@Mains 2013 Contenders: UPSC uploaded hallticket, http://upscadmitcard.nic.in/main.aspx

1. Prologue
2. Platinum Category
3. The Three winners
4. Gold category
5. Silver category
6. Bronze category
7. Optional Subject
8. Download the Zip file
9. Epilogue

Prologue

Here comes the result for the Writing competition of October 2013. Zip file containing all entries, given at bottom of this page.

If we combine the good entries from September+October competition, you’ve really decent collection of articles/material/fodder material/revision ready notes for the following topics of UPSC Mains 2013:

1. General studies Paper 1
   • Art/Culture
   • Post-independence consolidation and reorganization
   • Effects of Globalization on Indian Society.
   • Social empowerment
2. General studies Paper 2
   • Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
   • Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
   • Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests
   • e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;
   • Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population
   • Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
   • India and its neighborhood- relations.
   • + Many current affair topics about Polity
3. General studies Paper 3
   • Inclusive growth
   • PDS, Food security
   • Infrastructure, investment models+ Many current affair topics about Economy
   • Environmental impact assessment
   • robotics, nanotechnology
   • Disaster Management
   • Intellectual Property Rights
   • Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
   • Role of media and social networking sites in internal security
   • basics of cyber security;
   • money-laundering and its prevention
   • Security challenges and their management in border areas;
   • linkages of organized crime with terrorism
4. General studies Paper 4
   • Contribution of Thinkers from India and World
   • Corporate governance

The collective savings of manhours, electricity and internet bandwidth, as a result of these notes =it’d run into lakhs of rupees. Therefore, I consider this competition a great success.

By the way, some readers suggested I should release them into non-copiable PDF files to prevent others (=Delhi’s Xerox centers/coaching/magazine wallas/spam-bloggers) from using these entries but I’m releasing them as editable MS word files so you can further trim, update, consolidate, merge these articles as per your requirements- to make the best revision notes for your personal use.

Platinum Category

Names in alphabetical order. My only regret is that I don’t have 16 books otherwise I’d have definitely given it to them.

The Three winners

This ranking is only for the sake of giving three book prize. Otherwise all 16 are winners in their own capacity. Tough to choose, even individual Jury members had quite different views. But ultimately I’ve gone by majority view.

First Prize

Goes to Border Management article by Ankush Pratap Singh. He has provided direct points for India’s border issues with each of its neighbors. Article is through with past and present issues. Should help for GS3 Security challenges and their management in border areas, as well as GS2: India and its neighborhood relations + interview.

Second prize

Goes to Culture compilation by Sandip Yadav. He has made a neat compilation of painting, dance, drama, architecture, music from ccrtiindia and other resources. IF you keep updating this word file with whatever new points you come across from other books, websites etc. it’ll become a killer revision note for MCQs and 2Markers.

Third prize

Goes to Diesel Pricing policy by Kavi Deependra. His article should settle the doubts regarding Subsidy, Under-Recovery and the recent controversy about EPP/TPP. So next time you see a debate/column about diesel pricing, you can grasp it even better.

Congratulations to these winners, I’ll contact them one more time to confirm their address and then prize books will be dispatched.

Gold category

Names in Alphabetical order. These are excellent entries in terms of writer’s effort, layman friendly language and revision-ready coverage.

Silver category

(without meaning even an ounce of disrespect to any individual) These articles could have been in Gold/platinum/even prize winners, but I/jury felt that:

1. They could have added some more angles/ fodder points AND/OR
2. They could have compressed/structured/simplified the article a little bit more.

But that doesn’t take away the fact these articles are really good and useful for the exam. So my respects and salutations for their effort and their spirit of sharing.

Names in Alphabetical order:

Bronze category

Would have been in higher category if they had been less essay-ish and more revision friendly, as per the competition rules. Again I say that without meaning an ounce of disrespect to anyone. These are good reads, provide nice fodder points for the exam, hence I appreciate your gesture of sharing knowledge with the community.

Names in Alphabetical order:

Optional Subject

Download the Zip file

For October 2013 entries: Zip file size 13MB

server#1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0DPgaYAtDgmbzQ2N2RXVVQweVE/edit?usp=sharing

OR

server#2: https://files.secureserver.net/0sSWGE9zrrGfe9

(on google drive  link, click on “file”=>Download (ctrl+S) then it’ll allow you to download the zip file)

For September 2013 entries:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0DPgaYAtDgmQUNCLXgtYzR6VUU/edit?usp=sharing

or

server #2: https://files.secureserver.net/0sQhJCGsj77XvZ

Epilogue

1. Thanks everyone for participating and sharing. And if anyone feels hurt for not getting his/her due recognition/ranking despite the contribution, then my sincerest apologies.
2. Notification for November competition will be released soon
3. Some entries have been rejected when I (or Jury members) felt that article was borderline to copyright violation of some book, or lifted too much from wiki/coaching material etc. without putting much effort.
4. However if you think you didn’t belong that category and yet your article is not in above list, then probably I made some error while making the excel spreadsheets of author vs subject. In that case, plz contact me via email and I’ll update the list.