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Low Hanging
Fruits for UPSC
CSE Prelims 2021
-BY ANIL BASAK
IRS IT- AIR 616, UPSC CSE 2019
Previous Year Questions 2
(PYQs) Trend analysis
Section Average no. of questions
Polity and Gov’ce 15-18
Economy 22-25
Environment 15-20
Science and Tech. 10
Geography 8
Agriculture 6-8
Note: I have
Modern History 8-10 included
current affairs
Art and Culture 4-5
questions
Ancient History 3 within these
sections
Medieval History 2-3
Polity 3

Chapters to focus from M Laxmikanth:

1. Preamble, Fundamental Rights, DPSPs and Fundamental
Duties
2. Centre-State Relations
3. Parliament and State Legislature
4. Supreme Court and High Court
5. Making of the Constitution (Also part of Modern Indian
History): For your reference I have attached a note
combining info from Laxmikanth, Spectrum etc: Click here

Note: Links given in the PPT could

be opened when you go to “Slide
Show” of the PPT.
 Economy 4

Chapters to focus from Mrunal’s Economy (For PDF: Click here)

1. Money and Banking (Pillars #1A and #1B )
2. BoP and Intl Trade (Pillar #3)
3. Sectors of Economy, GDP, Inflation (Pillar #4C= Indicators of Unemployment,
GDP, Inflation and Production)

Notes for Mrunal’s Economy PDF :

4. Leave the sections which are specifically asked in mains.
5. Supplement Mrunal’s Economy with Current Affairs (e.g. Yearly Economy
Current Affairs (CA) Compilation for Prelims 2021 ,say PT 365, or your own
newspaper notes)
6. Don’t read micro-economics (only 1 question has been asked since the new
syllabus of 2013)
 Environment 5

Important topics to prepare

1. Plot on separate maps of India: Tiger Reserves, Biosphere Reserves
and Ramsar Sites
2. Read the important facts (e.g. Species found, largest Tiger reserve
by area, highest tiger number or density) of a Tiger Reserve/
Biosphere Reserve.
3. Find out the Tiger reserves/ Important National Parks located
within a Biosphere Reserve.
4. Read about location and important species of only those National
Parks/Wildlife sanctuary which occurred frequently in news.
 Environment 6

Important topics to prepare

1. Read IUCN Red List status and WPA, 1972 schedule status of species in news (No need to
remember CITES status of species). A species is important if it is either Critically
Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable in IUCN Red List or it is in Schedule 1 or 2 of
WPA,1972. Apart from these read about the unique habitat or unique features of a species.
2. Climate Change Organizations and International Conventions. (For your reference:
Click here ; selectively read these notes and update the notes with latest developments)
3. CA related to Pollution, Clean Energy, New legal
amendments, SC/NGT Judgement, international treaties, funds, R&D, reports-rankings
etc.
4. Selective study of the State of Forest Report 2019 (See coaching’s summary).

Note: For Prelims 2021, try to cover CA from June 2019 to August 2021. So you may read
Yearly Environment CA Compilation, say PT 365, for Prelims 2020 and Prelims 2021
 Science and Tech. 7

Important topics to prepare

1. Latest developments in biotech/nano-tech (e.g. 2020: carbon nanotubes , Pronuclear
Transfer; 2019: RNA interference (RNAi) technology, CRISPR cas 9; 2018: CRISPR
cas 9, GM mustard ; 2016: transcriptome)
2. Basic understanding and application of latest technologies (e.g. 2020: AI use, VLC,
drones ; 2019: LTE and VoLTE , AR and VR, digital signature, wearable technology
like smart watch; 2018: Internet of Things , GPS, IRNSS , 3D printing ; 2017: OLEDs ;
2016: Li-Fi
3. Space missions and latest developmets (ISRO and NASA) [e.g. 2020: Evolved LISA;
2019: blackhole, 2018: PSLV and GSLV ; 2017: eLISA, Event Horizon and Singularity
related to blackhole ; 2016: Greased Lightning-10 , Astrosat , Mangalyaan ]
 Science and Tech. 8

