Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.
*In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.
For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check here: Click2Join
DISCUSSION, ANSWER WRITING, STRATEGY AND REFERENCE MATERIAL
The title doesn’t confirm any actual historical event, as all the three great thinkers belong to different times & spaces altogether. But it did happen in the Civilsdaily’s Habitat universe. Interlinking of different topics/ideas/thinkers is the demand for any optional paper, and more so for PSIR.
We are here with yet another innovation. Not boasting okay! but we have actually re-invented learning in general and re-structured UPSC preparation in particular.
Preparing in the old, outdated manner you can’t be ready for the curveball in the mains exam. Modern problems require ‘postmodern’ solutions.
Are you ready for the curveball questions in the PSIR Mains exam?
It gets chaotic in the Mains when you are sitting there scratching your head thinking about what surprises the next question might hold for you. For that, you have to get chaotic now, turn it into constructive chaos, and channelize it.
What is our philosophy?
We have diminished, if not removed the barrier between teacher and student. Co-learning and co-creating knowledge is the need of the hour. The discourses, the vaad-vivaad on every topic, every theory and every issue pushes theboundaries of your thoughts. (It is required.)
Our approach to optionals and PSIR, in particular, is decentralized. Ideasflow from every direction. So you might encounter Jon Snow and Amit Shah having their ‘chai pe charcha’ while discussing Plato and Chanakya. Learning is about conversations, it is about stories that change you and your perception of reality – enter the matrix without the red pill if you may!
Headed by our experienced faculty this group has revolutionized PSIR optional preparation. You are going to ask doubts; learn and unlearn, and relearn; think and discuss like you never did before.
Every discussion is going to get neatly organized in separate threads. You are going to learn with a highly focussed community of diverse-minded aspirants.
A look at PSIR Optional group on Habitat.
Planned progression
Discussion and syllabus coverage is going to be planned not only for the day but also for a week, with dedicated days for revision, review, and restrategizing. It is going to ensure discipline and consistency.
Not all of you are at the same stage of preparation. Some are just beginning and some have covered the syllabus more than once. Your preparation and approach will also differ.
Modern solutions, they offer one size fits all solutions. We are way past that. Our approach is postmodern! It’s personalized and customized to your individual learning competencies, situation, attitude, and aptitude.
You are going to learn as per your learning competencies, we are just going to make it efficient.
Personalized questionsPersonalized targets
Answer writing and discussion
This is one of the most important offerings this group has to offer. Daily questions are shared, from previous year questions to topic-based questions. Answers to them are reviewed and discussed thoroughly. You don’t want to miss this session.
Answer writing and discussion
Notes and references
There are so many sources for PSIR. Wisdom lies in not only selecting the most appropriate sources but also in knowing what you can and should avoid. All the important readings, references, and materials are suggested and shared on a regular basis. Based on the reference material shared, important topics are pointed out and discussed.
At times it will become a philosophical circus (literally), but by the end of a session, you will feel your brain juices flowing like the cool mountain spring in a meadow.
You will be joining a focussed community of learners.
Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.
*In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.
For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check here: Click2Join
Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.
*In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.
For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check here: Click2Join
We are delighted to launch Mains Essential Program 2021 for IAS 2021 exam. It is going to start from 21st June 2020.
Our flagship program, MEP 2021 is a personalized and Mentor guided comprehensive and intensive program for GS Mains papers.
22 Tests (14 Subject-wise + 8 Full syllabus Tests)
There is no doubt about Mains exam being the most important stage of the UPSC. It’s also becoming more and more unpredictable, analytical, and dynamic than ever before.
The focus in MEP 2021 will be on making students understand the requirement of Mains questions, its elements, utilizing information, and imparting answer writing skills for that.
Our previous year’s Mains tests have had an exceptional hit ratio in 2019 and 2018 UPSC Mains.
Why MEP 2021? (Our Philosophy)
1. Question Formulation
It happens under a team of experienced Civilsdaily’s faculty. Questions framed are from the most important UPSC relevant themes and papers are based on the latest pattern of UPSC.
