Gs1

Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World

and Society.

 Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature
and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
 Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century
until the present - significant events, personalities, issues
 The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors
/contributions from different parts of the country.
 Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
 History of the world will include events from 18th century such as
industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries,
colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism,
capitalism, socialism etc. their forms and effect on the society.

 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.

 Role of women and women's organization, population and associated
issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems
and their remedies.
 Effects of globalization on Indian society
 Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

 Salient features of world's physical geography.

 Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South
Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location
of primary, secondary, and tertiary sec- tor industries in various parts of
the world (including India)
 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami,
Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location -
 changes in critical geographical features (including waterbodies and ice-
caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Gs2

Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International

relations

 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features,

amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.

 Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and
challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and
finances up to local levels and challenges therein.

 Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal

mechanisms and institutions.

 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other

countries.

 Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of

business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.

 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the

Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure
groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.

 Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.

 Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and

responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.

 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies.

 Government policies and interventions for development in various
sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.

 Development processes and the development industry- the role of

NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities,
institutional and other stakeholders.

 Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre

and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws,
institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of
these vulnerable sections.

 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector or

Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

 Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-

governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential;
citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and
other measures.

 Role of civil services in a democracy.

 India and its neighborhood- relations.

 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India

and/or affecting India’s interests.
 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on
India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure,

mandate.

Gs3

Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment,

Security and Disaster Management

 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of

resources, growth, development and employment.

 Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

 Government Budgeting.

 Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different

types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and
marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-
technology in the aid of farmers.

 Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum

support prices; Public Distribution System - objectives, functioning,
limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food
security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.

 Food processing and related industries in India - scope and significance,

location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain
management.

 Land reforms in India.

 Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy
and their effects on industrial growth.

 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways, etc.

 Investment models.

 Science and Technology - developments and their applications and

effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science &
technology; indigenization of technology and developing
new technology.

 Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-

technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property
rights.

 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental

impact assessment.

 Disaster and disaster management.

 Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
 Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to
internal security.

 Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role

of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges,
basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.

 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of

organized crime with terrorism.

 Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.

 Gs4

Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude

This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and
approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his
problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in
dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to
determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.

 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of

Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and
public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and
teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family,
society and educational institutions in inculcating values.

 Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with

thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and
persuasion.

 Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity,

impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public
service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weakersections.

 Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in

administration and governance.

 Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.

 Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status

and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private
institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical
guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical
and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations
and funding; corporate governance.
 Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of
governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in
government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct,
Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization
of public funds, challenges of corruption.

 Case Studies on above issues.

 I started early with newspaper reading in college days. This was the most
important pillar of my preparation.
 No confusion over selection of Optional subject: Once decided, I started preparing
Maths optional. Never ever gave a thought on how other optionals were
performing.
 Covered Mains syllabus word by word using Vision IAS supplementary
Value addition material.
 Consolidated notes of every GS papers in 4 separate stick files.
 Revised again and again.
 Attempted test series strictly as per schedule and in exam like
conditions.
 Never followed InsightsonIndia Secure, IASbaba etc for their editorial summary,
All India Radio etc.
 Never made notes of newspaper. Relied solely on Vision IAS monthly
magazines for revision.
 Gave 8 full length Vision IAS GS tests for Mains. I scored an average of
90.
 Did not solve previous year question papers. However one should solve if time
permits.
 Did not enrol in Big coaching institutes. I did coaching only for Ethics
at Pavan Kumar IAS in Old Rajinder Nagar. The classes were too good.
 I did IMS notes for Mathematics. I did not solve any book for Maths. I solved test
series of IMS as per schedule.
 I did not enrol in any Essay test series. Just wrote 4–5 essays at home,
self evaluated. Learnt a few facts, some quotations. Read toppers
answer booklets.
  Did Yoga and Meditation to rejuvenate. I used to run sometimes.
 Had faith in God.
 Never craved for selection. Just kept working. I always had this belief
that if I have those qualities that a civil servant must have, then I would
get selected for sure.
 Stayed away from Bipan Chandra, Ramesh Singh etc. I found them
bulky and difficult to remember. I would be sharing my booklist soon.
 Having failed in Pre twice, I solved a lot many test papers in my successful
attempt, mostly of Vision IAS and Insights. It helped me improve my score. My
score in 2015, 2016 and 2017 were 96, 109 and 120 respectively.
 Studied for 9 hrs approximately every day.
 I used hard copies, printed material much more than PDFs.
 I gave equal time to GS and Maths optional. I enjoyed solving Maths
but I knew it was difficult to score extremes in any subject. I strongly
advise to maintain a balance in GS and optional preparation.
In the end, I had a stroke of luck this time around

