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
Right, so I have a lot of individualised ideas regarding mains in my head, and this is an attempt to achieving some clarity in those thoughts.Penning them down for my own further reference.Feel free to ignore.
In other words, here is a "Bunch of Thoughts"I write to myself(Although much more benign than Golwalkar's) lest I forget or lose sight of them later. They are mostly in the nature of thumb rules I intend to follow:
General
1.93 daysmust be used forconsolidation of information, achieving crystal clearclarityon the things you already know, andpractice. Revision andRe-revisionis key. For this, the crispest of notes is necessary. You are not a genius, do not act like one. Consolidate and consolidate again.
2.Prioritise maximising score over acquiring information.
3.Prioritise certain parts of the syllabus over others, but do not ignore anything at all.
4.Cost-benefit analysisfor every single thing you do. Time is the most scarce resource.
5.Optional>Essay, Ethics>General Studies 1, 2 and 3in that order in terms of variability of score.
6.Plan less and execute more.
7.Too many cooks spoil the broth.Listen to yourselfand trust your understanding of the exam when in doubt. However, this should not stop you from being adaptable, when it makes sense to tweak own understanding.
Content
8.Answer writing practice without content is useless. However,do focus on presentation as well so that the battlefield in the mind is not accurately represented in the sheets in front of you.
9. Do not fall into thetrap of trying to draw too many diagrams/ flowcharts at the expenseof quality content. You are terrible at drawing things. Your chicken looks like a horse. Quality first, always. You cannot hope to dupe the examiner with a flowchart.
10. 30-45 seconds tounderstand the demand of the question and structure answer accordingly will pay you a rich dividend.
11. 150 and 250 words isn't a lot at all.Each word must be pregnant with meaning, as far as possible. Do not exceed word limit; adhere to time limit.Filling space without content is a waste of time.
12. Must learn todifferentiate the paper from that of the crowd. Sell what you have produced over what the next person has.Statistics help, relevant graphs help, examples help, SDGs help, best practices help. But only if they are relevant to the demand of the question.Otherwise, you would only succeed in looking like a blithering idiot.
13. Be a generalist in GS.Prioritise breadth over depth as a rule. Converse is the exception. Deeper you go into one point, the less of other dimensions you'll be able to show in one answer.
14. Be a specialist in optional as a rule.Prioritise depth over breadth as a rule. Converse is the exception.
15. Try andlink everything with what is happeningin the world around you.
16.Ready made intros and conclusions for hot topics.
Essay and GS
17.GS1:Too many books involved and too little time; must do bare minimum in new topics such as World History to achieve average marks. Be good atmodern History, use quotesto add value. LearnMaps for Geography,they can add value.Use examples and link Society with Current Affairs. In fact, as a rule, Point 15.Accept that I cannot aim for top marks in this, aim for above average and do not be disappointed with average.
18.GS 2:Mustde-specialise. I might know Constitutional law, but the paper is not about that.IR is generally high yielding; overprepare, but don't underprepare. No room for complacency,tread extremely carefully. Go back toPoint 15.
19.GS-3:Do not underestimate the utility ofEconomic Survey for the past 2 years. Paper is extremely dynamic in nature.MUST MUST MUST adhere to Points 11 and 15 to maximise score.Consolidate from Newspapers, online sources. Can be highly scoring if dealt with appropriately.Paper is dynamic, answer sheet must correspond to that demand.NITI AayogVision Documentis a goldmine.
20. GS4:Do not get too bookish. However, basis past year papers,do not ignore books altogethereither.Think deeply about the keywords in the syllabus, and use it as an opportunity to express myself as an administrator on the answer sheet.This takes work. Can creep up on you if ignored. Must give due focus every single day.Think about case studies.Read up on renowned officers in service.
21.Essay:Could be ticket to interview if dealt with appropriately. Learn the art fromtopper copieslike Vikram Grewal's. Content from GS preparation will be enough. But the beauty of the essay lies elsewhere. Focus onpossible themes, have ready ideasto be used and work on them.Maximise breadth of dimensionsin both the essays. Focus onflow of thought. Best opportunity to show clarity of thought.Do not yap awayjust because you have 1200 words.Write concisely, and stick closely to the topic.Do not go on a tanget because you think the tangent is beautiful. Demand of the paper>Beauty of the essay.
Optional
22. Make or break.Work on it every single day.Differentiate answer from a guide-based answer at every possible occasion.Examiner is a specialist. Attempt to speak to the examiner at the same level.
23. Be careful not to show off knowledge.Demand of the question is paramount.
24. MUST NAIL IT, no two ways about it.Study for 320, be content with 300. Nothing less than that.Single most important thing.
Compulsory Paper
25. No room for complacency. Get evaluated basis past year papers early enough. Do not wait till the last minute to do this.
