Strategy for UPSC 2019 and beyond -ये सत्य कोई भी नहीं नकार सकता

After UPSC Civil Services
2017 final result have been declared, aspirants are left with a presumption on
whether UPSC will continue emphasizing on current affairs or it may change the
streak and ask questions about static questions based on current events, करंट अफेर्स भी ऐसे की concept  बिना कोई भी नहीं दे सकता effective  answer -तो अब whatever
may be the inclination, only one skill survive and can save the stinking
 boat i.e., efficient and consolidated writing skills.

           
    When I decided that I was going to prepare for UPSC
Civil Services Exam, the next major decision was whether to join a
coaching class or not. Back then, online content had just begun to come up.
Hence, whether to join a coaching or to study online was not even a question. But online content has matured a
lot in last 4 years. So a major question among aspirants starting their
preparation now is whether they should join a classroom, or whether they can
prepare effectively for civil services relying solely on online content.   ऑनलाइन मटेरिअल की विश्वसनीयता नहीं है 

The Best Coaching for UPSC

Many students fall prey to the following thought process — “I do
not mind spending money, but I want the best coaching. If XYZ is considered the
best coaching, I will join it.” But is the best coaching really the best
choice? Consider 3 scenarios:

1) Premier big coaching class with 10students-(Not in Mumbai,but surely
in Delhi,Pune):  

             It is really hard to justify the cost of attending so-called
premier coaching classes. They charge a student around 1+ lakhs for GS
Coaching. Despite paying such high fees, a student is made to attend class in a
batch of 300 to 400 students. Individual
doubt discussion and personalised attention is almost impossible. The pace at which class progresses is determined by the
slowest student of the class. Most importantly, the teaching patterns refuse to
evolve with time. 

2) Some small coaching class with small student strength:

 ये क्लास type मुंबई पूना के अलावा कोई भी छोटे बड़े शहरों में है 

 This is most dangerous pattern.  No credibility,
no responsibility, fly within month is mark of the days today. 2 things to be
discussed:

1) They come with too flexible fee pattern- lower...and hence many students, who arent fully
aware of requirements of UPSC and who take admissions on basis of fee(only),
are victims of such pattern.  Few years back, there was a news on Times of
India Mumbai,  see link here-see link
here-click here. Worst part is that Directors of  this
institute have started coaching classes in Mumbai with 3 different names.
Students must be cautioned very much.

2) No credentials of Faculty: Who is
coaching, mentoring? This is none of business of some students who dont have
any idea of depth of UPSC exams. A simple check is to see if the class is run
by those who have not cleared any exams and are running it for bread and
butter. Even that must not be a problem, if they are genuinely aware of depth
and not just FEKU by good talks.  

                  What could be taught in
just 3 months, they teach the same thing in about 10 months. And thus waste 3
to 4 precious hours everyday.  

  I advise students to not just know the syllabus, but
understand the exam pattern. The biggest challenge for candidates in
Mains exam still lies unanswered, i.e., how to develop proficiency for
impactful answers.Hence, Apart from subject knowledge, it is about life skills and
academic skills. It is this part that you should be looking for mentor. 

Do you
know how P Gopichand mentored PV SIndhu, Read here HERE

Know Yourself, know the system, know the society:

      First you should
understand the CSE Mains preparation is not only about syllabus, but it is a
situational study where your stress management is tested every day. Keeping in
focus on latest trends in questions, a personal strategy is devised to guide
the aspirants appearing for IAS Mains exam.

UPSC official guidelines states that questions are likely
to test the candidate’s basic understanding of all relevant issues, and ability
to analyze, and to take a view on conflicting socio-economic goals, objectives
and demands. The candidates should give relevant, meaningful and succinct
answers to questions.

Towards Effective Answers

What should be the ideal answer for any question? – This is a baffling question
itself. It is totally depends upon the candidates background and varied ideas
and perspectives, but it is totally on an aspirant’s judgment to decide what is
apt to be mentioned or not. 

-- It is based on this and only this point, should students decide
about coaching class, mentor and self .

Coaching v/s
Mentorship

When I was preparing for Civil Services Exam, I always felt if
there was some mentor who could help me strategize and provide me study
sources, rest I can handle myself, without any coaching. This is even more true
today. The truth is that UPSC is 99% about self study and only 1% about
guidance. That 1% guidance has to be extremely minimal, to the point and effective.

For our tentative plans read HERE

Hence, my hypothesis, that in today’s digital world, classroom
coaching for UPSC Civil Services is redundant and a huge waste of time and
money.

 But the flip-side of online content is that so much
content becomes available, it becomes almost impossible for a fresh aspirant to
filter out the relevant content. Thus, mentorship is the need of the day.
Someone who could help you decide what to study and what not to
study. Someone experienced to help you strategise and motivate. Someone
who is capable of resolving your conceptual doubts. Someone who keeps
monitoring your progress and provides you the feedback on what and how to
improve, while you could invest your full energy in studying what is
prescribed.

Preparing for UPSC from Home or in Classroom

Another traditional belief has been that to prepare well for
Civil Services, one has to physically move to a hub like Delhi Or Pune to
attend these premier coaching classes. But with the flooding of online content
and penetration of internet along with laptops and smartphones, content has
become democratised. All an aspirant needs is a mentor who could provide
her the right guidance. Such guidance could also be provided online, over telephone
and internet. 

So, my second hypothesis is that UPSC preparation could now
be done even more effectively online as compared to a coaching in a hub like
Delhi or Pune.

Mission UPSC 2019

Based on these beliefs, I have started a Classroom (in Mumbai
Dadar & in Pune) as well as online mentorship program , called ‘Sankalp
UPSC 2019’. 

In this program, Officers and academicians with proven
credentials will mentor a small batch of students. We will help each student
create a clear strategy and timeline for next one year. This strategy will be
personalised for each student. Based on it, we will help set up monthly
and weekly targets for the aspirant. We will help select and prioritize reading
material. I will help resolve conceptual doubts. All this assistance will be
online, so it also becomes possible for aspirants sitting anywhere in the
country to prepare in the best possible manner without having to physically
shift to Delhi/Pune. Most importantly, we will provide assistance on demand
only where it is required, thus minimizing the interference and allowing the
aspirant to give maximum time to self study, which is what the UPSC Civil
Services Exam is all about.

For more details about the program, write to me at shreesankalpfoundation@gmail.com or
whatsapp me at +919930075295. Call 9930075267 if  am unreachable.