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One Stop Solution For PSIR Optional

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566 views3 pages

One Stop Solution For PSIR Optional

Uploaded by

Akhilesh
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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One Stop Solution for PSIR Optional

- Anirudh Jain (AIR 295, UPSC-CSE 2022)


My Journey
- I passed out my B.Sc in 2019 after which I started my UPSC preparation.
During last years of my Graduation I got attracted towards political
science, so I decided to take it as my optional.
- I was fortunate enough to have Shri. Amit Pratap Singh sir as my mentor
in PSIR. I attended his foundation PSIR course from August 2019 to
December 2019 which built my base.
- I cleared DUET for M.A Political Science solely based on my knowledge of
PSIR optional and did masters from 2020-22.
- Shri. Amit Pratap Singh sir guided me in this 4 years of preparation not
only in PSIR but also in Pre. GS and Interview.
- I practiced answers from the starting. At starting sir told me that my
answers were below average. I wrote same question multiple times on
the same day in order to find out multiple mistakes that I am likely to
make and to know how to make answers near to perfect.
First Step
- Look at syllabus comprehensively, take some available youtube sessions
on syllabus orientation. Search some of the terms mentioned in the
syllabus to look if your interest lies in it or not.
- Look at Toppers’ copies how they write and how answer writing in PSIR
is significantly different from that of GS papers.
- Look how GS2 and PSIR syllabus are corelated and find out common
points on which you can focus more to fetch good marks in both the
papers. Eg. IR, Governor, Federalism, Local Governments, etc.
Second Step
- Start with Western Political Thought and that too with Plato, Aristotle
and Machiavelli in successive order.
- WPT, Ideologies and IPT are the core of whole PSIR optional, give these
three parts maximum time and once you finished these topics, other-
parts of syllabus will become very convenient and quite understandable.
- After Paper 1A, you can directly shift to Paper 2A. It is because theory
part in both the papers are necessary to master. After that, you must
start relating part A with part B of respective papers.
Third Step
 Answer Writing is the most important part, start answer writing from
the beginning only, by solving PYQs and looking at toppers’ copies.
 Make Toppers’ copies as the inherent part of you material, don’t ignore
them at all. I repeat do not ignore toppers’ copies…..!!!!
 Keep Revising and keep writing otherwise things will fissle out. It may
take you 4-5 months to complete optional if you are a beginner. Be
regular, it is just a one time exercise of 5 months rigorous training after
which every effort will become comfortable.
Between Prelims and Mains
 Join test series of any credible coaching institute. I found ForumIAS and
Shubhra Ranjan good for PSIR.
 Write atleast 12-14 tests each of 3 hours, be it sectional or full length.
 Get a good mentor, it is extremely important to have right guidance
during this crucial phase.
 During July write 1 test a week and in August write 2 tests every week.
Do not consider as difficult, it seems, but when you do ruthlessly, then
its done swiftly.
 Try to finish first cycle of revision by July 25. After that, start another
cycle of 20 days for full PSIR revision. Then reduce it to 10 days, then
weekly. So that when mains approaches in September, you will be
capable enough to revise whole PSIR in 2-3 days. (Its possible with
months of hard work).
 Do not focus on marks, just focus on reviews.
Materials Rquired
 Your class notes. Amit Pratap Sir’s notes were quite good,
comprehensive and mature language and pin pointed conceptual clarity.
Some value addition material was also provided by him.
 PSIR market available notes, I preferred Shubhra Ranjan mam’s notes
earlier. They were sufficient but I did value addition and small
corrections from Sir’s notes.
 Some books (if you have time) – Andrew Heywood’s Political Ideologies ;
Op Gauba’s Political Theories ; Shyam Saran’s How India sees the world ;
Shiv Shankar Menon’s Choices.
 Current Affairs (only after finishing the static) – Websites such as
Diplomat, EPW, Gateway House (also for GS), some coaching
compilation.
 PYQs and Toppers Copies (Important)
Do’s and Don’t’s in Answer Writing
1. Keep your intro relevant short crisp and brief. You can use relevant
quotes.
2. Paragraph form is the most important part. Do not write in points in
optional. Keep grammar correct and complete the sentences.
3. Vocabulary matters in optional.
4. Writing must be legible and should be in proper lines, do not disturb the
alignment of the copy.
5. A good flow of arguments is sin qua non for good marks. Follow General
to Particular form from intro to conc. Especially in 15 and 20 marker.
Abrupt jump and close of argument will cost you marks.
6. Use anti thesis in answers, stick to scholars and theories. Do not try to
present your personal viewpoints. Even if you want, back it with relevant
thinker or theory.
7. If general question is asked such as “nature of power”, use every
theoretical framework you have learned in paper 1A.
8. Do not ignore basic established scholars for new and current scholars.
Eg. You cannot ignore Michael Sandel in communitarianism for some
recent scholarly commentary in newspaper. You can compliment but not
ignore the former.
9. Do brainstorming daily on test questions and PYQs.

ALL THE BEST…….!!!!!!!

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