Mains 2022 - All Papers PDF + R**** Rona + Paper Discussion

Villanellesaid

D503said

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GaneshGaitondesaid

One thing I can say with a little responsibility (I have believed this since a long time though) is that Vision 365 is a complete waste of time for those who need short notes to internalise content (Like me)

Not only UPSC, but any paper won't ask the topics that they have been dumping in the previous 2-3 years. The quality of content is also poor (again saying this with a sense of responsibility)

Those massive booklets have only 3-5 important issues which can anyway be prepared through Test series - I2U2 etc (Reverse engineering).

Another reason I believe for that may be UPSC scanning the popular content booklets both for prelims as well as Mains 

I may be wrong in future and I am no authority to pass verdicts but Vision 365 has had very very low output ratio in both Prelims & Mains in all my 4 attempts at this exam. Just want some new entrants reading this to consider this alternate opinion as well because I know people keeping everything aside to just read these booklets. They are NOT AT ALL SACROSANCT (Also don't ask which magazine to read please :P) 

Shi pakde hain.

Qsn paper aisa aata hai since last 3 years that it feels you are writing the paper not after years of preparation but impromptu,  making stuff on the go. Also not to talk about the huge difference between the content that we puke during test series and the content we end up actually writing during exam 🤣

Actually gs 3 mein iss bar accha khasa vision se tha esp science, agri, environment and security

So outright dismiss karne se better to contain the fomo end to end padho hi mat, index se lelo topics jo lagein of some value and bas 5-6 points bna lo (james webb, vaccine development, maritime sec, cyber sec wagerah wagerah)

Forum ke 2 flts se bhi the 3-4 direct hits 

Whenever the paper is on probable lines, these things do help 

Purplesunbirdsaid

Vidharbh singh rajputsaid

MasterMindsaid

The person who has completed the paper 4, give him Bharat Ratna!! 

The person who attempted all questions of gs3 deserves padam vibhushan !👍

Ummm, i even went to washroom once. 🐦 

Still finished

theskyisthelimitsaid

People who've written mains earlier-

1. are optional papers evaluated on a different benchmark as compared to GS papers? To expect decent marks are we supposed to write A level answers throughout? 

2. Again in optional, if it was a particularly difficult paper with certain vague questions, do the scores fall or is the marking done accordingly

 

mahi2501said

@masteroptimist 

Yes, you can say that the muhavara 'angoor khatte hain' also fits in here.But trust me, ye angoor Hai hi nahi, ye kuch aur hi Hai.Jab tak ye ecosystem humare Mann me ye baat internalise karta rahega ki FAULT khud me Hai, tab tak exam ka overhaul nahi hoga. 

Main agar iss baar select Hota hoon, (bhool bhatke hi sahi), to Mera pehla interview exam ke against hi hoga

. 

masteroptimistsaid

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mahi2501said

@masteroptimist 

Yes, you can say that the muhavara 'angoor khatte hain' also fits in here.But trust me, ye angoor Hai hi nahi, ye kuch aur hi Hai.Jab tak ye ecosystem humare Mann me ye baat internalise karta rahega ki FAULT khud me Hai, tab tak exam ka overhaul nahi hoga. 

Main agar iss baar select Hota hoon, (bhool bhatke hi sahi), to Mera pehla interview exam ke against hi hoga

. 

samajh sakta hu, itni baar failure dekh ke har koi frustrate ho sakta he, don't worry sir. lekin fault exam me nahi ham me hi hota he. period.

mahi2501said

@masteroptimist 

Brother, kya ap jaante ho main sabse jyada frustrated Kab Tha?? 

When I failed my first mains.. 

Couldn't sleep for 3-4daya after the result... 

This is the chillest mains I have appeared since I first appeared in 2016.

Reason??

Realisation that the nature of exam is such that either you are lucky, or you are born with talents that fits upsc criteria.. 

And most importantly I find money and peace in endeavours away from UPSC

My intention is  in no way to undermine the achievement of those who clear this exam. But to make newbies aware of the realities of this exam, so that the stress caused due this exam is powered, and no one wastes 5-6 years of their youthful year. 

Frustration Hota to UPSC jaakar todfod karta. Yaha keyboard warrior nahi Banta.. 

