Q. When did you start preparing for the Mains examination? Was it after the results of Preliminary examination?
RV Varun: I started my Mains exam preparation two days after the preliminary exam. I believed in the adage ‘Early bird catches the worm’. My score in preliminary exam was high so I did not have any doubts about writing the mains exam. Candidates should comfortably clear preliminary exam so that they can relieve themselves of any pressure.
Q. What was the medium of answering the questions?
RV Varun: English.
Q. What were your optional subjects for the Mains exam?
RV Varun: First optional – Public Administration. Second optional – Sociology.
Q. What was the basis for choosing optional subjects for the Mains exam?
RV Varun: Love for the subject. This is the primary criteria for choosing the optional subjects. I had the syllabus in my hand and browsed for the topics mentioned there on the internet and I realized that I had a natural liking for these subjects. After deciding the subjects I looked out for help from the coaching institutes.
Q. Which books did you refer to for preparing for the Optional Paper I and II?
RV Varun:I never tried to complete any book. I just extracted the relevant points from the books. Strategy: I took a printout of syllabus in a tailor made manner so that there was enough space between each topic. This document is very important as it saves a lot of time for you during revision. The criterion for buying books is that I will search for a particular topic in ‘google books’. Some of the pages are available for viewing and I shall buy the book if I like the content, style of writing, font, and classification of content. I used to buy them from flipkart or infibeam through “cash on delivery” scheme whereby I get them at my doorstep without wasting time in searching for the books. Many books which I bought did not exceed Rs 200 each. This way there will be variety in the answers we write. Candidates should also learn to read the books which impress them and reading should be effortless. UPSC has not prescribed any books.
Q. What was the Indian Language you chose for the Mains exam?
RV Varun: My mother tongue (Tamil).
Q. Even though English and the Indian Language paper are of qualifying nature, they cannot be taken lightly. What is your advice to IAS aspirants? How should one prepare for these papers?
RV Varun: Reading newspapers would suffice for both these papers. It is very important to manage time properly in these papers too. Complacency will be punished. It is always better to develop one’s personality in an all-round manner. If these two papers were not significant, UPSC would have removed them. One hour per day in the last one month of preparation for mains exam is very essential for these papers.
Q. Do you think that there is a need for creative approach while choosing study material, resources, and making strategies for this exam?
RV Varun: The more creative and innovative a candidate is; the better will be the score. It is better to update ourselves as much as possible in current affairs. For the sake of being different and creative candidates should not be reading irrelevant materials and unwanted issues.
Q. How did you plan for the General Studies in the main examination?
RV Varun: There was no proper plan for GS. That has clearly reflected in my marks. I had scored only 238 and this has obviously pulled down my chance of securing rank 1. My experience should send a strong lesson to all candidates that complacency and laziness will be penalized without any mercy by UPSC. I have learnt my lesson and I shall not be complacent in anything which is part of my work.
Q. What was your strategy for the Essay paper?
RV Varun: Uniqueness will fetch better marks.
Q. How important is time management while writing an essay?
RV Varun: Initially, it appears as if we have a lot of time to write one essay. But UPSC has not fixed the time limit without any logic. A lot of planning is required and proper execution in addition to the planning will keep us occupied throughout the exam hours. General Essay was the only paper I completed at the last minute. All the other papers I completed with a comfortable margin of 5 minutes at least. This itself should send across the news that time management is important in all the papers.
Q. What is your advice to candidates who did not do well in Main Exam?
RV Varun: Analyze your scores and find out your strong and weak areas. It is easy to point the finger on a coaching institute or UPSC or invigilator or evaluator. But it takes courage and perseverance to point the finger to ourselves. If you had not scored well in a particular area then the mistake must be yours. Kindly examine it and correct it. There is always scope for improvement and I quote my inspiration here. Be child-like as Sachin Tendulkar, always hungry to win and hungry to outperform others.
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