Topper’s Talk | Aakash Garg | AIR 5 | UPSC CSE 2024

If you are able to reproduce your ideas on the question, then it won't matter. If you did it in schematics or did anything, but keep the minimum schematics. Keep a few diagrams and keep your handwriting neat, because don't make it difficult for the examiner so that he is not able to read your answer copy. So please don't frustrate him, I would definitely say that too. I would say that linking isn't everything, but you also have to be subject-specific. Keep your sources very limited and revise as much as you can. If you diversify your sources, you won't have time to revise. So keep your sources limited and revise them as much as possible. At the very top, if you are starting anything, definitely keep reading PYQs. Go as far back as you can. There is no issue with that. PYQs are a must. So if you can add your perspective from anywhere, that I believe these are one or two things that are behind this issue. That will add value to your answers. So again, I would say that don't always go for thinkers. One to three thinkers that you can remember on that day. That will suffice. [Music] So today we have Mr. Akash Garg, Rank 5, UPSC CSE 2024. Right, Akash belongs to Delhi. He has been raised up in Delhi and he has done his entire schooling and graduation as well from Delhi. He did his Bachelors in Computer Science Engineering from IP University. Post which he started preparing for UPSC. His optional has been Sociology. This was his second attempt and in this attempt, he got marks. Right, so a very good marks. Can we please have an applause for that? Right. Okay. Of the 32, he scored 831 in Mains and 2001 in Interview. A huge round of applause for Mr. [Applause] So we have him here. We will discuss the whole preparation and his journey in detail. Right? And from you students, we will also take your doubts. Whatever doubt you have for him, you can ask. So we will go segment by segment and if you have doubts related to Prelims, Mains or something like that, you can raise your hands and we will bring the mic to you and you can ask your doubt then. Okay? So shall we start? Yes sir. Yes, sir. Okay. So before we start? When you saw your name in the PDF, how did you feel? Holy PDF. Holy PDF. What was the moment? What was going on in your mind before you saw the result and what was the first reaction that came out of you when you saw your name in that PDF? Sir, initially I was thinking that I somehow get stuck in the list today, that was the main thing. But my PDF was not opening, the website was down. So I got a call. They were saying that your roll number ends with. I was like, sure. They were saying your AIR 5 has come. First, I thought they were joking. Then later my PDF opened. I said, yes, it has come. After that, I didn't understand anything. At home, only my mother was there. I spoke to her. She was very happy. Then it took two-three minutes to understand what happened. First, I understood that. And then slowly calls started coming. Then with friends, I spoke to two-three of my friends. We were preparing together. Then it slowly started to sink in that yes, it has happened. The name is in the list and the rank is also very good. I never expected such a good rank, that a single-digit rank would come. So that was one of the biggest shocks for me, that something has happened. But well deserved. So like when did you start about like when did you think about the first time that okay, I will have to go for civil service now? So when that thought came in your mind? Sir, usually towards the end of my graduation. So I was going for campus placement. So I had good offers. But mostly my father used to say that give it a chance at least once. So that was one of the motivating factors that first I thought about giving civil services and then eventually when I started studying, the interest started developing. So then I thought that I can pursue it and I was very clear in my mind that if I was not able to make it to the list this year, then 2025 attempt would be my last attempt. So I had very much clarity in my mind that I will give this much time and then I will move on. So that was one of the major motivations that I had, my parents, my family, and once I got into the preparation, then slowly everything started to build up. So that became the motivation for preparation. Yes sir. Akash, I want to ask something here. Like we were talking about a lot of your graduation was during COVID. Do you think you had a little bit more time to think about other things? What do you think that is something which helped? Yes ma'am, almost two years of my graduation were in the COVID years only. So at that time, there was nothing else to do. So I had some of my colleagues who were preparing for civil services at that time also. So I was in contact with them. So one of them showed me Laxmikant once. So I said, man, what are you reading all day? So then slowly, I also read, and I had been reading Sociology a bit before, so I had a background in it. So that was also a factor. I would say that during the COVID-19 time, when you have mind space, you can explore what you want to do now. And you get to do new things. So that was also a factor. Yes ma'am, I think this is one thing which is very interesting. I have been talking to him for quite some time now in the faculty room also, and he said that there was nothing else to do, so he studied. There was nothing else to do, so he studied. Also, he said that there was nothing else, so he studied. I think this is something so amazing. We actually feel that, you know, studying should be the last thing for anybody who's wasting time. But he's like willingly saying, there was nothing, so he studied. That's amazing. You deserve to be Rank 5. Thank you ma'am. Thank you. And like, so once you thought about, okay, I need to prepare for civil services. So and this is your second attempt, right? So broadly, two to three years you have given to it. So like trailers to the journey, like what did you do in your first year and what were the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? Sir, mostly from July 2022, I started the preparation full-fledged. So first, the foundation batch ran for approximately 15 months. So the foundation itself continued. So till February 2024, I was taking classes, optional, and everything. Then after that, I had only two to three months. Then the Prelims time came. So mostly at that time, I was Prelims focused. But at that time, when the foundation was running, along with that, tests were regular. So from that, there was confidence building up slowly that the preparation is going well. I was getting good enough marks and there was so much confidence and a peer group too, we all studied together. So slowly, it happened and then Prelims cleared. For Mains, actually, I was not very well prepared, if I say so. My optional was clear. I had read the subjects, the Mains-specific subjects, once each. But I had not done that much answer writing practice, or I had not revised that much that I was completely ready for Mains. So those 3 months, when the Prelims result came, I studied with a lot of focus at that time because I was not very well prepared for Mains. Then in the gap of two to three months, I didn't do anything until I gave Mains and until the Mains result came. Very little studying happened during that time. It's usually like that. And then when the Mains result came, then it was about preparing for the interview. And fortunately, my interview was also very late. My interview was on April 3rd. So I had enough time to prepare for my interview as well. So it went like that, broadly, I would say these were the phases of preparation. Okay, I want to simplify this whole thing one more time for you. Before your first attempt, how many months were you into formal preparation? Ma'am, about seven to eight months. Seven to eight months. But you thought that, okay, then in that, you must have not studied everything also, right, by that time. Okay. So that was then an expected result for you. After that, then you were like that you gave the Prelims and I think after that you must have started your formal preparation into everything, right? Yes ma'am. And then one year Prelims, Mains. So and then yes, finally Interview. Okay. So like those who prepare and those who also join, you know, coaching centers, they have this issue of too many classes, too much content. How to manage? How to manage time? The most important question and which I think a lot of students have in their mind is how should they manage their time? Sir, I have always been a morning person. So I wanted to finish my outside work, whatever I had to go out of the house for, anything, as quickly as possible. My batch was also at 8:00 AM. So from 8:00 to 10:30, 11:00, my classes would be there. So after that, I used to be free for two hours. Then I had my optional class. So during the time when optional classes were running, I had very little time for self-study. So my main goal at that time was just to attend the class. I used to read the newspaper daily. Almost after a month, it became my habit that my day would start with the newspaper. So I must read the newspaper. I must attend the class. And I must revise the class once. So these three things were my daily schedule when my classes were running. And when the classes finished, then I changed my schedule a bit. In the morning, I would divide my day. And I am the kind of person who studies. I used to study from the morning, and by evening, I would leave everything, thinking that today's work is done. I had my daily targets, that today I have to do this, this, this. This much newspaper I have to cover. This much static portion. This current affairs to read. All this is done. And as soon as it finished, at 4, 5, 6:00 PM, whenever, after that, I would do nothing. So it's not that I kept studying the whole day and did nothing else. I didn't meet anyone. That was not at all the case with me. That was not feasible for me either. I couldn't do it. I would burn out very quickly. So the thing is, to manage time, you have to be consistent. If you study for two days and then disappear for two days, saying I didn't do anything, then the backlog of those two days will pile up. And then you will also have to cover the two days that you were supposed to study. So slowly, slowly, it becomes so burdensome that it feels better to give up and say, let's give the next attempt, this one won't work. This happened to me once. I took a weekly holiday, and a huge pile-up for the whole week occurred, and it took 15 days to finish it. So if you are consistent, then time management starts happening on its own. Then, in the initial phases, it's important that you don't let it pile up. Yes, definitely. If you are taking classes and if you are following current affairs, then please, don't let it pile up. At least, my thing was that I would attend the minimum classes, because it's a 2.5-hour class. If you even watch it at 1.5x or 2x, it will still take time. It will take a good 3-4 hours. And you also have to consider that you have a regular 5-hour class daily. So that's 9 hours just like that. If you miss even for one day. So that is one of the things, don't let it pile up. If you feel that you are preparing daily, then it will happen on its own. When your classes are over, you will be in a very good position that I have studied all this. I just have to revise it. Actually, yes, this is something I think everybody needs to learn, and we always talk about this in the classes also, that there should be a minimum target for sure, that yes, this is what I must do. Right? The problem with a lot of aspirants, especially in the beginning, is they set very ambitious targets, that I have to do this, I have to do that. Right? But he has pointed this out so well that you do the class you are taking, revise that, and the newspaper. So Akash, I want you to tell a little bit more about the newspaper. A lot of people keep coming with these questions. Should I read the newspaper or not? Should I watch videos, read these notes? Right? So, what do you think about the newspaper? Ma'am, initially, when I used to read the newspaper, it used to take me a lot of time, almost two hours, just to read the newspaper. So towards the end, what happened was that what I have noticed is that themes start repeating after a particular point of time. When you are in preparation for a long time, then nothing feels alien. Some new government always does something. There will be new current affairs. But if your fundamentals are strong, then you can easily grasp them. So at one point, it happened with me that I was able to complete The Indian Express in 45 minutes to one hour. And my main focus remained that I also followed magazines. So from the newspaper, my main focus was always on the editorials. Because what we get in magazines, I believe, is very precise content. And editorials help you in thought formation. Because editorials come with both positive and negative aspects of an issue. If you go regularly, if I am on any topic, it shows both sides. Somebody is in favor, somebody is against. And that helps a lot in Mains. Because you have to provide a balanced perspective in Mains answers. So I used to follow the newspaper. And towards the end, when I was preparing for the interview, then I used to read three newspapers daily. Because at that time, your opinion should be very strong if you have to answer towards a board. At that time, I used to use ChatGPT very well. What I used to do, I would use the snipping tool. I used to cut that article. I would feed it to ChatGPT and write "summarize". And it would give me four points from it. So that was one of the best things. I think I should have started doing this earlier. So if you also want to do it, then that is a very good, very good way to save time. Tell us, which three newspapers you are reading? Indian Express, The Hindu, and that Livemint, but only in my interview prep, that too for one to 1.5 months. Otherwise, I used to follow only one newspaper. Indian Express was my go-to. Okay. And and for that also, you are saying editorials because that whole idea of opinion building that can help. Right? Okay. We can talk specifically about the preparation now, right? So, uh, there is this idea that you do an integrated preparation, Prelims, Mains, Interview, all at once, and then individually. So, how did you go about that whole thing? Mostly, I think that preparation is integrated. For Prelims and Mains, definitely, your subjects are History, Economy, and History, Economy, Science and Tech, Environment, Polity. When you are studying them for Prelims, you have to be a bit fact-specific. And when you are studying for Mains, you have to be a bit issue-specific. So what I used to do was, I did not segregate at all in the beginning. I used to have an integrated preparation. For the interview, I prepared only in my interview phase. I did not do it at all at that time. So for Prelims and Mains, my study was integrated. Especially for the subjects that are common. The six subjects, our basic subjects, they are all there. And other than that, when Mains comes, I mean, what I used to do was, I had read all the Mains subjects once. I had my notes prepared and I had taken my classes and everything. So I did not focus much on them. And after February, I was completely Prelims focused. At that time, I wouldn't write any answers, nothing. I would just solve question papers. I would study only Prelims-specific. And then as the exam approached, as Prelims cleared, then you have to be Mains-specific. So for that, what if your notes are ready beforehand, if you have studied it once, then it won't feel alien. And if it doesn't feel alien, then the 3-month time, I believe, is sufficient that you can easily go for your Mains preparation with good answer writing also. Okay. So three months for Prelims preparation, that also means that everything for Mains, including your optional, that has to be completed before February. Right? Yes ma'am. I believe that should be the case, that at least you have studied it once. You are familiar with the issues, what you need to study. What UPSC is asking in this. Because if you get stuck in the cycle, that after Prelims, I'm thinking of studying Ethics, I'm thinking of studying Optional. And these other subjects, the Mains-specific subjects like Internal Security, Disaster, etc., that won't be possible in 3 months. So this is a big misconception that first focus on Prelims and then study for Mains. Because Optional, I believe, is the game-changer in this exam. Because GS knowledge, after a point, will be the same for everyone. Because if you are clearing Prelims, then you have sufficient enough knowledge of GS. So Essays and Optional are two things where you can make the difference. So if you prepare them beforehand, before going into Prelims, then definitely you will have an edge. And I like you pointed out about using ChatGPT for interview, right? And like this is one thing which I will tell that he is from a Computer Science background. So this is a two-part question. One, what was this journey from a technical background to civil service? So like, how did that add or hamper your journey and how did you use tech in your?