Philooptionalsaid

@Darvey78 

Can someone explain what we had to write for Q. 1 GS 2. I can't think beyond maneka Gandhi case and Article 21. It specifically talks on "constitutionalization"

AyehshaSsaid

@Philooptional maybe ganga given fundamental rights under constitution by HC. Rest 2-3 points can be given where courts protected envt under art 21 

brownianMotionsaid

Aaj ka naya masala !! :p

On a lighter note,@GaneshGaitondeI agree with most of your points. Always felt mam gives too much attention on Paper 1A and neglects Paper2 significantly.However, she covers Paper 2 in crash course at least in last crash course, it was extensively covered.

Regarding evaluation, the less said the better.  I got my evaluated 2A answer sheet on 24th September (PSIR exam on 25th :p ). However, content wise the notes, test series discussion and model answers are enough I believe. This was also highlighted by AIR-5 this year (314 marks from more or less mam notes). I also believe that mam understands the demand of the exam. How an answer should be structured and how to use subject knowledge to augment the demand of the question is addressed by her in test discussion.

One of my top-50 ranked friends has advised to not look too much into test evaluation and comments. Rather just give attention to how mam discusses those questions in discussion.

And yes, there should be more competition and quality teachers of PSIR in market. But sadly, it is not there and hence, the PSIR world order is currently and continues to be Pax-SRicana !!! :p

Kensheinsaid

@GaneshGaitonde same problem with history optional.we have baliyan sir notes which I think are redundant(but still some of toppers suggest).Moreover history optional has faced more butchering compared to Psir because of quality content issue.

paranthapijjasaid

@GaneshGaitonde sorry for the naive doubt but didn't Shubham Kumar have anthro, iirc?

nalin_pandey78066said

@GaneshGaitonde I absolutely agree with what you are saying...Reading basic books like Heywood, Smith, Gauba, Mehta etc is indispensable. But that coupled with SR's Notes gives sufficient content. Rest is all about expression and language in PSIR. Ofcourse newspaper and CA needs to be comprehensively covered. In fact plain reading of contemporary scholars such as Noam Chomsky, Thomas Piketty etc can give edge over generic answers people write by solely relying on SR's Notes. Test series and only writing answers therein is a recipe for disaster. SR's evaluation is shit because Ma'am hardly evaluate answers now a days. Answer writing should be personalized. For each topic one must prepare own intro and conclusions...at least basic. Contemplating over linkages also helps for instance Hobbes' Social contract with Matsyanyaya or his relevance in failed states. Ma'am's notes and her crash course may not be sufficient yet provide crucial addition to preparation which cant be set aside....  

nalin_pandey78066said

@GaneshGaitonde Shat Pratishat Sehmat hun bhai...par koi to role nibhaye organic intellectual ka :P 

abc123said

@Hawkeye1301 This exam is a pure gamble. Reasons - 1 People setting subjective questions and evaluating subjective answers should be academically outstanding. But Indian universities are cesspools of mediocre academics. The recently appointed JNU VC committed glaring grammatical errors in her first message as a VC. 2- The scope of Social sciences exist in the imagination of academics, not in reality. So you can't prepare exhaustively. Neither can you claim that you have deep understanding. Most of the CSE papers, both GS & Optionals, are concerned with social sciences. 3- Innovative answer is an euphemism for creative backchodi, overrated by coaching mafias who sell sham products.UPSC coaching is not only useless, also counterproductive. 4-UPSC interview is unacceptably subjective. The whim and fancy of chairpersons determine your destiny.   I am writing all this based on my experience with all three stages of CSE. Don't attach much importance to this game. Just do your duty to the best of your ability. If you are lucky, like all toppers, you will get through.

Ann2410said

@GaneshGaitonde  so this is my first mains attempt. I had followed Nikhil sirs TS at insights (pretty helpful since I'm from Engg background, and had studied PSIR on my own), I had also started off with SR, and then understood that isse kaam nahin chalega, and then painstakingly  using her notes as a guidance, made my own notes and revised etc etc etc. 

But the last week, I just had so much anxiety, that everyone else has had looked at Ma'am notes and attended her classes and would be pretty much thorough with everything. Nikhil sir was quite a help, but even then, I was feeling ki whether I made a mistake of not enrolling for a second test series etc etc etc. 

Ma'am notes seriously seem inadequate, but there is this TINA factor wrt PSIR optional...

