hey@Neyawn i would be attempting my first attempt in 2025, doing a foundational course (at a different online institute) includes weekly (pre tests+ answer writting sessions) and a part of MGP+ cohort 10, started preparing in feb 2024 with college (currently in the final year) trying to finish the syllabus by jan end, and plan to attempt the 2024 mains as a full length test in the first (and second) weekend of feb 2025 and then attempt the pre 2024 full length (GS+CSAT). Haven't seen the papers, but glanced through them and seen the distribution of marks (for taking in stress in the subject promotional to marks), havent done in depth analysis to the themes or questions. Should i do them now as practise or keep them as FLTs in feb?
Some questions, IDK if this is the right place for them
What is the level of the entrance exam for SFG Level 1?
Is there any way I can access past entrance test papers for reference?
How much time should I set aside for SFG entrance prep?
Additionally, if I hope to join SFG starting December 7, and need to take out some time before that for entrance test prep, how do I utilise my time beginning now?
Thanks.
hii, where did you get the information for SFG 2025, i tried finding it but couldn't is there a different portal / site for it?
Few inputs from my end.
1. Whatever you are doing, do it well. Developing poor study ethics / habits in foundational year is what gets most people stuck in exam loop, or exhaust attempts. In short, try to excel academically. You need not be topping, but be robust with what you are doing. This is not going to be easy.
2. Focus on finishing your MGP tests. About 30% questions in the commission may have questions on which you may not be aware of all dimensions or even the major dimensions. Hitting them now, and geting demotivated is not going to help. Answer the PYQs which you can answer and note down the ones you cannnot, if at all.
3. Do not do any Mains prep in Feb, if you have not cleared Prelims before. Give prelims 5 months time. You will have people saying, I gave 5 months and cleared prelims, but my mains was not prepared, and its my 3rd attempt. What lesson you pick up from this line is important. The person is finding mains tough not because he gave 5 months to prelims, but because he didn't give mains the time it needed in the 3 years. This was easy to understand in the hindsight but sometimes difficult to fathome when seen from the windscreen.
Thankyou for the response, consider this as an accountability/seeking reform measure (post 12 days of progress)
Background - Final year student at IIT Delhi (B.Tech in Biotechnology), 8 months into the prep done with : -
Polity, Economy, Geography (World Map, Indian, Physical, Human), (Morden, World, PI) History.
Optional - Philosophy (about 60% done), test series starts from 13th Oct.
Enviorment 33% done - mostly pre centric mapping (national parks TR,BR etc.) (10/30)
Mains centric topics - governance (3/12), DM(3/7), Society and SJ (2/19), IR (2/21)
Topics Remaining
A&C, Ancient and Medivieal Hist, IS, and Ethics.
Done includes watching lectures, making notes for revision (and pre centric mapping in geo), weekly pre tests and daily Prelims - PYQs/Practise MCQs, and a few answers written (each)
- Using MGP as Revision and for reading the books (more on that in the problems section)
1) Goals and Tracking -
I try for
Bi weekly tests - on for Prelims (usually weds evening) and one for mains (sunday)
Prelims mock - only to identify the weak areas and write it on the notebook cover for better revision later.
about 2 lectures daily - one optional (philosophy) and one GS (about 5hrs a day - mostly watch the lectures in 2x/1.5x, but making notes, and sometimes thinking within the lectures consumes about the same time as of the duration)
Newspaper - a signature for consistency - have been following daily since June (after 4 months into the prep) and started with forum CA quiz recently (2-3 weeks)
Answer writing - did a DAW program with Sunya for GS2 in July, and started with MGP in August.
reading before sleep is for self - helps me sleep better. Spill over of targets is allowed (other than read before sleep)
i) a good/decent week - 
ii) a below average week due to college work (733/732 are course codes)
2) Ended up analysing the questions because came across some very oddly specific questions - (Cite four examples of NGOs, Briefly discuss any three such technologies, etc.) To better accommodate value addition from news papers such as : - 
The antimony example. (Have divided the keywords from the syllabus to collect unique points, form any source i get outside of course material.)
3) In the best case scenario - syllabus (watching lectures) gets over by jan 26 and attempting a full length mains test (most prolly the 2024 mains) in a time and place bound manner GS on 1st weekend (31 jan, 1 and 2 of Feb) and optional and compulsory language on (8th and 9th of Feb) and then shift to pre centric mindset (revise all the weak topics written on the notebook covers), start revising current affairs from the magzines, and daily pre tests, etc. (i am not sure what all is included but will try to do all that i can)
Problems Arising
Prep Related :-
1) Books - Haven't read any books from cover to cover (hoping to read a few topics (if not all) with MGP and pre centric books such as Laxmikant and Spectrum for revision before pre (Having trust on my teachers that they have taught me all the important stuff and the books are for revision and reference)
2) Mains PYQs - haven't exclusively alloted time to solve Mains PYQs rn (in the pre to mains period the plan is to only do PYQs, Tests, Value addition and Revision.)
3) Syllabus v/s Frequency of tests - Almost every week have to make a choice between completing the syllabus (lectures) or revise notes/ read a new topic to give MGP tests - mostly end up watching the lectures (because the are easy), and convince myself to give tests the next day with full energy.