Our questions specifically state:
Whether they are straightforward or thought-provoking/analytical.
Whether they have subparts.
Why this question – similar previous year questions, the importance of the theme, etc.
CD Innovation – Star marked questions We go the extra mile and craft unique, intellectually-stimulating questions. Marked with a star, these questions reward analytical ability and critical thinking.
2. One-to-One Discussion on every checked copy
We believe in personalized individual attention. This is the biggest reason why you should join our TS. Students can schedule a call within 2 days of receiving their checked copies.
A one-to-one discussion with Mentor will not only highlight your weaknesses but will also help in tracking your improvements over the subsequent tests. It will also ensure consistency, continuity, and progressive improvement.
3. Answer Checking
Our evaluation focusses on multiple dimensions and parameters like structure, flow, presentation, contextuality, relevance to question, analytical excellence, and cross-domain inter-linkages than simply on superficial, memory-based lapses.
More than just simply providing information, our model answers cover all the aspects of a question and provide enriching points to the student. They also include:
For ‘thought-provoking/analytical‘ type of questions, we’ll provide the best way to approach them.
Alternate introductions
Sub-headings and categorization to enhance readability and answer structure.
Colour coding for main arguments, reports, data, scholars, etc.
Every test is discussed thoroughly in the video lecture. An in-depth explanation of every question, demand from it, and the ways in which it could have been answered are discussed. Mentors will also be sharing answer writing strategies with students so that they can gain extra marks in Mains.
6. Civilsdaily’s Handholding
You’ll be assigned to a special group on Civilsdaily’s Habitat, it’s headed by Sajal Sir, Atul Sir, Ravi Sir and rankers like Dr. Vipin Garg (AIR 20), Swapnil Pawar (AIR 525) and others.
Habitat is where everything comes together learning, doubt clearing, notes, references, mentor’s support, and a focussed community. You’re going to learn and discuss like never before.
How will your queries be resolved?
The moment you have a query, you post it in the group. At 11 PM, 3 AM, doesn’t matter. No need to schedule a call, or drop an email. Just drop a chat. Once our team is up, it will be resolved.
More often than not, your peers will take part in your doubt discussions adding a lot of value.
Besides doubts, what else is there on Habitat?
#DDS sessions – We have dedicated sessions every day to resolve doubts in real-time. Never keep a doubt to yourself.
An ecosystem for co-learning and active learning.
A highly motivated community to bring flexibility and consistency to your preparation.
That’s not all, we’ve Daily news analysis and Op-ed discussion sessions on Habitat. Other activities like revisions, quizzes, test discussion, CSAT, etc. are also planned.
Civilsdaily’s Habitat – Desktop and Mobile view
7. Value-added material
Current affairs magazines – Civilsdaily’s Magazines are the best in terms of comprehensive coverage, superb design, and high readability. Get them here.
Listicles and other relevant study material – Supplementary content provided will be helpful in covering multiple related questions.
Program inclusion:
Tests (14 Subject-wise + 8 Full Syllabus) and Model Answers
Video Discussion
On phone One-to-One discussion of checked copy, with Mentor
Civilsdaily’s Handholding
Civilsdaily’s Habitat special group
Civilsdaily’s Magazines, Listicles, and other relevant study material
This is what our students have to say..
Kamya Misra, Mains Test series, UPSC 2018Kunal Aggarwal, Mains Test Series, UPSC 2018From Quora answer. (Read the full answer here)
Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.
*In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.
For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check here: Click2Join
Reviews will be provided in a week. (In the order of submission- First come first serve basis). In case the answer is submitted late the review period may get extended to two weeks.
*In case your answer is not reviewed in a week, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*. If Parth Sir’s tag is available then tag him.
For the philosophy of AWE and payment, check here: Click2Join
In introduction we have to briefly explain why we should preserve and promote our language and culture in general.
