Rank 26 CSE 2024 | UPSC CSE Decoder | 365 Days Plan in 150 minutes | By Shivansh Subhash Jagade

Vaj Raman Ravi has been still there even during my mains preparation. Uh, both my attempts, '23, '24, I started my preparation in 2018 here as a foundation B student, and finally, I'm again back here 6 years later. The life has come full circle. Finally, uh, I graduated, I postgraduated actually in year 2018. After that, I came to Vajiram Ravi as the name has always been there, where I was completely clueless. And that year, I think, but I think join series. And, uh, we had those regular feedback sessions. We had, huh, GS. I was enrolled for the GS thing. I had that regular feedback session. After every copy that was checked, we had those mentoring sessions going on. So, what is wrong? Where I should add on? What are the changes I need to make, etc.? So, it went like that. Uh, and I really scored good in GS. Last year also, it was 435 marks in [Music] GS124.

Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Yuan Suba Zagre, and I have secured all rank 26 in this year's UPSC CSE 2024. And this is a kind of a topper talk and strategy video which I'll be doing. And this video, I'll be conducting in both English and Hindi. And hope this will help you in your preparation. And the idea of it is that I am not doing it in a coaching institute because I have personally not joined any foundation course from any coaching institute. And, but I also, uh, taken help from all these like small, small courses like test series and all. So I thought that if I would be going on a on a coaching class, means a top on top of a coaching class, then I won't be able to freely express myself. So here I'll be making a video and telling honestly and freely whatever I have, whatever I have means all my strategy and all my journey of this UPSC.

So, I'll give you, uh, so I'll give you a brief timeline of my preparation. And first of all, before timeline, I, I would like to give you a brief introduction. Um, I'm, I'm Shivanch, and my, I born and brought up in Pune. My, my schooling till my 10th has been, I, I was in DSK school, which was an ICC board school from Pune. And in, uh, 11th and 12th, I was in Services Preparatory Institute, Aurangabad. And, uh, and in, in the Services Preparatory Institute, it was a Maharashtra government institute, mean of preparation of the NDA exam, which, which is also conducted by UPSC. And after my 12th, I gave the, I gave two attempts of UPSC NDA. And in which I, I was, I was getting very good marks in the written exam, but, but I, I could not able to, I was not able to clear the SSB. And so after my 12th, my 12th was, I completed my 12th in 2020. And after that, COVID period started. So in that COVID period, what happened was that I, I was at my village. And after I failed my NDA interviews, means I had back of thought of what, what would be the second plan. So my father told me that if, if in the written exam, like for example, the written means in my both the attempts, the, in the written exam, the written exam full marks of out of 900, I got 6002 marks. And the one in, in that, in that year's attempt got 600 marks. And I had more marks in both my attempts than the, and all in the rank one. So my father told that if, if you're schooling scoring this much marks in the written exam, then you try for civil services. So after that, in going period, means after two, three, uh, my, my two, two, three friends from SPI, we started preparing for civil services. And while preparing, like, uh, I had no background, like no, none of my father or my parents or any relatives were from a government service. So what we did was we, we watched a lot of topper talks, a lot of means, uh, uh, from YouTube, from Telegram, and all those free resources which you get. And we compiled all those resources and then we started our whole analysis. Like for toppers, I would have watched 10 to 15 talks and then I decided like what should be the optimum sources. Like if, if this topper is getting this much marks in that subject, then, uh, then how would I mean, if, if suppose GS1, then then such and such is getting this many marks, so what and what is strategy followed. So I also copied and used that strategy. And a lot of things like I compiled and self-analysis. Me and my friend, uh, we, we prepared together and we also determined the strategy and what should be our approach to each and every subject and each and every aspect of this preparation, right from prelims, if we say from prelims to mains, each essay, ethics, GS1, and also optional.

So this, uh, so my journey is most like of rather than seeking help or guidance from one single source. I think I have myself, myself, and along with my friend, we have determined the strategy by looking at various other toppers and how they have succeeded, how they have succeeded. And then we have also copied and implemented by, uh, analyzing what, what is good for us and what is bad for us. So before that, I would like to tell you that before starting the preparation, you should know what are your strengths and weaknesses. And hence, uh, and knowing those strengths and weaknesses helps also helps you in your journey, like determining what is the best approach. Like if you look in the market, there are 100 ways, you have to decide for yourself. And then we began our journey. Uh, and so, and that, and my optional is mathematics. And I'll share you my, uh, mark sheet.

So this is my mark sheet. I secured 123 in essay, which is good marks because if you see in essay, essay like most of the toppers are scoring means the general average marks are 90-100. In GS1, I have scored 92. GS2, I have scored 107. In GS3, I have 93 marks. GS4, I have good marks, 120. And mathematics, both I have got, uh, 282 marks, which are kind of more than average and quite decent marks in optional because if you see optional also averages between 250-260. And in interview, I have got 195 marks, which are kind of good because in, in interview also, average is 160-170. So I believe that my interview marks, optional, essay, and ethics were the, were the major contributing factor to my rank. And, uh, so I will first of all, so this, the strategy video, it will, it would include like whatever very minute aspect of how I prepared of each and every subject, right from prelims to mains. I will discuss each and every subject. And also in that subject, if there is any peculiarity which I did not do or which I did, and if there is unique aspect of the subject, and to how to implement that in your preparation. So we'll discuss that right from prelims, the mistakes which I did, roles of PYQ, and also the situation in prelims, like for in those 3 hours of prelims, or in those, or seven, five to six days of mains, what were my thoughts and how I approached it. And also the mistakes which I made throughout the journey, so that you won't be able to, uh, repeat the same mistakes.

So we will, uh, first start by how I began my preparation. So my preparation began on, uh, March, March 2021 was the first month where I started, uh, reading Laxmikant, mean for the whole month, I read Laxmikant. Because in February, I had went to one friend of mine who was also preparing for UPSC. Then you start that first start by Laxmikant. And in this month also, I, in this month, I watched, I watched a lot of topper talks, mean I used to watch a lot of toppers and strategy, strategy videos throughout my journey. And also while doing that, I used to analyze like for, if we say, a lot of light from 2015, I used to watch a lot of topper talks. So March 2021, I began the journey. And my attempt was like till 20, I knew that in 2024, I was going to give my attempt because in 2024, I would be turning minimum age for UPSC, minimum age required for UPSC is, uh, 21 years of age. And I would be turning 21, 21 years of age in 2024. So by that time, I had like 3 years to prepare. And it was at that time, like I set a timeline on my mobile, like it was when I started preparing, there was some, uh, 8, um, some 950 days roughly for me to prepare. So I had the target, like after 950 days, I'll be giving my 2024 attempt. So I had to broadly lay out my strategy for these 950 days. So I'll be sharing that now.