Preparation? Like because it adds rights, it helps. So like, please tell the students like the journey as well as how it added.

The journey was the same, sir. It was the time of COVID-19, and there was nothing to do. So, it was a time to explore something. And other than that, I was in touch with many people, and it's not like only those with science or arts backgrounds can give the UPSC exam. Many people from a science background have also done it. And after a point, I was not inclined to sit for campus placements, and then I was in that loop that I would definitely try at least once. So, that was my main major motivation, and regarding the use of tech. I used a lot of technology in my preparation. Like, initially, once I had made my handwritten notes, I did everything digitally. All my current affairs notes were digital. All my summaries were digital. I used to read the newspaper online and highlight in it. I used to read on tablets. Like, I felt that if I studied by writing, my time was wasted a lot. So, perhaps this might not be true for everyone because many people feel that if I write, I remember. I also remember, and it also stays with me by writing. But for me, it was that I should finish quickly so that I can focus on some other things. So, I used technology a lot. I used to make notes on Evernote; many are made. Perhaps they haven't even been read. So many are made, so everything is there.

Now, we can take some questions if you have any questions for him related to time management or in general preparation. If you are like, want to have you at the last, well, there will be many aspirants from a technical background among you. If I ask you, how many of you are engineers? See, they are always there in a big class. So, like, please raise your hand if you want to ask a question? Yes. Please tell your name too. Uh, sure. Hello, sir. Aditya here. I just want to ask two questions. First is that how much is it important to take optional coaching? Uh, space. Uh, officially, if it is different from your graduation subject, like mine was Maths, I want to take Anthropology. First is that, yeah, my background also came. Sociology is my optional subject, and Computer Science. I never studied Sociology in depth. So, I would say if you have somebody to guide you, not complete coaching. If you want to go for complete coaching, then definitely, I think coaching saves your time in many places where you do self-study because we don't have guidance. But I would not say that it is 100% compulsory. If you can get good guidance. If you have friends, or I would say that nowadays, there are so many Telegram channels where people who have cleared the exam before are providing very good guidance to everybody, irrespective of whether you are preparing online or offline or anything. So, wherever you can get guidance, that is good. And if you want to change your optional, like from a technical background to a humanities subject, that is also possible. So, if you feel comfortable that I can manage coaching, I have enough time because the time for optional is also a bit long. It will take about five-six months to complete your coaching only. And it's not that after coaching, your subject is prepared. After that, you will have to give equal time for self-study. You will have to give equal time for answer writing for your optional. So, manage your time. If you feel that without coaching, I can finish it a bit faster. I can be able to understand. Like, I have people with whom I can talk about where I am stuck in this subject, or how should I approach this topic? Then you can definitely go without coaching. And if you are comfortable that I need good guidance, I need continuous guidance, then you can definitely do coaching too. There is no single answer to this question, sir. It is person-specific, I would say. Thank you, sir. My second question was that, as we know that now UPSC is asking about hobbies more than once in DAF as well, before that? So, how much does it impact in interviews? Uh, to write hobbies, like I do more than one hobby, two or three? Does it impact in DAF as well as before that? So, look, for the interview, I would say 80% of your interview is always DAF-oriented. Your home state, your graduation, and what you write in hobbies, that gives a talking point to the board. If you mention your hobbies, like I only mentioned two hobbies. Because you have to prepare them very well. Like, it should not be that you write a hobby and you do not do it. Because the people who are taking your interview are very experienced. They will catch you if you are lying or if you are not being honest with them. So, please be honest with yourself. I have seen many people who leave the hobby section completely blank. So, what they ask only is that why don't you have any hobby? And there is a very easy answer to this: hobbies take time. So, not everyone has the time to pursue a hobby regularly. So, don't think about whether you have two-three hobbies or none. If you have one, if you are genuinely interested, then definitely write it. The board will get a talking point. You can talk to them, and the more you engage with them, especially in the interview, because in the interview, they are not there to test your knowledge. Your knowledge has been tested. You have cleared Prelims. You have cleared Mains. You are already very good if you are reaching that room. So, there, you have to show that I am not just intelligent, but I am someone who can talk. I have an opinion, and what I used to do. So, you have to keep that in focus. Not having a hobby is completely normal. Don't worry about it at all.

