We, at Civilsdaily are extremely happy for everyone who has cleared prelims this time. Thank you for giving us a reason to cheer for you. It’s important to give yourself a pat or two, share the news with your family, eat a sweet and start working for Mains immediately.
Its natural to get swayed as you have cleared an unpredictable prelims paper. But, remember this is only the first stop. You are two stops away from reaching the peak. The competition is about to get tougher as you are now pitted against more serious aspirants. So don’t stop persevering for Mains.
For those that couldn’t make it this year, hang in there and don’t lose heart. You still have 8 more months till UPSC 2022. Begin your mains preparation as well. But first before that, get afree 1-on-1 counsellingfrom us and understand how you can better your performance in 2022.
Once again heartiest congratulations and there is more to come!
“When the results were out and I knew I finally made it, I sat down and cherished all the 8 years of preparation. For me, they are the best years of my life, regardless I cleared the exam or not. The civil services exam is worth your time, efforts and sacrifices even if there is a 1% chance of clearing it!”
So many aspirants in Shahansha’s position would have given up by now. They will not wait until all the attempts got exhausted. They would have already decided UPSC is not for them. But Shahansha is among the 1% who wanted to show up sincerely for every attempt given to him. And that’s why he cleared an exam where the probability of failure is 99%.
UPSC or Job? Better still, UPSC and Job!
Shahansha had a demanding job as an Indian Railway Protection Force Officer, he was a son and a husband as well. Yet, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. “If I was preparing for this exam with no job, with no family and friends to support me, then I don’t think I would have been successful.”, he says. According to him, stability in life is essential to deal with the psychological and emotional stress of the exam.
Don’t miss the chance to interact with him, get answers to all your questions and discover solutions to the issues bothering you! This webinar is free for all aspirants to attend.
Why Attend this Webinar?
“You are your own best friend and enemy”, says Shahansha as he believes negativity feeds on more negativity.
More than IQ, one requires EQ (Emotional Intelligence) to clear this exam. UPSC is looking for just above-average marks in all the subjects. But, it requires officers who don’t have excuses or run away from solving people’s issues. The more mentally adept you are, the more happy UPSC will be to select you. So, work on controlling your emotional impulses early on.
Shahansha will teach how to inculcate patience, perseverance and study through the stress. For anyone struggling in this area, this webinar is going to be useful.
1. Despite qualifying for IAS why did Shahansha choose IPS?
2. Why is it important to unwind when you’re feeling low? Importance of hobbies and friends.
3. The brighter side of his failures.How did Shahansha improve with every attempt?
4. Shahansha’s Prelims and Mains Strategy.How did he divide his time into before-work and after-work slots?
5. Six years of wrong optional versus one year of right optional — How did it make the difference for him in Mains?
6. General Do’s and Don’ts while preparing. What are the mistakes of his previous attempts he avoided?
All aspirants are encouraged to participate in the Q&A Session by Shahansha. Learn from your doubts, learn from others’ doubts and learn from Shahansha’s answers.
This Ask me Anything session is free for all aspirants to attend but is perfect for anyone looking for a refreshing break from their grueling studies. Only limited slots are available, so register ASAP.
Date: 31 October, 2021
Time: 3 P.M.
About Shahansha
Son of a shopkeeper father and school teacher mother, Shahansha was a professional athlete, trained by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). He cleared prelims in all his seven attempts and even reached the interview round thrice. He gave multiple government exams and worked as the Assistant Commander in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Indian Railway Protection Officer.
“When the results were out and I knew I finally made it, I sat down and cherished all the 8 years of preparation. For me, they are the best years of my life, regardless I cleared the exam or not. The civil services exam is worth your time, efforts and sacrifices even if there is a 1% chance of clearing it!”
So many aspirants in Shahansha’s position would have given up by now. They will not wait until all the attempts got exhausted. They would have already decided UPSC is not for them. But Shahansha is among the 1% who wanted to show up sincerely for every attempt given to him. And that’s why he cleared an exam where the probability of failure is 99%.
UPSC or Job? Better still, UPSC and Job!
Shahansha had a demanding job as an Indian Railway Protection Force Officer, he was a son and a husband as well. Yet, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. “If I was preparing for this exam with no job, with no family and friends to support me, then I don’t think I would have been successful.”, he says. According to him, stability in life is essential to deal with the psychological and emotional stress of the exam.