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Ann2410said

@GaneshGaitonde  so this is my first mains attempt. I had followed Nikhil sirs TS at insights (pretty helpful since I'm from Engg background, and had studied PSIR on my own), I had also started off with SR, and then understood that isse kaam nahin chalega, and then painstakingly  using her notes as a guidance, made my own notes and revised etc etc etc. 

But the last week, I just had so much anxiety, that everyone else has had looked at Ma'am notes and attended her classes and would be pretty much thorough with everything. Nikhil sir was quite a help, but even then, I was feeling ki whether I made a mistake of not enrolling for a second test series etc etc etc. 

Ma'am notes seriously seem inadequate, but there is this TINA factor wrt PSIR optional...

Do share your experience once the marks are released. I personally believe you'll have fresh content to offer due to the Test series.

Even Rank 5 Utkarsh (300 plus in PSIR last year) had joined Vision Test series & claimed it to be a major factor in enriching his content.

But the TINA factor is real with respect to PSIR😅

Not very sure what extra content enrichment all other content has. except for random scholars which appear out of nowhere in their answer I could not find any thing which upgrades content made from SR CC or test series and her classroom. 

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Ann2410said

@GaneshGaitonde  so this is my first mains attempt. I had followed Nikhil sirs TS at insights (pretty helpful since I'm from Engg background, and had studied PSIR on my own), I had also started off with SR, and then understood that isse kaam nahin chalega, and then painstakingly  using her notes as a guidance, made my own notes and revised etc etc etc. 

But the last week, I just had so much anxiety, that everyone else has had looked at Ma'am notes and attended her classes and would be pretty much thorough with everything. Nikhil sir was quite a help, but even then, I was feeling ki whether I made a mistake of not enrolling for a second test series etc etc etc. 

Ma'am notes seriously seem inadequate, but there is this TINA factor wrt PSIR optional...

Do share your experience once the marks are released. I personally believe you'll have fresh content to offer due to the Test series.

Even Rank 5 Utkarsh (300 plus in PSIR last year) had joined Vision Test series & claimed it to be a major factor in enriching his content.

But the TINA factor is real with respect to PSIR😅

Not very sure what extra content enrichment all other content has. except for random scholars which appear out of nowhere in their answer I could not find any thing which upgrades content made from SR CC or test series and her classroom. 

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Ann2410said

@GaneshGaitonde  so this is my first mains attempt. I had followed Nikhil sirs TS at insights (pretty helpful since I'm from Engg background, and had studied PSIR on my own), I had also started off with SR, and then understood that isse kaam nahin chalega, and then painstakingly  using her notes as a guidance, made my own notes and revised etc etc etc. 

But the last week, I just had so much anxiety, that everyone else has had looked at Ma'am notes and attended her classes and would be pretty much thorough with everything. Nikhil sir was quite a help, but even then, I was feeling ki whether I made a mistake of not enrolling for a second test series etc etc etc. 

Ma'am notes seriously seem inadequate, but there is this TINA factor wrt PSIR optional...

Do share your experience once the marks are released. I personally believe you'll have fresh content to offer due to the Test series.

Even Rank 5 Utkarsh (300 plus in PSIR last year) had joined Vision Test series & claimed it to be a major factor in enriching his content.

But the TINA factor is real with respect to PSIR😅

Not very sure what extra content enrichment all other content has. except for random scholars which appear out of nowhere in their answer I could not find any thing which upgrades content made from SR CC or test series and her classroom. 

There is a clear difference in the way student approach answers. I can quote a small example. Yesterday I was checking answers on Fascism 

All students somehow mentioned it as Hodge podge of ideologies & Same Mussolini quote of nothing above beyond... state (Mam's Notes) 

However, one of students instead talked of Mussolini saying - "Fascism accepts the individual only insofar as his interests coincide with the state's". Further he went on to say that fascism tries to replace materialism by a mystical idealism etc 

This at least to me was fresh & forced me to award greater marks

That is something already Hannah said.. ending the conviction to think

brownianMotionsaid

@GaneshGaitondeDid you write this years mains ?? How have been your previous experiences of mains ?? Any pattern you saw in your approach vis-a-vis marks ?

