How should I prepare for UPSC without any coaching? Part-1

How should I prepare for UPSC without any coaching?

PART-1

Self Study is one of the ways in which a candidate can qualify for Civil Services. Self Study involves independent decision-making, independent corrections, a lot of self-understanding, a lot of trial and error and learning, a lot of experiments and enormous amount of satisfaction. If one doesn’t repent that they are not able to join any coaching institute, and do not allow themselves to become negative, then it is indeed one of the best learning methods while they prepare for the examination.

Self Study has many advantages and limitations as well.

The advantages include-

1. Self Study involves a lot of introspection, constant introspection that is enormously helpful in constant up gradation.
2. Self Study involves experimentation and exploration of ones personality to the maximum possible extent.
3. Self Study involves maximum time utilization and management if the candidate so wishes.
4. The candidates do not get an opportunity to get themselves spoiled, or their mindset contaminated and even customized to the directions of coaching institutes.
5. It doesn’t allow the candidate with a noble personality to become infected and influenced by gullible coaches and equally gullible peer group by coming into direct contact.
6. In this era of internet aided information flow and some site offering real quality materials such as Insight, IAS baba, Civils Daily, and some animated lectures, Ensemble and some all as well, it is really going to be a time saving effort.
7. The candidates can surf to find some of the most desirable contents virtually at no price.
8. It saves the candidates, time, money, effort, peace of mind, and health.

While it has some obvious disadvantages

1. The amount of effort a candidate requires to do increases without the aid of coaching institutes.
2. A feeling of deprivation sets in some candidates who may not be able to join coaching institutes. This may have pseudo effect on the candidates.
3. Inability to gauge the level of their preparation and the direction of their movement, whether right or wrong.
4. The dimensions of a topic and the chapter, how much to know, where to stop

However there is no method of preparation that doesn’t have its own merits and demerits. In any case if any one is preparing solo and on their own, they must follow some do's and dont's

1. They must begin with Self-understanding; i.e. about themselves, who are they, what do they like, how do they study, what are their strengths and what are their weaknesses. This is a MUST AT THIS STAGE OF LIFE as there will be no other stage where it will be required.
2. Language improvement must be emphasized since everything one imagines, everything one studies everything one learns ultimately has to be written. Inability to write what one has studied will compel the candidates to borrow someone else’s language and this will amount to memorization. Once Memorisation starts, preparation stops, and drudgery sets in. In the absence of language UPSC preparation becomes next to impossible.
3. Balance your perception but must be able to look at the other side of coin. Keep some critics of yours. Take feedback from one or two. Be in a diversified group. Keep meeting your people who are very different from you, not similar to you.
4. Explore options of methods of studies, not always following the beaten track or conventional track.
5. Must finish your school books before you think of anything else. Only those books that you studied. NOTHING MORE.
6. Change your way of studies. Follow this programme.

(a) Pick up a chapter.

(b) Read and understand it, then learn it from some sites who offer you composite chapter.

(c) Comprehend the chapter come what may. Don’t leave ununderstood.

(d) Prepare a summary after having read the chapter.

(e) Attempt an answer of some questions.

(f) Get it checked by an experienced person, (not by your age group people who have made answer checking in a thoroughly wrong manner a very good profession). Remember teachers always are good, and become good when they become older. Younger people are not experienced enough to evaluate you (which is what is done)

1. Compare yourself in intellect with others. Look for an elderly company.
2. Explore online option for education & entertainment- download files arrange them make it systematic.
3. Try to learn from sources other than books, such as observation or discussion or travelling, and write the experiences as if you are writing answers.
4. Be a part of peer learning group.
5. Invest in yourself, invest in quality material, leader material not mass material. Read books that please you not which are popular. Always remember quality is respected it is never popular. Be a collector, on every topic have two books.