Don’t miss the chance to interact with him, get answers to all your questions and discover solutions to the issues bothering you! This webinar is free for all aspirants to attend.
Why Attend this Webinar?
“You are your own best friend and enemy”, says Shahansha as he believes negativity feeds on more negativity.
More than IQ, one requires EQ (Emotional Intelligence) to clear this exam. UPSC is looking for just above-average marks in all the subjects. But, it requires officers who don’t have excuses or run away from solving people’s issues. The more mentally adept you are, the more happy UPSC will be to select you. So, work on controlling your emotional impulses early on.
Shahansha will teach how to inculcate patience, perseverance and study through the stress. For anyone struggling in this area, this webinar is going to be useful.
1. Despite qualifying for IAS why did Shahansha choose IPS?
2. Why is it important to unwind when you’re feeling low? Importance of hobbies and friends.
3. The brighter side of his failures.How did Shahansha improve with every attempt?
4. Shahansha’s Prelims and Mains Strategy.How did he divide his time into before-work and after-work slots?
5. Six years of wrong optional versus one year of right optional — How did it make the difference for him in Mains?
6. General Do’s and Don’ts while preparing. What are the mistakes of his previous attempts he avoided?
All aspirants are encouraged to participate in the Q&A Session by Shahansha. Learn from your doubts, learn from others’ doubts and learn from Shahansha’s answers.
This Ask me Anything session is free for all aspirants to attend but is perfect for anyone looking for a refreshing break from their grueling studies. Only limited slots are available, so register ASAP.
Date: 31 October, 2021
Time: 3 P.M.
About Shahansha
Son of a shopkeeper father and school teacher mother, Shahansha was a professional athlete, trained by the Sports Authority of India (SAI). He cleared prelims in all his seven attempts and even reached the interview round thrice. He gave multiple government exams and worked as the Assistant Commander in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Indian Railway Protection Officer.
GS-1 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc, geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
GS-2 Government Policies and Interventions for Development in various sectors and Issues arising out of their Design and Implementation.
GS-3 Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.
GS-4 Probity in Governance: Information sharing and_ transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?
Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.
A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.
You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.
Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.
Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.
If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th October is uploaded on 11th October then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis
If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th October is uploaded on 13th October, then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.
We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.
*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*.
UPSC-CSE is not only one of the toughest exams of the world, but one of the longest as well. An exam that is a year long, needs a preparation of 2 years to clear it.
Some of us have family responsibilities that cannot and should not be neglected. Maybe you are the only earning member of your family. But, is it impossible to juggle UPSC CSE and work? Not at all. It might be challenging, but it’s an achievable ambition. One needs the discipline to study everyday, whether they had a good or a bad day at work.
All aspirants get only 24 hours in a day, how they spend every hour determines their final result.
Does this mean there will be no scope for rest as a Working Junta? Don’t be surprised if we tell you toppers like Srishti Jayant Deshmukh (AIR 5, 2018) and Roman Saini (AIR 18, 2013) found time to take breaks in between their college studies (engineering and medical respectively) and UPSC preparation! While Srishti took a 5 minute break after every 30 minutes, Roman took a 10 minute break after every 1 hour.
Why should you attend this webinar?
When we asked Vaibhav Rawat and Ravi Kumar their secret of topping the exam despite working 8-9 hours everyday, their answer was time management and syllabus completion.
Instead of complaining about the limited time they had, they completed modules assigned by us within that time. Sometimes, they got 6 hours in a day and sometimes 5 hours. But after office, they never let the stress of work distract them. Nor did they compare their preparation to other full-time aspirants and get demotivated.
Every topper has their own time-management technique. As a working junta, its about time you learnt them. This is what Sudhanshu Sir will address in this upcoming webinar. You will not only get to know how to balance work and study in a day, but also when to take breaks in between the two!
What will you learn in this Webinar?
1. The 4 different phases of UPSC preparation. What to study in each phase?
2. Our 5-hour Step-by-Step learning plan. Also time-management techniques of other toppers.
3. Avoiding mistakes that cost you an attempt. How to kickstart your preparation in the right direction?
4. Advantages of being a UPSC aspirant as a working professional. What do you have that others don’t?
5. Studying smartly. How can you use the Civilsdaily App to get consolidated material that can save your time?
At the end of the session, Sudhanshu sir will hold an interactive Q&A session where all beginners and veterans are welcome to get solutions for their issues.