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Truthseeker9said

GaneshGaitondesaid

Ann2410said

@GaneshGaitonde  so this is my first mains attempt. I had followed Nikhil sirs TS at insights (pretty helpful since I'm from Engg background, and had studied PSIR on my own), I had also started off with SR, and then understood that isse kaam nahin chalega, and then painstakingly  using her notes as a guidance, made my own notes and revised etc etc etc. 

But the last week, I just had so much anxiety, that everyone else has had looked at Ma'am notes and attended her classes and would be pretty much thorough with everything. Nikhil sir was quite a help, but even then, I was feeling ki whether I made a mistake of not enrolling for a second test series etc etc etc. 

Ma'am notes seriously seem inadequate, but there is this TINA factor wrt PSIR optional...

Do share your experience once the marks are released. I personally believe you'll have fresh content to offer due to the Test series.

Even Rank 5 Utkarsh (300 plus in PSIR last year) had joined Vision Test series & claimed it to be a major factor in enriching his content.

But the TINA factor is real with respect to PSIR😅

Not very sure what extra content enrichment all other content has. except for random scholars which appear out of nowhere in their answer I could not find any thing which upgrades content made from SR CC or test series and her classroom. 

There is a clear difference in the way student approach answers. I can quote a small example. Yesterday I was checking answers on Fascism 

All students somehow mentioned it as Hodge podge of ideologies & Same Mussolini quote of nothing above beyond... state (Mam's Notes) 

However, one of students instead talked of Mussolini saying - "Fascism accepts the individual only insofar as his interests coincide with the state's". Further he went on to say that fascism tries to replace materialism by a mystical idealism etc 

This at least to me was fresh & forced me to award greater marks

That is something already Hannah said.. ending the conviction to think

Bhai, kaha sabne same hi hai almost. It's all about expression. That's the central idea of differentiating. 

I am not trying to convince you. Just stating my opinion and my perspective of freshness in answers. 

Yeah cool. Some people are bliss no doubt about the expression thing. And some despite good content struggle. That is why there are people like me who fails in their 4th 5th and this last time may be may be not. Khair anyway lets see how thing rolls when winter arrives. 

rockhardsaid

@GaneshGaitonde how was the paper acc to you this year ? how much could you write satisfactorily ?

tedmosbysaid

Truthseeker9said

tedmosbysaid

Truthseeker9said

tedmosbysaid

@Capedcrusader1 I don't think so the optional guys had much advantage. The keywords in the questions were quite general which just  needed 'better' analysis. 

• Socio questions were doable if you have read Indian Society NCERT, did PYQs and followed current affairs 'broadly'. 

• The main problem with Geo questions was that they were quite unexpected (easy questions like primary rock (types and characteristics) made me go blank but however time management helped me attempt that question) plus when I read some Geo questions in the first iteration, my mind went like- "What to write now?" (But again, I had not prepared for Geography that well so that feeling won't be the same for everyone. I had completely relied on revising diagrams and maps during prep. So in the end, I broadly addressed the keywords and drew a labelled map in those rubber plantation and wind energy questions (covered 1-1.5 page). For other questions like ocean currents and straits, I drew 2-3 maps and wrote about keywords with some examples). 
• For the colour-coded IMD question, if you have seen maps in Disaster Manageme nt - the common colours are red, orange, yellow and green- whose meaning doesn't change much. You can just "broadly" write on that with a map showing cyclone prone areas (I made an educated guess here which turned out to be right, I was analysing PYQs (NDMA Reports were asked) so I thought of going one step ahead and ended up skimming through various maps in NDMA reports. I thought that different govt agencies won't colour code maps differently so I ended up mentioning these 4 colours).
• Deccan traps question is again from understanding of map of India. I was just reading about formation of Gondwana Coal, black soil etc from Wikipedia when I happened to come across this term (it appeared quite frequently). Plus the question was about resource "potential"  so there was scope to write stuff. 
• Troposphere question - I just loaded the whole answers with diagrams and addressed the keywords in few points. 

Therefore, I think the paper would have created a huge advantage for the Geo/socio optional people if some "specific keywords" would have been there which are not known by a normal non-Geo/socio optional person. In this paper, I believe everyone has atleast read enough things to address them with relevant "examples" and "keywords". 

Note: I am not saying the paper was easy but I think the paper was more about common sense. Even if the socio/Geo optional people had an advantage, it wouldn't more than few marks. 

