IAS Topper’s Interview: Rank 145 Preeti Yadav, 146 Marks in Essay

Name Preeti Yadav
Rank in CSE 2015 145
Total Attempts in CSE 3
Optional Subject Public Administration
Medium English

 

Education

Class 10 percentage of marks 80.2
 Class 12Percentage of marks 74
Graduation: College and marks 77
Post graduation: College and marks N/A
Any other course N/A

IAS Score: What were the basic mantras of your success?

Preeti Yadav: Persistence and Revision

IAS Score: What were your strategies for the lengthy syllabus of General Studies for both Prelims and Mains?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Focus on syllabus.

→ Analysis of last year question papers

→ Solve as much mock paper as possible for prelims. It will cover all relevant topics.

IAS Score: Did you integrate your Prelims or Mains preparation or was it separate in the changing scenario?

Preeti Yadav: Yes integrated. In first attempt focus till prelims was on prelims pattern. But in this attempt I tried to cover GS syllabus in integrated manner. This can be done for whole syllabus except GS 4 and few selected portion of other papers.

GS Preparation for Prelims (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Took coaching in 2012 from Vajiram & Ravi. Mock Test of various institutes.
Basic Books NCERT for geography, economy history and few chapters of biology & chemistry.

Polity- Laxmikant

Environment- Shankar IAS

History- Bipin Chandra, Spectrum

Economic Survey, IYB

Current Affairs Newspaper: TheHindu, Indian Express

Magazine: Chronicle, Yojna, Kurukshetra, Vision IAS  (quite helpful)

Channel: RSTV, LSTV, AIR

Compilation: GS Score topic listing and compilation was very handy to cover all topics.

→ The focus during prelims preparation should be to cover the syllabus in its breadth.

→ A lot of energy can be better utilized if proper analysis of previous year questions is done. It gives clear picture as to what areas need more focus and effort.

→ Try to solve as many tests as possible and learn from mistakes. Try different methods while taking test and decide best suited one for the final day.

 

GS Mains Preparation (Summary)

Paper Study Material/Guidance Current Issues Source Answer Writing Practice
GS Paper 1 NCERT + Bipin Chandra + Spectrum + CCRT Contemporary Issues Classes at GS Score + Newspapers + Magazines + RSTV/LSTV Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 2 Laxmikant + GS Score Material Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 3 NCERT + Ramesh Singh + Sriram IAS Notes Test Series at GS Score
GS Paper 4 Lexicon + ARC Test Series at GS Score

 

Optional Subject Preparation  (Summary)

Study material / Guidance Class Notes of GS Score. Crash course by Ashutosh Pandey Sir at GS Score. ARC Reports
Basic Books Paper 1: Sharma & Sadana, Prasad & Prasad, few topics form Fadea & Fadea

Paper 2: Arora & Goyal

Current Affairs Extract selected news from newspaper, polity section of magazine, google the topics.
Answer Writing Answer writing is very necessary. Join any good test series and learn from mistakes pointed. I joined GS Score and Lukman Test Series.
Any other Make a small notebook to write any trivial mistakes, current affairs etc and revise it daily. 4 Days Marks Augmentation Class by Ashutosh Pandey sir helped me a lot in increasing my marks in Pub Ad this year which I was lacking in previous years.

IAS Score: How did your prepare for essay.

Preeti Yadav: Vas reading for gs paper helped me. Yojna and books by Amartya Sen

Strictly followed  correction and suggestion by Manoj K Jha sir in GS Score Test Series.

IAS Score: Did you adopt any specific strategy for GS Paper 4?

Preeti Yadav: Tried to incorporate real life examples and to analyse case studies in the light of practicality as well as rational thinking.

IAS Score: What were the sources of information for general reading? How did you come to know that which sources of reading materials are standard?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Internet: there are various blogs and website which can help.

→ Coaching

→ Fellow aspirants

→ Focus should be on government publications, standard books, NCERT and notes of successful candidates.

→ Do confirm from at least 2-3 sources before including new source in your preparation so that wrong decisions and wastage of time and effort can be avoided.

IAS Score:  What is your advice on notes-making for other aspirants?

Preeti Yadav: As GS is quite vast it is not advisable to make notes for each and every topic, better is to make notes of selective topics which need revision many times. Notes of current affairs is necessary. Use mind maps.

IAS Score: How did you manage your time during the preparation?

Preeti Yadav:

→ By setting targets for the day.

→ Make some time table and try to stick to it.

→ Take some time for relaxation too i.e. by watching motivational video or hobbies.

IAS Score: What was your style (paragraph or point format) of writing in the exam? How was it distinct from the general writing style? How did you develop this writing style?

Preeti Yadav:

→ Depending upon nature of question, both paragraph and point or mixed format can be used.

→ Focus should be to give apt answer while including multiple dimensions. Test series can help out here.

IAS Score: So much focus is being given to Test Series, both for Prelims and Mains, in your opinion how useful are they, in the course of a preparation process? Which Test Series did you join and how useful did you find it to be?

Preeti Yadav: The purpose of test series is to streamline the preparation by timely analysis and course correction. If followed regularly it can help a lot. I joined test series in GS Score, Synergy and Lukman IAS.

IAS Score: Civil Services Exam process is quite strenuous. It requires long hours of constant study. How did you maintain your tempo and what did you do to break the monotony of preparation?

Preeti Yadav:

→ First and foremost thing is to develop genuine interest in course ( GS, current affairs etc.) and try to learn not only for exam but take it as an opportunity to enhance your overall personality.

→ Have some good person (family members, friends etc.) who can share and boost your confidence when you are low.

→ Watch motivational videos on youtube.

IAS Score: The trend suggests that professionals or working people are more successful in this exam. Does this exam prove difficult for Humanities and Social Science background candidates?

Preeti Yadav: I don’t think any such generalization is true. This exam requires dedicated effort and patience. Whoever follows the basics his/her chances of success are equally good irrespective of background.

IAS Score: Which sources you referred to prepare for Contemporary Issues.

Preeti Yadav: I joined GS Score classes for contemporary issues. It covered all the relevant current affairs topics along with their comprehensive coverage very well for mains as well prelims.

IAS Score: Given the recent boom in online initiatives to support an aspirant, which were the platforms that you find useful enough during your course of preparation. Please list the sites.

Preeti Yadav:

Mrunal

forumias

Iasscore

Insightofindia

→ PIB

→ RSTV

IAS Score: What is your advice to the candidates who is still in the process of preparing for this examination?

Preeti Yadav: Have faith in your abilities and give your best. Never loose hope, as hard work with persistence always pay off. There will be hurdles but focus on what you want to get, nothing else.

IAS Score: Your word for future aspirants

Preeti Yadav: Do your best, help others and get help from others. Inculcate those qualities which are expected from a future IAS officer will really help you during preparation esp. interview.

All the best…

Preeti Yadav Mark sheet

Paper Year 2015 Year 2014 Year 2013
Prelims 128.66 + 121.66
Essay (Paper 1) 146 118 123
GS 1 (Paper 2) 99 87 53
GS 2 (Paper 3) 89 82 58
GS 3 (Paper 4) 102 65 88
GS 4 (Paper 5) 87 96 80
Optional 1 (Paper 6) 104 92 96
Optional 2 (Paper 7) 104 55 65
Written Total 731 595 563
Personality Test 187 124
Total Score 918 687

Click Here to Download Topper’s Test Copy of CSE 2015

Note: We have uploaded video of  4 Days Marks Augmentation Class by Ashutosh Pandey sir on our youtube channel.
Click Here to watch those classes. It may help you.

Write Your Review