVERYTHING. Attitude is outlook towards life , blah blah. He thinks that I have written 2 pages, will get marks.
The guy says , but I have written 2 pages.
Then there is Level 1 guy. He has either "deliberated" on this topic question OR made notes OR taken classes before seeing the question in the exam.
He will be able to make a table and write the points like
Attitude
- predisposition to like or dislike something
- difficult to change
- helps in better people skills, and life skills
- people who have right attitude are managers and leaders
Aptitude
- innate ability
- can be trained
- easier to acquire or develop than attitude
- usually specialists in their jobs
- may not have people skills
- may no be great leaders
- may possess individual brilliance , but may not be team players
and so on.
This is a bare minimum. You can think of more points.
Then there is a level 2 guy , who will add some keywords - like attitude is about mindset, aptitude is about skillset.
A level 3 guys will draw a venn diagram and shade the common area and say a right balance of both attitude and aptitude is need for success in life.
He may also say - they are like two wheels of a chariot ( taking from polity - FR and DPSP ) or give the analogy of blind man and the lame man, one knows where to go ( attitude ) but without aptitude can't. And so on..
So make sure that you have deliberated and made some notes on each topic.
And watch your optional. It is not working for you.
Thanks a lot for the inputs! Will think through whats been said above - and make appropriate changes. :)
@Neyawn Fix my preparation please. 3 Attempts - 3 Mains - 1 interview (though OBC Cut off). Opted out of 2019 attempt to fix shortcomings.2016 Mains - 720 ( Essay -155, Ethics- 85, Optional - 240)2017 Mains - 773 ( Essay - 137, Ethics -65, Optional -280)2018 Mains - 660 ( Essay -115, Ethics -78, Optional -210)Spent last year:- Redoing entire optional- Redoing entire Ethics- Finished all parts of GS 3 - by looking at previous year questions.- Finished GS 1 society by looking at previous year questions.Can you fix my case? :-/
Okay. Please do not use the words "fix my case". Gives a bad impression on other members :P
There are so many people here who have gone through this, and fixed their case with some observations.
I can just share how people fix their case.
One is by presentation, which I am sure you must already have worked on.
The other is content.
Thanks to Forum itself there has been a shift away from content. However this is being clearly rewarded.
The only thing you can do is make specific notes on each topic - rough notes and have specific things to say on each topic.
And where you cannot, you must take whatever classes you deem right. Not unacademic ones. Proper ones from regular coachings.
I will give you an example.
Like for example if there is a question on Attitude vs Aptitude, a Level 0 guy will write Attitude is EVERYTHING. Attitude is outlook towards life , blah blah. He thinks that I have written 2 pages, will get marks.
The guy says , but I have written 2 pages.
Then there is Level 1 guy. He has either "deliberated" on this topic question OR made notes OR taken classes before seeing the question in the exam.
He will be able to make a table and write the points like
Attitude
- predisposition to like or dislike something
- difficult to change
- helps in better people skills, and life skills
- people who have right attitude are managers and leaders
Aptitude
- innate ability
- can be trained
- easier to acquire or develop than attitude
- usually specialists in their jobs
- may not have people skills
- may no be great leaders
- may possess individual brilliance , but may not be team players
and so on.
This is a bare minimum. You can think of more points.
Then there is a level 2 guy , who will add some keywords - like attitude is about mindset, aptitude is about skillset.
A level 3 guys will draw a venn diagram and shade the common area and say a right balance of both attitude and aptitude is need for success in life.
He may also say - they are like two wheels of a chariot ( taking from polity - FR and DPSP ) or give the analogy of blind man and the lame man, one knows where to go ( attitude ) but without aptitude can't. And so on..
So make sure that you have deliberated and made some notes on each topic.
And watch your optional. It is not working for you.
Thanks a lot for the inputs! Will think through whats been said above - and make appropriate changes. :)
Great ! Let me know if you have specific questions, like the one posted above. Would love to answer. In the end, I would say, I meet kids who are like addicted to solving prelims MCQs. I met one kid last year ( I hope you are not him ) who solves all MCQs on all websites, but has not done much of Mains preparation.
There are a ton of people like that. Don't let attempts pass by. I mean people are maniac about getting IAS / what they want. Do not have a mild approach. And don't be complacent. Dont think that people improve ranks or score by playing Russian Roulette.
Agar kuchh nahi karoge toh apne aap improvement nahi ho jayega. Ispar clear rehna. Sometimes it takes a few years to understand this.
I am sharing you a screenshot here.
I hope you pick up the right things.
Most people think that people who improve ranks are just taking another attempt without doing much.
When you see success, trust me, it will always look effortless. But to make it look effortless, a lot of hard work has gone behind it.
Take the case of candidate above. Most people would assume that a person with ranks twice within 200 would sit quietly, do nothing and automatically get an under 10 rank. But that does not happen.
People undertake a lot of extraordinary effort to get what they want.