And, uh, one more thing I have to tell you that as I decided, because in NDA exam, there is also maths paper, and I'm pretty good in maths, maths. So I decided that my option will be maths. So I also, as, as I going to choose maths as optional, so I decided that I will be doing my graduation in BSc Mathematics. And as BSc takes 3 years only, so I did my BSc Mathematics from Ferguson College. And so from 2021 to 2023, I completed all the GS syllabus. 2021 to 2023, I completed all the GS, GS syllabus, right from prelims, all the standard books and all the important books are there from this period. I did that. And from, uh, June 2023 to December 2023, in this time period, I completed math optional and the mains notes plus answer writing. So what I believe is that before means, you have to complete your, like before prelims, you, you should be completed with your option and means. Because if we see between prelims and mains, between prelims and mains, there are only 80, 80 to 90 days for you to prepare. And that is, you cannot do your optional completely, or you cannot do means, although your mains notes, and also you cannot do answer writing in, in those days. So the thing is that you have to complete all your main syllabus, all the mains portion, right before your prelims. So I decided that before December 2023, I should be complete, I, I should complete math optional and mains notes, all the essay and plus ethics, plus essay, essay means notes, answer writing. And that, and in this, from '21 to 2023, I did not get that much time because of also my graduation subjects. And which is why also in these books, in this period, I completed all the standard books. Standard books, and I did a few from Telegram. I did few courses of few subjects, Telegram plus YouTube. I did subjects of history, history, I did history, economy, polity, and geography. And also in maths, some in graduation, some subjects overlap. So I decided that after graduation, I'll fully complete my maths, my maths option subjects. And, uh, so, and so this was broadly my journey. And from obviously from December, from December '23 to June '24, and attempt was on, I think in June only, 16th or 17th June. So this, I completely my 24 hours, uh, means, like more, whatever I used to study, I used to study for prelims oriented only. So what I think that, uh, in this, in this, uh, 6 months, I completely dedicated myself to prelims because as this was my first attempt, and I did not, uh, mean, I was not aware because the first time you giving prelims, you have to dedicate most of the time for it. And you, you're not aware because the first time you giving it, there is anxiety. So for me, my main forte was that I, I did not leave anything. And while preparation also, I had, I had that in mind that I have to give this one attempt only. And if you consider from June to June '23 to till my attempt, I had a complete year. So I thought of that I will dedicate 24 means, whatever I could, I give my 100%. So I used to study in that, that period. I used to study for like 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 hours, mean whatever depending on my mood and the targets which I have to meet. So I used to study for these many hours because I, I used to think that if, if I used to, if I study 8 to 8 or 10 hours in a day, then what I would going to for the rest of five to four to five hours. There was nothing I could do. And also I had my parents' support and also financial condition was good. So I, I gave whatever I could in, in those period. And and daily, mean minimum 12 to 13 hours I used to study. So this was broadly my timeline and my preparation. And now I will go into the very details of how I prepared for, uh, so first, I'll start with prelims. So before that, I'll just broadly, I hope everyone knows the nature of the exam. So first, before that, I'll just like to tell the nature of the exam. So there are three stages. First is prelims. Then you have the mains exam, and then you have interview. Interview is of 275 marks. Mains is, I think, 750 marks. And prelims, we have two papers. CSAT paper is qualifying nature. CSAT is qualifying nature. And then, uh, the GS, GS is everything, history, job, quality, economy, and all. This qualifying nature, you have to score 66 marks minimum in that. And then, then only your this paper will get checked. You have to score 66 marks. And for mains, you have, mean, this is for those you who don't know, essay, your GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4, and then you have two papers of your optional, optional paper one, optional paper one, and optional paper two. So like this, you have seven papers of mains, and then you have the interview. So this is broadly the nature. And I'll now tell key what I, so one of the most, most important of, uh, subject is prelims, first history. So I broadly tell what are the sources which I used for history. So first source was for modern history. Modern history was Spectrum, NCERT. And from Telegram, I had NRA notes, notes of Vision, I think notes of Vision is for modern. I did that for, uh, modern history. And ancient and medieval. Ancient and medieval. I had, uh, again from Telegram, I had NRA, then, uh, then Lucent, Lucent GK. Lucent GK is for, uh, only prelims oriented because it has all the facts and all. Lucent GK. And then my friend is there, his name is Print. So what he did, his, his option is history. So he had read Upinder Singh, Upinder Singh. And from that, he had made his, he made his own notes, whatever factual could come from prelims. He made his notes from Upinder Singh. I'll show you that. And again, old NCERT. Upinder Singh plus old NCERT. And again, for modern history, I had read Bipanchandra. Bipanchandra is for understanding of history because it is just like a novel, and it tells you properly about modern history. And there are also few quotations in it which you can directly use. Um, so first, we'll understand the nature of history's PYQ. So if you consider PYQs of, uh, history and prelims. So if you consider modern history, so modern history PYQs are easy, uh, means easy in the sense that if, if a question is coming, then it is either very easy or it is very hard. And if you see last few years PYQ, then most of the modern history questions are on the easier side. So, so I read these many things. And if you consider like, if we, and the main problem people find in studying history is that you, you won't be able to recall the facts that much. So my advice would be that whatever you study, means, if you studying one thing, like I'll show you. So what I did was, um, as I told that modern history, I would spectrum, and the main problem with history is revising and remembering all the facts. So what I tried was making very, history, I'm talking about making very crisp, comprehensive notes from which you could revise. And by crisp and comprehensive, if you could see here, means what I did was, I had read the spectrum once. I had read the spectrum two, two and three times. And it is a very bulky book. So what I find after reading two to three, two to three times was that I was not able to recall all those things quickly. So I searched on Google and, and I searched like spectrum summary, if there are notes. And I found this, uh, right to be ISS, there synopsis of spectrum. So they had, uh, they had compiled, they had shortlisted, means they had made, uh, spectrum short into 100 pages. And in those 100 pages, they had, uh, means put only those facts which would, which would be coming in prelims. Like if you see this is one page for reference, I have brought. So see, if, if these are the, uh, important tribal movements. So it is Paria rebellion, and directly means you can directly revise for prelims from this. Like if this Paria of Rajal, then this is Raja Jagannath, did it, and their symbol was Ho and pluck symbol. Then we have Ho and Munda uprising, Santhal uprising. So what I found easy was that convenient was that from one place, I could revise all these things. So while revising, it was very easy, like everything is front of, and if you revise spectrum that way, then what happens is that, uh, mean, you, you won't be able to compare and study like that. So this was broadly spectrum. And also after reading, I used to tear out, uh, pages from spectrum and directly stick it in my notes. And you can also do that. And all those, uh, red things, if you see here, means they, while doing the summary, they, they did not, uh, take all the points which would be coming in prelims. So if you see parts like this, so this is what I added. Means, if I'm reading NCERT, or if I'm reading, or if I'm reading any other, any other fact points from history. So if I found something about Santal rebellion, then I used to put it here. Like if there was some shift in agriculture, and there was some compromise by the money, it was called, and that rebellion was also called Hull, so that I put it here. Means all the things which you have to just put it in dump, dumping it in dump, all of it in one place. So see, if, if you're saying the first revolutionary activity, the revolutionary movement, so all the things which would be coming under that. So if you see all the rebellions in Maharashtra, and here the AMT Jackson scaling was not there, so I put it there. So all the things you have to remember, you have to put it in one place, make it, make it very compiled, very comprehensive, crisp. And if I, if I had to, if I had to revise modern history, then I would be reading only these 100 pages, nothing, nothing apart from. And this all the modern history. This is for mains. And see, this is Lucent. Lucent. You can, Lucent, you have to initially, which are 80 pages till modern history, you have to read all of them. And suppose this is the page of Lucent. I'll show you how to, how to approach Lucent, because you have to just highlight whatever would be coming in prelims. So if this is the Indus Valley part of Lucent, and if you see, if this is, uh, Chowdal, means all the things which, which could have come in prelims about Indus, I would have underlined, mentioned it. And while reading the next time, I used to just, I will read only what, whatever is highlighted. So there, that used to save a lot of my time. So this is Lucent's initial 80 pages till the committees and all, you have to read of Lucent. And also if you see here, I have done a lot of additions here myself. So while reading NCERT, I used to add whatever from industry, if I used to read somewhere, then I used to come and add it here. So like that, you have to make your notes very compiled, very crisp, and that would help in revising also. If this is Chola dynasty, then everything which I found elsewhere, I used to come and dump it here. And only this was the part where I used to revise my ancient, ancient India. So this is the, this part. So my friend is, he had history optional. So what he did was, while reading it once, he also took out all the facts and figures which would be, which would be important for ancient history, very specific. Like if we see, uh, Som had had written Katasar Saga, Shendra had written Brihat Kathamanji, they had written Brihat Katha. Then if this Bhagavatipura Parish, these are all the Jain texts. Then Van of Vuna and Ai rivers. And also means, this is, this is a 100 pages PDF. And I used, I revised everything. Because if you see, uh, if you see the prelims 100 questions, then all the, all the difficult questions, if we consider, are from ancient. So that part, that part I was sure that if, if something that was my approach. So in ancient India, I did not, I did not leave that, that saying is that no stone unturned. So I used to do everything is from my side, whatever I used, I could do. And also there are from previously from Upinder Singh, few questions have come. So that is why we chose this. And so all these things, uh, like if you see, like if this book is there, Kamandaka is written by Nitara, Dandin has written Dashakumar, or Banavat has written Kamari Vijushu, would Vijuish, means that he is a would be conqueror. So all these things, basic, basic things. And also there was in this notes only, mean, I revised everything. And I put a lot of efforts, especially towards ancient India, ancient medieval art and culture, and history. Because I believe that most of the people neglect history. So if I, if I did history properly, then I could solve those two, three questions extra and get those questions right. And which is exactly what happened. Because in PM, there was one question from Basa, and also there was a Buddhist question of Buddhism regarding if Gautam Buddha is called Tatagata. And those questions, that, that I got them, I got those questions right. And it was only because I did history so deeply. This all these things, like if this, this is again the compilation of this is again the compilation of all the my, uh, ancient Indian notes, whatever from pri school come, I used to come and dump it here. So, and this is from, and this map is from NCERT. So whatever, like if there was a question from Dhakataga, I think, uh, ah, see, there was this question in this prelim, in this prelim only, there was this question about Chandra Ketu, where was this, like if I think it was given in Odishite is there, but I remembered that I had marked Chandra Ketu, and it was in some Ganga's delta. So there was no chance that it could be in Odisha. And also this question, if you see, Danyaga was here only. So all these maps are also very important in history, especially if, if they told you to arrange, or if they told like they ask this question, or if, if you see this Indus civilization. So in Indus, like where are all the important sites, alladino, Balakot is on coast or not. So very detailed, like where is Cholistan, Nagageshwar, over they, they missed Nagashwar here. And also this was all the important, important Buddhist sites, like if I also went into deeply, like shares on which rivers, coast, Yoda, Kosala, where is Virata, means what their north, south location, west to east, east to west. So all those deeply I went. And all of those. So these are the NCERT. And also this is important table from NCERT, like of Bhakti, Jainism, all the time period where they're there. Also very important, means one thing is that they ask what are the contemporaries, like of Muktai, are they contemporaries of each other or not? So that was it. And also from Upinder Singh, only these maps about ancient sites. Let me show you proper one, uh, like you see where, where are the Pritikas, where were there Kumbhas, where were there Vishnu, where Nalas, Vakatakas, where were there, where was Nandi Vardhana, where was Gulma? So all those things while revising also, I was very, mean, I felt that this is so many, why I'm doing this all, means all this is not going to come. So in prelims, you have to remember that 99.5% of the things which you are going to read, they, they are not going to come in prelims. You have to know that before reading that. And also prelims is very risky, it is very gambling type nature. So if you, the mindset should be that that feeling. And if you, this was my efforts, and whatever I studied, it was so much that I went with confidence that, mean, my confidence was, uh, mean, my efforts and whatever comprehensive notes and all, so that gave me confidence. Like just before the day of prelims, that I've studied this much, and if I've studied this much, and then I, I hope, I hope that I would be getting most of the questions right. And so this was like from also Upinder Singh, all the important keywords, like if you see, there was one question from Ashra, or what does, this is Buddhist, I think, uh, so Buddha's Patitas, and what does Ajiva means, what does Shankara means, what does Shalyatana means, Shalyatana means six senses, what does ignorance means, Ajiva means ignorance. Sometimes I seem like in cities, they ask the question like, what does Ashrava means? I think their own Jainism. So all those things, like Sana, the four elements of Namalit Rupa, so Panchakandaka, so all those things, all those writers, or their concepts. So that is also important in ancient India. I'm talking about very, I'm being very, uh, specific to prelims. And the thing with history, if you go with, if you be, uh, the way of studying history is that primaries revision, and keep your notes very short. And one more important thing which came to my mind during preparation was that while you study history, like while revising history, me and my friend decided that we will on call, means he used to live away from me. So on call, we used to, we'll ask each other questions, we'll close the Lucent book, and then you'll ask that who is the writer of that, who is the writer of that. So we tried that first, but then we realized that in prelims, the nature of prelims is that they'll be giving you a statement like this, and you have to judge that whether this statement is right or wrong. You don't have to recall anything. It is not a question and answer type that they who is the writer of this book, and you have to write the answer. So the nature of not the nature of it