PSIR - Strategy, resources & discussion
Hi peeps. Let’s do this!
1. Previous papers from 2009 (both papers are in the same PDF):here2. Topic-wise PYQs: here
3. Look for PDFs of books here: b-ok.cc, http://libgen.rs/, archive.org
4. Model answers from SR:here
5. OnlyIAS notes, if you need extra matter for a few topics:here
6. SR notes, typed:politicsforindia.com
Hey@Hitman2021,this would be my first attempt so I’m not really in a position to give advice.@Porus has outlined a great approach - that would be my ideal as well this time.
I spent quite some time time making notes aligned with the syllabus - half this time last year and half after prelims was postponed, and that has become extremely helpful now, I can tell already. And as Porus said, if you really come to love the subject it won’t feel like too much of a burden - until now I’ve enjoyed every bit and am really excited about the coming months. Since you’re preparing for 2021 you have a decent amount of time, so my only suggestion would be to take your time with understanding the concepts - it will pay off when you have to revise.
As regards I-B, I read Oxford’s Companion to Politics in India. It has an overlap with most of the topics in the syllabus. It is a dense read but can be quite enjoyable. I made notes from it. For the freedom struggle part I’m going with Bipan Chandra as it will also be useful for GSI. I also went through selective chapters of Bipan Chandra’s India Since Independence for topics like land reforms, agrarian struggles. The rest I think Laxmikanth should be enough. I went and bought D D Basu in a fit of excitement but don’t think I’ll have a chance to use it yet.
I also ordered Shubhra Ranjan ma’am’s notes through the postal correspondence course they offer, but somehow I did not find it suitable for me at least for a first reading. I spent some time worrying about this since virtually everyone recommends her notes, but I gave up and used the book by Subrata Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy instead. Took longer but I understood the ideas well - after that I was able to go through the notes and pick additional points. For Indian thought I used V R Mehta’s book and then the notes. So see what works for you - just make sure you understand the ideas clearly.
I took coaching last year from an institute here in Hyderabad. Our teacher was not like your usual coaching faculty - he was more academic, a professor. Those were a beautiful five months I spent soaking in every bit of knowledge he imparted. It was awesome. So that has helped tremendously as well.
Engineering here as well. I really hope you fall in love with this subject!
All the best!
Hey@Hitman2021,this would be my first attempt so I’m not really in a position to give advice.@Porus has outlined a great approach - that would be my ideal as well this time.
I spent quite some time time making notes aligned with the syllabus - half this time last year and half after prelims was postponed, and that has become extremely helpful now, I can tell already. And as Porus said, if you really come to love the subject it won’t feel like too much of a burden - until now I’ve enjoyed every bit and am really excited about the coming months. Since you’re preparing for 2021 you have a decent amount of time, so my only suggestion would be to take your time with understanding the concepts - it will pay off when you have to revise.
As regards I-B, I read Oxford’s Companion to Politics in India. It has an overlap with most of the topics in the syllabus. It is a dense read but can be quite enjoyable. I made notes from it. For the freedom struggle part I’m going with Bipan Chandra as it will also be useful for GSI. I also went through selective chapters of Bipan Chandra’s India Since Independence for topics like land reforms, agrarian struggles. The rest I think Laxmikanth should be enough. I went and bought D D Basu in a fit of excitement but don’t think I’ll have a chance to use it yet.
I also ordered Shubhra Ranjan ma’am’s notes through the postal correspondence course they offer, but somehow I did not find it suitable for me at least for a first reading. I spent some time worrying about this since virtually everyone recommends her notes, but I gave up and used the book by Subrata Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy instead. Took longer but I understood the ideas well - after that I was able to go through the notes and pick additional points. For Indian thought I used V R Mehta’s book and then the notes. So see what works for you - just make sure you understand the ideas clearly.
I took coaching last year from an institute here in Hyderabad. Our teacher was not like your usual coaching faculty - he was more academic, a professor. Those were a beautiful five months I spent soaking in every bit of knowledge he imparted. It was awesome. So that has helped tremendously as well.
Engineering here as well. I really hope you fall in love with this subject!
All the best!
I am also thinking to use books for understanding the topics which are not good in notes.
The Oxford book you mentioned is really good. I have that one and found it good for enriching answers and notes making.
@whatonly I will use your and@Porus Suggestions and make my own strategy.
Thank you for helping me.
Good luck for mains :)
And yes its quite an interesting subject.
whatonly,Hello everyone,
For daily answer writing and peer reviewing answers of PSIR, a small Telegram group would be convenient. Join up through this link if interested: https://t.me/joinchat/RqJqqhht0UHCf8kO8xBz8w
Will be deleting the link in a while so as to limit the number of members in the group.
whatonly,Hello everyone,
For daily answer writing and peer reviewing answers of PSIR, a small Telegram group would be convenient. Join up through this link if interested: https://t.me/joinchat/RqJqqhht0UHCf8kO8xBz8w
Will be deleting the link in a while so as to limit the number of members in the group.
Thanks@hashtag2020 joined :D
hashtag2020,This month’s Yojana looks interesting - it’s about foreign policy. Haven’t read it yet but seems worth the time.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TC-rlcJ9ZBPuEZANLyPu8nRDPJHzhDgC/view
Hitman2021,This month’s Yojana looks interesting - it’s about foreign policy. Haven’t read it yet but seems worth the time.
Yojana-Oct2020.pdfThank you Sir.
