History occupies a significant place in the UPSC exam. It is in the interest of the candidate to prepare history in a comprehensive manner. The trend in UPSC has been such that the questions from the history
syllabus occupies about 15 to 20% of the total questions in the prelims exam. This means that about 20 questions which is 40 marks is the weightage of history in the prelims exam approx. Thereby, it is
important that every candidate ensures that he/she can make the most of these 40 marks. Likewise the focus on history will ensure greater number of marks in the essay paper and in the GS1 paper of the mains
examination.
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One of the most daunting aspects in the preparation of history is the vastness of the syllabus. Many a times candidates ask questions such as history is so vast, where do I start studying from?, which books
to study from?, whether to study from the new NCERT or the old NCERTS? In order to address these doubts and simplify the preparation we'll tell you how to read history books for prelims and mains examination.
There are five parts to history.
Of these, ancient history, modern history and medieval history from the perspective of art and culture is of importance for the preliminary examination. World history is not of importance for the preliminary
examination. We'll now list out the set of books that can be studied for history. Each of these books is of utmost importance and should be read and revised religiously.
- NCERT Class VI - Our Past
- NCERT Class VII - Our Past -I
- NCERT Class VIII - Our Past II and III
- NCERT Class IX - India and the Contemporary World – I
- NCERT Class X - India and the Contemporary World – II
- NCERT Class XII- Themes In Indian History
- NCERT Class XII- Themes in Indian History – II
- NCERT Class XII - Themes In Indian History – III
- Class XI An Introduction to Indian Art (Art & Culture)
- Class XI Ancient India (R.S. Sharma)
- Class XI - Medieval India (Satish Chandra)
- Class XII Modern India (Bipin Chandra)
- Most important - Ancient History, Medieval History, Modern History, Art and Culture, World History class notes of Sharma Acdemy
The rest of the books are to be studied completely. In saying completely we mean word to word. Each book has to be read thinking that it is of important and it has relevance for the exam. We would not be
exaggerating in saying that one should have read and revised all the NCERTS close to about 50 times. upsc coaching in balaghat
Studying Ancient History, Medieval History with Art and Culture
Ancient history in the prelims examination has approx. 5 to 8 questions. These questions mostly test factual knowledge of the candidate. In the recent years the focus has been on combining history with
some elements from art and culture. Ancient history creates a base for the study of medieval and modern history. With the study of ancient history one can appreciate the social structure, culture, art,
architecture and polity of the years that will follow.
Ancient history comprises of the study of the Stone Age, the Harappan civilisation, the Indus Valley the Vedic age, Buddhism, The Mauryan Age, The Sangam Age, The Gupta's, The Southern Dynasties and the
study of art, culture and religion of ancient India. The topics mentioned here, above are not exhaustive but are indicative.
The list of books mentioned above is more than sufficient to cover all these topics. It is expected that the candidate read each of the above books word by word and line by line. It is in the interest of
the candidate to not skip any part of the book. What are the tricks to understand question the nature of the questions that may be asked by UPSC is by looking into the previous year papers. One more way is
to read all the NCERT books in the first reading and then revise the same over and over again. After which one should solve the previous year questions. Upon solving these questions one will understand
the type of knowledge that UPSC expects a candidate to possess. upsc best coaching in balaghat
Let us now look into the study of art and culture for UPSC prelims. On an average about 4-6 questions comes from this topic. It is been observed that year after year the difficulty in the questions coming
from art and culture has been progressively increasing. Keeping this in mind one has to focus on the fact that out of these six questions one can get at least three questions correct, which means that one
needs to have at least 50% accuracy. Thereby, one has to understand that no amount to studying of this topic will give you hundred percent accuracy and neither will any prescribed book give you hundred
percent results. With this in mind one can rely entirely on the NCERT books and pick whatever is of importance from the angle of art, architecture and culture and study the same. Another strategy would
include studying standard books like Nitin Singhania. Which brings us to the point that no matter which book you study art and culture from the most important aspect
would be for you to revise each and every word of what you studied as many times as possible. Another point of importance is that every candidate must keep an eye out for events of current importance and
significance which has any correlation with art and culture.
upsc coaching in balaghat. Such events of current importance have been constantly asked by UPSC in the exams. Such events will be bundled with factual elements of art and culture and will
figure as questions in the question paper.
Studying Modern Indian History
Modern history continues to occupy a vital position in both the prelims and mains exam. In order to study modern history accurately, one has to understand its structure. Modern history can be divided into
a number of phases, from the initial arrival of the Europeans which then later on culminates into various wars between the Europeans for supremacy in India, which finally results in establishment of the
British rule in the Indian Sub-continent. This progress into the era where in the initial seeds of uprisings begin in India, along with this, India also witnesses various social and religious movements
which also contribute to the rise of India's nationalism. In totality this progresses into a full-fledged freedom struggle which culminates into India's struggle for independence, which finally leads to
India's independence in the year 1947. Understanding the structure in the above manner and studying history in a chronological timeline will enable better retention and better revision.
For the learning of modern Indian history, we would strongly suggest that one studies the NCERT portions of modern Indian history thoroughly and modern history class notes of Sharma Academy. Along with this we would suggest the study of the book 'A
Brief History of Modern India' by Spectrum publications which is authored by Rajiv Ahir. This book by spectrum and class notes of Sharma Academy are sufficient for modern Indian history. We must warn you that the book in itself is
slightly bulky. The book is more than 700 pages in size and will appear to be challenging to most candidates. Yet, we would suggest that each page of this book be done thoroughly. The strategy to follow
to do this book was to do about 35 pages every day. Thereafter continue to revise this book regularly. Only way to remember all the facts, events and timelines in history.
In conclusion, we would like to add that the study of World history and all its parts such as ancient, medieval and modern Indian history is of utmost importance to all the stages of this exam. upsc best
coaching in balaghat. Although difficult every candidate must strive to study all these portions with utmost sincerity.
