Raj Krishna - AIR 158

Ancient medieval art n culture -

I didn't do anything out of this world, my plan of action is what everyone does for each and every topic. To prepare any topic in UPSC, following three things need to be done -
1) Read and revise relevant study material
2) Do PYQs religiously, of both pre and mains
3) Give Tests of those topics, both pre and mains

My sources for Ancient and medieval -
1) Old ncerts - Ancient India by RS sharma and Medieval India by Satish chandra
[Non Ncert editions of above topics by same authors is available but its too difficult to read and comprehend, while NCERT version is easy to read]

2) Themes of India - all three parts

3) Nitin singhania's 6 chapters for art and culture - Architecture, Dance, Music, Painting, Religions of India, Bhakti and sufi movememt in Annexure
[These are major chapters needed to be perfected, rest can be read as per convenience]

4) PYQs of prelims and mains religiously

5) Sectional tests of any coaching, I did VisionIAS, simulators, daily mcqs on Insights

Other resources referred by aspirants -
1) Lucent - I couldn't do this as I found it too summarized and had only facts to mug up
2) Art N Culture ncert - I did this 2-3 times over my preparation span but couldn't ever recall whatever I read in it.

In UPSC, especially for static, it's not about what all you have read, its about How many times you have read.

Two mistakes people usually do, but I avoided -

1) Didn't waste much time in watching Youtube video lectures and even the video lectures I watched, made notes of them to revise in future

2) Didn't ignore Ancient medieval art and culture, and rather prepared all the static part to near absolute accuracy

5 mistakes done by me in my UPSC prep -

1. Not studying and rather day dreaming scenarios in my head during preparation
2. Focussing too much on Current affairs magazines
3. Not giving enough mains tests
4. Choosing optional rashly and bigger mistake, not being the best even in that optional
5. Reading only, all time, No writing

Model Answer to 2024 Essay: "Doubter is the true man of science"

Do you want me to do more? Did you like this?

Keep following for more upcoming model essays: https://t.me/essaysandbeyond

While, honestly just pick examples and dimensions from this (like countering the essay), creativity is no match, you can do much better with your own creativity.

This isn't for those who are giving Mains.

Sharing some model essay solutions of UPSC CSE 2024 Essay paper, that I liked and feel that the body should contain dimensions in such a manner. Also the way forward/conclusions contain names of books and authors is a piece of jewel.
As far as dimensions are concerned, those mentioned can't be the only ones, you can think of more but the idea is that they should "Discuss" the topic and not just exemplify it.
The "Why", " How" Of the topic should be answered in dimensions discussed in the body.

All the best to all, and keep studying.

As we know Committee recommendations can fetch extra marks in Mains. This document has all major committees of GS1,GS2, GS3. Like most compilations, this isn't copy paste of all recommendations but rather a short note from those compilations.

Further, some suggestions are so good can be used as your own way forward without mentioning the committee name.

Personally I feel I needed to revise it 10+ times, especially 1-2 times before every test so that I can reproduce it and internalise it. So start now and don't wait till the last weeks of mains.

Note: This wasn't made by me, but rather a topper, u can use this as a framework and edit and add or delete as per your own needs.

For other compilations like ethics diagrams, Good governance pictorial representation etc can join and see pinned posts of: https://t.me/joinchat/Qd1cFxGL5obwsHfSOqQFuQ

IMPORTANT FOR MAINS 🔓 🔓 🔓

Theme: Good governance.
I had converted every syllabus word/theme based data into diagrams.(INCLUDING ETHICS ETC) Some of it was done during last mains and rest after last mains for this mains. Now as I can't use it, i would be very happy if someone else does and gets an amazing rank. I really feel it can help increase 10-20 marks. I was targetting a jump from 110 to 120+

Will slowly post most themes here, Own notes are easier to internalise. So use this to get idea.

Join here for other compilations like ethics diagrams etc (pinned in the group link below):
https://t.me/joinchat/Qd1cFxGL5obwsHfSOqQFuQ

(It's all free, just want to help the community which has helped me a lot)

Yet another prelims result, yet another season of highs and lows. Sadly, for some of my close friends, this prelims served as End of UPSC journey. But it is times like these, the rockbottoms, the nothing left to lose, the end of the world that create new beginnings. And people who show high spirit in such times are real warriors/heroes.

One such warrior is Shubham Ajmera, I have known him since 2021, through a mutual friend.
Yesterday I received his text "bhai, last attempt tha, prelims nhi hua"  and immediately I was in this mode of consoling him and feeling low myself, but his next text was "I have prepared some documents for mains, as I was sure this would be my best and last mains, since they are of no use to me now, I'd like others to use it and reach their goal"

And this high spirit of service even in times of despair, made him a Hero in my eyes. His spirit is an inspiration for all of us, in the aspirants community and beyond.

Next text will be his document covering Governance, Internal security.

Sharing a positive post amidst hell of despair after UPSC results, here is Ditto insurance's founder, being a shining beacon of hope.

Ditto has started a dedicated for UPSC aspirants job portal.
Here is the link to apply -
https://bit.ly/3vVj7UU


PS - not associated with Ditto or the founder. Came across and shared. Merits of the post have to be analysed on personal basis. Feel free to create awareness based on personal experiences.
Together, we strong💪

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/bhanuharish_over-1200000-people-sit-for-upsc-prelims-activity-7186317143578161152-0PzD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android

A small story told to us in training -
Once an oversmart kid went to a monk and decided to have fun. So he planned to hold a bird in his hand, and asked the monk "is the bird alive or dead? "
The boy had thought that if the monk would say its alive, he will crush the head of the bird and say its dead; if the monk says its dead, he will let the bird fly and shout its alive.

But on hearing the question that is the bird alive or dead? the monk answers - "Its in your hands"

This post is not for the ones who found their name in the list, rather it is for everyone else.

You saw a dream, you tried for it, you gave all you could, you failed to get in the list.
Does that mean that you aren't worthy? Or you failed in life?
Hell NO, you didn't qualify in a subjective exam where everyone else is also the same as you. I believe there isn't much difference between Rankholders and other serious aspirants in terms of preparation and knowledge. Definitely, writing style, handwriting, efficiency etc are variables, mostly out of our control. But one thing is definite, we all read the same books and the same materials (mostly) and gave the exam.

In UPSC, after a threshold/degree of preparation, your knowledge becomes stagnant, and you are fighting for that slight marginal edge that pushes you from 940 marks to 970 or so.

Thus, my dear valuable person, what you become is who you want to be.

With personality test (PT) approaching fast (likely in 2nd week of January - guessing based on previous trends), it is a good time to start preparing and planning for CSPT, in that context, here are some relevant links for CSPT-2023:

Guidelines for DAF-II
Here
Here

Compilation of Interview Transcripts
Here

Introduction to CSPT Process:
Pdf here
Youtube video here

Special Session on CSPT with Simran (her intro)
Session link Here

CSPT Process decoded
Pdf here

Hope that helps :)
~ Kaptaan 🙏