is not that, but here, here it is that you have to guess the statement whether it is right or wrong. So what we thought that instead of remembering everything, if we just, if we just mean look at it more like if we revise it more, and if we just, it is called, if we just look at it, look at it more times, if we revise and also write in rough, like while preparing for it. So then it will get stick into our mind. And if statement comes like this book is written by that, then we'll find something odd or fishy about it. If it is right, then, then there would, there won't be any problem. But if it is wrong, then we'll, our eye will catch it and we'll say, no, there is something wrong with this statement. And also you have to revise it a lot of times. So, um, this is history. And history, people are afraid. And you don't have to be, because whatever questions, they are very tough questions, nobody will be able to get it. So you have to just be sure that you are doing what is the basic requirement of history. And then we come to geography. So the basics, my sources of geography were primary to NCERT. NCERT. And from Telegram, I did Rush Dudat, Rush Dudat notes. Then JC Leong. Then there was a topper whose name was Saksham Goyal. I used his notes for maps, maps, plus few geography notes. I'll show you his notes. And again, physical maps. I'll also show you those physical maps. And if you see in history, in geography, if you see world geography, then all those physical, then also one concept of places in news. So I'll also show you this compilation. And if you see PYQs of geography, then they are very conceptual nature. If you see prelims, then geography are very conceptual nature. If there is a theory or concept. So you have to make sure that you, that you make your conceptual understanding very strong. And this, what my main thing was, this Telegram or not. So if anytime I have to revise, uh, geography notes, I would be doing it from here. So I used to dump everything here. Like if I read GC Long, then I used to dump it here. Then this Saksham Goyal notes, it's for very prelim specific. It was very pre specific. And these physical maps, I did it on my own. And these are places in news. It was compiled by my friend and me. It was compiled by my friend and me. And in especially in geography, if there are two parts, I think one is theory, and then the second part is the location one. The questions of prelims, I'm being specific with, there is theory, and there is location. Theories, you can get your theory right with NCERTs and all. But for locations and mapping, you have to take a lot of efforts because there are a lot of things which could be asked, like national parks, Ramsar sites, and all. So I'll show, I'll be showing you one to one, like one by one sources which I used. So see this geography. And while NCERT, so while reading NCERT, I also used to make sure that the, in the first reading, in the first reading itself, I'll be highlighting the things which would be important for me. Like if I'm reading NCERT the second time, then I used to only read the highlighted part and not the entire book. So that used to save a lot of my time. And you have to also remember one thing during your preparation is that you have to remember one thing is that if the time of revision, the time of revision for subsequent reading, it should get shorter and shorter. Like if you are reading Laxmikant, then the first time you read Laxmikant, you are taking 30 days to read it for the first reading, then for the second reading, that 30 days should come down to 20 days because you already know, know a few things. The 30 days, and then max to max 10 days. So during subsequent reading, you have to maybe you have to make sure that you have to take lesser and less time while reading the same things. And now I'll, uh, Rushi Dudat, do not typical coaching notes. If you go in any institute, they'll be giving you the same, like what are staple coaching material. I also think that if you could go, if you could means, what if you go to any coaching, they give you the same basic material. And any foundation course, if you join, means the foundation course alone, it is not going to help you to clear UPSC. Foundation course plus your value addition into it, and your, your value addition into it, only if you value add and if you, uh, again, if you fill in the blanks or if you do more, then only with your valuation, you will be clearing UPSC. So foundation course alone won't be helping it. So the, my geography notes were like typical foundation course notes of Dudat's. And I used to add my own inputs. If I reading NCERT or if any other books or on YouTube, I watch something, then I used to add it in that relevant section of Rushik Dudat. And I'll show you how I did the mapping, mapping portion. So these are the notes of Saksham Goyal. Found it from, uh, Telegram, uh, like me and my used to, my friend used to look at all the different sources from all the different toppers. And we, we find this very good PDF. And in that, he, he himself had compiled from Amit G. So in that, so see, if we look at this table of Indus river system, so in that Indus, we had covered everything. Like if this is the river Indus, then the dams on Indus, this source, where Monosur glacier, Boku wildlife, what are the important species in it? And if there is other relevant features according to it. And here, means, this is the reference I used to plot my, I draw, draw my own drawings of, I will show you my Indus system drawings. So see, this is, I don't think it would be that much clear. This is my Indus wise, my handwriting is also already little bit short. So if you see here, all the tributaries, like Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi, Bias, and all, whatever small, small things, like where is Amritsar, where is Lahore, where is Kabul river, comes from there, Swat river, join near Attock, then Chashma dam, Tarbela dam, and water from, while reading NCERT also, you have to extract whatever could come in prelims. So this used to be my river system map. And if you see, then this is the Ganga river system. Ganga river system is quite complex. So I ensured that I will not be missing any single point. Like if there is Matilla dam, if there is Giel, this K, whatever right bank tributaries, left bank tributaries. And if you see Ganga, there are very important cities on Ganga, Kanpur is there, Allahabad, Varanasi, on, where is the confluence of which river is which city, where is Patna, then it meets Chap, meetur, Kosi is there, Burhiag is there. And right now in 2024, there was exact question like we have to arrange Bomb, Gand, Kosi from west to east. So you have to also do your own mapping. Do your own. This is, this is Godavari river system. And this is Krishna's. And also while mapping also, so this was why my one river, the rest of the small, small tributaries map I had made. See here, this is Narmada and all those small, small tributaries in Goa, if you see Mandovi, Kalinadi is there, plus, uh, the small, small rivers in Kerala, Tamil Nadu. And if you see that Brahmani, Bani, Subarnarekha, and all those small, small rivers, plus there is Omkareshwari, Indira Sagar, means you have to make sure that you do not, do not miss any single point from it. And these are plus, this is the mountain passes. This is quite complex because I, I was the only one who was reading it. So you might find it complex. Uh, this, in this, there is glaciers is there, again, there is mountain ranges, all the mountain passes is there. So all those things, plus then there is, this is the map of all the mountain ranges, sorry, uh, this is all the important mountains in all over India. Like if you see, there is this, uh, all those ranges. And if you see, especially in the southern India, there are many ranges like Nallamala, Srisailam, Sharpanchi, Panchamalai, Surulai, Vishnu, and all those Jinga nad, Pig, and all those very small, small things. So you have to make your preparation very specific and very, very comprehensive. And these are Ramsar sites. So like all these, there are now, I think 90 Ramsar sites. So you have to make sure that I, I was that time, I was aware of all the 85 Ramsar sites, like where each of each, each one was there. I used to recollect and do it like that. Plus biosphere reserves and all those. I, I'll be making my own Telegram channel. I'll be putting all my notes there. So you'll get it there. Elephant reserves and all those things. So, so this is just the, I'll give you a very short glimpse of what, what was in places in news. So, we used to read Vision, Vision's monthly magazine. So in that monthly magazine, all the means, all the small, small from Israel, there is one Haifa port, I think is there. From Lebanon, Estonia, India has opened its mission in. So where is that? What is that? And all the location of each and every country there. So we used to like in Iran, there is Kurbish conflict. In Georgia, there is Osetian conflict. Where is Lachin corridor? So all those small, small things which you read in current affairs, so you have to do that. And if, uh, that time, the Myanmar's Myanmar school was very popular. So in that, where is this Bomar group? Where is Shan? Where is Rohingya group? Where is Moon? Where is Kokang Chinese? So all the things, very, very short and very detailed way. And also if you see all the map of, this is Pantanal wetland of Brazil. So what are the countries which comes under it? So all those things, whatever current affairs comes from, or the places in news, you will make sure to do all the neighboring countries, whatever is surrounding it. Like if the Syrian Syrian crisis was going on there. So where is Latakia port? Where is Hmeimim air base? Where is Tartus? What are the neighboring countries of Syria? And all those things, very minute things you have to do. Plus this, at that time, there was this IMEC in India, Middle East, European Corridor. So what are the important ports there? What are the important cities which which you'll be going through? Like Jordan is part, on part of it or not. So all the very, very basic and minute things you have to do. So all this was there. I'll be uploading this. Like this UK country was there. So where is Sasto? Where is OSA? Where is As of C? So very minutely you have to do everything. And I'll also show you the, and while doing world map also, means if we see this, means this is my atlas photograph. So you have to do Africa very carefully. And although means, at that time, I knew that each and every country, what are their bordering countries. Like if you see, I had this, I had made this, uh, sort of milestones, milestone not, but something to remember too, like Sudan always border each other, or the Central African Republic and Sudan always border each other. And all those minute things. Like here, if you see, there is this Lake Adar, Lake, or I don't know what, I don't, I'm not able to recall it right now. Or the STAR countries, or I think there is a union, or it is called something. And all those countries come under this. All those minute things, we have to do, put it in atlas only. Like if there is the, this is, I think the refugee camp was one refugee camp, then there is Pumika. So these are all the refugee camps here, Dab Hagadea, and Kaka Kuka, I think Kuka refugee camps, then BDB, BDB refugee camp, Kakuba refugee camp. So all those things you have to do in atlas only. So you have to also do atlas very carefully, especially Europe, 5C. There was one question in, in this paper, like what were the neighboring countries of North Sea. So I did, I did all the map very properly. So I got that question very easily. So you have to do mapping very carefully, world maps, where each and every country is. So that is very important. Mapping, mapping helps, mapping helps a lot. And in, if you consider geography, it is generally very easy for prelims, especially the questions, the questions which you do in geography, they are very doable, and they are not very tough. And all. And if we consider polity, so polity as, so now we'll take polity. So polity, if you, okay. Then there is Laxmikant. And then Constitution of India. Mean, I did not enter Constitution of India, but there comes a summary PDF on Google. If you search Constitution summary, it will come. I also show you that. Laxmikant is like, uh, the holy grail, the holy book of UPSC, because Laxmikant is very prelims oriented. It is entirely prelims oriented. And it is already a note. Means I've seen people taking notes from Laxmikant. Means it, it is also you can do, but taking very minute notes. Like I, I had, I know a friend, like who while taking notes from Laxmikant, they also took notes of if there is a president chapter in that chapter, the, like all he listed all the presidents who stood against him, and by how many votes he won. So you don't have to go in that much depth. You have to only take out and highlight whatever prelims oriented notes or whatever it is there in Laxmikant. So you have to do Laxmikant, everything along from Laxmikant, you have to also remember, you have to do appendix properly. And in that appendix, I think the state list, union list, state and union list, like whatever in 2024, there was one question about, what I think the interstate quarantine, it comes under state or union list. Then there is important articles, then amendments, and order of precedence. This is, you have to read, do this much from appendix. And along with appendix also, you have to, uh, after I think the NITI, uh, the non-constitutional bodies, around, you don't need to do that much part, because very political, and it is not important for, except the electoral, except the electoral reforms and defection law. These are the very few topics like in the later part, which you have to do. Electoral reforms, plus anti-defection, electoral reforms, and anti-defection law. These are two things which you have to do from polity. And from polity, I think that from Laxmikant, in 2024, there are very factual questions. So if you could, like in minority, there is, you have to chart. So you have to do everything from very minute details, you have to do from Laxmikant. So that is there. You have to do appendix, I have told. From polity is very basic, you have to just read it, you have to revise it many times. Like I have read Laxmikant from seven to eight times. So like everything was burnt into my brain. So you have to read Laxmikant very properly. So that is all about Laxmikant, then polity with respect to prelims. Then I'll be coming to economy. Economy, if you see the paper, it is very conceptual in nature. And whatever factual comes, it comes from current affairs. What are factual comes? It comes from current affairs. And, uh, for conceptual, I, I have read NCERT. Then I have read Mural Notes. But Mural notes, I have read only, I would have read only twice. Like as I said, like in graduation, I used to read all of standard books. So I have read Mural notes twice. But after that, I found that they were too much. And it is like, if you, it like instead of thousand pages, you could also do the same things from other, other resources, but in a lesser time. So after that, I gave up Mural notes, only I think for agriculture, I read it. Agriculture and that human resources pillar, I read Mural. Agriculture and human resources, I read Mural. And then for, uh, prelims, I did that 450 MCQs of Vision. 450 MCQs of Vision. Then I did, there was an file of QRM of Vision, is Missita had very basic concepts of economy, whatever could come in prelims. So there was that QRM of Vision. And then there was Sudarshan Lora's Target UPSC, Sudarshan Lora's Target UPSC notes on economy. So they are just very brief notes about all the important concepts of economics. And economics, if you see, it comes very easy. Like whatever topic, like 2024 attempt also, if you see, and previously also, whatever question comes from economics are very conceptual. And if your concepts are strong, and if your theory is strong, then you could solve the all the economic problems. And whatever factual comes, it means you would be able to do it from current affairs. So this is about economy. And if you come on environment, environment, if you see environment and science and tech. So for environment, I done Shivanshu Shri notes. For science also, I had read his notes. Shivanshu's notes. And environment, I had also done that Sudarshan Lora's Sudarshan Lora's notes. And, uh, these two, mean, whatever the saw, these notes are pretty big. So I just read them once. And I, and I extracted all, all which, all which would be coming for prelims. Same for science and tech. Science and tech is earlier PP used to there. So I just revised those PPs of environment and science and tech of Shivanshu. Plus I used to read Vision monthly magazine. So I used to read a Vision monthly magazine. And for environment, I used to do Shivanshu's notes and Sudarshan Lora's notes. So what I think is that if you consider especially environment and science and tech, then the difficult questions, no one would be able to getting it. Like if there was this world toilet.

