CSE GS-1 Strategy
GS1 usually takes most times of aspirant as subjects like History and Culture are highly time consuming but not really rewarding. I would suggest you to not devote much time to these topics as either the questions would be so easy that everyone would be able to write something meaningful or so difficult that most of the candidate will have no idea what they are suppose to write.
Booklist
- History – TN Board 11th NCERT, Modern Spectrum, Few chapters from TMH
- Culture – Nitin Singhania’s handwritten notes+GK Today notes
- Geography – NCERT, G C Leong, Vajiram class notes
- Society – Vision IAS Notes, Current affairs
I made revision notes for all material. For Spectrum, I got the summary pages at the end of each chapter photocopied and wrote extra stuff on them for last minute revision.
My evernote collection
CSE GS-2 Strategy
I use to think GS2 is one paper where candidates from Public Administration, Sociology, PSIR have a distinct advantage. But that’s not the case really. The paper doesnt demand in depth knowledge. Although in initial years of my preparation I was a little afraid of the content but later became confident.
I’ve relied heavily on current affairs, Vision notes and puri sir notes for this paper. In my opinion they are the key ingredient to attain a certain level of preparation.
Booklist
- Polity – Lakshmikant, M Puri sir’s class notes
- Governance – Current affairs, Vision IAS notes
- International relations – Vajiram’s class notes, M Puri sir’s class notes
Try and make revision notes for all your content except Lakshmikant as it is humanly impossible to do for this book.
My evernote collection
CSE GS-3 Strategy
GS3 has scored comparatively high this year. It is difficult to point out a reason for that. Usually GS2 and GS3 have scored similarly.
This paper has been one of my favorites as it contains diverse set of subjects.
Book list
- Economy – Sriram IAS class notes
- Security – Vajiram Yellow book
- Environment – Shankar IAS Notes
- S&T – Vajiram class notes+Vajiram’s yellow book
- Disaster management – Yojana’s editions which comes once in two years or so
- Current affaris – Vision IAS Monthly magazine, Editorials from various news appers especially Livemint, Business standard
Strategy
- I made concise revision notes for all subjects except S&T
- I drew as many diagrams as possible in the paper
- Kept my online notes updated via newspapers and vision magazine
My evernote collection –
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