In UPSC prelims, it is not the number of questions that you attempt but the number of mistakes you make decides whether you will score above 120 plus or even qualify at all.
Based on attempts in practice tests and number of mistakes in tests, you fall into these categories:
- Red Zone category:- mistakes 25 and above
- Orange zone category:- mistakes 15 to 25
- Green zone category:- mistakes less than 15.
A. RED ZONE CATEGORY: You may continue to attempt only 100% sure options until you have clarity in topic and have enhanced understanding. Once you have revised the content multiple times through keywords and notes, you can increase the number of attempts. There is no space for elimination and guesswork. Watch daily videos of Streak posted by Sukanya mam or me on Civilsdaily YouTube channel and revise the topics covered in those videos.
B. ORANGE ZONE CATEGORY: This category aspirants need to bring mistakes below by 15. Complete short keyword notes for all subjects by 5th September. Avoid guess work and learn and practice the question solving techniques such as FCE (Factual Conceptual and Elimination) approach. Watch daily videos posted on YouTube by Sukanya and me for prelims. We have covered questions on most probable topics on economy, polity, and science & tech discussion. Revise those topics if need be.
C. GREEN ZONE CATEGORY: Complete all your keyword notes by September 1st. Move on to the full test only after you have completed all keywords for static and current affairs. Continue to interlink them, do 360 exercises. and bring mistakes to below 10.
WAY FORWARD FOR ALL FOR PRELIMS-2021 in the next 50 days:
1. There are no mistakes such as silly mistakes you make because either you are not reading properly or don’t remember them. Also, it happens when you are under confident or overconfident.
2. Only intelligent elimination should be opted and that also can only work if you have clarity of topics and learn things holistically.
3. Revision should be holistic. If you have not done an in-depth study of Polity, History and Environment even once, then it is high time. Do it now before September 1st and then continue revisions. Keep making a mental map of everything you study and do it actively – not passively. Keep pen and paper always ready while reading anything and note down important keywords.
4. Do not take new sources for revision. Do not fall into the trap of grabbing and learning from new materials for the same topic.
5. No need to go for a bulky compilation for Current Affairs just before exam or right now. Focus on the monthly magazine of CD or any other which you have already been referring to but “ONLY ONE SOURCE.”
The weightage of CA in prelims has declined to less than 20%; and if you continue to waste your valuable time on bulky round the year compilations, then it is not a good cost-benefit analysis. Focus on the concept part of any CA topic and link with it.
6. Try to learn from the tests as much as while solving paper and FCE approach while analysing the paper. This exercise will continue up until your last test.
7. There is no need to panic even if you score less in tests. My advice would be to go back to your sources, revise it again, and try to memorise whatever you are not able to remember easily. Then, again come back and give the test and analyse the paper and note down what you do not know.
8. Enhance your knowledge and understand and learn topics by revising previous-year papers multiple times.
9. Confidence is a function of knowledge, revision, and testing. If you have not done all these three, you will never feel confident. Hence, please make it your utmost priority. Some of my students who are part of ongoing super-25 have improved their confidence and more assured towards success in prelims
10. Prelims is something which you can only qualify with proper well-planned process – no element of luck here. All you have to do is follow the process discussed above.
This has worked for me to score up to 145 twice and always 120 plus in all 6 attempts. So, I am confident that it will work for you too.
Only barrier between your success and your failure is YOU. If required, change yourself and keep working on your strengths and weaknesses.
Please reach out to me if you face any issue or if you need any kind of support.
Thank you all.
Santosh Gupta
Prelims Coordinator, Civilsdaily
Course Coordinator for Super-25 program for Prelims-2021
To know more about UPSC Prelims 2021 Super-25 and prepare under my complete mentorship, click the link: https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/upsc-prelims-2021-super-25/
For remaining days of Prelims-2021, you may join 60-day plan under my overall guidance: https://www.civilsdaily.com/course/60-days-intensive-plan-for-focused-revision-2021/
A quick bit about Santosh Gupta Sir:
Santosh Gupta sir has scored up to 145 twice in UPSC prelims and always 120 plus in all 6 attempts. He wrote all 6 mains and appeared for Interviews 3 times. He has qualified UPSC EPFO and BPSC 56-59th also. He has been teaching and mentoring UPSC aspirants for the last 5 years with tremendous interest in environment and ecology and Polity.