Sir, if we are having a hobby, we are preparing, but we are just like arm wrestling as well as in running, we are having a medal. But we have not played it at the state or national level. So, can we write that without any proof, just like we have any medal in that? If you have definitely, if you have seen it properly, there are two sections in it. Sports is a separate section. If you have achieved any distinction in sports at the district, national, or state level. If you have a medal, very good. But if your hobby is just that you run daily or you jog, then there is also a last section, section 74, you write it there, no issue. It's not necessary that you have a medal or you have achieved something in it. Hobby is like something that you do to enjoy or you do to take a break. So, it is not at all necessary that I have achieved something in it or anything like that.

Akash here. I also are you done? You can see down. Yeah, thank you. I want to like take this further. Like, tell us about your schooling and your college in terms of extracurricular activities or how that whole childhood of yours has been? And because, you know, a lot of us, we also come with this idea that people who get selected, who sit on these chairs, they have exceptional backgrounds, academic as well as extracurricular, right from their school days. So, tell us about how that has been for you? And how important you think that is?

Ma'am, I don't think it's important that you have to be academically very strong throughout your life. Like, I was good enough in studies, like in school and even in my college. Like, I had good enough marks in my graduation and 10th and 12th marks. But it wasn't like that. In school, I used to study very little. I was the kind of person who would study the day before the exam and go to give the exam. So, I have done that too. And in graduation, I used to do the same. Mostly, I would study two days before and give the exam. So, at that time, I was not serious at all. So, don't have this misconception at all that only academically bright people can clear this exam. So, if, like, UPSC has a very different format. I would say they don't ask about rote learning. There, they will actually force you to think, how to get the answer to a particular question. Whether it is Prelims, whether it is Mains, and in the interview, they will definitely ask about your opinions only. So, it's not like you have to be academically very strong to pursue this exam, not at all.

What about your other activities, extracurricular interests, ma'am? I watch movies and web series a lot. Like, mostly if I have time, I am watching Netflix, something or the other. And other than that, I am interested in racing. I follow it a lot. And usually, I go for a walk or walking or jogging in the evening. I put on music on headphones, and I'm out. Like, it happens.

So, let's now move on to Prelims. Okay, so what was your approach towards Prelims specifically, the last two-three months? So, how did you approach it, and what do you think worked for you? Because you are good with Prelims, as we were talking, right? So, it will be very helpful if you can guide students about it?

First of all, before giving Prelims, please clear your fundamentals. Your static subjects, the six subjects: Polity, Economy, Geography, and History, Science and Tech, and Environment. Their fundamentals, your basics, what you are taught in classes, foundation classes, that should be very strong. We saw the 2024 paper. It was very much static-oriented. They didn't ask anything very out of the blue in that exam. And current affairs, like, if you are following current affairs throughout the year, you will have a good enough idea of what is important and what is not important for the exam. Whether it is your magazines or interviews or newspapers, that won't matter to you. And towards the end, if I talk about my preparation in the last two-three months, I used to give a lot of tests. Like, I used to solve one test paper daily, and the marks of the test paper were not that much in my focus. What I used to focus on was if I am making any silly mistakes. Like, many times I have done this, the question asks, "Which of the following are not correct?" I mark the correct statement, and I think I will get two marks here. There, it became -2.67, in a way. So, when you give tests, that helps you build your caliber so that when I go to give the exam on that day, how should I solve the question paper? Because I had solved 60-70 question papers before my Prelims. So, when that paper comes in front of you, you feel like it is just another paper. There is nothing very out of the blue in it. So, that will help you. And when you solve papers, your intuition also starts developing that this option is correct or not. Because many times, especially for Science and Tech or Environment questions, UPSC sometimes gives very extreme statements. So, if you are good enough with that, you will understand that this statement is wrong, and if you are able to eliminate two statements properly, if you can eliminate them well, then the probability of your answer being correct increases a lot. So, and CSAT, definitely, I would say in the last one or two months, personally, I didn't take CSAT very seriously. My Maths has always been a bit strong, and reading comprehension. I used to give tests for CSAT only. I haven't studied much for CSAT. But time management is very important in CSAT. Find your strong point, and there are 80 questions. You don't have to do 80 questions. Pick 50 questions, pick 45 questions. You have to get only 27 questions overall correct. So, 30 questions are correct. Nine questions are wrong. Even then, your CSAT will clear. So, don't think that you have to attempt all 80 questions or you have to know everything. You have to know Maths, Permutation, and Reading Comprehension. Take your strong point. Solve its questions well. And CSAT will be done. But if you are weak, if you feel that CSAT is your weak point, then I would say give at least one to one and a half hours two-three months before Prelims. Because once you get into a flow, CSAT will also start feeling easy. And you talked about like you gave a lot of tests. So, when that paper comes, it's just another paper. Like, and you are also part of the Vision Abhyas initiative. So, how did it help in that?

Sir, I gave all three Abhyas in 2023. When I was giving the paper, it was the same for me: my marks were not good even in Abhyas. But for me, it was that I would get an exposure because it is fully simulated, 9:30 to 11:30 and 2:30 to 4:30. So, it also includes what you are doing during the break, which is very important. And other than that, I also gave the paper on the 6th of January 2024. It's not like I was very confident that my paper would clear and I wouldn't have to give Prelims again. So, always, it will help you to build your mindset, your mental space, that yes, this is how I have to engage in the exam. So, that will definitely help you. Give Abhyas, or there are many open tests. You can go anywhere. That will definitely help you on the day of your exam. And like he had his interview on the 3rd of April, and he gave Abhyas on the 6th of April. Yes, sir. That was great. And one more thing, like I would add for Prelims is like a lot. As you said, like you read newspapers regularly. No, but other than that, what were the factors or what did you refer to for current affairs for Prelims? Like, or specific things?

Newspaper, sir. I used to make notes from the newspaper. I had pointers specific to Prelims: if something new happened in defense, if there is something new, or in history, if there is something new. Like, if we look at last year's current affairs, history, art, and culture, they were very direct. Like, two World Heritage Sites came, which ones came? Which one was added to intangible heritage? Which one was added? So, these questions were like a breeze. If you had read them once, these questions could not have been wrong at that time. So, that definitely helped. And I followed the PT 365 compilation completely. And I read this year's as well as last year's. Especially subjects like Science and Tech, Environment. These things are not covered extensively in newspapers. Newspapers cover economy, polity, and all that better. But Science and Tech, Environment, and sometimes some miscellaneous topics that are missed in newspapers because they have to cover a lot of things. So, here, any compilation that you are comfortable with. I was comfortable with PT 365. If you are comfortable with any compilation, then you can go through it once. So, that will help you a lot. That's actually very comprehensive. I am sure it will be helping aspirants. Let's go. Move on to the Mains part. Now, we can take questions related to Prelims if anybody has Prelims-related questions. And like, I will request you to ask related to that segment only. If you have other doubts, we will take them on later with other segments. And then, like, he is here for you. You can ask as many questions as you all.