A day like International Toilet Organization, nobody would have read about it. But if you just read all the basics and whatever, whatever, uh, least you could do, then you could all, then you would be able to solve the very simple or very basic question which, which comes in both environment and science and tech. And you have to remember one thing, that environment and science and tech, it is very big, it is very vast, and you have to also remember where to limit yourself and not do too much or be too ex, too, uh, too excessive while doing it. Like, if, I mean, I suggest now, if anyone has to do environment, one can read, uh, PMF is environment notes. One can do PMF, PMFS is environment notes, where in my book, I think it is a book which is a very good book, and from that also you have to do selective reading because in environment, the international laws, international organizations, Ramsar park, national parks, elephant reserves. So all that be, all that be, all that becomes very important. So for environment and science, that I can read this, and you have to just remember, you don't have to go very deep into it, just do whatever, whatever basic you could do, and just don't go very, do, don't do hair-splitting in it and all.

So now, we have very important is current affairs. For current affairs, I used to read Vision monthly magazine. [Music] Current, I should read Vision monthly magazine and then Yan Kurukshetra. Means, that time, I did not know that how, how much time, how much, like, before exam, how many months magazine you have to read. So that time, I read for 15 months magazine, which was excessive and which was a mistake, a very big mistake. 15 months, like from Jan 2023, I read Jan, February, Jan, February, March to March 2024. So these many magazines I read, which is not at all necessary. You have to read just from June 2023. Uh, I should have read June 2023 to March 2024. This is the time period's magazine which you have to read. This is what mistake I did, and this is what, and use Kurukshetra. I also read 15 months and Kurukshetra, which was also a mistake. And I'll show you how I used to read Van's monthly magazine and what exact mistake I did while reading Yan Kurukshetra.

So while I used to read, uh, each and every magazine, so I used to make good use of highlighter. So if you see here, there is Bharat 2023. So whatever is useful, you would be useful for prelims, I used to highlight it in red. So if this is Bhartani Savva and it replaces the Indian Penal Code 1860s, and if it produced, it produced draft of Indian Pen 18, 1837. So whatever was important for prelims, I used to highlight it in red. If you see the key, so for the second and third reading, I used to only read whatever is highlighted in red. So if, if we see the constitution provision for appointment of Election Commissioner under Article 324, plus there is lack of parity in removal of C and EC. So these are the things which would be coming in prelims. So whatever prelims oriented is there, I used to highlight it in red. Like the President granted us to President and register periodical 2023. So next time, I will only used to read the red highlighter highlighted, and that used to save a lot of my time, and which will be also saving a lot of your time also.

And, uh, this was, see, if I, if there is, uh, maritime IMO adopted the international convention of safety of life, SOLAS Convention. Then what is SOLAS Convention? So all those things, you have to just, you have to remember that in subsequent revisions, you don't have to take the same time, you don't read everything in every revision. So you have to remember, like, if the maritime cooperation, so if we see here, then this India and Kenya are both, uh, members of IORA. Then what are the countries of IORA? You have to just keep in, keep in that in your back of the mind.

So while reading Yan Kurukshetra, means, first of all, there was no need absolutely to read them. But as, like, it was my first time and I did not want to leave no stone unturned and give my 100%. So we decided, me and my friend decided to read and Kurukshetra. So I would have read like 30 magazines. And in my second, I, in my second and after my third revision, I realized that revising a lot of, revising all the magazines, 30 magazines, all, means, like from one after another, it was taking a lot of my time. So after that, I decided that I would extract whatever would be coming from, to what will be coming for prelims from the Yan Kurukshetra, then make a separate PDF of it, and I'll show you that PDF now.

If you see, this is the credit cooperative, cooperative society. Which is the top state in it? Like Maharashtra, Maharashtra has the most, uh, cooperative societies. Then there is Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, then the descending order. Plus, then there is how many states, if there are districts, then what is the state with most districts? Like UP has 75 districts, MP has 53, has 50. So all those small, small things. Plus, then here we have, uh, millets. Like if we see nutrition from millets, then we have niacin. Then there is zinc, fiber. It can also be very helpful in PCOD. Then what is PCOD? It is polycystic ovary syndrome. And it is again, what is PCOD? It is more male sex hormone androgen something is produced. So all those things, like I compiled, this is some 13 to 14 pages PDF. So all the things which could have come from Yan Kurukshetra, I used to put it here. Like if this is the energy share of everything, like if, like fossil fuel is that time of 57.7%, then there is hydro energy is 11%, then wind energy is 10%. So all the things which could come from, I extracted all from it. So while for revising, using the next time, my job was very easy. I had to revise only these 13 to 14 pages. So this is one very important thing you have to remember is that you have to, the time for revision should get, with subsequent revisions, it should get less and less. Mistakes I made during prelims.

[Music] So reading things once, means, if you are going to read something once, then don't read it. And only if you have, if you know that if you're reading something and you are going to read it for four to five times, and you're going to revise it later, only those things you have to read. Because prelims is a game of revision, and the more you revise, the more it gets settled in your brain. So if you're going to read anything, if you're going to read only once, then don't read it. Like suppose, if there is NCERT, like if you are reading NCERT book, like for HT, I read old, for HT, for ancient history, I read the new NCERTs. So in that, just I showed you earlier, I took out all the maps, I took out all the, I read it only once. But while reading it once, I extracted all the things which would be coming in prelims or all the quotations which I could use in mains. So if you're reading, if you're reading it once, if you're reading it once only, then you have to make sure you extract, extract or highlight, whatever. Extract means highlight. If you're highlighting, then means you have to read it again. If you're reading it once, extract whatever prelims or mains oriented, the, for the reason why you're reading it, you have to extract that.

And reading things once, and then like later revisions, like I, I target, I had set the target that I would revise everything at least five to six times. But that was not possible because I had so many things to do. So that was like one of my mistakes, like I, I did not put adequate time for later revisions. Like it was like more like I'm very ambitious. So I set a lot of targets, but I was not able to complete them. So instead of that, what you should do is that, set what is possible for you and just, uh, focus on that.

And the third is that lesser mocks. Means, uh, what I used to do is that I had joined for mock for prelims. I think there is no need to join any test series. Because on Telegram, you get, you can get, um, mean, all the material available. So if you are, mean, even if you are joining any test series, what I feel is that, like I had joined Vision Upbass, I had joined Vision Upbass, and, uh, it was for, thousand rupees, and it had three tests. Means, I had only joined it because you have to give it offline, and you will get some somewhat feel of what it, what it is to appear for prelims. So I joined Vision Upbass. I gave only one test, but then I did not give the other two because the quality of the paper was not that good. Like I myself studied from Vision's monthly magazine, but in that paper, mean, all the content was from their own notes, from their own monthly magazines. So what I found is that, mean, and in that test, I scored some 55 marks, I think, and the quality of paper was not that good. So then I decided that, that won't be appearing the next, next test. And what I used to do is that, I joined a reading room. So I used to go and study there. So I used to give my prelims comes there only. And last time, I think Anub tests were good, and this time, I think their quality has deteriorated. So I gave four to five Anub tests, and in that, I used to score like above 100, in, like in around 100, in, in those tests. So what I found, means, the mistake was, what I was talking about was that the mistake was that I, I gave only four to five full-length mocks, and in those mocks, I used to give it very casually. Like while sitting in the reading room, if my first reading, I used to complete the paper in 1 and 1/2 hours. So that was a mistake. And what happened in real prelims time was that the, the real prelims is that the two hours are very quick. Means, the, the two hours pass in a blink of an eye. So I was not able to simulate that. Like in the first hour, I was only able to complete 35 questions. So that was that challenge I felt. Like if I would have go given more seriously timed mocks, I would have means, uh, it those two hours wouldn't, wouldn't that much challenge, wouldn't be that much challenging for me. So giving lesser mocks was, uh, one of my mistakes.

And again, uh, again reading things once. I have read, I don't remember now, but I've read a lot of things. Like I've read for Indian economy, I read Ramesh Singh. Then I have read for ethics, I read Lexicon. Then I have read for ethics only, Lexicon for ethics. For ethics, I read Lookman, is not Lookman notes. Then again, uh, for Munal's notes. Then again, there were a lot of things, I'm not able to recall right now. But all those things, I, that time, I had spent a lot of time because I had that much time. But I did not realize that I won't be touching these things afterwards. Like for, like actually, during the prepare, like, just before mains, I did not use anything of it. So all the time spent while reading this, means, it was obviously wasted. So don't waste your time, because everyone has kind of the same time, and you won't be getting that time again.

For CSAT, it was not that much challenging for me. But I, while giving the prelims paper, I realized that was a mistake. Like even my math option was there, but the nature of questions which come in CSAT are that they are very typical. So if there is no, uh, familiarity, then you won't be able to solve those questions during that 2 hours. Like literally, means, till it was 4:00, the prelims CAT paper started at 2:30. By means, for first prelims paper started at 2:30. The first, like till 3:30, I completed comprehension. Like 3:15, I, 3:15, I complete comprehension. Until 4:00, I was able to solve only 12, 10 questions, 10, I think, 15, 15 questions from maths, from the math section. So this was, I got, I got very panicked. And so it was because I did not do anything before. So whatever your background, you have to focus on CSAT. Because I've seen many people which have failed the prelims because of CSAT. So even if math, math background or any arts background, if you feel confident, still you have to prepare something or the other. For 46, because one more thing which I have realized over, you see, it is all about familiarity. The more you are familiar with those questions, or those type of, those type of questions during, I mean, before, the more you do it before, the more easier you are going to find it. The more easier it will get during those two hours. So it is all about familiarity. And if there is something new which comes during that two hours, it will, it is very difficult to handle. So the more you're familiar with all the types of questions, with everything, then it gets very, very easier during that time.

And what I feel about prelims is that, if you see those two hours, means, if you are preparing for one year, this is your entire one year time, and this is those two hours, you know, and this is those two hours. And I think is that, if we, this is equally important, 50% important is this, and 50% is what you study in that one year. Because if you again see, one thing which I have realized is that, suppose this year's, suppose this year's cutoff was 87, then all the people who, then all the people who study and fail. Yeah. This is cutoff 87, and this is suppose 70 marks. So majority of the people who, you know, these are the people who study and seriously study and fail is in that 75 to 87 marks per range. So if, and if you have to cross the cutoff, and even if your three to four questions, three to four questions which you do, and which are wrong, and if they convert to right, then you get additional, what, 10 marks. So if, and if, if those three, three to four questions, 50/50 questions. So whatever these three to four questions which you do, that is very important in those two hours. And those silly mistakes which you do, and if you are not, if you could not, mean, if suppose you do not do those two to three mistakes in those two hours, then you will be able to clear the cutoff and come here. So what I say is that, key, it is very important, those two hours. And those silly mistakes, those three to four question silly mistakes are very unacceptable. Like I am saying that unacceptable, but I myself made a lot of mistakes. Like very basic, very silly mistake, you would be shocked that I made those mistakes. Like, um, there was one question about right to privacy. Right to privacy comes under Article 9. I was confused between Article 19 and Article, uh, Article 19 and Article 21. But I would be, you would be shocked that I, in though, in that moment, I did the correct option as Article 19. Like nobody would be doing this basic mistake. Even if, like for the two to three years before exam, you, if you ask me that what is the answer to this, I'll always pick Article 21. That was one silly mistake which I did. Then again, or in sometimes, mean, in all the questions, S, like 1, 2, all of the above was in C. Like most generally, all of the above is in D option, but in that question, all of the above was in C, and in D, there was 1, 2, 3. And that moment, the answer was all of the, and I put the right option as D. And there was again one politics question in which I did not read "not" in the statement. Like that was not, but I did not, neglected it. So these are the, if I would have failed, then I would have felt very bad because all the silly mistakes would have failed me. So you have to remember that you don't have to make silly mistakes, and they're very unacceptable. And so try to avoid the silly mistakes. And those two hours, your mind should be very composed, and you should not be, uh, your mind should be very composed, and in those two hours, you have to just be very careful about what you think. And I think, know, it is very difficult. I also be in that situation, but you have to control your thoughts. You have to just focus on question, each and every question. You, what you do, what I find helpful is that, don't think about the entire paper. Just think about that particular question. Like if you are question number one, then I'm going to only deal about this. No matter how the other questions my went, even if 10 questions I went my, it were very difficult, but 11th question, I have to take questions as itself. Like not any, you have to take the question itself. Don't think about anything else, and just approach like one question after another. Don't think about the entire paper. So that helped me.