This month’s Yojana looks interesting - it’s about foreign policy. Haven’t read it yet but seems worth the time.
Thank you Sir.
Can You resend as its not downloading
This month’s Yojana looks interesting - it’s about foreign policy. Haven’t read it yet but seems worth the time.
Thank you Sir.
Can You resend as its not downloading
Put a link instead. And I’m not a sir - but please don’t call me ma’am either :p
whatonly,Hitman2021@whatonly April one also. It's on human rights. Quotes good scholars
Oh awesome! Thanks!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rF2TopC9s92wZRdmjcigV3cIBi9_7yVi/view This is crash course program of SR. It costs 16500 for old students. Looking forward to joining it after reading suggestions in this thread.
This month’s Yojana looks interesting - it’s about foreign policy. Haven’t read it yet but seems worth the time.
Thank you Sir.
Can You resend as its not downloading
Put a link instead. And I’m not a sir - but please don’t call me ma’am either :p
OK. Cheers Mate :)
whatonly,I really liked the AWFG format of Forum IAS.
I thought I would need similar thing for PSIR as well. Already started writing previous year questions on daily basis ( Completed - Nuclear Threat, Arms Race and Proliferation | National Interest | Power )
Would love to have a small peer group (3-4) for enforcing accountability and for peer-reviews. Serious candidates please join. The objective is to write on daily/alternate day basis on micro-syllabus. The broad plan will be aligned with Shubra Ranjan Crash Course.
https://t.me/joinchat/Jaq5NRkpQBFsXOuqSbJH6w
Lets sail together
@messijiHow are the reviews for this course?
As some have said. It is nice but at last it depends on you how well you use it.
7Heaven,As some have said. It is nice but at last it depends on you how well you use it.
I joined it last year in anticipation that I will clear Prelims(didn't clear eventually though). Key takeaways-
1. Useful for additions in Part B of Paper 2.
2. Also many PYQs covered by mam.
3.Very poor paper checking. Kind of a deal breaker here.
4.Also since it will be online this time around, I guess not everybody is comfortable attending 3 hours classes.
5.Takes a good proportion of your time. Say you will be spending 3 hours,3 days a week.
An alternative I am looking to join this year-
Some not-so popular PSIR Test Series. This will help in a better feedback on Answer Writing. Most probably going with Lukmaan Ias.The faculty over there looked quite good(from the Youtube videos uploaded). If anybody has an idea about Lukmaan faculty, do contribute.
I joined it last year in anticipation that I will clear Prelims(didn't clear eventually though). Key takeaways-
1. Useful for additions in Part B of Paper 2.
2. Also many PYQs covered by mam.
3.Very poor paper checking. Kind of a deal breaker here.
4.Also since it will be online this time around, I guess not everybody is comfortable attending 3 hours classes.
5.Takes a good proportion of your time. Say you will be spending 3 hours,3 days a week.
An alternative I am looking to join this year-
Some not-so popular PSIR Test Series. This will help in a better feedback on Answer Writing. Most probably going with Lukmaan Ias.The faculty over there looked quite good(from the Youtube videos uploaded). If anybody has an idea about Lukmaan faculty, do contribute.
@mightyraju Looking for a less famous test series too - but Lukmaan has only pub ad test series, not PSIR, at least from their website. Have you checked out SleepyClasses? They’re coming up with a test series soon but not sure exactly when.
mightyraju,I joined it last year in anticipation that I will clear Prelims(didn't clear eventually though). Key takeaways-
1. Useful for additions in Part B of Paper 2.
2. Also many PYQs covered by mam.
3.Very poor paper checking. Kind of a deal breaker here.
4.Also since it will be online this time around, I guess not everybody is comfortable attending 3 hours classes.
5.Takes a good proportion of your time. Say you will be spending 3 hours,3 days a week.
An alternative I am looking to join this year-
Some not-so popular PSIR Test Series. This will help in a better feedback on Answer Writing. Most probably going with Lukmaan Ias.The faculty over there looked quite good(from the Youtube videos uploaded). If anybody has an idea about Lukmaan faculty, do contribute.
@mightyraju Looking for a less famous test series too - but Lukmaan has only pub ad test series, not PSIR, at least from their website. Have you checked out SleepyClasses? They’re coming up with a test series soon but not sure exactly when.
TRUPTI DHODMISE (AIR 16, UPSC CSE 2018) joined psir test series of The Unique Academy, Pune.
You can have a look at them too.
She has uploaded her copies too from this test series. You can find them.
whatonly,I joined it last year in anticipation that I will clear Prelims(didn't clear eventually though). Key takeaways-
1. Useful for additions in Part B of Paper 2.
2. Also many PYQs covered by mam.
3.Very poor paper checking. Kind of a deal breaker here.
4.Also since it will be online this time around, I guess not everybody is comfortable attending 3 hours classes.
5.Takes a good proportion of your time. Say you will be spending 3 hours,3 days a week.
An alternative I am looking to join this year-
Some not-so popular PSIR Test Series. This will help in a better feedback on Answer Writing. Most probably going with Lukmaan Ias.The faculty over there looked quite good(from the Youtube videos uploaded). If anybody has an idea about Lukmaan faculty, do contribute.
@mightyraju Looking for a less famous test series too - but Lukmaan has only pub ad test series, not PSIR, at least from their website. Have you checked out SleepyClasses? They’re coming up with a test series soon but not sure exactly when.
Sleepyclasses will announce on 12 Oct.
whatonly,
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