Why I failed? - Lessons Learnt to Defeat UPSC

Why I failed? 

These are not Reasons, but Caution 

First and foremost thing to be taken care are

1.     The New pattern with 25 question / 5000 words / within 3hours i.e. 250words in 9 minutes (in 10 minutes time must have completed 1.5 questions)

So, Approx. 7 minutes per question, it is a test for Time Management. It requires faster writing with much faster thinking (recalling) capability - only possible with regular practice.  

2.     The examiner use Answer key to evaluate your answers, your answers will not get any value unless the aspects you’re dealing in the same or form of replication present in the key.

3.     Two line Introduction & conclusion may fetch you min. 2 marks though your answer/ aspect mismatch with the key.

a.     Introduction must tell the examiner two things

                                                             i.      I understood your question & I am about to write answer for it.

For E.g.:

UPSC Question:

Comment on ‘Indian constitution is a bag of borrowed material.’

Sample Introduction:

With little or no experience in constitutionalism, the framers of the constitution made it by borrowing from other constitutions, yet a Unique Document. It is not the purpose of our constitution makers to produce an original or unique constitution; what they wanted was a good and workable one.

                                                           ii.      Your in-depth understanding of the Topic and issues related with. But it should not exceed two lines. Remember Einstein quotes “If you can't explain it simply. You don’t understand it well enough.”

b.     Conclusion must be constructive and optimistic. It should give opinion (based on committee report like Gadgil, Nachiket, Deepak pareh, Rangarajan, ARC…  relevant to the topic)

4.     For effective time management, no necessarily every question to be in paragraph format. It can be in bullet point, flow chart, some paragraph or combination of the two. 

UPSC – Civil Service Exam 2013 – My Performance Analysis

Name	Karthik M
Roll No.	142802
Age	23
Total attempts in CSE	2
Optional Subject	Public Administration
Medium	English
Qualification (UG / PG)	Electrical Engg.(2011), Masters in Public Administration(2014).
Service Preference	IAS, IPS, IFS
State Cadre Preference	TN, AGMUT, Karnataka, AP

Score Card Civil Service Exam UPSC CSE 2013
Prelims CS (P)
GS (I)	Attended: 68	Wrong: 22		UPSC:74
CSAT (II)	Attended: 67	Wrong: 6		UPSC:147.5
Total				UPSC: 221.5 (222) <OBC Cut-off also 222>
Mains CS (M)
Tamil (Qualifying)			177
English (Qualifying)			113
Essay			113/250
GS I			38/250
GS II			40/250
GS III			40/250
GS IV			69/250
Optional (Pub Ad I)			107/250
Optional (Pub Ad II)			47/250
Total			454/1750     <OBC Cutoff was 534>

General Studies Performance Analysis (CSM 2013)

GS Total: 187 /1000

General Studies Paper I

Attended for		250- 85 = 165
Primary Reason		Time Allocation and Management, Inadequate writing practice.
Unattempt Questions from		Culture: 5 History (Modern): 20 World History: 20 Society:20 Geography: 20
Topics	Books Used		Additional materials (Suggested by Toppers)
Culture	Spectrum, Internet		NCERT, CCRT website
Modern India	NCERT, Bipin Chandra
Post-Independence	NCERT, Guha		Bipin Chandra
World History	NCERT, Internet		Norman lowe, John Green Youtube
Indian Society, Women, Globalization	NCERT
World Geography	NCERT, Through Maps
Factors of Industry, Resource Distribution	NCERT, Mrunal.org
Fundamental Physical Geography	NCERT

General Studies Paper II

Attended for		250- 70 = 180
Primary Reason		Time Allocation and Management
Unattempt Questions from		Polity:30 Governance:20 International Affairs:20
Topics	Books Used		Additional materials (Suggested by Toppers)
Polity	Lakshmikant
Comparison of Constitution	NCERT, Pub Ad Topics
Governance	Pub Ad syllabus
International Affairs	World focus, News-paper, Smart Leaders Material, Specturm(Institutions), IDSA		Rajiv Sikri

General Studies Paper III

Attended for		250- 90 = 160
Primary Reason		Time Allocation and Management, Inadequate writing practice.
Unattempt Questions from		Economy: 20 Internal Security: 40 Science & Tech: 30
Topics	Books Used		Additional materials (Suggested by Toppers)
Economics, Inclusive growth, Budgeting, Investment models	Pub Ad syllabus, NCERT, Ramesh singh, Economic Survey, Mrunal.og		Uma Kapila
Crops, Agri, Farmers, PDS, Animal Rearing, Food Processing	NCERT(People & Economy), Mrunal.org		Gktoday.in
Science and Technology
Land Reforms	Mrunal.org		Bipin Chandra
Disaster Management	Pub Ad Topics
Internal Security, Border management, Security Agencies,	Publicadministrationattheone.blogspot, Other Internet source
Cyber security, Money laundering, Environmental Impact Assessment	Internet

