Don't isolate yourself. Be around the people that are supportive and positive, that will help.

Meditate daily. Give yourself time if you are feeling low. Don't get too hard on yourself. Unhealthy mind won't help you in clearing the Exam.

The UPSC exam won't get clear if you study 24/7. That is true. You have to study daily but not 24/7 because you are a human and not a machine. You have to follow a schedule and finish syllabus diligently. Give yourself good number of breaks in between. Don't isolate yourself, it's a long journey.

You need not to buy every source you get to know about from someone at your coaching or friends. Stick to minimal sources but get a thorough understanding of whatever books you read. This would come only by repeated reading the same book multiple times. The exam is about clarity of some issues properly and not knowing 1000 of things but that too inaccurately.

You need not to buy every source you get to know about from someone at your coaching or friends. Stick to minimal sources but get a thorough understanding of whatever books you read. This would come only by repeated reading the same book multiple times. The exam is about clarity of some issues properly and not knowing 1000 of things but that too inaccurately.

Usual tricks • Understanding: UPSC Mains questions can get really tricky and sometimes really difficult to understand. Before you start writing any answer to any paper, read the question very carefully. Understanding the questions and the requirements mentioned in the question are the main thing. You should be able to have a clear grip over the matter. • Psychological framework: Portraying the structure or sketching the answer in your mind is very crucial. The very moment you read and understand the question, set your mind about the procedure in which you going to answer. In this way, it will get a lot easier to answer with the course of practice. If possible, write down the points when you remember it with a pencil so that you can erase it. • Utilize time: Don’t fabricate answers to remember any answer. It will just waste your time in both the practice period and exam Hall. Rather try to remember the facts and important information related to this topic which will help you to remember the answer and also it will save you time more than usual. • Wordcount: Another basic thing that is usually to tricky .l sometimes the word count. If any question mentions the word limit or word count, you should finish up your answer around the limit. It shows your control over the power of language and choice of wo

What exactly is smart studying ? • Invest more time in topics which are scoring. 80% of your marks will come from 20% of your study. I am not joking. Rest all what you study is just noise. Invest your time in high scoring topics- Ethics, Society and Social Justice (GS1&2), Agriculture, DM, Security (GS3). Instead what happens- people read World History for 5 days in the most crucial Prelims-Mains time period of 100 days (for a single 10 marker question in which everyone will score minimum 3 marks). • Time management matters a lot. If you have a Science optional; your 70% time should be devoted to the optional subject instead of focusing on GS where marks variation is not too high. • Essay writing is a collection of all your GS1,2,3,4 knowledge - many people forget this simple thing. • You will never ever ever remember the random news article / book you have read on June the 15th, when you are writing your Mains exam answer paper on October the 4th; unless you have noted it down. • So whenever you read something relevant; make sure you make notes. But again, some people’s notes might resemble more of a research thesis. Your notes should be short; crisp and relevant. For example; the recent Rajasthan case has once again put the spotlight on Anti Defection Law (part of GS2 paper). So this is how your one page crisp note should look like: Anything less/more than this one page is not required on this issue. • Smart studying revolves around 3Rs - read, revise, replicate. You won’t be having a lot of time to devise points when 10.8 minutes is what you have got for a 15 marker (250 words). And hence, preparation comes in handy during those 3 hours. Revise multiple times. The only thing I want to convey is: We all study to gain knowledge. And yes, that should be the real purpose. But we should also study the way exam demands it. Not just as per our whims and fancies. Hardwork is definitely required, but unless supplemented by smart work…you might not get that edge. All the best! By- Archit Chandak (IPS 2018)