And again, I think that, uh, one more important, the role of PYQs. Like if we see that a lot of, in the market, the situation is that PYQs are very important. Indeed, they're important, but they are not important to the extent that, means, I had myself, me and my friend, we had joined a course called Power of PYQ by, I think, Arjuna's. Means, I think after doing that course, after doing everything what was told, I felt it was very stupid to, like, in what, mean, what was told there was, in 2020, 2012, suppose there was a question, and there was C option, and this wrong option, you could relate that to 23's, uh, if there are a statement in that statement, then you could, there was linkage here, linkage in this and this, and you could, if you do all the PYQs properly, if you analyze all the wrong options, if you analyze all the correct options, then you'll be able to solve this 2023 question. But what I feel is that, while, if suppose, I, I would be giving, nobody knows in the two hours what is the linkage. If, if you take the paper after 2, 3 days, then anybody can make linkage with any other correct or wrong option from previous years. So don't go into that much, uh, deep and detail about the, about PYQs. So what I think, the role of PYQs in prelims is very limited, and it's limited in the sense that, uh, you should know what depth the UPSC goes, depth of, in depth of subject, and familiarity with, know, familiarity with questions. Means, familiarity with question setting. Mean, obviously, you have to do all the, Means, you have to go through once from right from 20, 2012. It is, uh, means, you could do all the PYQs from 20, 2012, uh, 20, sorry, 2011 and before. The, and you have to, don't go just be careful about how much depth and how much you analyze PYQs. Just read them, famil, because UPSC has a nature of asking statements. Like they have a particular way of framing the sentences. So you get, you get familiarized with that. So only that purpose, PYQs should only serve this purpose and nothing else.

And after the prelims, after result comes, don't waste those 10 to 15 days. Like till the result comes, means, I suffered because of it. Like for my was borderline case, so I suffered because of it. Don't waste those 10 to 15 days. Right after, if you are able to, like, if you are even on borderline, just study in those 10 to 15 days.

And again, about attempts. I generally in prelims, I attempted 90 questions. Means, it was my, means, it was a shadow. Like I knew that 30 questions would be going wrong. Like 30 would be wrong, and generally 60 were rightly. Even in mock, this was my pattern, and this was, so my score was also approximately 100, under 100 marks. And it was because I also cleared Forest Service. So I think that now, I don't know the my marks because Forest results are yet to come. So around, generally, this was like 60 pattern used to follow. So generally, that you got successfully implemented during prelims also. And apart from silly mistakes. So don't do those silly mistakes. And those two hours are very equally important. And your mindset in those two hours are also very important. And I would be also sharing the revision techniques, like how I used to study.

So first thing was self-analysis, means analyzing different toppers, what they did. And then source mapping. I like credibility of source. This is very important because if you see any source, because there are thousands of sources available, but how to check if your source is correct or not. So just, there is only one parameter, is PYQ parameter. Like if from your notes, if you're able to solve the PYQ, then your sources are correct. And if you are not able to solve PYQ from your sources, then your source is wrong. Like suppose, if you take Laxmikanth example, then almost 95% of all the prelims PYQs, you could get from Laxmikanth. So Laxmikanth is the right source. But you consider other books, from which PYQ, like if you see, uh, not open nursing, but any other, like very specific book, from from which PYQ could come, then the source is not credible. So you have to also check the credibility of source.

Then again, you have to, cycle of revision is very important. Like if you are reading something today, then you have to read it, like just get a glimpse of it, the next day, like one day after it. Then you have to read the same thing after 7 days. Then you have to read the same thing after 1 month, and then again you have to read the same thing after 2 months. So whatever you read, you have to be careful that you have to keep the cycle of revision continuing. Because the more your brain is familiar with it, and the more you, like, if you are going through it, like in with regular intervals, then it will be helps to recall and remember everything.

And then again, it is consistency. It is like, no need to tell that consistency. I know it is very boring to study. Because if you, p, if someone tells me to, it is not about the first time, it is very enjoyable. You get to know about economy, you get to know about polity. But reading the same, same thing seven to eight times, I know it is monotonous, it is very boring. What you do, there is no other option. Okay.

And then again, planning. Planning and very crystal clear planning. Like if you would ask me, that my plan used to like, in this week, used to be very crystal clear. Here, then after that, it used to get blur. Because if, today's Monday, then I would be knowing that at Friday, 6:00, at Friday, 6:00, I would be doing this. I have, means, Wednesday at night 10:00, I would be reading that. And afterwards, like 2 to 3 weeks, I used to have the back of the mind that I would be doing one reading of that at that, in that week. So very crystal clear planning should be there. And this was like broadly how I used to study, and I used to go about it.

So now we'll come to mains. So I'll be giving a disclaimer first. This was my first attempt. Then there is subjective nature of mains. And then mains, I did not know, no awareness of correlation. There was no awareness of correlation between what answers I wrote and what marks I got. Because if it would have been my second attempt, then I would have known that if, if I read such such answer, then this is the minimum, this is the minimum amount of marks which I would be getting. So there was no correlation. I would say, first attempt is also that subjective nature. Means, that if we see, mean, just before, mean, just today, I saw one marksheet. That guy had got in mains, he had 827 marks, and in interview, he had 113 marks, and in essay, he got very less marks, he had some 57 marks, you know. So it is very subjective. Like if we see a guy who is getting, like, in total, his his mains is 857 marks, and if in, and in essay, if he's getting only 57 marks, then that means you face his nature, very subjective. So you have to, while listening to me also, you have to be very careful, and just take whatever is, whatever you think is right, and don't believe in everything what I'm saying. So this is the oral disclaimer.

And then I think the one thing I find out, means, is that the, in prelims, you are given a standard, standard book, you are given a standard set of books, and if you only read those books, you'll be able to clear prelims. But for mains, you have to make your own notes. No coaching. If you, if they say that we'll give you this note for GS to read and answer the paper, you have to, for mains, you have to make your, you have to make your own notes. Own notes in the sense that you have to compile your own notes from everywhere, compile plus your own value addition should be there in your notes, and then you have to revise. So there was a set pattern which I used to follow for every notes, and it has to be theme-based, theme-wise. Because if you see mains notes, then mains notes, if, if you see syllabus of GS1, syllabus has history, society, and a geography. So you have to make your notes very be specific and very, you have to make it very theme-wise. And there, there used to be a set pattern of, um, way, way of my notes making. Like, so firstly, I used to see syllabus, syllabus, then PYQs, syllabus, then PYQs, then topper answer copies. Topper answer copies. Then, uh, topper notes. Then your own notes. And then you have to do continuous addition plus revision. Continuous addition should be a part of your, uh, notes making. And sometimes you can also, like, use your topper notes as your own notes. I'll show you, like, how I did it in GS3. So that was the pattern of, like, making your own notes. Because if you see topper answer, you get a benchmark, like what type of, uh, answers you have to write. And if you see topper notes, because those are the notes from which the toppers said had, means, written such answer and got such marks. So you have to be very careful and use all the resource which you had. And all this is freely available on the internet. Like topper answer copies are abundantly available. Topper notes are available on Telegram. So this saves a lot of work. And if you follow this broad pattern, then you could make your own good notes.

So before starting, I'll be just telling about essay. In essay, I have got good marks. I think it is 123 marks. And if you see, one is very good because average is 90 to 100 marks. This time, everyone has gotten in this range. So what I feel, what helped me were my own examples. Like just when I started in 2022, I used one note, which is an application, and I used to, uh, store all my notes, anecdotes, examples, stories, ideas in that one place. Like I'll show you now. In OneNote, there, uh, means, I had done various sections of OneNote, like from essay, ethics, history, economy, agriculture, environment, geography, society, women, social justice, health, education, governance, international relation, science and tech, defense and security, disaster management. And in that, I'll show all of it later. If you see in stories, uh, like all the anecdotes I had. So in that anecdotes, like this was my, I was reading my friend's essay. So in that, there is that the Japanese used to do artificial earthquakes to avoid bigger earthquakes. So similarly, the culture of silence is endorsed, and citizens are not allowed to express their feelings. It might lead to greater earthquakes in future and cause instability. So this is such a wonderful example. And all the, mean, it was like, if you see Dil Maange More of Colonel Vikram Batra. So all those things, like if profit-driven short-term gain, uh, disconnect between, there is nowadays, there is disconnect between what we know and what we do. And the best sign of intelligence is adaptability. And if you see, then the story of Vasil Popov. I was reading, mean, I used to read Indian Express regularly. And so in the story, I used to, they got this story of Vasil Popov. I got to know that I could be using that in essay. So this was very, very vast and very useful. Like I, I'd seen one status. So I used, I put it in, like, like he asked an artist about, then my Michael, I think it is there, sculpture and all. So 111 tells to par, parathletes. 111 tells to inspire. So you have to be careful. Like whatever in around you, you have to be careful of your surroundings. If you're reading in a newspaper, if you read any quotes, in in any public, in any, uh, public space. So you have to be careful that whatever you could use for prelims, for essay, you have to be very careful.

Now, this is story of a balloon. So all those stories, anecdotes, this Jataka tale about starving tigers, which is a very ultimate example of empathy. So empathy and compassion. So all those things which you could use, you have to keep it here. This was the Kane Williamson's example, like after losing the World Cup, he was still smiling. So all those things which you could use in essay, you have to just keep one compiled. Not necessary that you have to do it online. You could also do it online at your own place. So this thing, then again, there was some, uh, good conclusions. Like, uh, pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity, and optimistic, opportunity in every difficulty. And all those things, like if, um, like these are some standard, uh, like if this is Indian Express, the best way to predict future is to design it. The world is big, and right past the next corner is a new station where new train stands waiting. So all these examples. Plus, if you see the, uh, like there, I, this is from Narayana Murthy's book. Like, um, uh, in the ultimate analysis, I still remember it. Like here, it is, um, in the ultimate analysis, all the, we are, we are temporary custodians of all the wealth we generate, whether it be financial, intellectual, emotional. The best use of all your wealth is to share it with those who are less fortunate. And there is comes a time where we eat foods from the trees we did not plant. So in our time, we, it is our sector responsibility, uh, that, uh, we should, like, we should also plant those trees and gardens and all those things. So you have to be, collect your own examples. So these were stories, and these were my ideas page. So in this ideas page, I had different sections. Like suppose, if I'm reading a Sapiens book. So in that Sapiens book, I had saved all the important, um, ideas, quotes. If this Sapiens book, then, then this is politics. So about politics, if there is any important, while reading any newspaper, if I find, if I find something important, like if we see here, um, like politicians, like this is about how the, there is entry barrier in politics right now. And if, democracy hinges on the balance, hinges on the balance between people as a collective and the individual. But in India's democratic life, the idea of the individual seldom carries weight. So all those things, ideas about Indian democracy. So I have made these different sections about life, about history, like if you see about religion, then there is, a human is born in every house, humanity is rare. But again, uh, religion, there is duty-based religion. Then about Swami Vivekananda, this is from Indian Express. So all these things come very important. And so this I used to continuously add. If I reading any book, if I'm watching a YouTube, so all those, again, this is from newspaper about UCC. So all those things I used to continuously add. So this were, I'll show you of whatever sections I made in my ideas. So there were politics, then it was economics, peace, intolerance, then it was India, then also miscellaneous quotes. Then it was our Indian society, religion, history, life, education, atheism, Sapiens. Then if you see, if it is technology, then this is from one documentary. I think it is from, uh, The Social Dilemma documentary I was watching. So this is where, uh, the machine, the intelligence overcomes weakness. Yes, but if it overcomes our strength, then it would be very much challenging for us. Then all the standard quotes, like if you see, like there is the surveillance capitalism. Then there is only two industries which call customers users. One is drugs, and then there is software industry. So all those things you have to keep on adding, you have to keep on brainstorming. Then after technology, we have environment. Environment, then again, there was one book, freedoms, wisdom, sports, democracy, rationality and critical thinking, leadership, media. Then two sections of Gandhi, because I read a lot of books about Gandhi. So these were about India in his dreams. Then here is plain living and high thinking, that should be minimalist nature. Then we want Swaraj, not independence. So all those things come very important. Because, because I have felt it and I have noted it down. So while, if you are doing your own, if you are taking out your own examples, then it becomes very easy to recall all those examples in those two hours. So this is how I went about essay.

