- Candidate Profile
- Education
- Introduction
- Electronic Vs Paper material
- Tempo and style
- Prelims (CSAT) General studies
- Prelims (CSAT) Aptitude
- Prelim accuracy
- Mains: Compulsory language paper
- Mains: Essay
- Mains General studies paper 1 to 4
- General Studies (Mains) paper 1
- General studies (Mains) paper 2
- General studies (Mains) Paper 3
- General Studies 4: Ethics, Integrity, aptitude
- Mains answer-writing?
- Mains Optional Subject
- Before the interview
- During the interview
- CSE-2015 Marksheet
- Career Backup
- Views on UPSC reforms
- Insecurity about profile
- Wisdom
- Credit: Friends/family
- BOGUS Marketing Propaganda
Candidate Profile
| Q. | Details |
| Name | Shilpi |
| Rank in CSE-2015 | 198 |
| Roll No. | 0043212 |
| Age | 23 |
| Total attempts in CSE (including this one) | 2 |
| Optional Subject | Mathematics |
| Schooling Medium | English |
| College medium | English |
| Medium chosen for Mains answers | English |
| Medium chosen for Interview | English |
| Home town/city | Gurgaon |
| Work-experience if any | – |
| Details of other competitive exams, including success/failures | – |
| Details of coaching, mock tests, postal material for any competitive exam (if used) | KSG (For GS), Test Series for mathematics and GS |
| Service preferences (Top-5) |
|
| state cadre preference (Top-5) | Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Agmut, Telangana |
Education
| % in class 10 | 96.6 |
| % in class 12 | 93 |
| Graduation course and % | Mathematics Honours, 85.64 |
| Name of college, city, passing out year | Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University, 2013 |
| Post-graduation | – |
| Any other professional courses | – |
| Hobbies & Extracurricular achievements | Yoga & Watching Crime Drama |
Introduction
Q. Tell us something about yourself, your family, when and why did you enter in this field of competitive exams?
I belong to Gurgaon (Gurugram to be exact :P), graduated from Delhi University. I am a self-motivated individual with only little push required from outside sources to achieve my goals. My family is more like a business family with no exposure to Civil Services. I live with my parents and an elder brother in our humble abode in Gurugram.
“Civil Services Dream” was handed to me by my father after I aced 10th Board exams. Soon enough, I made it my own dream and entered here soon after I finished my graduation.
Electronic Vs Paper material
Q. In recent times, there is spur in electronic material- blogs, sites, pdfs, RSS-feeds. Many aspirants feel bogged down by this information overload. So, how much do you rely on electronic material and how much on the paper material (Books, newspapers)? If possible, narrate a typical day in your studylife. What is your style of preparation (e.g. I continue making notes no matter what I’m reading, I just read multiple times but don’t maintain notes, I make mindmaps on computer …or xyz style)
I would have to say here that all these online sources are a boon to all the aspirants. The key is to use them judiciously.
My typical day would start with reading the Hindu online and make notes of it in Evernote.
Then, in the afternoon, I would go for selected articles of EPW (again available for free for recent weeks) and make notes out of it.
Between these two exercises, I prefer reading a topic that doesn’t require laptop viewing for eye comfort.
These notes were segregated topicwise in different notebooks (Agriculture, Foreign Policy, Security, Geography, etc.)
Slowly, I brought almost everything on Evernote and now I can’t live without it! Preparation of GS was almost made paperless with certain exceptions like History. These days Geography has gone dynamic too, so made some online notes for Geography as well.
One added benefit of making online notes is easy collection of quotations. Columnists start their articles with some quote or fact. If one is smart enough, then it can very well be put into Essay. For example, I read this:
“Oscar Wilde said: Every saint has a past and every sinner a future”
Now, one can use it in multiple ways:
1. to advocate abolishment of death penalty (polity)
2. emphasise on forgiveness (in ethics)
3. That present reality isn’t the only reality we should be concerned about (philosophical)
This way a pack of quotations can be prepared and used.
Tempo and style
Q. People know what books and syllabus points are to be prepared. But most of them lack consistency in their preparation. So, how do you keep study momentum going on? How do you fight against the mood swings and distractions?
I believe self-motivation is the only motivation that can keep one going for a long period of time without burning out.
Apart from that, one may take help of a friend: I usually advice my friends about making a pact with another person (who is equally dedicated as they are) to prepare. Whenever, there is a low in your preparation, you can count on this person to put you back in the rising cycle of preparation and soon enough, you’d find yourself working again J
The trick here is that your friend should be fully dedicated towards preparation and you make a pact with just one friend. Not two, not three, as it creates a problem of coordination.
Prelims (CSAT) General studies
| Topic | strategy/booklist/comment |
| History Ancient | RS Sharma + GS Manual few pages (although I didn’t find it much useful) |
| History Medieval | KSG class notes (just for the sake of touching medieval part) |
| History Modern (Freedom Struggle) | Both Bipin Chandra (Ncert + blue cover) + Ready reference data pages of Spectrum. I condensed the whole BC into 10-15 odd pages of spectrum that made revision easy |
| Culture and society | CCRT, NIOS, Fine Arts ncert of XI/XII |
| Polity (theory + current) | Laxmikanth + Parliamentary handbook by Mrunal + KSG notes |
| Economy (theory + current) | Mrunal (hands down) + KSG notes (Zulfiqar sir) About eco book: In my personal view, I didn’t find any book more worthless than Ramesh Singh’s. Sorry Mrunal, but here I sincerely deviate from your recommendation of Ramesh Singh. |
| Science (theory + current) | GS Manual (only Physics) + NCERTs 6-11th |
| Environment (theory + current) | Did gadha majdoori in this topic, internet digging, so can’t recall from act source + Shankar IAS Printed notes (just for the sake of competitive edge) |
| geography physical | NCERT |
| geography India | NCERT |
| geography world | GC Leong |
| other national/international current affairs | Vision CA (again available for free) + my own notes + random website checking (could do Indira Gandhi Peace Prize question because I checked ISRO’s website few days ago) |
| Schemes, Policy & Filler Stuff | Own notes prepared online + GS Score schemes compilation |
Q. Any observation / comments / tips about GS prelim 2015 paper?
Observation: Tricky paper camouflaged with 10-12 easy questions.