Of course there are certain things that you don’t do. These are-

1. Don’t be a follower, don’t have a herd mentality. The world worships only those who are leaders. Herds are never meant for big work. They are like masses who are to be used, abused and are to be abandoned.
2. Dont imitate any topper. His/Her strategy may not suit you at all. They are not always speaking the truth. Remember never to believe anyone when they are angry, or when they are in love or when they are under a bliss of success.
3. Don’t compare you with coaching institutes’ students. You will be better than them ultimately.
4. Dont squander your time in gossip and in rumour mongering,
5. Never take too many advices. Everyone is right everyone is wrong. Follow only those advise what suits your heart.
6. Follow what the toppers suggest. They are there to inspire you not to guide you.
7. Never become a bookworm, Enjoy learning rather studies. If you enjoy, your receptivity, grasping capacity will be always high, your insights will be wonderful and your efficiency sky high.
8. NEVER MAKE A COMPANY OF TOXIC PEOPLE. THROW THEM AWAY FROM YOUR LIFE. THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO KILL YOUR PSYCHE, TIME AND EVEN CAREER. MUST LEARN TO TRACK THEM AND SEPARATE THEM FROM YOUR LIFE.

Continued……look for PART-2

What should be my next step after 12th? I want to be an IAS officer.

BEGINNING TO PREPARE FOR CIVIL SERVICES

Before venturing into Civil Services, the students must get themselves acquainted about Civil Services.

These acquaintances will include

1. What should you do after 12th to prepare for the IAS exam?
2. Get to know about Civil Services, the nature of Civil Services, the challenges, the prospects from any IAS, IPS, IRS
3. Pick up those subjects that you want to study in Civil Services. These include, Geography, History, Polity, Public Administration, Economics. These subjects are of immense importance to the UPSC syllabus.
4. These subjects will then help you to choose your optional as well.
5. Don’t lose touch with basic maths that you learned in school. This is needed for the CSAT paper in the IAS Prelims.

Now understand your preparation strategy

The students are in the best possible position to prepare for Civil Services examination if they are in their 1st year of graduation.

Advantages that a student has being in 1st year of graduation.

1. His/her mind is uncluttered unlike people who have done their graduation and are undergoing some coaching.
2. t’s a fresh canvas on which any picture can be made, anything can be done a clean blackboard on which anything can be written.
3. It is much more easy to mould a student during this period. The flaws in the students can be easily identified and plugged.
4. The students even if they make some initial mistakes can easily get it corrected as they have so much time.
5. It’s easy to shape the personality and do a lot of trial and error to understand oneself.

Most of the students actually forget whatever they have learnt during schools after graduation and have to go back to schools and ultimately end up studying at school level only.

In any case even students who are doing their coaching, will take take 3 years of time to prepare well and have to go to the basics. This will again compound their difficulty.

How to proceed in three years

In the three years, during graduation, there are certain things that a candidate has to do.

The purpose during the entire three-year period has to build a base which can help the students to better their University examination, form a base on which they can build any type of future. At the same time, they have to be seen by their mentor that they do not develop any attitudinal flaws. Thus they

· Must, must and must choose a mentor.

· Look for sequencing the topics in such a manner that would minimize efforts in learning a particular topic; content and subject.

Phase wise Strategy

A phase wise implementation must begin by identifying the problem of the candidates and filling the gaps that have been left in their school education.

Phase “1” Foundation Stage. This will will comprise of

During this period, the students must train themselves into building social capital, social bonding, reading newspapers, magazines, observe people in editorial and teaching capabilities, etc. and master all school books that they ever studied.

All these ingredients are important for the candidates to ease their effort that will be required to gain knowledge in almost every subject a person should know. The essential ingredients have to-

· Counsel the parents to bring the best in their child.

· Filling the gaps in the education and personality of the candidates.

· Improve their language and observation.

· Develop in them a balance of perception.

· Subject them to Neurolistic-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

Thus the most important phase will constitute

1. Complete revision of School books and the practice of their questions and answers.

2. Communication & Body Language Improvement.

3. Language Improvement.

4. Understanding oneself, their parents and teachers.

5. Understanding their surroundings.

6. Learning to make bonds, and social capital.

7. Start Reading Newspapers.

8. Practice basic math and aptitude

Sources And Reading Material 1st Phase

The Prelims and Mains require different approaches of preparation and studies some of the most essential books for Prelims include

Geography

• Geography Through Maps - K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji

• Basic Physical Geography- K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji

• Geography for Preliminary Examination- K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji

