Important Update : LIVE Session for SFG 2021 - Level 1 General Discussion and Way Forward - 19th January 2021 at 4:00 PM. (Click Here)
To check the instructions on how to write SFG 2021 - Test 1 :
Important Dates:
Date of Entrance Test 2 - 3rd January 2021 (10:00 AM to 11:00 AM)
End Date Registration for Entrance Test 2 – 2nd January 2021 | 5 PM
Please click on the link for instructions regarding attempting the Entrance test.
Result of Entrance Test 2 –4th January 2021
Commencement Date of SFG Level 1 – 7th January 2021
Syllabus of SFG Entrance Test - Candidates can expect 30 questions equally distributed across History, Polity, Economy, Environment and Geography. Further 15 questions will from Current Affairs of October, November and December months and 5 questions from CSAT.
SFG Level 1 Calendar: https://go.forumias.com/sfg21-calender
SFG – How it works
- Select Focus Group (SFG) is a small group of students who are selected by ForumIAS every year for coaching them to clear the UPSC Prelims Examination. Every single candidate selected and retained consistently in the group with Top ranks has cleared the Prelims examination in the past.
- 100 Students will be selected for the Select Focus Group, through the SFG Entrance Test, who will be required to report at 7 AM every day 6 days a week to write an hour-long test based on a pre-planned syllabus, followed by a discussion on the same.
- Candidates who are unable to make it to the SFG, will be maintained in a Reserve List, who can also write the tests. Candidates who couldn't clear the cutoff and are unable to make it into both SFG and RLG can register for the 2nd Entrance Test
- Tests are conducted daily and results are provided within 8 hours of test with Name and Rank list for candidates and parents to evaluate their daily performance. On the basis of rankles, about 50% of bottom performing students from SFG are migrated to the reserve list on a weekly basis, and an equal number of students from reserve list (RLG) are moved into SFG.
- The decision of the management in this regard is final and not subject to dispute. Please note that this migration is done not keeping in mind the overall merit list but moving away bottom 50% from SFG and picking up an equal number of people from RLG.
- Thus those who may be getting more than RLG students, but are bottom 50 in SFG will be moved to RLG.
- Every month, the bottom 20% or so non-performing students are eliminated from the program to maintain the quality of competition.
- All candidates writing the CSE 2021 are eligible to apply for the entrance test.
This year we introduce some changes as to how we conduct the SFG exam. Please note that changes that we bring are always in response to the examination pattern, the student feedback and our own learning with respect to how to best enable a serious candidate to clear the exam
Covid 19 Update:Keeping in mind the Covid situation, SFG – 1 entrance Test and the SFG program will be conducted in the online mode only for the year 2021. SFG – Level 2 may be conducted offline as per government guidelines and this decision will be taken at a later date.
This year SFG will be conducted in two levels as below:
SFG Level 1 (Foundation)
The SFG Level 1 is for beginners, freshers, first-timers, or simply those who have not cleared the Prelims examination ever before. The objective of the SFG Level 1 Program is three things
- Students know the basic books and basic concepts back and forth
- Students complete coverage of the syllabus through self-study
- Students are thorough with previous years papers
- Students develop the discipline and time management skills that are needed to clear the exam
The SFG Level 1 Tests will have book based / text-based / notes-based tests. By the end of SFG Level 1, you can expect that your coverage of the syllabus is complete, and you have done previous years questions well.
SFG Level 2 (Advanced)
SFG Level 2 is for people who have completed the reading and revision of the basic books and are now ready to take on the exam. The objective of the SFG Level 2 is as below
- Developing problem-solving skills for solving analytical, conceptual and thought based questions.
- Developing skills to solve questions based on the application of the reading that they have done for Level 1
- Mastering the art of handling questions from unknown areas and applying concepts from their wider reading which is relevant for the Civil Services Prelims Examination.
- Developing time management skills, and being through with the syllabus
- Providing a reliable, time-bound framework for revision just before the examination.
Current Affairs:
SFG Level 1 will provide coverage of current affairs from January 2020 to November 2020.
SFG Level 2 will have complete current affairs relevant for the Prelims examination 2021 integrated into the course.
CSAT:
CSAT tests will be integrated with SFG Level 2. There will be no CSAT tests in SFG level 1.
Application Procedure
- Admission to the SFG and RLG are based on the rank of the candidate in the merit list of the SFG Entrance Test. Students can apply for the program by registering for the Entrance Test by paying a fee of Rs. 500+ GST. Candidates can register by visitinghttp://academy.forumias.com
- The candidate must appear for the entrance test on the designated date and time, subsequent to which he/she will be admitted to the Select Group or the Reserve List.
- The candidate must pay the monthly fee as per the group he/she is allocated.
Note: Admissions to the SFG / RLG Group will only be on the basis of merit position of the candidate in the entrance test. Entrance Test will be held on 23rd December 2020. Candidates must register for the SFG Entrance Test by visiting the website http://academy.forumias.com before12 PM, December 22nd.