 

going ahead 1 step NDMA and looking at map how did you decipher that ? Seems like you are topper in making with such foresightedness. 

I started answer writing (from Insights) and analysing UPSC questions way back in 2017 when I was in my 2nd year of UG. When you read and write things n number of times, you develop a small intuition about various things. So I had a small intuition that the colour-coded maps used in these NDMA Reports "may have been" similar to those of IMD. I ended up "deciphering" the meaning similar to what I had read in the report (I had read 5-6 lines out of curiosity). It would have gone either way and "fortunately enough" it went right. 

Also, about the "foresightedness" thing. Seriously, analyse PYQs of GS 1 & 3. I was preparing content for Disaster Management keeping PYQs in mind when I "thought" of skimming through these reports. 

Okay bhai 

Aap toh topper ho hi fir. Color coded map bhi yaad hai that too of cyclone so isse jyada toh kisi topper ko kya hi pta hoga. 2017 se answer writing kar hi rhe ho aap aur content bhi excellent hai aur aapne guess work bhi on point jaa rha that too in mains. 

PYQ for mains dont hold much significance . Syllabus is more relevant imo. Pyq are from syllabus only. :)  If you have themes covered from ncert and books etc it is sufficient. Color coding ncert me hi hai . 2017 se intutuon ki itno zarurat nhi

 

I believe Mains ke PYQs kaafi zyada hi important hai. Kuch general points toh mil hi jaate hai likhne ke liye. Itna idea lag jaata hai ki kya area repeat ho raha hai/kya area zyada important hai. Uss hisaab se notes thode focused mil jaate hai. 

For that colour coded map, Bhai content content hota hai.. chahe vo kahi se bhi aaye. Mai kitni baar out of curiosity, kaafi cheeze read kar leta hu. Kabhi kabhi vo random knowledge fit baith jaati hai kahi pe. 

I remember Delhi mai hotel ki taraf jaara tha exam centre se toh Modiji ka flex banner laga tha jagah jagah and likha tha "Launch of National Logistics Policy (Sept 17)". Thoda Google kiya usske baaremai (2-3 lines) and 'ussko bhi' link karke aa gaya Gati Shakti waale question mai (not the whole content but things like how logistics can play an important role in multimodal connectivity .. thoda jo 2-3 lines padda vo bhi).

Although mera approach wagera haphazard lagra hoga but ab vo back of the mind tha toh daal diya vo bhi. 

Anyways, the point is- Topper wagera waali baat nahi hai..  usska toh kuch nahi pata mujhe. Mai bas jo approach hai vohi batara hu. Hoga nahi hoga vo baad mai dekhenge.

Approach ko criticize/support karna hai toh Karo. Nahi bhi hua iss baar toh next attempt ke liye kaha improve karna hai vo toh pata lag hi jaayega atleast. 

Kensheinsaid

@Capedcrusader1  bhai any update on result date as per your chat group.

My friend told that upsc taking Diwali holiday so might be delaythis time.  Result expected around 9 Dec. Bhai Har koyi apni date Bata raha Hai.

BattingBabasaid

GS1 - Indian Society - How to Study?

I always thought Society in GS1 is my strong area. But struggled to write answers in Mains 2022.

what we usually study: problems of women, poverty, urbanization, secularism, regionalism and other standard topics. Questions in Test series are usually direct and I scored well in this section.

But in UPSC exam,

Topics are difficult: Tier 2 cities & New middle class, salience of sect, globalization and new technology; And last year - population education, Gig economy & Women etc.

UPSC questions are one layer deeper than Test series questions. And are have a new dimension .

How to prepare for Society? What new sources to study to cover this extra level of deepness of topics? Do we have to look for any sociology material?

@Neyawn @caped_crusader @Kenshein @Ganesh_Gaitonde others

Kensheinsaid

abc123said

Kensheinsaid

History optional walo ki halat after hearing scaling issue in Mains 2022 result revision news on telegram due to low representation.

There is no representation of subjects in CSE parliament. The equi-percentile statistical moderation adopted by upsc is blind and impersonal. After paper evaluation is over, no manual interference is allowed.

Bhai I don't  know much about evaluation process( scaling).

Telegram par bol Rahe Hai ki maths ka result bahut Acha Hai aur history ka bahut bura. Aur revision ho raha hai.

Are you from maths optional?( if yes Mubarak ho)

Do you know the procedure of scaling?

