PSIR Strategy by Tushar Gupta IPS, CSE-2017

Tushar's PSIR Preparation Journey: A Third-Person Narrative

As Tushar embarked on his Civil Services Examination (CSE) journey, he faced a significant challenge in preparing for the Optional subject of Political Science and International Relations (PSIR). Determined to excel, he turned to Shubra Ranjan Ma'am's classes, which proved to be a game-changer in his preparation.

Shubra Ranjan Ma'am's Guidance

Tushar had attempted to prepare for the optional on his own, but his efforts had been a complete failure. Recognizing the need for a structured approach, he attended Shubra Ranjan Ma'am's classes, which began in December 2016 and continued for around five months. Tushar found Ma'am's teaching style to be remarkably lucid and beautiful, enabling even an individual from an Engineering background, like himself, to comprehend the subject matter and write effective answers.

Tushar's routine involved reading for an hour what Ma'am had taught in the previous class before attending the next session. This approach allowed him to consolidate the knowledge and be better prepared for the upcoming lessons.

Focused PSIR Preparation

Tushar's actual PSIR preparation began after the Preliminary Examination, effectively giving him around four months to delve into the subject. While he acknowledged that he might have benefited from exploring additional resources, such as OP Gauba's works, Tushar found that learning from Ma'am's notes was sufficient to navigate the exam.

To optimize his revision, Tushar created concise notes using Evernote, which proved to be a valuable tool. He recognized that simply reviewing the class notes would be time-consuming, especially as the exam period approached. By condensing the information into his Evernote notes, Tushar could efficiently revise the material and ensure he was well-prepared.

Examination Strategies

Tushar understood that the goal of preparing for the optional was to clear the UPSC examination, not to pursue a Ph.D. He maintained an objective and focused mindset, avoiding emotional attachment to the subject matter.

Tushar emphasized the importance of well-crafted introductions and conclusions for each answer. He would prepare these in advance, tailoring them to the specific topic or question. For example, when addressing a question on secularism, Tushar's standard introduction would reference Machiavelli's role as the "Father of European secularism" and explore the concept in both the international and Indian contexts.

Additionally, Tushar recognized the significance of altering the size of his handwriting to ensure the answer sheets were filled completely. He believed that this approach, along with the inclusion of relevant scholar quotes and the application of the "4Cs" (Compare, Criticize, Contemporary, Conclude) strategy, contributed to his success in the optional paper.

Examination Preparation Approach

Tushar meticulously prepared for the PSIR examination by thoroughly studying previous year questions. He solved a majority of the questions that had been asked in the past, timing himself to ensure he could meet the word limit requirements. This extensive writing practice was crucial in honing his answer-writing skills.

Tushar also shared specific guidelines for approaching the PSIR paper:

1. Definition of Key Terms: Tushar emphasized the importance of defining the basic terms in PSIR answers, wherever possible.
2. Comparative Analysis: Tushar advised following the "4Cs" approach, which involved comparing, criticizing, exploring the contemporary relevance, and providing a concluding statement.
3. Differentiation: When required to differentiate between two concepts, Tushar recommended addressing the points of differentiation in a parallel manner, rather than separating the discussion into distinct paragraphs.
4. Temporal Awareness: Tushar emphasized the need to be attentive to the temporal terms used in the questions, such as "old," "new," "contemporary," etc., as they would guide the appropriate approach to the answer.

Recommended PSIR Resources

Tushar curated a comprehensive list of recommended resources for PSIR preparation, including:

1. Political Theory and Indian Politics:
   • "A History of Political Thought: Plato to Marx" by Mukherjee and Susheela Ramaswamy
   • "Introduction to Political Theory" by O.P. Gauba
   • "Political Theory" by Rajeev Bhargava
2. Comparative and International Politics:
   • "Politics (Palgrave Foundations Series)" by Palgrave Macmillan
   • "Global Politics" by Andrew Heywood
3. International Relations:
   • "Does the Elephant Dance?" by David Malone
   • "International Relations" by Khanna

Tushar also shared valuable supplementary resources, such as the E-International Relations (E-IR) website, the Caspian Report YouTube channel, and articles from Indian Express and The Hindu, particularly those written by C. Raja Mohan.

By meticulously following this comprehensive PSIR preparation strategy, Tushar was able to secure an impressive rank of 294 in his first attempt at the Civil Services Examination.