Topper’s Talk with Ishita Kishore AIR-1 | Vajiram & Ravi

Introduction

The speaker introduces the event and welcomes the audience.

• The Institute is presenting two volumes of a book on minority judgments delivered by various benches of the Supreme Court.

• Miss Ishita Kishore, who ranked first in India's civil services examination, will be speaking about her experience preparing for the exam.

Introduction of Miss Ishita Kishore

The speaker introduces Miss Ishita Kishore and highlights her achievements.

• Miss Ishita Kishore ranked first in India's civil services examination.

• She was a student at Wajiram for a 10-month long General Studies course in 2019 and 2020.

• She made a significant difference in terms of marks compared to other top-ranking candidates.

• Her hard work, consistency, and answer writing skills contributed to her success.

Preparing for the Exam

Miss Ishita Kishore shares tips on how to prepare for the civil services examination.

• It is important to make good notes during classes and understand what is important to underline and revise later.

• Daily revision is crucial to retaining information and reducing note size over time.

• Standard books should be followed, including NCERTs for geography, history, and polity. For science subjects or contemporary issues, it depends on one's background knowledge.

• Minimum level of science knowledge should be acquired even if not from a science background.

Importance of Current Affairs and MCQ Solving Skills

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of current affairs knowledge and MCQ solving skills in cracking the UPSC exam.

Importance of Current Affairs Knowledge

• Regularly follow a current affairs magazine or website to stay updated.

• Keep your notes digital for efficiency and easy revision.

• Spend 15 minutes daily making notes from newspapers and another 15 minutes going through a website to create a pool of knowledge that will last throughout the year.

MCQ Solving Skills

• Solve previous year questions (PYQs) regularly to understand areas of focus and priority.

• Use every book in the market to set a minimum level of understanding for each subject.

• Understand not just how to solve questions but also why certain options are wrong or worthy of mention in UPSC papers.

• Focus on language as well as content when studying PYQs, as it will help you better understand future exam questions.

Prelims Journey

In this section, the speaker shares their experience and insights on how to prepare for the UPSC prelims exam.

Mistakes in Questions

• The speaker made five different types of mistakes in one question.

• Elimination is important when answering questions.

• Use options to eliminate incorrect answers.

Test Series

• Test series are important for simulating the exam environment.

• Compare test series with previous year questions to evaluate their effectiveness.

Filling OMR Sheets

• Have a specific strategy for filling OMR sheets.

• Don't waste time on a single question, move on and come back later if needed.

Easy Questions

• There is no alternative to getting easy questions right.

• Silly mistakes can be costly, so be serious about solving easy questions.

Difficult Questions

• Keep fighting until the last word of the last option.

• Be in the spirit that you have come here to solve this question.

Logical Reasoning

• Paper 1 requires logical reasoning and analytical thinking.

Attempting Questions in Prelims

The speaker shares their experience of attempting questions in the prelims exam and provides advice on how to approach it.

Attempted Questions and Strategy

• The speaker attempted approximately 90 questions in all three attempts, with a range of 86-94 questions per attempt.

• Their strategy was to attempt roughly 90 questions, aiming to get above 60 correct answers.

• They allowed themselves room for up to 25 incorrect answers.

• The speaker advises not to spend too much time on difficult questions.

Advice for Approaching Prelims

• The speaker suggests finding a strategy that works best for each individual.

• They advise trusting oneself and intuition when deciding which questions to attempt.

• It is important to be careful with strategy in the first attempt and analyze one's knowledge level before attempting a question.

Importance of CSAT Exam

The speaker emphasizes the importance of taking the CSAT exam seriously and provides tips for preparing for it.

Importance of CSAT Exam

• The speaker stresses the importance of taking the CSAT exam seriously, as many candidates struggle with this section.

• They advise staying attentive throughout the two-hour exam and fighting until the last minute.

Tips for Preparing for CSAT Exam

• Having studied for CAT, the speaker found that material helpful in preparing for CSAT.

• The speaker recommends summarizing newspaper articles to improve comprehension skills.

• For quantitative analysis, the speaker advises breaking down big challenges into smaller tasks and practicing regularly.

General Tips for Prelims

The speaker provides general tips for approaching the prelims exam.

General Tips

• The speaker advises analyzing previous year's papers and keeping important questions handy.

• They recommend following tricks and tips from YouTube videos to prepare for the exam.

• It is important to have a strategy that works best for each individual when approaching the exam.