All of this content is available by Sharma Academy website, notes and video lectures.
Guide to prepare Environment to crack UPSC. best upsc coaching in balaghat
Environment and its related aspects has been of great interest to UPSC in the recent years. This is in turn has translated into a greater number of questions being asked from the environment syllabus.
Questions from the environment portion are mostly factual, having some elements of theoretical study of the environment while being linked to current affairs. Therefore it is easier to score great
marks from the environment portion. Topics such as climate change, global warming, international summits and protection efforts of flora and fauna have been topics of interest to UPSC.
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If one were to carefully analyze the trends in the number of questions that UPSC has asked in the last 10 years it can be seen that on an average 15 to 16 questions are directly or indirectly related
to the environment section. Therefore it would be necessary for a candidate to study the section comprehensively.
Books and Material for the Environment
- Any yearly magazine on India for environment.
- Newspaper and Current Affairs
- Monthly Current Affairs magazine
- Class notes of Sharma Academy and video lectures
How to prepare?
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At the outset we would like to say that the Sharma Academy class notes on environment is more than sufficient for the study of the environment syllabus. The class notes covers all the topics and concepts along
with current affairs which is of importance for the exam. Therefore it is recommended that this class notes be done. balaghat upsc coaching
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Besides doing this it is also important to look at the diagrams, flowcharts and illustrations that the class notes has many times Such things will come in the form of questions in the exam and can also
be used by aspirants during writing mains answers.
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Some of the important things that UPSC tends to focus is on matters of national and international organisations which conserve and protect the environment, about issues of biodiversity, about new
inventions and technology that helps combat climate change and pollution, on India's flora and fauna, India's National Parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves. It also focuses on matters of
current importance such as endangered species, conservation efforts, matters of social importance, tribal issues etc.
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Therefore, it is imperative to study the textbook and simultaneously integrate it with the current affairs. The aim of studying environment would largely be restricted to the prelims exam. In
doing so, one can also score very well if any question were to arise from topics relating to conceptual nature in mains.
We would suggest that you pay attention such to all the government summits at the national and international level, efforts by the Union environmental ministry and other state-level initiatives by the
government. One has to understand these initiatives and the background to which they are being undertaken. In order to understand the way in which UPSC would ask questions from environment. It is
essential to solve the previous year questions related to environment. The analysis of such questions will give you an insight as to how you should be studying. In addition to all this preparation, we
would suggest that every candidate should refer to one yearly magazine on issues related to the environment. Balaghat UPSC coaching in balaghat.
UPSC point of view to understand Indian Geography,World Geography and also guide to read maps, Atlas. best coaching for upsc in balaghat
Geography is another subject of importance to both the prelims as well as the mains examination. The scope of geography can be divided as the study of,
- Indian Geography
- World Geography
- Study of Maps and Atlas
Keeping the above scope of geography in mind, a candidate should prepare accordingly. We shall now highlight a few important areas from the subject of the geography. These are as follows,
- The study of the earth and its interiors such as earthquakes, volcanoes, composition of the earth, plate tectonics, landforms etc.
- The study of the climatic regions of India and the world, this will also include the study of various climatic and weather related phenomenons.
- Candidates will have to study about the oceans and distribution of currents, the formation of corals, temperature of the ocean and other oceanography related syllabus.
- Candidates will also have to study about the physical divisions of India in terms of climate profile of soil, rainfall patterns cropping patterns, vegetation, flora and fauna.
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Candidates will also have to pay attention to the geography of India and the world in terms of the distribution of natural resources, mineral rich resources and distribution of industries across
India and the world.
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Special attention is necessary in studying the various rivers of India, its place of birth, its distribution across states and its various tributaries on the left bank and on the right bank. This
should be studied in connection with the agricultural pattern in the country and the irrigation potential of such rivers.
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Candidates will also have to possess a deep knowledge about the various weather phenomena that affect India such as the monsoons, distribution of rainfall across India, the weather pattern and
factors influencing the climate of the country.
These, as given above, are some of the main topics with respect to geography. In addition to the above, a candidate will also come various subtopics in the NCERT standard books.
top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat. An understanding of the subtopics will contribute in the overall comprehension of the broad headings given above. Going through the previous year
question papers will also enable one to understand the trend of questions being asked. On a macroscopic note, it would appear from the recent year question papers that the importance of geography has
reduced. Yet, it would be futile to not study geography. Questions based on geography are linked to current affairs, science and technology and the environment. It has also been seen that questions
related to economics can also be associated with geography. Therefore it is important not to ignore the subject based on mere analysis of trends. When coupled with the study of the Atlas, the
questions in the prelims exam show that the understanding of geography is of great importance.
It is important that a candidate solve the previous year questions on geography so as to get a holistic understanding as to the nature of questions that are likely to be asked. Based on this
candidates may study accordingly. We will now list out the set of books that the candidate will have to compulsorily study.
- Geography: NCERT Class VI - The Earth Our Habitat
- Geography: NCERT Class VII-Our Environment
- Geography: NCERT Class VIII - Resource and Development
- Geography: NCERT Class IX – Contemporary India – I
- Geography: NCERT Class X - Contemporary India – II
- Geography: NCERT Class XI - Fundamentals of Physical Geography
- Geography: NCERT Class XI - India - Physical Environment
- Geography: NCERT Class XII - Fundamentals of Human Geography
- Geography: NCERT Class XII - India – People and Economy
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Leong.
- Atlas by Oxford University press or Orient Longman.
- Sharma Academy Class notes
How to study these books?
In order to make effective use of the above listed books, one has to understand the nature of the questions that UPSC is likely to ask. This can be gauged by going through the previous year question
papers. It is widely seen that UPSC tests a candidate in geography on the basis of his or her knowledge of the facts and basic understanding of geographical concepts. Therefore, whenever the textbook
is being read, clean attention to detail is necessary. Even the minutest of details should not be ignored. For example, for an aspirant studying about earthquakes, the aim should not only be to read
about earthquakes as given in the textbook but to also understand the mechanism by which an earthquake occurs. While learning this, the aspirant should aim to understand the various parts of an
earthquake, like the location the focus and the epicentre. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat.
