GS1 Strategy: Saikaran Nandala

GS1 Strategy:

My Marks:

2022:92

2023: 99

Resources:

1. Geography: PMF IAS, NCERT videos by Amit Sengupta, Toopers notes( Mehak Jain Ma'am, Surbhi Goyal Ma'am)

2. History, Art & Culture : Vision VAM

3. Indian Society: Sociology paper-2 understanding, Vision VAM

Approach:

Geography:

Almost 100 marks weightage in paper-1, so major thing to focus. I did integrated preparation for prelims & Mains. Started with watching Amit sengupta videos for basic understanding, then started reading PMF IAS ( bulky but good ROI I feel given the weightage). one should be through with the syllabus of Geography.

Economic Geography is the most neglected part I feel, this has to be focussed in equal proportion. I used PMF IAS, PYQ & current affairs for this and made notes for broader topics.

History, Art & Culture: questions often trending to be more analytical than information oriented. So, no need to worry to remember so many minute details. One should analyse history as events, dimensions & timelines. Much can be learned from demand of PYQ. I have made notes of important points & events. The more analytical your answers are the more they are rewarded.

Society: Since my optional is sociology, I didn't read much for it separately, but I made notes for syllabus topics just to revise and to write answers in general understanding way rather than sociological viewpoints.

Tips to score high:

1. Use of Maps & diagrams: you need to include maps in your answers, scope is there not only in Geography but also many questions from history. Personally, I'm not good with maps part but practiced a lot to include them. But I couldn't draw much.

2. Analytical: make history, Art & culture answers more analytical and write many dimensions. This will help to fetch more marks; we can give how historical events evolved to impact current times in conclusions. It gives edge.

3. use of examples & Current references in Society questions

4. Focus on Economic Geography part.

5. Again, Value addition is must interms of examples, data etc..