- Utility in Prelims (CSAT)
- Utility in Mains
- Utility in Interview
- Limitations of yearbook
- General guidelines while using India Yearbook
- Yearbook Chapter Classification
- Environment and Biodiversity (EnB)
The India 2013 (also known as India yearbook) is made up of
- Overview of topics (like cement industry, Animal husbandry etc.)
- Organizations: structure function (like Competition Commission of India, NABARD etc.)
- Policies, laws Schemes, projects, missions. (like MNREGA, PMGSY, NRLM etc.)
- Some facts, GK (mostly chapter 1, 2, 3, 30, 32).
- Truckload of dates, numbers and tables (most of them useless from exam point of view).
Anyways, India Yearbook has specific utility in each stage of UPSC civil service exam.
Utility in Prelims (CSAT)
UPSC often asks MCQs based on
- Functions/ Jurisdiction of organizations: âwhich of the following ministry / organization looks after xyz matter?â and options given.
- Salient features of schemes: âwhich of the following are correct statements regarding XYZ schemesâ. Then youâre given 2,3 or 4 statements and youâve to identify the correct or incorrect statements.
- MCQ based on some absolute fact/GK given in yearbook.
Utility in Mains
In last two years, we can see the trend developing
Type | Question | Yearbook provides |
---|---|---|
Long questions (20, 25 markers) | Often asking you to âanalyseâ or âevaluateâ some topic. | Fodder material. |
Medium question (10, 12, 15 marks) | Salient features of a scheme/policy/organization etc. Or âdiscussâ xyz thing. | Direct answers (with followup point from net/newspapers). |
2-markers (2, 5 marks) |
Youâre given some name/term, and youâve to write a few lines on it. | Direct answers. (if the term is asked from yearbook). |
- The schemes/terms with catchy names/short-forms = important for MCQ (prelims)/2markers (in mains). (e.g.SABLA, UJJWALA etc.) so better just maintain a note/MS excel file of it for quick revisions for prelims.
Utility in Interview
- Chapter 30 of yearbook provides you information about your home state and neighboring states = important for profile based questions.
- The âorganization âfunctions- jurisdictionâ angle very important. Because if Board-member asks you âwhat should be done to improve electricity output for Industries?â and you say âPower ministry should do xyz thing.â But actually that xyz matter falls under jurisdiction of coal ministry / environment ministry = youâre ruining your impression.
- The âSchemesâ angle. If Board-member asks you âwhat should be done for Development of North Eastern states?â and you say âxyz thing should be doneâ. But that xyz thing is already being done under some scheme for last 10 years. Now Board-member thinks that Youâre not aware of the realities. Your knowledge/understanding/reading is shallow.
So overall, yearbook helps you in above areas. But at the same time
Limitations of yearbook
- For private companies, success = how much money made. Similarly for Government, success = how much money spent. So whenever yearbook talks about a particular scheme, they give you a paragraph/table full of âxyz crores rupees were allotted during 2012-13â and so onâŠ.
- Such data Is hardly useful for exam (brainâs memory storage capacity). And because of such useless data, book is very bulky.
- Yearbook is written by Government. They want to paint a rosy picture. So, Yearbook wonât generally tell you problems / limitations / shortcomings associated with any scheme/organization.
- Thatâs why youâve to follow newspaper columns on regular basis and maintain a dairy collecting the fodder points. (which you can cite during mains/essay/interview, when questions about âanalyse, evaluate, suggest reformsâ etc are asked.)
- Coverage is not âexhaustiveâ for every topic. Youâll still need to dig internet/ old newspaper articles to gather more points. (e.g. SEZ, or petro pricing etc.)
General guidelines while using India Yearbook
#1: Skipping sentences
Any statement or table given in yearbook, is important only IF it gives you one or more of the following information:
- Some fact/ feature/reason that can be asked in MCQ, 2m or descriptive.
- Some fancy name that can be asked in MCQ, 2m (e.g. Annapurna, Swadhar, Ujjwala etc.)
- Some Fodder point that can be cited in descriptive answer, essay, interview
^if the statement doesnât contain any of these, then itâs a useless statement.
Donât bother finishing the sentence, move to next sentence. Otherwise you cannot finish this 1200+ pages book in time, If youâre going to read it line by line, word by word.
some risk taking is also necessary.
