Shreya Shree AIR 71 IAS  2021

Introduction

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Shreya Shree AIR 71 IAS  2021

In her first attempt, Shreya Shree received a 71st-place finish in the Civil Services Examination.

Shreya ( Shreya Shree AIR 71 IAS  2021 ) had attended a government school in Singrauli, a less affluent district of Madhya Pradesh, where she completed her class 10 and 12 education. Following this, he immediately enrolled in IIT Kanpur, where he earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees. He chose to study for the UPSC exam after completing his postgraduate work.

Without receiving any guidance, she succeeded in obtaining this position on his second try.

Shreya (Shreya Shree AIR 71 IAS  2021) reveals that Dinesh Chaudhary, her father, once served in the Indian Air Force. He worked as a clerk or cashier in the former Allahabad Bank and the Indian Bank before retiring after 20 years of service. Only while her father was working for the Air Force did Shreya become inspired to volunteer for the country. In addition to this, Shreya’s mother Sangeeta Chaudhary encouraged her to sit the UPSC exam before applying for any other jobs.

Let us notify you that 180 individuals will be hired for the position of IAS this year, as per the information on the positions. Of these, 72 general category applicants will be appointed to the IAS. Since Shreya is ranked 71st, she is certain to get selected for the IAS. He recalled his father’s constant advice to only prepare if you want to become an IAS. Today’s achievement is only a result of the planning done with the same mindset.

Marks sheet

Strategy for prelims

DON’TS

1. Do not discuss GS Qs or answers with anybody.

2. Do not try to self-evaluate your GS performance.

3. Do not leave the centre without appearing for the CSAT paper, irrespective of how bad your GS paper went.

DOS

1. Have proper food + water + any other refreshments you are carrying

2. Try to sit in a cool place/ indoors/ under a tree shade.

3. Hydrate yourself.

4. Rest your mind. Listen to music/ try to take a nap/ talk to a non-UPSC aspirant friend who motivates you in case you are feeling low after 1st paper.

5. If you do have something to revise, try to finish with that by 1 pm.

6. Re-enter the exam hall on time, i.e. around 1:30 – 1:40 p.m.. Relax yourself at your seat. Take some deep breaths etc.

7. DO NOT LET ANYTHING SHAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE. Until you have the question paper and OMR sheet in hand, you still have a chance of making it. Go in with this belief in yourself.

Strategy for Ethics

Since 4 days have already passed since Prelims, I hope everyone is back on track to prepare for the upcoming phases. As  I have written earlier, Ethics and Essay must be dealt with earlier as they are areas in which higher scores are possible but are often neglected.

My GS-4 score: 120

Approach for Ethics

1. Sources:

    – Vision Value Added Material on Topic Wise Ethics

    – PYQs + solutions

    – Toppers’ copies

2. Notes:

   – I preferred making my own notes for Ethics.

   – I initially read Lexicon on advice of seniors, but didn’t find it very useful according to the changing pattern of the examination.

    – My notes were based on Vision VAM, which I will be sharing on my channel.

    – Apart from topic wise notes, I only made compilation of examples and quotations for Ethics paper, which I used liberally in the exam.

3. PYQs: (Shreya Shree AIR 71 IAS  2021)

   – It is essential to attempt PYQs on your own, rather than just looking at other solutions.

   – My approach had been to separately prepare Introduction, Body, Conclusion as well as Diagrams. (I will be sharing these on my channel as well)

   – Preferably, discuss your solutions with a peer group. I benefited greatly by exchange of points as well as alternative structures in answers.

   – While preparing answers to PYQs, pay attention to structuring of the answer and meeting the demand of various questions.

   – Use my answers to get an idea on structuring as I felt it has been a strong area in my Mains preparation.

4. Case Studies:

  – In recent years, case studies have been become lengthier and unconventional.

  – My approach has been to answer to the point in case studies rather than have a mechanical approach to answers.

  – Try to be creative in your structuring of Case Studies as there are 6 cases in the paper and using the same way of answering all of those could make it monotonous for the examiner.

5. Mock tests:

  – Writing practice is essential for Mains Preparation.

  – I attempted 4-5 FLTs of Ethics as well as time bound writing of answers between Prelims and Mains.