Webinar Details
Everyone is welcome to attend our free webinar for working professionals by Sudhanshu Sir. All you have to do is register your details.
Date: 28 October, 2021
Time: 6 PM
About Sudhanshu Sir
Sudhanshu Sir has served in the Defense Ministry for 10 years. He has a keen interest in regional and global geopolitics and has ample experience of various other competitive exams as well. Experienced with UPSC CS and Several State PSCs.
The Fourth Assembly of the International Solar Alliance – ISA was virtually held. In this article we will discuss all issues related to ISA and the proposed global solar grid.
PM Modi deliberated on the key initiatives around the operationalization of:
One Sun One World One Grid (OSOWOG) Initiative
1 trillion-dollar Solar Investment Roadmap for 2030, and
Approval of a Blended Financial Risk Mitigation Facility
AboutInternational Solar Alliance (ISA)
Hq: Gurugram, India
The ISA is an alliance of more than 121 countries, most of them being sunshine countries, which lie either completely or partly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
The primary objective of the alliance is to work for efficient exploitation of solar energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
The alliance is a treaty-based inter-governmental organization.
The initiative was launched by PM Modi at the India Africa Summit and a meeting of member countries ahead of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris in November 2015.
Fossil fuels have a 60% share in India’s total energy mix; non-fossil fuels contribute 37.9% and nuclear 1.7% (as on September 30). Among non-fossil fuels, hydro makes for 12% of the load while wind, solar and other renewable energy sources make up for 25.9% of the mix. India’s domestic solar power capacity has increased by more than 11 times in five years from 2.6 GW in March 2014 to 30 GW in July 2019.
Objectives of the ISA
To mobilize investments of more than USD 1000 billion by 2030
To take coordinated action for better harmonization, aggregation of demand, risk and resources, for promoting solar finance, solar technologies, innovation, R&D, capacity building etc.
Reduce the cost of finance to increase investments in solar energy in member countries
Scale up applications of solar technologies in member countries
Facilitate collaborative research and development (R&D) activities in solar energy technologies among member countries
Promote a common cyber platform for networking, cooperation and exchange of ideas among member countries
What does ISA formation signify?
Climate action commitment: It symbolizes about the sincerity of the developing nations towards their concern about climate change and to switch to a low-carbon growth path.
Clean energy: India’s pledge to the Paris summit offered to bring 40% of its electricity generation capacity from non-fossil sources (renewable, large hydro, and nuclear) by 2030.
Global electrification: India has pledged to let solar energy reach to the most unconnected villages and communities and also towards creating a clean planet.
Global cooperation: It is based on world cooperation irrespective of global boundaries.
India’s Soft power: For India, possible additional benefits from the alliance can be a strengthening of ties with the major African countries and increasing goodwill for India among them.
Key initiatives
[A] Global Solar Atlas
ISA alliance has partnered with World Bank to launch Global Solar Atlas at an ISA event at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
Global Solar Atlas is a free online tool that displays annual average solar power potential at any location in the world and thus identify potential sites for solar power generation.
[B] OSOWOG Initiative
Under the ISA project, India envisaged having an interconnected power transmission grid across nations for the supply of clean energy.
The vision behind the OSOWOG mantra is ‘The Sun Never Sets’ and is a constant at some geographical location, globally, at any given point of time.
With India at the fulcrum, the solar spectrum can easily be divided into two broad zones viz. far East which would include countries like Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Lao, Cambodia etc. and far West which would cover the Middle East and the Africa Region.
Implementation
The OSOWOG would have three phases.
Phase I: Middle East, South Asia and South-East Asia would be interconnected
Phase II: Solar and other renewable energy resources rich regions would be interconnected
Phase III: Global interconnection of the power transmission grid to achieve the One Sun One World One Grid vision
Benefits of the project
Attracting investment: An interconnected grid would help all the participating entities in attracting investments in renewable energy sources as well as utilizing skills, technology and finances.
Poverty alleviation: Resulting economic benefits would positively impact poverty alleviation and support in mitigating water, sanitation, food and other socio-economic challenges.
Reduced project cost: The proposed integration would lead to reduced project costs, higher efficiencies and increased asset utilization for all the participating entities.