#2: Organizations
In the introductory part of every chapter, the yearbook will tell you about the âevolutionâ that xyz ministry was earlier known as abc ministry and then it was renamed in 1989 and it was merged with def department and so onâŠ.skip âevolutionâ, just find what functions are performed by the ministry right now?
The organization that affects more lives, is more important.
Small time organizations are not really important. E.g. Rajiv Gandhi flight training academy etc. (cost benefit is not good + gives diminishing rate of returns + you’ve to take some risk, else you can’t finish syllabus.)
Whenever you read about an âorganizationâ ask yourself
- Where does it fall in the hierarchy?
- What are the functions of this organizations?
- What type of organization is it?= executive, statutory, constitutional, society etc.?
- Who is the boss, how is he selected? (although not always relevant).
#3: Schemes
Whenever you read about a scheme/mission/project. Ask yourself following
- Whoâs the boss? (implementing ministry)
- Whoâs the beneficiary?(target group)
- What benefits are given?
- Is it cash (e.g. scholarship, pension, insurance) or is it kind (e.g. subsidized fertilizer, wheat, rice, kerosene, tools, training) or both?
- Is It 100% centrally sponsored scheme?
Donât bother with âyearâ unless some really big n important scheme. Otherwise just have the timeframe in mind (started in 80s, 90s, 2000s.)
Yearbook Chapter Classification
Iâve reclassified the Yearbook chapters into following sections (and then given ch.no and page number from where each topic has to be prepared)
- Environment and Biodiversity (EnB)
- Economy
- International relations, Diplomacy, Diaspora
- Rights issues (education, welfare, basic polity)
- Science Tech, Public Health and Agro
- Communication, IT, Mass comm
- Culture, Tourism, Youth, Sports and Misc GK.
In this article, Iâm providing the reading list for âEnvironment and Biodiversityâ. Remaining topics given in other five articles separately.
Environment and Biodiversity (EnB)
Background
- How to approach Environment and Biodiversity for General Studies (prelims and mains) explained in separate article already (Click me)
- NIOS Study material: (click me for download)
- IGNOU Study material: (click me for download)
- Articles on various topics of [EnB] can be found at https://mrunal.org/enb
- Following list contains the essential ENB topics to be studied from India 2013 (aka India yearbook).
EnB: organizations
Ch | Pg no | Topic |
12 | 291 | ministry of environment forest |
12 | 291 | Botanical survey of India |
12 | 292 | Zoological Survey of India |
12 | 292 | Forest Survey of India |
12 | 296 | Genetic approval Committee: functions |
12 | 300 | national board of wildlife (dig net) |
12 | 305 | Pollution control board (CPCB) |
12 | 310 | national river conservation directorate |
12 | 311 | Ganga Basin authority (+ pg 740 planning) |
12 | 323 | NEAMA authority |
27 | 958 | functions of Ministry of water resources |
27 | 966 | water resource council, water board |
27 | 970-71 | Centrak water Commission functions |
27 | 973 | Central ground water board + RGI scheme |
27 | 975-76 | WAPCOS functions |
27 | 976 | narmada control authority |
27 | 978 | National Perspective plan + Water Development agency |
EnB: Important facts for MCQ/2m
12 | 297 | AICOPTAX |
12 | 300 | WCCB functions |
12 | 301 | central zoo authority : functions |
12 | 303 | name of statutory bodies for animal welfare (2nd para) |
12 | 319 | IGNFA, Dehradun trains IFS officers. |
12 | 323 | ECOMARK dig net |
27 | 961 | hydro project II (fact that world bank gives assistance) |
27 | 980 | river links |
27 | 974 | Farakka, Bansagar, Ganga Flood, Upper Yamuna (mostly MCQs) |
Laws/conventions/IR
12 | 294 | biosphere reserve |
12 | 295 | Biodiversity Act + overview on pg 743 planning |
12 | 323 | Green tribunal (NGT) + pg 741 planning + dig net |
Environment : Policies
12 | 299 | forest policy (dig net) |
12 | 304 | environment impact assement (dig net) |
12 | 304 | policy for abetment of pollution (+ more on page 306) + pg 742 planning |
27 | 958 | water policy (2nd para) dig net for more |
EnB: Schemes
12 | 298 | IFMS (Forest Management) |
12 | 301 | project tiger (dig net) + tables given on pg 301, 302 =important for MCQs) |
12 | 302 | project elephant (dig net) |
12 | 306 | clean technology and hazard/waste Management (upto pg 310) |
12 | 312 | Wetland conservation + Ramsar |
12 | 313-14 | Afforestation + eco Development |
12 | 316 | Gadgil panel (already discussed click me) |
12 | 321 | ENVIS |
23 | 744 | National Action plan for climate change (dig net for more) |
23 | 745 | Green India mission +low carbon economy |
EnB: Overview Topics
These are the topics that donât fall under conventional classification of âorganization / schemeâ, but nonetheless, they provide good facts and fodder points.
