India year book can prove to be of great help in IAS preparation. It acts as a reference book for statistics and latest developments for IAS prelims examination. But the India year book should be read selectively so as to cover it effectively in time.
India Year Book 2017 Crux: Environment Part I
Here, we provide IAS aspirants with some useful tips to cover the India year book, according to the syllabus of IAS exam.
What is India Year Book?
India Year Book is the most comprehensive digest of India’s progress in different sectors and fields. The book deals with all aspects of growth and development from agriculture to industry, rural to urban, science and technology, environment and conservation, art and culture, economy, health etc.
India year book includes a diary of significant happenings of the states and Union Territories, constitutional amendments and many other aspects of the polity. There is an exclusive chapter introducing Indian States/UTs with their vital statistics such as population, polity, land and people etc.
How to approach the India year book for IAS Exam?
India year book is a very long document and it’s impossible to memorise the whole book so first of all the IAS aspirants should read all the previous year questions in IAS prelims that were asked from the year book. For example, questions for the environment chapter of the India year book are often surfaced in the IAS prelims exam.
Moreover, students can also refer some previous year questions of IAS mains where they could have substituted their knowledge of the year book. But it will be foolish to read such a wide book twice, once for IAS prelims and then for IAS mains.
After thoroughly reading the question papers, systematically segregate the content list subject wise and then start reading the book. This exercise will help a student to develop a holistic approach towards the exam.
| Subject List |
Chapters from India Year Book |
| Indian Polity, rights issues and social development |
2. National Symbols 3. Polity 20. Law and Justice 10. Education 15. Food and Civil Supplies 16. Health and Family Welfare 21. Labour, Skill Development and Employment 23. Planning 24. Rural and Urban Development 28. Welfare |
| Geography, Environment and Science and technology |
1. Land and the People 4. Agriculture 12. Environment 25. Scientific and Technological Developments 27. Water Resources 30. States and Union Territories |
| Economy and growth |
8. Communications and Information Technology 11. Energy 17. Housing 19. Industry 26. Transport |
| International Relations and defence |
9. Defence 18. India and the World |
| General Knowledge and Miscellaneous |
5. Culture and Tourism 22. Mass Communication 29. Youth Affairs and Sports 30. States and Union Territories 31. Diary of National Events 32. General Information |
The key is to read India year book topics wise or subject wise instead of reading it in a linear sequence. The above table can be used as a guide on which chapters to read in which subject.
The do and don't of the India year book:
To utilise the information given in the India year book effectively IAS aspirants should keep in mind certain pointers while reading the book like avoiding unnecessary facts and statistics which are not very useful for the IAS exam.
Some points to be considered while the reading the India year book is given below:
• Start reading the selective chapters of India year book subject-wise after reading the basics of the subject from NCERTs.
• The data given on organisations that are important to note is the purpose, creation and future prospects of the organisation, not the detailed hierarchy it follows.
• All the new Bills/Acts/laws mentioned in the India year book should be read separately from the prs.org website and aspirants should also make separate notes on these new bills.
• Policies and schemes mentioned in the India year book are extremely important for both IAS prelim as well as IAS main, but here also the aspirants should be selective and able to differentiate on which is a social welfare scheme and which one is a developmental scheme.
• From the perspective of IAS prelims, only the chapters related to the environment, science and technology, energy, industry, geography should be given priority. The rest of the book can be read even after the IAS prelims result.
Conclusion:
Lastly, the India year book (IYB) is a one stop source to have a comprehensive idea on all the latest developments happening in India. The skill of prioritisation can turn very helpful in reading the India year book as it has lots of data and it is really hard to remember all of it, so better to read it in sections.
Moreover, being an official product by the Government of India the credibility is this source is immense, so IAS aspirants should utilise this source intelligently and makes notes of the same.