Similarly, the destruction that is caused due to the earthquake is due to the shock waves that are released by the earthquake. The shock waves exist in various forms such as P waves and S waves, this
should be understood by the aspirant. It would also be necessary to know as to what waves travel faster, what waves travel on the surface and what waves penetrate into the structure of the earth.
Thereby, what we mean to say is that a wholesome understanding of any geographical concept is of utmost necessity. In doing so, one also has to pay attention to the diagrammatic representation of an
earthquake; this comes in handy when writing the mains examination answer.
Map Reading – Atlas
The studying of maps can be done by using the Oxford Student Atlas or the Atlas by Orient Black swan. The use of the atlas is multidimensional. At the outset, it primarily enables the candidate to
have a fundamental understanding of the physical and political features of Z countries, continents and states. It also enables a candidate to appreciate the news that comes on a daily basis by
understanding the geographical boundaries of a certain area. It is a known fact that geography influences the political structure, the social structure and economic structure of any country.
Therefore understanding the location of countries, mountains, river systems and other areas geographical significance would be beneficial.
Additional Tips (so as to study Geography of Effectively)
In addition to the above enumerated aspects.We would also like to suggest that every aspirant follows a synergetic approach understanding geography. This goes to say that one has to study the
newspaper, the NCERT textbooks, the standard textbook such as G.C Leong, Sharma Academy class notes and the Atlas side by side. In other words this means you that no single textbook can be alienated from the other. Let me make
this further simpler for to understand this aspect. Take the example of a news article which talks about the occurrence of monsoons. In this article you will see that the newspaper describes the
occurrence of monsoon, its location, the type of rainfall, the type of winds that are blowing because of the monsoon, the effects of monsoon on the physiography of the region, the society and
destruction if any. best coaching for upsc in balaghat
Keeping in mind the above illustration, the candidate has to revisit the textbooks where he or she has studied about the monsoons. Now one has to understand the various types of monsoons that are
given in the textbook i.e., the mechanism of formation of monsoons, the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates, distribution of monsoons in the Indian subcontinent and in the rest of the world, the
type of rainfall that it brings, the distribution of the rainfall across the various months in a year and also the various weather related phenomena that the monsoon is associated with. While doing
so, one has to refer the atlas. In the atlas one has to see the distribution of monsoon in the physical maps and side-by-side in the political maps. Based on the monsoon one can understand the type of
cropping pattern the effect on the society, the type of farming that takes place in that area and the effect of monsoon on the economy of the country. From the above illustration one can understand
the approach of study in an integrated manner. In doing so one can ensure that no corners are cut and an aspirant will able to effectively answer questions in both the prelims and the mains exam.
Correct Approach and sources to grasp Economics as per UPSC. upsc best coaching in balaghat
For someone who has little to no knowledge of economics, the study of economics can be very scary. Almost 70% of persons appearing for this exam will normally be from the engineering background, the
few remaining will be from the science and arts background and they also will have no prior experience in the study of economics. Therefore, one needs to approach economics as if he or she is learning
something from scratch. We would like to add that economics plays a vital role in determining won success in both the preliminary and mains examination. In order to study economics the first step
would be to read the NCERT textbooks relating to economics. Once this is done it would be pertinent to go through one standard book such as Ramesh Singh. In addition to this we have personally used
educative videos on Sharma Academy website about economics and toppers video lectures provided to their students; upsc coaching
Sources for Economics
- NCERT text book classes IX, X, XI, XII
- Indian Economy - Ramesh Singh
- Sharma Academy toppers video lectures provided to their students
- Sharma Academy class notes
- Economic Survey
- Union Budget
- Newspaper
Before starting to study, one has understand that there are two aspects to studying economics. First one has to actively understand the key terms which is of importance economically, such as what is
meant by GDP, GNP SLR, Repo-Rate, Reverse Repo-Rate etc. Post this, the second aspect arises which is to understand and apply these economic concepts into day to day scenarios.
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For example a question in the preliminary examination can be asked about the effects on inflation and as to how inflation increases or decreases the value of money; with such a question both the
economic meaning of inflation as well as the practical applicability of inflation as a concept needs to be understood as well as applied. Keeping this in mind the aspirant needs to study each of the
economic concepts thoroughly. For this the textbooks mentioned above will be of great help. In order to get a hold on the day to day aspects one has to read the newspaper in concurrence the textbooks.
For absolute beginners it would be useful to watch the videos and notes on economics by Sharma Academy toppers video lectures provided to their students. These videos cover the basic concepts of
economics and it also covers the real-life application of these economic concepts. For example the videos would explain about inflation and its theoretical aspects, it will go on to also demonstrate
as to how inflation would affect a consumer, producer and economy as a whole. upsc coaching. Such an understanding of several concepts and economics will be of great help.
Several students and coaching institutes alike emphasise the importance of the economic survey and the union budget. Firstly, these two documents are extremely bulky and the second reason being that
it will be very difficult to re-read them and further revise them. It would be easier to go through a summary on the economic survey which is prepared by Sharma Academy. We feel that this would
suffice while combining it with the study of the newspaper and some current affairs magazine.
Overall, one may find the study of economics maybe new and challenging but with continuous effort and practice; one can effectively study economics very well. One can use books like Ramesh Singh for
reference and for in-depth study. Studying books alone will not be sufficient unless they are revised, so before picking up any bulky book make sure that one can revise them many number of times.