Alright, good afternoon, sir. Firstly, I would like to congratulate you for this huge achievement of securing Rank 5. And sir, my question is regarding the preparation strategy. We can take forward this in terms of Prelims only. Like, I have heard many people saying that start your preparation with PYQs, always refer to the syllabus. So, I just want to ask you that how should we connect? How should we maintain the connectivity between the PYQs, syllabus, and the main content of the concepts?

That I missed also. Like, I would say that PYQs give you insight into what UPSC is actually asking. You read a topic, but you won't understand what is important in this topic until you read the PYQs thoroughly once. So, PYQs are definitely, like, they are your Bible in a way. If you read them thoroughly once, you will get an insight into what UPSC actually wants you to read. So, definitely follow PYQs. And if you look at PYQs, they are not only about directly asking a topic. They are very linked. If a topic came from current affairs, they won't ask it directly. They will link it with your static subject. Like, last year, there was a question on the Ethics Committee. So, everyone knew that a question on the Ethics Committee could come because it was in the news. So, they didn't ask what the entire procedure is. They asked a very static question: this is a parliamentary committee, how does it work? What are its jurisdictions? They asked about that. So, PYQs help you in linking your current affairs and your static. So, you can see that very well. Like, you should definitely solve PYQs. I solved all PYQs after 2011, ten days before my main exam. And also, it's not just about reading the question in PYQs. Sometimes what happens is UPSC repeats a question. Like, this time, the question on Article 21's right to privacy was directly repeated. And also, even study the options that UPSC gives. Like, there was a question on species, maybe this time on wildlife in 2024. If you go through previous year questions, those species have been mentioned at some point in one of their question papers. So, if you read that too, your question there will also be correct. So, PYQs, like, they are, like, at the top, if you are starting anything, keep reading PYQs. Go as far back as you can. There is no issue with that. PYQs are definitely a must.

Thank you so much, sir. What's your name? Myself Shreya Jain. Okay. So, Shreya also asked.

Regarding this syllabus. I think the role of the syllabus is a bit less in Prelims. It will make more sense for Mains. So please talk about the syllabus also. In Prelims, you will know that it's a small subject of six lines in the syllabus. There is nothing defined in the syllabus. But in Mains, the syllabus will definitely help you. Meaning, in Mains, they have explained it to a certain extent, especially for some subjects like Ethics, they have explained it very well. At the end, they have given case studies. But above that, for all the topics, they have very well explained what you need to study. Similarly for Internal Security or your Economy subjects. Agriculture too. In Mains, subjects directly come on these. Irrigation came directly. Cropping pattern questions came directly. Food processing industry questions came directly. So all these are well mentioned in the syllabus. So definitely keep the syllabus in front of you and link it with the syllabus to see where you can link this topic. For example, the impeachment of the South Korean President is happening. So, in our Paper 2, there is a topic: "Comparison of Indian Constitutional Schemes with that of Other Countries." So here, if you make a comparison, the syllabus will explain to you what you need to study. That is very important. We can take more questions for Prelims if there is, or last. Hello sir. Sir, how many hours did you used to give in the analysis of Prelims mocks? Like you solved around 60-70 and analysis sometimes takes 3-4 hours also and solving is two hours. So six-seven hours are done for the day. And what should be the strategy for the next 30 days as we have to revise the static also and if we analyze the previous year questions in depth, then that will also take a considerable amount of time. So can you answer both these questions?

Well, I would say that if you have not solved PYQs, then your priority should be PYQs. Mock tests will come later. PYQs are your first priority at this point of time if you are writing Prelims next month. And the second part, how I used to do analysis? You don't have to go to the explanation word by word. If you are getting any question correct, then mostly I would say, don't read its explanation. Because if you are going to get a question wrong, you will get it wrong in the next test and you will know that here is my gap. So focus on your gaps. And with me, it used to happen that I knew my strengths and weaknesses. For example, in Ancient, Medieval, and Art and Culture, I was always weak, especially for my Prelims stage. Because there are a lot of facts and usually my questions used to be wrong. So I didn't use much of my energy there. I kept it very targeted. And as I said earlier, you don't have to read the entire explanation. First of all, you have to see where you made a mistake. It's not about reading the 30-page or 40-page explanation word by word. See where you made a mistake. This question perhaps I could have gotten right, and this question I got wrong. And in Prelims, it's all about a game of 10-15 questions. Everybody will be solving 30-35 questions. You have to get those 10-15 questions more right, and you will be through the Prelims stage. So focus on that. Keep it targeted, and I won't say that you spend three-four hours just analyzing the paper. One-one and a half hours will be enough. Look at your weaknesses, and then it will be done. And please keep revising your static, that is very important because you cannot say that the question will come from this paper. But if your static is strong, then you will be able to apply it there as well.

Sir, and in how many rounds did you used to solve the final exam of Prelims? Usually, I used to have two rounds. In the first round, the questions that I knew 100% were solved. I would also mark them in my OMR. And in the second round, there were those questions that were 50-50, where I had eliminated two options. Now I have to see which of these two options is correct. So that was it. And if I had time left, then if there was a very difficult question or if I felt that I would have to think more, like if a very application-oriented question came, then I would do that in the third attempt. But my target was to solve at least 80 to 90 questions. Okay, in the first round, like around 80 questions? No, no, not first, overall totally. Personal. Okay. Yes sir, thank you.

Ah, tell them about the first round too. Yeah, in the first round, you will get about 30-40 questions only at maximum. Meaning, this will be the same for everyone because in that question paper, everyone has only 30-40 questions that they know well. The remaining 60 questions are new for everyone, and you have to solve them by applying your mind there. So don't think at all that if four questions are not happening in a row, then that paper is the same for everyone. And if your preparation is good, then assume that I am not able to do five. If my preparation is a little less, then the person ahead of me might not be able to do three. So don't get demotivated at all at that time. Because maintaining your composure in the exam is also very important, as you only have two hours there, and nothing else. Okay sir. Thank you.

So let's talk about the Mains exam. So Mains is very extensive, with too many things to be covered. And the special thing is you have to write answers. So tell us about, first, the Mains-specific subjects which you did not study in Prelims, and the part where answer writing is involved.

As I said, for Mains-specific subjects, you should at least read them once before your Prelims, and for Optional, I myself had read my Optional twice before my Prelims. I didn't do much answer writing, but I had read it thoroughly. And the Mains-specific subjects won't take much of your time if you want to start. Internal Security, Disaster Management, these are, I would say, comparatively smaller subjects as compared to Economy, Polity, etc., where you have to study everything extensively. So read it once, and at least practice writing 10-15 questions if you can. Just practice PYQs. If you want to practice new questions, that will also help you a lot. So for Mains, my main point was that you should at least be ready once before Prelims, especially with your Optional and especially with Ethics. Because these two papers are big, and here is where your gap will be. That is definite, absolutely. And the second thing, answer writing. The thing I want to ask is, do you have any specific style of writing answers or practicing, or how do you evaluate it?

Regarding answer writing, for me, first of all, time management is very important because you have to write 20 questions and approximately 50 pages in 3 hours. So you need speed. And it also happens that if your end questions are missed, then those are 15-markers that are missed, not even 10-markers. So if you are even missing two questions, then you have at least lost 15 marks, and with 15 marks, you will go far down the list if you are not scoring very well. So you must ensure that the paper completion is done. My goal was to be able to write 10-markers in six to seven minutes and 15-markers in eight to nine minutes. So that will happen. And my answer writing style was the same, you know, as everyone else's: I used to write in headings and points as much as possible. But this is not necessary. I have also written in paragraphs. Especially in the Ethics paper, it is not so easy to make points. So there I have answered in paragraphs as well. I have also done it in case studies. So there is no fixed pattern. And please stay very focused on your content. Content is the key. Meaning, I personally think I didn't make many diagrams or what people call schematics in my Mains. But I was confident about my content. So if you have good enough content, then if you are able to reproduce your ideas on the question, then it won't matter if you did it in schematics or anything else. But keep minimum sketches, a few diagrams, and keep your handwriting neat because don't make it difficult for the examiner so that he is not able to read your answer copy. So please don't frustrate him, I would definitely say that too. Most UPSC aspirants fail before they even begin. Here is how you avoid that mistake: they jump into preparation without a roadmap, a mentor, or a clear strategy. At Vision IAS, Delhi, we help you build your UPSC foundation the right way from day one. Get structured coverage: Prelims, Mains, CSAT, and Essay, all broken down step by step so nothing feels overwhelming. Smart current affairs with PT 365 and Mains 365, you focus only on what truly matters. No fluff. Personal mentorship: real one-on-one guidance to help you fix weak areas and boost what you are already good at. Test + feedback loop: regular tests with detailed feedback so you never lose track of your progress. Don't start blind, start smart with Vision IAS. Tell this is why your serious UPSC journey begins. [Music]

And like, if we talk about GS 1, 2, 3, so we can divide it between GS 1, 2, 3, then Ethics, Essay, and an Optional. So how did you approach GS 1, 2, 3?