Importance of Knowledge and Hard Work

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of knowledge and hard work in cracking competitive exams. She stresses that relying solely on tricks and strategies is not enough to succeed.

Knowledge is Non-Negotiable

• The speaker highlights that knowledge is non-negotiable when it comes to cracking competitive exams.

• She advises students to read newspapers daily, make notes, and revise current affairs regularly.

• The speaker suggests practicing with friends to improve knowledge about topics like science, technique, environment, etc.

• Previous year questions are important for understanding what's essential as there is an excess of material available online.

Tricks Can Only Take You So Far

• The speaker believes that relying solely on tricks and strategies will only take you so far in competitive exams.

• Solving previous year questions can help develop analytical skills required for solving MCQs.

Increasing Aptitude

In this section, the speaker talks about how aptitude can be increased over time with consistent practice.

Aptitude Can Be Increased

• The speaker believes that aptitude can be increased through consistent practice over time.

• She suggests focusing on limited topics and syllabus questions while practicing.

• Practicing with previous year questions can help increase aptitude.

Study Regularly

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of studying regularly to cover all topics and increase aptitude.

Efficient Time Management

The speaker emphasizes the importance of managing time efficiently and provides tips on how to do so.

• Managing time efficiently is crucial for success in UPSC exams.

• Create a finite list of important topics to focus on.

• Manage your syllabus carefully and subscribe to GS1 after completing prelims basic syllabus.

• Practice answer writing regularly, even if it means writing bad answers at first.

Importance of Answer Writing

The speaker stresses the importance of answer writing in UPSC exams and provides tips on how to improve.

• Answer writing is crucial for success in Mains exams.

• Practice regularly by writing one answer daily.

• Don't wait until you know everything; start with bad answers and work towards improvement.

• Find your mistakes by comparing your answers with those of previous year toppers.

Managing Syllabus

The speaker discusses the vastness of the UPSC syllabus and provides tips on how to manage it effectively.

• Quickly adapt from one subject to another as there is no organized system in place.

• Use disadvantages such as not being able to attend coaching institutes as an advantage by creating a similar environment at home.

• Be sincere about making the most out of available opportunities.

Creating a Study Plan

In this section, the speaker discusses how to create a study plan and divide time effectively.

Dividing Time

• Divide your year into three-month intervals.

• Divide each month into weeks and days.

• Create a chart to keep track of your progress.

Consistency is Key

• Even if you miss targets, keep moving forward.

• Have faith in yourself and stay consistent with your minimum syllabus.

• Use tick marks as motivation.

Choosing an Optional Subject

In this section, the speaker talks about how to choose an optional subject for the exam.

SWOT Analysis

• Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).

• Analyze the syllabus of each paper and find subjects that align with your strengths and interests.

Choosing Political Science

• The speaker chose political science because it aligned with her strengths in writing and interest in contemporary issues.

• Political science had overlap with GS1234 papers which helped her score well in those papers.

Reading Newspapers for the Exam

In this section, the speaker discusses how she read newspapers to prepare for the exam.

Reading Strategy

• Read two newspapers religiously: Mint and Indian Express.

• Follow top headlines of all national newspapers but don't read in detail.

• Spend 3 to 4 hours daily on newspaper reading.

Writing Strategies for UPSC Exam

In this section, the speaker provides tips on writing strategies for the UPSC exam.

Paragraph vs. Point Format

• The speaker suggests that candidates should use either paragraph or point format depending on which one better expresses their ideas.

• Candidates should not force-fit any strategy and be flexible in their decision-making process.

• For brief questions, paragraph format is suitable, while point format is appropriate for questions requiring connecting many things.

Time Management

• Candidates should be disciplined with time management during mock exams and practice completing papers within the allotted time frame.

• The speaker recommends using an analog watch to keep track of time during the exam.

Current Affairs and Supplementing Study Material

• The speaker advises limiting study material to one subject, one book, previous year's questions, and current affairs.

• Science and Technology and Environment are challenging areas that require supplementing with current affairs consistently.

Essay Writing Strategies

• Language proficiency is essential but qualifying in nature.

• Reading good material is crucial for essay writing success. Candidates can follow newspapers abroad or take recommendations from friends who read good material.

Finding Your Unique Voice in Essay Writing

In this section, the speaker shares their experience of finding their unique voice in essay writing. They suggest reading articles and following authors to get into the mind of the writer and find what resonates with you.

Following Authors for Inspiration

• The speaker suggests finding authors whose writings resonate with you.

• Read one article every day and try to get into the mind of the writer.