The question is pretty much straight forward and in the body one must discuss the relevance of preserving and promoting the language, culture and art of the tribals. List out various schemes and policies in this direction – Guru Shishya Parampara, shilpgram, octave, National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP) etc.
We have to conclude our answer by reasserting the significance of such schemes and policies.
Answer-
Introduction:
India has traditionally been the home of different cultures and people. Unity in diversity is one of the most prominent features in the people of India. Among the diversified population a significant portion is comprised of the tribal people, the original inhabitants of the land. The tribal culture of India and their traditions and practices pervade almost all of the aspects of Indian culture and civilization.
Body:
To preserve & promote various forms of folk art and culture of the tribals throughout the country, the Government of India has set up seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) with headquarters at Patiala, Nagpur, Udaipur, Prayagraj, Kolkata, Dimapur and Thanjavur. These ZCCs organize various cultural activities and programme all over the country on regular basis. These ZCCs under Ministry of Culture are also implementing a number of schemes for promoting the folk/tribal art and culture,details of which are as below
Award to Young Talented Artists: The Scheme “Young Talented Artists” is carried out to encourage and recognize the young talents especially in the field of rare art forms. Talented youngsters of the age group of 18-30 years are selected and given a onetime cash award of Rs.10,000/-.
Guru Shishya Parampara: This scheme envisages transmitting our valued traditions to the coming generations. Disciples are trained under veterans in art forms which are rare and vanishing. Rare and vanishing art forms of the region are identified and eminent exponents are selected to carry out the training programme in ‘Gurukula’ tradition. The monthly remuneration for Guru – Rs. 7,500/-, Accompanist – Rs. 3,750/- and Pupils – Rs. 1,500/- each for the period of six month to maximum 1 year for one scheme. The names of the Gurus are recommended by the State Cultural Affairs Departments.
Theatre Rejuvenation: To promote theatre activities including stage shows and Production oriented workshops, etc. Honorarium Up to Rs. 30,000/- per show excluding TA & DA is paid. The groups finalized on the basis their credentials as well as the merit of project submitted by them.
Research & Documentation: To preserve promote and propagate vanishing visual and performing art forms including folk, tribal and classical in the field of music, dance, theatre, literature, fine arts etc. in print/ audio – visual media. The art form is finalized in consultation with state Cultural Department.
Shilpgram: To promote folk and tribal art and crafts of the zone by organizing seminar,workshops, exhibitions, craft fairs, design development and marketing support to the artisans living in the rural areas.
Octave: To promote and propagate the rich cultural heritage of North East region comprising of eight States namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur
and Tripura to the rest of India.
National Cultural Exchange Programme (NCEP): It can be termed as the lifeline of the Zonal Cultural Centers. Under this scheme, various festivals of performing arts, exhibitions, yatras etc are organized in member States. Artists from other zones/states are invited to participate in these programme. Participation of artists from the Zone in festivals held in other parts of the country are also facilitated. Zonal centers also participate in Major festivals happening in member States by arranging performances during these festivals where large number of audience get chance to enjoy and understand art forms of other regions. These festivals provide opportunity to taste and understand various cultures of our country.
Conclusion:
Tribal culture in India should be appreciated to understand the uniqueness of their culture. Warm hospitality, simple ways of living and sincere judgment of the opinions are some of the traits that mark the tribal cultures of India. Their custom depicts their belief in simplicity. Most of the tribes in India have their own gods and goddesses that reflects the dependence of Tribal people on nature. Except for the few most of the tribes in India is sociable, hospitable, and fun loving along with strong community bonds. Some of the tribes shares patriarchal cultural ties and some of the tribal societies are women oriented. They have their own festivals and celebrations. The tribal people are clinging to their identity despite of the external influences that threatened the tribal culture especially after their post-independence turbulent period.
The question is about the concept of ethical due diligence, so in introduction we have to define what is diligence.
In the body we have to discuss the concept of diligence. Then highlight its importance in civil services – why is it essential to profess due diligence? To what extent is it required by civil servants etc. Also discuss how to inculcate it
We have to conclude with significance of diligence in civil services.