Comment: Kept UPSC’s unpredictable nature alive
Tips: Know your category. You should know what works for you: risk aversion or 90+ attempt. I belong to first category and I attempted only 65 questions. Got 64 correct. Accuracy paid.
Q. Now that Aptitude paper has become qualifying, obvious more attention needs to be paid on the GS paper so apart from the books that you already have gone through, what else would you have tried for CSE-2016 (if you were going to appear)?
I will try to put in the same effort I managed last year.
Prelims (CSAT) Aptitude
| Topic | strategy / booklist |
| Maths | – didn’t prepare |
| reasoning | – |
| comprehension | – |
| Decision Making |
Prelim accuracy
Q1. Did you attend any ‘mock tests’? do you think they’re necessary for success?
For prelims, I bought few question papers and practiced by myself at home. I think it’s necessary that one practices papers but not necessarily by enrolling in a Test Series. Keep sharing papers with friends so that everyone is benefitted.
Q2. Approximate no. of attempted answers vs. correct answers. in CSAT-2015
| attempted Q. | correct (Expected) | Official score | |
| GS | 65 | 64 | 127.34 |
| aptitude | <55 Can’t recall exactly |
Don’t know :/ | 128.28 |
Mains: Compulsory language paper
| Compulsory language paper | Your preparation strategy / booklist? |
| English paper | Didn’t prepare |
| your regional language (Hindi) |
Read a book for grammar portion, “Samanya Gyan” Wrote 2-3 essays before exams. |
Q. other observations / tips / comments on the length / difficulty level of compulsory language papers in CSE-2015
Finishing the paper seems to be the key to have peace of mind about compulsory papers.
Mains: Essay
Q1. How did you prepare for the essay paper?
I started writing essays with my friend Bharat Bhasin in May/June. We sent them to our friends and reviewed each other’s essays tooth and nail. We had very distinct styles of writing so it helped in getting the best out of each other’s styles.
I lace my essays with phrases and quotations. There is no particular place to get quotations from. While reading online for GS, whatever I got, I would simply put them in Evernote and before writing any essay, I used to look at that list. Then while writing, I would use them according to the topic. Sometimes, I would create a story in my essay so as to use a particular quotation that I have in mind. This strategy helped me in managing time.
Q2. Which two essays did you write and what key points did you include in it?
Lending-doles
Dreams
Not able to recall all that many points. I believe it’s difficult to create difference from other aspirants as far as points are concerned. Other things like flow of essay and writing style matter more.
Mains General studies paper 1 to 4
General Studies (Mains) paper 1
| Topic | How did you prepare? |
| Culture | CCRT, NIOS, Fine Arts ncert of XI/XII, RS Sharma |
| Indian history | Bipin Chandra (both books) + prepared personalities from internet digging |
| world history | Norman Lowe + NCERT Caution: Non-history optional people, my sincere advice is to stay away from Jain and Mathur. I’ve suffered a lot with this book in my first attempt. |
| post-independence India | Bipin Chandra (Post independence) [pretty useless though] Searched topics like post independence wars and made online notes |
| Indian society | Prepared online notes with my friend Bharat |
| role of women, poverty etc. | Same as above |
| globalization on Indian society | Same as above |
| communalism, regionalism, secularism | Same as above |
| world geo physical | GC Leong + Rajtanil’s videos |
| resource distribution | Mrunal articles + Vision IAS supplementary notes |
| factors for industrial location | Mrunal articles + Vision IAS supplementary notes |
| earthquake tsunami etc | – |
| impact on flora-fauna | – |
General studies (Mains) paper 2
| Topic | How Did You Prepare? |
| Indian Constitution, devolution, dispute redressal etc. | Laxmikanth + NP |
| comparing Constitution with world | KSG notes |
| parliament, state Legislatures | Laxmikanth + NP + Vision IAS Monthly CA |
| executive-judiciary | ARC Report + NP + Vision IAS Monthly CA |
| ministries departments | ARC Report + NP + Vision IAS Monthly CA |
| pressure group, informal asso. | – |
| Representation of people’s act | KSG Notes |
| various bodies: Constitutional, statutory.. | Laxmikanth + analysis from Vision CA |
| NGO, SHG etc | – |
| welfare schemes, bodies | – |
| social sector, health, edu, HRD | – |
| governance, transparency, accountability | ARC |
| e-governance | Notes of e-gov models from web sources |
| role of civil service | ARC |
| India & neighbors | IDSA + Vision + web digging |
| bilateral/global grouping | IDSA + Vision + web digging |
| effect of foreign country policies on Indian interest | IDSA + Vision + web digging |
| Diaspora | IDSA + Vision + web digging |
| international bodies- structure mandate | IDSA + Vision + web digging |
General studies (Mains) Paper 3
| Topic | How Did You Prepare? |
| Indian economy, resource mobilization | KSG notes + Vision IAS + focus on writing answers to cover as many topics as possible |
| inclusive growth | KSG notes |
| Budgeting | Read analysis from several places |
| major crops, irrigation | KSG notes |
| agro produce – storage, marketing | KSG notes |
| e-technology for famers | Random internet search – made notes |
| farm subsidies, MSP | KSG notes |
| PDS, buffer, food security | KSG notes |
| technology mission | – |
| animal rearing economics | Report of Agri ministry |
| food processing | KSG notes |
| land reforms | KSG notes |
| Liberalization | KSG notes |
| Infra | Mrunal.org (eco survey chapters of last year) |
| investment models | KSG notes |
| science-tech day to day life | – |
| Indian achievements in sci-tech | – |
| awareness in IT, space, biotech, nano, IPR | – |
| environmental impact assessment | KSG notes |
| Disaster Management | ARC Report + reports on disasters on govt websites |
| non state actors, internal security | IDSA |
| internal security – role of media, social networking site | IDSA + Current Affairs from Vision |
| cyber security | IDSA + Current Affairs from Vision |
| money laundering | KSG notes |
| border Management | IDSA + Current Affairs from Vision |
| organized crime, terrorism | IDSA + Current Affairs from Vision |
| security agencies- structure mandate | Vajjiram booklet |
General Studies 4: Ethics, Integrity, aptitude
| Topic | How Did You Prepare? |
| ethics and interface, family, society and all the hathodaa topics | Arihant + answer writing |
| attitude, moral influence etc. | Arihant + answer writing |
| civil service: integrity, impartiality, tolerance to weak etc | Arihant + answer writing |
| emotional intelligence, its use in governance | Arihant + answer writing |
| moral thinkers of India and world | KSG Notes Preparing thinkers isn’t of much use coz in paper they ask us our own interpretation of a particular statement irrespective of the actual context in which it was actually used |
| ethics in pub.ad, accountability, laws, rules etc. | Arihant + answer writing |
| corporate governance | Arihant + answer writing |
| probity in governance, work culture | Arihant + answer writing |
| citizen charter, ethics code, work culture etc. | Arihant + answer writing |
| challenges of corruption | Arihant + answer writing |
| case studies on above topics | Practiced with a friend |
Mains answer-writing?