GS 1, sir, subjects are mostly Art and Culture, Geography, and Indian Society. So Art and Culture, you will study in Prelims. If you have studied it decently enough in Prelims, then I don't think there is much new left to write in Art and Culture, especially in Mains. There, you have to focus on being able to reproduce it. You remember those ideas. In Prelims, as it is written in front of the paper, you can recall it. But there, you will have to write those things in Mains, so you will get that through practice. And regarding Geography, or this part of Geography, I would say the same thing: you have studied it in Prelims, you just have to reproduce it there. You don't have to study much new for this subject either. If your notes are ready, then you will be able to do it. Now comes the subject like Indian Society. So I read Shruti ma'am's notes, I also watched her classes. So that was very good. Meaning, my notes were ready. And in Indian Society, I would say that they are not asking very static questions. They are asking what is happening in reality in your society. You won't get these questions directly asked anywhere, not even in your test series. Or you have to create a mind space for them, how you will handle these questions if they come. They are not asking direct questions regarding Indian Society. It is actually, they are actually asking what is actually happening in society. So you should know the reasons behind it. And here, I would say the newspaper helped me a lot. Because you are abreast of what is happening. What are the issues that are happening? And finally, these three subjects are mostly in GS 1, sir.

Paper 2. Paper 2. Paper 2, similarly, if you look at Prelims, you would have studied very well. Here, you have to be a bit issue-specific. And you have to write keywords, articles, judicial pronouncements, committee recommendations. So that will help you a lot. And there, you have to remember that if a particular question is asked, then you can get it. And linking is very important here. They will not ask very direct questions. Here, only current affairs-inspired questions come, especially in GS 2. And Governance, I would say, is a very dynamic subject. Mostly, I felt that they ask current affairs-oriented questions. What is happening? So you will study that. You will study the static part of the syllabus, of course, but along with that, you will also have to study the current affairs-oriented part. And IR is definitely a completely dynamic subject. It is completely current affairs. For that, you follow one magazine or newspaper, and you will have to do answer writing for IR. So mostly, these three subjects will be covered.

And like, Paper 3 is the tricky paper. Because there is no content for it, right? So how did you manage Paper 3?

Paper 3, sir, for Economy, again, I would say it is very dynamic. Current affairs-oriented questions are asked. Meaning, this year it was very certain that they will ask questions about food inflation, or they will ask questions about millets, and they did ask these questions. So you can also predict themes. If something is in the news for a very long time, you should prepare for it. Like food inflation was in the news all year: why is it happening? Why is it not coming down? Why is core inflation not coming down? Why is headline inflation not coming down? If you study, you will naturally start getting an idea why they have asked this question. Similarly, it goes for millets too. So here, if you have read the newspaper well, then you will have very good points. And for Agriculture, you might have to study it thoroughly because I mostly didn't study it. I studied Agriculture mostly in those three months, the time period. And Science and Tech and Environment, again, I would say very current affairs-oriented questions. In that too, they don't ask very deep questions. They will ask questions of general awareness only. That you know about this technology, or you know what is happening. You don't have to get into the intricacies of these topics. And Internal Security, I would say, mostly current affairs-inspired questions come in it. They ask static, like Left-Wing Extremism, or anything, terrorism, etc. They will be current affairs-oriented questions only. And Disaster Management, I believe, is mostly static. If you study it thoroughly, then you will be able to tackle questions. So I think if they are preparing current affairs with proper understanding, right? So most questions people should be able to write, right? And again, you emphasizing on previous year questions, they will get a good link.

Okay, so now tell us about Paper 4. That's a subject which is new for most of the people. And we would like to talk about both the parts separately. The case studies and the other type of questions. Did you like that paper? Tell me that first. Which was your favorite subject?

My favorite subject, ma'am, was definitely IR and Science and Tech. Those two subjects, meaning, if I was studying these subjects, then time would pass very easily. I was enjoying it, so I would study a bit more. Okay. These two were always my strong points. And in Ethics, I would say that it's okay, meaning the paper is very different, a bit. It's completely different from GS 1, 2, 3. So for that, the syllabus is very important. If you read the entire syllabus word by word, you will get an idea of what UPSC is asking. And analyze PYQs along with it. Then the upper parts will mostly be covered. Because very specifically, they have mentioned it in the syllabus itself regarding Paper 4. Perhaps no other subject's syllabus is as extensive as Paper 4's. So please do that. Any, meaning, any class notes you have, any good material you have, go through it once. And I wouldn't say that in Paper 4, they will directly ask these questions. It will also be application-oriented. That what you have studied, you will have to use it in the answers. They won't ask directly, "What is the philosophy of this philosopher?" Like Moral Thinkers and Philosophers is an option in Ethics. They don't ask directly. Other than very important ones, like they asked a direct question on Mahatma Gandhi. It is also expected that they might ask. But other than that, if you are expecting a question from Western philosophy, it's not there. They don't ask very direct questions, I would say. They only ask inspired questions. So you have to use that there in the Ethics paper. So if you have good enough content ready-made with you, that if a question comes on this topic, corruption, governance, public money, international funding, then you will be able to handle it. And in this, I would say PYQs are the most important. Like quote-oriented questions come. There are three quotes. What do these quotes mean to you? Or what do these values mean to you? If you solve PYQs well, then that will provide you with insight.

And like, when it comes to Essay, you are from a technical background, and for the last two-three years, UPSC is asking philosophical essays. You are the best person to tell how should we prepare for essays.

For essays, honestly, I didn't prepare before my Mains preparation. So essays, initially, I would say that if you have studied GS, you will have enough content for what you have to write in your essays. What you need is all about the examples and the anecdotes and the stories that you would like to add in your essays so that the examiner's attention remains on what you have written. So that will come with practice. Meaning, after my Prelims, I used to write one essay test weekly. I used to write two essays, three hours, I mean, I completely, because I had not studied it. And I had no prior practice. My English was never very good either. In 12th grade, I got 88 marks, and those were in English only. So it has always been a weak point for me: comprehension and everything. So you will have to practice for that. And once you get the knack of it, gradually you will know how you will have to write your essays, how to maintain the flow. So I would say for essays, there is only one thing: that is practice. And if you, and I would definitely say, look at topper copies. I followed them a lot for the last four-five years: how they write essays. Because you get an idea of what you actually have to write. Because those copies have received marks. Especially when they have written them there. So you will get an idea of what the format is.