And for essay, anything about, uh, means, I feel that if you're doing, uh, means, then even if you see mains answer writing or essay answer writing, if you're writing essay writing, then the graph of it is very, like in the, in the, it is very slow, and it is after some time, then it begins, it very exponential graph. Like beginning, you won't be feel any pro, you won't be feeling any progress. But in this section, like this is time and practice, you won't be feeling any progress in this time. But if you, in this time, if, if initial, let's say 10 to 12 essays, if you point out your own mistakes, if you analyze properly, if you improve on your mistakes, don't make the same mistakes again and again. And if you read lot of topper answer copies, like for essay Vikram Goyal essays and all the other essays, like if you search over the essay toppers, our good essay, essay answer copies. So keep reading answer copies. And I think that reading answer copy is very important for mains answer copies of toppers, because then we get a benchmark or standard. Like if you are reading topper answer properly day by day, then you get a benchmark. And you while also writing your answers, you also get to, uh, means, you also write those answers in, in that, you try to write your own answers in how they have written them. And also analyzing topper answer copy, you have to remember that different toppers have different style of writing. If you see Aditya Shrivastava, means, I'll give you a very short comparison. Shrivastava's answer is very data, very data and factual based. And if you see Jain, what all rank 16, then his answers are more number of points, very much points, very, um, very high number of points, and very generic points. Yet he had some 870 marks. So if, so you'll notice that very different toppers have very different ways of writing answers. So you have to figure out your own way, what is best for you, and how you could answer the, how you could optimally answer those answers. And realizing your strengths and weaknesses, key, what way, what way of answering is correct for you, then you have to adopt that method. So before that, but you have to analyze a lot of topics, read a lot of answer copies, and then you can figure out, like, what is the best way for you to answer.

So now that we have done about essay, so I'll do GS1. So if you see GS1, then broadly it is history, Indian history, Indian history, then world history. Then we have Indian society. Then, uh, geography. If you see Indian history, you can answer the answers with your prelims knowledge. And here also, you can answer the answer with your prelims knowledge. For world history, Vision has material on it, which is freely available on internet. Plus, I had read a long while back Ranjan Chakraborty's book, which my friend had, history optional, he suggested me to read this book. So I read Ranjan Chakraborty's book and Vision's material. And for Indian society, like, just I had made for essay, I had made for society also my OneNote, uh, what I would call it, OneNote value additions, or my OneNotes, OneNotes notes. I had my OneNote notes. And this is broadly which I did for GS1. And, um, I think that, so I'll show you my Indian society notes, because all those things is already covered. And Indian society notes, I'll show you. So this Indian society, I had done, like Indian society, if you, you do by theme-wise, and proper pointers, you have to pick out. Like in Indian society, there is communalism, urbanization, regionalism, globalization. So in Indian society, if you see, this is caste problem. So caste problem, then there is, um, so while I used to read everything, while I used to read newspaper, like if, suppose, like there is 120 suicides in higher education institute from 2014 to 2021. Then there is this concept of modern slavery dimension. They used to, from Vision's monthly magazine, dimensions of modern slavery. And again, uh, this is Ambedkar's quote on just society is that, so I could use those examples in my, um, uh, answers. So it was constantly like, the, if he was elderly man beaten for refusing to pick up cow dung. So all those things which you could use, you have to continuously add in society. And society, you don't need to do anything extra. It is about questions about our own society. So you don't have to do any extra things in society. And I used to, like, made again different sections. Like there was this communalism, communalism section, then urbanization, regionalism. In communalism, I had this standard quotes. Like there was this, the concept by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad of Imam, half of Muslim's faith is his patriotism. And again, if you see, there was this quote by Adel Lord, like, yeah, this is Gandhi's, religions are different roads to the same point. What does it matter that we take different roads, so long that we reach the same goal or reality? So all these questions, then what is Uniform Civil Code, and all those riots which are happening, secularization, secularism. So all those things I used to read from here. And again, this Vision's monthly material is there. So you have to make Indian soc, you have to realize, you have to make your own notes, and then only you could answer these, uh, questions.

Well, so now I'll come to, uh, Indian, and this Indian society notes are very overlapping. And it overlaps with your other syllabus, like if you see agriculture and all, then it overlaps easily with those other portion, other parts of your, uh, different GS syllabuses. And again, if you see GS2. GS2, again, you have to make theme-wise notes. And for GS2, I had Atish Mathur, his theme-wise notes. Means, I kept his notes as a very basic, uh, like, very fundamental, like, very one place where I could dump all the other things of this. And I think his course was Magna Carta. Means, I did not do the course, but I got the PDF from the internet, or on his, from his own, uh, uh, Telegram channel. Is Arush Mathur, theme-wise notes, my own additions in it, from toppers notes, ARC. Again, one thing you have to, prelims and mains, not should be different. My, for some part is different, for some, it is exactly the same. Then, uh, for the welfare portion, this is for the, uh, governance. Then for welfare, and then I think it is international relation. For welfare, I did PYQ's answers. Means, I prepared answers from PYQ. And if you see the, especially this section of GS2, then there is very repetition in the type of questions which is, which is asked. I'll show you that. And then this was toppers notes, directly I got four notes of different toppers, and then I just did, I from that, I'll show you point-wise, like how are my governance notes, how are my welfare notes, and how are my international relation notes.

So if we see, this is the first theme in the governance, which is historical underpinnings, evolution, feature, amendment, and basic structure. So this is article, the debate between article 368 and fundamental rights, fundamental. So this is the different cases, like Golaknath, State of Punjab, then there is 24th Constitutional Amendment, 25th Constitutional Amendment, then it is the basic structure is the pinnacle of judicial creativity. It is called balancing act. Then again, it is about positives and the positives and points of debate about the basic structure doctrine. Like if the, like even they were very basic structure, but still we have 104 constitutional amendments till now. Like the significance of a basic structure. Then again, so the one thing I liked about Atish Mathur's notes is that he had theme-wise made, like very staple content on each and every theme. So I just use that as, uh, my core basic framework, and then I added my own, uh, notes on it. Like if you see here, it is about the EWS reservation. Then there is the second theme about federalism, functions, and representation of that. Then what are the essential features of Indian federalism? Then what is the unitary features of it? Then acts which give center power to issue directions. Then again, it is the deviations from federal character. Then legislative relations, financial relation, executive relations, nature of it. Then again, we have asymmetrical, horizontal, vertical, federalism. There is asymmetry, horizontal asymmetry, vertical asymmetry. So all the examples of that. Then again, if you see, these are my own additions from, like, if there is was the, um, New Deal, is whatever the, uh, the conflict is going on between the Left hand government and the CM. So this was a conflict there. I, I added it from Vision's notes, like monthly notes. Like there is the, we have no national language, only official language. Then there is this, cooperative federalism, competitive federalism, confrontation. What is cooperative federalism? Then the, like a standard notes, what does the constitution say about it? So it was very comprehensive. And again, this was the ARC notes. ARC notes was for only local governance and urban governance. Like there were very staple material which you could find. Like there was this principle of subsidiarity. I did ARC notes from P. Nitin Singh's book, I think, like he suggested some book, and I read that. I'm not able to recall that book's name. Like this is ARC local governance. Like if you see, there is subsidiary principle, a principle that central authority should have subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed at the local level. So this was the basic, like, structure of it. Then there is was urban governance, local governance. Uh, then if we see the judicial review and judicial amendment, then the, this was one quote, like the role of judiciary must be of an alarm clock, not timekeeper. And Paliour, this quote I remember, I took from Anud Durush's notes, like he used it in one of his answers. So I took it, no fine. I also written that you have to use it, because it's a very good, uh, quote. So judicial review, judicial amendment, legitimize government action, protect Indian constitution against encroachment. Example, 42nd amendment. Then there is revoke the Article 370. So all those things, like what is the need of judicial activism? Um, then what is the difference between judicial review, judicial activism, and judicial overreach? Then its example. Then again, all those things, it was important because it got a very, gave a very good context, gave a very good framework for me to again determining, like, these were the themes on which the PYQs so I just use these themes and then again continue to, like, add on it. Like see, if I done a lot of additions here also, like if judici, social chain, there is now Singh Jo's case, then POSH case, then Hussein Kutun's, like his BR, like he did PA for the prisoners, their rights, then case, Puton Swami. So all these my additions were there. And these were broadly how I did for GS2. Like governance, you have to do. They are very good notes. I'll be definitely sharing.

My notes on a Telegram channel. But this is how I did of GS2. Then afterwards, I'll show you the welfare portion. Like, if you see, see the syllabus, and, um, the syllabus between the international relations and where government ends. So, this, uh, second slot of welfare scheme policies for service sector. So, if you see all those PYQs which are asked, they are very repetitive in nature and very theme-wise. So, if there is poverty is one theme, then there is technology and governance in one theme. E-governance is one thing. What are the issues of SC/STs specifically? National commissions, their issues. So, very repetitive nature. So, what I thought that in this welfare schemes, what I will do, I'll go all those PYQs and I prepare my own standard answers on those PYQs. And that is how I made my welfare notes. So, what I basically how I did was that I went through each and every PYQ. And suppose this is of, um, sorry for my handwriting, but it is of, uh, I think, uh, payment DBT or how the DBT is helping and the digital funds transfer and all that. So, minimize corruption, eliminate wastage, facilitate reform. So, what kind of reforms will it facilitate? Facilitate. Now, PM Asha. Like, then there was one theme of exclusion due to government welfare schemes. Then, how does that exclusion exactly happen? Like, reservation in government jobs, impact abilities, then targeted approach, stigmatization, regional imbalance, no decentralization. So, all those themes I picked up. And then I, like, why the, why the welfare scheme generally fail? Then there is inclusion, exclusion error. Then there is the, uh, again, there's the poor designing, lack of poor design, lack of implementation. Then again, it is we don't incentivize stakeholders. Like, if you see in the case of Ayushman, there is no incentive to doctors. So, all those things I broadly, I search on Google, I made my different answers. Like, if we see, I used it in history, like life expect, life expectancy during 1947 was 32, but in 2024, it is 70. So, all those things you have to, welfare part, you have to do it on your own. I will be shortly putting these notes also. But welfare part, you have to do on your own.