Freedom in the mind
Remember that in mains, the ball is in your court. It's about what you show to the examiner. Flaunt the good, hide the bad.Prune the good so they appear fantastic, work on the bad to the level they seem passable.Play to your strengths, work on your weakness.If you ignore your weaknesses, you will be found out.Stay authenticduring the preparation, do not follow the herd.Do not do things that do not work for you.Do not try to be a person different from yourself.Work on yourself, get closer to yourself.Victory in the mind is key to victory elsewhere.
Right, so I have a lot of individualised ideas regarding mains in my head, and this is an attempt to achieving some clarity in those thoughts andpenning them down for my own further reference.Feel free to ignore.
In other words, here is a "Bunch of Thoughts"I write to myself(Although much less benign than Golwalkar's) lest I forget or lose sight of them later. They are much in the nature of thumb rules I intend to follow:
General
1.93 daysmust be used forconsolidation of information, achieving crystal clearclarityon the things you already know, andpractice. Revision andRe-revisionis key. For this, the crispest of notes is necessary. You are not a genius, do not act like one. Consolidate and consolidate again.
2.Prioritise maximising score over acquiring information.
3.Prioritise certain parts of the syllabus over others, but do not ignore anything at all.
4.Cost-benefit analysisfor every single thing you do. Time is the most scarce resource.
5.Optional>Essay, Ethics>General Studies 1, 2 and 3in that order in terms of variability of score.
6.Plan less and execute more.
7.Too many cooks spoil the broth.Listen to yourselfand trust your understanding of the exam when in doubt. However, this should not stop you from being adaptable, when it makes sense to tweak own understanding.
Content
8.Answer writing practice without content is useless. However,do focus on presentation as well so that the battlefield in the mind is not accurately represented in the sheets in front of you.
9. Do not fall into thetrap of trying to draw too many diagrams/ flowcharts at the expenseof quality content. You are terrible at drawing things. Your chicken looks like a horse. Quality first, always. You cannot hope to dupe the examiner with a flowchart.
10. 30-45 seconds tounderstand the demand of the question and structure answer accordingly will pay you a rich dividend.
11. 150 and 250 words isn't a lot at all.Each word must be pregnant with meaning, as far as possible. Do not exceed word limit; adhere to time limit.Filling space without content is a waste of time.
12. Must learn todifferentiate the paper from that of the crowd. Sell what you have produced over what the next person has.Statistics help, relevant graphs help, examples help, SDGs help, best practices help. But only if they are relevant to the demand of the question.Otherwise, you would only succeed in looking like a blithering idiot.
13. Be a generalist in GS.Prioritise breadth over depth as a rule. Converse is the exception. Deeper you go into one point, the less of other dimensions you'll be able to show in one answer.
14. Be a specialist in optional as a rule.Prioritise depth over breadth as a rule. Converse is the exception.
15. Try andlink everything with what is happeningin the world around you.
16.Ready made intros and conclusions for hot topics.
Essay and GS
17.GS1:Too many books involved and too little time; must do bare minimum in new topics such as World History to achieve average marks. Be good atmodern History, use quotesto add value. LearnMaps for Geography,they can add value.Use examples and link Society with Current Affairs. In fact, as a rule, Point 15.Accept that I cannot aim for top marks in this, aim for above average and do not be disappointed with average.
18.GS 2:Mustde-specialise. I might know Constitutional law, but the paper is not about that.IR is generally high yielding; overprepare, but don't underprepare. No room for complacency,tread extremely carefully. Go back toPoint 15.
19.GS-3:Do not underestimate the utility ofEconomic Survey for the past 2 years. Paper is extremely dynamic in nature.MUST MUST MUST adhere to Point 11 to maximise score.Consolidate from Newspapers, online sources. Can be highly scoring if dealt with appropriately.Paper is dynamic, answer sheet must correspond to that demand.NITI AayogVision Documentis a goldmine.
20. GS4:Do not get too bookish. However, basis past year papers,do not ignore books altogethereither.Think deeply about the keywords in the syllabus, and use it as an opportunity to express myself as an administrator on the answer sheet.This takes work. Can creep up on you if ignored. Must give due focus every single day.Think about case studies.Read up on renowned officers in service.
21.Essay:Could be ticket to interview if dealt with appropriately. Learn the art fromtopper copieslike Vikram Grewal's. Content from GS preparation will be enough. But the beauty of the essay lies elsewhere. Focus onpossible themes, have ready ideasto be used and work on them.Maximise breadth of dimensionsin both the essays. Focus onflow of thought. Best opportunity to show clarity of thought.Do not yap awayjust because you have 1200 words.Write concisely, and stick closely to the topic.Do not go on a tanget because you think the tangent is beautiful. Demand of the paper>Beauty of the essay.
Optional
22. Make or break. Work on it every single day. Differentiate answer from a guide-based answer at every possible occasion.Examiner is a specialist. Attempt to speak to the examiner at the same level.