History

• Basic- NCERT history. This includes

• 10th standard,

• 12th standard NCERT history on India and World

Science

• NCERT Biology

• Science, Technology and Society- K. Siddhartha

Polity

• Indian Polity NBT

• How our Government works-NBT

Current Affairs

• Times of India

• Hindu

• Any competition magazine

• regular columns with their threads

Ecology

• Ecology & Environment - K.Siddhartha

• Ecology & Environment for Preliminary Examination Vol-I

Practice Question Bank

• For offline books Ensemble Series

• Ensemble question bank

Phase “2” Knowledge Stage

The candidates come to learn the basics of the entire syllabus of UPSC chapterwise. This phase must comprise of

• Mastery of World Geography, Science and Technology, Geography, Indian and International Economy, International Relations, Indian Polity, Governance, History, Heritage, Culture and Society

• Weekly exchange of news and community education.

• Learning through various means-Films, Books, Interactions, Parents, Teachers, TV.

• Basics of Internet and Social Media to utilize online wealth.

• Background of events and World problems.

• Socialization studies, principles and applications.

• Learning to know the means and mechanism of teaching and learning.

• Continue practicing basic maths and aptitude

Online Classes

These classes will help you get 7-8 dimesnsion of a topic with its chapter, its video adaptaion, its summary, its entire range of Q&A, MCQ, every topics current affairs update. There is only one such site in India now and also in the world https://ensemble.net.in/

Before Advanced level preparation

The advanced level preparation begins thereafter, but the students must acquire certain habits and adaptations.

These include

1. Join one of these portals-Insight, IAS baba, Civils Daily

2. Be serious in your studies. Do not study like a college students..

3. Keep exploring book shops, libraraies, magazines in order to get interested in preparation, and also to know your interest.

4. Must study newspaper daily and keep abreast of the latest happenings in the country and the world.

5. Work on certain skills like communication skills. NEVER indulge in any gossip.

6. Learn how to make notes and start jotting from any source that you read.

Once you have passed the second phase ask this question again on QUORA

Phase “3” Interrelationship stage.

Having gone through the two stages, all the students will be prepared to take to study certain degree of correlation ship between the topics. Elevate the level by adding extra information and analysis. Develop an analytical ability as well and keep expressing it.

Phase “4” After graduation

Now you have one year of time to appear for PT. Start organizing yourself, Start moving step by step picking up each topic and completing it, writing at least one answer from the topic, remembering it and revising it thoroughly as you have to appear in that years exam. This should take at least six month from July to December.

Phase “5” PT Intensive phase with practice.

Having gained enough amount of knowledge, the candidate must take a deep plunge into PT preparation that should comprise of practice and practice and practice and perfecting Newspaper studies.

Phase “6” Mains only phase with Intensive writing practice.

After PT, go for preparation of Mains and focus has to be on appearing in tests and developing analytical abilities. It has to be Revision, analysis and Tests. This is what should become the norm till the mains Examination.

What are the pros and cons of self-study for the civil service exam?

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF SELF STUDY FOR PREPARING FOR CIVIL SERVICES 

Self Study is one of the ways in which a candidate can qualify for Civil Services. Self Study involves independent decision-making, independent corrections, a lot of self-understanding, a lot of trial and error and learning, a lot of experiments and enormous amount of satisfaction. If one doesn’t repent that they are not able to join any coaching institute, and do not allow themselves to become negative, then it is indeed one of the best learning methods while they prepare for the examination.

Self Study has many advantages and limitations as well.

The advantages include-

1. Self Study involves a lot of introspection, constant introspection that is enormously helpful in constant up gradation.

1. Self Study involves experimentation and exploration of ones personality to the maximum possible extent.

1. Self Study involves maximum time utilization and management if the candidate so wishes.

1. The candidates do not get an opportunity to get themselves spoiled, or their mindset contaminated and even customized to the directions of coaching institutes.

1. It doesn’t allow the candidate with a noble personality to become infected and influenced by gullible coaches and equally gullible peer group by coming into direct contact.

1. In this era of internet aided information flow and some site offering real quality materials such as Insight,  and some animated lectures, Ensemble and some all as well, it is really going to be a time saving effort.

1. The candidates can surf to find some of the most desirable contents virtually at no price.

1. It saves the candidates, time, money, effort, peace of mind, and health.

While it has some obvious disadvantages

1. The amount of effort a candidate requires to do increases without the aid of coaching institutes.

1. A feeling of deprivation sets in some candidates who may not be able to join coaching institutes. This may have pseudo effect on the candidates.

