Last year we started Test Series for Prelims from September 15th itself. This year we want to give you the best, hence we are in no hurry. Unlike last year, this year our focus will be on integrated approach from the beginning itself. Below we will share more details.
This is the right time to start preparing for UPSC civil services exam 2016 and aim for a rank without worrying about extra attempts. It doesn’t matter whether 2016 would be your first, second, third or last attempt, it must be your final attempt with your goal achieved.
After all, you want to be a civil servant, mostly IAS/IPS/IFS officer. You don’t want to settle for another post. You don’t want to spend another year and give exam in 2017. It doesn’t matter whether you are a working person or someone who is devoting full time into this exam preparation, or whether you are starting at the age of 28, 29 or 30: getting a decent rank in civil services exam is a realistic goal. It also doesn’t matter whether you are married or unmarried; a fresher or experienced. If you make up your mind to achieve the goal of securing good rank in CSE, you can achieve it.
All you need is a proper guidance and right strategy that boosts your confidence day by day and helps you stay focused till you achieve your dream.
After seeing many toppers very closely and interacting with them on a regular basis, we have discovered that only dedicated, consistent and focused efforts will bear fruit. If you try to follow too many strategies, read too many materials, search for too many sources and seek too many guidances, chances of clearing this exam within one attempt are slim (but not impossible). One can still clear this exam by trial and error, but these experiments will waste many precious years of your life. You will be exhausted by then. You might also lose your original motivation for joining civil services.
You must strive to succeed in one best attempt. This is what the following write-up will try to address.
In this article, we are going to outline a Strategy for 2016 with an Aim to assist you to reach your goal. Our role is to assist by giving you a roadmap and guidance. The 99% of the work is to be done by you. We are just facilitators.
You must have faith to follow any strategy by any experienced persons in this field that you want to follow. You can follow any strategy, they all will work for you. But please follow just one strategy or utmost two if each act as complimentary. Many toppers provide strategies they think that worked for them, many websites give their own strategies that they think will work for their followers. You should have faith in theirs or ours strategy and choose the one best suits you.
Below, we will give you a strategy that worked for many toppers. They have already mentioned it through various articles on this website. The aim of our strategy is to not just keep your preparation streamlined, but to assist you in securing a top rank.
Our entire emphasis will be on Self Study. Only through self study you can be contented and achieve good rank. Of course coaching helps, we believe, only for Optional subject and not for General Studies papers.
We do not believe in spoonfeeding. You might have realised it if you have followed our initiatives. We started Answer Writing Challenges for the first time and now everywhere it is being implemented which is a good thing. It is a welcome step as it improves the quality of answers in Mains and helps build healthy competition. Also more platforms should come up with such initiatives to help reach most aspirants.
We are aware that there are only 1000+ ranks and everyone can not get a rank. It is a fact that everyone will work hard , but not consistently. Most also do not follow a single strategy (this is a fact and we want to be honest with you). But those who consistently follow will eventually end up getting a rank this year or next year. You should one of them. You can easily get rank in your very first attempt (please read this). You don’t have to be super brilliant to do this.
There are only 2-3 thousand people who consistently toil every day to achieve their dream without wasting their time on too many strategies. You are competing with only few thousand serious aspirants. You will be one among these 2-3 thousand if you stay focused and consistent. You must commit yourself from now itself to follow your heart and never waver in your faith. Choose which works best for you and follow it. Faith can do wonders.
What we will try to do is to just show you the path which worked for our students. We try to motivate you now and then when we think you need it most. We honestly believe it is a lonely journey no matter how many people tend to support you in this journey. You must do self study and excel. Of course we and everyone will always be there to extend moral support.
MISSION – 2016:
This strategy seeks to give you a roadmap that will keep you occupied, very busy and focused till the Interview stage of 2016 civil services exam.
Your preparation must be Integrated one i.e. Prelims + Mains + Interview oriented. The present pattern is such that an integrated approach is the only way to excel in it.
How to do this?