Important topics to prepare

4. Public Health (e.g. 2020: Conjugate Vaccines, 2019: multi-drug resistance, Hepatitis
; 2017: Zika virus ; 2016: Mission Indradhanush , FSSAI rules on food labeling)

Note: For Prelims 2021, try to cover CA from June 2019 to August 2021. So you may
read Yearly SnT CA Compilation, say PT 365, for Prelims 2020 and Prelims 2021
 Geography 9
Important topics to cover:
1. Climatology (For your reference: Click here)
2. Rivers in India: For clarity go to following links:
 https://www.pmfias.com/indus-river-system-jhelum-chenab-ravi-beas-satluj/
 https://www.pmfias.com/ganga-brahmaputra-river-system-tributaries-ganga-y
amuna-brahmaputra/
 https://www.pmfias.com/godavari-krishna-mahanadi-tributaries-river-basins/
 https://www.pmfias.com/cauvery-river-pennar-river-subarnarekha-brahamani-
ponnaiyar-river-vaigai-river/
 https://www.pmfias.com/west-flowing-rivers-narmada-tapti-sabarmati-mahi-l
uni-ghaggar-rivers-sahyadris-western-ghats/
 Geography 10

3. Seas and Countries bordering them. Tip: To remember these details search
for mnemonics in Google. E.g. Google “mnemonics for countries
surrounding Mediterranean sea”
4. Major rivers of the world, countries through which they flow and the
seas/oceans they flow into.
5. Useful links for mnemonics:
 https://www.indiashastra.com/blog/mnemonics-upsc-pdf/
 https://qr.ae/pG1LCi
Mnemonics 11

1. In some portions of the syllabus (say IR, Environment , Geography etc.)

mnemonics can help you to remember things. You may either Google
some mnemonics (as shown in the previous slide) or you can make your
own.
2. Go to this answer for some useful mnemonics for UPSC CSE:
https://qr.ae/pG1LCi

Note: Mnemonics can be no substitute to basic understanding. They can only

supplement your knowledge retention power. Moreover one should practice
mnemonics sufficiently otherwise you may get confused in the real exam.
Modern History 12

Important topics to prepare:

1. Making of the Constitution (For your reference I have attached a note
combining info from Laxmikanth, Spectrum etc: Click here)
2. Imp. Chapters to be covered from Spectrum (Rajiv Ahir) apart from the
Freedom Struggle:
 Development of Education
 Civil and Tribal Uprisings, Peasant Movements and Working Class
Movements.
 Appendices: Governor Generals, Socio- Religious Reform Movements,
Caste Movements, Newspapers and Journals.
3. Organizations founded by important leaders
 Ancient History 13

Important chapters (If you have less time then go for Tamil Nadu Board’s XI
NCERT)
1. Indus Valley Civilization
2. Vedic Period
3. The Mauryan Period
4. The Gupta Period
 Art and Culture 14

Important topics/chapters:
1. Buddhism and Jainism from ‘Religions in India’ Chapter of Nitin
Singhania’s book (Second or 3rd Edition)
2. Buddhist Literature and Jain Literature from ‘Indian Literature’
Chapter of Nitin Singhania’s book (Second or 3rd Edition)
3. The Bhakti Movement from ‘Bhakti and Sufti Movement’ Chapter
of Nitin Singhania’s book (Second or 3rd Edition)

Note: For Buddhism and Jainisim try to remember each and every fact
given in the Singhania’s book.
 References: 15

1. https://mrunal.org/prelims (For topic wise prelims PYQs. Note that the

2015 Prelims analysis is missing in Mrunal. But the remaining years
analysis is good enough). For PDFs of the PYQs: click here
2. For The Science of deduction & Solving Prelims Questions go to: https://
youtu.be/Xx0tFuBUxbo
3. For a detailed strategy on geography maps go through this answer:
ttps://qr.ae/pN21Eb
4. http://bit.ly/PrelimsPlan (For Prelims source list)
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Thank you for your attention

and patience!