  – The most important aspect is to get your answers evaluated and analysis the feedback you’ve received.

  – DO NOT PAY HEED TO THE MARKS. Instead, PAY ATTENTION TO THE FEEDBACK FOR IMPROVEMENT.

  – That being said, take everything with a pinch of salt. Use your discretion in selectively following advice that is practical and relevant for you as everyone has a unique approach to the exam.

6. Toppers Answer Copies

  – These have been crucial for understanding approach to the exam.

  – I referred to the answer sheets of Vishakha Yadav Ma’am (2019) and Divya Mishra Ma’am (2020) extensively.

All the very best! In case you have any further queries, feel free to drop them in the comment box or reach out to me at instagram.com/shreya_shree_71. I will answer your queries in subsequent posts.

️ Strategy for Essay

Essay Preparation is crucial, even for those who have experience with writing. UPSC Essay Writing is a different ball game than all the other creative writing we usually do. The most fundamental issue is how to *start* writing essays in general, and the specific essay in question once we sit with the pen and paper.

Essay Score: 130

1. Sources:

   – Toppers’ Copies

   – Vision compilations on various frequently asked Essay themes

  – Extensive reading of fiction and non-fiction books in my spare time (NOT Advisable for those who do not have a habit of reading in the prelims-mains gap)

2. How to start preparing for Essays:

  – It is advisable to start by reading some essays of previous year toppers, especially those who have secured high marks in the essay paper.

  – Those hopeful of writing Mains this year can gain most by analysing the essays of toppers that you read in terms of the structure and elements that you can inculcate in your own essays as well as things that you like and don’t like in their essays.

  – The most important step is to start writing. Just write. It is possible that in the beginning, one may not be able to write beyond 400 words. It is completely alright. One cannot complete a journey until they place the first foot forward.

  – Try to get your essays evaluated. Ask for specific feedback regarding *structuring* of your essay rather than merely content. My experience has been that evaluation feedbacks generally list out extra dimensions that could be used in the essay without paying heed on how to structure them for making the best impact through your essay.

3. How to start writing your own essays:

 – My approach has been to first form an outline of what I intend to write. It includes the sections I would make, flow of my essay as well as examples and quotations I would be using in the essay.

 – Initially, one can spend 30-45 minutes on creating this outline and 90-100 minutes in writing the essay itself. Slowly, this has to be brought down to around 15-20 minutes for the outline and 65-70 minutes for writing the essay.

 – If you have a peer group, I have personally found it beneficial to coordinate on the topic of the essay and then reading each other’s work to gain newer perspectives on the topic. This also gives a sense of discipline.

4. How to improve upon your essays:

  – Getting your essays evaluated and working on inculcating the feedback.

  – Go back to the Toppers’ Essays you’ve already read or different essays from the same or different topper and observe how they deal with the common issues. For eg, I used to have difficulty in connecting one paragraph to the next. So, I observed what kind of connecting words and phrases are used as well as the sequence in which themes are mentioned in the essay to provide an organic flow.

  – Re-read your own essays after a gap of 1-2 weeks. In this duration, we generally get newer ideas as well as become more open to critiquing our own work. Do this with a red pen in hand and correct mistakes as you go.

  – Work on justifying your arguments. Wherever you think of an argument connected to an Essay topic or theme, try to think about justifications and counter points as well, liberally sprinkled with examples.

5. I don’t read many books. What do I do now?

  – Since limited time is available now, you can use some shortcuts. For eg, there are several compilations which explain the central idea of the book in 5 minutes or less. One can use those.

  – Books are NOT the only source of great ideas. Essays provide a wide latitude to express your own creativity. Use this to your advantage and play it to your strengths.

  – Another way is to compile the good ideas and quotations you read from toppers’ essays in a separate note. Revising these regularly would help in recall and execution. I would be providing my own list of examples and quotations. You can add your own to it.

6. Integrating Ethics and Essay preparation

 – To avoid repetition of labour, I prepared my list of examples and quotations together for both GS 4 and Essay paper.

 – The philosophers we read for Ethics can also be used liberally in the Essay paper. Just make sure that you have a decent understanding of their work before you mention them in your answers.

 – IT IS BETTER TO MENTION FEWER EXAMPLES, than mentioning WRONG EXAMPLES.