Employment has been a recurring theme of the UPSC papers. Consider 2014 question ” “While we flaunt India’s demographic dividend, we ignore the dropping employability” What are we missing while doing so? Where will the jobs that India desperately needs come from? Explain.
So, in this question, in your intro, you should cite figures about the low employability of Indian youth from any employability report.
In the body, focus on the issues that skill education in India faces-such as regulatory issues, financing issues, placement issues etc.
In suggestions, regulatory changes, proper financing and use of technology can be included.
Conclude by stressing how focusing on skill education through skill universities could contribute to increasing the skills and employability of Indian youth.
In the intro, you can briefly state what do you mean by fiscal decentralisation.
In the body, focus on the factors like FRBM limits on state, reducing the debt/GDP ratio, conditions on the state by the central government while increasing the borrowing limits, issue of GST and compensation for revenue loss, and the issue of tax devolution to the states and role Finance Commission could play by emphasising on such issues in its report.
Conclude by stressing the need for addressing the issue faced by the states and how the Finance Commission could suggest the measures in its report to address such issues.
We have all had those days when it’s been hard to motivate ourselves to hit the books and just study. It happens to the best of us sometimes and for some of us, it happens more frequently.
And it is understandable, Civil Service preparation is a long and often lonely process. Every aspirant, from toppers to those who have quit have been overwhelmed by this process at some point in time.
Working alone is monotonous and helps you keep motivated by ensuring you are actively and passively studying every day.
This is where our 3 tier mentoring comes in:
#1. 1st step starts with this Samanvaya call: Once you fill in the form, we get on a 30-40 minute call with you to understand your prep level, working/ study constraints, current strategies and create a step by step plan for next week, next month and so on
#2. You are given access to our invite-only chat platform, Habitat where you can ask your daily doubts, discuss your test-prep questions and have real-time, live sessions on news and op-eds and find your optional groups
#3. The third and most personalized tier is the 1 on 1 mentor allotment who stays with you through the course of your preparation – always-on chat & on scheduled calls to help you assess, evaluate and chart the next milestone of your IAS 2021 journey
Who are you?
Working Junta? If you are preparing for IAS 2021 and working simultaneously, we can help you design a timetable that fits right in your hectic schedule.
First-time prep? If you are in last year of college or thinking of dropping a year and preparing for IAS 2021 full time, we can help you pick the right books and craft a practical & personal strategy
AWE Program took a break for a few months so that you all can get back on the drawing boards and revise for the UPSC Civil Services Prelims 2020. Well, the AWE Program is back!
We request all students to renew their subscription for the upcoming months. Let’s keep the momentum going.
We are working hard to make the program more featureful, highlight the best answers, show the competency levels of students.
What was it that initially made Great Britain bleed but subsequently helped it to secure a smashing victory in the second world war? Enigma it was. Alan Turing built the “Turing Machine” that helped decrypt the seemingly unbreakable German Code. Then something very astonishing followed. Great Britain exploited the loopholes of the Enigma itself and the Germans lost without having the slightest hint of Enigma being compromised.
For a UPSC Aspirant, isn’t the “unpredictable” paper setting pattern of UPSC a modern-day Enigma? But what if there was a “Turing Machine” that could break into this “Unbreakable” code of UPSC? For your amusement, there is one.
Talking about UPSC Civil Services Prelims, mock test series has become a Categorical Imperative. But which one truly breaks the “UPSC Enigma”? How about one made by Frontline Warriors themselves (Veteran Aspirants) who have successfully cleared prelims five or six times consecutively? Isn’t the collective wisdom of these “Alan Turings” the closest version of a “UPSC Turing Machine”?
Now, Let me speak about the test in question. It’s the first test of the newly launched Prelims Test Series for 2021 by CivilsDaily. It’s a Basic Polity Test. Let’s see how it is the first step towards breaking the “UPSC Enigma”:
CD Special Questions:
These questions are special due to their;
Mind-Twisting Nature (Deceptive questions that fool you exactly as UPSC does in the real exam)
Exclusiveness (These Perspectives / Themes are only available in CD tests).