What is equi percentile statistical moderation adopted.( in simple language).

Mahi2306said

Hi seniors, I know this is not the right time to ask this Q but I need your help
I have flunked my 2 prelims bcz of CSAT but i did prepare for mains in my both attempts
Thing is I am Unable to complete my paper in most cases
i have done good amount of ans writing but yet to finish papers(Including socio opt)
so what's the mantra to finish paper with right quality of answers
should we aspire for a ideal preparation where we mostly focus on quality in Test series
but in actual exam this is not the case as I have known from ur shared experience
So plz give some insights how to balance and be feel content with mains preparation

Kensheinsaid

Kaaptan is also criticizing vikas dhayal for too much info. Then it might be genuine.

Yeh insider key zagade mein, Sala mental health ki sister-mother ek ho rahi hai.

TheUbermenschsaid

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Mahi2306said

Hi seniors, I know this is not the right time to ask this Q but I need your help
I have flunked my 2 prelims bcz of CSAT but i did prepare for mains in my both attempts
Thing is I am Unable to complete my paper in most cases
i have done good amount of ans writing but yet to finish papers(Including socio opt)
so what's the mantra to finish paper with right quality of answers
should we aspire for a ideal preparation where we mostly focus on quality in Test series
but in actual exam this is not the case as I have known from ur shared experience
So plz give some insights how to balance and be feel content with mains preparation

Most of the aspects are covered by some members comprehensively. I would like to add something. Have very concise content for each topic of syllabus of all 4 GS papers. By concise, I mean not more than 1 A4 sheet per topic. Cover each topic in format- Intro, Pros, Cons, Examples/Case study and Conclusion. Don’t use more than 2 sources for making these notes. You can refer to syllabus wise compilations of a good coaching institutes. Leave some margin and add only very important current affairs points in thess notes. If you prefer e-notes, that’s even better- helps a lot in editing and re-arranging points. 

This is the labour part. More important task is to memorise. Yes, literally mug up these 40-50 sheets. You should be able to reproduce around 75% of the content. 

Third aspect is answer writing. Nature of mains is such that there’s almost no time to think while writing. If you follow first two steps, you will have quality content at your disposal. Therefore, need to pause and think will hardly arise while writing. Sometimes, notes may not suffice to answer questions with very narrow scope. You will have to be creative while answering them. With practice, this aspect can be improved.

crypto7said

GaneshGaitondesaid

TheUbermenschsaid

» show previous quotes

Mahi2306said

Hi seniors, I know this is not the right time to ask this Q but I need your help
I have flunked my 2 prelims bcz of CSAT but i did prepare for mains in my both attempts
Thing is I am Unable to complete my paper in most cases
i have done good amount of ans writing but yet to finish papers(Including socio opt)
so what's the mantra to finish paper with right quality of answers
should we aspire for a ideal preparation where we mostly focus on quality in Test series
but in actual exam this is not the case as I have known from ur shared experience
So plz give some insights how to balance and be feel content with mains preparation

Most of the aspects are covered by some members comprehensively. I would like to add something. Have very concise content for each topic of syllabus of all 4 GS papers. By concise, I mean not more than 1 A4 sheet per topic. Cover each topic in format- Intro, Pros, Cons, Examples/Case study and Conclusion. Don’t use more than 2 sources for making these notes. You can refer to syllabus wise compilations of a good coaching institutes. Leave some margin and add only very important current affairs points in thess notes. If you prefer e-notes, that’s even better- helps a lot in editing and re-arranging points. 

This is the labour part. More important task is to memorise. Yes, literally mug up these 40-50 sheets. You should be able to reproduce around 75% of the content. 

Third aspect is answer writing. Nature of mains is such that there’s almost no time to think while writing. If you follow first two steps, you will have quality content at your disposal. Therefore, need to pause and think will hardly arise while writing. Sometimes, notes may not suffice to answer questions with very narrow scope. You will have to be creative while answering them. With practice, this aspect can be improved.