I will be sharing my own Essay answer copies as well as pointers on content and structuring of essays in a separate post. For any queries, feel free to drop them in the comment box or reach out to me at instagram.com/shreya_shree_71.

✳️ Strategy for Economics Optional – Overall

1. Should I opt for Economics Optional?

  – Some basic pointers for choosing any optional can be applied here as well. Favour a subject where:

     ▫️your subject in graduation and/or masters.

     ▫️your interest in the subject

     ▫️availability of study material, mentorship etc in the subject

  – Specific skillsets for choosing Economics optional:

     ▫️understanding and use of graphs

     ▫️analytical approach to concepts

     ▫️patience — as preparation may take more time than some other optional according to your aptitude

2. How to start with Econ Optional?

 – I referred to blogs of Tejasvi Rana Ma’am, Abhijeet Sinha Sir, Abhimanyu Gahlaut Sir and Kumar Anurag Sir to get an idea of how to prepare.

 – From all their blogs, I minimised the book list to 1 book for each portion of Paper 1 that I’ll be using and then stuck with my choice till the end.

 – In the first reading, my focus was essentially on understanding the concepts, despite having a background in economics.

 – I did the note making in 2nd reading of each book, especially for Paper 1 topics.

 – After completing notes, I segregated PYQs from 2010 onwards for Paper 1 and 2014 onwards for Paper 2 topic wise and prepared my own answers. Doing this exercise in a time bound manner was very helpful. Especially because by the end, I was unable to attempt any mock tests for Optional.

3. Note making

 – In Paper 1, it is essential to make your own notes, preferably handwritten. As lots of graphs are required to be made in the exam hall.

 – Do this after 2nd reading of the topics.

 – Use toppers’ notes to (i) get an idea on how to approach note making and (ii) fill the gaps in your own notes

4. Mentorship and Guidance

 – I do not have idea about this as I did my entire optional preparation on my own.

5. Study Material

 – I did my readings from standard books and supplemented them with guidance from toppers’ resources available online.

✳️ Strategy – Economics Optional Paper 1

My score: 132

1. Booklist

  – I referred to blogs mentioned above to shortlist basic books. Listing out the ones I used below:

  – Micro: HL Ahuja (refer Abhimanyu Gahlaut’s blog to sort chapters)

  – Macro: Froyen + Gaurav Agarwal notes (selectively)

  – Trade/ International Eco: Salvatore + speculative attack from Krugman

  – Money & Banking: used Kumar Anurag’s notes

  – Public Finance: studied selectively from both Musgraves and HL Bhatia. Neither felt adequate yet didn’t feel very useful either

  – Development Economics: ML Jhingan + Kumar Anurag’s notes

2. Notes:

  – I made detailed handwritten notes for Paper 1 from the books mentioned above. (Will share scanned copies in a few weeks)

  – Cross-checked my notes with Abhimanyu Gahlaut’s in Microeconomics and Kumar Anurag’s in the other papers; added portions I had missed.

3. Revision:

  – crucial for keeping concepts at the forefront of your mind

  – Please ensure that you revise with a pen and paper in hand and practice the diagrams and graphs each time you revise.

  – Frequency can be according to your study patterns. But ensure atleast 2 revisions of the entire syllabus between prelims and mains and atleast once in the 5 day gap between GS-4 and Language papers during Mains

4. Test Series:

  – I did not join any test series for economics optional or got my answers evaluated by anyone.

  – if you are from a non-economics background, you might benefit from a systematic test series and evaluation.

  – Neha Byadwal (285 marks in Economics Optional) may be contacted for experience with test series.

5. PYQs

  – The Most Essential ingredient in my economics optional preparation.

  – I had sorted the PYQs topicwise and attempted them after revising the portions from my notes. Also went back to the book/ Google in a lot of cases where notes seemed inadequate.

  – Your first emphasis MUST be on framing your OWN answers for PYQs. However, for understanding approach, one can refer to some test papers of Tejasvi Rana Ma’am and Kumar Anurag Sir available online.

  – PYQ solutions of Abhishek Dudhal Sir available on his blog may also be referred. 

   – I will also share topicwise segregated PYQ questions in some time to prevent reduplication of efforts by you.