Please tell us how many marks worth attempt did you give? Along with comments if any, in the following cells:
| Paper | Best attempted | Average quality | namesake answer | Total attempt |
| GS1 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 19 |
| GS2 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| GS3 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 20 |
| GS4 | – | – | – | all |
| Opt-P1 | – | – | – | 170-180 |
| Opt-P2 | – | – | – | 180-190 |
I tried to maximize my attempt, do all questions. There are 20 questions in paper with limited space. So, it’s very much possible to attempt all with good-to-average quality
Making stuff up won’t help and all serious aspirants know that (as a matter of fact, everyone who is writing mains is a serious candidate!)
Q. How was your experience with the ‘fixed space’ answer sheet?
It’s not a hurdle as far as GS papers are concerned; it actually helps in finishing the paper on time.
But it’s a big disadvantage in Mathematics.
Q. Did you write answers in bullet points or in paragraphs? Some players (who cleared mains and got interview call letter) were claiming that they wrote entire paper in bullet points, so it doesn’t matter….whether examiner is asking ‘examine, comment, discuss or xyz’….simply write in bullets and points.
I wrote in bullets mostly – easier to structure + fixed space issue gone + I can keep a tab on how many dimensions I’ve covered.
“examine, comment, discuss or xyz” don’t imply that one can’t write in points. It is a simple shift really..you’re anyways writing things in paragraph; you can simply switch to simple bullets.
Q. Did you follow the “introduction-body-conclusion” format? because some mains-qualified candidates claim they simply wrote the points they could recall within the time, instead of bothering with proper introduction and conclusion.
I structured my answers in “introduction-body-conclusion” format.
Bullets were used for “body” part.
Q5. Did you use highlighters / sketchpens in your answers?
no
Q6. Did you draw any diagram in any paper? (e.g. in GS1 Geography)
Yes, all of them
Q7. If yes, Did you draw diagrams with pencil or pen?
Used pencil
Q8. Did you use ruler to draw the lines in diagram? Or did you just make it by hand?
By hand
Q9. You wrote the answer in blue pen or black pen?
Blue. Used trimax
Mains Optional Subject
Q. What’s your optional subject and why did you chose it and not something else?
Mathematics (my grad subject)
Q. If a new player wants to pick this subject, would you advice for it or against it? (e.g. every senior player in Public Administration seems to be advising against pub.ad)
I am giving up on mathematics for Philosophy. But mathematics is a great subject with people scoring over 300 every year. If your aptitude aligns with it, you should go for it.
Q. First the essential book/resource list. (Also mention which one is the “Base book” for covering the theory? + Whatever comments you’ve for a particular book e.g. “my seniors said read xyz book but I found that ABC book was better”. “xyz topic not given properly in this book, so prepare from xyz website or book…” OR and so on.)
Blogs of Prakash Rajpurohit, Kashish Mittal and Nitish K have elaborate booklist. I followed them. Pls look them up. J
Q. How much of internet-research / current affairs is necessary for this optional? OR can one simply rely on the books and be done with this subject?
none
Q. How many months did it take to finish the core optional syllabus?
Takes 6-8 months
Q. How many days/ weeks before the exam, you started answer writing practice?
Not applicable to math
Q. Do you maintain self-notes for revision of optional? In which format- electronic or paper?
Not applicable to math
Before the interview
Q1. How did you prepare for the interview? – for college grad, hobbies, place of origin, current affairs at national and international level?
I broke up my DAF in some 20 parts. Some of them are mentioned here:
Yoga (hobby) – met a yoga professional + practiced some asanas + read yoga school of philosohphy + prepared static questions and current ones like commercialization of yoga + discussed over forumias.com (LINK ). Just to give here the idea what I’m talking about.
Crime drama watching (another hobby) – watched episodes of Castle, Shelock again + researched things like how bullet proof jackets work + why not IPS as pref if Crime drama as a hobby (this was a straight question asked to me in actual interview)
College – visited my college and made 4-5 well-wishing professors to sit with me for 2 hours and gave the whole college Kundli to me.
Place of origin:
1. Gurgaon – met Gurgaon DC 3-4 times to get a grasp at issues related to ggn (one of the finest minds I’ve ever met)
2. Haryana – attended State class at Samkalp + internet digging
Current affairs: I feel this is the simplest part as far as interview is concerned. One needs to know the basic issue only and the rest of the answer can be made pretty easily (we get enough practice of doing it in Mains). I discussed issues with friends (Bharat, Sudhanshu Dhama and Pranodh Sharma)
Q2. Did you attend any mock interviews by coaching classes? How were they similar / different than official interview? Do you believe it is necessary to attend such mock interviews?
Samkalp and KSG
Special Mock Interview by Mr. Sudhanshu Dhama (AIR 115)
UPSC interview was the first formal interview I had. so mocks helped me prepare for it in following ways:
1. my interview was scheduled on 9th March (within 19 days of result) and i was grossly under-confident about it. These mocks made me realize that I had some kind of natural knack for analytical questions in interview setting.
2. also, their feedback helped in communicating better: Earlier I was in the habit of looking at one person while answering, but with 3 mocks, I became sufficiently comfortable in engaging everyone while I was answering.