Wonderfully said. I found answer building through notes as more important than answer writing especially for predictable topics like security, disaster etc(But you must do answer writing as well) 

I would like to attach a sample for the larger benefit of community

What to look for in the sample above

1. A Good intro & conclusion that can be used anywhere no matter how twisted the question is

2. Densely enriched content : With committees/Data etc. As one of the Forum members had guided us "each word should be pregnant with meaning" 

3. High brevity : Write as short as you can with as little words as possible. Long sentences cannot be written in the final answers. Strictly, Write only what you can actually produce in the Mains answer 

4. Focus on what is reproducible : This has been the most important thing for me. Please don't rattofy 1000 narrow data sets (It's the duty of Vision, Dipin Sir & MK Yadav to give such stuff but you have to be selective) , rather focus on 100 data sets that can be used across answers. Why? : Because you don't know what kind of question UPSC may ask. Narrow data sets should be learnt only for highly predictable or hot topics in news. Eg - For Agriculture, food processing, NGOs & Security , you can learn even narrow data  

P. S : Again no authority TILL MARKS ARE RELEASED. My peers can add to my understanding. I am Posting this now because post result, its going to be a little chaotic and since some of our younger friends are genuinely interested in seeking some form of direction.

Also I believe its my responsibility to give back given that I have benefitted a lot by the posts of members like@Patootie and others (I had saved their comments and read them after prelims once again) 

Thanks for sharing these samples. I have a few queries:

1) Have you concised the content from a particular source like vision mag or some CA class notes in IBC format or selecting a topic you've brought in content from multiple sources?

2) A lot of these may not be asked in actual exam so your strategy of ans building is for recurring topics or CA ones?

Darvey78said

Kaptaan's info :

1. Re-scaling of optionals happening for the 3rd time. Change in evaluation board hence the chaos and change in information everyday. Some optionals like Geo will be scaled tomorrow.

2. Re-scaling not good for Maths, PSIR, Medical Science and Anthro people

3. Date of results not yet confirmed.

P.S. Just posting what was posted on the TG group.

masteroptimistsaid

Jojofoosaid

masteroptimistsaid

Jojofoosaid

masteroptimistsaid

Jojofoosaid

Ruchira Kamboj ma'am toh full on bhakt mode me aa gyi hain.

Inko quote bhi kiya tha.  

jab leadership strong ho to officials and ambassadors bhi fearlessly apna point rakh pate he, bina ye soche ki "West Kya Kahenge" 

Aur isko bhakt mode me ana nahi kehte, apni baat ko saaf saaf rakhna kehte he 

If you think that talking tough alone, without having the requisite determinants of power [hard or soft] to match that talk, is gonna do wonders for the country, then good for you.

Tum jaise ch*tiye toh competition hai. Tu aur R* Rona kar le brosree ke

Turbulent "Snowflake" Spotted 😂😂😂😂

Kensheinsaid

@BattingBaba are you sure? It is not clarified in any government  document. Further just look at selection criteria ( engg graduates and ca only).

so this year they may recruit BA graduates in this service. How it can be possible?

I think there is confusion in aspirant mind on this issue

TupacYosaid

6 cents in this anxious wait:

1. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that exam results are not the end of the world. Even if you don't do as well as you'd like, there are always opportunities to improve and succeed.

2. Distract yourself with something fun, like watching your favorite TV show or playing a video game. This will take your mind off of the anxiety and help you relax.

3. If all else fails, just imagine your worst-case scenario and then laugh at how ridiculous it is. For example, if you're worried about failing, imagine yourself as a clown at a circus, failing hilariously at every trick. It may sound silly, but sometimes a good laugh can be just the thing to calm your nerves.

4. Eat some comfort food, like ice cream or chocolate. The sugar rush will give you a temporary boost of energy and happiness, which can help to calm your anxiety. Just don't overdo it, or you might end up with a sugar crash later on!

5. Talk to a friend or family member about your anxiety. Sometimes just getting your worries off your chest and hearing some supportive words can make all the difference.

6. Lastly, remember that no matter what your exam results say, you are more than just a test score. You are a unique and valuable person with your own talents and abilities. So don't let a piece of paper define you – keep moving forward and chase your dreams!

GaneshGaitondesaid

Result should be immaterial. In reality it is NOT as the society is used to shunning away those who’ll fail. Most likely, the coaching/the peers will simply move the focus on those who’ll pass the Mains. A lot of us might receive apathy. People will make you feel that you didn’t work hard enough EVEN WHEN YOU DID ALL YOU COULD. There might be people who would’ve fallen ill and yet given their heart & soul. It’s time, we all initiate change & respect even those who didn’t make it. It’s time, we actually begin appreciating efforts and not just results. If Nishkama karma is taught by all UPSC coaches & teachers, then it’s time we celebrate the Nishkama karma Yogis & not just those who’ll make into the final list.