Strategy – Economics Optional Paper 2

My Score: 132

1. Booklist:

  – Pre-Independence: Tirthankar Roy’s Economic History of India

  – Post-Independence: I read from Uma Kapila’s Indian Economy book to get familiarised with the concepts

  – Dynamic nature precludes a long booklist relevant over time

2. Notes:

  – I preferred digital notes, given the dynamic nature of this paper.

  – Pre-independence notes entirely from Tirthankar Roy. Had plans to read another book but never found the time. In the exam, one book seemed sufficient anyway.

  – For Post-independence, I used the framework of Abhijeet Sinha Sir and Kumar Anurag Sir.

  – On the above framework, I updated recent data using Google, Economic Survey wherever possible.

  – Referred to Vision Mains 365 Economy document selectively because of time constraint.

  – Will be sharing these on my channel. However, they are incomplete in various portions.

3. Revision:

  – I used to write and revise. For the last 5 days, my revision was centred on extremely short notes comprising data, papers and economists list which I quoted liberally in the paper.

  – Did not attempt any FLTs, which could be the reason for nervousness and the consequent penalty marks.

4. Test Series:

  – I did not join any test series for economics optional or got my answers evaluated by anyone.

5. PYQs:

  – Sorted PYQs topic-wise. Prepared my own answers for most topics.

  – Wherever I was unable to complete notes/ revision, I did mental structuring of the sections in the answers and used Abhishek Dudhal’s compilation for some readymade points. These are not sufficient for exams. However, they can be used to provide an idea for certain questions you might be unable to prepare your own answers.

  – I also selectively used EPW articles for preparing answers to PYQs. However a subscription is not essential. Educators like Atish Mathur selectively share useful articles for reference purposes. Those can be used too.

✳️ Note Making for Mains

1. Hand-written vs Digital

   – Initially I started making handwritten notes but switched to OneNote within a few months because:

      > difficult to search in handwritten notes

      > difficult to add on related content/ update with the most recent data

      > shortening notes requires much longer in handwritten

      > the bulk is difficult to carry around, especially when you have to travel to another city for the exam.

      > digital notes are easier to understand even after long gaps, especially as handwriting has a tendency of getting spoiled after writing continuously.

 – My preferred medium was the OneNote for Windows 10 App. I also experimented with Evernote for a while but didn’t like it as much as OneNote.

     > An unintended benefit was that digital note-making had improved my typing speed, resulting in easy completion of paper in RBI Grade B Phase-II which is a computer based subjective exam.

2. Whether or not to make notes of the given subject material?

  – If all the relevant material is available in one place, do NOT make separate notes. Rather, do value addition there itself. For eg. Spectrum, Laxmikanth.

  – If the original source is spread apart, eg. in IR/ dynamic subjects where current affairs are essential, prepare own notes and keep updating with latest data, events etc

  – If the original source can be significantly pared down, DO make your OWN notes. eg HL Ahuja for Microeconomics in Economics Paper 1.

 – Use your own discretion in deciding this. Make sure that the returns on the time you spend making notes is more than preparing the subject material directly from the source.

3. When to make notes?

  – Preferably in your 2nd reading of the given subject.

  – I tried to ensure that 2nd reading was in continuity of the 1st reading.

4. How to include note-making in study schedule?

  – As note-making is very time consuming, we often put it for later.

  – My approach was to allocate time for note-making in my schedule itself. I generally tried to put a timer on how long it would take me to make notes out of any given source.

5. Efficiency ideas for note-making

  – learn ten-finger typing if possible. It is an important life-skill in the current digital age.

  – liberal use of screenshots.

  – do NOT take print outs of every edition after small edits. Save paper. Prefer revision in digital medium itself.

  – use keyboard shortcuts in OneNote for formatting. Personally, neat presentation with bullets etc helps me in recall.

  – use hyperlinks within OneNote to link subject matter. UPSC values well-rounded thinking and awards good marks when your answers are interdisciplinary within the bounds of the demands of the question.

✳️ GS Answer Writing Strategy

It has been almost a week since the Prelims results were announced. I hope those who got the call for Mains are moving full steam ahead. Here are answers to the FAQs posted in the previous post.