@vikchu2073 Do concrete specific things, and in your case ( given the low base rate, because your marks show there is a huge scope of improvement - though I am wondring what you are waiting for to improve the marks - I mean, as I write this, I am mad that you got less marks the first time - undertandable, the second and third time - its like waiting for a train to hit you ) there is a huge scope of improvement. Even if you do very basic things, your marks will shoot up.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
curiouscse,@Neyawn plz suggest smthing 4 me 2 i feel 2 low and demotivated at times with years pass by as seconds,2 much thinking loop outcome less and slowly loosing determination,smtimes fear Ethics long answers of toppers smtimes fear of low scores in essay,smtimes paper3 vague ques,smtimes governance plus IR and smtimes paper1 jumbled approach,totally messd up😒
I dont know what to say. Just that the way to prepare for this exam is to make short notes on each topic ( for Mains ) and write tests. Where you cant make notes, or need professional help, take classes and take notes. Then read and revise. And keep yourself busy with that. That is for Mains.
For Prelims, read basic books as many times as you can and solve at least 4-6 FLTs in last months Some people solve more. No of Test Papers you solve increases with number of years because you don't have much to study. That is all I know, and mostly people keep themselves busy doing this.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
Thanks a lot for the inputs! Will think through whats been said above - and make appropriate changes. :)
Hello, I went through your long inbox message. I am not going to disclose your personal details here, and yet I will try to answer your question . Some of it will make sense to you immediately while some of it will make sense to you in time.
I am going to need an hour to do so, so as to make as much sense as possible to you. So please bear with me, and give 1-2 days time to do so. Rest assured, you shall have your answer.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
Hi,
I really need some advice on giving attempt this year. Im working full tim and studying for the exam. So initially due to personal problems I thought I'll give it next year but when prelims was extended I started studying fully. my test scores are low (60-70) despite studying well. I'm doing CA revision also. My problem is I have only 2 attempts and I don't want to Mess it up with low confidence. I have cleared this exam years back and since then i hva probs in clearing prelims due to work, factual qns in prelims n al.
I'm oscillating in giving the attempt bcoz including this attempt I hve only 2. Should i do more prep and give next year or give this year itself?
@vikhcu2073 Your first concern is with respect to Intellectual integrity of the subject. You have a degree from a good college and have friends from the background who have good degrees and dont find the approach of toppers any sociological.
This is a common dilemma any well reading person faces. The answer lies in reaching someone in between.
In fact, at ForumIAS I can tell you there is a constant debate between being more intellectual vs getting results. They are not orthogonal or mutually exclusive, but the truth is that the exam is for a generalist.
The exam is known not to reward PHDs and favour not-subject experts.
Let me share with you a curious case. Sometime in 2018 we had a curious case of a candidate who drew so many schematics, it was overwhelming. But if she did not, she would not complete the paper. Also, she had content, so there was a challenge of putting all the info in one place.
One thing that has been a philosophy with our organisation is that if you cant help, don't harm. We did not forbid the candidate from taking up that approach,which is now documented in public space.
The candidate secured Rank under 80-90s.
Some samples I am attaching from a public post on Quora
Please mark that a lot of humanities students and professors may be outraged. This is exactly your position given your specialisation in humanities subject.
The person in this case in an M.A. who has this to say.
The above is a fair debate with anyone who is coming from humanities background. I can tell you this because I am an Engineer as well as pursued Masters from TISS, and both are world apart in terms of academic expectations and end result of academics.
In the end when we are writing the exam, we will have to remember two things
(1) We have to go by what is being awarded by the commission if we have to clear the exam
(2) Objectivity is always rewarded - because less and less people can disagree with you.
I am saying this because every year I have some Interview candidates who will stick to certain attitudes which won't fetch them marks in the interview. Some of them have ideological issues and don't wanna change. They don't score marks in Interview till the last attempt ( yes there are people like that )
Since you talked about Sociology, and you felt that socio toppers were not somuch sociological in their approach, I did speak to some non-Forum Socio Optional people with under 20 ranks before giving you this.
The way to score marks in Civils always has been to write something fresh, succint, and relate it with Current - interlinkages.
This year also, the people who have gotten under 50 ranks , have said that this candidate's approach, giving many examples from current has gotten them ( they think, since marks are not out yet ).
You will have to have this clarity in your head whether you want to be sociological or you will prioritise scoring over academic brilliance. A good way for you would be somewhere in between.
Once you have that clarity, you will go well on your own. Also, for subjects like sociology, I do recommend having a good current linkages approach, since this is what I have seen as working across the years for several candidates.
Have you been able to look at Sanjita Mahapatra's Approach this year? She has a Rank 10.And she is wonderful at helping people.
With GS 4, if you have done some classes somewhere, internalise it. All I would say is do some classes and have some basic material on each topic. Not everyone is good at making self notes, It is always good to have someone's notes who has deliberated on the topics as your base notes.
I am no knight. Do not call me Sir|Philosophy behind ForumIAS
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