Mains 2021: Doubt and strategy discussion thread

https://forumias.com/post/detail/Mains-2020-Doubt-and-strategy-discussion-thread-1601963441?useful=1#main_comment

First post on this page.

@Patootie has done a huge favor by sharing this!! 

Done. 

Guys is there any telegram channel dedicated to ethics paper q&a?

Can anyone please explain me the difference between different forms of communism: Marxism, Leninism, Stalinism, Maoism, Trotskyism. 

Thank you

Marxism: I want a stateless society where workers will be at the helm of affairs! Workers have the wisdom to know that they are being exploited. They don't need leaders. So, they don't need any Communist Party! They will rise together against the oppression of bourgeoisie and establish an egalitarian, classless society where there will be no state. State is the instrument of capitalist class. 

Leninism: We can't have a stateless society just like that! Workers are not that intelligent. They need to be mobilised first. To do this, we need a strong Communist Party that will be the vanguard of our revolution. We need to establish a dictatorship of the Proletariat (working class) as an intermediate arrangement to reverse the excesses of the bourgeoisie first. Then, we can think about Marxism (stateless society). In the economic sphere, we will emulate bourgeoise policies to an extent for our development, but mind you- Communist Party is in charge and it knows what's best for the proletariat. (democratic socialism) 

Stalinism/Marxism-Leninism: I'll pervert everything and I'll call it a synthesis of Marxism and Leninism. Marxism because the end goal is same. Leninism because I also believe in bringing revolution with the help of Communist Party.

But wait wait. In reality, I'll be the role model. I'll nationalise everything. I'll control everything. I have the ultimate wisdom to usher in a bright future for Soviet Republics! =>Totalitarianism (1 leader) hence, just opposite to Marxism (all leaders) 

Maoism: You fake communists! Why don't you think about the peasantry? Peasantry is the real revolutionary group. They'll usher in the revolution to usurp power from the foreign bourgeoise. 

Trotskyism: Yo, I'm the wingman of Lenin. I'll carry forward his idea after his death. There should be a permanent revolution in the world and the bourgeoisie should be eliminated from everywhere. Don't talk about Socialism in just one country. Kind of closest to Marxism, Leninism. 

Comparison:

• Marxism and Leninism differ in the methodology. 
• Trotskyism takes a world view and want to make communism a global ideology.
• Stalinism is not an ideology but a propaganda! In my opinion, he didn't even believe in Marx. He put a blot on Marxism.
• Maoism was modified-Marxism to suit Chinese conditions that was predominantly agricultural. 

Am I the only one who is totally overwhelmed by the sheer volume of work that needs to be done? 
The gigantic optional called Mathematics need to be tamed. Of which I haven't done 2 sub-topics even once yet. 

Then comes the essay. Had downloaded some videos from telegram to watch and improve upon my essays as I have never written a good essay and thus feel very underconfident writing one without "actual preparation". There are some 17 videos each about 2 hrs long. 

Ethics has also been neglected since I started off into the prelims mode. Really feel the need for revision. 

Apart from this, I have my notes of earlier versions of yojana, eco survey left to be revised.

Then there will be mains ca compilations out in the market soon. Have to study and internalise them too.

The most important part of answer writing has to be incorporated in the schedule too.

Then there will be test series to be written of both optional and gs. 

How are you guys managing time for all this?!

I really feel we should have at least 40 hrs in a day. 24 are grossly insufficient to manage all this :( :(

I went (and maybe even am going) through the same thing, so I can empathise.

I would suggest you make sure that you integrate PYQs into your preparation.@SergioRamos had posted a brilliant document with topic wise PYQs. That gives one a really good idea about what not to read, I think. I personally dont subscribe to the idea of doing too many compilations (or too many mock tests), but think they serve better as indices.

Time is really limited, you simply do not have time for doing all of this and then for adequate revision plus mocks on top of that. Limit the things you do, but do them well. In your case, Maths optional you cant ignore. But I do think the stress on current affairs is a bit much given how ideally with your prelims preparation, you've already done quite a bit of it. Given how current affairs usually just throws up issues from the static syllabus rather than being independent stand alone issues in themselves, make sure you only integrate them in your preparation and have an informed opinion of things. There's a need to be extremely focused in choosing what you do and what you don't, so as to maximise score. Questions from GS papers have been extremely analytical and it does pose a challenge to answer them well in the alloted 8 minutes unless you have a very clear understanding of core issues. One might be able to give general gyan on many questions like the question on divergence in the relationship between hunger and welfare spending in GS 2 last year, but to answer them well requires you to have a clear cut understanding of the core issue rather than a fragmented understanding from a compilation. Use the internet well, make things easier for yourself.