1. Answer writing practice – when should I start?

• The earlier the better. If you haven’t done any answer writing so far, start TODAY. Practice writing in UPSC format answer writing notebooks, atleast 1-2 answers each day, preferably with a timer.
• Those who have done answer writing previously may focus more on value additions and practice mainly through FLTs. Still, completely skipping on answer writing is not advisable.

1. Quantity vs Quality in Answer Writing Practice

• Quality is any day more important in answers. The quantum of answer writing practice becomes more important from the perspective of improving speed.
• Try to strike a balance between both aspects.
• Focus more on REVIEWING your own answers apart from getting them evaluated. REVISE not just notes but also your own answers.

1. Test Series

• I have personally only joined Vision IAS test series but didn’t like the quality of review. I relied more on good quality evaluations from other sources.
• My focus was on attempting max no of PYQs between Prelims and Mains.
• I do not have personal experience on Mains Test Series. Hence I will be unable to provide guidance on any of GS, Essay or Economics Optional Test Series.

1. No of tests between Prelims and Mains

• No fixed number that works for all. Find your own balance.
• I focused on completing PYQs. Towards the end, attempted 3-4 FLTs of each GS Papers in a Mains Simulator format ( 2 days, 2 3-hr papers in the exact slot)
• For essays, I tried to write an FLT every alternate weekend at the least.

1. Tests for language papers – English, Hindi etc

• Did not write in FLT format. Did practice PYQs 1 question a day and got it checked for spelling mistakes.
• Prepared a compilation of translation of commonly used words and revised Synonyms, Antonyms etc from a high-school level grammar book

1. Necessity of completing the paper

• It is STRONGLY ADVISED to practice completing all Qs in the 3 hr period. One must remember that even when we are not doing this, there are others who will be.
• My approach: While practicing, use a lap timer app to sound an alarm of 7 minutes for 10 marker Qs and 10 minutes for 15 marker Qs. Make sure to turn over the page quickly after the alarm sounds. Consistently practicing significantly helped me and some of my peers in improving their speed.
• Wherever you don’t have a lot of content, use diagrams and flow charts to fill up space. Refer to Shubham Kumar (AIR 1, CSE 2020)’ s GS1 answer copies to get an idea of how to do it without seeming obvious that you don’t know the complete answer.

1. Understanding the Question and addressing each demand

• For Question keywords like Elucidate, Analyse, Critically Analyse etc, one can refer these link 1 link 2
• While attempting, underline the separate demands of the question you have identified and make sure to make separate subheadings for each of those parts in your answer.
• Preferably, put the subheadings IN A BOX. In GS, it is advisable to use the keywords in the question to frame the subheadings, rather than Essay paper style creative subheadings.

1. Writing good answers

• While there is no set formula for writing good answers, some subject specific pointers would be shared in upcoming posts.
• Ensure that you attempt ALL the questions and try to fill as much of the space available in the answer sheet as you can.

1. Making answers concise

• Try to be well versed with the keywords in the specific subject. Using them significantly reduces the no of words required.
• I preferred bullet points format for answers.

10. Self Evaluation

• I preferred getting my answers evaluated by others and reviewing the evaluation received.
• Those who would like to do self evaluation can refer to previous year topper’s answer copies as well as peers writing this Mains. However, the latter might not be possible as different candidates would be having different priorities before the exam.

10. Effectively using notes while preparing

• Do not run after the material being posted by toppers rn.
• Prefer your own notes for last minute revision. Wherever you have gaps, use toppers’ notes selectively only for those parts.
• At the end of the day, what matters is not all the content present in the notes you referred to, but the content you put on the paper.

10. Enjoying the process, keeping the motivation up

• All those of us who have given an important period of our lives in this preparation are here out of our OWN free will, our OWN choice. Remembering this from time to time makes the pressure manageable
• The opportunity of writing the Mains is in no way small. 1 out of every 13 of those writing Mains will see their names in the final PDF. Why not BE that one?

IAS AIR 1 from 1987 to 2021

Aspirants Questions

Is 1 year enough for IAS preparation?

IAS preparation can be completed in a year. If one prepares well with the appropriate guidance and UPSC test approach, one does not need to enrol in coaching for the IAS exam.

Can I prepare for UPSC at home?

UPSC CSE exam pattern and Eligibility

An evaluation of personality is done throughout the interview. For the exam, you must have graduated in any subject. Less money is required to train for the civil service at home than in a classroom.