Various challenges
Lack of Funding: Providing the money for promoting solar electricity among the members is a challenge. The Alliance has very little money of its own.
Expensive implementation: The cost of power has two components. The variable cost is the payment made for the numbers of units of electricity purchased. In addition, the buyer is required to pay a certain amount towards the fixed cost of solar supply.
Battery-based Storage: Solar electricity is available only during the day when the sun shines. Thus, the storage of electricity is a difficult task.
Cross-border transmission: Solar electricity has to overcome the roadblocks of transmission. Cross-border transmission of electricity requires the establishment of transmission lines from the producer to the consumer country.
Peak hour load: The demand for electricity, however, is more during the morning and evening which are called “peak hours”. But it can be produced when the sun is shining.
Climate change: Sudden overcast and rainfall in many parts of the tropics has been a major issues these days. Such weather hampers solar energy production
Desired global consensus: It is hindered with the issues of intricate geopolitics, unfavourable economics, unwarranted globalisation and undue centralization that act against the concept.
Highly ambitious: In a nation like India, it took us this long to connect all the regions of the country through a national grid and we are talking about ‘one world, one grid’.
Way forward
OSOWOG can be positioned as an extension of India’s foreign policy rather than its domestic energy policy.
ISA should focus on its core goals such as- aggregating demand, tariff, technical collaborations, and financial assistance for achieving its target.
It further needs to ensure that solar benefits are clear and tangible to users beyond its cost ambitions.
ISA should demonstrate business models that are viable for users, suppliers and financiers.
Further, the alliance should support member countries in implementing policies to expedite these business models.
Geo-politically, this is being touted as a clever strategy however financially and technology-wise, this has to make sense.
Conclusion
India has always been eloquent in its promises and miserly in deliverables. Hopefully ISA won’t fall the same way.
To sum up, it can be stated that ISA is certainly going to add a new dynamism to energy diplomacy in the 21st century.
In the foreseeable future, one can witness a just and equitable energy order if solar energy, along with other forms of renewable energy, can be harnessed more positively.
Mains Guidance Plus is a wholesome package for UPSC Aspirants. The aim behind this program is not just to provide students with Model tests, but to cover multiple needs of students. From Mentorship to current affairs, the program has all the necessary elements needed for mains 2021.
Mains Super 50 is a program apt for those aspirants whose focus lies on clearing Mains 2021. Those Students who have been practicing some answer writing and want to directly start with FLTs should opt for this. This program also has complete mentorship support.
Mentorship is a forte of Civilsdaily and once you experience it, you will believe it. Mains Guidance Mini is a program focused on mentorship-based improvement. You can appear in any Test series, we will provide you the mentorship on that paper.
Kunal is a Computer Science graduate from IIT Hyderabad. He has worked for Goldman Sachs in the past. Kunal has scored AIR 130 in UPSC 2019 and AIR 211 in UPSC 2028 exams. He is an IRS and currently posted as an Assistant Commissioner, IT. Kunal’s optional was PSIR.
You don’t want to miss out on this opportunity to discuss, learn and get guidance from a UPSC topper.
You will be interacting with other UPSC toppers and rankers on Habitat as well.
UPSC-CSE is not only one of the toughest exams of the world, but one of the longest as well. An exam that is a year long, needs a preparation of 2 years to clear it.
Some of us have family responsibilities that cannot and should not be neglected. Maybe you are the only earning member of your family. But, is it impossible to juggle UPSC CSE and work? Not at all. It might be challenging, but it’s an achievable ambition. One needs the discipline to study everyday, whether they had a good or a bad day at work.
All aspirants get only 24 hours in a day, how they spend every hour determines their final result.
Does this mean there will be no scope for rest as a Working Junta? Don’t be surprised if we tell you toppers like Srishti Jayant Deshmukh (AIR 5, 2018) and Roman Saini (AIR 18, 2013) found time to take breaks in between their college studies (engineering and medical respectively) and UPSC preparation! While Srishti took a 5 minute break after every 30 minutes, Roman took a 10 minute break after every 1 hour.
Why should you attend this webinar?
When we asked Vaibhav Rawat and Ravi Kumar their secret of topping the exam despite working 8-9 hours everyday, their answer was time management and syllabus completion.