3. I learnt how not to answer – how to say “I don’t know” in a manner that the interviewer felt bad that s/he even asked you that question! :D
Q3. Where did you stay for the interview? (Hotel / friend’s home …) and what books/material did you bring for the ‘revision before interview’?
Went straight from my place in Gurgaon
Q4. Any words of wisdom about Medical checkup?
Don’t forget your eye prescription and be on time (hospital staff isn’t the most hospitable lot if u get late)
Q5. Describe the formal-dress worn by you in interview.
Indian suit
During the interview
Q1. Who was the chairman of you interview board?
Mr. Manbir Singh
Q2. How long was the interview?
30 min (Recently came to know about interview duration from the person who went next to me :P)
Q3. Why do you want to join civil service? Why don’t you continue in your graduation field? Social service can be done from private sector too. [Since I don’t know whether they ask you this question or not. But if they had asked- what will be your reply?]
My bookish answer was this: Civil Services offer the best opportunity to serve the society and make tangible change to it while giving authority and resources to achieve the same. It catapults one to a high position at a young age as compared to other fields/jobs. This is how one can work for a longer period of time while being in authority and achieve one’s objectives more rigorously.
This answer eliminates the need for the other two questions, coz I’ve already compared CS with other jobs + never brought Social sector in the answer at all.
Q4. Please narrate your entire interview- what questions did they ask and what did you reply and other pleasant or uncomfortable experiences during the interview. (Earlier some toppers only tell me their question but not their answer. I would appreciate if you give both Question + your original answers)
I am not able to recall all my answers, but I will try as much as I can.
My interview transcript:
CM:
1. you’re from Delhi University, how do you see JNU issue. What all issues are raised due to it?
Gave 4: student politics, role of college admin, sedition (& 1 more I can’t seem to recall)
2. Is Freedom of Speech and Expression unfettered and is it possible to ask for azaadi from a democratically elected govt?
Of course it is restricted in the constitution itself. And “azaadi” can be asked if it meant azaadi from policies within boundaries of Constitution itself. We are a democracy and this fact strengthens their right to dissent.
(That’s it for cm)
M1.
1. EPF issue – do you support the move?
I told him some statistics related to it in support of my answer. (He seemed pleased with it)
2. Threats from China
Border, Pak nuclear, missile programme, issues with US (another Cold war type situation is unhealthy for Indian interests).
3. He further asked me about border problem and said Chinese went back by themselves from Arunachal so how are you saying there is border issue?
I replied by talking about stapled visa issue back in 2013-14.
4. Then he gave me a clue about another issue and said “is there some water issue as well?”, then I suddenly realized that he probably had this issue in his mind all this while while I was busy talking about all the other stuff.
Some small discussion happened over this issue.
M2.
You’re from Mathematics so you should have gone for PG in economics as these two subjects go hand in hand (I was like, ye to weird connection banaya h!).
Are there any social repercussions of economic development that we’ve seen so far?
Some discussion on this only, I kept on giving more and more examples. Got over with her.
M3. Pure math vs applied math (mentioned in DAF)
How’s philosophy related to pure mathematics? (Explained the whole Rationalist thought of philo)
Then he asked about relationship with Indian philosophy.. I explained something about Shankaracharya.
Then he went on with relationship of Zero with philosophy. At this point, I said sir ab aur nahi pata! (don’t know further)
I think he was referring to Shunyvada school of Buddhism but since I didn’t know much about that school, I avoided telling him to avoid further discussion which would have revealed the actual depth of my philosophical knowledge
Personal comment: this above question/discussion was quite a happy coincidence for me: I knew all of this philosophical stuff only because I gave up on Mathematics as optional right after Mains and started studying philosophy. It worked pretty well for me in the interview :D
M4 (the most interesting/easy questions came from him)
1. Commercialisation of yoga
I said something about dilution of yoga. Talked about “Yoga on mat”, how yoga is seen to be limited to a mat and its 7 other limbs (according to Yoga school of philosophy) have been neglected.
2. what’s impure yoga according to you? (Explained it with limbs of yoga).
3. When is yoga day? Specialty of that day?
4. Yoga was born in the country then why are we getting corrupt? What can be done about it?
I said that the fact that yoga originated in India shows that we aren’t inherently corrupt, it’s just that we have forgotten it. We need to recollect those good values by keep practicing yoga :P (there was mild laughter in the room)
5. Why do you watch crime drama series?
Coz of their approach towards problem solving – from nothing to everything based on tiny evidences
What all do you like? Why didn’t you prefer IPS if you like such series?
Not ips – problem solving is involved in all civil serives including the IPS. (diplomatic answer)
Why don’t you watch Indian series? (Told him about nonsensical CID here- unrealistic and unfair to crime solving machinery of the country)
Then the CM thanked me and said that Shilpi, your interview got over. I thanked all of them again and got out J
Q5. Was your interview on the expected lines of what you had prepared or did they ask you totally unexpected questions? Was it a stress interview, did they ask any uncomfortable questions? If yes, how did you handle it?
It was on expected lines mostly.
Only Philosophical discussion with M3 was unexpected. I answered those questions satisfactorily but I refrained from answering the moment I realized the discussion could go deeper. This worked well I think.
Q6. Any side details about technicalities like “make sure you bring xyz document or do xyz thing, or you’ll face problem”?
No issues like that (I didn’t even have an ID proof and my passport picture wasn’t really matching with me, but faced no problem due to it)
CSE-2015 Marksheet
Q1. Please attach both prelim and final marksheet
Prelims mark sheet-
| paper 1 | 127.34 |
| Paper 2 | 128.28 |
Mains mark sheet-
| Essay – Paper-1 | 137 |
| General Studies – Paper 2 | 107 |
| General Studies – Paper 3 | 76 |
| General Studies – Paper 4 | 102 |
| General Studies – Paper 5 | 90 |
| Optional Paper – Paper-1 | 71 |
| Optional Paper – Paper-2 | 119 |
| Written total | 206 |
| Personality Test | 908 |
Q2. After looking at the marksheet, suppose you had to prepare again next time, what changes will you make in your studies?