How and Where to start for Polity as per UPSC and guide to understand DD Basu and M. Laxmikanth. best coaching for upsc
Polity is of prime importance for both prelims and mains examination. As we are all aware, the very foundation of the civil services and governance is based on the political structure and the
administrative mechanism that is laid down in the Constitution. By studying polity, we are in turn studying the Constitution, the various administrative and political mechanisms that have been
envisioned by the makers of the constitution. Thereby, the aim of every candidate should be to not only study polity from the perspective of the examination but the focus should be to understand the
political system as envisioned by the constitution of India. Every close to 14-18 questions find its place in the preliminary examination from the polity syllabus. upsc best coaching in balaghat. These
questions are sometimes intermixed with current affairs and events of day to day relevance. Thus, the right approach would be to read the NCERTS and polity by Laxmikanth in connection with the
newspaper. By doing the above, one will have a wider view of polity and will be able to answer almost any question that UPSC will throw at you.
- Sources for Polity
- Class IX NCERT textbook – Democratic Politics-I
- Class X NCERT textbook- Democratic Politics-II
- Class XI NCERT textbook –Indian constitution at work
- Class XII NCERT textbooks
- Indian Politty- M. Laxmikanthh
- Sharma Academy class notes
The sources quoted above are more than sufficient for both the preliminary and the mains examination. In addition, several aspirants and friends of mine during the course of preparation have also
referred to the book which is written by DD Basu on the Constitution of India and the India year book. My genuine advice would be to keep the number of sources minimum and to keep revision in maximum.
best coaching for upsc. Sharma Academy class notes are sufficient for whole content. In addition to this one can read the yearly magazines on polity and have constantly correlated the static syllabus
with a daily newspaper plus one can refer notes and toppers video lectures provided to their students by Sharma Academy.
How to start studying polity?
The primary aim of every candidate should be to understand the NCERT text books. The NCERT textbooks will play a solid foundation in the understanding of basic concepts related to polity. The
textbooks of class IX, X, XI and XII will give conceptual clarity to the student. upsc coaching. These textbooks will ensure that basic concepts are well understood before progressing to standard
textbooks such as Lakshmikanth or DD Basu. Every line in the NCERT textbook is important. In the NCERT textbooks one should not ignore the small boxes illustrative examples that are given in the book;
these contain many important pieces of information which is important for the exam. In these books, all of the chapters are of great importance. The chapters on the preamble, the making of the
Constitution, the fundamental rights, the directive principles of state policy, the various constitutional bodies. Panchayati Raj, amendments to the constitution and important questions at the end of
each lesson should be practised, read and understood thoroughly. The objective should be to read the NCERT as a story in the first instance, after which one has to underline the important points,
followed by picking out points that may be relevant for prelims and mains, then alone should one consider that they have done the book thoroughly. Once the aspirant is done reading every line of these
NCERT textbooks, then alone should they progress to study the Laxmikanthh.
How to study the Laxmikanthh?
The first impression upon seeing the big and bulky Lakshmikanth textbook can be scary and intimidating to any aspirant. This method will try to lucidly pen down so that you will be able to understand
how to make the most out of this textbook.
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The first reading should be the one in which the student reads the entire textbook like a story. Which means in this initial reading the whole objective will be to read the book and understand
whatever it is trying to say without giving specific emphasis on either the details or on trying to focus on what is important.
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The sheer size of the book can scare any student. This should not be reason to skip or leave out any chapter. It is to be noted that each and every chapter of this book is of vital importance.
Therefore one needs to make proper plan as to how one will complete this book. upsc coaching fees
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In the second reading of the book the focus should be on underlining and highlighting the important points. These important points will comprise of information that is vital from the prelims
perspective and from the mains perspective. At this juncture one may ask as to how one can identify what is important: this can be addressed by going through the previous year questions that UPSC
has asked from the polity section. These questions can be found at the back of the Lakshmikanth textbook; it would be highly essential and recommended to do these questions. upsc coaching
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Another important point to be kept in mind is to ensure that the chapters are done in a chronological flow. In this way the candidate will have a continuous flow of thoughts as each chapter in
quality follows a logical order. For example the fundamental rights need to be understood before understanding the directive principles of state policy. Similarly all the aspects relating to the
Supreme Court are listed before all the aspects related to the High Court. Similar to this, the chapter on the President of India and Parliament at the Centre is listed in chapters above the
governor of the states and the state legislative assemblies. Only when students follow the above approach of studying the textbook in a chronological order, will they be able to understand, relate
and compare each of these chapters so as to develop understanding: this will also help in writing excellent answers in the main examination.
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In conclusion, it is pertinent that the aspirants a habit of reading the by relating the information that they have studied to the current affairs that they read in the newspaper. UPSC has a way of
asking questions in the prelims examination wherein it combines static information that is available in the textbook with the dynamic information that is available in the current affairs. For
example there may be a question relating to the Supreme Court: this will contain both factual questions as well as some elements of current affairs. Therefore one should read the newspaper while
keeping in mind the information of the static textbooks. upsc coaching near me
Tips for UPSC Current Affairs and guide to make notes out of newspapers and magazines. upsc coaching fees
At the outset, Firstly many people believe that more is good, this is exactly the opposite when it comes to studying current affairs. In this case less is more. What do you mean by less? It would
mean, simply referring to limited sources such as a daily newspaper plus a monthly magazine and a yearly compilation. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat
These resources alone will be enough to cover the syllabus of current affairs for both prelims as well as the mains. Secondly there is another myth wherein people study current affairs separately for
the prelims and mains; this is an extremely bad practice. There can be no isolation in the study of current affairs for these two stages of the exam.
How to read the Newspaper
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As the subheading suggests, it's all about reading the newspaper. Reading would simply mean going to the newspaper, understanding the contents and being able to comprehend what the newspaper is
trying to tell you. Which means that reading the newspaper does not mean memorising the newspaper.
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It is to be remembered that memorising the newspaper is the most futile approach. If one believes that memorising the newspaper would help in the exam then they are absolutely mistaken. upsc
coaching
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The idea of reading the newspaper should be to a mass knowledge and to frame some sort of opinion so as to be able to write good and informative answers in the mains examination. It also helps
many students gather important words and develop their vocabulary to write better answers.
