CSE Prep @ HOME

Have been receiving many queries regarding how to prepare for CSE, on own or by coaching.

Thanks to the current exam format, role of coaching in CSE preparation has been on a slippery slope. Now, Aspirants can do self preparation at home itself.

PRELIMS preparation at home:

1. Know the concise booklist for static and current. Prelims Strategy.
2. Read and revise multiple times. Revision Strategy.
3. Buy tests from market or download online.
4. Practice, evaluate and revise tests. How to practice tests effectively?
5. Anyway, no one can make you learn facts related to prelims. You have to be your own support system. Hence, it can be prepared without coaching.
6. I left prelims coaching on 13th day!

MAINS preparation at home:

1. Almost everything as mentioned above applies for mains too.
2. One change is EVALUATION of answers. Many depend on coachings for same.
3. This might Shock a few people! Answer copies at most coachings are checked by ‘aspirants’ including those who have never written Mains and don’t know what the examiner wants. If this is taken into account then Mains test series is just an eyewash.
4. So if you know proper answer writing strategy, if you can self evaluate or if you have a study group that can do it then coaching is not needed for answer practice. My Answer Writing Strategy.
5. Whole idea is to practice answers, learn structure, build speed and mind training. This can be done at home.
6. For CSM 2017, I joined Vision for tests but hardly wrote a couple of them because their copy checking standards were disappointing to say the least. I had joined Vision also for CSM 15. It was much better then.

If you are not confident or a beginner, than joining MAINS test series is advisable. But keep in mind the points that I have mentioned above.

OPTIONAL coaching or self study is a decision which depends on your optional. I took coaching for Geography.

Join here for free UPSC guidance from Mudit Jain, IPS-15, IPS-16, IRS-18, Author of Decode CSAT, Decode Essay, Decode GS2, Decode Ethics 4.0 & Decode History Books

Ethics book referred by CSE 22 Toppers: AIR –76, 91, 176, 189, 249, 288, 297, 299, 326, 356, 476, 541, 611, 616, 700, 737, 739, 746 & others

History book referred by CSE 21 Toppers: AIR – 44, 212, 572, 653 & others

Find PDFs of All Decode Series Books Here

INTERVIEW MOCKS are advised. Not all are good. Select and invest carefully!

For all 3 stages one can use google, youtube and portals like insights. Key is to use them effectively and with exam centric approach.

How to prepare by self:

• Select optional carefully and in first 3 months finish coaching, if any, along with notes.
• Prepare static portions of Mains like GS-1 full and GS-4 full.
• Newspaper-Vision monthly magazine-Insights shall be followed religiously for both prelims and mains. No need to follow any other source for current. These 3 are more than enough.
• Notes making is absolutely must. Why and how to make notes.
• Follow a concise booklist for prelims and focus on tests and revision.
• Mains preparation is all about concise sources and answer writing practice.
• Answer writing for mains should start before prelims itself.
• GS-2 & GS-3 are mostly current oriented and shall be prepared after prelims only.
• Focus on your overall personality throughout the year. Develop concepts.
• Make and follow a daily timetable.

Learn-adapt-adopt from strategies but follow what suits your style of preparation. Do not change/look for new strategies every 2nd day.

• Have a close exam oriented small study group.
• Visit book stores once a while to get hold of whats new in market.