No admission will be granted to the candidate without appearing for the Entrance Test.
Fee Structure and Details:
- The course duration is of about two months and fees is charged on a monthly basis. Fees for the full duration of the program cannot be paid at one go.
For students selected in SFG- Rs. 1300 + GST (18%) per month. For Payment,Click Here.
For students selected in RLG- Rs. 1900 + GST (18%) per month. For Payment,Click Here.
- Fees are to be paid once the candidate is selected for the program. A fee of Rs. 118 is to be paid additionally for the I-Card by all students.
Wishing you Success,
Always
ForumIAS Academy
@Patrick_jane hello sir..similar question was also part of march April sfg in which u told that if parliamentary or presidential system of govt is asked we have to look at British or American system of govt respectively as all the other govt is derived from these systems with some of their novel features too.
part of unelected members to executive is a novel feature of Indian parliamentary system ..how is it being extrapolated to parliamentary system (I understood question asked for parliamentary system in general and not Indian in particular)
please clarify the doubt and also telll how to approach such question in future esp if asked in UPSC
ChunMunsaid
So we paid the fees for what? Before forum comes out and disses us about we being ungrateful to them, then just know that nobody is faulting your idea. We are faulting your execution, and kinda deserve better than the reloading marathon you make us go through to give a test. I mean you ran a whole Internet forum, and could possibly predict these things much better. Please dont ask aspirants for fees if the system and infrastructure is not set. We do our end of the bargain of studying and paying fees on time. Time for you guys to keep your end of the bargain. Its only reasonable.
PS: Please don't say its an issue which only 20-25 students had to go through. Even if 1 is unable to go through the test, its an ISSUE!
many got the test delayed too... what kind of server and coder ....🤐
Started the test at 7:45, the timer was showing 22 min left but test got submitted. Could attempt just 17. What a worst start with such score. This test shouldn't be counted in the performance. @forumiasacademy
My test ended in about 30 minutes only. I was able to access the Test only after 8 AM. Could not solve all the questions.
@forumiasacademy Q 28 In solution you've given that procedure established by law has been borrowed from the British Constitution. Shouldn't it be Japanese Constitution?
@ChunMun That's really unfortunate! Hope this gets fixed soon.
@forumiasacademy @Jack__Sparrow Now when i get to access the test after 1 and half hours, it gets auto-submitted within 2 minutes with me answering just 1 question.
What is this mess?
@Patrick_jane hello sir..similar question was also part of march April sfg in which u told that if parliamentary or presidential system of govt is asked we have to look at British or American system of govt respectively as all the other govt is derived from these systems with some of their novel features too.
part of unelected members to executive is a novel feature of Indian parliamentary system ..how is it being extrapolated to parliamentary system (I understood question asked for parliamentary system in general and not Indian in particular)
please clarify the doubt and also telll how to approach such question in future esp if asked in UPSC
Yes the question framing is ambiguous
They should have mentioned Indian parliamentary system and American presidential system.
Then given answer is justified
@Jack__Sparrow @curious_kid @forumiasacademy I got a message regarding taking test again between 7 to 9 pm today.However my test got submitted with time left. Will I also be able to take the test again? Kindly reply
@Patrick_jane hello sir..similar question was also part of march April sfg in which u told that if parliamentary or presidential system of govt is asked we have to look at British or American system of govt respectively as all the other govt is derived from these systems with some of their novel features too.
part of unelected members to executive is a novel feature of Indian parliamentary system ..how is it being extrapolated to parliamentary system (I understood question asked for parliamentary system in general and not Indian in particular)
please clarify the doubt and also telll how to approach such question in future esp if asked in UPSC
Also, head of the state in UK is the monarch.
Thanks for this initiative @forumiasacademy . There were a few hiccups but I am sure it will be smooth in the future. Didnot score very well but I hope by persistent hardwork I will get better with each test.
Regards
Isn't there a slight discrepancy in Q 26? The answer should be Viceroy and not Governor General, though it hasn't been mentioned in the options. Couple of questions were quite interesting and new for me, especially the A370 Drafting Committee one. Thank you@forumiasacademy . I hope all teething issues are resolved soon once and for all and we focus only on the prep and tests.
@Patrick_jane It can also be interpretted as "elected vs nominated"? because nominated members can also be members of cabinet. Hence "Only elected" in the statement is incorrect even without the 6month provision of indian case.
Yes,the statement is incrct even if Indian is mentioned bcoz as u mentioned in India non member of parliament can be minister for 6 mnths + nominated members along with elected members.
@forumiasacademy please create a discussion group where we can discuss the answers for some disputed questions like in test 1 q.no 18) most of the sources differ from option a) and b). So it should be useful to rectify and update the notes. And also where should we post doubts for the disputed ones officially?