Manoj kumar Kannedhara (AIR-157, CSE-21) Prelims Strategy

Manoj Kumar Kannedhara, a graduate in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, secured All India Rank (AIR) 157 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021. His impressive performance in the Preliminary Examination, where he scored over 105 marks, paved the way for his success in the highly competitive civil services selection process.

Manoj's Prelims Strategy

Introduction

Manoj's journey to the coveted civil services began with a clear understanding of the challenges and complexities involved in the UPSC examination. As an experienced aspirant, he recognized the importance of adopting a strategic approach to tackle the various components of the Preliminary Examination.

General Strategy

Manoj's general strategy for the Preliminary Examination revolved around the concept of multiple revisions, rather than relying on multiple sources. He emphasized the importance of focusing on a single or at most two reliable sources for each subject area, including Economy, Polity, Ecology and Environment, Science and Technology, Modern History, Ancient and Medieval History, Art and Culture, Geography, and Current Affairs.

Manoj emphasized the significance of practice tests in identifying strengths and weaknesses, as well as filling knowledge gaps. He suggested that beginners should first focus on building a strong foundation before attempting practice tests, while those closer to the examination should concentrate on writing full-length mock tests to get accustomed to the examination format.

Subject-specific Strategies

Economy

Manoj considered the Economy section as a highly rewarding area, provided one masters the basic concepts. He relied primarily on Mrunal Sir's Economy notes and classes, as well as the NCERT textbooks from Class 11 and 12 for topics related to macroeconomics.

Manoj advised against mugging up information and instead suggested understanding the cause-and-effect relationships in economic phenomena. He emphasized the importance of analyzing previous year questions to grasp the analytical nature of the questions asked by the UPSC.

Polity

Polity was Manoj's bread and butter, as he considered it the foundation of any civil services examination. He started with the NCERT textbooks from Class 6 to 10, focusing on understanding the key terms and concepts related to liberty, rights, and polity. He then moved on to the comprehensive resource, Lakshmikant, which he had read multiple times.

Manoj recommended focusing on the most important areas of Polity, as identified through previous year questions, and not following the order of the book. He also emphasized the need to stay updated with current affairs related to Polity.

Ecology and Environment

Manoj recognized Ecology and Environment as a highly dynamic subject, and his strategy involved a combination of static and current affairs-based preparation. He relied primarily on Shankar's Ecology and Environment book for the basic concepts, and supplemented it with information from the Vision's Yearly PT 365 or other current affairs sources.

Manoj advised aspirants to focus on areas that are frequently asked in the UPSC Preliminary Examination, such as UN Conventions, important species, and Indian maps related to Ramsar sites, wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, and biosphere reserves.

Science and Technology

Manoj acknowledged the growing importance of Science and Technology in the UPSC Preliminary Examination. He suggested a two-pronged approach, covering both basic science concepts from NCERT textbooks and the latest technological advancements from sources like Thanmay Sir's classes in the Insights IAS Academy.

Manoj emphasized the need to understand the underlying principles and concepts, rather than simply memorizing facts, as the UPSC often tests the analytical abilities of the aspirants.

Modern History, Ancient and Medieval History, Art and Culture, and Geography

For Modern History, Manoj relied on Rajiv Ahir's Spectrum book, focusing on the key areas like the Indian National Movement, Gandhian phase, socio-religious movements, and land and labor reforms during the colonial era. He made concise revision notes for the last-minute preparation.

For Ancient and Medieval History, Manoj utilized the notes he had prepared from Farees Sir's classes at Insights IAS Bengaluru. He advised aspirants to prioritize the analysis of previous year questions and not to get bogged down by the vast scope of these subjects.

Manoj recommended Nitin Singhania's book for Art and Culture, and suggested that aspirants should also focus on current affairs related to this subject area.

For Geography, Manoj relied on Sudeep Sir's classes from Insights IAS for physical geography, and made his own lists of important places, oceans, peaks, and other geographical features. He emphasized the importance of understanding the underlying concepts and making mnemonics to aid in the memorization of facts.

Current Affairs

Manoj's approach to Current Affairs was to read the newspaper daily, without making detailed notes, and then go back to the static content to understand the context and relevance of the news items. He also relied on the Vision PT 365 magazine to stay updated on the important current affairs topics.

Manoj believed that the UPSC primarily tests the basic understanding of static concepts and the ability to connect them with the most important current affairs developments, rather than expecting aspirants to have an in-depth knowledge of daily news.

Conclusion

Manoj's comprehensive strategy, which combined a focus on multiple revisions, strategic subject-specific approaches, and a balanced emphasis on static and current affairs, enabled him to achieve the remarkable feat of securing AIR 157 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2021. His insights and recommendations serve as a valuable guide for aspiring civil servants navigating the challenges of the Preliminary Examination.