1. You have completed nearly 5 years in EPFO, how is that related to forest service ? It's a completely different setup altogether. 2. Why there's antagonism between the people and bureaucracy in general ? 3. Why is there a lack of awareness among people about their rights ? Your Organisation is also one of those who hasn't made people aware of their rights and schemes that they are entitled to. 4. Why do you say that colonial mentality is the reason for this ? Britishers have left India long time ago. Member 1 1. Basic Questions about Tamil Culture 2. Recent consultation paper on proposed amendment to Forest Conservation Act 3. What is your take on these on these proposed amendments ? 4. A situational case study wherein he asked me what would I do if the industry lobby becomes successful in implementing the proposed changes? Member 2 1. Question on the audacity of the sandalwood smugglers in TN 2. In which part of TN sandalwood smuggling happened and is it continuing today ? 3. Few questions on Veerapan, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and Tiger Reserves in general 4. Asked about constitution of Tiger Reserves - Core and Buffer Areas Member 3 1. You're from Sainik School, can you please explain about the recently introduced scheme of Agniveer. 2. Merits and Demerits of the scheme 3. Why is that you've mentioned amateur swimming in your interests ? Don't you know how to swim if your were thrown into the water. 4. What is this Experimental and Experiential travel that you've mentioned in your interests ? 5. I see that you've completed engineering in ECE whereas your current job is no way related to your graduation 6. Why did you puruse engineering in the first place ? 7. What's the difference between law and justice ? What's conscientious justice ? 8. Does going by conscience means not following the law ? 9. A situational case study based on my answers to member 1 and some cross questions followed.

Yes, I think along with that it's also important to finish the exam that is attempt all the question at least which is becoming a big challenge these day for students.

Instead of complaining about power, what about if we fix the way power is obtained? That’s a good point however we have certain limitations to it. For Marx foremost idea is that materialism is the 'False consciousness'. He is very strong critic of religion and say that 'Religion is the Opium of the masses' and 'God has not made man but man has made god'. He is a socialist, and for him equality is important and he believes in the equality of outcomes that is the substantive equality. He say that instead of competition we shall go for cooperation and built a modern industrial society on basis of that. The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them - Karl Marx Karl Marx calls himself scientific socialist and everyone else is the Utopian (third world & imaginative), he explains it by saying that, Socialism emerged from the French Revolution under 'Louis Blanc' and it lacked the scientific understanding of capitalism which lead to increasing the proletariats hence it is Utopian. But at the same time he says that, there shall be power snatching not by peaceful means but by the violent means, He quotes "Violence is the Midwife of change, there has been no birth without Blood". Now the point is to not to do violence and neither should anyone be supportive of it but we need to understand how the world is run and what are the factors that lead masses to vote for uncapable leaders. The method can only be changed if people stand up and that is when we can can we have a real democracy.

What aspirants study differently for their second attempt in UPSC CSE which helped them to crack it? You can do so in the first attempt itself. However for second attempt the major change come is the approach that is the way of making notes and perceiving whatever you read. Do the following • Be consistent • Make a time table • Get good and honest feedback regularly • Ask relevant questions • Look for material on the internet. • You don’t necessarily needs to go to coaching in todays world. Gone are those times. • Have positive people around you. • Be self motivated a lot is going to come to you. • Be patient through out the journey. All the Best.

What is the power of propaganda in India? Propaganda has always been a source of power for all the rulers but it has been more talked about now due to the open world we live in currently due to technology and the Internet. We are able to get all news within seconds in our inbox by a single click This revolution has made the word propaganda more popular and in India because we have the most young population in the world. • Propaganda is something reached too far which might be negative but generally used in a negative sense only. It is very powerful tool that is why you see there are IT cells of almost all organizations and political parties. The companies which are dependent on consumers that are on social media daily. • Power of propaganda is simply the power to manipulate the news or facts and make sure larger people believe you in that. That is what we see all day on What’s App and the social media. • You see election results swinging due to propagandas. • Cancel cultures due to propagandas. • Small issues becoming up a national issue quickly due to propaganda.

What are the common mistakes candidates make while writing answers in the CSE UPSC main exam? How can I improve it? So the common mistakes that people generally tend to do are: • Not taking the feedback seriously. Generally after gaining such an amount of knowledge we tend to think that I am the only one right in the room and we tend to ignore the feedbacks. • We shall realize that it is the exam that is to be cleared and not a knowledge/ quiz competition going on there. • Listen to others views carefully and you can contradict it by yours but in a decent manner, practice this as this will reflect in your answers as well. • Don’t be of patriarchal mindset or religiously motivated with no scope of acceptance of others views and opinions. This will refelct in your answer writing as well. • Practice as much mock test as possible. • Work on your writing speed. • Make a note of your shortcoming while writing the exam carefully. • Be ready to fail all the time. Success is never guaranteed in UPSC no matter how hard you work.