Is Ncert is enough for UPSC?

For IAS Prelims preparation, the NCERT books for classes 9 and 10 are also suggested but not required (in case they have enough time).

What should we study for UPSC?

• Indian History Notes – Indian History and Culture.
• Indian Polity Notes – Constitution, Social Justice etc.
• General Science Notes – Science and Technology.
• Environment Notes – Biodiversity, Climate Change etc.
• Current Affairs Notes – National and international.
• Geography Notes – Indian and World Geography.
• Economics Notes – Indian Economy.

Is 4 hours enough for UPSC?

You might find it difficult to believe, but experts and upsc toppers recommend that an IAS aspirant spend at least 6 hours every day studying for a full year..

What is the IAS salary?

A baseline IAS officer remuneration of Rs 56,100 is mandated by the 7th Pay Commission. An IAS officer receives a salary as well as other benefits including the Dearness Allowance and Travel Allowance. For a Cabinet Secretary, the base monthly remuneration of an IAS officer might increase to Rs. 2,50,000.

How many hours IAS toppers study?

Some candidates say they spend 15 to 16 hours a day studying for the UPSC exam. Others pass the exam after only spending 6-7 hours a day in study.

Is math compulsory for UPSC?

Mathematics is one of the optional subjects comprising two papers in the Civil Services Mains Exam administered by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) (Paper I and Paper II). For CSE 2022, the Maths Optional will be the same as it was for 2021.

Is physics necessary for UPSC?

In order to pass the UPSC prelims exam, you must pay close attention to a few mandatory courses including history, geography, political science, sociology, and general science, which comprises physics, chemistry, biology, and mathematics.

Which subject should I start first in UPSC?

You can start with any subject and work your way up to class 12 after selecting it. However, it is preferable to start with Indian Polity NCERT books for UPSC due to the weightage and ease of the syllabus.

Which app is best for IAS preparation?

1. Online Tyari. One of the most well-known and well-respected websites and mobile applications for UPSC preparation is Online Tyari.
2. IAS corridor. One of the most well-known, affordable, and top smartphone and web apps for UPSC preparation is IAS Corridor.
3. ClearIAS. .
4. IASbaba UPSC & IAS Preparation app.
5. VISION IAS.
6. Civilsdaily.
7. Unacademy Learning App.
8. BYJU’S – The Learning App.

Can a average student crack UPSC?

The answer to the question, “Can an average student crack IAS?” is YES! We provide a few success stories of aspirants who had “average” grades but nevertheless passed the exam, demonstrating that you don’t have to be the top student to pass the IAS Exam.

How can I study 16 18 hours a day?

Staying Focused for Long Hours

Avoid being distracted.
To finish a task, set a timer.
Drink a lot of water.
Spend at least 15 minutes in meditation.
After concentrating on one task, switch to another.
On your study table, write a success slogan, and hang a calendar or wall hanging with inspiring phrases.

Who is youngest IAS in India?

Ansar Shaikh IAS

Ansar Shaikh’s UPSC success story describes how he overcame obstacles to become the youngest IAS officer in India. Success tale for IAS Here is how Ansar Shaikh overcame a difficult childhood where he witnessed domestic violence and alcoholism to become an inspiration to millions.

Can I crack IAS in 1 year?

Yes, it is the answer. No matter how challenging the UPSC exam is, one year of dedicated preparation is all that is needed to pass the IAS exam. The UPSC administers the IAS test, usually referred to as the civil services exam, once a year.

Which post is highest in UPSC?

The Cabinet Secretary

The Cabinet Secretary is the highest civil official in India’s government and holds the top IAS position.

Do IAS get pension?

IAS officers have access to a lifetime pension option. Since January 1, 2004, the retirement facility for all government employees (apart from those in the military forces) has undergone renovations.

Do IAS trainees get salary?

During the training time, the learner is compensated. 45000 rupees are given to each trainee. However, it is reduced by the number of mess and other facilities. Thus, the total sum they get is 38,500 rupees.

How UPSC ranks are decided?

The candidates’ ultimate ranking would be based on the marks they received in the Main Examination (written portion as well as interview). According on their exam scores and the services and jobs they expressed a desire for, candidates will be assigned to various services and positions.