Target 130+ Marks in Prelims
For Prelims preparation you need to prepare comprehensively which should cover very basics from NCERT books, daily current events and understanding of various issues and concepts that are mentioned in the syllabus. As said earlier, there is not shortcut to success. You have to read all relevant books and materials and practice as many questions as possible to get through. 10 Months of time is sufficient for this. Our approach is to enable you to solve any type of question in exam. In 2014 many of our students are scoring 125+ thanks to the fact that they solved so many questions. Prelims is the first hurdle which you must cross. One must never take chances with it. Hence, our focus will be on providing comprehensive roadmap in this regard.
For this we are going to adopt following strategy:
- Daily Current Events
- Daily Current Events Based Quiz
- Comprehensive Paid Test Series for General Studies Paper – 1 from October – 2015 (more details will be shared later)
- CSAT Online Free Fortnightly Test from February 2016
This year Our Test Series will be Online Based. This will include following features:
- You can solve timed test online and know your performance instantly
- You will get a PDF copy of your result (containing both Questions and Detailed Solutions)
- Analysis of your performance in various categories of questions
- All India Ranking
These are the basic features. Much more will be included once we start Test Series.
We have also learnt from previous mistakes and will be striving to make our Test Series truly the best in India by introducing following system:
- A dedicated discussion page for each test where unlike past, every doubt raised by you will be addressed and resolved by our team members
- Explanations to each question will explain why particular Option is correct and others are wrong. Earlier we were just providing you the content and solution without telling you why answer was correct or incorrect.
- Along with explanation, we will also provide the Source for each question i.e. page number if question is framed from NCERT or other books, or URL (with explanation) if question is from online source. This is done so as to let you know sources which are important to be covered.
- Papers will be designed just like UPSC does having questions of Very Difficult, Difficult, Medium and Easy levels. We won’t be making entire paper tough or easy.
- Emphasis on providing Error free question papers (at least 99%). No Typos, not spelling mistakes or any other mistakes. We have accumulated sufficient experience to avoid such things in future. Even if some mistakes appear, they will be addressed soon on discussion page.
- We will provide syllabus that you can truly manage to read in Ten days (this is the gap period between each test). Targets will be realistic. Even if you are going to start your preparation today, you can be assured of clearing Prelims with ease.
By the time you complete test series and daily targets, you will master NCERT books, all standard books (including Economic Survey and India – 2016) and current events.
Daily current events, daily Quiz and a strict Timetable to follow once in every Ten Day will help you stay focused every day. Learning will be made truly fun and rewarding. You will be in charge of your exam preparation. You will be in charge of your Rank.
Nearly 60 (indirect or direct questions) appeared from our test series in Prelims – 2014. Hundreds have mailed us telling us how our tests helped them get 120+ or 130+ in Prelims (fruit of their hard work). Based on this feedback we are assuring you that you too will clear Prelims provided you solve all tests.
(More details will be provided on entire design of Prelims Test Series later. A detailed timetable will be posted within next Two Days)
Mains Preparation:
Mains preparation depends how well you master both current events and static concepts.
Mastering current events depends on two factors: Understanding background information and analysing particular issue from exam point of view.
While you prepare for Prelims you will be reading current events from prelims point of view. You will understand the issues if you read our current events (we provide background information for almost all articles).
But to analyse an issue, you must start answer writing practice. This is where Secure – 2016 will help (Secure – 2015 till December). You must answer at least 2-3 questions daily either in your notebook or on website to improve your writing and analytical skills.
See, your aim is to get in top 100 or in top 50 in 2016. There is no shortcut.
What about static part?
Apart from what we are already posting for Mains – 2015 aspirants (Free offline tests), we will start a Mains Self Study guide for 2016 Aspirants as well. Questions will be based on same Timetable as for Prelims Test Series. So that your preparation is not haphazard, time consuming and is streamlined.
For 2016, targets will have names of sources too. But this will be a FREE feature. Timetable will be available on website. When you prepare for Prelims Tests, you will also have to read books from Mains perspective. Questions will be framed from the sources we mention in the Schedule. Extra sources will be mentioned from Mains perspective whenever needed.
Coupled with Prelims Test Series and Secure Questions, Mains Self Study Guide 2016 will be a gamechanger. You will comprehensively prepare for UPSC civil services exam – 2016 without the aid of coaching institutions (go for them for Optional subject if you need it).