1. Inability to gauge the level of their preparation and the direction of their movement, whether right or wrong.

1. The dimensions of a topic and the chapter, how much to know, where to stop

However there is no method of preparation that doesn’t have its own merits and demerits. In any case if any one is preparing solo and on their own, they must follow some do's and dont's

1. They must begin with Self-understanding; i.e. about themselves, who are they, what do they like, how do they study, what are their strengths and what are their weaknesses. This is a MUST AT THIS STAGE OF LIFE as there will be no other stage where it will be required.

1. Language improvement must be emphasized since everything one imagines, everything one studies everything one learns ultimately has to be written. Inability to write what one has studied will compel the candidates to borrow someone else’s language and this will amount to memorization. Once Memorisation starts, preparation stops, and drudgery sets in. In the absence of language UPSC preparation becomes next to impossible.

1. Balance your perception but must be able to look at the other side of coin. Keep some critics of yours. Take feedback from one or two. Be in a diversified group. Keep meeting your people who are very different from you, not similar to you.

1. Explore options of methods of studies, not always following the beaten track or conventional track.

1. Must finish your school books before you think of anything else. Only those books that you studied. NOTHING MORE.

1. Change your way of studies. Follow this programme.

(a) Pick up a chapter.

(b) Read and understand it, then learn it from some sites who offer you composite chapter.

(c) Comprehend the chapter come what may. Don’t leave ununderstood.

(d) Prepare a summary after having read the chapter.

(e) Attempt an answer of some questions.

(f) Get it checked by an experienced person, (not by your age group people who have made answer checking in a thoroughly wrong manner a very good profession). Remember teachers always are good, and become good when they become older. Younger people are not experienced enough to evaluate you (which is what is done)

1. Compare yourself in intellect with others. Look for an elderly company.

1. Explore online option for education & entertainment- download files arrange them make it systematic.

1. Try to learn from sources other than books, such as observation or discussion or travelling, and write the experiences as if you are writing answers.

1. Be a part of peer learning group.

1. Invest in yourself, invest in quality material, leader material not mass material. Read books that please you not which are popular. Always remember quality is respected it is never popular. Be a collector, on every topic have two books.

Of course there are certain things that you don’t do. These are-

1. Don’t be a follower, don’t have a herd mentality. The world worships only those who are leaders. Herds are never meant for big work. They are like masses who are to be used, abused and are to be abandoned.
2. Dont imitate any topper. His/Her strategy may not suit you at all. They are not always speaking the truth. 
3. Remember never to believe anyone when they are angry, or when they are in love or when they are under a bliss of success.
4. Don’t compare you with coaching institutes’ students. You will be better than them ultimately.
5. Dont squander your time in gossip and in rumour mongering,Never take too many advices. Everyone is right everyone is wrong. 
6. Follow only those advise what suits your heart.Follow what the toppers suggest. They are there to inspire you not to guide you.
7. Never become a bookworm, Enjoy learning rather studies. If you enjoy, your receptivity, grasping capacity will be always high, your insights will be wonderful and your efficiency sky high.
8. NEVER MAKE A COMPANY OF TOXIC PEOPLE. THROW THEM AWAY FROM YOUR LIFE. THEY HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO KILL YOUR PSYCHE, TIME AND EVEN CAREER. MUST LEARN TO TRACK THEM AND SEPARATE THEM FROM YOUR LIFE.

What should be done to get 140+ in the UPSC CSE Prelims?

ITS DIFFICULT, BUT NOT FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO BE A LEARNER, NOT FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO EXPERIMENT, NOT FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO INNOVATE NEW LEARNING, NOT FOR THOSE WHO ARE SENSIBLE, NOT FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO BE LOGICAL.

There are three facets, one-derive some lessons out of PT 2017, understand yourself and UPSC that it will be for 2018, and do what the most experienced people say, not what the students of yesterday say.

PT 2017

It has been widely felt among the students as usual that in Prelims 2017, UPSC again showed that it has the power to spring a surprise catching both students and market coaches unawares. This is also a move towards democratisation of this exam as it seeks to undermine the hegemony of coaching institutes. No more will compilations of current affairs and run of the mill carpet bomb test studies work as quick fix solutions. Knowledge scores over pure examination tactics like guess estimation.