• Find your uniqueness in essay writing by not following anyone else's style.

Overcoming Failure and Self-Doubt

• Dealing with failure can be difficult, but it's important to keep moving forward.

• It's natural to feel self-doubt when facing difficulties, but don't let it stop you from pursuing your goals.

• Surround yourself with positive influences and prioritize your mental health during this challenging journey.

Staying Grounded and Focused

• Interact with friends who are not preparing for UPSC exams to stay grounded.

• Don't get caught up in comparing yourself to others or feeling like time is running out. Stay focused on your own journey.

Staying True to Your Journey

The speaker advises staying true to your own journey and maintaining consistency in studying while also making time for personal connections with family and friends.

• Consistency is key in studying, even if it's difficult to maintain eight hours every day.

• Personal time for connecting with family and friends is important.

• Don't take obligations towards family and friends for granted.

• Manage time efficiently to balance responsibilities and personal time.

• Friends are important in the journey towards success, so give them importance.

Preparation Strategies for PSIR Optional Paper 2

The speaker recommends using newspapers as a starting point for preparation, following reputable authors, and reading articles from different perspectives. They also suggest following external affairs minister speeches and journalist Palki Sharma's videos.

• Newspapers are a good starting point for preparation.

• Follow reputable authors writing in good newspapers.

• ORF and The Diplomat are good sources for international relations answer writing.

• Follow external affairs minister speeches to set context.

• Follow journalist Palki Sharma's videos on First Post or earlier on Lallantop.

Balancing Coaching Time with Study Time

The speaker discusses the challenges of balancing coaching time with study time, suggesting prioritizing classes based on subject difficulty level. They recommend tracking study hours daily to increase consistency.

• Daiganta GS takes up two and a half hours, while optional takes five hours of study time per day.

• Prioritize classes based on subject difficulty level.

• Track study hours daily to increase consistency.

Tailoring Coaching to Your Background

In this section, the speaker discusses how coaching can be tailored to an individual's background and experience.

Tailoring Coaching to Your Background

• Coaching should be tailored to an individual's background and experience.

• The speaker found coaching helpful as she was coming from a corporate background and needed external discipline.

• Coaching provided psychological benefits and helped with certain subjects such as polity.

• However, due to COVID-19, classes were cut short in 2020.

Importance of Interaction in Classes

In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of interaction in classes.

Importance of Interaction in Classes

• There should be interaction about previous year questions at the end of every class.

• Teachers should incorporate interactive question-answer sessions into their curriculum.

• This will help students understand why it is important to attend class.

Joining Libraries for External Push

In this section, the speaker talks about joining libraries for an external push.

Joining Libraries for External Push

• Joining libraries can provide an external push and break isolation.

• Finding the right peer group is important for creating a positive environment for discussion and topics.

Interview Experience Tips

In this section, the speaker shares tips on interview experiences.

Interview Experience Tips

• Do not fall for scare tactics about interviews. Trust in your own process.

• The interview process is fair and unbiased.

• Do not fall for rumors or let them guide you.

Peer Group and Mock Interviews

In this section, the speaker talks about how having a peer group of five to six people helped him prepare for his interview. He also discusses the importance of taking mock interviews and shares some tips on how to improve your performance.

Importance of Peer Group

• Having a peer group of five to six people who conducted interviews for each other in rounds was extremely helpful.

• A healthy peer group where everyone contributes towards each other's success is essential.

• Sharing notes, clippings, and updates with each other helps you stay informed and prepared.

Importance of Mock Interviews

• Taking mock interviews every 10 days helped the speaker stay in the flow and not get deviated from his preparation.

• Mock interviews help simulate the interview environment and provide an opportunity to practice answering questions.

• Feedback from mock interviews can be helpful in identifying areas for improvement such as posture, pace, pauses, etc.

Tips for Improving Performance

• Be patient with longer questions or monologues.

• Work on improving posture, slowing down pace, taking pauses, and keeping answers concise (around 1 minute 30 seconds).

• Be conversational and respectful towards the interviewer. It's okay to not know everything but be honest about it.

Advice on Failure and Success

In this section, the speaker gives advice on how to handle failure and success.

It's Okay to Fail

• The speaker advises that it is okay to fail.

• He encourages not taking failures to heart.

• The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning from one's own mistakes.

Don't Take Success to Your Head

• The speaker advises not taking success to your head.

• He suggests finding the right mentors who can guide you correctly.

• The speaker warns against falling for a lot of things in the industry and being careful about the people you interact with.