1 | 5 | flora overview |
1 | 6 | fauna overview |
4 | 73 | climate change and agriculture |
12 | 293 | Mangrove protection + coral reefs + third para on page 317 |
12 | 323 | climate change overview |
25 | 888-892 | Ocean science and tech |
25 | 892-896 | coastal and marine ecology+ coast Management program from pg 741 planning |
25 | 896 | climate change research, cloud physics, disaster support |
26 | 941 | Sethusamudram project (dig more on net regarding SC orders) |
23 | 740 | 12th FYP and environment + issues require attention @pg 742 |
27 | 962 | flood Management |
27 | 963 | ground water Development upto pg 965: mostly fodder |
Remaining Five parts
- Approach to Economy, Finance, Industry, Commerce, Corporate Affairs (Part 2 of 6)
- Approach to IR, Diplomacy, Diaspora, Communication, IT and Mass Comm (part 3 of 6)
- Approach to Rights issue, education, welfare, poverty removal schemes (part 4 of 6)
- Approach to Science-Tech, Public Health, Agro (Part 5 of 6)
- Approach to Culture, Tourism, Youth, Sports, Misc.GK (Part 6 of 6)
sir,my target is 2014 and I gote tow attempt but I have not creack prelims so pleas give suggestion and relevant book for upsc pre and mains examination and how to make proper notes my medium hindi 2014 my last attempt
sir, iâm targeting civil services exam. but i donât understand from where do i start my preparation.. please suggest me books and time table so that i can prepare wellâŠ.
sir,give me information about how to read ncert books & how make a proper notes of it & how write a proper answer of question of main exam?
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SIR can u plz suggest books for psychology paper2 as it is mostly application based?????????
Myself was the candidate targeting Civil Services in 2015. since i didn’t started my preparation. am searching for a candidates irrespective of any background who is for the same and start our journey of success. if any body interested please mail me.
Myself was the candidate targeting Civil Services in 2015. since i didn’t started my preparation. am searching for a candidates irrespective of any background who is for the same and start our journey of success. if any body interested please mail me.
prabanjanias@hotmail.com
Sir,
I have been following you for few months and I must say that It has been very help full to me. I am great full to you. Sir, please suggest me book for csat paper 2 and anthropology notes for mains(if possible). Once again thank you.
i appeared in IAS(mains) 2013, want to thank you mrunal, for content and quality material provided by u.
Sir,
I feel, your guidance is inexplicably excellent! But one thing I could not find; the topic wise analysis of the UPSC-IAS CSAT-2013/GS Mains-2013 question papers +recommended books list and not recommended books list for this exam. Which optional is more scoring+ comparatively small syllabus+ ready study material= Recommended. Regards.
SIR, Where can i get pdf of india2013? pls post any website that it contains
sir,can u plz write an article on how to read india 2014 for upsc pre 2014..
Can you plz prepare the study plan for India 2014 like u have done for India 2013. Or does it mostly looks the same as 2013.
dear sir , i have yearbook 2014 . i am finding difficulty to follow the study plan that you have posted to study the year book .
as the page no’s are posted according to 2013 year book .
can you please revise these page no’s according to 2014 year book . it will greatly many candidates like me .
Thank you.
if anybody want printed NIOS one sided material ahmedabad……call 9979521496
dear sir india year book useful for upsc cpf ac exam
dear sir 1 qustn i ask u sir hw to good approaches in essay writing
Sir please update the year book study plans as page numbers and some topic names differ in India 2015