There should be such writing. For me, that worked and I hope it will work for you too. And I would like to know what was your like, 10 days before the Mains? What were you doing? What did you think that now in these 10 days, what do I need to do? Sir, usually 10 days before, I was writing a lot of tests at that time. Because I was believing that at this time, I will study something new. That won't be of much use to me rather than revising what I have already read. So, in the last seven days or 10 days, I used to write two tests daily because you have to have speed also. And there, you have to write only two tests. It's not like that you have to go only for 3 hours. It is a six-hour marathon and it is for three days. Friday, Saturday, Sunday, you will be completely engaged before you get the break for the next week. So for that, you will have to be mentally prepared too, that you have to write two questions and you won't be getting any time because, nominally, there is a gap of 1.5 or two hours or three hours in between, but by the time you get out of the examination hall and you have to report back to the examination hall 30 minutes prior, you only get one and a half hours of break. It is not that you get a three-hour break. So, you will have to be mentally prepared for that too. So at that time, I was writing questions, and two days before my Mains, I was done, thinking that now I will not study anything new. I do very light study two to three days before the exam. At that time, I won't go for everything or anything. Kapil Sir, can we take Mains questions? Yes, yes, we can take Mains related questions. Yes, then we will come back to the optional. So, other than the optional, anything about Mains, please. Hello Sir, first of all, many congratulations to you and all the best for your future journey. Sir, the question was, how to inter-discipline your answers in Mains? How can you link them with different GS papers? I would say that linking isn't everything, but you also have to be subject-specific. For example, if it's a History question. You can't link it with anything new. There, you have to write what the question is asking. And History questions are usually very specific questions they ask. They don't ask very broad questions, like what you have to write. And similarly, it goes for other subjects as well. I would say you need interlinking in GS 4 of your Ethics. There, you can use content through your GS; I can take an example from here. You can take examples from anywhere. So, in GS 4, that you can definitely use. In Economy, you can, in certain places, you can use interlinking of the subjects. But I believe in IR, especially there too, you can do a little interlinking with Economy, with Security, and everything. So, apart from these two-three subjects, I don't think you will have to bring in much interdisciplinary content. Because you also have to answer the specificity of the question, that you have to answer what the question is, what it is demanding from you. If you deviate, you won't get marks. I believe. So, do keep that in mind. You can definitely use it in Ethics. You can use it in IR. So, that will help you a lot. And other than that, I would say that if you have to use it, if you feel that I don't have content, then first, write answers, as much as you can. And don't worry about time in the initial phases. Take your time, 15 minutes, 20 minutes. Write a good answer because your speed will build up when you are practicing before your Mains. So, at that time, you can focus on content comfortably, thinking and then writing. So, don't be in a rush. If you are in the initial phase, don't be in a rush at all. Write your answers calmly and analyze them. If you later feel that you have learned something new, then make a note of it. Write it in your static notes, so that will help you a lot. Okay. Thank you, Sir. Any more questions for Mains? Yes, please. Hello Sir. Congratulations on your success. I would like to ask like, what was the role of, like, how did you do value addition that toppers usually talk about? So, how did you go about it? And second, I wanted to ask you, like, did you make syllabus point-wise notes or something to prepare content for your answers? Or did you rely more on themes and like, and going just like, maybe for example, in GS 3, like agriculture, so how did you make broad section notes or very detailed, like PYQ-oriented notes? So, these are my two questions. So, your first question about value addition, I would say that the value addition is different for each paper. In History, you have to write, meaning, what you read in Prelims, inscriptions, or any monument, temples. So, if you are able to give these examples, like this was in this century, or this dynasty did this. Because this time, the questions themselves were very specific. They were asking particularly about the dynasties that you have to write about. So, if you have read that, then your value addition will be direct. Similarly, if you talk about Geography, I don't think there is much value addition in Geography. It mostly remains static-oriented, and there you can use current affairs, like if a cloud burst happened somewhere, then here it happened, we saw it at this time, why did it happen? Why did it happen at this time? So, you can use that there. For Polity, the value addition, I would say articles, definitely judicial pronouncements will help you. Recommendations of any committee have come regarding any issue, that will help you. That will help you in value addition. Similarly, in Governance, current affairs will help a lot. And IR is basically mostly current-oriented. So, the more you can use there, the better. Meaning, whether it's value addition in Science and Tech or anything else. Any defense value addition, or any scheme of India, or something new we have developed, that will come from current affairs. And IR, I think, is very current-oriented anyway. So, that will definitely help you. In Economy, there is always data, but don't overdo it because you won't remember it. There is so much data that technically it is not possible. It will all get mixed up, and you will end up quoting the wrong data. And if the examiner knows that this data is wrong, then it will be a very negative impression for you. So, remember minimum data, the essential data. Like, what are India's exports, imports, what is the inflation, what is the repo rate, or things like that. So, if you are able to write even the basic data, then that will definitely help your value addition there. And in Economy, again, committee recommendations come a lot. And what is happening internationally? What can we learn from another country, you can write that there. Science and Tech, Environment, I again believe, are very current-oriented. There, that will help you. And Disaster also, there is no value addition. You can quote recent events nationally and internationally. So, that will help you in value addition. And regarding how I used to make notes, I used to make broad theme-wise notes. I don't make detailed notes. Like you talked about Agriculture, if I have to make notes on micro-irrigation, I will study sprinklers. I will study drip. But I won't go too deep. I will go through one to three schemes that the government has. And that's it. Because in Mains, you have to reproduce what you want to do. There, you have to write as many points as possible. If you start explaining too much there, there is not much scope for explanation. I think in Mains, if you start explaining too much, you will exhaust yourself in one to two points because you also have limited space in Mains answers. So, remember broadly, this is happening in this scheme, or that is happening, because I don't think you need very detailed notes for Mains, which you need for Prelims. Sir, just one follow-up. I would like to ask you, Sir. Like you talked about PYQs in Prelims, so how can PYQs be used in Mains? Same, man, exactly the same. Questions, meaning, they are repeated too. It's not like questions are not repeated at all. Especially in GS 3, questions are repeated from the paper itself. Some static parts are directly asked in one way or the other. If a question comes on food processing, then the same question has been coming for four years: what are we doing? What are our schemes? What are the challenges? What is the way forward? So, PYQs will help you there too. They will help you in Ethics. Quotes are directly repeated. Like this quote came before, this quote is coming again. What have you thought about it, write that. Case study themes always repeat. There are five to six fixed themes. There is the theme of Environment, the theme of Corruption, the theme of Teamwork, and the theme of Coordination. These are four themes. If you understand them, you will feel all case studies are the same. They have just changed the situation, changed the name, and your answer will remain the same. So, when you solve PYQs, when you read them, your intuition will gradually start developing in it. Thank you. The thing is that for advanced books, people used to say that I have read, means toppers, that for 17-18 times, they have read Laxmikant as well as Sam for Spectrum. So, what do you think? What about you, Sir? Honestly, I have never read Spectrum. If anyone thinks that Spectrum is very important for Modern History, I have never read Spectrum. For Polity, Laxmikant is the book. You have to read that. You have to read that book four times because Polity has a lot of intricacies. They will just change the President with the Parliament, and your question will change completely, like who gives permission. So, Polity is a very subject-specific subject. But I would say that it's a very good thing. If you are revising books, here comes the same point: keep your sources very limited. And revise as much as you can. If you diversify your sources, you yourself won't have time to think, how do I revise? So, keep your sources limited and revise them as much as possible. It's not necessary that you have to do it 17-18 times. When you feel that I am comfortable, three-four times, whenever you feel that I have done enough iterations. And you will know this when you solve questions. If you are able to solve questions, if you are able to think on that line, you will be very comfortable then. Sir, the follow-up question was the same as you said about Spectrum. The question was, Spectrum or Shekhar Chand Upadhyay, or other books? Spectrum, Sir hasn't read it, so how will he tell? No, what have you read for Modern History? That I want to ask, Sir. Yes, for Modern History, I read my class notes and my printed notes. I did not follow any standard book for Modern History. What do you think about Shekhar Chand Upadhyay, if you have any opinion about it? I have not seen it. I haven't even opened that book, so I can't comment on it. Okay. Thank you, Sir. Okay, then we can move on to now optional, right? And so, why did you choose Sociology? How did you come to this decision that I will go with Sociology? Mostly, Sir, it's just that Computer Science is not there. Meaning, if it was there, I would be very comfortable going with Computer Science. I was very comfortable in my subjects during my graduation. But later, it happened that I have to change the subject. So, what I used to do is, I studied, I got into classes of a few subjects like those that are always famous: Sociology, Anthropology, PSIR. So, I took one or two classes of each, and then interest in Sociology started developing on its own, and then those two-three things also, that it helps you. Meaning, it's not very vast, and it has a small syllabus. So, it happened gradually. Then I got good guidance, I got into classes, and everything. So, I continued with it, thinking that I can handle Sociology, and it became that. And how many here we have from Sociology? A lot of very popular. Okay. Sociology questions, you should probably be asking them. Please ask. I think you want to know specifically, Akash, the marksheet is still not out, so where are you expecting to be scoring the highest? You got a very good Mains score, you have 831, right? So, which subject do you think really did something special? Mostly, I believe it will be my optional only. Optional only. I am expecting 280 to 300 somewhere in this range in my optional. Yeah. That becomes a game-changer. Yeah. Good afternoon, Sir. Nandan Sharma here. First of all, congratulations for securing All India Rank 5. I just want to ask, like, Paper 1 is more of the statistical in Sociology. But Paper 2 is more dynamic, and we also have the society portion in GS also. So, how to manage to write an answer more of the sociological sense in Paper 2? And how to link scholarly perspectives if we have a lot of scholars, and how to remember those scholars, like, to write in the GS, in optional? Uh, yeah, Paper 1, definitely, you said it's static-oriented. Meaning, a lot, meaning, I would again say PYQs. In Paper 1, you would have seen themes are repeating. Not many new themes are there in the questions. And the syllabus is also not very large, so that leaves, meaning, not much scope that they can ask very new questions. So, and regarding the same, you, meaning, you will have notes. I believe your entire, meaning, keep your study material concise. Don't diversify it too much, like if I am reading a 400-page book and from there I get five new scholar perspectives. I don't think the cost-benefit analysis favors you here. So, there, you have to keep your sources limited. And Paper 2 is very dynamic-oriented. There, I would say, don't overdo thinkers. If you can write one or two thinkers, Gore's perspective, or M.N. Srinivas's perspective, anyone's perspective, then two-three questions, two-three thinkers in a question will suffice. You don't have to write six-seven thinkers in every question. Otherwise, that paper will also become very mechanical. In Sociology, I believe I have done this in my exam, that I have definitely added my perspective in the answers. What I believe, what is happening, why is it happening? Because especially in Paper 2, we don't have that many Indian sociologists that we can add many perspectives. In Paper 1, we have many perspectives and we have very scholars where we can write it well. But in Paper 2, this is not possible. So, there, you can also write about yourself, meaning, about what you have, what you have studied. Many questions might be there where I haven't mentioned any thinker in my Sociology answers. So, I don't think this is a very big factor. If you are able to hit the demand of the question directly, what the question is actually asking from you, then you will be able to do well. One to two thinkers per question, that will suffice. But Sir, how to avoid, like, writing more of the GS-oriented? Like, we have to write something in a sociological sense. And if you are not quoting one or two thinkers, then our answer is more of the GS-oriented. Yes? GS-oriented, you will think it is GS-oriented. But when you study Sociology, you will definitely get some more perspectives. You will feel that this is a GS answer, but the answer might be the same, that it is also a Sociology answer and also a GS answer because the issue is the same. So, it's not necessary that it has been studied and that's why it's a Sociology answer. And that's what I said, you have to write your own perspective there. So, a sociological perspective is not like that it is only the perspective of a particular thinker who has studied it already. So, if you can add your perspective from anywhere, that I believe that these one or two things are behind this issue, then that will add value to your answers. So, again, I would say, don't go for thinkers always. One to three thinkers that you can remember on that day, that will suffice. If you overdo it too much, then the paper will become very mechanical. And you will think that I am just writing rote learned things. In that, the examiner will think that he has not applied his own mind in the question. So, please avoid that also. I believe in my personal opinion. It might be different for different people. Thank you, Sir. Thank you. And like, what is your one key insight about Sociology that the students should definitely follow? Sir, again, I would say that I used to keep my sources very limited because there are many sources available for Sociology, especially. So, in Paper 1, I was very limited. I have my class notes. I have my printed notes, and I followed one reference book. I haven't read many books. If anyone feels that I have read every number, I have read Ritzer, and I have read everything. I haven't done that. I haven't even bought Harlambos till date. So, if anyone feels that they have to read many books, that is not true. So, that is also there. And secondly, I would say Paper 2 is a very dynamic paper. You won't find material for it. The material that is there, you will be covering it very well in your classes. So, if you can reproduce that, if you have revised it very well many times, if you can reproduce it, you will be able to write a decent enough answer. Preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Examination demands strong preparation across all Mains papers, and when it comes to scoring well in the Mains, your optional subject plays a crucial role. A good performance in your optional paper can be the difference between just qualifying and securing a top rank. To help you build a strong conceptual foundation and improve answer writing, Vin IS presents the Optional Classroom Program 2026, available in both live online and classroom offline modes. Subjects offered: Geography, Sociology, Political Science and International Relations. Batch starts from 20th June. Physics classes start from 15th July. [Music] Looking for expert mentoring to crack UPSC? Lakshya Mentoring Program is your answer. A personalized expert-led path from preparation to performance. 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Ah, so, ah, one more thing particularly about ah sociology. I want to ask is that you also have Indian society in your General Studies paper. Again, do you think there is a distinction when you go the other way around? Like somebody who writes has studied sociology, how much of sociology can he drive into all those other papers? Like, Indian society, particularly. Yes, ma'am. Matlab, you will have an edge definitely if you are writing matlab society ke answers in GS one. But I want, matlab, I will not say that don't overdo it. If you make the answer too technical, then it will look like a sociological answer. So please don't do it. And similarly, it's the same that you will get a better perspective of answering the question, but you have to limit where I should stop. In sociology, in optional paper, be it any optional. You have to be technical because they expect a good level of preparation in your optional paper. That might not be expected in a GS paper. So if the GS paper is general, it will be better rather than making it too technical. And in optional, be technical, be more subject-specific in your optional answers.

