GS 1 complete Strategy
GS 1 is quite scoring, but syllabus is little longer and tricky as compared to other GS papers. So one has to read and revise Selectively for this :
GS 1 has three important sections. Here is the section wise strategy. It will help you.
1.1 Art and culture : (around 1–2 questions are asked)
- Go through class 11th NCERT introduction to Fine Arts. It covers 4–5 major themes like cave painting in the prehistoric era, Rock cut cave architecture, Temple architecture, sculpture. Easily you can find out 7–8 questions from this book that can be asked
- Go through Themes in Indian history - Ancient. The new NCERT. Selectively read the art and culture portion from here. Last year questions like Buddhist rock motifs and sculpture, then Gupta numismatics came from this book. Read the art and culture part selectively
- Go though VISION IAS questions. They try to Cover major themes like sculpture, rock cut architecture etc
1.2. Modern Indian History: (around 2–3 questions are asked)
It has three parts basically.
- From 1707–1857: read from B L Grover if time permits, else go thorough vision IAS test series History questions. There are few themes like Causes and effect of the decline of Mughal, factors behind the rise of the British empire in India, Maratha rule, Early British policy etc.
- From 1857–1947: (important section) Go through Bipan Chandra old NCERT and complement it with Vision IAS Test series questions. There are few important themes like Administrative, Economic and social policies of the British, rise of Nationalist movements, Goals and ideologies of Nationalist movement, important personalities like Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru, B R Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, Raja Ram Mohandas Roy and others.
- From 1947-till now (post independent india) : Go through Bipan Chandra Post Independent India book and complement it with Pradhan mantri Series by ABP news. It covers important themes like Economic and social policies after Independence, Green revolution, China war, Emergency, Liberalisation of Economy etc.
1.3. World History: (1–2 questions are asked).
Keep your sources limited here since only 1–2 questions are asked.
How to cover:
- Go through Arjun Dev Old NCERT world history. It covers most of the important themes. Or you can go through Haqq and Pattanaik old NCERT world history. Last year difficult questions like Malayan peninsula and Freedom struggle in West Africa were directly picked from this book.
- If possible listen world history lectures by Khan academy. Small, crisp and effective.
- Complementary it with vision IAS Test series questions. They try to Cover major themes like French revolution, industrialization, nationalism, world wars, cold war, no aligned movement etc.
Avoid Norman Lowe and others.
1.4. Indian society: (5–6 questions are asked usually)
This is small section, questions are predictable. Highly scoring. So focus on Indian society.
- Go through NCERT Class 11th and 12th Indian society. Cover major themes like stained features of Indian society, various socialised like casteism, communalism, secularism, gender issues, disability issues, development of STs and SCs etc.
- Complement it with VISION IAS Mains test series question. They cover major themes. Go through their answers and if possible go though the discussion video by VISION IAS sociology mam. She beautifully explains and gives a good structure to articulate your thoughts to write a good answer.
1.5. Geography:
This is the most scoring and easiest section in GS 1.
Go through my answer on how to prepare Geography for paper 1. I have exhaustively explained.
Geography is bit easier and more scoring in GS 1 as compared to History part. Around 8–9 questions are asked.
Sources :
- Go through NCERT Physical Geography of Class 11th. (2 questions are asked) Go through key topics like Plate Tectonics, various theories related to the Formation of the Earth, phenomena like cyclone, Tsunami, Earthquake etc. Then topics like Oceanic current, salinity of ocean etc are to be covered from this book. Last year question of relation between Oceanic salinity and factors influencing it can be done from here.
- Go through Indian Geography of Class 11th NCERT. Some key topics like Indian Monsoon system, uniqueness in India’s physical Geography etc are to be covered from here. Other topics like Economic and social factors behind the location of various industries are to be read from this book.
- One can Selectively read NIOS Geography to cover selective topics like Life in various climatic regions, Tourism sector, Locational factors for industrialization. Last year question of Life in tropical Monsoon region can be better dealt if you would have gone through it once. Read it Selectively.
- Vision IAS Mains question paper : Go through it thoroughly. They try to Cover the major themes possibly to be asked in the exam. Example: tourism in India or watershed development in India or feasibility of River connectivity project. Please go through it once.
- Go through last 2–3 years questions asked in geography optional paper. Gradually the examiners are moving towards optional subjects in each paper. Last year question of Cryosphere was already asked in Geography optional paper in last 2–3 years.
How to maximise your score :
- Draw a diagram or map if possible
- Include more dimensions in the answers
- Try to write in bullet points since one has to write a lot in GS 1.
Entd note : This much material is Sufficient.
End note: you can go through my answers:
