Mains 2021: Doubt and strategy discussion thread
Thread for GS 1by @upsc2020- https://forumias.com/post/detail/Mission-Mains-2020-GS-1-1593004000
Thread for GS 2 & 3by @goldberry - https://forumias.com/post/detail/Mission-Mains-2020-GS-Paper-2-3-Do-or-Die-1589614273
Thread for GS 4by @upsc2020 - https://forumias.com/post/detail/Official-GS-4-Ethics-Discussion-1591106284
Thread for Essayby @whatonly - https://forumias.com/post/detail/Essay-for-Mains-2020-tips-thoughts-and-interesting-things-1602501086
3.New emerging technologies fodder- https://intelligence.weforum.org/topics
@Bolt I use a hybrid model. A software called mindmaster (CLICK ME) to prepare the outlines on my laptop and then write stuff down (for mind-hand connection and better retention) in Notability on an Ipad.
@DramaticAdmiral it does bro. but what choice i got. Question answer reading is the only thing i am focusing on for this attempt. Am looking at an exposure to anywhere between 800-1000 quality questions (optional and GS included). So when it is the only thing i am relying upon, i better do it with everything I got :). Like i said earlier, All the mistakes and shortcomings (which i know are many) will have to wait for my next mains. Iss baar to strategy fixed hai more or less.
@whatonly Aa ji yeh to aap ka badappan hai ji. Aap bas crack kar lo. hum ussi mein khush hain. :)
@Sherkhan1428 Bhai aapka exam niklega isi baar me.
Lagey raho. 1000 quality questions are not less. Do them effectively. You will surely get good results.
As I read somewhere:----
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together”
Aur mujhe toh lagta he ki aap itney logo ki yaha help kartey ho toh kaafi question un 1000 Q mese hi aa jyge. Keep up the good work bro.
Best wishes :)
@Bolt I use a hybrid model. A software called mindmaster (CLICK ME) to prepare the outlines on my laptop and then write stuff down (for mind-hand connection and better retention) in Notability on an Ipad.
@DramaticAdmiral it does bro. but what choice i got. Question answer reading is the only thing i am focusing on for this attempt. Am looking at an exposure to anywhere between 800-1000 quality questions (optional and GS included). So when it is the only thing i am relying upon, i better do it with everything I got :). Like i said earlier, All the mistakes and shortcomings (which i know are many) will have to wait for my next mains. Iss baar to strategy fixed hai more or less.
@whatonly Aa ji yeh to aap ka badappan hai ji. Aap bas crack kar lo. hum ussi mein khush hain. :)
@Sherkhan1428 Bhai aapka exam niklega isi baar me.
Lagey raho. 1000 quality questions are not less. Do them effectively. You will surely get good results.
As I read somewhere:----
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together”
Aur mujhe toh lagta he ki aap itney logo ki yaha help kartey ho toh kaafi question un 1000 Q mese hi aa jyge. Keep up the good work bro.
Best wishes :)
Thank you for the kind words bhai jaan :-) ! yaad kar ke ek chammach ghee mein shakkar mila ke kha lena :-D
thepolicydreamer,Hitman2021
Writing/trying to write at least 3-4 PYQs every evening on topics that I am covering in optional during the day. I find that when I look back at them that night, I can identify some flaws - either by comparing them to the source material (points I’ve missed out) or just reading it calmly (flow, structure, emphasis). Also comparing to good toppers’ mocks if I find a question with some overlap. Some of the truly terrible answers I am trying to rewrite.
Optional 8 tests (Trying to write at least 20 PYQs on each section of each paper before actually attempting the test so as to not waste the test on a totally substandard answer). Trying to stick to the test schedule (delayed one by 2 days, will write on the same day henceforth) so as to have a milestone in mind coming up.
Going through ethics model answers as I do the topics, haven’t written PYQs yet but will start now. 7 tests in the test series, hoping to give them all (at least some of the motivation is coming from the sacrilege of wasting those pricey tests).
GS will start as soon as I finish OOEE. Will join test series then. Not sure how many I’ll be able to give etc. This prospect of GS still largely untouched is scaring me no end but trying to finish OOEE as quickly as possible so I can give it enough time.
Strangely miss prelims days now. Thought that was scary... this is a whole new game.
In addition to this , do prepare summaries and outlines with pointers of all the questions you are attempting. If you think about it, even if you were to write 12 FLTs and practice 200 answers separately, it will run into close to 1000 pages of written sheets.
Crisp summaries will help you revise everything within minutes. Attaching a sample of how i am going about the process. Customize according to your needs. Please Do this. And don't forget to mention my name in your topper's talk next year :D...Sherkhan..Naam to padha hi hoga 🤪
AWFG PIAC.pdfbro that's some quality stuff! Though I would advise adding these points to your basic notes itself. It would avoid your duplication of effort.
Sherkhan1428,bro that's some quality stuff! Though I would advise adding these points to your basic notes itself. It would avoid your duplication of effort.
Noted :)
Thank you so much :)
I have been a silent reader of the conversations that used to happen on other thread before prelims. Sometimes I have even asked for help and members like@Sherkhan1428 and@AzadHindFauz have selflessly helped and cleared the doubts. Even if there wasn't any doubt, I used to scroll down through the comments as a positive aura was developed there where people used to cheer others up. I was literally looking where these guys have gone after prelims and found this thread today. I would like to thank all and you two especially for spreading the positivity :)
As far as my prelims is concerned, I am scoring between 104-110, but I am not certain of qualifying CSAT, since I attempted very less questions. Along with this uncertainty, I have maths as my optional (pahaad like syllabus mashallah!!) and also apart from CA classes of dipin sir, I have never read books with 'mains like mindset'.
Anyway, I really wanted to thank you guys for help.
thank you :)
What is the current affairs time frame for mains. Is it the same as pre plus 4 months till January 2021 or September 2019 to december 2020? Someone please guide. TIA.I had analyzed the questions of one year (don't remember which year it was) and had found that all the questions of GS II and GS III were related to news that made headlines after the Prelims date. But I couldn't carry out this exercise for few more years, and so skeptical how much it would have been same for later years!
Thanks! so the period after prelims should be given importance, if i am not wrong.
What works for people who have given mains.. can some senior highlight what can be done so that there is no self made mistakes..
Please guide!
Few things that may work for seasoned aspirants-
1.They work backwards- Think about the stuff you'll be revising on the 7th, 6th, 5th, 4th... of January beforehand. My first mains was very disorganised. I didn't know what to revise and what to leave. Felt immense pressure and the head felt heavy with content overload.
2.Prior experience of the actual exam conditions- Proper planning of what you'll be doing between the break, the type of food, managing the sleep cycle etc. This is of utmost importance. One poor choice here and there will impact your performance significantly. This is also the time when you need to give your body ample rest. Exercise light or preferably in the evening or do not exercise at all for a week! Walk less before and in between the papers. These are small things people tend to overlook.
3.Knowledge of what worked for them and what not- Seasoned aspirants may know the areas they need to improve upon from their last mains. This is the most important facet about which the first timers can't do anything. What they can do is depend on feedback from the test series + self-evaluation.
4.The art of managing time: The time between Prelims and Mains is crucial in the sense that we are overburdened with a lot of things in this period. It might be easy for seasoned aspirants to manage this time given their good exposure to subjects.
All of what I have written is not some cosmic revelation, but just the experience. I don't think there's much difference between serious aspirants. We all are equally capable of doing things the way they must be done.
This IAS Network is making some buzz. Anyone has a first hand review of them?
I had subscribed to it for a month. Wrote and submitted answers on two different days but I was not satisfied with the review. If you wish, I can upload those reviewed answers for you to see yourself and find out how they were.
whatonly,@Gaurav thanks mate. is it useful to get them evaluated and no discussion or is a Test series better option? What's your opinion/experience ?
Can't exactly answer your question because I never took any test series, but I feel any institute which runs test series or answer writing evaluation program, offering its services to infinite number of people, is bound to become mediocre over time and end up giving ordinary reviews. So, doesn't matter you subscribe to a test series of this institute or that! If you manage to find any senior and get your answers reviewed from him, nothing better than it in my opinion. Another option is to learn to do self review maybe with the help of synopsis or by comparing your answers to those of others.
OliveOil,
@Patootieor@Sherkhan1428or whoever he/she was thanks for the konda (konda means hill in telgu and if u see konda it means its from Andhra) suggestion on prelims thread worked like charm in prelims. Thanks a lot!!!!
Oasis,In, range was about 110-120 from different keys
Mood is quite sombre as many I know haven't quite cleared this stage.
Hope people appreciate the chance they've been given and do their best for the upcoming mains
Best of luck to all
Koro-Sensei,
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