Abhishek Dawachya (AIR-610 CSE-22) GS-1 128 Marks

Following is Abhishek Dawachya's Strategy who not only secured AIR-610 in CSE-22 but also scored the highest marks (128) in GS-1 among the selected candidates. Here, he has covered Detailed Prelims & Mains Topic Wise Sources, his GS-1 strategy (along with a mock test copy) and his Sociology Sources & Strategy (288 Marks: 171 + 117)

Introduction

Hello, fellow and future officers. I'm Abhishek Dawachya from jaipur (Rajasthan). I began preparing in June 2021 while residing in Delhi (patel nagar) without any coaching . I did my Btech. in electrical engineering from Indian Institute Of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar . This was my first serious attempt and my optional which I opted was sociology.

Prelims Sources

There are no fixed books for each subject and at every stage the study material change in the UPSC journey. This is what I've followed.

• Modern History: Spectrum
• Ancient: R S Sharma, Questions from Ghatna Chakra
• Medieval: NCERT (Old + New), Questions from Ghatna Chakra
• Art and Culture: NCERT - 11th, Notes
• Polity: M Laxmikanth, NCERT - Political Theory (New) , Const. (New) 9th & 11th
• Geography: NCERT (11th and 12th (all)) (New)
• Physical and Indian Geography (pre): Detailed notes search word by word every river
• Economy: Micro and Macro NCERT (New), Rau’s Prelim Compass, Economic Survey (Vision Summary), Budget
• Environment: Shankar IAS Book, Udaan 2023
• Science & Technology: Biology NCERT selected chapters (New)

Prelims Strategy

I used to go over the same static resources several times and complete at least five subject-specific tests to get mastery of each. In the preliminary exams, my main concentration was on correctly marking questions on politics, economics, and the environment. My prelims plan is straightforward: don't mark basic questions incorrect, and finish your pyq’s before the prelims date in five days. As a result, I was able to determine which of the two eliminated possibilities was the best guess. I used to attempt 85 to 90 questions, of which I felt sure answering 30 to 33. The remaining questions I answered using deduction or shrewd guesswork.

For CSAT - I solved Previous year paper in time bound manner. I try to find easy questions of reasoning and quant and attempt comprehension question in first 45 minutes. My motto in CSAT is to attempt 50 questions anyhow.

Mains Sources

GS-1

• Art and Culture: Selected Chapters from Ancient book R. S. Sharma + PYQ + Test Series Solved.
• Modern History: Spectrum (Summary ) + PYQ + Test Series Solved.
• Post-Independence: PYQ + Test Series Solved.
• World History: PYQ + Test Series Solved.
• Indian Society: Sociology optional material + PYQ.
• World’s Physical Geography: My Notes from Class 11th and 12th Physical Geography NCERT.
• Important Geophysical phenomena & Geographical Features: Only PYQs.
• Distribution of Natural Resources: Rau’s Mains Compass Material + PYQ.

GS-2

• Polity: Laxmikanth + PYQ + Test Series.
• Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation: Mains 365.
• Development processes and the development industry: PYQ only.
• Welfare Schemes, Health, Education, Human Resources, Hunger & Poverty: Mains 365.
• Governance & Role of Civil Services: Only IAS Governance PDF.
• IR: Rau’s mains compass selected chapters + PYQ + Test series.

GS-3

• Economy: Rau’s mains compass selected chapters + PYQ.
• Agriculture, Liberalization, Infrastructure & Investment: Rau’s mains compass selected chapters + PYQ.
• Science & Technology: Mains 365 + PYQ
• Environment & Disaster Management: Mains 365 + PYQ.
• Security: Only PYQ.

GS-4

• Only 4 solved paper from Lukman + solved paper Rau's mains test series + solved 5 years' PYQs.

GS-1 Approach (128 Marks)

I was aware that this paper is more of static than others. As a result, I repeatedly reviewed the same pre sources of history and geography. Instead of wasting much time reading medieval history, I paid the necessary attention to the Indian society (70–75 marks) component and prepared it using my optional readings. They've also raised the bar for the social questions, so I'd advise you give this section it’s due respect. I made diagrams instead of maps to better explain the physical geography concepts . I always tried to first comprehend the question's requirement before dissecting it into several sub parts to provide a thorough response in the 15 markers.

Sociology Sources (288 Marks)

You can prepare for Sociology by going from basic to advanced but remember that it is easy to understand socio as all the topics in the syllabus are familiar ones but a lot hard to remember the thinker's viewpoints. So, my friend you will have to do a lot of mugging. I've covered my basics and full mains preparation from these sources.

• Basic: 11th & 12 NCERT and Sleepy classes videos
• Advanced: Essential sociology by Nitin Sangwan + Tusharanshu sir notes + a lot from Triumph IAS Website + Yaksh Chaudhary copies + Neha Bhosle mam copies Test series - IAS Gurukul solved (to add more contemporary thinkers)

Sociology Paper-1 Strategy (171 Marks)

Do not just dump thinkers in each question without understanding it. Use thinkers to substantiate your arguments and always write critique thinkers to show diverse viewpoints. Write your answersin simple English, please refrain to use much of unnecessary sociological jargons. Best way which I recommend is to use keywords and underline them. Make two to three model answers from each topics in your own language and memorise them. And then when you read solved questions of chronicle or any test series , just improve the content in your answers. This exercise will help you in learning limited content and you will eventually learn to correlate thinkers from paper1 to paper2 , contemporary problems to early theories.