- Changing my optional
- Work harder in essay (my score declined slightly as compared to 2014 mains)
- Take paper GS 2 seriously
- Rethinking Ethics paper altogether
Career Backup
Q1. If you were not selected, what was your career backup plan?
No back up
Views on UPSC reforms
Q. Optional subjects should be removed altogether. The present stalemate is helping no-one, except coaching-owners, book publishers.
I think it should be removed. It is a well known that there is no level playing field. We hear stories of subjects getting butchered and all of these create uncertainties in the minds of aspirants. This goes on to create “Luck” factor even more significant, which is not the best way to choose the best among the rest for the topmost services of the country.
Q. Your views on the decision to make CSAT paper 33% qualifying?
CSAT seems pretty redundant now. It can be safely done away with as it can’t eliminate even 2% of the candidates.
Q. Despite what UPSC has done in recent years, it has failed to curb the nuisance of Delhi’s coaching factories. In fact it’s increased under the new Mains-syllabus in 2015. Let’s face it, most candidates who gave Mains-2015 have relied on (authentic OR Xeroxed) coaching notes because there was hardly any time left to prepare so many topics in such short time. This system work against an individual preparing from far-away area, without any financial resources, high-speed internet or contacts in Delhi.
Many resources are available for free these days. Apart from great efforts that Mrunal puts in, there are other websites too which are doing a great job for free! Try bringing your preparation online and there is a great deal to learn and share at a fraction of the cost one pays at coaching institutes. Forumias.com is another great platform for students preparing all by themselves. One doesn’t need a very wide bandwidth for these simple solutions :-)
Q. Half-merger of IFoS with CSE is a bad move because it has raised the cutoffs for players who’re solely dedicated to IFoS only (and not to IAS/IPS). Adding salt to the wounds, many who had applied for both jobs, cleared the prelims- they did not even bother to appear in all the papers of Mains-IFoS. (atleast that was the scene in 2013).
I feel it’s unfair to those dedicated to IFoS only. In fact, I would take it as an opportunity to urge people to not apply for forest if they haven’t prepared for IFoS Mains.
Q. UPSC should disclose official prelim answerkey and cutoffs, immediately after prelim is over, instead of postponing it till interview phase is over.
I think declaring answer key might be an issue (as happens in many State PCS) but I strongly feel marks should be declared so that the aspiring mind don’t continue to get tormented until the exam cycle finishes. We are trusting upsc here (upholding one’s faith in authorities) but people need closure too – the least they can get is their marks declared along with the result.
Q. UPSC should be conducted online like IBPS and CAT exam to shorten the duration of exam
While I agree than online format is better for objective type questions, I think the only difference it would make is that prelims result can be declared sooner than 50-60 days they take normally. We need sufficient interval between prelims and mains and what we are getting now (~ 100 days) is much required.
This year we saw that cycle got completed in (August 23 – May 10). Seems okay to me, although I will be happy if they reduce mains-interview-final result time even further.
Q. If you are made the UPSC chairman, what other reforms would you initiate for the civil service exam?
1. optional remove
2. marks + cut off declared at every stage (if not answer keys)
3. mains answer sheets be made available after final result + model answers
4. butchering by few boards needs to be taken care of
5. all changes in exam to be well informed in advance (reduce political pressure on upsc)
Insecurity about profile
Q. Many candidates prepare sincerely but constantly live under fear about ‘profile insecurity’. I’m not from a big college, I’m not from English medium, and I don’t have work-experience. What if they ask some stressful questions in the interview about this? Did you suffer from such insecurities? What is your message to these candidates?
My straight advice: don’t feel insecure of anything – be it your age, attempt, work exp, appearance, education, anything in the world!
Having an insecurity actually helps if you know how to capitalise on it.
Here is how: It is more than likely that the board would also notice your insecurity and would like to grill on it. If you prepare a forceful and convincing answer for that insecurity, then you’ll be rewarded handsomely! You just need to be confident about your weaknesses coz your weaknesses only go on to show that you are a human being who despite of those weaknesses beat the odds and sitting in front of them. (usual success ratio for getting an interview call isn’t more than .6%; it is .3% for general category candidates). So pls understand that you’ve got some substance and that’s why you’re there.
Just be ruthlessly confident, don’t evaluate yourself before the board evaluates youJ
Wisdom
Q. Through this struggle and success, what have your learned? What is the wisdom of life and competition? What is your message to the new aspirants?
My learning: self-motivation should be one’s driving force as no other factor would remain permanent. It will help you gear up during “thin” of your preparation.
Message to new aspirants: Start preparing as soon as you’ve made up your mind for this exam. Never give excuses to yourself except for genuine family and financial issues. If your excuse is limited only to you, then come out of that mental prison asap.
Stay away from social media like FB that bombards you with countless pictures of your friends making quick progress in their lives. One can’t help but being a little sad for oneself even if one is extremely self-driven. Go back to it as an achiever.
Meanwhile, stay in touch with your “real” friends, meet them, enjoy with them to decompress yourself.
Wisdom for life and competition: Share as many resources as you can with fellow aspirants. The more you help others, the more help you’re bound to get. And the nature of the exam is such that you’d need help of others at one point or the other. This way this exam would not only put you at a high social status but also make you a better individual. Stay humble.
Q. Many hardworking candidates have failed in Mains/Interview of CSE-2015. They’re feeling cynical, hopeless and depressed- what is your message to them?
Treat your next attempt as your first attempt and go for the final kill (Borrowed words from a kind soul). You know the aim, you know the path, and you can’t let small kinks get in the away of your coveted dream. Gear up!
Credit: Friends/family
Q. Behind every topper are many people who stood by during those uncertain times when he/she was merely an ‘aspirant’. Would you like to tell the world, who were those people in your case? Any specific incidence that you would like to share with the readers?
Needless to say, my parents (Subhash Mittal and Veena Mittal) had the biggest role to play. I was pretty distant from them until I began preparing for this exam. But their unflinching support and affection made me realize how lucky I was to have them in their life.
My brother played the role of a guiding light: after my graduation, I had a job offer and also the option to go for post-graduation from DU itself. For a moment, I got swayed by these “safer” options, but he gave a big-brotherly talk and reminded me of my goal. Since then, he played an immense role in my preparation. I can never forget his signature statement “arre, Tera selection to hua pada hai”
Apart from family, I got great support from my best friend Jyotsna (who scolded me to even think about that corporate job offer) and helped me put back on track.
