Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruitment to various Civil Services of the Government of India.

Union Public Service Commission

Shivam Kumar

Many of you have asked that how did I plan the duration between prelims and mains? 

The mains stage is the most important stage to ensure selection in this exam with a good rank. Planning in this stage is crucial, as we need to cover many things in the limited time. If it goes unplanned, it may result in a situation where we do not know what to do and what not to do.

In last year's mains (2023), based on inputs from other selected candidates, I decided to prepare for both GS and my optional subject together. I aimed to improve my score in math by at least 40 marks and, at the same time, ensure a 20-30 mark improvement in GS and Essay.

The attached photo below shows the macro plan for June, July, and August.

Important Points to Note:

For GS:
1. Daily mini GS test of 1.5 hours on topics as per the schedule.
2. GS preparation involved studying topics according to the schedule.
3. Once preparation for one GS paper is finished, writing a FLT over the weekend.

Simulation GS + Essay:
August: Abhyaas Vision - 5 Tests
August: Next IAS Simulation Test - 4 Tests
September: Simulation 3 - 4 Tests

For Essay:
1. When time permits, revision of essay notes.
2. Writing an essay test on alternate Sundays.
3. Brainstorming multiple essays during the last 2 weeks.

For Math:
Iteration 1: By the end of July, along with daily half-test solving (PYQ or sectional test), complete revision of the syllabus.
Iteration 2: In August, topic-wise revision with special focus on weak topics along with FLTs.

plan for the duration between prelims and mains? many of you have asked that how did i plan the duration between prelims and mains? 

the mains stage is the most important stage to ensure selection in this exam with a good rank. planning in this stage is crucial, as we need to cover many things in the limited time. if it goes unplanned, it may result in a situation where we do not know what to do and what not to do.

in last year's mains (2023), based on inputs from other selected candidates, i decided to prepare for both gs and my optional subject together. i aimed to improve my score in math by at least 40 marks and, at the same time, ensure a 20-30 mark improvement in gs and essay.

the attached photo below shows the macro plan for june, july, and august.

important points to note:

for gs:
1. daily mini gs test of 1.5 hours on topics as per the schedule.
2. gs preparation involved studying topics according to the schedule.
3. once preparation for one gs paper is finished, writing a flt over the weekend.

simulation gs + essay:
august: abhyaas vision - 5 tests
august: next ias simulation test - 4 tests
september: simulation 3 - 4 tests

for essay:
1. when time permits, revision of essay notes.
2. writing an essay test on alternate sundays.
3. brainstorming multiple essays during the last 2 weeks.

for math:
iteration 1: by the end of july, along with daily half-test solving (pyq or sectional test), complete revision of the syllabus.
iteration 2: in august, topic-wise revision with special focus on weak topics along with flts.  shivam kumar topic-discussion upsc

Plan for the duration between prelims and mains?

Disaster Management mains Notes .pdf

Disaster Management Short notes for mains

disaster management short notes for mains disaster management short notes for mains  shivam kumar notes upsc

SC Test 5.pdf

FLT 6 SC.pdf

SC FLT 3.pdf

SC FLT 2 Paper 2.pdf

SC FLT 1  P1.pdf

These are few of my checked math optional full length paper

shivam kumar - checked math optional full length paper these are few of my checked math optional full length paper  shivam kumar notes upsc

Shivam Kumar - checked math optional full length paper

For math optional:

As I have mentioned earlier, practicing PYQs is very important for getting a good score in the exam.
This time, I ensured that I did not miss any questions from the PYQs during practice. I made a sheet to track my progress and highlighted difficult questions for the next round of revision.

maths optional for math optional:

as i have mentioned earlier, practicing pyqs is very important for getting a good score in the exam.
this time, i ensured that i did not miss any questions from the pyqs during practice. i made a sheet to track my progress and highlighted difficult questions for the next round of revision.  shivam kumar topic-discussion upsc

Maths optional

Examples for GS4.pdf

shivam kumar essay examples shivam kumar essay examples   shivam kumar notes upsc

Shivam Kumar Essay Examples

My two cents on prelims exam D-day management:

1. Get a good night's sleep before the exam; an active mind is crucial.
2. Plan your meals for the day and stay hydrated.
3. Be confident in your preparation. Now it is only about how you manage the four hours on the 16th.
4. Be ready for tough and unexpected questions. Be mentally prepared.
5. Ensure you mark easy, moderate, and familiar questions correctly and carefully. This area determines selection.
6. Have a strategy for attempting the paper to avoid panicking due to poor time management.
7. Do not discuss the paper during the break. Nobody knows the answers, and no one can predict the cutoff at that point.
8. Revise basic CSAT formulas and approach Paper 2 with full focus.

