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(Getting Started) Crash Courses - are they Effective for UPSC Preparation?

(Getting Started) Crash Courses - are they Effective for UPSC Preparation?

Crash courses have forever been sold as an instant cure to hapless aspirants. And this is not just the case for UPSC Civil Services but almost all kinds of exams in general. There are always conflicting views on whether these courses are indeed useful or not. Some upsc toppers swear by these, some openly claim that they underwent a crash course but it did nothing for them. In this article, we try and decipher whether a crash course is indeed effective for UPSC preparation.

Objectives Of A Crash Course

The first thing you need to know is the objective of the course you are about to enroll in. Largely, there are two types of crash courses –

  • Introductory – This is targeted at beginners. It is meant to give you a basic understanding of concepts and help you create an effective structure for your preparation.
  • Revision – This is a revision course, targeted at those with a decent idea of the subjects. It is meant to clarify doubts and help revise content and conclude your preparation.

If you are a beginner and enroll in a revision course, or vice versa, suffice to say, you will not find it helpful at all.

Benefits Of A UPSC Crash Course

Unending Material To Cover

Among the many reasons one enrolls for a UPSC crash course, these 2 stand out –

  1. Access to upsc curated notes – These courses usually come with summarized reading material that is excellent for a quick review. It saves you time and effort and if the course is from a reputed source, the material adds a lot of value to your preparation.
  2. Access to upsc mock tests – They uniquely allow you access to a few sectional and full tests, and you can then choose to invest in a separate test series or just use the one included in the course.

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What A Crash Course Won’t Do For You

A crash course is in no way a substitute for self-studying or a regular classroom course. It gives you guidelines and material content at best but it cannot fully prepare you for the long-drawn journey that is UPSC and to expect that would be unwise.

Do You Need A Crash Course?

That depends on where in your UPSC journey you currently stand. 

Ask yourself these questions –

  1. Are you facing difficulty finishing the upsc syllabus?
  2. Are there certain topics with which you are having more difficulty with?
  3. Do you feel despite covering the syllabus you are unable to answer questions in previous years’ papers or mocks?

If your answers are “yes” to more than one of these questions, chances are that despite the effort you are putting in, lack of guidance is preventing you from getting results. A crash course may be ideal for you in such a scenario.

Always remember, UPSC is unpredictable to only those who do not understand what it is asking of them. It's always better to be overprepared than to find yourself at a disadvantage. Whether you choose to join a regular course, a crash course, or self-study, at the end of the day it is your mental agility and hard work that will help you succeed. You just have to choose the options best for you.

Best of Luck.

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(Getting Started) List Of Mistakes To Avoid In UPSC by IAS Topper Ruchi Bindal

(Getting Started) List Of Mistakes To Avoid In UPSC by IAS Topper Ruchi Bindal

Ruchi Bindal has successfully cleared the UPSC Civil Services Exam of 2019 with an all India rank of 39 in her 5th attempt. A BA programme graduate from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi, her post-graduation was in Conflict Analysis and Peace Building in Jamia Millia Islamia. She was aided by the Residential Coaching Academy of the Jamia Millia Islamia University, where she enrolled as recently as last year. Ruchi was unable to clear her upsc prelims in the first three attempts and in her last attempt, she could not go through mains. Today we discuss the mistakes Ruchi thinks one should avoid when pursuing UPSC Civil Services.

Mistakes To Avoid

  1. Do Not Try To Attempt Every Question

In prelims, accuracy is key. Trying to attempt every question you have a hunch about will only lead to bringing your score down. Solve the paper in iterations. In the first iteration, answer only the ones you are 100% certain about. Check your probable score, and based on it, choose to answer further so that you can reach the score you are targeting. Remember, prelims are qualifying, you need not score the highest. Understand the need of the moment.

  1. A Single Test Series Is Not Enough

For prelims, test series are just not for practice, they are also source material. Each test has 100 questions. When you take ten tests, you at least face 6 to 700 distinct questions. The more you attempt, the better are your chances of finding common topics in the actual UPSC Civil Service Examination. So make sure you take multiple tests. In fact, towards the end of her prelims preparation, Ruchi was taking a test a day.

  1. Ethics And Essays Are Not For The Last Minute

Ruchi believes one of the main reasons she did not qualify mains in her last attempt was because of her Ethics and Essays scores. She had left practicing for these upsc mains papers till the very last moment and lost out on her chance at an interview. Essays and Ethics both require substantial background information, including case studies and current affairs examples, along with a certain writing pattern. Practice is the only way to achieve this.