I am indebted to Bharat Bhasin as well for all our GS answer writing discussions that helped in keeping exam temperament up.
BOGUS Marketing Propaganda
Q. You are well aware of the sacred rule of conducting toppers interview- the last question must be about self-marketing. So, Did you use Mrunal.org for your preparation and if yes, how did it help you? And you can even reply “No”. I’ll still publish your answer without tempering.
I learnt Economy from two sources: Zulfiqar sir of KSG and Mrunal Patel. I hoped to become Mrunal’s Eklavya one day :P (don’t ask for my thumb though :D) This year, his geography videos helped me a lot. Then topic listing exercise was of much help.
![[Topper’s Interview] Akarshi Jain (Rank-140/UPSC-2019): Law Optional, 4th Attempt, LLB from NLU-Jodhpur](https://mrunal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Topper-CSE19-140-Akarshi-c-500x383.jpg)
![[Topper’s Interview] Deepak Kumar (Rank-684/UPSC-2019) Public Administration, 3rd Attempt, Bihar](https://mrunal.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/c-topper-thumbnail-500x383.png)
I completely agree with You regarding Ramesh Singh Indian Economy Book. It is completely a Crapped book which doesn’t serve any purpose apart from providing Glossary at the end.
The writing style is like he has just copied from some Government report and pasted it.
Hi Shilpi Mam,
Congratulations to you on your success.
I have Mathematics as a optional, seeing you are changing your optional from Maths to Philosophy. But i feel you should try with Maths again. Its quite scoring and you will definitely score more.
I would like to know what you feel went wrong for Maths. How you should have approached it. What advice you would give for Future aspirant like me.
As i am working in L&T i will be giving my attempt in 2017.
What you think is best way to finish the syllabus as well as taking care of the the time. i get 7 hours to study everyday at max. weekend whole days.
I am interested in maths because i font feel that in other subjects i can go that deep as compare to maths. seeing the syllabus that is very huge, but i can say that half of the syllabus i have studied in College. But obviously i have forgotten the things and need to Study from scratch. i have gone through all the three blogs you have mentioned.
If possible can you share you contact? I know you will be very busy, but i would be really grateful if i can get some personal advice from you.
Thank you
Have a wonderful time at LBSNAA
Hey Abhinav, thanks for your wishes :) not going to lbsnaa though :P
as i said that my choice of changing optional is not due to problem with the subject itself..it’s personal. i got 220 and 190 resp in 2014 and 2015 Mains. the decrease is painful!
getting 190 in Mathematics isn’t worth it coz math is a lot of effort and when one doesn’t get sweet reward of that effort, then it gets unbearable! 190 is achievable in optionals like Philo/Socio which take comparatively lesser time to prepare with cross-currents with GS. So, for me continuing with it was like taking a plunge in fire in an urge to die only!
I can’t pinpoint exactly what I did wrong. if i could, then i would have tried to set it right in 2016 attempt.
However, There are many people who have done great in Mathematics. they should be the guiding lights about preparing Mathematics.
Since you’re preparing with a job, u need to make every second count. My suggestion is that you start making notes online, make use of online material judiciously and cut-copy-paste in evernote. this way you’ll be able to study anywhere..free time in office, traveling, etc. u can finish your daily dose of news that way and you can dedicate rest of the time to your optional and GS.
Don’t read random stuff just like that coz probability of recalling such stuff in exams is quite low. so, make a schedule and prepare a list of material you’re going to refer and stick to it as much as possible.
All the best :)
Hello Shilpi Mam,
Congratulations!
Mam I will be giving prelims this year and hoping to clear. I have 3 topics of maths(calculus,fluid dynamics and real analysis) untouched, rest of the topics I have done once/twice. Mam, My question is: which test series did you opt for Mathematics?
If it is IMS, then is it really worth? Or, solving previous year question papers by setting clock will do the job?
Thanks & Regards
hey
thanks!
IMS is the only option with us, u can go for it..or u can arrange their question papers and solve them at home. if you’re self-dicsiplined, then this exercise shouldn’t be a problem for you.
all the best :)
Thank you mam
hey
thanks!
IMS is the only option with us, u can go for it..or u can arrange their question papers and solve them at home. if you’re self-disciplined, then this exercise shouldn’t be a problem for you.
all the best :)
HI SHILPI MAM .CONGRATS ON YOUR SUCCESS . I AM VERY WEAK IN MY WRITING SKILL,THATS WHY ALWAYS FEAR FOR WRITING ESSAYS.
MY ENGG MATHEMATICS COVERS SOME PART OF UPSC MATH SYLLABUS .WILL IT BE JUDICIOUS TO OPT MATH ?
HOW TO PREPARE FOR STATICS AND FLUID DYNAMICS SECTION ,ARE U STRONG IN THIS SUBJECT ,PLZ PROVIDE SOME TIPS FOR UPGRADING MY WRITING SKILL AS WELL AS MATH OPTIONAL
Hey Ashish
may i ask you to turn your Caps Lock key off first? :P
thanks for ur wishes :)
Developing writing skill takes time but first of all you need to take that fear out of your mind. Start writing first. then try to identify where you can improve. for that, you can solicit help of your friends to give you feedback on your essays.
I don’t not have command over Statics and Fluid Dynamics. Also, as I am changing optional myself, I won’t be the right person to answer whether you should opt for it. Put your query over forumias.com and other forums to get a better perspective on optionall selection as people with diverse optionals would be there to guide you better.
all the best :)
graduation*
Hi Shilpi Mam,
Congrats !