Instead of complaining about the limited time they had, they completed modules assigned by us within that time. Sometimes, they got 6 hours in a day and sometimes 5 hours. But after office, they never let the stress of work distract them. Nor did they compare their preparation to other full-time aspirants and get demotivated.
Every topper has their own time-management technique. As a working junta, its about time you learnt them. This is what Sudhanshu Sir will address in this upcoming webinar. You will not only get to know how to balance work and study in a day, but also when to take breaks in between the two!
What will you learn in this Webinar?
1. The 4 different phases of UPSC preparation. What to study in each phase?
2. Our 5-hour Step-by-Step learning plan. Also time-management techniques of other toppers.
3. Avoiding mistakes that cost you an attempt. How to kickstart your preparation in the right direction?
4. Advantages of being a UPSC aspirant as a working professional. What do you have that others don’t?
5. Studying smartly. How can you use the Civilsdaily App to get consolidated material that can save your time?
At the end of the session, Sudhanshu sir will hold an interactive Q&A session where all beginners and veterans are welcome to get solutions for their issues.
Webinar Details
Everyone is welcome to attend our free webinar for working professionals by Sudhanshu Sir. All you have to do is register your details.
Date: 28 October, 2021
Time: 6 PM
About Sudhanshu Sir
Sudhanshu Sir has served in the Defense Ministry for 10 years. He has a keen interest in regional and global geopolitics and has ample experience of various other competitive exams as well. Experienced with UPSC CS and Several State PSCs.
Our Hall of Fame boasts of nearly 150 aspirants who have cleared the exam as working professionals. This year, our Civilsdaily students — Vaibhav Rawat (AIR 25) and Ravi Kumar (AIR 84) worked really hard in their respective jobs and studies before they tasted success. This busts the myth that only full-time aspirants can clear the exam.
UPSC-CSE is not only one of the toughest exams of the world, but one of the longest as well. An exam that is a year long, needs a preparation of 2 years to clear it.
Some of us have family responsibilities that cannot and should not be neglected. Maybe you are the only earning member of your family. But, is it impossible to juggle UPSC CSE and work? Not at all. It might be challenging, but it’s an achievable ambition. One needs the discipline to study everyday, whether they had a good or a bad day at work.
All aspirants get only 24 hours in a day, how they spend every hour determines their final result.
Does this mean there will be no scope for rest as a Working Junta? Don’t be surprised if we tell you toppers like Srishti Jayant Deshmukh (AIR 5, 2018) and Roman Saini (AIR 18, 2013) found time to take breaks in between their college studies (engineering and medical respectively) and UPSC preparation! While Srishti took a 5 minute break after every 30 minutes, Roman took a 10 minute break after every 1 hour.
Why should you attend this webinar?
When we asked Vaibhav Rawat and Ravi Kumar their secret of topping the exam despite working 8-9 hours everyday, their answer was time management and syllabus completion.
Instead of complaining about the limited time they had, they completed modules assigned by us within that time. Sometimes, they got 6 hours in a day and sometimes 5 hours. But after office, they never let the stress of work distract them. Nor did they compare their preparation to other full-time aspirants and get demotivated.
Every topper has their own time-management technique. As a working junta, its about time you learnt them. This is what Sudhanshu Sir will address in this upcoming webinar. You will not only get to know how to balance work and study in a day, but also when to take breaks in between the two!
What will you learn in this Webinar?
1. The 4 different phases of UPSC preparation. What to study in each phase?
2. Our 5-hour Step-by-Step learning plan. Also time-management techniques of other toppers.
3. Avoiding mistakes that cost you an attempt. How to kickstart your preparation in the right direction?
4. Advantages of being a UPSC aspirant as a working professional. What do you have that others don’t?
5. Studying smartly. How can you use the Civilsdaily App to get consolidated material that can save your time?
At the end of the session, Sudhanshu sir will hold an interactive Q&A session where all beginners and veterans are welcome to get solutions for their issues.
Webinar Details
Everyone is welcome to attend our free webinar for working professionals by Sudhanshu Sir. All you have to do is register your details.
Date: 28 October, 2021
Time: 6 PM
About Sudhanshu Sir
Sudhanshu Sir has served in the Defense Ministry for 10 years. He has a keen interest in regional and global geopolitics and has ample experience of various other competitive exams as well. Experienced with UPSC CS and Several State PSCs..
