Mains 2019 Preparation and Discussion Thread

@Bodhgayai made some msitakes in paper 1. included tree ring method in relative dating. also did not have much content in contribution of clifford and turner

in paper two i messes in ramapithecus question. attempted haphzardly in last two minutes. also in nation state question my attempt was not satisfactory

How was urs?
@Champak

I did similar... i forgot about pollen dating..so i mentioned only too..
Exam m presence of mind km jata hai....@zombieland

I did not remember Ramapithecus even after mugging so much. I left it blank as it was first question. Nation state m 3.5 page likha but not satisfied with answer..@zombieland

@Bodhgayawas the paper simpler than last two years?

@ChampakThis when you said it was very difficult. I still think it was on the easier side compared to how other optionals are faring. But I am no match to your experience. So your opinion has more weightage.

What examples did you all write in tribal unrest due to incompatibility with nation-state(Anthro paper 2) ?

@RaillifeBhai do not completely follow my advice as even I don't know if it will work. That being said here are the sources

basic understanding: ember and ember
socio: vaid, braintree, majumdar and madan
physical: p nath, braintree
indian and tribal: nadeem hasnain
value addition: joined l2a test series, internet, anthro blogs, news

and yes, feel free to pm me whenever you want.

Nhi yar...
Paper 2 was specifically generalist and hence less scoring than previous years...
paper 1 v lenthier than 2016 and 2017 chahe wo geertz aur turner comparision ya fir RC brown and boas on basis of kinship...@zombieland

1. Russia and chechan tribes
2. Usa and crushing of indigenous population
3. Maoris in new zealand
4. Aboriginals of australia demanding freedom and more political and economic rights
5. Saudi Arabia - the only true tribal nation state
6. India - jharkhand to Naga@Dijkstra

@chandler_bing@Phagocytebhai ye anthro ke liye L2A test series sahi hai kya? ismein time pe checking aur feedback milta hai kya?
ya fir koi aur jyada better hai?

@Shubzbro Phase 2 mein - finance and management cover ho jayega kya 1 week mein ? kunsa source hai?
baaki phase 1 aur phase 2 ke paper mein koi dikkat nahin hai, wo toh abhi bhi de sakta hun.
mai bhi soch rha hun Rbi grade b dene ka, lekin fir Phase 2 ka finance and mangement mein lag rha hai ki dikkat hogi, aur uski agar jyada preparation karni padi toh time nahin waste karna chahta, want to utilise this time for preparing optional for next year.

@chandler_bingPaper 1 moderately difficult bhai. It had mixed questions. I am just evaluating myself with reference to my previous attempts. Maybe the competition has increased and what was good in 2016 is only average now.

I have seen only the PubAd question paper. My very frank opinion is that it used to be much more ambiguous and vague in 2013,14 and 15, the three years I appeared with PubAd. Of course the vagueness never stopped anyone of us from scoring decent enough marks to enter into some service. We all lamented after the exams that we have written unrealted bullshit and finally when the results came, all were at par with other humanities optionals(scaling, I guess). I agree that PubAd still is more challenging than anthro, even this year. But you could be right with respect to other optionals. And I am glad that UPSC has not spared any optional this year if it is true.

Bhai, this exam has a great levelling effect. I am humbled by your words but all of us are equally clueless. Spreading gyaan here is just a safety vavle.

@Bodhgayapretty decent coverage

@chandler_bingAnyways, whatever I did well in Paper I, I more than made up for it in paper 2. Paper 2 was not easy at all or maybe I was under prepared. I just read some case studies and both hasnain books with Bhasme. Anyways, I started preapration in college in 2011. Now, more than 8 years later nd trying my hand at 4 different optionals, I am free at last. Done and dusted with my last attempt. Time to move on with my life. Awaiting my first promotion in January, marriage and all.

@ChampakAlready in service?

I had joined l2a this year for anthro test series.. even after giving tests on time, I used to get after one month... writing practice aur discussion thik raha... feedback aur timely checking ka expectation mt rakho...@BabaYaga

Worse situation here in anthro...
Wrote 200 marks in paper 1... then 30 marks bakar and 2-2 lines in two questions of 10 marks.
Paper 2 generalistic... no exact answer.. similar to this year gs 2 nd 3@Champak

@Bodhgaya
yaar antrho ka kya scene hai delhi me na hi koi acchi classes hai na hi koi test series on the other hand all optional have more or less renowned teacher available in delhi

@Hermione_Granger Yes Ma'm. Been 4 years actually.