[Studyplan] Assistant Central Intelligence Officer (ACIO): Topicwise booklist, Strategy

HI Mrunal,

Good information.

TQ
Lavan

Note : I typed a big reply but the fucking corporate proxy fucked up and I lost the text. [i]sign[/i]

Hi Mrunal,

Lets talk about negative marking and its effects on score\candidates etc. Most objective exams have +4, -1(4 options) marking scheme. Simple probability tells you that [i]should[/i]score +1\4 for every question you guess completely randomly. If the no. of guessed questions is low, say 4-5, then it might also result highly unfavorable result like all wrong(but still high probability that you got atleast 1 right). And it will almost always yield positive result when the sample size is somewhat large so the ‘science of averages’ nature of probability is more pronounced. But in my own opinion, leaving a single question is stupid if you are expecting to score mid or low lever score(75%-85%, then your discretion should be used, as even a -1 can hurt at that stage and the sample size of unsolved questions is reduced anyways.

This is all simple probability stuff which most serious and somewhat intelligent candidates have figured out. But not many have the heart and objectiveness of mind required to execute the same.

Second thing is, highly debatable and may as well be utter bullshit. But if you go ahead and find the probability of the correct option being A,B,C,or D for any randomly selected questions in objective exams(on an average, not for any particular exam), the numbers come out as B>C>A~D( in my own studies atleast, no credible data source exist). Now this is generally due to the psychology of paper-setter I guess and can and should be fixed by using computers to completely randomize the options. I would also point out that randomize doesn’t mean all 4 options have equal chances of being right, but simple that the probabilities cannot be reliable predicted beforehand. Of course people might post-mortem the answers keys and deduce their own results. See, I have contradicted myself, but have I? I would just say that I’d pick B or C over A and D every day of the week and twice on sundays, for marking any random question.

Thirdly, using brain and guts of steel to get ahead. How many time do you see an option “None of the above” as the correct option? Almost never. And how many times do you see a “All of the above?” as the correct one? Almost always. Now this is generalization which I am told is bad and besides there are some very smart people involved who makes sure to set questions which trap candidates using the above, especially in high level exams like UPSC, AIIMS, etc. Been there done that. But I think this is too much work for SSC and the likes.

Back in old days when I was preparing for brutal medical entrance exams, +4, -1 was gods gift, +3, -1 was the norm( which should yield 0 score for guesswork and you waste your time. But any serious candidate with a capable head on his shoulders knew that leaving any question unanswered was pretty stupid as he could almost always rule out 1 option and options can be arranged by their probabilty of being the correct one in their mind. Call it hunch or preparedness ut thats only for the serious ones) and you weren’t a man unless you faced exams with +2,-1 pattern. This brutality separated men from boys.:D

TO SUM UP :

Consider an intelligent candidate of IQ>100 who wants to get ahead of his friend who is at the same level as he but has read Mrunal’s guideline of “Avoid negative marking”.Instead of leaving 20\100 questions in exam he cannot solve or no time to solve, he would randomly mark them, giving more emphasis to B and C. Also he makes sure to mark All the above and mark any but None of the above. Job Done!

It hurts me to see very intelligent and capable friends of mine, inspite of being rational and understanding the maths behind the argument(atleast point one), fail to implement them in exams. Makes no sense to me.You should be objective and rational and brutal in the implementation to get those extra marks.

Source : PhD in taking objective papers for a decade now and generally avoiding failure. :)

Hi Mr. Mrunal . You are so helpful, if percentage of people like you increase by 1 or 2 percent whole country will change . Very few in the world have courage to give something for free or for greater good of the society . This is a great contribution by you for our country. you are like a tree who is giving everything to the world .I must appeal to those who got succesfull by following this website ” serve the country in the same way as Mrunal is serving . No one can pay back what you had given and giving . The only way which I think to thank Mrunal is by serving honestly for humanity , society , Environment and Country. Very few in this world are lucky to have the immense feeling of giving and sharing.

hi dear i asked in ministry of home but they r not in mood to change the date

Hello sir,
This is my first visit and your suggestion and guidance for preparation are really helpful for me. Hope i will continue to attach with your website.
Thanks you very much

sir in ACIO-II/EXECUTIVE exam …is there negative marking that will be hold on 23rd sep???

Thanks Mrunal for the info.

hi mrunal…tis s smthing very motivating..thank u very much…but in acio syllabus,GA is also there with GK…

Thanx Sir…..
It was tough time.Googled but the response was null.Even Google does not have enough information what you have shared here.Please answer my query if you have time.Should history be more emphasized?Actually some last papers show weightage of history more if compared to others.And can NCERT will be enough coz I am preparing from the NCERT

:)

hi sir , u r doing a great job . i find ur info vry helpful . i hv always suggested my frns to check ur link . thank u

HI MRUNAL SIR

PLEASE TELL WHAT WILL THE OBJECTIVE TYPE PAPER OF ACIO BE LIKE? WILL ITS PATTERN BE SAME AS SSC PAPER-1 I.E. FOUR SECTIONS OF EQUAL QUESTIONS?

THANKS
ONKAR