Have a look –
Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to Political parties:
The Constitution of India explicitly recognizes political parties as power-wielding institutions.
The Constitution of India provides criteria to determine National Party Status.
Which of the statements mentioned above is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Try guessing the right answer to this seemingly simple question.
2. Tikdams:
These are Logical Solving Techniques that help you attempt questions despite having little or no idea about the question. It’s almost like getting a master key to the prelims paper. Have a look –
Q.2) Consider the following statements regarding a joint sitting of Parliament:
The provision of joint sitting is not applicable to a Constitutional Amendment Bill.
In the absence of the Speaker of Lok Sabha, the Chairman of Rajya Sabha presides over the Joint Sitting.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
The test explains this basic question by using a Technique we call “Master Shifu” (assuming you don’t know the correct answer).
3. Evidence-Based Question Framing:
To keep close to the real demand of the exam. Have a look –
Q.3) Which of the following is/are not the Directive Principles of State Policy based on Socialist principles?
Free legal aid to the poor.
Participation of workers in the management of industries.
Protection and improvement of the environment.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a. 1 and 2 only
b. 2 only
c. 2 and 3 only
d. 3 only
Now, UPSC has asked multiple questions on the orientation of DPSPs. You can’t afford to err on a probable question that may be asked on similar lines.
4. Is the test really BASIC?
Framing random questions irrespective of the difficulty level of the tests is like serving the same wine in different bottles. Have a look –
Q.4) Consider the following articles of the Indian Constitution:
Article 16
Article 29
Article 14
Which of the above articles reveal the Secular character of the Indian state?
a. 1 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 1, 2 and 3
The motive to incorporate such questions in the basic test is to garner a general idea of the topics before you as an aspirant are mentally ready to face the advanced tests.
5. Conceptual vs Factual Categorisation:
It lets you realize your comparative strength in different types of questions. Have a look –
Q.5) Consider the following statements with reference to Directive Principles of State Policy:
The basic aim of DPSPs is to set up political democracy.
They put positive obligations on the state.
Which of the statements mentioned above is/are correct?
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2
Now, this is a basic Conceptual question. If you get this wrong, you need to rework the concepts of DPSPs.
Now, look at this question –
Q.6) Which of the following statements with reference to the Emergency Powers of the President is/are correct?
He can declare National Emergency even before the onset of war.
He must be communicated in writing for declaration of National Emergency by the Union Cabinet.
He can suspend Fundamental Rights during the National Emergency.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
a. 1 only
b. 2 and 3 only
c. 1 and 3 only
d. 1, 2 and 3
This is a plain factual question. If you get this wrong, you need to memorize Emergency Provisions even more meticulously.
So come be a part of our “UPSC Enigma” Breaking Endeavour. Like Great Britain, we shall emerge VICTORIOUS.
We’re overjoyed to announce the launch of Samachar Manthan for IAS 2021 – our flagship program for Current Affairs.
Absolutely no part of the IAS exam syllabus gets the level (even similar) of attention or emphasis as is received by Current Affairs. It is as ubiquitous as Oxygen on Earth, and for the exam, it’s importance is of similar magnitude.
In this informative article, we’ll discuss what makes Current Affairs indispensable for every stage of the IAS exam, and how to cover them and utilise them. (Check out the questions and links provided below)
As a would-be administrator, UPSC expects you to be fully aware of happenings in the local, national and international level. You must be aware of the current and future potential/problem/challenges faced by the society, economy, polity, governance structure, etc.. It’s not just about information and knowledge, you must have a sound understanding of the interconnectedness of various issues and topics.
UPSC questions are interesting and at the same time challenging. Most of the times, UPSC uses current issues and links it with basic fundamental concepts in questions, which becomes tricky to answer. Take this question.