I just want all my peers to know that this guy behind the username of GaneshGaitonde is extremely proud of all of us. The intensity, the sacrifice & the madness that we all showed for the Mains while fighting numerous personal battles deserves nothing less than a salute 🙂. We all know what a mad battle mains is , Right ? At least, we must appreciate each other for setting an ambitious goal in life & working day in and day out to achieve it !

Cheers to the warrior in all of us. All the best Dosto :) 

Tina1997said

 Kab khatam hoga yeh sab

Capedcrusader1said

Tina1997said

» show previous quotes

Capedcrusader1said

peterparkersaid

Capedcrusader1said

peterparkersaid

Today is not the day.. 

aisa mat bol bhai muje closure chaiye. i am not enjoying this game anymore. no anxiety anymore. it has become plain irritating now

Jo info aayi.. I passed on. 😕

bro kahan se mili ye info. i am asking seriously

Madhukar, kaptaan, someone at UPSC bhavan, Yo Yo choti singh sab bol diye ab toh aaj nahi aa raha 

toh ye 5 ka mahul kis mahanubhav ne banaya

Capedcrusader1said

» show previous quotes

GaneshGaitondesaid

Capedcrusader1said

Tina1997said

» show previous quotes

Capedcrusader1said

peterparkersaid

Capedcrusader1said

peterparkersaid

Today is not the day.. 

aisa mat bol bhai muje closure chaiye. i am not enjoying this game anymore. no anxiety anymore. it has become plain irritating now

Jo info aayi.. I passed on. 😕

bro kahan se mili ye info. i am asking seriously

Madhukar, kaptaan, someone at UPSC bhavan, Yo Yo choti singh sab bol diye ab toh aaj nahi aa raha 

toh ye 5 ka mahul kis mahanubhav ne banaya

Bhai un logo ne hi banaya.. Abhi bhi 7pm likely pin kar rakha hai channel par 🙃

7pm pe result ya 7pm pe fir murkh banane wala update ayega?

vaibhavvdash75610said

Out with Chemistry. 
My learnings for new comers and old timers as follows(I've cleared IIT-JEE twice and prelims too, so I think some things could help others):
1. Its too easy to get swayed by people who got selected. This exam is a graveyard of smart, hardworking, genuine people. Nothing guarantees success. Its easy for people to shower motivation, it doesn't cost them anything. But getting fooled by them and hanging out on that motivation is gambling precious time in hope of something that is highly subjective in nature. (Basically motivation dene me kuch nai jata, lene me saal thuk jata hai)
2. People might say its all worth it, but in these years, the sacrifices that I and my family has made are not worth it. My father is in IPS and I've seen his life upclose. The charm of power-respect-prestige fades away and the govt makes you work like a dog with no personal life. Nothing is more important than health, family and mental peace.
3. We over-glorify hard work, success and romanticise the sacrifices. Its easier to keep trying, but it talkes more courage to actually say "NO". Just studying day in and day out is a good comfortable zone with no external accountability. Also, we're afraid of going out and facing the world. Studying, is more predictable and less scary. The more we postpone facing it, the harder it will get. It hence takes courage to exit the process and put your ego aside.
4. Results are no reflection of competency. The people that UPSC selects becomes all sorts of stuff. We daily read about IAS officers scamming for crores, running sex rackets, cheating in the exam, culting crores of MGNREGA funds meant for poor people. UPSC is not god, neither is their judgement perfect. Hence, there's no point in judging yourself through their mirror. You're special and will do something good in life

DancingMastersaid

GaneshGaitondesaid

Out ho gaye

Little shocked but anyway I was severely disillusioned by the exam process 😅 (No intention to demotivate anyone) Totally fatigued as gave it all I could 

A good bye to this preparation. Time to focus on my law degree 😁

All the best to all those who got in 🙂. May the force be with you ❤️

What do you mean by, you were totally disillusioned by exam process?

Darvey78said

5th attempt , 1st mains 

Out with pubad 

Exhausted. Depressed. No personal and professional growth in the last 6 years. No idea what to do. Life seems to have ended.