Prelims 2020 - Preparing Repeatedly Asked Questions
There are many favourite topics of UPSC CSE paper setters. These questions come every year, yet are not found in an easy to do manner in most books. I want to take 20 such high yielding topics and do 1 per day. I am hoping this will help me do 4-5 extra questions in the exam.
Let us do it together. We can make a list today and start doing them from tomorrow.
Main List
- Wildlife Sanctuaries, National Parks, Biosphere Reserves(Finished on Sep 6) - Use ForumIAS material (link for BR|link for NP & WLS) or create tables yourself(Link for Govt Database)
- Ramsar - Wetlands, Marine protected areas, Elephant Reserves and Tiger Reserves(Finished on Sep 7) - No compilation that I know of, make tables of imp areas only (link for Wetlands|link for Tiger Reserves | Link for Govt Database)
- Jainism and Buddhism + Sufi and Bhakti tradition(Finished on Sep 8 & 9) Use your previous notes and consolidate for quick revision (Link for Bhakti & Sufi tradition)
- Rivers - Origin, Tributaries, Deltas, Dams and Termination (+ Lakes - Ramsar/Montreux if time permits)Finished on Sep 10
- Pollutants Finished on Sep 11
- Indexes and authorities that release themFinished on Sep 12Forum IAS links -1,2,3,4|Shankar IAS Link
- Biodiversity (Species etc)Finished on Sep 13
- Tribes of IndiaFinished on Sep 13
- Schedules/Important Articles of the Constitution Finished on Sep 14
- Seas and water bodies in the world + countries surrounding them Finished on Sep 14
- Gandhian movementsFinished on Sep 15
- 1940-47 in Indian IndependenceFinished on Sep 16
- Trends in Indian economy (+ Nationalization of various sectors + Land reforms)Finished on Sep 17
- Acts and conventions in Environment + National Environment Bodies Finished on Sep 18
- International groupings that India is a part of + imp ones where India is not a member Finished on Sep 19
- Biotechnology Finished on Sep 19
- Wireless Communication + Diseases in news Finished on Sep 20
- WTO, UN, IMF and other important bodies Finished on Sep 20
- Control Groupings : MTCR, Australian Group, NSG, Wassenar and Associated topics like IAEA,NPT To do - Sep 21
- India's defence - Military exercises, weapons, fighter planes, submarines, stealth frigates, aircraft carriers + Satellite Missions/Space Missions To do - Sep 21
- Places in news + Conflict Zones + GI tags To do - Sep 22
- One liner type questions asking a particular pact or agreement signed between India and another country To do - Sep 22
- Finance Commission To do - Sep 22
Other Important Topics - No need of notes/Do from the book
- Parliament
- Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Fundamental Duties
- HC/SC
- Historical background of Indian Constitution
- Preamble
- Folk paintings, dance and music
Smaller topics which do not require much retention:
- Current account and Capital Account convertibility
- National Income - GDP, GVA, GNP etc etc.
Please comment below and then I will add them to the list.
I have a query. It's less about repeatedly asked questions and more about repeatedly framed options.
What is your line of thinking in multi-statement questions when you see options.
For example, if 3 statements are given. You do not know much about statement 3. And then you look at the options.
Option B/C/D have Statement 3 as correct. So are you more inclined to think it's correct?
In short, has anyone noticed patterns in option framing that could help in final day?
Two situations-
1.The three statements are related to the same topic- If I have no clue at all about C and I know the first two options well, my line of thought is the option has been deliberately framed to misguide me and hence, is wrong. It can't be that I know the two options well and do not have even the faintest clue about one.
2.The three statements are unrelated and each one is independent in its own right- It becomes a situational decision then. If I need more attempts and if there are 3 such questions, I exclude the C statement in each of them without applying any mind further. It's net positive usually. If I have already had enough attempts, I would not bother attempting them. I am not aspiring for Forest Service :)
Summarily put, I never mark that statement correct!
I am not endorsing this approach. Approaches may differ. This is just my opinion.
Two situations-
1.The three statements are related to the same topic- If I have no clue at all about C and I know the first two options well, my line of thought is the option has been deliberately framed to misguide me and hence, is wrong. It can't be that I know the two options well and do not have even the faintest clue about one.
2.The three statements are unrelated and each one is independent in its own right- It becomes a situational decision then. If I need more attempts and if there are 3 such questions, I exclude the C statement in each of them without applying any mind further. It's net positive usually. If I have already had enough attempts, I would not bother attempting them. I am not aspiring for Forest Service :)
Summarily put, I never mark that statement correct!
I am not endorsing this approach. Approaches may differ. This is just my opinion.
Nothing much i can add here. This is pretty much on point.
The third (or one of the options) is mostly designed deliberately in a manner to make it seem true. But it will actually help you arrive at the answer. Substantiating with the help of a couple of examples.
In this question,IARI and Punjab Universityare clear hints ki daal mein kuch kaala hai.
Iss question mein, three options have 2 and three options have 3. I have noticed, kahin na kahin this is a hint that you need to eliminate either 2 or 3 in order to arrive at the answer. 1,2,3 can never be the answer in such questions. Now, its upto you as to how calm you can stay and eliminate one of 2 or 3.
Lets face it, aise questions na kisi ka baap bhi predict nai kar sakta, hum log to bas mere mortals hain. But if UPSC is still giving such a question, it more often than not has in built fallacies that you must be able to recognize.
And like i had mentioned in another post of mine, these things are easy to analyze with the benefit of the hindsight. On the D day in the exam hall, our hands will be shivering and hearts will be pounding. Can we ,then, overcome those jitters and back ourselves nevertheless ? Well, All the best :)
can someone mention how many type of Ind type we have like IndARC, IndSAT ?
Don't know all... but here are two of them which I know IndAS & IndEA
IndAS is the set of Indian Accounting Standards fully converged with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) through an amendment to the Banking Regulation Act.
India Enterprise Architecture (IndEA) framework: IndEA has been notified as an e-Governance standard by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) - Digital India Programme
Dora-the_Explorer,bhaigareeb
Hey everyone, I have not been able to cover the Economic survey and budget (read vision initial pages at that time but could not make proper notes and hence no revision) and 2nd i have till now not read the August-September CA Magazines.
So stuck here, if any if you amazing people can advice me please on,
- Should I even try now? The thumb rule of picking up no new material breaks.
- If yes, then any specific sources for eco survey which is prelims oriented crisp?
- august-september ka kya karna hai?
Some more on my situation, in my last few tests I have scores on the edge of the considered cutoff. sometimes this side or that side. (Like Sim X-112) And i have observed my accuracy rates in easy questions, moderate questions, and tough ones is almost same. Just 4-5% worse in tough. Easy/moderate questions getting wrong, i conclude I need more revision here. So that's what confusion is .
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Micro,
This is quite comprehensive. But we certainly can add "one liner type questions asking a particular pact or agreement signed between and India and....."
BTIA has been asked twice.
Last year there was that Russia nuclear agreement.
This year we have
Forward looking agreement: south Korea India
Special strategic and global partnership: Japan India.
Industrial security annex agreement : USA india
So on and so forth...a compilation of all such one liners can be made✌️
BECA-USA,aUSTRLIA- MLSA
GaryVee,Some of the topics I can think of-->
Low profile saints.
Species IUCN status.
Low Profile freedom movement organisation
Technology specific against pollution/For renewable energy.
Agriculture questions (Cropping Patterns, Agri tech etc.)-- I have not covered this. If someone can suggest source for this that would be great too.
Will add if something strikes me.
Thanks,
to add-
Biotechnology
Genetic Engineering
Gandhian movements
Write your comment…