Q) “The Central Administration Tribunal which was established for redressal of grievances and complaints by or against central government employees nowadays is exercising its powers as an independent judicial authority.” Explain. (UPSC 2019 Mains, GS Paper 2)
Here you’ll be using static part i.e. CAT and its powers ( most probably from Laxminkant for Polity), but Current Affairs will come in explaining the latter part, i.e. how CAT is using its mandate to act as an independent judicial authority.
Using Current Affairs will also give a context to this question and will bring relevance to your answer. Without interlinking it with Current Affairs your answer will be incomplete.
Current Affairs in Prelims
Pick up the UPSC prelims syllabus and guess what is mentioned in the first sentence. Yes, Current Affairs.
2016 onwards UPSC Prelims exam has been dominated by Current Affairs. Questions are being compiled directly from newspapers. Even the static part asked in Pre is asked because it was related to some current event in one way or the other.
Number of questions (out of 100) in UPSC prelims directly from Current Affairs.
Importance of CA in mains
Have a look at UPSC previous years mains question papers and you’ll be amazed to know the number of questions asked that are directly influenced by Current Affairs.
Number of Questions (out of 20) asked directly from Current Affairs in UPSC Mains.
Even for GS Paper1 which is considered to be dominated by static part of the syllabus from History, Culture, Geography, etc., this holds true. Look at the questions from GS Paper 1 here and observe the Current Affairs orientation.
Q1.) What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism? (UPSC 2019)
Q2.) Are we losing our local identity for the global identity? Discuss. (UPSC 2019)
Q3.) Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss. (UPSC 2018)
Q4.) Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times. (UPSC 2018)
Q5.) Discuss the factors for localization of agro-based food processing industries of North-West India. (UPSC 2019)
Similarly, in GS Paper 2, the questions have to be interlinked with Current Affairs but a majority of them are directly from the CA. These are some of the previous year questions.
Q1.) ‘Too little cash, too much politics, leaves UNESCO fighting for life.’ Discuss the statement in the light of US’ withdrawal and its accusation of the cultural body as being ‘anti-Israel bias’.( UPSC 2019)
Q2.) In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? (UPSC 2018)
Q3.) Whether the Supreme Court Judgement (July 2018) can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and elected government of Delhi? Examine. (UPSC 2018)
In GS Paper 3, as you can see from the above table, almost 95% of the questions are from Current Affairs. (Pick up the last year’s paper)
Importance in Essays
Topics curated in the Essay exam may seem random and abstract but all of them are highly relevant in the context of Current Affairs. They are there because the central idea of the topic was in the news.
Decide for yourself, these are the topics from Section B in UPSC 2019 Essay paper:
South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities
Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling
Importance in interview
In Personality Tests often your opinions are asked on various issues and even from information provided in your DAF. Current Affairs make you aware of the surrounding and allow you to give practical answers to the problems faced by the country. Even till the last minute interview candidates can be seen with newspapers in their hands.
Other than all these stages Currents Affairs important for many of the Optional papers also.
Understanding and realising the importance of current affairs is just one part of the puzzle. You might be struggling with hundreds of other questions like- What all to read? From where to cover CA? What is important for Pre and what’s for Mains? How to make use of CA? (Yup, difficult questions)
Samachar Manthan’s philosophy (It should be yours too!)
1. Diversified and comprehensive coverage
Your coverage should be extensive if not exhaustive. Various sources must be referred to, which include newspapers (The Hindu, The Indian Express, LiveMint, etc.), magazines (Yojana, Kurukshetra, EPW, Down to Earth), important websites (PIB, PRS, govt ministries, IDSA, etc.).
At Civilsdaily it’s done by a team under Sajal Sir, that goes through six national newspapers and four magazines, daily.
They research them thoroughly, go in and out of every news and find information relevant for UPSC. Carefully selected relevant news is analyzed and delivered in a weekly lecture spanning over 3 hours. Click to know more.
2. Segregating important from unimportant.
It includes two components: News you must cover and the one you can ignore. And from the important news, Prelims and Mains worthy information is extracted.