You Wrote that,
“I condensed the whole BC into 10-15 odd pages of spectrum that made revision easy ”
Will you Help us by providing your summary PDF ?
hey sri
Thanks
those notes are on paper and made in a very idiosyncratic way that only I can decipher them. Since i am not going to lbsnaa and prelims is near too, i won’t be able to re-do them to show you exactly how i did it.
this was simply my way of revising history. you’d find your own better which would be much better than mine very soon :)
Apologies and Regards :)
you’d find your own *way*
apologies for error _/\_
shilpi maam …congrts ….first
I have doubt now I feel ramesh sing is outstanding ….if it is not then …which particular book u would prescribe… N …taking the note …that I am not material hunter …n ..can’t read 10/books for single subject …thnx in advance .:)
Hey Gaurav
I divided eco in two parts :
1. pure eco like inflation, BoP, GDP, banking etc
2. applied eco like Food processing, Supply chain etc
One can cover first part from Mrunal.org itself or refer to Sriram’s printed material or Zulfiqar Sir’s notes (acc to ur inclination). I haven’t come across any particular book that gives this gyaan in simple language as u can find in above mentioned sources.
For second part , books are not to be referred. Many topics like land reforms and food processing have been covered by Mrunal. Go through them. For topics that haven’t been covered, I referred to Shantanu Sir’s notes (KSG) and also did a lot of internet digging to prepare notes.
I am sorry but in economics There is no option but to refer 10 different sources.
Atb :)
Hi Shilpi mam…is there any high weightage given in difficult question & comparatively low weightage in easy question in mathematics as compare to other optional at the time evaluation ,thats why student get lesser mark even if they attempt more marks?????
Hey Ashish
I am not aware of any such practice.
ok thank u mam
mam actually u written in previous reply of “Abhinav saxena ” that u have secured lesser mark as compare to ur attempt …thats why i ask …
thanks & regards
mam actually u have written in previous reply of “Abhinav saxena ” that u have secured lesser mark as compare to ur attempt …thats why i ask …
thanks & regards
pls go through my reply to him again. it has no reference to difference in marking of easy and difficult questions (as asked in your question)
Regards
Thank you mam ?
Hi shilpi mam please provide some tips on gs prelims paper am attending this yr cse pls pls
Other than what has already been written above
1. the whole game stands on 100 questions now. practice as many papers as you can and don’t leave any “weak” areas.
2. don’t analyse “Pattern” too much:
2014 was loaded with A&C + Envt but a kind or reversal was seen in 2015. so, don’t speculate. just finish all the topics and hope for the best.
3. keep your nerves under control in exam to avoid over-attempt.
ATB!
Congratulations Ma’am.. :)
I have Query regarding Essay. Please tell me How to proceed For essays which are Quotation based or Philosophy based.
For eg: Quick but steady wins the race … Or any other Quotation based.
I find it really difficult to write Quality Essay on these topics. Tell me which Areas should be covered in these kinds of topic. Do I need To to think from Indian Economy or International Affairs perspective.
Thanks & Regards
Hey Ruhi
Thanks :)
there is no particular way of writing essays on these topics. these topics are open-ended and it’s all about your interpretation of these. start writing with whatever knowledge you have and then improve from there. u can use anecdotes for introduction part. but there is no telling which way is the best. develop your own style.
ATB.
Thank You Ma’am for the prompt reply. :)
Could you please tell me any book for These Quotation based Essay. I want to see some Sample Essays on these Topics.
If Possible can You please tell me which Points you would have covered in The Essay on “Quick but steady wins the race “.
Please recommend a Book For GS Paper 4 (Ethics). Again I would like to ask the same Question How to Proceed In Case studies Answer. Do I need to tell my opinion only Or I have to tell them That ” It Violates that Particular rule of ethics and later on elaborate that rule or definition”.
Thanks
hello mam…
first of all, congrats on yr success..!!
I m fresher for civil service exam(just 20years old)
I want to know that how to start preparation from basic…? ? should I need to read NCERT first??
Hey Devendra
Thanks :)
in my opinion, not all NCERTs are required to be read.
Mrunal.org gives detailed booklist that you can follow for preparation. Also, use forumias. com for it. an example of a relevant thread for you is : http : // discuss. forumias. com /discussion /14380/ beginners-adda/ p1 (eliminate all spaces when you search)
take a look
All the best ?
Congrats mam for your grand success!!!
I read all the reply made by you.It is very rare phenomenon now that ,a persons like your stature , take the pain to reply all quries so diligently. In my opinion,you start serving/helping the needy fellow Indian,from right onwards,without asking anything in return.May all others, develop the same generosity like you.
And on the behalf of all other aspirants,i said a BIG THANK TO YOU.
Thanks for your kind words, Ravindra :)
there is a small reason behind it: When i began preparation, i was flying blind coz of which it took me a lot of effort to understand everything. Coaching was there but personal guidance by a successful candidate has a lot of different meaning. i couldn’t get it but not i feel that i am in a position to render such help to my friends. so, doing just that :)
You rightly state the reason that A wounded person knows the pain of another wounded person.Thanks for being emphatic( you follows ethics not only in book but also in practice,a rare of rarest,a critically endangered quality ).
mam !!!! one more area in which i feel toooo much trouble.It is about remembering things and understanding concepts.I tried all mnemonics techniques.But output is not up to mark.This things rendered me many sleepless nights and pain beyond the measure.I also try to understand concepts by writing them on copy two times but things are not going as i wanted.
I know it is big thing to disclose technique “learn how to learn”,but if you could,then please share it,how you learn/understands things better during your preparation.I know , i am asking big thing but believe me i need it badly.
In either case of your answer ,thank you so much to the beautiful soul in advance.
Thanks again, Ravindra :)
About learning new concepts, there is one way that might work. take out an hour before you sleep and try to recall what you studied today. don’t open your notes, just take a pen and a paper and try to recall the topic and what you can recall about it, just doodle it on the paper. even if you can do this exercise for 5-6 topics, it will help.
do it at two levels: Daily and Weekly.
this will surely enhance your recalling paper.
ATB :)
I tried it.
Never know ,how much a thing can be great like this, in recalling. feeling of confidence ,is beyond the words.
A genuine and solemn thank you(very very very ) much ,for making my life easier.
Hi Shilphi,
First attempt 2016….still in college final sem.
planning to take philosophy myself…
cant come to delhi…
my question is can it be prepared on ur own without coaching and stuff…i am a purist in this regard and very apprehensive of coaching notes.i heard its very conceptual and requires deep thinking.also the booklist and material on ForumIas says Patanjali notes are must.
