Jatin Jain, AIR-91 CSE-22 Prelims, Mains & Sociology

Introduction

Jatin Jain, a UPSC aspirant, secured All India Rank (AIR) 91 in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) 2022. This was his third attempt, and he aced the Mains examination with 818 marks and secured an Interview score of 179. In this blog post, Jatin shares his detailed strategy for the UPSC CSE, covering his journey, mistakes, and learnings from his previous attempts, as well as his strategies for the Prelims, Mains, and Sociology optional.

The Three Pillars of Jatin's Journey

Jatin attributes his success to three key pillars:

1. UPSC Syllabus and PYQs Analysis: Jatin emphasizes the importance of thoroughly understanding the UPSC syllabus and analyzing Previous Year Questions (PYQs) to gain insights into the examination pattern and the thought process of the UPSC.

2. Dedication, Determination, and Consistency: Jatin acknowledges the importance of having a strong work ethic, unwavering determination, and consistent efforts throughout the preparation process.

3. Never-Give-Up Attitude and Celebrating Failures: Jatin highlights the significance of maintaining a positive mindset, learning from failures, and celebrating the progress made along the way.

Analyzing Previous Attempts

In his first two attempts, Jatin was unable to clear the Prelims exam. After analyzing his performance and weaknesses, he realized that he had not placed enough emphasis on the PYQs and had not conducted a deep analysis of the UPSC's ideology in framing the questions. With the guidance of his mentor, Amit Jain (from Core IAS), Jatin was able to better understand the UPSC's approach to Prelims questions, which helped him clear the Prelims along with the IFOS cutoff in his third attempt.

Prelims Strategy

Jatin's Prelims strategy consists of the following key elements:

Strengthening Core Static Subjects

Jatin emphasizes the importance of mastering the core static subjects, such as History, Polity, and Economy, as these are the three crucial subjects that can ensure a ticket to the Mains exam.

Analyzing PYQs and Research on Incorrect Options

Jatin stresses the significance of analyzing PYQs, not just the correct options but also the incorrect ones, to gain a deeper understanding of the UPSC's thought process in framing the questions.

Extensive Mock Test Practice

Jatin recommends solving a minimum of 6,000 MCQs through multiple mock tests to enhance one's guesswork and identify strengths and weaknesses.

Importance of CSAT

Jatin cautions aspirants not to underestimate the CSAT (Civil Services Aptitude Test) section, as it has been a significant eliminator in the past few years.

Prelims Booklist

Jatin provides a comprehensive booklist for the Prelims preparation, covering subjects like Polity, Modern History, Art and Culture, Ancient and Medieval History, Science and Technology, Environment, Economy, Geography, and Mapping and International Relations.

Mains Strategy

Jatin emphasizes that the Mains examination is the key to success in the UPSC CSE, as it can guarantee selection. He attributes his strong performance in the Mains to the guidance and mentorship of Amit Jain (from Core IAS) and Anupam Jain (from Smartwork Labs).

Answer Writing Skill Development

Jatin highlights the importance of developing and refining answer-writing skills, which he learned from Amit Jain. This includes structuring the answers, addressing the demand of the question, and incorporating relevant content.

Comprehensive Content Preparation

Jatin followed an approach of creating structured, crisp notes on every aspect of the UPSC syllabus, constantly revising them, and supplementing them with examples and case studies for value addition.

Ethics and Essay Preparation

Jatin mentions that he primarily relied on Mudit Jain's "Decode Ethics" book to prepare for the Ethics and Essay papers, which proved to be highly effective.

Interview Strategy

Jatin considers the Interview stage as the most enjoyable part of the UPSC CSE, as it allows him to explore his personality and gain deeper insights. He emphasizes the importance of thoroughly preparing the Detailed Application Form (DAF), as it was the source of most of his interview questions.

Sociology Optional

Jatin opted for Sociology as his optional subject, and he provides a comprehensive list of resources that he referred to, including YouTube lectures, coaching institute classes, toppers' notes, and various books and channels. His strategy for Sociology was based on two pillars: conceptual understanding and PYQs analysis.

Conceptual Clarity and Use of Relevant Examples

Jatin stresses the importance of developing a strong conceptual understanding of Sociology and using relevant and contemporary examples to differentiate his answers from other aspirants.

Answer Writing Technique

Jatin emphasizes the significance of understanding the demand of the Sociology questions and structuring the answers accordingly, rather than simply writing what one knows.

Note-Making and Revision

Jatin recommends making short notes and revising them multiple times, along with having ready-made introductions and conclusions for frequently asked questions, to enhance the scoring potential in Sociology.

Tips for Aspirants

Jatin concludes by emphasizing the importance of self-belief, a positive attitude, and a focus on the process rather than the outcome. He encourages aspirants to have patience, consistency, and a never-give-up mindset, as success and failure are two sides of the same coin.