This is the first time for me at this as well, so I might admittedly be well off the mark here, but I know that simplifying things is the best way to stand a chance at being successful. One might think of this as a mountain right now, and trust me, most of us do. That can be, and is overwhelming. However, if we can move past that thought and actually break it down, it doesn't have to be that hard. It is an examination that a person who has not had the privileges you have had, or who still cannot afford the things you can afford should stand an equal chance of clearing. Always be mindful of that. Try and read extensively, but keep one eye on the syllabus and the PYQs. Make sure there is direction to your preparation, and that the direction is of your choosing. This is your shot, so own every aspect of it. 

Leaving excerpts from the poem "If", which has always had my back:

" If you can keep your head when all about you   

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

Also, on analysis, I see that a lot of the questions in GS are extremely specific in nature. The advice that is generally accepted in answer writing is that it is a generalist exam, and answers can be done with general points, some statistics thrown around, and draw flowcharts wherever possible. I don't disagree that presentation is important, but I think content and clarity in thought would be rewarded more.I might be well off the mark here. We can't always be giving general answers to specific questions. When I try writing answers, I find that when I have clarity in my mind about an issue, that clarity is reflected in the paper as well, and results in a good answer. 

On attempting a few questions from GS last year, I feel I can write something or the other for like 12-13 questions (them being average answers), but honestly, the content or the understanding that is required to answer the remaining 7 or 8 questions is honestly lacking if I'm being honest with myself. This is given the fact that I've been at this for quite a while, and have been following compilations/ the newspaper. I feel the syllabus has been ignored for a large part in my preparation so far. Analysis of the questions (at this late stage) demands a shift in approach. I think it can be done. Let's see. We'll know by February one way or another anyway. :P

Hey!

I was in a very similar situation last year. That was my first attempt and first mains. My optional was Maths, and in the fight to prepare for Prelims, I hadn't done full justice to it. I had not even started two chapters (both the physics ones). The rest I had done only once.

I wish I could say that in spite of all these hurdles, I emerged victoriously. That would have been one hell of a success story. Didn't happen though. In paper 2 of maths, I'm expecting less than 50 marks. (Although to be fair I did do well in all other papers but can't be sure unless the marks are out)

Because of those failures, I learned some invaluable lessons which have helped me work on a better strategy for this time. 

1) The focus needs to be on Optional always. 60:40 is a good ratio. Like 60 per cent of your time every day on Maths and remaining 40 on all other subjects (GS static, current, newspapers). Towards the end of the day if what you have planned isn't done and you have work left in both GS and Optional, choose Optional.

2) Remember that this period of 93 days is mostly a test of your mental strength. Being calm, ably handling pressure and persevering on is MUCH MUCH more important than doing every bit of work you had planned.   

3) Optimise your time in everything you do. Can't watch all CA lectures you'd planned? Maybe watch them in 2x speed. Or just do the handouts. Maybe leave them all and just do the Model answers from your tests. 

Haven't done any topic in Maths? Don't worry. Take the previous years test series. Mark all questions that were asked in your notes (valid for IMS Notes for Physics portions, for instance). Just do their basic theory and then those particular questions you marked. You'll end up having a basic understanding within 2 days. Maybe expand on that solving other previous years test series questions.  

4) Don't worry too much about GS. There's no need to run after multiple compilations. If you can aim for a 320+ score in Maths (which is doable), getting 370+ in GS is great. So you see, you don't have to master everything. 

5) You will always have less time. Always. The secret lies in doing those things first that add most marks. Do a mental cost-benefit analysis (time spent/marks gained). Then end up doing around 80% of those things. You'll do great.

At the end of the day, you have a great support-cum-guidance system here. @Patootie and @Joeyisthebest have already given some great answers. I wasn't on the forum here last year. Probably that would have helped me. I have written here what is essentially my first comment because I can almost feel the agony you're in and how even the slightest help can be so relieving. Wish you the best!

Have been struggling with figuring out how to do mathematics, has actually led to not doing justice to either optional of GS. This helps provide clarity. Thanks a ton :)

Just give one day to this document and what not to read becomes clearer. For example, much-hyped CA in Paper 2 and 3 is not a make or break thing. well prepared GS with CA done even till prelims can get you great marks. There are certain topics which are oft-repeated. See, the thing is, coaching institutes have created a mass hysteria around CA and Answer writing. Why these two? Because these two, are the goldmines. So much money flows through these two that absolute numbers are shocking, to say the least. Thus the extensive marketing and FOMO created around it. Here, only PYQ's can save us students. 
Therefore,@AlexanderSupertramp  just go through the PYQ's, give them one day and much of your agony will fade away.  Anyway, the main focus should be on O-O-E-E. 
The three GS papers are there for Coachings to create a FOMO and earn money, just like Current Affairs for Prelims. 

Si capitán