Observations made out of PT 2017 Preliminary examination

1. A high percentage of Polity questions, linked to constitution as well as current affairs were focal point of this year’s exam. This was in turn a surprise for newbies as well as veterans of this exam as this portion was in loop line for previous many years. The questions were of very conceptual nature and demanded understanding of the subject rather than rote learning.
2. History, Geography, Environment and Science & Tech have maintained their importance in terms of number of questions asked (nearly 10 questions each)
3. Current affairs have turned out to be factual in place of related study. This is in contrast to Polity section. The questions also required careful scrutiny to catch illogical figures mentioned to throw students off track.
4. Paper required focused reading, interpretation and rational guessing
5. A sectional dissection of paper also brings us various trends that are visible in last few years:
6. Government schemes have to be studied (Sometimes in detail, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan was asked about this year and all options seemed to be correct). That obviously can’t be done,. A candidate can only evince interest in how India is progressing. His eyes should lit up
7. Also, the fact that schemes from previous years don’t become irrelevant with time.

Generalizations that can be drawn

1. The questions asked have been very analytical.
2. In most questions, two options were kept very close. So elimination wouldn't have worked as a viable tikdam.
3. Compositionally Polity dominated the paper. That too basic conceptual questions from it. This doesn’t mean that next year too lot of questions are going to be asked from Polity
4. Current Affairs unlike last year, was from areas, which the so called coaching classes couldn't predict or include in their materials. It by and large avoided forming questions from some portals which framed questions more conventionally. The limitation of coaching classes in framing cosmetic questions was well taken care of as it framed questions from backgrounds and dimensions as well.
5. Modern History was not exactly from the Main freedom struggle as such. Questions were instead asked about Committees, Acts, Labour laws, Organizations during the times of British.
6. General awareness was also tested in certain questions such as the one about lipstick containing lead and soft drinking having brominated vegetable oils.
7. From culture, certain things could have been attempted based on NCERTs. However, some questions especially the one about festivals, or the one about Kakatiya ports would have been difficult because they came from less obvious areas. For instance, ancient ports were in news because of Muziris Heritage Port. And so were the Kakatiya dynasty as Telangana had started a scheme named on them. But they decided to combine both elements which one couldn't have seen coming. For example, if there had been centenary celebrations on Champaran this time, then anything and everything associated with Chaparan would be asked. For example, the derivation of the name, the type of trees, economics of Indigo, none of them in the present perspective all of them with a background
8. In Geography, questions were based mostly, on observation of map
9. In environment, organisations are important especially now there is more focus on bodies in which private sector/ Civil society involvement is there such as Clean Air Coalition. M-stripes was asked, which was in news a 4-5 years back. Hence the static aspects will have to be covered as well in environment.
10. Certain things however are more easy to predict especially, the questions asked from the world organisation report. There has been one question each year. Usually this report will be easy to confuse. This year Global Gender Gap Report was asked. Though its by WEF, one might get confused unless one has seen the list 3-4 times.

Preparation now therefore will have to cover both aspects. Conceptual as well as factual as more and more questions are being asked which will test the candidates ability to answer out of box.

As far as knowledge attitude is concerned, one cannot merely rely on compilations and regular material. One must process it thoroughly.

What type of students could have answered these questions?

1. This year Prelims tests one’s ability to enjoy the subject, only then can the diversity and range can be tackled rather than having any cosmetic approach to preparation.
2. For example, anyone who would read and try to understand most of the topics, who can be a traveller and has the ability to enjoy the maps, imagine any philosophy as if to deliver a lecture on it and its roots were in a better position.
3. In environment, organisations are important especially since now there is more focus on bodies in which private sector/ Civil society involvement is there such as Clean Air Coalition. The uniqueness in this case was private sector -public initiative for the first time some students did observe that.
4. A good number of questions are knowledge intensive, insight stirring, based on observation. It suited students having high awareness level from surroundings and are by nature curious.

What is the new Approach required?

It tests the candidates ability not how much does he/she knows rather the manner in which the candidates—'Cosmetic or non cosmetic' he knows.