General Studies Paper IV

Attended for		250
Primary Reason (For Less score despite of completing the Paper)		Quality Enrichment, Adequate Writing Practice
Unattempt Questions from		-
Topics	Books Used		Additional materials (Suggested by Toppers)
Ethics and Interface	Vivekanandan sir’s Notes, Internet
Attitude, Influence	Vivekanandan sir’s Notes, Internet
Civil Service Integrity	Pub Ad Syllabus
Emotional Intelligence	KM Pathi sir’s Notes
Moral Thinkers	KM Pathi sir’s Notes
Ethics in Pub Ad	Pub Ad Syllabus
Accountability, Laws, Rules, Corporate Governance, Probity in Governance	Pub Ad Syllabus, Vivekanandan sir’s Notes
Citizen charter, Ethics code, Corruption	Vivekanandan sir’s Notes

Essay Paper

Score: 113/250

“Be the Change”  

40mints Brain storming – Structured - Introduction (Storylines) - Synopsis – Topics and Sub Topics – Incident & Anecdotes form Gandhiji, Tagore, Vivekananda – Famous Quotes – References from DoPT Material –Guna Dimensions – Internal Purification – Karma Cycle – Greater self - Touched upon Civil servant to Individual citizen.

Public Administration – UPSC – CSM 2013- Analysis

Public Administration Score (CSM 2013)
Paper I	107
Paper II	47

Pub Ad Total: 154 /500

1. For Public administration, what are the must books?

Public administration by Lakshmikanth

Administrative thinkers by Prasad & Prasad

Administrative Theory by Pradeep Sahni

Organisational Behaviour by Stephen Robbins

Personnel Administration from Rumki Basu

Introduction to the constitution of India by D.D.Basu

New Horizons of Public Administration by Mohit Bhattacharya

2. What are the further materials that have to be concentrated to have an edge over others?

IGNOU Material (As I completed Masters in Public administration from SOSS)
http://www.egyankosh.ac.in/

For Value Addition:

·         Yojana, Kurukshetra

·         Government Reports related to Public administration.

Online resources:

·         Publicadministrationtheone.blogspot.in

·         PRSIndia  http://www.prsindia.org/
·         Simplydecoded for Policy Analysis. http://www.simplydecoded.com/

3. What went wrong in your case and how have you planned to overcome those weaknesses?

The Paper II of public administration is application oriented; it’s about the concepts of public administration in practice (with reference to India).

Based upon my score card, it is very clear that generalized answers in Pub Ad paper II will put your marks very low. The answers should be made with special reference to Indian setup. The quality of answers for Paper II can be enhanced only by referring IJPA, Government Reports(especially ARC), Planning commission reports…..

Though I referred them, I failed to utilize it effectively.

4. What will be the better ways of presentation of answers in public administration?

As I remember this from UPSC Topper’s Blog, He suggested Flow chart, Block diagram & other pictorial representation for better presentation of one’s answers in Public administration.

5. What are the nuances that should be followed to get more marks in public administration?

As for as Paper I is concern, it is must to understand and remember various thinkers & their theories. Whereas in Paper II it is very must to analyze those current affairs topics related to Public administration (i.e. Polity & Economics)

Above all the UPSC’s Public Administration questions are often difficult to decipher (especially Paper I). So working on as many questions form old papers may enhance your performance. 

6. What are the grave mistakes that should be avoided?

---

7. Is it necessary to read IIPA journals?

IJPA, though people refer it as out-dated content, it is bit helpful. Though I didn’t refer the full version of this journal, I have gone through the digest material prepared by Sivakumar sir (Former Director of Smart Leaders Academy). It is better to access other materials as I referred in Questions 2

8. What are the Reports that should be read?

ARC, Planning commission, Finance commission, Reports of Various Ministry, DoPT Reports, Reports of various committees working on Government policy (Ex: Urjit patel on Monetary policy, Srikrishina’s FSLRC, Deepak pareh on Infrastructure sector……)

Note: It will also help in GS.

9. Apply for copy of your answer sheet & along with the key/guidelines used to evaluate your answer papers.

Yes, Sure

10. Why mark for many candidates has gone down in Pub Ad Paper II?

It might be the same reason, as I mentioned in Question 3.

And

At the same time it must be noted that this time (CSM 2013), GS II which covers polity & governance also fetched less mark. It seems the evaluator demands more.

11. What way Paper II is to be best tackled?

Analyzing the current affairs topic related to public administration. It should be included in the answer, to fetch more marks.

12. Can we get the copy of the answer sheet of the top scorer in public administration through any Delhi friends?

RTI not permitting it.

13. Will the model answers given in spectrum or other guides be of any use?

No Idea.

14. Do we have to buy any market guides for Public administration?

Not Required.

15. Which is the best institute for Public administration coaching in Delhi nowadays?

No Idea. But in Chennai Sivakumar sir (Now GK Leaders) is best for Public Administration. And also people suggest Ganesh Academy & Prabhas.

Meanwhile Baba Mussoorie Wala
Evolution of a Civil Servant...
Just for fun...

Don't panic be cool...
Prepare well...
All the Best:))