Have attempted 3 HLTs till now (September was a college exam and assignments month thereby the tests have piled up)
HLT1 - 45.5/125 (rank 250/1500 ig) - couldn't give it in one go (did 5+3+3) had to look up notes for specific article numbers etc.
HLT2 - 42.5/125 (rank 600/1500 ig) - gave it in one go too 2hrs and 20 mins to complete.
HLT4 - yet to submit. (Also coudnt complete in one go had some new topics that i had to read up)
Prelims objective tests don't give me much sweat - can consistently score about 50-60% in revision tests and 70-80% in freshly read topics.
4) Current Affair magsines - not reading any now (relying solely on newspapers) plan to read them in pre prep period.
Strategic issues
1) Unplanned college interventions - Usually the reason for spillover of goals (MGP tests and pilling up of lectures which makes me watch lectures on sunday the dedicated day for Tests) (and 2nd)
2) Sleep routine - no consistent sleep routine - usually try to follow a biphasic (4am - 8am and 2pm-6pm) sleep routine (works good for the productivity) but somedays due to extra work the cycle keeps changing and it becomes tough to be accountable on what goals are achieved for which day.
any feedback/suggestions (any red or green flags) that you can spot or anything that i shall incorporate to omit out the unnecessary or prioritise doing (mostly between completing the syllabus v/s the frequency of tests)
any advice from the experienced peeps (not limited to) @Neyawn @tedmosby @GaneshGaitonde @Rashmirathi would be really helpful. Thanks in advance.
Arre IIT Delhi! We would have crossed paths ig. I was there in IITD library during the one week break between GS and Maths Opt during Mains 2024.
Anyways, what you have done is extremely good. Please feel free to personally message me, we can have a small gmeet session on this because I cannot type out everything here.
Ohh we would have definitely, the library is my second home
- typing this from the library (love this place).
Hello Bhai, the reason I took time to reply is I couldn't understand what your queries were exactly. Still, I will give my take
1. Not reading reference book : Why do you have so much trust on your teachers? Jab basic book se Q ayega, to teachers bolenge padhke jana tha. There is no alternative to basic books. If others are reading, you need to do that too. Throw your class notes for prelims in garbage, but not the basic books. Classes will only help you develop analytical abilities & familiarity. Uske beyond content absorption from basic books as per PYQ is your responsibility.
Also people prepare PYQ based notes. That's also your responsibility when you enter the prelims phase. In this prep, most things you'll have to do by yourself.
If you're thinking that Jee ki tarah teacher covers everything, you'll get a very rude shock soon as you enter prelims phase. You've the responsibility to analyse PYQs and see from where Q is being asked. I don't think many teachers in UPSC industry do that kind of work especially for Prelims. For Mains, they are usually thorough
2. You've addressed your Mains PYQ problem yourself. But my Q is, note making needs to be done right now. Okay? And your notes must be able to answer ALMOST all PYQs especially in Internal security, Disaster management . How do you plan to do that post prelims? Please make sure that is answered.
3. I didn't understand the Q or problem here
4. Theek hai, if you're planning to read them later. It's fine
Strategic
1. Can't do anything about college interventions. You'll have to work harder later when it's done or before
2. I am unable to understand the Q here. Please re write if you can?
hii, i apologise for the framing they were not like questions 1 2 3, they are mostly problems related to the things i am currently doing/not doing, they arise out of the routine that i follow.
2) was mostly based on the frequency of tests i should give right now ( as the foundation has not yet been completed the amount of lectures done for a particular subject are written above), and i mostly find myself struggling every week when its time to give the tests (especially writting MGP tests), the lectures (mostly optional and mains related topics keep piling up).
1) I plan to read the basic book but couldn't find the right fit for them in my current schedule, thereby plan to read them once the lectures are over i.e by jan 26 (afterwards only book reading, tests and value addition)
the question is only the last line, if theres something i should omit from the schedule, and accommodate something else/ and red flags etc.
i hope it is better framed now.
Few inputs from my end.
1. Whatever you are doing, do it well. Developing poor study ethics / habits in foundational year is what gets most people stuck in exam loop, or exhaust attempts. In short, try to excel academically. You need not be topping, but be robust with what you are doing. This is not going to be easy.
2. Focus on finishing your MGP tests. About 30% questions in the commission may have questions on which you may not be aware of all dimensions or even the major dimensions. Hitting them now, and geting demotivated is not going to help. Answer the PYQs which you can answer and note down the ones you cannnot, if at all.
3. Do not do any Mains prep in Feb, if you have not cleared Prelims before. Give prelims 5 months time. You will have people saying, I gave 5 months and cleared prelims, but my mains was not prepared, and its my 3rd attempt. What lesson you pick up from this line is important. The person is finding mains tough not because he gave 5 months to prelims, but because he didn't give mains the time it needed in the 3 years. This was easy to understand in the hindsight but sometimes difficult to fathome when seen from the windscreen.
