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Hello All,

So finally even the FLTs are over and now it’s a matter of days before you implore the unrelenting examiner to hand over the question booklet to you while still trying to adjust in the small chairs. 🙂

Anyway, let’s get down to the final business. After Dr. V’s Art of MCQs marking, Prelims Titbits, Paper Analysis series, 17 Mazes, 10 Mini Mocks and 4 FLTs down it can be safely assumed that you have revised, analysed and practiced enough.

BUT all of us at CD put together can help you only till this point. Now it is squarely upon you to perform. This is the time you can learn your lessons. Tomorrow may be too late.

After a roller coaster ride of 700+ questions with discussions and disagreements on answer choices, I hope that all of you did enjoy the MCQs. And now the last sermon:

#1. If you feel that you did not perform up to the mark in the mocks, just sleep over it! Many toppers have this tendency hardwired in them. They never perform in the mocks and always outperform others in the actual test.

#2. Do whatever lies within your capacity. That you shall succeed cannot be a pre-condition to your preparation. It just increases stress. Just go out and do your best.

#3. Don’t let setbacks hold you back. Perseverance takes you far, to the unconquered territories and to the unimaginable heights.

#4. None of the previous toppers were placed on earth to clear UPSC under some utopian design of the cosmos. No universe conspired to see them become Indian Civil Servants. Truth be told, they were average boys and girls who chose to take this exam, respected their choice and worked hard to get it done. And believe it or not but deep down each one of us knows if we are actually working to achieve our goal or are just pretending that we are working.

#5. At the end, the only person who can see you through this exam is you. We can guide you, your parents can ensure you have all you luxury needed to prepare your exams, your friends can motivate you but you are the one who has to study. And if you are not, you are letting down many who have pinned their hopes on you.

And now the tips which many of you might have read about a year back as well.

#6. Reach the venue well before the scheduled time so you do not enter the examination hall, catching up on your breath. It not only affects your performance, it disturbs others as well.

#7. Enter the Roll Number, Series Code etc. carefully on the OMR sheet. You cannot erase it as it is to be marked with a black ball point pen.

#8. The first page of the question booklet contains the instructions to the candidates and is seldom read by them assuming it to a copy-paste from the previous years. READ IT. You never know when UPSC may add/delete/alter an instruction.

#9. Do count the number of pages as indicated. Never takes more than 30 seconds.

#10. Read the questions carefully.

#11. Read all the answer choices before you zero in on the one you wish to mark as your response on the OMR sheet. Remember UPSC clearly mentions that in case you feel there are more than one correct alternative, mark the ‘most appropriate’ one as your answer i.e. Option (a) may appear to be correct but Option (d) may be the most appropriate. So read all of them before you mark your response.

#12. There are a good number of questions wherein several statements are given and you are asked to choose the correct/incorrect ones. First of all be sure whether you are being asked to choose the statements which are ‘correct’ or ‘not correct’. Thereafter check the statements which you know to be definitely correct or definitely incorrect. Use it to zero in on the answer. Knowing the definitely incorrect statements is as good as knowing the definitely correct ones.

#13. Use elimination method judiciously.

#14. DO NOT indulge in indiscriminate guess work. You should be able to eliminate at least two choices before you mark the answer while guessing.

#15. Mark the responses carefully in the answer sheet as there is no/little scope of altering it.

#16. Coming to Paper II, even though it has been made qualifying, do attempt all the questions you can.

#17. Most importantly, do not worry about the cut-offs in the examination hall. Focus on the paper. Cut off can be discussed in the evening, even though it is fruitless.

#18. After Paper I, maintain a safe distance from those claiming to have attempted 80, 90 or even 100 in some cases. By evening they will come down to 60 and 40, the next morning when they regain their senses.

#19. Keep the OMR sheet tidy.

#20. Do not forget to carry your roll number and black ball point pens.

Best of Luck and do well!

Regards,

Unbounded Wisdom

The solutions for all the FLTs have been uploaded on the portal. Click here to download them.