And for international and relations, I directly use topper answer copies. I'll show you that. For IR, this was Animesh Program's notes on civil delay. I did was I used this as one basic, uh, place and I used to dump all whatever I knew. Like, India's foreign policy. These were good notes. I found them good. Like, he had, like, standard answer, introduction, challenges, solution, what should be done, and all those data. I'll show you the data. Like, if we see that there is way forward, you have many areas to explore, Polynesia, Central Asia. So, I used to keep that like India channel relations. Then he had this data. Like, we have a trade, trade war, 36 billion, then we have deficit, then all those things. Like, we have, they're fighting with us for UNC and SSG, uh, NSG's membership opposition. So, I used his notes and I used to directly revise from his notes. Then again, I had a few notes of again two, three toppers. Like, this was, I think, of Purraj. This was IPS Sujal Jaggi. I don't know who is, but I used his notes. So, these were his notes. Like, he was standard answers. Like, Pakistan is an ally, we should never be friend, and India is a friend which will never be ally. Growing multipolarity. We. So, these are the means, you have to remember, you have to pick up those standard quotes of those wordings. That wording becomes very important. I call those them pickup lines. Like, for history also, I use the pickup line. These quotes. Like, if you see, it is very fancy quote. If you see in IR, principles and interests have to be balanced. Plus, there are very nice. Show you one fancy quote. Like, you, I used it, huh, here. India and China should be be partners of mutual success instead of adversaries of mutual attrition. So, like this, India stands on its feet, thinks with his own mind, and pursues its own interest. All these fancy things you have to use it in your answers. So, there are three to four. I'll be shortly uploading them.

GS3. GS3, what I did was, I, uh, for economy, I directly picked up Shruti Sharma's notes and added my, my notes and my data, fact to it. Shruti Sharma notes, she was topper AIR 1, I think in 2021 or 2022 exam. So, her notes. Agriculture also, I use her notes. Agriculture, Shruti Sharma notes, and few value additions from other, uh, standard sources. And then for, uh, science and tech, I did not do anything. And for environment, I referred to my prelims, whatever was there. Because generally, if you look at environment Q, then you could be as easily able to solve them from the, uh, from the prelims. And science and tech, whatever question is, they are either very difficult. So, there is very cost-benefit of doing science and tech for me. It is very less. So, I chose not to do it. Agriculture, I also use Sharma notes. Then there are two portions of, I think, uh, there is internal security and then we have disaster management. So, for internal security, I compiled from two, three toppers from, I think, Uma Bharti and again, plus two, three toppers, and I then made my own notes. And from disaster management, I did from, uh, my friend was in Vajiram, so he sent me those 25 pages, their class notes for disaster management. So, I used them itself.

So, now I'll show you how I did economy, agriculture, like all the difference, not different notes of them. So, this is Shruti's notes. And Shruti Sharma, means, what I liked about her notes is that everything is comprehensive and covered. This is, suppose, this is corporate governance. Then they had, they agree on that strate model of Gandhi followed in the spirit of Tata and VRO. And again, means, there was comprehensive. Then there was transport, everything was the infrastructure, energy resources. Then again, this is the privatization of railways is there. Then the various committees of railway. Then what should be, government has taken steps. It was old, but I still added my new data. Like, then there is ports are drivers of infrastructure. Uh, Indian port share of India trade, 90% volume, uh, 70% value. Then there is Hagarit Saga scheme. So, I used, I'll be uploading them. I use them as my, uh, basic. And then I again added my, whatever was addition. Like, if you see, then here it is about the inland transport. It is from Vision. So, I added what are the steps taken. Like, there is rope prop, I think, ferry scheme, then Jal Marg Vikas project. So, all those things does come handy. And you can use directly their own notes. Agriculture also, I did the same. Agriculture was her notes. And then at the end, I added from Munal's notes, agriculture handout is there. It is of 80 pages. Then I added from his note. Like, there is agri-stack, agri-stack policy. Then again, there is insurance. I think, agri-research and supply chain issues. And very little I added insurance. Then there is farm bills. And again, it was overall a basic was that only. And then I again added. This was from Uma Bharti's notes, I think, her notes. Then about different, like this is again from. So, I used to compile my own notes, added there. And this was again a very different topper. I think it was some Rahul Srivastava, I think his notes I added here. Then again, this is from Indian Express. This is again from Uma Bharti. So, different, different notes I compiled. I use my, given my own inputs. So, this is how my GS3 notes were there. This was agriculture notes.

And one more thing for economy, I did was, mean, this was my, what my friend did. The same friend with whom I was preparing. So, what he did was, I'll show you. Uh, suppose this is one theme of FDI. So, he had done was, what he do, he took all the PYQs which were asked on FDI, then prepare a proper introduction. Like, we could introduce with facts. Like, in 20, 30, 20, 70 billion FDI came, services sector act that more. Then there is this, um, intro, like staple intro, FDI inflows in various sectors led to growth in technology and all. And there are the issues here is, then there are these issues. Like, there are the 7, 8 issues. Then what are the solutions? Uh, steps taken, what could be the solutions, what could be the recommendations? Like, here, means, under my own notes, I had, like, this foreign facilitation portal, investment. Then there is a project, project monitoring group for faster clearance of projects. So, again, then ease of doing business. You can use a proper conclusion was there. So, this is some 30 pages PDF. And again, you see, if the inclusive growth, SC, all the PYQs are there here. Inclusive growth PYQ is there. And then here is proper intro, intro. Then there is this dimensions of economic dimension, political dimension, all the social dimensions of it, insurance and all. Then what are the components and what are the solutions? So, this is how you generally make, means, notes.

And then for disaster management, this is the Vision class notes. I think for disaster, nothing much is needed. Only if you do the basic, basic, all the basic bare requirement. Like, what is the disaster management? What is the disaster management act? Then there is India's policy about how to, NDMA guidelines and all. And what, what should be the preventive measures for, uh, landslides and all. If there is the NPR, mitigation, preparedness, response, and rescue, and all those things. Very basic. I'll be also sharing this. So, this is for disaster management. And also, at the end, I had added from the forest fires was a very hot topic that time. So, I added forest fires and the, I think this is, yes, forest fires and, uh, normal building fires, uh, urban fire safety. So, that was added. And again, this was from very little related things from everywhere else. So, this was a disaster management notes. And for internal security, I also show them. Internal security also same. Like, if there is topic, there is cyber crime, then I have my standard introduction. Second most targeted country, number of attacks that is there. Then different examples of cyber attack. Like, in all India's critical infrastructure in Assam, then there is AIS ransomware, then Kuman, Kuman Kalam. Then what are the challenges? Like, if you see, then the diffusing tangible threats is there, low cost of mounting attack, then there is imported dependence on technology. So, all those challenges are there. Then there is legal ways, national cyber. Then there are this, uh, again, I wrote challenges. Then what are the solution measures needed? Then there is Guland and Indra Committee. Then we need cyber commands, we need proper auditing. So, all those. This was compiled from two, three toppers, and I just put it in one place. Then there is again extremism. Then factors for the, all the land related problems. Then there is socio-economic backwardness. Then there is the example, 2% of households in Wada have only 2% households have clean water. Then 38, 38 of 30, 38% of tribal women are underweight. So, all those things. Then again, this I think DGSG, uh, development deficit, government governance deficit, social deficit, and Jal, Jungle, Zameen issues. So, all those things you have one place. Then again, this is the red corridor and all those. So, you have to be very crisp in dealing with this. And again, if you see, so this is about GS3.

Uh, now I'll come to GS4. So, GS4 is very important because I think it improved my rank also. GS3 played a very important role. GS4, sorry, I got 120 marks, which are good marks, kind of. So, GS3, 120 marks. And I feel that GS of, uh, GS4, I did was my mains read book of ethics of Forum. As what I did was only took introduction, fact, whereas dimensions from this taken out intro, facts, dimensions from it. And then, um, brainstorming on PYQs, brainstorming on PYQs, and then answer writing, extensive answer writing of ethics. So, from Red Book, what I did was, took intro, fact, dimensions, form a core of my, and then again added my own things. So, I'll show you that in a short while. Brainstorming of PYQs is very important because ethics, there are, what I consider in answer writing, there are four different types of answer writing. I'll cover it later. And, uh, I'll show you my ethics notes. Again, as there are two parts to it. So, if this is, uh, Forum is Red Book values, so they have given the definition of values, like what should be short. And there is inculcation factors that play role in inculcating values. So, that I have copied on family, education, and all that. And along with that, if we see here, all those their headers, pointers, all the main, main things have copied. Like, if you see, ethics is like electricity. It cannot be seen or sensed, but it has all, it has an impact. It, it cannot be seen or sensed, but it is all around us, having great impact. So, all these things, like all the basic, basic, uh, framework or structure. Like, if again, there are the pointers of attitude is there, then the components of attitude, uh, cognition and effective behavior, I think. Then there is factors of attitude, what shapes our attitude, attitude consistency, attitude role on behavior, attitude strength, attitude consistency. Then again, I think it was, uh, public ethics in public life, ethics in private life. So, all those. And all these notes were based on the themes of GS4. So, if you make this theme-wise notes and if you add your own examples, like, if you see here, integrity is there, then I have written this. The example, means, I'll show you my own examples later. Like, if you see, reasons of declining integrity. So, all those of you, from what you try to do, again, this objectivity. Then examples of objectivity, RBI's monetary policy, Dr. Rajendra Bhar's corona time oxygen production, like he, did a very good job in objectivity. Merit-based, all the definition, examples, and how does it help in it, that was there. And again, what was the main thing was that value addition and my own notes. I'll show you that. Like, this was my value addition. If you see integrity, then integrity, example of Lal Bahadur Shastri, took moral responsibility, uh, road accident. Then there was, is Hersh Mander. Then M. Vishveshwaraya, he bought two sets of candles, one for public money and one for office work. Then there is Satendra Dubey. Then there is again TS Jan. Then there is a Jabdul Kalam's example. Singapore PM receives 1.6, 6 million salary. All those things. All my own value addition about proper example. Like, again, if we see, proper examples of Isshua. Then again, is Sorakumar, his lunch with Collector, policy. Then again, is Manupal. Then again, various quotes, innovations. You, then here there were like, is the Varunjan, learn tribal language to interact with Armstrong Pi. We all know about him. 100 km road constructed without official help. And again, all these example. Pinari, then is Pasan, then again Parish. He was secretary. I needed manual scavenging. Aryan Metroman. Then all these more examples. You collect the more it is helpful. The way I collected was example was that I watched a YouTube video. I think of, um, she was 2023, second rank. And again, see, in GS4, this was all my. I used to read case studies. And there was on top called Shreya. So, her analysis of case studies. So, her Shreya. So, he, she wrote proper solution-wise answers to various different case studies. Like this. So, it gave me a basic framework of how my answer should be there. And again, I read a lot of answer copies for ethics. Like from Aditya Shrivastava, then Maidanand, then Ayush Jain. Means, all the people who have scored very good marks. I read all those answer copies. And again, see, this is the Red Book. And, uh, her quotes. See, means, this is Shreya's quotes. I also copied few from here also. So, her stable answers. And again, one more helpful thing which I found was Shreya Sharma's answers. So, this is Shreya Sharma's answers. And her notes on ethics. So, I took a lot of examples from there. These are the standard answers. Like, here it is, probability essential condition for good governance and the example. Then whatever example points which I could find relevant, I copied them. And then I used them in my answers. Then again, she had her own compilation of, uh, this, uh, ethics quotes. Like, I remember I wrote this, India has been a civilization rather than rather than a territorial entity, more metaphysical than geographic. Means, multiplicity is foundation to this idea. Mean, I remember I used this in my GS4 answers. So, I extracted whatever I found good from her notes and added them into mine. So, this is what you have to do basically for GS4. And, uh, GS4 again, what I'm, uh, and for case studies, I think is what you need to do. There are again two different in GS4. There is one, uh, theory part. Those questions you have to answer them by brainstorming, looking at top answer copies, forming your own answers. Like, for while you're brainstorming, you have to take 10 to 15 minutes to answer that question. And then again, we have this, um, case studies. Uh, so this is like, see, if this is the poem, if I used to like this poem, If by Rudyard Kipling, then Invictus. Then this is, uh, various Gandhi's anecdotes. So, case studies, what I did was, I found those patterns of different, how different toppers answer their questions. And I used to write my answers. And then, uh, see, if this is case studies, then I knew that I read Vishakha's answers. Then he had this stakeholder approach. Then there is dimension should always be phrased as choice between two, between two rights, never right and wrong. So, all this I, I found from her, my own analysis from her answers. I flew from Shriya's answers. And while I mean, I added that, mean, while I used to write my case studies and then analyze them. And I also used to hear a lot of, like, GS4 previous year paper analysis on YouTube. Like, in them, I understand you have to identify the key issue in case study, identify the key dynamics. Then what are the standard, like ethical dilemmas in, uh, which you could use. Then again, the various different innovative ways of answer writing. I'll show you in case study specifically, uh, like you see innovative ways by, mean, like cost-benefit analysis. If he does yes, then we'll do. If not, then this. Then again, it is the priority. Like, first, this is truth, shares style of writing. Major priorities. First priority is prevent violation of fundamental rights. Second, uphold creativeness. And third, systematic reforms. Like, short-term, long-term reforms, mid-term reforms. And again, there was, uh, this, um, stepping in their shoes. Like, if they, they say that, what, what would you do if you were in their position? So, I begin, stepping in their shoes, I would realize that. So, this, this proper examples. Like, this is the flowchart. Uh, like this is of Animesh Prahan's answer. So, I got it from. Then again, this pattern of priorities writing priorities. Then again, I, um, justification. You have to write justification. You don't have to miss the big picture. Then you have to rectify the wrong. Whatever wrong has been done. Then again, again, I used to make this candle. Like, I think it is from, I'm not able to recall her name. J is for Gori Singhal, I think. Uh, she is AIR of to 2020, 2022 attempt. So, she had written candles in her answer. Like, guiding light. I used to make those candles. And all those things. Like, I used to, before I start my answer, I used to write, uh, this is my vision for, um, solving these answers. I see, like, before beginning my answer, like, this would be my vision to solve this. Technology should be a guide, not a dictator. Like, I think the Shreya, the bus answer, I took it from her way of writing. So, you have to read many topper answer copies and determine your own way of, uh, solving the all the case studies.