There will be no confusion what to follow or what not to follow. Roadmap is crystal clear. Those who follow till the end, will always succeed. This is a fact borne out of our experience and observation. Without confusion if you stick to this roadmap, you will be on warpath to face both Prelims and Mains in 2016 with lots of confidence. If you are still in doubt, you can read testimonies by Toppers.
Also, you will be Mains ready by the time you write Prelims – 2016! After Prelims you can immediately start again with renewed focus. This time it will be only revision, more writing practice, more revision and updation of current events.
Icing on the cake is that we are planning to take consistently performing students as our students at our offline class irrespective of whether you are fresher, veteran or a rank-holder.
This program is well suited for those who want to go for a rank at any cost in 2016.
From this October to Next November you will be super busy. This is an advantage as it will keep you away from distractions and help you focus on what matters most for you i.e. getting a rank in your very first attempt.
What about Optional subjects?
We will continue Optional Answer Writing Challenges after Mains – 2015 too but in a systematic way. So that you can practice for Optional as well.
Optional subjects will not be neglected. You should not neglect it either. There are rumours about pattern change etc. Until everything is official, one must go on preparing keeping in mind demands of the present pattern.
Then, what about Interview?
Preparation for interview doesn’t and shouldn’t start after Mains result. It is a continuous process along with your Prelims and Mains preparation.
What matters most in interview is your personality. Honesty, integrity, clarity of pressing issues, basic understanding of concepts, good articulation of thoughts and humility are the factors that decide outcome in interview.
No initiative can help you improve your personality. Your or anyone is basically a very good person at heart. That goodness should dominate your personality.
But few initiatives can help you form opinion on various issues and learn the opinion of experts in their fields. In this regard, our Daily Debates, Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV debate summaries will help you immensely.
Debating a particular topic gives you clarity on the issue. It helps you refine your views and improves depth of understanding.
Therefore, you should at the end of the day make it a habit to participate in Daily Debates. We ask such questions that can be asked in interview too. In Secure also we ask questions, especially under Ethics heading, which can be asked in interview.
Many aspirants who are posting comments at Daily Debates have told us how they have improved in understanding issues. Also the fear of writing is gone for most of them.
Preparing beforehand is always better. Interview is extremely important in getting you a rank. Therefore, while preparing for prelims and Mains, please prepare for interview too.
This is not overload:
These initiatives might appear like lot to do every day. But it is very simple if you follow a disciplined timetable:
Morning you can read The Hindu and do Secure Questions.
Afternoon devote time for Optional. In the evening prepare daily for next Test. Before going to bed, spend Two hours for Daily Debate, reading current events, Lok Sabha TV/Rajya Sabha TV summaries and for revision of entire day work.
This is just a suggestion. You can spend time as per your priorities and your convenience. Everyone has their own style of preparation. But broadly speaking, what we like to tell is that it is easily manageable every day. Reserve Sunday for revision of entire week’s preparation.
Most Important Secret Behind Success is: Your Consistency!
We and others will give you many strategies and roadmaps. Ultimately it rests on you. If you consistently follow a strategy, it will work for you. It worked for many people. They got ranks in Top 10, 25 and 100.
We believe that YOU can get a rank. You should and you must. You are going to work hard and you will be proud of your achievement. Have no doubt.
Follow this strategy if you believe this will help you achieve your dream. If you are skeptical, at least give it a try. We won’t claim ours is best and will never ask you not to follow other strategies. Please follow and take others suggestions as long as they help you. But certainly this strategy is the one that worked for many in the past and we are certain that this will work for you too. We will never compromise on quality.
There is nothing new or unique about this strategy. But this is the one that works because its emphasis is on Self Study. Every topper will tell you that it is Self Study that ultimately helps you win this battle. Also, your self respect will never be compromised. You will be more proud when you realise that you succeeded solely relying on your hard work.
Note: Within two days, we will announce detailed Timetable for 2016 (Prelims test series + 2016 Mains self study guide). So that you can plan accordingly and start preparation in a streamlined way immediately.
Let’s start our journey together.