What are the Sources to the Constitution of India? Ans: The Constitution came into effect from 26th January 1950, we all know it that is the Republic Day we celebrate. But the constitutional work started quite a back only, our constitution smells some of the Charters Act passed by the British's to rule over British India prior to 1947. But the actual process started with the adopting of the Objective resolution by Shri. Jawaharlal Nehru on 22 January 1947. The Resolution proclaimed India as a sovereign Republic which is now independent of any external ruler. So the date 15th August that is our Independence day is the date mentioned in the Indian Independence Act of 1947 brought by the Viceroy Mountbatten. Important sources are the : 1. Government of India Act 1935 which gave us the federal structure that is the center and semi autonomous states with in the Union, then Center state relations, Administrative setup that is the office of governor and the Public Services commission that is todays UPSC and the Emergency provisions as well. 2. Constitution of USA - We got the Fundamental rights, judicial review, preamble and the impeachment of the President, also the removal of the judges of Supreme court and the High court, it's not easy for the government to remove them because of it. 3. Constitution of UK - It gave us Parliamentary model that is the council of minister responsibility to the legislature. Then the cabinet system like we have a cabinet who functions under the Prime Minister and the writ jurisdiction that is Article 32 through which anyone can approach the SC/ HC if his or her fundamental rights are taken away, a very important Article of the constitution. 4. Constitution of Ireland - It gave us the Directive Principle of state policy (DPSP) these are non justiciable and give directive to the government for abeyance while forming laws. We also got method of elected President from them. 5. Constitution of USSR - Fundamental duties, that is Article 51-A, which was inserted by Shri Indira Gandhi as the principles to guide the citizens and the ideals of justice(social, economic and cultural) in Preamble.

How important it is to follow one's passion in life? Ans: 1. After a point of time you will start getting bored and frustrated if you are into something due to materialistic factors or because society forced you into something. 2. You may not be able to succeed to the highest level in that sector/ field because you are not able to put your whole heart into it. 3. After a point of time money won’t matter but mind needs a kick daily and that should come from within. This happens when you follow your passion. 4. Following ones passion gives strength to face all the challenges that comes your way and life started to look easy. 5. Initially you will face resistance of the society because passions are usually unusual/ not normal things but your resilience will make the difference. 6. Basically your passion is your life partner that will give you happiness for whole of life. A wife/ husband might not be able to do that :)

Will the average student clear the UPSC exam? Ans: There is nothing like Average student I think However I understand from where you are coming and what you want to say. Yes, everyone and anyone can do it. the ones who cleared were not born with super brains and they all worked hard and achieved it coping the challenges in their life in their own way. Do the following • Be consistent • Make a time table • Get good and honest feedback regulalrly • Ask relevant questions • Look for material on the internet. You can check Reading | Thesoulguide , it can help you in answer writing. • You don’t necessarily needs to go to coaching in todays world. Gone are those times. • Have positive people around you. • Be self motivated a lot is going to come to you. • Be patient through out the journey.

why to choose IFS? • It offers you opportunity to learn different world languages and cultures. • You meet people all across the world and know the politics, news, challenges of other countries in depth. • You meet top politicians and ministers from foreign nations almost daily. • It’s bit of luxurious and even everyone is not able to cope up with that because after a time it bacomes headache to look perfect 24/7 because you’re representing your country outside so you have to be vigilant all the time.

Questions asked in interview are: • Where are you from? • What are your hobbies/ interests? • Why those interests? • Some famous work/ achievement / icon in that hobby/ interest? • Basic question/ details of that hobby. • Your college and education, the reason to choose that domain for education. • You service choice and the reason. • These are some basic question which generally is asked.

I believe nowadays there is nothing like elimination for UPSC Prelims. As the exam setters have understood this technique much better than students of UPSC and they are doing everything to prevent the elimination technique. Take the papers of last 3 years and you will realize that you can’t clear the exam with it and only go for 2–3 question with the elimination technique max. The way the options are put have completely changed.

Hey, This is a test post. You can add yours by signing up. So what's stopping you. Come engage with our community.