Nivedita R (AIR-572, CSE-21) Geography Strategy

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Nivedita R cracked CSE-21 with AIR-572. She has already shared her learnings during course of CSE journey. Following is her Geography Optional Strategy I, Nivedita R from Chennai, recently cracked the Civil Services Examination 2021 with AIR 572 in my 5th attempt (1st Mains and 1st Interview). Why Geography? Personal reasons: Fascination for maps Being

Ankita Tripathi (AIR-26, CSE-21) Prelims & Mains Strategy

Geography Optional Strategy

Introduction

In her fifth attempt, Nivedita R from Chennai, recently cracked the Civil Services Examination 2021 with All India Rank (AIR) 572. Notably, she specialized in Geography as her optional subject. The Geography optional, which is a part of the Civil Services Examination (CSE), is designed to assess candidates' knowledge and understanding of the subject. The optional paper is worth 250 marks, and it is crucial for securing a good rank in the examination.

Why Geography?

Personal Reasons

Nivedita R, an aspirant from Chennai, chose Geography as her optional subject for several personal reasons. She has always been fascinated by maps and diagrams, which is evident in her interest in the subject. Additionally, she found it beneficial to have a break from the continuous curriculum post Grade 10, as the subject was quite different from her previous academic journey. Her aptitude for Geography led her to choose it as her optional subject.

CSE Reasons

The Civil Services Examination (CSE) has certain overlaps with the Geography subject, making it an attractive choice for many aspirants. Nivedita R noted that the subject shares similarities with General Studies (GS) 1 and GS 2, particularly in terms of the availability of study materials and scoring potential. The technical nature of the subject requires a certain level of conceptual clarity, but it can be easily understood with some dedicated effort.

Lessons Learned

Not a General Studies: A Realization

Nivedita R shared that it took her some time to realize that Geography is not the same as General Studies (GS). The difference lies in the complexity and technicality of the subject. While GS 1 and GS 2 are more about understanding general concepts and current affairs, Geography involves more detailed and technical knowledge. This realization was crucial for her preparation strategy.

Technical Terms: A Game Changer

To enhance her answers and score better, Nivedita R emphasized the importance of using technical terms frequently. For instance, instead of using a simple term like "a group of islands," she would use "archipelago." This nuanced approach helped her fetch extra marks in her Geography optional paper.

Note Making: A Key to Success

Nivedita R shared that maintaining a comprehensive note-making system was essential for her success. Given the voluminous nature of Geography books, it could be challenging to revise from them directly. By creating notes on each topic of the syllabus, she was able to make the revision process more manageable and effective.

Diagrams: Visual Aids for Revision

Diagrams played a significant role in Nivedita R's preparation. She noted that maintaining a repository of diagrams helped her in the last-minute revision. By visualizing the concepts through diagrams, she was able to understand and remember the subject matter more effectively.

Answer Writing: A Crucial Aspect

Nivedita R highlighted the importance of answer writing for the optional subject. She emphasized that the optional paper is worth 500 marks, which is not a small deal. Therefore, it is crucial to write quality answers and give the optional subject due attention. The success of her Geography optional strategy hinged on her ability to write clear and comprehensive answers.

Strategy

Comprehensive Approach

Nivedita R adopted a comprehensive strategy to prepare for her Geography optional paper. She referred to Vishal Publications for a topic-wise analysis of previous year questions (PYQs) and framed answers accordingly. This approach helped her understand the trend of the examination and prepare more effectively.

Concept Intermingling

She intermingled concepts from Paper 1 in Paper 2. For example, when a question on industrial location was asked, she would mention Weber. This helped her in integrating the knowledge from both papers and presenting a more holistic understanding of the subject.

Video Learning: Saving Time

Nivedita R found watching videos on Geographical phenomena to be quite helpful. It saved her time in understanding complex concepts like El Niño Modoki and Geomagnetic storms. The visual representation of these concepts helped her grasp them more quickly and effectively.

Root Words: Understanding Bouncers

She dealt with the bouncers (difficult questions) by focusing on root words. For instance, when a question on the Halloween storm was asked, she used the root word "Halloween" to understand the concept better.

Maps: An Integral Part of Preparation

Extensive use of maps was an integral part of Nivedita R's preparation strategy. She used maps to break the monotony and understand the concepts better. She used regional maps, Indian maps, and world maps alternatively to gain a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

Diagrams with Descriptions: Added Value

Nivedita R emphasized the importance of drawing neat diagrams with descriptions and depictions on maps with keys. This added value to her answers and helped her present the information more effectively.

Words from the Syllabus: Adding Dimensions

She used words from the syllabus to add more dimensions to her answers. For example, she used terms like "dichotomy" and "sustainable development" to enrich her answers and fetch more marks.

Test Series: Checking Inclination

Nivedita R found test series to be quite helpful in checking her inclination towards the GS mode. By participating in test series, she was able to understand her strengths and weaknesses better and prepare accordingly.

Compulsory Questions: Holistic Writing

She stressed the importance of writing compulsory questions in a holistic manner. By writing these questions comprehensively, she was able to present a more rounded understanding of the subject and fetch better marks.

