Just a reminder, it’s not the first year you would hear topper talks, every year toppers would give ‘advices’, but in my opinion, the strategy is too individual specific, do not blindly follow anyone’s strategy. Pick few things that you think shall make your preparation a bit easier 🙂
Won’t generally share chat/conversational videos, but he was my mentor under Ultimate Assessment Programe 2023 that I had enrolled in from CivilsDaily. Would be an injustice if I don’t acknowledge his contribution 🙂
Drop mail at animeshpradhanupsc@gmail.com
Tips For Prelims:
After you are done with 1-2 revisions, make 1/2 pager notes. Here example, these were my IR notes for Prelims that I would have glanced through a day before Prelims. I had done same thing for almost all subjects. But if you do make similar notes, make them ultra crisp and as if only you would be able to understand.
These aren’t my entire IR notes. Only those that I know I would have to glance through at the last moment. Those things I couldn’t entirely internalise would make it to the 1 pager notes.
Animesh Pradhan Sociology Optional Notes
Here are the Paper-1 & Paper-2 Notes of Sociology Optional
Not very elegant but segregated topic wise. Wasn’t making notes hoping that I would share this across channels 🙂
I have shared my Optional (Sociology) strategy in this video in a comprehensive way. Hope it helps. I have scored 286 marks in Sociology (133 Paper 1/ 153 Paper 2).
Animesh Pradhan’s Mains Score Card:
As mentioned, I had referred to Neha Bhosle, IAS Ma’am’s notes extensively as my base notes for Sociology. Did some value addition from various sources.
Ma’am’s notes were super organised, comprehensive and extremely rich in content.
Sharing links to Ma’am’s notes:
Sociology Paper 1:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qV-tsFDerVpHiyrtdseKiC7NQKVpVEVP/view?usp=drivesdk
Sociology Paper 2:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P5gY8rDYAnfbPDo_U8r9gUzcpHfR8cwI/view?usp=drivesdk
Sources I’ve used:
Sharing two Telegram Channels of past toppers that had helped for Mains Content as they had topic wise digital notes which again, were extremely enriched with content:
1. Jayant Nahata, IAS: https://t.me/JayantNahataIAS
2. Divyanshu Nigam, IAS: https://t.me/white_spade44
I would have picked up a lot of material from their notes. Highly recommended to check them
Animesh Pradhan’s Ethics Notes
Have Theory and Diagrams and Quotes in it.
Apart from these I had referred to : Playlist Link
Where the ideologies of various western philosophers are explained in 4-5 minutes and I used to quote them at relevant places.
Most importantly, referred to Jayant Nahata Sir’s (Telegram link attached in above messages) notes where he had a table mentioning Values and corresponding Examples, Quotes and Definition.
Animesh Pradhan’s Polity & Governance Notes:
These are my Polity and Governance notes.
I loved quoting Court Judgements everywhere, so you might find an overuse of the same.
In Polity and Governance, ensure using Articles, Court Judgements, Amendments, Committee Recommendations, Data and Case studies/Examples extensively at relevant places.
Few unique things I picked up during last month of Mains:
For Value Addition you can use quotes too in Polity (Ex questions on Federalism, Separation of Power, Pressure Groups etc.), Use Constitutional Principles and doctrines (Lakshmikanth Book has mentioned few) and you can use best cases from international examples (Ex: Anti defection implementation in other countries, Shadow Cabinet, Local Governance structure etc.) in conclusion.
Animesh Pradhan’s IR Notes:
IR has a fixed template while coming to Notes:
Be as diverse and extensive in terms of areas of discussion, go beyond usual PESTEL approach and also mention things like Space, Defence, Humanitarian Aid, Strategic Alliances.
Secondly, in IR use diagrams and maps.
Thirdly, value addition material in terms of quotes can be catchy. You can quote Honourable PM, Honourable Minister of External Affairs, C Raja Mohan (Columns in Indian Express) etc. I had noted 3/4 quotes from each area in IR (India-US, Foreign Policy, Neighbourhood Policy, Importance of Sea etc).
Fourthly, if you have time, this I did at very last – I used various concepts of IR that’s very common in PSIR like Mandala Theory of foreign policy etc to make my answers bit more unique (had used ChatGPT for this).
Animesh Pradhan’s Geography Notes:
My Geography Notes.
I found it difficult to write Geography Mains Answer, so I prepared notes in Q. And Answer format (Page 2-76).
After that the notes cater to Prelims and some Map works.
I didn’t have maps pasted on my walls unlike every UPSC aspirant (my landlord didn’t allow :P), so I used to make maps on my own, which in my opinion is more effective.
For Geography, after you are done with revisions, have a compilation of all diagrams, using them becomes essential in Mains.
Animesh Pradhan’s Modern History Notes:
Modern History Notes.
The theme wise notes are from Mains perspective. Rest cater to Prelims, which isn’t very organised.
In Modern History/Art and Culture answers, draw diagrams (A&C answers).
The minute details you read for Prelims can help you enrich the answers like dates, names, places, books etc.
Use Model Answers of Test Series to cover the gaps for History from Mains perspective.
I will share my Art and Culture Notes (Mains oriented) separately.
Hope everyone’s having a great start to the week. Here’s a video with Delhi Knowledge Track team where I have shared my UPSC Journey not from academic/strategy point of view but about the areas that’s hardly addressed.
I am extremely grateful that I was able to make it through in my first attempt with a full time job, but was insanely difficult because of personal setbacks.
Sharing the video here, maybe someone might need that push today.
For people appearing for Prelims ’24, stop picking up any new material strictly and stick to your revision plan.
With respect to giving tests now, there’s no fixed rule except for the fact that do everything that gives you confidence. Restrain from doing anything that makes your confidence dwindle.
‘Control the Controllables’ – Revision, stay hydrated, eat good food and sleep well. You are feeling anxious, not feeling anxious – everything is okay. Prelims Ho Jayega. You got this. 💪