Your honest take on Philosophy…(as u r taking it as ur optional).
Thanks and Regards,
Thanks for your reply Shilpi,
Sorry for the misspelled name.(I would have used a sorry emoji but i dont know how to use it and which one to use it. i guess i am a TAARE ZAMEEN PAR for technology and modern communication methods).
If i can manage the basics from a professor before prelims can the rest be prepared after the prelims.(that is if i clear prelims).
Thanks and Regards.
Hi shilpi
I have no such query about preparation
I am here only to congratulate u becoz i find u very friendly and kind hearted. U r right a human being for civil service.
I think ur friends are very lucky to have a friend like u.
Thanku
hey Ankur
I’m very grateful for your words. Thanks :)
Ruhi, I don’t know of any such book that u can refer to for such topics. One doesn’t need a book for it. Let me substantiate it with an example.
There was a topic in 2014 essay paper: With greater power comes greater responsibility
This is one of those philosophical topics. How do you want to go about it?
I started writing introduction with very simple example of Indian leaders like Nehru, Patel at the time of independence who had all the power at their disposal in India but at the same time have a lot of responsibility towards the nation. (Economy, national integration, foreign policy, agriculture, social strata)
I took my essay further by keep giving examples where I showed relevance of title of the essay in many different instances.
Nothing philosophical at all. = No book required. All the GS gyan that you would get in the course of prep usually suffices for essays .
P.S. I got 140/250 last year. This year I saw a slight decline even here :P
Atb.
About Ethics question, I am still a bit unsure about myself here. I would also seek guidance of good scorers for case studies and other questions.
i graduated in maths from delhi university too in 2013..and i took philosophy as optional..wrote mains 2014 too(not cleared)..not cleared 2015 prelims..i can help u with philo optional if u want..(looking at your profile maybe u don’t need it though)..i m into yoga also..
also i wanted to ask how you are going to prepare for pre this time..and do you write answers on daily basis..?
Hey Vikie
Thanks for your kind help :)
I will go for prelims this time. i will continue to follow my old strategy (as I mentioned above in the interview).
currently since I’m studying Philosophy so I am not able to find time for writing answers. though , I wanna start asap.
marks interchanged for total written and interview.
good catch.. also my name is mis-spelt in the title itself.. :P
Hi Shilpi,
Congratulations !!! Could you please guide me which book to follow to prepare Env and Bio for Prelims.
Hey Pavan
Thanks :)
For E&B, u can refer to Shankar IAS printed material but don’t rely on it completely. It will give you what all topics to be covered.
Go through previous year envt questions to understand how you should read envt material. Based on that understanding,visit govt websites esp moef, CPCB. You’d understand yourself what all is impt. Also, take a look at IYB chapter on environment.
hey Pawan
I don’t have its soft copy available but try searching for it as i remember someone scanned it and uploaded it in Google Drive. try xaam . in , you may find it there with slight luck.
for IYB, Mrunal wrote few articles in 2014. look at them. it will help you in understanding what all you’d need to do from there.
Btw, some people are hell bent against doing IYB. there was a whole post about it on Civils Daily. So, it all depends on your style of preparation. I personally like it, not to the extent of going through it cover to cover, but not to leave it completely either.
Regards
Thanks Shilpi,
I appreciate your advise. all the best for your future endeavors !!!
Regards,
Pawan
thank you maam for your precious time and for sharing such valuable thoughts and preparation schedule (treasure ) for us … all the best for your future endeavours maam and congratulations \,,/ goodluck
Thanku mam for such information
Thanks Prabhat :)
All the best to you too. :)?
Shilpi Ma’am…
Please tell me how to start Preparation for GS Paper 4 from Sctratch. I have Vajiram Booklet but it really difficult to understand what it really means conceptually.
Please Suggest me Books for GS paper 4.
Please don’t say that You got less marks that’s why you are not the right Person. I would still be happy even if you provide me your Old Strategy. :)
My second Question is regarding Test series for mains. I found Vision Test series very costly ( Rs 21000). Suggest me Whether I should go for it. Or any other test series you would like to suggest.
Thank You .
Hey Ruhi
1. you can go for Arihant publications for GS 4. it would give you basic understanding of all the topics mentioned in the syllabus + it has many case studies as well. (didn’t evade the question this time :P )
2. you can find question papers of Vision test series online for free or offline in market for very less cost. alternative to joining it is to write answers with a friend (something i mentioned in my strategy above). you can review each other’s answers and compare them with model answers provided by Vision.
do the same with any test series you can find.
if you’re in Delhi, you can join Byju’s Mains test series after prelims. it’s very cheap. but don’t expect too much out of it in terms of checking as they started this series last year only and thus may not be very professional. but then it would give you some sense of writing answers in the actual exam setting since they conduct tests in schools.
I’ve heard that Sriram’s test series is cheaper. its question quality is fine but i am not sure about checking, etc.
Regards
Hi shilpy..congratulations on ur sucess..i m sure dat u r going to top this exam with a new optional.u r one of a kind..coz u reply to every query very promptly..please tell me which gs manual u used for pt..thanks in advance and also afterwards
..☺
Hey Sanjeev
Thanks :)
GS Manual is no good for Prelims, IMO. you should refer to basic books and current affairs + solve prev yr papers + test series papers of institutes available in market.
Manual seems very scary and doesn’t serve much purpose.
ATB :)
hello maam,
congratulations on your wonderful feat.
i am a second year btech student and a upsc aspirant. i have started reading ncerts to begin with. which ones should i prefer maam?
the new ones or the old ones.
besides how to prepare economy,who has absolutely no background in economics.
would ramesh singh be good enough maam?
i need upsc exam model qn and ans
Hey Raghav
Thanks
For eco, don’t go for Ramesh Singh (written the same in above interview). Mrunal is the best source for eco or Get Sriram’s Printed material or order it if you aren’t in Delhi.
I am not a big fan of NCERTs myself. Refer to basic book list suggested by Mrunal and forumias.com and work accordingly. Issue with NCERTs is that they say a lot of things in very few lines that makes it difficult to grasp the whole context (totally personal view).
It’s your call now, u need to pick up a strategy based on the inputs you’ve got :)