Anjali Verma (AIR-577, CSE-21) Comprehensive Strategy

Anjali Verma, a member of the DecodeCIVILS Telegram Group, secured AIR-577 in CSE-21 in her very first attempt. She has graciously shared her strategy with the UPSC aspirants.

Anjali's Approach for Prelims

Anjali firmly believes that the key to success in the Prelims stage is to have limited resources and multiple revisions. She chose one or two reliable sources for studying each subject and avoided getting drawn into the latest fads in the market. By developing a good command over the basic reference material, Anjali was able to gain the confidence needed to tackle the Prelims examination.

Anjali explains that solving Prelims questions requires two essential elements: precise knowledge and intelligent guessing. For the former, she aimed to have an in-depth understanding of one or two books on each subject, ensuring she could answer around 50-60% of the questions correctly in her initial mock tests. She then focused on the frequently asked topics, such as federalism, the President, and Parliament in Polity, revising these areas even further to ensure she could score well on the "low-hanging fruits".

For the latter, Anjali acknowledges that most Prelims questions require a certain degree of guesswork. With the increasing difficulty level of the Prelims, knowledge alone may get the aspirant around 35-40 questions right, and to score higher, one needs to be skilled at eliminating incorrect options. Anjali found Anshuman Rajhans Sir's YouTube videos very helpful in learning to spot potential incorrect options.

Frequently Asked Questions on Prelims Preparation

Q: I am not able to score well in mocks. Does that mean I won't do well in Prelims? A: Mocks are useful to test one's knowledge, but the questions asked are quite different from the artfully crafted questions framed by UPSC. If an aspirant is consistently scoring below 80-90 marks in mocks, they should consider a thorough revision of the topics where they can score more with some effort.

Q: How many mocks should I solve to improve my chances at Prelims? A: Most successful candidates finish at least one test series, which consists of 35-50 tests. Anjali herself did around 70 mocks and previous year questions, which allowed her to score 10 marks above the cutoff.

Q: What is an acceptable score in mocks? A: The acceptable score in mocks depends on various factors. For a full-length mock, 90+ is a good score. For subjects like Polity and Geography, one could aim for 115+ after a few revisions. For topics like Science and Technology, Ancient and Medieval History, a score of 70+ may be sufficient, as the questions asked in the actual exam are often more difficult and sometimes random.

Anjali's Recommended Reference Sources for Prelims

Anjali utilized a diverse range of resources for her Prelims preparation, including:

• Spectrum for Modern India
• Tamil Nadu board books for Ancient and Medieval India
• Laxmikanth for Polity
• Shankar for Environment
• NCERTs for Geography
• ONLYIAS notes for Science and Technology
• Mrunal sir's notes for Economy
• ONLYIAS' Udaan series for Prelims material
• VISION IAS' PT365 for current affairs

Anjali's Approach for Mains

Similar to her Prelims strategy, Anjali's approach for the Mains examination also revolved around limited resources and multiple revisions. She used the same books for Mains that she had used for Prelims and made extremely short notes, which she then revised extensively.

Anjali emphasizes three crucial aspects of Mains preparation:

1. Mastering the Optional Subject: Anjali advises aspirants to prepare their optional subject thoroughly, including solving previous year questions and learning model answers.
2. Practicing Essay Writing: Anjali recommends practicing at least 6-10 essays beforehand and joining a mock test series or seeking feedback from knowledgeable sources.
3. Compiling Fact Sheets: Anjali created 5-15 page fact sheets for each GS paper, filled with data, numbers, case studies, important definitions, and examples. Revising these multiple times enabled her to quickly recall relevant information during the exam.

Frequently Asked Questions on Mains Preparation

Q: Is there a way to maximize my chances for success in Mains? A: Anjali suggests that aspirants should understand the demand of the question and strive to provide a decent answer for most questions, rather than aiming for perfection. She emphasizes the importance of attempting all answers, as even writing something can be rewarded.

Q: What should I do for Essay and Ethics? A: For Essays, Anjali found that using a test series was helpful, although she advises taking their feedback with a grain of salt, as most evaluators have a limited understanding of effective essay writing. For Ethics, Anjali relied on Mudit Jain's "Decode Ethics" book, which she found to be superior to Lexicon, providing more keywords, examples, model answers, and diagrams.

Q: When should I start studying my Optional Subject? A: Anjali recommends completing the Optional subject at least once before the Prelims stage, rather than leaving it for after the Prelims.

Q: When should I start studying for Mains? A: Anjali suggests that the best approach is to prepare for Prelims and Mains simultaneously, ensuring that while solving Prelims-type questions, one also practices writing answers and getting them evaluated.

Anjali's Philosophy for Preparation

Anjali's philosophy for UPSC preparation is centered around the following key principles:

Consistency: Anjali emphasizes the importance of consistent study, aiming for at least 5-6 days a week (and often 7 days a week) for 1-2 years of preparation.

Multiple Revisions: Anjali reiterates the significance of multiple revisions, especially for the frequently asked topics, which she revisited 8-10 times to ensure a thorough understanding.

Taking Mocks: Anjali regularly took mock tests, not with the aim of scoring high, but to analyze areas for improvement and keep herself grounded.

Positive Attitude: Anjali stresses the importance of maintaining a positive attitude, even when facing difficulties in certain topics, as a vast majority of aspirants are likely going through similar challenges.

Personalized Strategy: Anjali believes that different approaches work for different people, and encourages aspirants to use the strategies that they know, through experience, work best for them.

Throughout her preparation journey, Anjali remained flexible and adaptable, adjusting her plans as needed, while maintaining a steadfast commitment to her studies.