23. Be careful not to show off knowledge.Demand of the question is paramount.
24. MUST NAIL IT, no two ways about it.Study for 320, be content with 300. Nothing less than that.Single most important thing.
Compulsory Paper
25. No room for complacency. Get evaluated basis past year papers early enough. Do not wait till the last minute to do this.
Freedom in the mind
Remember that in mains, the ball is in your court. It's about what you show to the examiner. Flaunt the good, hide the bad.Prune the good so they appear fantastic, work on the bad to the level they seem passable.Play to your strengths, work on your weakness.If you ignore your weaknesses, you will be found out.Stay authenticduring the preparation, do not follow the herd.Do not do things that do not work for you.Do not try to be a person different from yourself.Work on yourself, get closer to yourself.Victory in the mind is key to victory elsewhere.
This works! So fucking difficult to implement in practice though!
Rise from Ashes,thepolicydreamer
My 1st mains.
@Koro-Sensei ..i saw you commenting on that AWFG thread about "last time's" objective and crisp answers.
Can you, if you have some time, enlighten me on what AWFG exactly is ? pros cons et al.
Thank you :)
Maybe@Hayagreeva can help out with this query if he be so kind :)
Disney_Princess,
My 1st mains.
@Koro-Sensei ..i saw you commenting on that AWFG thread about "last time's" objective and crisp answers.
Can you, if you have some time, enlighten me on what AWFG exactly is ? pros cons et al.
Thank you :)
Maybe@Hayagreeva can help out with this query if he be so kind :)
@Sherkhan1428AWG is fast paced, intensive, and comprehensive answer writing programme.
How it worked? There will be 3 tests each week on M, W, F. Each test of 1 hour and 7 questions. What used to happen was that 5 questions would be from syllabus and 2 from current issues.
We used to come to center, pickup question paper and answrsheet, write the test, and take back model answer sheet and answer paper with us back home. Copies won't be evaluated.
However, what followed this was most important part. We joined as group there, me and couple of my friends. We used to share our answer copies and used to get peer reviewed, had value added discussions, looked after the model answer, shared some fascinating reports, data, diagram, maps etc. This used to take 50 60 minutes.
Pros:
1. Timely completion of syllabus with special focus on subheads. Like there is a topic in gs 4 Cost of corruption. This looks innocuous topic and one may ignore it. However, writing quality answers with content differentiation would be very difficult if one hasn't looked up the dimensions and have them organised in some way.
2. Crisp and quality solution. They are less bulky and to the point than MGP. This was the material I revised the day before mains exam.
3. I don't know why but, I felt like, questions had more relevance from exam point of view.
4. Stand out and cost effective programme.
Cons :
1. Very intensive. I mean very very intensive. If you don't know parts of the syllabus yet then many days will be difficult for you.
2. Balancing with optionals and essay is challenge. As there will be test on every alternate day.
3. I got maximum out of it only because of peer group. Mutual accountability, offline tests (writing 7 questions in 1 hour) in exam like conditions were the backbone. I don't know how effective it will be in online mode.
Few suggestion for those willing to join
1. Be regular in tests. You will feel like giving up, you will think it is redundant, but don't do it, look forward to each and every subpar of the schedule and syllabus
2. Balance it with optional. You will have to find out a way, early in to the programme, to balance them out.
3. Join in groups to reap out maximum benefit.
4. Focus on note making simultaneously. Enrich notes from peer discussion and solutions.
5. Read your answer yourself. Because nobody does this. This is the best review you can have.
@Hayagreeva could you please share last year's schedule so that we would get an idea
Will Mains365 suffice or should Dipin Sir's CA classes be joined now? Please someone help how to decide?! How are you planning to cover CA.
I am guessing this is your first mains and hence, the dilemma. I dedicate my last year's failure to the blunder of banking on Mains365. I wasn't able to reproduce much that I read in the last two months prior to Mains.
I am not disputing the quality of Mains365 here, only the ocassion of doing it. Mains365 is content overload with very little time to internalise the content. It requires at least 2-3 readings to grasp any material for Prelims. For Mains, you need more readings! You won't be able to do those many number of readings in these months.
On the contrary, CA Classes are a different deal altogether. You'd only have to revise the notes. From last year, I realised that information accumulation is of no use if it does not translate on your answer script. I had read a lot last year-Books, Value addition materials, CA magazines and what not. In the end, under the panic and pressure of finishing the paper, I was writing what I had internalised in the whole duration of preparation and lot less the new information I had gathered between Pre and Mains.
This time my strategy is to read less and to work more on the aspect of effective expression.
AzadHindFauz,HotBloodPrince@AzadHindFauz Hey.. Can you pls upload the last year forumias 2019 Mains handwritten CA Notes.. I searched for the same.. only volume 2 is available....
I won't. It would amount to copyright infringement.
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