  1. Too Many Sources Do Not Help You

Another mistake Ruchi made in her last mains attempt was trying to read from too many sources. This did not leave her much time to practice answer writing or revise. As a result, her mains attempt was not well-prepared. Keeping sources limited, revising multiple times, and writing as many answers as possible is the key to cracking the mains exam.

Updates: UPSC civil services prelims 2020 postponed, new date to be announced on May 20

Some General Do’s And Don’ts

  1. Maintaining Balanced Views Backed By Facts Is Key

In interviews, even more than your knowledge, your personality is being tested. And while it is important to be backed by facts and figures, what is even more important is to present a well-developed and balanced view on any topic you are being questioned about. UPSC strictly filters bias, so ensure you have both sides of the story before trying to answer any question. And if you don’t, humbly admitting that goes down well with the panels.

Overall, UPSC Civil Services is not an impossible examination. It is all about perseverance, smart and hard work combined that will allow you to find your name on the final list.

Best of Luck.

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(Getting Started) Mahak Swami's Self Study Strategy AIR-393

(Getting Started) Mahak Swami's Self Study Strategy AIR-393

Mahak Swami, currently undergoing training as a Haryana Civil Service officer, has secured an all-India rank of 393 in UPSC Civil Services 2019. Hailing from Kurukshetra, both her parents are school teachers by profession. She is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from the National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, the batch of 2013. This was her 4th attempt. Her seniors in Haryana services have praised her hard work in these tough times of COVID.

Why Civil Services?

Mahak, like many others, after a few years in the private sector started thinking of what she wanted to do hereon. She decided the Software industry, although challenging, was not her cup of tea. Instead, with her aptitude towards social sciences and interest in contributing more directly to social causes, she zeroed in on Civil Services as her goal.

Why Choose Self-Study?

Mahak spoke to a few of her acquaintances who were preparing for the services. She realised that with the recent changes in the pattern in UPSC as well as the easily available online courses and study material, self-study was the most comfortable way for her to reach her goal. She happily quips that she never even felt the need to go to coaching and self-studying proved fruitful enough for her journey.

How To Approach Self-Study?

Mahak relied heavily on the internet for her preparation. She started by reading toppers' strategies. When she started her preparation, and she relied heavily on them. She does regret not having a mentor figure as she made mistakes in choosing sources as well initially without someone to guide her. But thankfully, it all worked out for the better.

Problems Faced During Preparation

One of the main problems Mahak faced was choosing the right sources. Her sources were very scattered which she believes hindered her preparation. Funnily enough, Mahak did not ever read newspapers. She always studied summaries. But in the beginning, she struggled with finding the right current affairs material.

Tips From Mahak's Experience

  • Notes making – Mahak is a big believer in notemaking. She never followed a single source for anything. As a result, her notes were always her primary source of study. She even made notes from the answers she wrote for her mains mocks. She did the same for her prelims mocks.
  • Ethics – Mahak followed sample notes by Shreyas Mag, one of the previous year's toppers. She started writing small and crisp definition. She started using examples from the Indian context such as History, Mythology, Current Affairs, etc. She highly recommends using such localised examples over western and bookish examples.
  • Essay – As long as you have prepared well for your General Studies papers, you will always have content. The trick to the essay paper is structuring the content you have and not letting the flow of writing dissolve. Also, do not waste time. You get one and a half hours for each essay and you must stick to this time. This is why Mahak highly recommends practicing writing essays frequently during your preparation.

  • Test Series – Mahak believes time management is the main skill you learn in mocks and writing 20 broad answers in 3 hours is not a joke. Always note the feedback and try to use them in improving your future answers.

Mahak's Optional Strategy

Mahak started her journey with Laxmikanth. It was interesting to her which is why she chose this topic. She learned Shubhra Ranjan's notes by heart and added current affairs tidbits to them. Rajya Sabha TV and India's World were two programs where eminent diplomats and scholars would come for discussions and Mahak used those discussions as fodder for her preparation. Again, the topper's strategies are very important according to her.

Message To Aspirants

Mahak advises all aspirants to minimize distractions and maximize effort in their preparation. Make a routine, make goals, and stick to them. As long as your heart is in it, you will most definitely succeed.

You have to dream before your dreams can come true - APJ Abdul Kalam | Mowval Quotes | Latest Quotes | Famous Quotes

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