Like I have a one-off-beat question here, right? You are from somebody from a technical background. So what was your social media usage or how did you manage your social media consumption? Because it has become a huge issue, right? But that's not unique to technical people. No, that's for everybody. I, I, I am saying he might have more chances of it. Okay. Computer Science, right? On computers. Right. Tell us. Ma'am, I was off social media for 2.5 years. He is probably there, right? Yes, ma'am. Now I am there. I installed it the next day after I got my result. So, I was off social media for many years. And that is what I wanted to know. Like, what made you think that I absolutely don't need this right now? Sir, matlab, I have seen myself. I know what I am weak at. Matlab, if I start scrolling reels even today, 1.5 to 2 hours disappear. You don't even know where they went. So everybody says, "Are all in the same mood?" It was understood from college days that too much time is being spent on this. So then, and initially, perhaps I was not that serious. But when I became serious about preparation, I felt that, man, now I have to manage my time. So I deactivated everything, deleted everything, and then left it.

So how does that work? What about withdrawal symptoms of that addiction? Ma'am, it happens gradually. Matlab, I used to hide my mobile itself. Matlab, I used to study in a different room and I used to put my mobile in a different room. So that it is not visible. So when the notification blinks, it breaks your attention. So I used to do this: my mobile is in a different room and I am in a different room. So this used to happen with me. So this is, I think, probably the most difficult part of the preparation. Not having yourself with you because we always find some justification like, "Oh, I looked something up on ChatGPT" or something. No. Yes, ma'am. Matlab, that's why I use a laptop. Matlab, I think what happens is that you spend more time on mobile devices because you become comfortable using them a little. You use laptops, desktops, etc. So there is a thing that you are very much engaged in those things. So use a laptop. If you have a desktop, use that. For me, that worked, but not for everyone. And one more question related to this only is stress management. So like, this is a very tedious journey and there are ups and downs. So what made you like, not to sell through, that like, "Let's do it, let's do it." So how did you manage your stress part or how much stress were you in this journey?

Stress, sir, there are highs and lows always. Matlab, there are lows too. There are lows of two-three days when you don't feel like studying at all, when you are doing the same thing over and over again and results are not coming. So for me, what used to happen was I used to close everything and sleep for a long time. Like, until I wake up, until I wake up myself. So I didn't push myself at that time, and I used to go out for two-three days. If I think that I have burned out too much. Meet your friends, engage with your friends, engage with your family. And okay. If in a month or two you are taking a break, it's definitely fine. Because the environment becomes such that you are always studying. But the grind in this is that you are doing the same thing over and over again on a daily basis and you can't see the finish line, like, "I will study up to this point and then I will be through." So that definitely generates pressure on you. So the way to break that is to take a gap. Please separate yourself for three-four days. But this doesn't mean that those three-four days are coming every week. You study for three days and disappear for four days. That should not be done either. Because then you will fall too far behind. In a month, in two months, whenever you feel like it, take a break. Engage with your friends. Engage with your family. Please don't cut yourself off. Take care of your mental health. Listen to songs, dance. Do whatever you feel like. But be happy in your preparation. That will help you a lot.