Paper-wise Preparation

Paper I: Sources

Physical Geography

Nivedita R prepared for Physical Geography by referring to NCERTs and GC Leong. She also used books like "Physical Geography by Savindra Singh" for Geomorphology and Oceanography and "DS Lal" for Climatology. For Biogeography and Environmental Geography, she relied on open-source resources.

Human Geography

For Human Geography, she used "Models in Geography" by Majid Hussain and "Evolution of Geographical Thought" by the same author. She selectively read the latter to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.

Paper II: Sources

Nivedita R prepared for Paper II by referring to "A Comprehensive Geography of India" by Khullar. She also used extensive Google searches, map readings, and case studies from newspapers. For map marking, she used the Oxford Student Atlas and supplemented it with one-liners from various coaching institutes.

Miscellaneous Resources

Nivedita R utilized various miscellaneous resources for her Geography optional preparation. She referred to articles and case studies in newspapers, Mudit Sir's subject-wise notes, Pratham Kaushik Sir's comprehensive strategy, The Geoecologist YouTube Channel, Shankar IAS class notes, and topper answer sheets. These resources helped her in understanding the subject better and preparing more effectively.

Final Thoughts

Every optional subject has its own merits and downsides. Nivedita R advised aspirants to play on their strengths and not be swayed by the herd. She emphasized the importance of making the most of one's optional preparation, as every mark gained in the optional papers can be a game changer. She also highlighted the fact that discussions on the optional subject may surface during the Personality Test, making it crucial to prepare well.

She expressed gratitude to Mudit Sir for his Geography Optional notes, which helped her maintain brevity in note-making. She also acknowledged the comprehensive strategic posts by toppers in his blog as the guiding light throughout her preparation.

Nivedita R wished more courage and resilience to all her fellow aspirants. She encouraged them to believe in themselves and assured that this phase of life would bring out the best in them. She also shared links to other CSE 21 toppers' strategies for aspirants to refer to.

Other CSE 21 Topper Strategies

Additional Resources

Nivedita R shared links to additional resources where aspirants can find strategies and insights from other toppers who cracked the CSE in 2021. These resources include:

Asrar Ahmad Kichloo's (AIR-287, CSE-21) Prelims, Mains, Interview, Medical Science Strategy
Abhijit Ray's (AIR-50, CSE-21) Learnings and Mains Strategy
Rijul's (AIR-322, CSE-21) Prelims Mains Sociology Strategy
Vikalpa N Vishwakarma's (AIR-275, CSE-21) Prelims Mains and Interview Strategy
Surbhi Goyal's (AIR-78, CSE-21) GS-2 Strategy
Rishabh Hans's (AIR-586, CSE-21) Prelims Strategy
Neha Byadwal's (AIR-260) Prelims, Mains and Economics Strategy
Prince Kumar's (AIR-426, CSE-21) Hindi Medium Strategy
Himani Singhal's (AIR-160, CSE-21) Economics Strategy
Narayan Amit's (AIR-70, CSE-21) Anthropology Strategy
Devraj Patil's (AIR-462, CSE-21) Prelims, Mains, History Strategy
Pratik Agrawal's (AIR-156, CSE-21) Journey and Strategy
Rachit Kumar Gupta's (AIR-286, CSE-21) Chemistry Strategy
Shubham Shukla's (AIR-43, CSE-21) Prelims and Mains Strategy
Akshay Mahadik's (AIR-212, CSE-21) Prelims and Mains Strategy
Manoj Kumar Kannedhara's (AIR-157, CSE-21) Prelims Strategy
Anu Beniwal's (AIR-217, CSE-21) UPSC Journey & Strategy
Pratik Mantri's (AIR-252, CSE-21) Sociology Strategy
Prafull Kumar Sharma's (AIR-249, CSE-21) Ethics Strategy
Ravi Kumar's (AIR-38, CSE-21) Essay Strategy
Riju Shrivastava's (AIR-124, CSE-21) UPSC Journey and Strategy
Raj Krishna's (AIR-158, CSE-21) Essay Strategy
Navdeep Aggarwal's (AIR-150, CSE-21) Working Professional+Dos+Pre+Mains+Socio+Interview Strategy
Harshivani Singh's (AIR-579, CSE-21) Mental Strength+Prelims+Mains Strategy
Shubhankar Pratyush Pathak's (AIR-11, CSE-21) Maths Strategy
Mridul Shivhare's (AIR-247, CSE-21) Prelims+Mains+PSIR Strategy
Anjali Verma's (AIR-577, CSE-21) Comprehensive Strategy
Surbhi Goyal's (AIR-78, CSE-21) Essay Strategy
Shubhankar Pratyush Pathak's (AIR-11, CSE-21) Comprehensive Strategy
Arpit Gupta's (AIR-54, CSE-21) Prelims, Mains & Maths Strategy
Anjali Shrotriya's (AIR-44, CSE-21) Prelims & Mains Strategy
Shubham Satyam's (AIR-497, CSE-21) Detailed Prelims Strategy
Roja S Rajan's (AIR-108, CSE-21) Comprehensive Strategy
Shubham Bhaisare's (AIR-97, CSE-21) Civil Engg. Strategy
Sparsh Verma's (AIR-644, CSE-21) Prelims Strategy
Nivedita R's (AIR-572, CSE-21) Strategy
Anna Sinha's (AIR-112,