I believe that with a decent level of preparation, the prelims exam is more about managing emotions, controlling pressure, and performing your best in the hall.

Yudh hi to veer ki pehchan hai

All the very best. The day is yours.

my two cents on prelims exam d-day management my two cents on prelims exam d-day management:

1. get a good night's sleep before the exam; an active mind is crucial.
2. plan your meals for the day and stay hydrated.
3. be confident in your preparation. now it is only about how you manage the four hours on the 16th.
4. be ready for tough and unexpected questions. be mentally prepared.
5. ensure you mark easy, moderate, and familiar questions correctly and carefully. this area determines selection.
6. have a strategy for attempting the paper to avoid panicking due to poor time management.
7. do not discuss the paper during the break. nobody knows the answers, and no one can predict the cutoff at that point.
8. revise basic csat formulas and approach paper 2 with full focus.

i believe that with a decent level of preparation, the prelims exam is more about managing emotions, controlling pressure, and performing your best in the hall.

yudh hi to veer ki pehchan hai

all the very best. the day is yours.  shivam kumar strategy upsc

My two cents on prelims exam D-day management

GS1 Society and Social issues_mains.pdf

Society and Social Issues Notes:

This topic is very important for all GS papers and essays as well. The topic is directly mentioned in GS1 and GS2. Preparing one-page notes for every small topic ensures coverage of the syllabus and helps in revising. These notes are used with my fact-sheet shared earlier.

shivam kumar - society and social issues notes: society and social issues notes:

this topic is very important for all gs papers and essays as well. the topic is directly mentioned in gs1 and gs2. preparing one-page notes for every small topic ensures coverage of the syllabus and helps in revising. these notes are used with my fact-sheet shared earlier.  shivam kumar notes upsc

Shivam Kumar - Society and Social Issues Notes:

GS1_Modern_History_Mains_Shivam_Kumar_19.pdf

GS1: 
 
Most of the topics in the GS1 syllabus (except Society) are covered as part of the prelims preparation, and generally, the same sources are used for mains preparation. However, it becomes difficult to revise these sources for better retention due to their bulkiness. 
 
To address this, I made very crisp notes on history based on an understanding of previous years' questions (PYQs) to reduce the time required for revision and to focus only on replicable content. I am sharing the modern history notes for reference. 
 

shivam kumar gs-1 modern history notes gs1: 
 
most of the topics in the gs1 syllabus (except society) are covered as part of the prelims preparation, and generally, the same sources are used for mains preparation. however, it becomes difficult to revise these sources for better retention due to their bulkiness. 
 
to address this, i made very crisp notes on history based on an understanding of previous years' questions (pyqs) to reduce the time required for revision and to focus only on replicable content. i am sharing the modern history notes for reference. 
   shivam kumar notes upsc

Shivam Kumar GS-1 Modern History notes

shivam kumar prelims 2023 marksheet shivam kumar prelims 2023 marksheet  shivam kumar topic-discussion upsc

Shivam Kumar Prelims 2023 Marksheet

In this talk, I discussed my overall journey, strategy, sources, and time management. I also addressed the challenges of managing preparation alongside a job. 


https://youtu.be/m3tBNw1ZwW8?si=gNggeSh2onxhZOMp

shivam kumar - overall journey, strategy, sources, and time management in this talk, i discussed my overall journey, strategy, sources, and time management. i also addressed the challenges of managing preparation alongside a job. 


https://youtu.be/m3tbnw1zww8?si=gnggesh2onxhzomp  shivam kumar strategy upsc

Shivam Kumar

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