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.
@exman there is a part on international agreements in Rau’s Compass for international relationsThank you .. There is a table, but is that comprehensive ?
Not sure about comprehensiveness :/ I couldn’t find a proper list of India’s agreements this year from an official source either
Perhaps not the right place but I'll try, anyone has a map of the elephant reserves in India?
I couldn't find on online and considering the addition to CMS this year it seems we should do those as well.
Let me know if someone has it. Thanks
Found this in this report from 2017. Guess it’s the best we can get.
Perhaps not the right place but I'll try, anyone has a map of the elephant reserves in India?
I couldn't find on online and considering the addition to CMS this year it seems we should do those as well.
Let me know if someone has it. Thanks
Found this in this report from 2017. Guess it’s the best we can get.
Thank you. This is good enough!
whatonly,
@thistooshallpass Which GS Score Fact File are you referring for Wildlife Sanctuaries and National parks ? I could find only one on Biosphere Reserves and Hotspots.
Can you please share the link. Thank you.
HarveySpectre,
GaryVee,cot_ainok
Faceless_Man,
@thistooshallpass Which GS Score Fact File are you referring for Wildlife Sanctuaries and National parks ? I could find only one on Biosphere Reserves and Hotspots.
Can you please share the link. Thank you.
No such file exists for WLS and NP. I am only referring for Biosphere Reserves. For WLS and NP, I am doing the ones in news i.e. the ones in prelims compilations.
cot_ainok,Great thread!Adding some more to it (Some of the topics shared above might overlap, but quite helpful).
Great list. Thank you for sharing. Will update the above list.
cot_ainoksaid
Not a table for Ramsar but, I use this map. Probably, most of you have it but still putting it out there again. The 10 New Ramsar sites not added in this.
Don.t forget to add the newly added sites in your revision. The Map is an old one and doesn.t show the recent additions.
Yes, necessary. I have added them below this map in my notes. Newly added sites are equally or rather more important.
cot_ainok,Schemes too. Though it’s a massive task to go through them all, PYQs are mostly limited to the ministry concerned and the aims, and outstanding features if any.Schemes are very difficult. What are you using to do schemes?
PT365. Going through it now and focusing only on the aims and ministry. Tedious but don’t want to risk skipping it after looking the 2016 and 2017 papers.
thistooshallpass,
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