But to solve this year’s paper, the approaches required will be

1. Knowledge based preparation.
2. This requires self questioning oneself related to many types of questions.

· One is Why-

· The other is how come it be?

· The third is what are the peripheral relations of the topic.

· The biggest base question can be-How much curious one can be? Where the curiosity applies? How the curiosity applies. Curiosity is everything now. And training to be curios is a trait to be followed."

New Abilities and Skills that will be in demand

With respect to the Prelims there are several notions one must build and some they must modify as well.

1. What will not change, There are certain things that will always be asked irrespective of any changes.
2. What will be needed is a change in thinking, and many of the attitudes.
3. There are certain things that will require a close observation,
4. The ability to gather knowledge from surrounding, and how
5. How to develop awareness, curiosity, and enjoy that as well.

Just think of it—

1. One will be drive car well only when they are interested in driving.
2. One can cook well only when they enjoy cooking.
3. One cannot travel far off places unless they enjoy travelling.
4. One cannot develop insights into film unless they enjoy watching films.
5. One cannot play cricket because they want to be popular, or earn money they have to enjoy playing cricket.

• Being a student must be a character trait rather than a façade. Consequently one requires training into being a students rather than forming a façade.
• There are many Characteristics of students. These are associated with.
• Learning attitude.
• Non judgemental attiude.
• Advanced ability to probe into phenomena.
• Ego less personality but full of self esteem
• Being flexible to receive and process any information.
• Be leader in the sense that is devoid of any herd mentality.
• And a thinking that is solution oriented.
• Preparing for the examination must be an interesting journey rather than a desire to obtain power and prestige or even to earn money. Thus some are natural students while others have to acquire the characteristics of students.

STRATEGY AHEAD

Any strategy that is devised, must bear the traits that the UPSC is looking for in a candidate. UPSC is actually looking for students who can be trained in the Academy, who are trainable towards any solution oriented management. Thus UPSC is looking more for students rather than consumers or traders. UPSC is not looking for students (candidates) with give and take attitude. This attitude reflects itself in the examination in the tests in the way the candidates pick up choices and the mistakes that they make. The student’s attitude is to have some cosmetic changes in themselves to somehow quality for exam. UPSC is seeking students who learn because they have the attitude to learn and those who enjoy learning and have every trait of being a learner. A learner always feels more involved in learning rather than feel the burden to learn and study.

At present the students in order to attain these cosmetic changes undergo four stage preparations

They study NCERT in coaching institutes after already have studied these books insincerely in schools.

Then they prepare Mains Examination with test series and practice writing and practicing everything that may not be correct. And by practicing perfect their incorrecttedness.

Then they follow a cosmetic preparation by studying everyone's notes.

Then they practice test series to be perfect in Current affairs.

Strategies ahead

Despite the so called unpredictable nature of the paper, (as per the students) or curiosity-based questions as per the mentors, solving a paper through Test Series certainly helps as it helps in developing the examination frame of mind as well in time management. It helps one develop pattern recognition ability, which helps one in answering questions that one may have little idea about.

Now what the aspirants need to do?

Aspirants need to develop an approach to studies that is interrelationship based, has involvement with the understanding and gives interest & curiosity. Most important is ability to sustain this momentum of studies and retain important concepts.

What should be the way of studies?

You cannot visit each and every government website, international organization’s website in order to know about their scope of work. Instead change your curiosity pattern, hold the rod from a different angle, which allows you to see the progress of the country through these schemes. Anyone getting involved in the economy of India must know these schemes, not memorise them. Try and find some tools that ease your preparation. An excel sheet containing all these at one place would come in handy both at initial preparation as well as final revision level.

Same goes for government schemes and other such topics too. (This does not mean blindly running behind compilations of various coachings)

Try to link your current affairs preparation with its background. Limiting yourself to just that part of news will provide no gains as seen from 2016 and 2017 papers.

A test series is necessary in order to keep track of your preparation and regular setbacks in form of low scores that motivate you to push your own limits and study further. (Not necessarily that of famed institutes as they also failed miserably this time). A test series going from basic to advanced level is recommended.

Don’t forget basics, stick to them and try and relate them to current affairs.

While the shower of tips can be kept on for an unlimited time and words, the only thing to remember is that you have to be multitasking and keep your horizons wide enough to accommodate all knowledge that comes your way in this battle ground of UPSC where you are a lone warrior despite lakhs of soldiers fighting same battle.

