Topper’s Corner

Today's toppers were yesterday's aspirants. They don't do different things. They just do the right things differently. Toppers’ Corner is your place to discover the SUCCESS MANTRAS of the toppers. Explore their stories, strategies, analyze their copies, see how they achieved top scores, their profile, and more!

ANSHUL BHATT

AIR-22 | 2023

SAURABH SHARMA

AIR-23 | 2023

ISHITA KISHORE

AIR-1 | 2022

GARIMA LOHIA

AIR-2 | 2022

UMA HARATHI N

AIR-3 | 2022

P K SIDHARTH

AIR-4 | 2023

NAUSHEEN

AIR-9 | 2023

MEDHA ANAND

AIR-13 | 2023

AYAN JAIN

AIR-16 | 2023

ANSHUL BHATT

AIR-22 | 2023

SAURABH SHARMA

AIR-23 | 2023

ISHITA KISHORE

AIR-1 | 2022

GARIMA LOHIA

AIR-2 | 2022

UMA HARATHI N

AIR-3 | 2022

P K SIDHARTH

AIR-4 | 2023

NAUSHEEN

AIR-9 | 2023

MEDHA ANAND

AIR-13 | 2023

AYAN JAIN

AIR-16 | 2023

ANSHUL BHATT

AIR-22 | 2023

Rishab C A, Rank 23, CSE 2018: Geography Optional Preparation Strategy, Marks 298

Geography Optional: Preparation Strategy

“Geography optional being the scoring optional provide you the leverage of getting extra time to prepare other subjects due to overlapping of topics in GS 1 and GS 3”

Rishab CA AIR 23

WHAT WAS MY APPROACH TO PREPARE FOR GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL?

Syllabus: First step is to by heart the key words of the Syllabus
Integrate Static + Current: Interlink the current related news from different sources (Yojna, kurukshetra, and newspaper) with the topics given in UPSC syllabus.
Answer Writing: Identify the possible questions which can be asked from the topics given in the syllabus (for references use past year previous UPSC Geo. Optional paper).
Solve previous year mains question to cover maximum topic in less time.
Time Management is the key.

WHAT SOURCES DID I FOLLOW?

Paper I

Geomorphology: NCERTs, G.C LEONG
Geomorphology: Book by Savinder Singh. (Use one note book to practice diagrams)
Climatology: Physical geography by Savinder Singh, Physical geography by D.S Lal and use Internet wisely. For the dynamic syllabus: Yojna and Internet (Applied Climatology, Global warming, Urban Heat Island)
Oceanography: Savinder Singh (Physical geography) & NOAA book (pdf available on Internet).
Bio & Env Geography: Topic Soil by Rupa made Simple and Internet (Current affairs).
Perspectives: Book by Majid Husain & Sudipta Adhikari, epgpathshala website (https://epgp.inflibnet.ac.in/).
Economic Geography: Internet, Current affairs & recent events.
Settlement Geography: Geographical thoughts by Majid Husain.
Modern Theories and Laws : Book by Siddhartha & Mukherjee.

Paper II

Fully Current affair based, over lapping with Geo. Of India & Interlinking of different chapters.
Compile Current affairs related to the topic on Ever note and Revise it several times.
Fully Dynamic paper, books I have referred was D.R Khullar and Majid Husain.

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

Stick to Syllabus
Solve 25 Years Previous Questions and Revise it Several times.
In Answer Writing : Practise Mapping and include 4 maps in 20 marks Q , 3 maps in 15 marks Q, 2 maps in 10 marks Q.

GS SCORE extends heartiest congratulations to Rishab on his great achievement and we are gratified to have been a part of his journey to Success (Rank 23) in CSE 2018.