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Reading the newspaper should enable any aspirant to have a meaningful conversation with a regular person who reads the newspaper on a day to day basis. This would only be possible when the
newspaper is read and not memorised.
- Many of you will ask whether it is important to make notes from the newspaper, this is to be a time consuming process. Also it would be very difficult to do this on a daily basis;
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For an aspirant who just started preparing for the exam reading a newspaper will definitely take a few hours. The reason it takes a few hours is not because the newspaper is bulky, it is because
the aspirant does not know what to read and what to exclude. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat
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The question is what should I be reading? To understand as to what one should read, it is important that the aspirant be thorough with the syllabus of the exam. When he or she knows the syllabus
of papers of general studies, it would be easy to decipher as to what news is important from the newspaper and what is not as important.
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Another valuable suggestion is to read the newspaper then and there. Which means that you do not to get into the practice of stacking newspapers and postponing reading them and thinking that you
will read all of them together on a Saturday or Sunday; this will never happen. Read it on that given day or don't read it at all.
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Reading a newspaper has two aspects; one is to read the news as is, second is to read into the details. For example you might see your headlines stating that ISRO is sending a manned mission to
space. When you read such news, reading the article itself will give you the present status of the main mission and about the recent developments.
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What is actually needed for the exam are the more intricate details. upsc coaching Therefore reading into the article would mean that the aspirant should know about ISRO, the various wings of
ISRO, what are its functions, the types of missions that ISRO launches, the type of launch vehicles it possesses, other countries which have successfully launched manned missions, reasons for the
launch of a manned mission, how the astronauts for such machines are selected etc. Attention should also be paid to the infographics that are printed in the newspaper. These provide valuable
factual information. These are some of the broad guidelines as to how one should be reading a newspaper.
Regarding Monthly Magazine and Yearly Compilation
(Using monthly magazines, online current affairs and Yearly Compilations)
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These monthly booklets on current affairs are absolutely magical. Let us tell you a little bit about these monthly magazines. Every year before 1 month of exam Sharma Academy publishes Current Affairs Notes which cover whole content.
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The best part is that these Sharma Academy Class Notes not only give you the current affairs but also gives you the factual information that is necessary from that piece of news, from the perspective of the
examination.
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- Many aspirants will now ask as to which current affairs magazine is the best? The answer to this question is that every magazine is the same and it just depends on how one uses it.
Regarding Daily Current Affairs (On Various Websites)
- There exists something called daily current affairs which is published on many UPSC preparation websites...
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What this does is, that it takes current affairs from various newspapers such as The Hindu, The Indian Express, EPW, and Economic times and reduces them into current affairs which can be easily
studied by an aspirant.
- We would suggest that notes be made from these daily current affairs websites.
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One can use the daily current affairs from different websites. We would suggest this, as the content here is written very lucidly and is divided paper wise. In addition, the background of each
article is also given. This would aid in making notes easily and in comprehending the issue entirely.
Approach by an Aspirant
Approach for using the daily current affairs website along with the monthly magazine in addition to the yearly compilation is as follows,
- One can utilise the daily current affairs from different websites, then would go on to use the monthly magazine from govt etc. upsc coaching in balaghat with fees
- This is our approach that we would suggest aspirants to use so as to shield themselves against any uncertainty.
How to prepare Science and Tech. for UPSC ? upsc coaching near me
An extremely simple approach to tackle science and technology is, to be up-to-date with the latest developments in the field of science and technology. In order to do this, one has to read the
newspaper regularly and has to do an indepth study of the latest innovations and technological progress that the world wakes up to. Several persons would suggest to go through some science and
technology books or digest, but we would not suggest this approach.
Our approach is simple, we shall list this out in points,
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Regularly read newspaper and go through the daily current affairs section on various websites. In this, any matters related to science and technology would be listed out along with the background
information about the news article. This would be particularly helpful in order to make short notes and quickly study and gather the info from one single source.
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In addition to this, read monthly magazine from which it used to have dedicated section for science and technology. This would be about 10 pages and it would cover the news related to science and
technology of the last one month with all the necessary background information.
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Finally read the yearly compilation of magazines on science and technology, this used to be about 150 pages and it largely covers the whole year's news on science and technology. This would be
sufficient to answer most of the questions in the preliminary examination. upsc coaching in balaghat with fees
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Upon careful examination of the previous year questions related to science and technology in the UPSC paper, one can easily decipher that the science and technology questions are not in-depth and
are not related to the pure scientific aspects itself, but it is in connection with the latest current affairs,
- Thereby studying current affairs properly and reading about the science and technology as listed above will be entirely sufficient for mains preparation.
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Again this is purely our opinion and strategy, and aspirants must be careful to choose the path of study that they wish to take. Many people would advise aspirants to study science and technolgy
books from CBSE classes 9, 10, 11 and 12, however, we do not recommend it.
Importance and Guide of Answer Writing Practice for UPSC. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat
Writing crisp, apt and marks-worthy answers is a valuable tool that every aspirant should possess. Typically one should aim to get more marks in any of the mains papers. In order to do this one has to
have sufficient knowledge, clarity of thought and good presentation skills. Therefore for most aspirants answer writing practice would be essential.
For those a few that come from technical background such as engineering or science you have to ensure that you have sufficient answer writing practice. We would suggest that you follow piece-meal
approach. By this we mean that start by writing one or two answers every single day. Pick any random question on any UPSC website, write the answers and post the same in the discussion column. These
websites usually have peer evaluation. With this you can understand whether your answer is good enough. Even by writing two answers a day you will write more than 700 answers in the entire year. This
will be enough to give you sufficient practice.
Once you clear the preliminary examination join a good test series and write full length papers for three hours and focus on completing every single question. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat. By this we mean that the focus should be on writing all questions and not on leaving any of them. We say this because every
single mark in the mains examination will determine your rank, service, and eventually your career. The focus should be on structuring your answers really well in the form of having an introduction,
body and then a conclusion. In addition to this in questions of art and culture, geography and economics try to add some form of diagram. Try to practise your answers in such a way that you will be
able to write any answer within 7 to 8 minutes. In doing so you will be able to complete your paper and also be able to get the highest marks possible in any of your GS papers.