Akash, tell us about your group of friends also. So do you have like UPSC preparing friends, or you have non-UPSC preparing friends? Both, ma'am. Matlab, I have both. Matlab, I have been problem and brought up in Delhi only. So I did not have to come here or stay alone. I am fortunate enough, I think. So, matlab, my school friends, my college friends, I am still in contact with them. And I have UPSC prep friends too. They also, matlab, both will help you. UPSC prep friends, they will help you in your motivation. But non-UPSC friends, they, I think, they are more important because they detach you a bit. They will take you out, they will tell you something different, they will talk about something other than preparation. They are not interested in what you are doing. They will say, "Come on, don't talk about studies, let's do something else." So they are very important for you. I think engage with them. Definitely engage with your school and college friends. Absolutely.

So now moving on to the interview, right? And you have got a very good score in 2026, right? 20. Yes, there is a very good score. Like, anybody can dream of scoring 200, right? So, how was your day of interview? First, you tell us that, and then how did you go through it? Like, what did you do for your interview? Day of interview, sir, mine was in the afternoon. So 1:00 PM is the reporting time for the afternoon session. So my thing was, I just read the newspaper that day, and nothing else. Just me, and that too, I read only one newspaper. If I had read too many newspapers that day, then it would have been the same, everything would have mixed up. One newspaper, but I covered it in detail, properly, taking two and a half hours, comfortably. Even the small things. I mean, you read, you read transcripts during your interview prep, you understand what they are asking. So I still remember that one candidate was asked, "What is today's AQI?" And since I am from Delhi, that is a very burning topic in Delhi, air pollution. So I also remembered that what was today's AQI. So everything was there. So if you remember these nitty-gritties on that day, then it will also make you a bit confident. So, and basically, I didn't read anything else, and directly went for the interview. There, I was fourth in line when it was my turn. So I was in that room for about two hours before my interview began. It started around four. So at that time too, please, matlab, I was fortunate enough that my group, that our table, no one was talking about studies. We were very chill. We were just talking about random things and passing time. So I was fortunate enough that even there, no stress was built up for me. And the interview, I tell you very clearly. It is very calm and very cordial. There is no grilling. What you usually think, or what you even see in mock interviews sometimes, that they are grilling a lot, he is not knowing any answers. Nothing like that happens there. They are very calm people. And if you don't know, you don't know. Politely decline, and they will very happily oblige with you. Because they also know that you cannot know everything. So don't be afraid of this at all, that the interview is very difficult and what I will say. They will make you very comfortable because they want to know you. And if they are not able to know you, they will not be able to evaluate you. So please, don't go with this misconception at all, that they are there to grill you or they will ask very difficult questions. Not at all. It's a very good environment, and you will enjoy that 20-25 minutes of conversation. It will be one of the best conversations that you will have, I can guarantee that. And and preparation, yes, preparation, mostly, matlab, I had 3 months. I had long enough time for preparation. So I gave many mocks. I gave mocks. I am not a very good speaker. Now I can probably speak this much because I had prepared enough in two-three months. Otherwise, even for 10 people, I cannot speak in front of 10 people. It's hard to guess that. Yes, yes, ma'am. Matlab, I even I totally agree because in the last three months, I have interacted a lot. I was able to break through my fear of public speaking. So that will help you. And I would say for interview, your DEF is your key. 80% of the interview will be around your DEF. You have to prepare it very well. And only and only, matlab, your DEF, matlab, mostly if you are engaged with your interviewers at that time, then you can engage from your DEF. Because that is something you are comfortable with. If they are asking questions on your DEF, then you are in a position to answer the questions very well as compared to any random question that they might throw at you. So please prepare your DEF well. And on the other hand, there is current affairs. Current affairs are very important in the interview. You cannot ignore it at all. I used to read newspapers. I used to read them very well. Because at that time, you don't need facts. You need opinions, and opinions will develop only by reading. They won't develop in one go. Your Mains preparation or your entire preparation will develop many opinions. It's all about how you can present them in front of the interview board. And what is happening latest, you have to be, matlab, you have to be knowledgeable because that is something that they expect of you. So these two things will help. And give mocks. Mocks, matlab, if you are comfortable, give three-four mocks minimum. Because with mocks, it is not that, and take feedback with a pinch of salt, I would say. If and self-analyze. You will always get your videos of your mocks or of the interviews that you give anywhere. So self-analyze yourself that here, perhaps I could have given this answer better, or I should not have said this thing. So that will help you more. And take your feedback. Feedback is also good, but take it with a pinch of salt, that it's not necessary that you have to imbibe everything because you cannot change your personality in a month or two. You are what you are. So please don't think too much about that. If the interview didn't go well, it is only on that day. Everything that matters is only on the day of your actual interview. So don't get demotivated at all that the interview didn't go well today, that I got this feedback for that. That won't matter on the day of your interview.

Now Akash, now you are able to look at this whole journey. We can, you know, look backwards and see. What do you think was that one quality or one trait which you have as a person which you think has really become very suitable for this preparation, which has really worked for you? One thing, ma'am, I would say that you have to be consistent in this preparation. You cannot break away from the preparation. If you take too many breaks, then your flow will not be established. You have to study daily. Matlab, you have to study. Matlab, there is no alternative. Six to eight, matlab, my target was never early. My daily target was that today I have to study this much. And when that is done, I was free. But being consistent is very important. It's not easy to take a break, like study for a month, then don't study for 10 days. That won't work. And like it is said, like if this journey does not change you, you did not do it right. So did it change you? Part for that, that you got AIR five. So what are the changes that you feel happened because of this journey? Changes definitely happen. Matlab, one is, you get very much knowledge. Matlab, you will become a knowledgeable person. If I see myself in 2022, when I had not started this preparation, I was a very different person. And you become indifferent. Matlab, at that time, I was perhaps indifferent to what is happening around me. But today, if you read something or if you see something, then you will be able to link these things. So it makes you very knowledgeable. It makes you an aware person. Matlab, you understand what is happening around you and your world. So this is a very big change that UPSC preparation does with you. And you will also see it with yourself. Matlab, meet people with whom you used to work or with whom you used to engage with before your preparation and after your preparation, and you will see the difference.

So any questions you have for Akash now? Akash, mistakes, anything. I want to ask you this. Well, everything worked out. This is your first real attempt, and I think you couldn't have done it more perfectly. But still, if you have to think about something where you think maybe some course correction or something which you realized at one point of time that this is going wrong or going in the wrong direction. Ma'am, many times it happens, that especially during my Mains preparation, I used to go too deep into some topics. And later I realized that it was not that important. So I should not have spent so much time on this. So you have to do selective study. You have to do focused study. Otherwise, the syllabus is so vast. And there is an ocean of information. You cannot consume it, and it will harm you in the long run. So there, if I was able to, matlab, manage my time a bit better, then that would have been better. But everything worked out. Beautifully, it has worked out. And Akash, it's really wonderful to hear everything which you told us. You have a lot of clarity. I think this is also what UPSC preparation does. That when you start studying like that, you start thinking like that, it reflects in all aspects. Even when you are talking about sleeping or eating or anything, or maybe your Formula 1 cars also, it will show that yes, something special has happened. Anything you want to say to everybody who is going to follow you to these seats? Ah, any last words of whatever insight, motivation, encouragement, wisdom? Yes, now you are a wise man. I don't have that much wisdom. I would say, but I will just say that be consistent and be honest with yourself with your preparation. Because at the end of the day, if you feel that I utilized my day well. If you feel this before sleeping, that yes, I did something good today, that I am one step closer. It doesn't matter how much you did. But if you have that satisfaction, if you are honest with yourself that today I did something, that I am better today. I did it today, I will do it tomorrow too. So that confidence that will build up slowly, that will definitely help you. So be honest with yourself and be consistent. If you do these two things, and it will be a breeze, I can say. Thought. Thank you, Akash, so much for this detailed discussion that we had. And once again, a round of applause for Akash. Thank you so much. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much. [Music]