Overall strategy for Mains
Syllabus
The first and foremost thing to study for the Main Examination is the syllabus of all the four General Studies Papers. Just like knowing the boundaries of the ground is important before entering the pitch, understanding the scope of the exam is quintessential before beginning to prepare for it.
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I used to go through the syllabus of a particular subject/topic before each revision so as to make sure that the preparation is constantly within the ambit of the requirements of the exam.
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A print-out of the 4 -paged syllabus in front of your study-table can do no harm.
Previous Year Questions
Another important aspect is keeping a tap on the previous year questions. One of the best source of guidance any aspirant can have is being aware of the tone and tenor of the questions asked by the UPSC in the preceding years.
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Again, I used to have a look at all the previous year questions from a particular topic before revising the same. It not only keeps your preparation on track but also gives a sense of confidence of having the ability to attempt actual exam questions.
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The best source I could find for this purpose was "24 years' Previous Year Questions" by Disha Publications and edited by Mrunal Sir.
Newspaper reading and current affairs
Newspaper reading is one of the most important parts of a candidate's CSE preparation. Reading it must not have any ulterior motives attached. Being aware of our surroundings is a sine-qua-non to be a good and effective administrator.
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I used to read The Hindu and switched to The Indian Express after Prelims. I did not believe in making notes out of the current affairs part of the newspaper but that was a personal choice. For me, it was more of a fun activity than part of the preparation. As far as the editorial part of the newspaper goes, I used to take note of the intriguing lines and facts in my compilation of online notes.
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The majority of my current affairs preparation was from Insights Monthly Compilation. Multiple revisions of those compilations was the answer to the perpetual dilemma of how to handle the labyrinth of current affairs. Marking topics in the index which seem important from the perspective of the exam makes revision easier and less time-consuming.
Answer Writing
Answer Writing is rightly considered to be the most important aspect of the Mains Examination as that is the only method via which the candidate can express herself/himself to the examiner. However, it being my first attempt, I could not practice answer writing much due to paucity of time. Irrespective, I had decided the framework in which I was to put my answers.
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My answer writing methodology involved liberal usage of diagrams, schematics, flow charts, graphs, etc. I made sure that every single page of my answer booklet had these in some form or the other. Writing answers margin to margin seemed unappealing to me and I assumed would be the same for the examiner as well.
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Completing the paper within 3 hours is non-negotiable. Not even a single question should be left un-attempted. Even addressing the topic remotely in a question one has no knowledge of – while making sure that one is not bluffing the examiner – can fetch the candidate 1-2 extra marks, whose importance every successful candidate can vouch for. Leaving a question limits your paper to be out of 210/230 rather than the maximum possible of 250.
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Regarding test series, I had joined ForumIAS mains test series post the Prelims Exam which consisted of 8 GS and 3 Essay papers. I hardly gave a total of 3 tests and got them evaluated. However, a candidate who wants to improve in answer writing and has time at her/his disposal should definitely go for extended test series. One thing to keep in mind while taking any test-series is not focussing on the ranks. The sole criteria to see where one stands should be comparing one's own writing style in each successive test and making sure that the progression is towards the desired state.
Note-Making
Given the vastness of the syllabus and the number of subjects to tackle, note-making becomes an important art to master. In the beginning, every candidate faces similar challenges regarding this exercise such as not knowing what is important from the exam perspective, not being able to reduce the notes to the desired level, etc. However, with each attempt at it, one is able to improve the quality of the notes. Moreover, given that revision is the only way to crack the CSE, having concise notes helps to go through the entire work-load before the exam in a non-stressful manner.
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Notes can be made either online or offline or as in a combination of both. I used to use both platforms as per the demand of the subject.
I am uploading my notes on various subjects on this website. However, it is highly recommended that a candidate should make her/his own notes if time permits.
Time Management
Time Management is imperative to crack the CSE. This broadly falls under two sub-categories. One is clocking the daily hours needed for the exam and the other is completing the syllabus well within time so adequate number revisions are possible.
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One often asked question is how many hours a day did she/he who cracked the CSE study? While there is no definite answer to this question, it is quite obvious that a good number of hours (10-14 minimum) are required to be put in. I used to make sure that apart from the absolute essentials of eating, sleeping, bathing, etc. all my hours went into the preparation. In one's first attempt, extra effort is required as everything is to be covered from scratch unlike those who have taken the exam more than once. However, I am a strong believer in not taking the preparation as a burden. Hence, regular outings/dinners with family and friends were an important part of my journey. Every aspirant should find out what routine works for her/him but be rest assured that there is no substitute for hard work.
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Completing the Syllabus might seem like a Herculean task in the beginning. However, with strategic planning and time-table making, this can be easily overcome. I segregated my preparation planning in the following manner:
- 6 monthly outline of different papers to cover (eg. GS1 in 1.5 months, GS2 in one month, Optional in 2 months, etc.)
- Monthly time-tables for subjects to cover (eg. modern Indian history in 1 week, Physical Geography in 5 days, etc.)
- Daily time-tables for static topics and current affairs to cover
All my schedules and time-tables were kept on Excel Sheets so as to ensure quick editing and easy track-keeping. One important aspect of following a time-table is to not let things pile up. The parts which were left over the previous day were my first task on the following. In hindsight, I can safely say that making diligent time-tables and following them was the most important part of my preparation. It not only keeps one on track but also provides the necessary sense of confidence on having everything under control.