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Showing posts with label Prelims. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prelims. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

TEST SERIES

Everybody takes rest series for prelims. But analysis post the tests is as important as attempting it. Here's how you should analyse the attempted tests. 

POST - TEST ANALYSIS 

1. Try to complete the test within1.30 - 1.45 hours. Don't wait till the last minute to attend the questions. 

2. After checking the answer key and finding out the marks, whatever the marks might be , don't feel overwhelmed or underwhelmed. This is not the final marks. 

3. Then, go by each and every question. 
Things to look out for - 
* Why you got this question right/ wrong 
* If you got the question wrong , is it because of knowledge gap , silly mistake, or partially known statements. 
* If you got the question wrong by knowledgeable gap or silly mistake, be careful and try to avoid it later in next tests. 
* If it's because of partially known statements, then don't worry, take it as a learning solution. 
* Even if you got the question right, although you were not 100% sure of the answer, take notes of the solution in your own material/source/notes. 

4. Make a table - 100 question numbers in the row. In the column, add these - KG ( knowledge gap) , silly , partially known (50-50) , total guesswork. 

5. In this, you mark down your answers accordingly in the table. Find out, where is the most negative marking going to. 
* If it's silly mistake, then you need to practice more. Give tests everyday. 

* If it's knowledge gap, partially known statements or total guess work , then take down the notes from the solution for these questions and try to add it your own notes/material / source. 

This process will help you in several ways as mentioned below : 

- no need to take the question paper and revise it again.

- when revising a topic, you will be recalling the value addition from test series too. 

- no last minute hassles of seeing the lengthy solution booklets. 

- easy photographic memory. 

- wholesome topic wise revision. No need to search separately for value addition. 

- less errors of getting the same question wrong in later upcoming tests. 

This process is the easiest and takes only another 1.30 -- 2 hours at most. 
You need not revisit the question paper or the solution for reviewing again. 
All will be organised at one place. 
Do try this method for Post test series analysis. 



Monday, September 15, 2025

Resources for prelims

Booklist and the resources differ from person to person. An aspirant may use a plethora of resources, books, online materials etc... to develop and work on their content , thus curating their own notes in the process.

Personally, I used the following resources in my preparation. 

Subject wise 
1. Polity 
- laxmikant 
- video lectures of Sarmad Mehraj sir 
- video lectures and crisp notes of Atish Mathur sir
- 11th Std NCERT

2. Economy 
- Nitin Singhania book
- TN state board 11th and 12th economy book 

3. Modern History 
- Referred books - Spectrum, Bipin Chandra's Modern India 
- made my own notes from the above books and revised multiple times.
- created a separate table for personalities, their books , newspapers, journals and associations.
- Themes of history books NCERT

4. Art and culture 
- 11th Std NCERT 
- Nitin Singhania - made notes from it 

5. Ancient and medieval history 
- TN state board books - made notes from it. 

6. Science and technology 
- Current affairs 

7. Environment 
- PMFIAS book 
- current affairs 

8. Geography 
- 11th and 12th NCERT - made notes from it. 
- PMFIAS website materials

9. IR for prelims 
- maps and current affairs 

10. CSAT 
- Mind for math youtube channel 
- AICSSC TN youtube channel 
- ARIHANT CSAT topic wise PYQ compilation.

Apart from all these resources, I used Oswal PYQ compilation topic wise and visionias monthly current affairs material.