Thankyou for the response, consider this as an accountability/seeking reform measure (post 12 days of progress)
Background - Final year student at IIT Delhi (B.Tech in Biotechnology), 8 months into the prep done with : -Polity, Economy, Geography (World Map, Indian, Physical, Human), (Morden, World, PI) History.
Optional - Philosophy (about 60% done), test series starts from 13th Oct.
Enviorment 33% done - mostly pre centric mapping (national parks TR,BR etc.) (10/30)
Mains centric topics - governance (3/12), DM(3/7), Society and SJ (2/19), IR (2/21)
Topics Remaining
A&C, Ancient and Medivieal Hist, IS, and Ethics.
Done includes watching lectures, making notes for revision (and pre centric mapping in geo), weekly pre tests and daily Prelims - PYQs/Practise MCQs, and a few answers written (each)
- Using MGP as Revision and for reading the books (more on that in the problems section)
1) Goals and Tracking -I try for
Bi weekly tests - on for Prelims (usually weds evening) and one for mains (sunday)
Prelims mock - only to identify the weak areas and write it on the notebook cover for better revision later.about 2 lectures daily - one optional (philosophy) and one GS (about 5hrs a day - mostly watch the lectures in 2x/1.5x, but making notes, and sometimes thinking within the lectures consumes about the same time as of the duration)
Newspaper - a signature for consistency - have been following daily since June (after 4 months into the prep) and started with forum CA quiz recently (2-3 weeks)
Answer writing - did a DAW program with Sunya for GS2 in July, and started with MGP in August.reading before sleep is for self - helps me sleep better. Spill over of targets is allowed (other than read before sleep)
i) a good/decent week -
ii) a below average week due to college work (733/732 are course codes)
2) Ended up analysing the questions because came across some very oddly specific questions - (Cite four examples of NGOs, Briefly discuss any three such technologies, etc.) To better accommodate value addition from news papers such as : -
The antimony example. (Have divided the keywords from the syllabus to collect unique points, form any source i get outside of course material.)
3) In the best case scenario - syllabus (watching lectures) gets over by jan 26 and attempting a full length mains test (most prolly the 2024 mains) in a time and place bound manner GS on 1st weekend (31 jan, 1 and 2 of Feb) and optional and compulsory language on (8th and 9th of Feb) and then shift to pre centric mindset (revise all the weak topics written on the notebook covers), start revising current affairs from the magzines, and daily pre tests, etc. (i am not sure what all is included but will try to do all that i can)
Problems ArisingPrep Related :-
1) Books - Haven't read any books from cover to cover (hoping to read a few topics (if not all) with MGP and pre centric books such as Laxmikant and Spectrum for revision before pre (Having trust on my teachers that they have taught me all the important stuff and the books are for revision and reference)
2) Mains PYQs - haven't exclusively alloted time to solve Mains PYQs rn (in the pre to mains period the plan is to only do PYQs, Tests, Value addition and Revision.)
3) Syllabus v/s Frequency of tests - Almost every week have to make a choice between completing the syllabus (lectures) or revise notes/ read a new topic to give MGP tests - mostly end up watching the lectures (because the are easy), and convince myself to give tests the next day with full energy.
Have attempted 3 HLTs till now (September was a college exam and assignments month thereby the tests have piled up)
HLT1 - 45.5/125 (rank 250/1500 ig) - couldn't give it in one go (did 5+3+3) had to look up notes for specific article numbers etc.
HLT2 - 42.5/125 (rank 600/1500 ig) - gave it in one go too 2hrs and 20 mins to complete.
HLT4 - yet to submit. (Also coudnt complete in one go had some new topics that i had to read up)
Prelims objective tests don't give me much sweat - can consistently score about 50-60% in revision tests and 70-80% in freshly read topics.
4) Current Affair magsines - not reading any now (relying solely on newspapers) plan to read them in pre prep period.
Strategic issues
1) Unplanned college interventions - Usually the reason for spillover of goals (MGP tests and pilling up of lectures which makes me watch lectures on sunday the dedicated day for Tests) (and 2nd)
2) Sleep routine - no consistent sleep routine - usually try to follow a biphasic (4am - 8am and 2pm-6pm) sleep routine (works good for the productivity) but somedays due to extra work the cycle keeps changing and it becomes tough to be accountable on what goals are achieved for which day.
any feedback/suggestions (any red or green flags) that you can spot or anything that i shall incorporate to omit out the unnecessary or prioritise doing (mostly between completing the syllabus v/s the frequency of tests)
any advice from the experienced peeps (not limited to) @Neyawn @tedmosby @GaneshGaitonde @Rashmirathi would be really helpful. Thanks in advance.
You are sorted. There will be a struggle, but that will make you. It is supposed to be that way. A bit chaotic.
Thanks.
Update -
Modified the goals list
- Added 10 PYQs daily - atleast brainstorming and theme sorting thanks to@tedmosby for directing how to
- Starting next week - 3 tests (1 Optional 1 MGP 1 Prelims - mock) (not considring them as evaluation but a part of learing process - better way to revise (active recall)
Priority remains syllabus completion, but need to get out of comfort zone and test the limit(s) , thanks@GaneshGaitonde @Neyawn @Rashmirathi