UPSC Mains GS I preparation guide. top upsc coaching in balaghat
GS paper 1 should be studied from six aspects; these six aspects are clearly laid out in the syllabus that UPSC prescribes. We'll list out the six aspects that you will have to study for this paper,
- Ancient History
- Medieval History
- Modern Indian History
- India's Post-Independence History
- Indian Art and Culture
- World History
How and where to study the above six topics?
1. Indian Art and Culture
Upon taking a look at the previous year question papers it can be seen that the questions pertaining to art and culture is often analytical in nature as against questions of factual content. In order
to answer questions which are analytical it is important to know the basics of art and culture thoroughly. balaghat upsc coaching
One can completely rely on NCERT textbooks and yearly compilations on art and culture along with current affairs which pertain to any form of Indian art, craft, tradition and culture, In addition to
this all the knowledge that one would have accumulated during the study for the prelims examination will be sufficient to answer one the questions in the mains. Good habit would be to develop and
analytical bent of mind while studying the NCERT's.
What do you mean by analytical? Let us give you an example, suppose there is a question on the comparison of Nagara and Dravida Architecture. In such a questions the facts needed is readily available
in the book, these facts are useful for answering questions in the prelims but for the mains one needs to understand these facts from a social cultural economic and political perspective.
To illustrate the above, Nagara architecture temples did not have boundary whereas temples of Dravida architecture had elaborate boundary walls. You will now have to ask yourself as to why such
boundary walls were built? Upon analysis it can be noticed that inside the compound walls there were not only temples but there were also towns, settlements and places of economic importance which
contributed to the trade and commerce of the kingdom of that time. It contributes to social structures such as marriages and classical dance performances happening within temple complexes. By looking
at facts in the above manner it would be very easy to answer questions pertaining to art and culture. The foremost aspect is to have a questioning mind, this way you will answer all questions with
case.
It would also be useful to practise drawing of simple aspects of art and culture in less than 30 seconds. For example, temples of Dravida and Nagara architecture, Buddhist architecture such as stupas
and other such things can be drawn very easily with practice. Such drawings contribute to the answer and will give an aspirant more marks. Remember, every additional mark puts you ahead in the race.
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2. Modern Indian History
Every aspirant that has prepared for the preliminary examination can with relative ease answer questions from modern Indian history. The sources for modern Indian history are,
1. NCERT textbooks
2. A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum Publications.
3. Sharma Academy class notes
With these three sources alone one can get hundred percent of the marks which has been allotted for modern Indian history in GS Paper 1.
3. India's Post-Independence History
India's post-independence history will be anything post the year 1947. For this one can watch, first one is called Samvidhaan and the second one is called Pradhan Mantri. These two shows cover some of
the most significant historical since the dawn of independence in India. These make for an interesting watch and an aspirant can use them a source of entertainment amidst their busy preparation
schedule.
4. Ancient History
Books that are beneficial for ancient history in UPSC are R.S. Sharma's India's Ancient Past, and notes provided by Sharma Academy are sufficient.
UPSC Mains GS II preparation guide. upsc coaching in balaghat with fees
The syllabus of GS Paper 2 contains the subjects of polity, constitution governance, Political and Administrative Structure, Social justice and International relations.
How to prepare for Polity, Governance, Political and Administrative Structure
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The Sharma Academy class notes will serve as the base for preparation relating to all aspects of governance and social justice. Therefore while studying these books for the prelims one should keep an eye out
for all such topics which will have relevance to governance and social justice.
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It is to be noted that all the aspects of governance social justice and polity is drawn from the Constitution and these aspects are explained really well in the Sharma Academy class notes. So by combining
the knowledge relating to Laksmikanth, NCERTS's and current affairs one can answer all questions from this section. top 10 upsc coaching in balaghat
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The book on polity by Laxmikanth will act as a ready source for the preparation of this paper. One will have to know important articles, case laws and quote them in your answers. Thereby it would
be important to know Part III and Part IV of the Constitution along with the various constitutional bodies thoroughly so as to answer any questions with relevant constitutional provisions. Along
with this pay attention to important citations, provisions and keywords which are mentioned by the Supreme Court in the High Court in their various judgements so as to be able to quote them in
your answers. balaghat upsc coaching. Make note of catchy phrases in Lakshmikanth. For example, ‘the preamble is the microcosm of the constitution’, such phrases should be used in answers.
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Also, We would suggest that you make a list of a few important case laws which will fit into almost any answer. For example, Kesavananda Bharati, PUCL, Indra Sawhney, Shreya Singhal etc. such
cases are constitutionally very important and they broadly deal with a wide range of aspects and can thereby be used as a citation in any answer.
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Along with this use monthly current affairs magazines and yearly compilations by institutions which will cater to all the above subjects and will give you the relevant case laws, examples and
content to write answers based on polity, social justice and governance.
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Most importantly pay attention to the newspaper which you read every day. Almost every question on the above topics will have some place in the day to day news. Upon studying and reading one
year's worth of newspaper one will surely have enough knowledge to answer any question based on the above topics with relative ease.
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Be sure to keep an eye out for important names of the committees that have contributed to any aspects of governance, names of important government schemes and programmes, names of case laws,
important pronouncements of the courts and any important amendments to the Constitution which has substantially changed the nature of governance. Such things need to be quoted and mentioned in
every answer so as to add enough weight and substance.
How to study for Economics?
In order to be able to write good answers for questions on economics one needs to have sound knowledge on basic/static concepts relating to economics. Every aspirant that has passed the prelims
examination will have this knowledge as they would have studied the NCERT textbooks, Sharma Academy class notes or Ramesh Singh as the case maybe. upsc best coaching in balaghat
In addition to this it would be important to study the budget and economic survey. One can personally use compilation material and the gist of the budget and economic survey which has been prepared by
UPSC coaching institutes. These compilations will deal with all the key features and aspects of the budget and economic survey and will list them out in a point wise format. This will make the studying
of these two along with revision very easy.