First things first. Always remember that there is nothing like an

ideal answer in CSE Mains. No matter how well you write you
wont get a 10 out of 10. Hence the focus should be to write
decent answers, preferably all of them in the stipulated
time.
Pre-requisites:
Go through the syllabus. Then the previous year question
papers. Identify the trends and the common themes.
Developing Content:
 Read newspapers: If you are too lazy to do that or find
them boring, do one thing. Read the two editorials given on
the left side of The Hindu or The Indian Express. Daily.
 Cover the static syllabus: Prepare 200 words content
on each part of the syllabus.
 Read toppers answer booklets.
 Revise.
The writing part:
 Invest in a good pen: Give Pilot V7 a try, if not already.
 A good handwriting is a bonus. Do not fret over your
bad handwriting. It is too late anyway. Move on.
 Write answers: One should write at least 10 answers at
one go. This is important to develop endurance.
 Select a good Test Series: Do not dwell a lot over Test
Scores.
Consider the following points for writing good enough answers for
Civil Services Mains:
 Read questions quickly and carefully: This is
important to save time to address each and every part of
the question.
 Mark out questions you know least about. Leave them
for the last. Unleash your creativity while attempting them.
 Keep intro and conclusion short: 2 lines each should
be fine.
 Use Facts: I find quoting facts the most smart way of
starting a General Studies answer. For instance, one can
begin by saying “India currently stands at the 100th
position in the Ease of Doing Business Index 2018 released
by the World Bank.”
 Use keywords and adjectives: Inclusive Growth,
Demographic Dividend, Women Empowerment, Citizen
centric governance, Transparency and Accountability in
governance, Good Governance, tolerant society, vibrant
democracy, multi-cultural democracy, unity in diversity,
free and fair elections, independent judiciary, bureaucratic
inertia, red-tapism so on and so forth. I can keep writing. I
hope you get the point.
 Use Diagrams: Small maps in geography to show
resource distribution, ocean currents, air masses etc.
 Write body in bullets.
 Space out your answers. Your answer sheet should better
look filled.
 Highlight your answer: The important parts must not
go unnoticed.
 Give suggestions and broadly sum up your answer.
Last but not the least, take everyone else’s advice with a pinch of
salt including mine. One’s own strategy is always the best.
Keep writing. Find out what works for you by writing answers at
home.
The more you sweat in peace, the less you will bleed in
war.
Having cleared UPSC Mains 2017 I find myself qualified to answer
this question.
I have used Vision IAS materials extensively for Prelims,
Mains and Interview preparation.
Coming to the question, Vision IAS magazine helped me in
clearing Mains in the following ways:
 Covering up issues missed in newspapers.
 Structuring my GS answers : Introduction, Body in
bullets and Way Forward.
 Attempting questions in the final exam: For instance,
a question each came on Simultaneous elections, GST,
Interlinking of rivers, Public Accounts Committee and so
on. It was mentioned in Vision IAS magazines. It helped
me in framing answers in the exam hall. I reproduced
many sentences verbatim.
 Giving sub-headings in answers: I did it in my final
exam just like the way we find it in the Vision IAS
magazines.
 Getting a decent command over the type of
language one is expected to write. I find the Vision IAS
magazines the best in market.
Though not related to the question, I want to add few things.
  Vision IAS notes for static is equally good. I used them
to ensure I knew 200 words or so about each topic
mentioned in the GS syllabus. One can find them
on xaam.in .
 Online videos of Vision IAS: A friend of mine had
enrolled in the Full classroom programme in Vision IAS. I
found the videos on Internal Security, International
Relations by Suryavanshi Sir amazing. Having prepared for
CAPF (ACs), I was confident enough to start my GS3
answers from a question on Terrorism.
 Test Series for Prelims: Vision IAS beats them all here
too.
 Test series for Mains: I had attempted the 8 Full length
tests of Vision IAS for GS Mains. I did not practice writing
answers from elsewhere.
 Vision PT 365 online course: I found the online videos
of PT 365 good. But they are not comprehensive in the
sense that one has to read the text material even after
watching them. And since the online videos come too close
to the Prelims Exam, I would not recommend online
course. It is better to go through the booklets.
I owe my limited success to Vision IAS. I found it a one stop
solution for CSE preparation.
Disclaimer: I am not associated with Vision Ias as an
organisation in any manner. So this is not to be seen as a
promotional content.

I managed to clear CSE Mains 2017.

A brief intro to begin with:

This was my 1st Mains and my 3rd attempt. I could not clear Pre in my first two attempts.

Suggestions:

 Covering Mains static syllabus: Go word by word. Cover each aspect of the
syllabus. Prepare some content for all of them. Do not dig too deep. I used vision
IAS content for most of them available in PDF form on xaam.in .
 Newspaper reading is a must. Civil Services preparation begins and ends with
newspaper reading. Do not ignore this.
 Vision IAS Current Affairs booklets supplement newspapers. Do not go
around reading every other current affairs booklets available out there.
 Time Management: Devote time for Optionals and General Studies after
guaging your strengths and weaknesses in them. Herd mentality would take you
nowhere. Focus slightly more on optionals though.
 Answer writing and Test Series: This is one aspect which bogs down most
aspirants. Let me first tell you what I did. I enrolled in Vision IAS test series and
wrote 8 Full Length Tests in the last month before Mains. As regards Essays, I
wrote 6–8 essays on my own and got them evaluated by friends. I also read few
answer booklets of toppers of GS and Essays online.
 How much to write? Focus more on revision and memorising keywords than on
writing. Out of four GS Papers, I would advise to write maximum answers for
Ethics (GS IV) and least for GS I.
 When should one do answer writing? More answer writing towards the end
of month before Mains certainly helped me and should help others too.
 Amount of writing practice: It depends on person to person. One knows the
best where one stands. So act wisely.
 Answer writing approach: Intro (2 lines)-Body (in bullets)- Conclusion (1 or 2
line). Attempt as many questions as you can. Write the ones you know best first
and move to the next. Try writing neat.
 Subheadings in the body of an answer makes the life of an examiner easy and is
a rewarding exercise. (Take for instance this answer of mine.)
 Centre for Mains: Depending upon availability, go to your home town to write
Mains. In Delhi, centres are usually too far. Delhi seems okay for Pre but makes
life difficult during Mains.
 Pen: Try Pilot V5 Pen. It worked for me. Handwriting looks neat and boosts
speed.
 Meditate: To get self belief. To recall points faster.