Important news
One should be able to anticipate what news could form a basis for UPSC mains question. Almost all aspirants struggle to segregate important news from the junk.
The following are the previous year questions that are directly based on the news pieces from popular publications like Down to Earth, LivemMint, Scroll, The Wire. The link of the sources has been given with the questions.
Q1.) If an amendment bill to the Whistleblowers Act, 2011 tabled in the Parliament is passed, there may be no one left to protect.” Critically evaluate. (Source: Scroll.in)
Q2.) What can France learn from the Indian Constitution’s approach to secularism? (Source: The Wire)
Q3.) How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism? (Source: Down To Earth)
Q4.) The public expenditure management is a challenge to the government of India in the context of budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it. (Source: Livemint)
What to ignore?
While your coverage should be comprehensive, there is news which you should ignore else you’re duplicating your efforts or wastingyour time or doing both, and hence, bringing inefficiency to your preparation.
Examples: Op-ed with repeated themes on COVID and Fiscal stimulus.
Then there are news items like these, as given below. Have a look at them. Ignore them.
3. Extracting UPSC relevant information from the news
Now, this is the Holy Grail. If you fail to extract UPSC relevant information from the important current affairs, all your effort will go in vain. It is the most important skill and takes time to perfect it. Even students with multiple UPSC interview experiences struggle at this stage.
On how to do it, take the example of this news regarding Reverse Repo Rate.
News: How the reverse repo rate became the benchmark interest rate in the Indian economy?
The following are the mains and prelims worth topics that can be extracted from this single news item.
Mains relevant: Critically examine the efficacy of reverse repo rate as the benchmark interest rate in the Indian economy. “
Rather than just learning and mugging up the information, the focus should be on understanding various dimensions, interlinkages, related issues, and conceptual clarity w.r.t. static parts as well.
5. Utilising information from Current Affairs.
It’s the ultimate purpose of doing Current Affairs. And being able to do this, you must be very regular with CA-based Mains answer writing, solving prelims questions and identifying errors and making required changes.
(Current Affairs based Mains answer writing is an important component of Samachar Manthan 2021)
Answer writing must become second nature of an IAS aspirant. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.“
6. Evaluation and active learning
Getting your views (in the form of answers) evaluated is an important step. You’ll not only know what mistakes you are committing but you’ll also learn important answer writing skills. Answer enhancement must be the focus (it’s in Samachar Manthan 2021).
(Through our platform Habitat and Civilsdaily’s Handholding, we’ll ensure that you are right on track.)
There is no doubt that Current Affairs is an important part of IAS exam preparation. But it should be done in a planned and strategic manner where every action of yours is objectively defined and results, measurable.
Should you have any doubt or query reach out to us at hello@civilsdaily.com or call us at +91 8929987787.
SET YOUR ALARM FOR 10 PM. WEBINAR LINK SHARED BELOW.
Dear friends,
It fills us with immense pleasure to introduce you all to Debraj Das, IPS (UPSC 2018). He will be joining us for a frank and heart-to-heart conversation this Sunday, 7th June 2020. You don’t want to miss out on this.
A 2018 batch IPS officer, Debraj is currently undergoing training at SVPNPA, Hyderabad. An IIT Kharagpur graduate (2009 batch), he cleared this prestigious UPSC exam in his third attempt. Being a working professional all through his preparation, he could spare only 3 hours/day. There are thing other than his dedication and consistency that led him to success. He will be sharing these success mantras with you.
In the lockdown season 1, 2, 3, we talked with more than 1500 candidates who were preparing for IAS 2021.
95% of the IAS 2021 aspirants talked with our mentors to align their preparation strategies, time table, current affairs coverage and fine-tine their exam-taking skills.
100% of the IAS 2021 aspirants who became our students loved the habitat chat portal which we opened for them, exclusively
Here’s what we can help you with:
Working Junta? If you are preparing for IAS 2021 and working simultaneously, we can help you design a timetable that fits right in your hectic schedule.