Along with this one will have to read the newspaper regularly and will have to pick up on any news relating to economics. One should also refer to the infographics which contain statistical
information and data. These resources as mentioned above will be sufficient to enable an aspirant to score good marks in economics questions.
UPSC Mains GS III preparation guide. balaghat upsc coaching
The syllabus of GS paper contain issues/aspects relating to,
Science and Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity and the Environment, Security issues and Disaster management
How to study for Environment?
To write good answers on questions pertaining to environment and biodiversity one should have studied the environment class notes by Sharma Academy thoroughly, this would be normally done by any student that
would have written prelims. upsc best coaching in balaghat
Also try practising some simple diagrams to represent some environmental aspects such as food chains, food webs and transfer of energy. Along with this the daily newspaper will also give you
sufficient material to write answers for mains.
How to study for Science and Technology?
The study of science and technology in relation to writing good answers in the mains examination can be done by reading the newspaper and the current affairs compilations. Sharma Academy release a
current affairs class notes which will have all the information related to science and technology with detailed explanation which should be sufficient.
Along with this the yearly compilation can also have a dedicated booklet on science and technology. Studying this alone will be sufficient to answer the questions that appear in mains. The idea always
would be to study less but revise more. upsc coaching near me
How to study about Security Issues and Disaster Management?
Along with reading of the newspaper, Sharma Academy class notes and the use NCERT will be sufficient for answering security related questions. There may be instances where issues related to science and technology can be mixed
with security issues. For example, issues such as crypto currency or cyber terrorism involves both the above aspects. Therefore a holistic understanding of any issue will enable you to answer all
questions.
The same goes for disaster management, current affairs alone will be sufficient to answer questions based on this topic. Just pay attention to international frameworks and India's efforts in combating
disasters. upsc coaching near me. Additionally in the examination try drawing maps and locate the points where disasters have occurred. This will give you more marks.
UPSC Mains GS IV preparation guide. upsc coaching in balaghat
One can approach to this paper by reading lexicon, or notes provided by Sharma Academy etc. With this disclaimer out of the way we will tell you as to how one could prepare for ethics in a few simple
points.
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Take the syllabus of the paper and try to pick apart each and every word that is listed in the syllabus. Google each of these words and their meanings. Each word in the ethics paper syllabus
should be taken as important. For example, the word attitude is mentioned in the syllabus, We would suggest that you google the word attitude, get a definition in a very simple format and try to
define attitude in your own words. A similar exercise should be done with all the words. This simple understanding of all the words will help you define any aspect of GS4 in your introduction.
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Try to collect 20 stories on renowned persons nationally and internationally. Usually the lives of such people will comprise of all the ethical values and aspects that one needs for the ethics
paper. These stories can be used to define any ethical aspect of GS paper four and can be used to substantiate any question. One can pick up stories of Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, Subhas Chandra
Bose, Mahatma Gandhi, Vivekananda to name a few and from the International sphere ,stories of Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks etc to name a few.
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One can also collect stories and examples from recent events to quote in answers. examples can be found upon reading the newspaper daily and numerous such examples can be written down so as to be
used later.
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Also try to remember some of the personal events in your life which have defined you and have shaped you to become the person that you are. Such events can be summarised in short and some ethical
aspect and dimension can be drawn from this. Adding this to answers will help you have a slight edge. upsc coaching fees
- For the section on moral thinkers you can look at short videos on Sharma Academy video lectures or try Sharma Academy notes which have spoken about all these moral thinkers in a lucid manner
Tips to Face UPSC interview like a pro. best upsc coaching in balaghat
The interview or what we would like to call the final frontier of the UPSC exam is probably a very crucial and deciding step in one's selection in the UPSC civil service examination.
The UPSC interview aims to bring out an understanding of a candidate to the board. It maybe regarding the profile of a candidate which may be about their name, education, work experience, hobbies,
achievements etc.
The interview is a dialogue/conversation between the candidate and a set of highly qualified and educated panel of members. Owing to such experience the board usually tries to analyse the behaviour
and the ability to perform under stress. top upsc coaching in balaghat Thereby, in addition to questions related to the profile of the candidate some form of questions asked is based
on the decision making ability, the stand that the candidate will take in some form of dilemma and what type of reaction the candidate would have to a certain situations. The idea is not to test the
knowledge of the candidate as this has already been tested in the prelims and mains examination but it is to assess one’s personality. Thereby the interview stage of the examination is rightly
referred to as a personality test.
The first step to doing well in the interview is to have a solid detailed application form (DAF). The detailed application form is the only piece of paper that the panel has regarding the candidate.
The best part about this is that the DAF is prepared by the candidate themselves. Therefore every candidate possesses control over the DAF and can prepare it in such a way that it can play to their
advantage.
By this we mean that a candidate should only put information in the DAF of which they are sure and confident about. For example, one may have an interest in the game of chess but that does not mean
one have to put my hobby as chess, this may backfire. When one puts something about a hobby it is expected that one possesses holistic information about the same. Therefore one should only put what
one is truly sure about. We say this out of experience as many candidates had overly filled detailed application form. The mantra is to keep it 'short and simple'.
The next step is to prepare questions that you would normally anticipate and prepare answers for the same. For example, one chooses a post as their first preference. Therefore one has to have an
answer prepared as to why he/she had done the same. This is preparing for the obviously anticipated questions. Similarly prepare answers based on degree, city, my hobbies, the reason as to why you
want to be a civil servant etc. These prepared answers should be answered in mock interviews. This will enable you to gauge whether these answers are suitable or whether they need some form of
tweaking. upsc best coaching in balaghat This is where the role of mock interviews plays a crucial part. The takeaway from each of these mock interviews was that to understand yourself better and get
an understanding of what a panel of members will be expecting. Take the criticism that the panel gives you in mock interviews lightly, do not think that you are any less after any mock interview.