New Sources and materials sought

The UPSC keeps changing the source of materials from time to time, and this years examination gives a clear indication of what it intends to do. It intends to do anything that has so far not been done. It is to ask from sources that are moving in a cyclic manner.

At one point the UPSC used to ask from P.E. Roberts for Modern India, then it changed to Grover, then it was Bipan Chandra, then came Bandopadhyaya and now it is Sengupta. For Indian Polity it was M. V. Pylee, then it was D. D. Basu, and then Laxmikanth, and now…….Same goes the story with Indian Economy,. Initially it was NCERT Indian Economy, then Dutt Sundaram then Misra for two years, then Uma Kapila apart from Economic Survey. Geography too began with Bunnet, then K. Siddhartha till 2012, then NCERT, then Goh cheng Leong for last three years minus this year. Science and Technology has been very varied, ranging from Peter Gittewitt for Physics, CSIR report on Chemical Industry, Biology from “A Nurses Manual” initially to NCERT Biology to now CSIR researches published in Science Reporter, and for Ecology it began with K. Siddhartha for two years, followed by NCERT, then CSE documents and now Government reports.

The questions asked this year do not conform to any book, any known source. That means the UPSC is bound to pick up some sources from high quality but by and large not so popular books for 2018 PT examination as they have done it so far and so often. 2018 will be in for some major surprises and the students will be advised not to follow any beaten track and follow the rumours spread by Babas.

This article will be updated as soon as this insight is obtained.

What new sources will be required and from where are they are going to be updated will be of some interest that will break all conventions.

Is it advisable to take a year-long break for civil services preparation?

Yes.

It offers many advantages

1. Resets you
2. Helps introspection.
3. Helps unlearning and relearning.
4. Relaxes, Calms and soothes you
5. Can help Get to know your mistakes and correct them.

PREPARING CIVIL SERVICES AFTER +2 OR 12TH

PREPARING CIVIL SERVICES AFTER +2 OR 12TH

Before venturing into Civil Services, the students must get themselves acquainted about Civil Services.

These acquaintances will include

1. What should you do after 12th to prepare for the IAS exam?

2. Get to know about Civil Services, the nature of Civil Services, the challenges, the prospects from any IAS, IPS, IRS

3. Pick up those subjects that you want to study in Civil Services. These include, Geography, History, Polity, Public Administration, Economics. These subjects are of immense importance to the UPSC syllabus.

4. These subjects will then help you to choose your optional as well.

5. Don’t lose touch with basic maths that you learned in school. This is needed for the CSAT paper in the IAS Prelims.

Now understand your preparation strategy

The students are in the best possible position to prepare for Civil Services examination if they are in their 1st year of graduation.

Advantages that a student has being in 1st year of graduation.

1. His/her mind is uncluttered unlike people who have done their graduation and are undergoing some coaching.

2. It’s a fresh canvas on which any picture can be made, anything can be done a clean blackboard on which anything can be written.

3. It is much more easy to mould a student during this period.The flaws in the students can be easily identified and plugged.

4. The students even if they make some initial mistakes can easily get it corrected as they have so much time.

5. It’s easy to shape the personality and do a lot of trial and error to understand oneself.

Most of the students actually forget whatever they have learnt during schools after graduation and have to go back to schools and ultimately end up studying at school level only.

In any case even students who are doing their coaching, will take take 3 years of time to prepare well and have to go to the basics. This will again compound their difficulty.

How to proceed in three years

In the three years, during graduation, there are certain things that a candidate has to do.

The purpose during the entire three-year period has to build a base which can help the students to better their University examination, form a base on which they can build any type of future. At the same time, they have to be seen by their mentor that they do not develop any attitudinal flaws. Thus they

· Must, must and must choose a mentor.

· Look for sequencing the topics in such a manner that would minimize efforts in learning a particular topic; content and subject.

Phase wise Strategy

A phase wise implementation must begin by identifying the problem of the candidates and filling the gaps that have been left in their school education.

Phase “1” Foundation Stage. This will will comprise of

During this period, the students must train themselves into building social capital, social bonding, reading newspapers, magazines, observe people in editorial and teaching capabilities, etc. and master all school books that they ever studied.