First-time prep? If you are in last year of college or thinking of dropping a year and preparing for IAS 2021 full time, we can help you pick the right books and craft a practical & personal strategy
Once done, we will call you within 24 hours or so.
What happens when you fill this form? How does a call help you?
1. Identifying your weaknesses
Over 80% of students who claimed to have revised NCERTs twice were unable to answer basic questions. Many were not comfortable with at least 1 GS subject and Optional. Many struggled with ‘What went wrong’ after 2-3 years of hard work. Our mentors will provide free preliminary assignments so we can assess your preparedness and suggest accurate strategies.
2. Strategy and study plan discussions
Over 90% of students couldn’t stick to a plan. Study plans and strategies are iterative in nature and we want to help you with that. Many are unable to perform in tests despite preparing hard. This could be due to a variety of factors – lack of adequate prep, jitters in the exam hall, inadequate revision, lack of practice of test series or just a bad day at work. Tell us what you think went wrong and we’ll figure out a way to get you over the line next time.
3. Helping you understand the exam better – which books to read, different approaches, etc. Over 60% of students we talked to did not find NCERTs relevant and saw no point in being thorough with them.
4. Lack of motivation
We have all had those days when it’s been hard to motivate ourselves to hit the books and just study. It happens to the best of us sometimes and for some of us, it happens more frequently. And it is understandable, Civil Service preparation is a long and often lonely process. Every aspirant, from toppers to those who have quit have been overwhelmed by this process at some point in time. Working alone is monotonous and helps you keep motivated by ensuring you are actively and passively studying every day. Focused telegram groups to foster discussions.
It fills us with immense pleasure to introduce you all to Debraj Das, IPS (UPSC 2018). He will be joining us for a frank and heart-to-heart conversation this Sunday, 7th June 2020. You don’t want to miss out on this.
“The Power of Compounding” – Debraj Das, IPS
Time: 10:00 pm
Date: 7th June 2020, Sunday
Note: Invitation to the webinar will be sent to your registered email id.
There will be a Q/A session where Debraj sir will be answering your questions.
A 2018 batch IPS officer, Debraj is currently undergoing training at SVPNPA, Hyderabad. An IIT Kharagpur graduate (2009 batch), he cleared this prestigious UPSC exam in his third attempt. Being a working professional all through his preparation, he could spare only 3 hours/day. There are thing other than his dedication and consistency that led him to success. He will be sharing these success mantras with you.
Out of the 100 applicants, only 8 responded to the follow-up email (of course the responses for others are awaited and we might receive them in a day or 2).
We wanted to take a minute to help you understand how challenging teaching and mentoring the next generation of civil servants can be.
1. Video lectures
We have received videos where Laxmikanth is being read out line by line. These have gained some following on certain platforms.
But This is not how a great lecture is planned. There has to be a creative process behind what is going to be taught. Clearly articulating your methodology & innovations is a sure-shot way of impressing us.
*At CD our next version is always better than our previous*
2. Mains Related
When it comes to mains related competencies, your test series attempts are the most important reference point for us.
Your actual marks in the exam are a good indicator. But we want people who can keep repeating the good marks they have gotten. The only way for us to know that is to analyse your test series attempts.
This is especially true for essay and ethics. We have received applications from essay toppers but their test series attempts were very average. They lacked the necessary punchlines and a great flow. How can we be sure that you will have rock-solid suggestions for students who are already at an advanced stage of preparation?
One has to be a deep thinker, a deep reader having clarity of thought and expression to take our students to the next level.
3. Mentorship
Mentorship is something we have explored at length in the past 1 year. What we look for is patience. Students in their first year of prep are slow. They take their time to absorb things. No matter how hard you try, they will end up wasting time following conventional wisdom doing things due to fear of missing out.
Mentors have to tolerate all this. They invest so much time and effort and at times dont get the appreciation they deserve.
Hoping that the above note helps you present yourselves better.