We would also like to add that the UPSC interview is far more qualitative then what a mock interview is. Therefore use these mocks just for practice and not as a judge of your performance. Also use
them to try out different strategies and approaches that you would like to take. For example, in one interview try leading the board. In this approach, at the end of every question that you answer try
putting in an interesting aspect of your personality. This will thereby naturally make the board pick up that aspect and ask you the next question. In this way you will lead the interview. In another
mock interviews try to go with the board's flow. This will help you to develop more confidence and enable you to do very well in your actual interview. top upsc coaching in balaghat
Another important aspect that one has too critically remembered is to not lie. Whatever the case may be and however important the question maybe if you do not know the answer say that you don't know.
The board will not hold anything against you for not knowing something. Rather, they will not like it if you lied to the board. Remember that the total experience of the board is most likely five
times your age. Therefore politely say you don't know and the board will move on to the next question.
Pay attention to your clothes and shoes while you attend the interview. Wear something comfortable and make sure that you are confident. If you are wearing a suit make sure that you wear it several
times before the actual day of interview. Also make sure that you are well-groomed. By which mean that you should have a good haircut, nicely shaved and display the traits of an officer. This will
give a positive impression of you to the board. The idea is to be neat, tidy, polished and well-mannered when you present yourself before the board.
The interview at the end of the day is about presenting yourself, your thoughts,your answers. Ensure to answer in a diplomatic and balanced way. The demand of the job is to keep a balance and the
board is looking for a person who is of sound mind and someone who does not display any form of extreme behaviour or ideology. Your answers should reflect constitutionalism and should be
democratically sound. Your opinion on the topic may be anything but the way it is presented should be constitutionally sound. Keep your answer short, crisp and interesting. This will help you sail
through the interview with success. Last but not the least remain calm, sleep well, have good nutrition and go rock the interview. best coaching for upsc in balaghat
How to write an Essay to score high in UPSC ? best coaching for upsc in balaghat
The essay part of the mains examination is often neglected in order to prepare for the GS papers. This should not be done. Therefore, effort should be taken to prepare and practice for this
paper as it would bear good rewards. balaghat upsc coaching
What is an essay?
Simply put, an essay is a short piece of writing which is typically about 500-1000 words, which describes the essay writer's perspective on any given topic. The essay would go to show the writer's
understanding of the topic, analysis, specific ideas, logical conclusions, argumentative abilities and their critical approach to given topic. Therefore, any good essay should contain all the above
aspects and showcase the true nature and the multidimensional approach of one understanding in a given topic.
What is a good essay with respect to the UPSC examination?
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Ideally, the first step would be in identifying the right topic. The right topic would be anything in which you have a personal interest or the one in which can write enough content so as to
justify the topic. When any candidate sees the topics that are given in the UPSC examination, one would notice that there are two of categories; the first being a simple and straightforward topic
and the second being the not so conventional or let's say a philosophical topic.
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The second step would be to plan effectively. Now, the first thing that you have to do is to narrow it down to the two topics which you wish to elaborate on. Note that in the time that you have,
you will have to utilise in planning the essay and jotting down all the salient points which you wish to include in the essay. best coaching for upsc in balaghat
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The third step would be, to plan a structure for the essay. By structure we mean, the way in which you would start the essay, progressively build your arguments in paragraph formats and the way in
which you will conclude the essay. A good essay should begin with an introduction which can be in the form of a story, anecdote or a proverb. By using one of the above techniques one can bring out
the introduction of an essay in the subsequent paragraphs. By using a story, one can captivate the interest of the reader and in this case the person that corrects the essay which will thereby
motivate them to mark the essay higher. Usually, one should adopt an optimistic tone to the whole essay and should avoid excessive pessimism or criticism. It would be prudent and wise to keep a
collection of interesting stories and anecdotes ready so as to readily use them for any topic that may be given.
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The fourth step would be to have a proper body for the essay. A good body will bring out all the multidimensional aspects that you would have brainstormed in the planning process. We have
suggestion for this; use the UPSC GS syllabus in a chronological approach for creating a proper body for essay. By this, we mean that an aspirant can pick out all the aspects of GS such as
history, geography, art and culture and the societal aspects of any topic and use them to structure the essay. Similarly, one can bring out the political, constitutional, legal, social, Judicial
and aspects of international relations in creating a more wholesome essay. In addition to this by using the topics in as economics, environment, security aspects, disaster management, science and
technology one can create a holistic structure and in the body part of the essay. In addition to this one can use all the aspects of GS Paper to bring out certain ethical dimensions which will
give the essay an added edge. One can also choose to add the pros and cons along with the various stakeholders that will be affected or benefited in the above points. All these aspects can be
planned during the initial planning stage and points can be noted down during that time which can be later easily added and writing the actual essay. best coaching for upsc in balaghat
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Finally upon reaching the conclusion, one will have to consolidate their thoughts in a positive or an optimistic manner. As civil servants we have to find solutions to problems that are often
grim, thereby an optimistic conclusion brings out the best in one's character: for this one can address the criticisms that you may have laid out in the body by bringing out powerful, logical and
achievable solutions in a positive manner while including quotes, stories and references of inspiration from the past.
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In order to create a better and distinctive essay in comparison to your peers, one can collect and keep at hand some statistical data, quotes, anecdotes and other interesting stories so as to
easily re-collect and apply them when called for.
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We would suggest that one writes proper side headings and uses proper underlining to highlight one's points. UPSC. Another point that has to be given emphasise on is in creating
proper continuity between paragraphs. By this we mean that each paragraph should have a logical continuity and flow rather than: this can be achieved by using bridge words such as although,
however etc. By doing this the essay will appear more professional and will engage the reader better. upsc coaching in balaghat By incorporating the above said points the aspirant
can write a good essay and can score good marks in the essay paper.