So, now we have been done with, uh, GS4. And I'll be in a shortly in a short manner, I'll be discussing the overall answer writing. Answer writing for answer writing, I joined Forum IAS MGP, which is a test series for mains. And they, you have to scan your copies and they give your check answer copies back to you online. So, for my MGP, I had doing this MGP from June 2023 to December 2023. So, basically MGP is like for one and a half months, they will cover one GS, GS1, suppose they are covering. And each week, they have sectional answer, sectional. Each week, they have this their sectional test. So, from June to December 2023, this helped me very much. As for each week, like my notes for each week, my notes of the topic were prepared and used to also, uh, write those answers. So, I have been giving MGP very consistently. And that helped me very much. And the with regard to checking, I don't think that their checking was that much satisfactory. What I found that the best checker is you yourself. And how you'll know that by reading different answer copies. And because what I find is that, suppose you are giving an answer and suppose you have 20 questions. And suppose for the last five questions, you are getting only five minutes to answer each question. Then what happens is that you, the examiner doesn't know that you are getting very less time. But he'll say that you could have written this and that. But you, you yourself know that to write these five questions, you have gotten very little time. But the examiner doesn't know that. There is this wall between you. So, you know best. And suppose you are, for one question, you are, you write that in 15, 20 minutes, you know that. But the examiner doesn't know that. He'll say that very good answer written. But if you would have given 7 to 8 minutes to write the same answer, then that answer wouldn't be that good. So, to the best checker, you yourself. And also, if you have some friends who could write the answer with you, it would be helpful. I, I had a friend with whom I wrote this test series. So, which became very, uh, useful for me. And now, as I had mentioned earlier, that the graph is very slow. Everybody who writes answers initially, very disgusting answer we write. And then with time, we improve our answers. So, and again, answer copy plays a very important role. Topper answer copies are very important. Topper answer copies in analyzing and in setting up benchmark of how to write your own answers. So, that is about it. And again, you have to write timed answer copies. And it is very boring, but you have to do necessarily have to do it. And between prelims and mains, I given full two full-length test. It is, it was because before my prelims, I had already attempted like, I had already given lot of tests. So, in between, I had that already my, uh, like background because I did it before. So, I did not think that it would be important to give that much time again. So, I gave only two full-length test. Two full-length test between that. And you have to remember the time between prelims and mains, between prelims and mains, you have 80 days. And between that, you have to do only two things: revising plus answer writing. So, your main syllabus should be over before prelims only. So, this before prelims only, you have to do your mains, everything, notes. So, you have to complete in 80 days, you should be only focusing on revision and answer writing and some value addition.

So, this is about it. And now, I'm, now the last thing which I'll be talking about is mains exam temperament. So, what happens is, mains exam is that you get, you have to write the exam for, I think, uh, 7, 5, 5 days. And if you see my marks, I, my marks is very above average in every subject. If you see, like, I have not scored very poorly or not scored very high marks except two or three subjects. So, what was it? Because you have to be consistent in every paper. Consistent and above average. Consistent and consistent and above average in every paper. And you have to, don't give hope. Like, don't never give up. So, what happens is that, means, my GS1 and 2 paper went very poorly. I completed only 19 questions from it. 19 out of 20 questions I completed from GS1 and two. So, I felt a lot of bad after giving GS2. But I thought that now I have GS3 and GS4 paper remaining. But I thought that giving my best in GS3 and GS4. So, I did not give up hope. And I attempted 20, 20 questions, 20, mean, all the questions. And this paper went as per my expectations. And this paper GS4 also went properly. So, you don't have to give up. And never give up. And if from every stage, from pre also, you don't have to give up. Like, till the 100 question you solve. And also in GS4, you have to, don't give up. Because temperament is very important. And you have to remember, you have to be accountable for those 3 hours and 20 questions. And you have to focus on the process. You have to focus on the process. And you have to be only accountable for those. And after the paper, you don't have to be, uh, quite burdened yourself that paper went, uh, not as per your, uh, satisfaction.

So, now I'll be talking about interview. Interview, I scored 195. And I think it is a good score. And one thing which helped me was my, my attitude is very, I would say, bindas. Mean, I was not afraid on the day of interview, like facing the panel and answering the questions. So, that really helped me. And also, what helped me in overall my process, very important thing which helped me, like, it is apart from, like, a very different aspect of how I live. Like, the, what has shaped my attitude is reading books. Like, I did not used to like book, read books earlier. But since, especially 2020, I have read some 100, I, I think 120 books I've read. So, that really helped me in shaping my attitude. And to also, because it is a long procedure, marathon. So, to keep my hopes up and to put in consistently and to get the discipline and to get a very good, what to say, how to live your life, a very good direction. It gives reading books. And that helped me in interview, in shaping my attitude and facing the questions and keeping a calm and composed temperament during it. So, this was about my interview. And in a short way, I'll also, in 10 minutes, in last 10 minutes, I'll discuss about my Maths optional.

So, Maths, [Music] optional. I liked Maths. And I thought that it is a very high risk, high reward. It is very high risk, high reward optional. And I was aiming for the reward. I did not score properly. I got some, it is decent. I got 282 marks. Maybe it is obviously above average. But I think I made a lot of silly mistakes. My correct attempt in paper one, my correct attempt was around 200 correct attempt. And in paper two, my correct attempt was around 220. And this got converted into 130 marks. And this got converted into 152 marks. So, this addition is 282. And, uh, Maths optional, I would begin by how I started preparing. And in my graduation, was optional. So, few of the pure research subjects like modern algebra and those were covered by that. And I thought of, because I did not focus much on Maths optional in my graduation, so what I think, I did join IMS coaching. I paid 66,000 for that. And their notes are very good. I, but after watching three lectures of my, I did online. After watching three lectures, I found out that yoga, he, according to him, he would be taking one, one and a half year to complete that. Anyone in those lectures, it was like, mean, he used to cover easy topics. And most of the time, his classes are off. Because s is on, because the light was not there, there was server issue, there was the site issue, and all those things there. So, I did not find that properly. Because I had to cover my option in 4 to 5 months. And s was going to take 1 and almost more than 1 year. So, I decided. I used IMS notes. IMS notes, I used. And I completed my optional on my own by reading them in 4 months. I took help from Keshkar. Kanishes, Kanish Kataria notes. Like, I based my notes on the way Kanish Kataria made his notes. And again, join Ara Batasam test series. Ara Batasam test series. And in that test series, the tests were tough. But sir helped me in giving, uh, PYQs. Like, the, what he did was, he separated different PYQs based on the themes. Uh, like, if in the linear algebra, there is on topic. And he, uh, extracted from, if I, exams and the IFoS. And IFoS, he took out all the supposedly linear algebra, sorry, if there is modern algebra. And in modern algebra, there is groups. And so, he listed out all the 30 PYQs from IS and IFoS. So, all the practice sums I had was like this. I used to, thing-wise, I used to practice my optional car questions. And mostly, if you see, Maths optional, it is very repetitive in nature. Questions get repeated. So, there is no need to, um, solve the practice questions from any other reference book. Even if you solve a lot of PYQs, right? I solved PYQs from 1978. So, if you solve all those PYQs from that much earlier, you get a lot of number of questions. And as the numbers get repeated, it is always beneficial to, uh, solve the P and get those, get the familiarity of those questions. And because in PU, there are various types of questions. And you get those questions right. If you are able to only solve them. Maths option, the thing is that, if any questions comes exactly new, a very new type of question comes, then it is very difficult to solve that questions in that 3 hours. But if earlier, if, if you earlier done the sum, then you know that the method to solve the questions. And just by looking the question, okay, this is the method which I'll be solving the question in. So, you get that idea to how to solve the questions. And this is how rand I means IMS notes. I'll tell you the process. IMS notes, then, um, for math, for physics. For physics topics, Mathcrat YouTube channel. For physics topic, Mathcrat YouTube channel. Then again, uh, G20 Google Drive. There is also Telegram channel which is G20 Google Drive. Is very, very important because there you will find PYQ, there every source material of Maths optional, physics. Mathcrat YouTube channel. And then, uh, the PYQs, PYQs as practice problems. So, this is broadly how I did my Math option. I'll be shortly uploading my notes on my Telegram channel.

And at the end, I would be able to tell you because, um, mean, the reason I did this session is that this was my age right now is 22 years of age. And this was my first attempt. And the way I think I strategized it, because I see a lot many people giving like a more number of attempts and still not be able to clear it. So, I feel that the way I have, with the way I analyzed all the things and the way, means, along with my friends, I, I did a complete, it was very strategized, it was very planned, and it was a very fixed process or a method of approaching towards the optimum way of doing any part of the syllabus and not leaving any stone unturned and giving my 100%. So, I think the my way or my strategies would certainly help you. And surely, I'll be uploading whatever notes I've used on my Telegram channel. And this, the link of my Telegram channel would be in the comment section. And also, if you have any individual doubts, then you can reach out to me on the social media. So, I'll be certainly, thank you for, mean, certainly thank you for listening till the end. And I'll certainly thank for my friend Kiranas, if I'm shooting in his studio right now from his YouTube channel, is Arasto Kata. So, I'll certainly thank him from giving the space and time for shooting this video. And, uh, all the best for your journey. And if you certainly, from, if you need any help from me, certainly you can reach out to me. And thank you very.