All these ingredients are important for the candidates to ease their effort that will be required to gain knowledge in almost every subject a person should know. The essential ingredients have to-

· Counsel the parents to bring the best in their child.

· Filling the gaps in the education and personality of the candidates.

· Improve their language and observation.

· Develop in them a balance of perception.

· Subject yourself to Neurolistic-Linguistic Programming (NLP).

Thus the most important phase will constitute

1. Complete revision of School books and the practice of their questions and answers.

2. Communication & Body Language Improvement.

3. Language Improvement.

4. Understanding oneself, their parents and teachers.

5. Understanding their surroundings.

6. Learning to make bonds, and social capital.

7. Start Reading Newspapers.

8. Practice basic math and aptitude

Sources And Reading Material 1st Phase

The Prelims and Mains require different approaches of preparation and studies some of the most essential books for Prelims include

Geography

• NCERT, and
• Geography Through Maps - K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji
• Basic Physical Geography- K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji
• Geography for Preliminary Examination- K.Siddhartha & S.Mukherji

History

• Basic- NCERT history. This includes
• 10th standard,
• 12th standard NCERT history on India and World

Science

• NCERT Biology
• Science, Technology and Society- K. Siddhartha
• http://www.civilsdaily.com/ regular inputs on Science

Polity

• Indian Polity NBT
• How our Government works-NBT

Economy

NCERT Indian Economy

Current Affairs

• Times of India
• Hindu
• Any competition magazine
• http://www.civilsdaily.com/ regular columns with their threads

Ecology

• NCERT Ecology
• Ecology & Environment - K.Siddhartha
• Ecology & Environment for Preliminary Examination Vol-I

Practice Question Bank

• For offline books Ensemble Series
• http://www.civilsdaily.com/ question bank

Phase “2” Knowledge Stage

The candidates come to learn the basics of the entire syllabus of UPSC chapterwise. This phase must comprise of

• Mastery of World Geography, Science and Technology, Geography, Indian and International Economy, International Relations, Indian Polity, Governance, History, Heritage, Culture and Society
• Weekly exchange of news and community education.
• Learning through various means-Films, Books, Interactions, Parents, Teachers, TV.
• Basics of Internet and Social Media to utilize online wealth.
• Background of events and World problems.
• Socialization studies, principles and applications.
• Learning to know the means and mechanism of teaching and learning.
• Continue practicing basic maths and aptitude

Online Classes

These classes will help you get 7-8 dimesnsion of a topic with its chapter, its video adaptaion, its summary, its entire range of Q&A, MCQ, every topics current affairs update. There is only one such site in India now and also in the world https://ensemble-edu.net.in/

Before Advanced level preparation

The advanced level preparation begins thereafter, but the students must acquire certain habits and adaptations.

These include

1. Join one of these portals-Insight, IAS baba, http://www.civilsdaily.com/

2. Be serious in your studies. Do not study like a college students..

3. Keep exploring book shops, libraraies, magazines in order to get interested in preparation, and also to know your interest.

4. Must study newspaper daily and keep abreast of the latest happenings in the country and the world.

5. Work on certain skills like communication skills. NEVER indulge in any gossip.

6. Learn how to make notes and start jotting from any source that you read.

Once you have passed the second phase ask this question again on QUORA

Phase “3” Interrelationship stage.

Having gone through the two stages, all the students will be prepared to take to study certain degree of correlation ship between the topics. Elevate the level by adding extra information and analysis. Develop an analytical ability as well and keep expressing it.

Phase “4” After graduation

Now you have one year of time to appear for PT. Start organizing yourself, Start moving step by step picking up each topic and completing it, writing at least one answer from the topic, remembering it and revising it thoroughly as you have to appear in that years exam. This should take at least six month from July to December.

Phase “5” PT Intensive phase with practice.

Having gained enough amount of knowledge, the candidate must take a deep plunge into PT preparation that should comprise of practice and practice and practice and perfecting Newspaper studies.

Phase “6” Mains only phase with Intensive writing practice.

After PT, go for preparation of Mains and focus has to be on appearing in tests and developing analytical abilities. It has to be Revision, analysis and Tests. This is what should become the norm till the mains Examination.