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What i feel about the current scenario - This will be my first attempt. I feel that toughest stage is prelims now. Mains will not be that tough. It's good to have good articulation skills along with some strong GS concepts. Rote learning is of no use for mains as such. UPSC now should set GS paper like 2013's GS. It should be conceptual to eliminate the element of uncertainty they have added by removing csat. Otherwise, UPSC will become like investing time and sweat without knowing our fate at first stage itself. This will be Toughest prelims ever i'd say.
Till now my main focus was on mains, used to write tests, diverse reading of current affairs, optionals, etc. But now i have decided to follow - 1) 100% effort on GS from today. I had earlier planned to start revising GS subjects from mid - June or July. 2) Thinking of 6-7 revisions of the subjects. This will also help for CAPF.
People, irrespective of their background, seniority are invited here to help us out and say what they feel and what should be done.
I remember Neywan once said that forum is no more prelims friendly. Here people who have appeared for mains and interview hang around. This is the right time to make forum prelim friendly.
@Etat : I don't think that the Paper 1 only cutoff for general would have been above 100 in any case in 2014. My guess is 80-90 range. I have seen many people stating ~110 but do you really think 8,500 gen candidates scored 110+ in GS1. I agree that 50-70 odd would have scored 120+, may be 200-300 in 110-120 range. And 2014 was definitely a tougher paper than 2013. In that 2013 paper I guess Gaurav Agrawal and a few others scored 120+ (hardly 10 among the successful candidates). If we consider ppl who might have failed due to P2, then max 30-40 scored above 120+
Now there will be additional factors at play- most important being the feeling of an imaginary cutoff which will make many borderline aspirants taking additional guesses in last 10 minutes to cross it. Apart from it, P2 Gods will come stronger in P1 as well, again raising the cutoff. But again at the difficulty levels of 2014, the range may maximum shift to 90-100, remember they have to select 9,000 gen ppl for mains.
To people exceptionally strong in P2 (read 150+ people): Don't get panicked. I know it's a sad state of affairs but atleast the rules are same for everybody. As @Krispy bhai pointed it out, we have been a bit lethargic in GS1. But I don't see any reason why we cannot cover the gaps.
I personally left history before 1857, culture completely. Didn't do a deep dive in environment and science.
PS: My 2014 P1 round 1 attempt was 44 questions and I got 40 right. In the last round I went for 17 more questions which net added 1 mark. P1: 76, P2: 158-163. I was extremely careful to go for questions I was very sure about in P1. Hopefully, I make it to the the desired service this July itself and don't have to go through the motions once again.
All the best everybody, don't visit forum frequently. Tighten up the belts.
@vsec - I agree with your analysis. However, as competition rises, so does difficulty. That ought to raise the cutoff slightly at least. However, 100 in an average paper ought to be an acceptable net score.
I really feel a few things are coming our way -
1. CSAT paper difficulity rising to the standard of compulsory language papers in Mains
2. Much stiffer competition at Mains and interview
3. Much tougher GS for mains
After all, they have to weed out 99.9% of the applicants with similar strengths till the end.
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Comments
Mains 2015 ya 2016?
This will be my first attempt. I feel that toughest stage is prelims now. Mains will not be that tough. It's good to have good articulation skills along with some strong GS concepts. Rote learning is of no use for mains as such. UPSC now should set GS paper like 2013's GS. It should be conceptual to eliminate the element of uncertainty they have added by removing csat. Otherwise, UPSC will become like investing time and sweat without knowing our fate at first stage itself. This will be Toughest prelims ever i'd say.
Till now my main focus was on mains, used to write tests, diverse reading of current affairs, optionals, etc. But now i have decided to follow -
1) 100% effort on GS from today. I had earlier planned to start revising GS subjects from mid - June or July.
2) Thinking of 6-7 revisions of the subjects. This will also help for CAPF.
People, irrespective of their background, seniority are invited here to help us out and say what they feel and what should be done.
I remember Neywan once said that forum is no more prelims friendly. Here people who have appeared for mains and interview hang around. This is the right time to make forum prelim friendly.
GS 1 - 80-90 marks ( target enough)
CSat (qualify) = 130+ marks
confused state :-SS @-)
GS 1 - 90 or 100 marks
CSAT (qualify) - 67 marks (enough to clear cutoff)
Safe condition
GS - 1 = 110-120 marks
CSAT(qualify) = 120+ marks ( mujhe aata hai)
expert level
GS 1 - 120+marks
CSAT(qualify) - 150+ marks ( mujhe sab aata hai )
GS - 90-95 (just below expected cutoffs)
CSAT - 120-130 (not going to be a bother)
Between 'confused' and 'safe' for individual metrics. Now I'm confused. :-SS
approx. 100 days left
Prelims = 23/aug/2015
approx. 100 days left
Mains = 14/dec/2015
DO HARD-WORK only 200 days (24x7) ==> selection pakka
I have seen many people stating ~110 but do you really think 8,500 gen candidates scored 110+ in GS1. I agree that 50-70 odd would have scored 120+, may be 200-300 in 110-120 range.
And 2014 was definitely a tougher paper than 2013. In that 2013 paper I guess Gaurav Agrawal and a few others scored 120+ (hardly 10 among the successful candidates). If we consider ppl who might have failed due to P2, then max 30-40 scored above 120+
Now there will be additional factors at play- most important being the feeling of an imaginary cutoff which will make many borderline aspirants taking additional guesses in last 10 minutes to cross it. Apart from it, P2 Gods will come stronger in P1 as well, again raising the cutoff. But again at the difficulty levels of 2014, the range may maximum shift to 90-100, remember they have to select 9,000 gen ppl for mains.
To people exceptionally strong in P2 (read 150+ people): Don't get panicked. I know it's a sad state of affairs but atleast the rules are same for everybody. As @Krispy bhai pointed it out, we have been a bit lethargic in GS1. But I don't see any reason why we cannot cover the gaps.
I personally left history before 1857, culture completely. Didn't do a deep dive in environment and science.
PS: My 2014 P1 round 1 attempt was 44 questions and I got 40 right. In the last round I went for 17 more questions which net added 1 mark. P1: 76, P2: 158-163. I was extremely careful to go for questions I was very sure about in P1. Hopefully, I make it to the the desired service this July itself and don't have to go through the motions once again.
All the best everybody, don't visit forum frequently. Tighten up the belts.
I really feel a few things are coming our way -
1. CSAT paper difficulity rising to the standard of compulsory language papers in Mains
2. Much stiffer competition at Mains and interview
3. Much tougher GS for mains
After all, they have to weed out 99.9% of the applicants with similar strengths till the end.