Strategy for UPSC rank improvemet or overcome failures- by a bureacrat
Updated: Aug 11, 2020

Recharge, Rejuvenate and Renew
After results of UPSC CSE 2019, those who have not cleared must now gear up. It must have been many marks, might be 80-20 ,but then it surely makes a difference ,isnt it.
Now when you are gearing up for new attempt, its clear that we cant fight new plan with old strategies.
New plans require new strategy.
Selected Candidates who aim for Rank Improvement , if you are planning to focus on topics, my advice is not to look for important topics.
against the search for topics, it is themes that must be searched and studied. Themes are actually those topics/subtopics of UPSC CSE syllabus that should be studied in deep, as if you are Secretary level officer of that department.
Like a topic on Agriculture must be studied with all burning issues, where-what-when-why-whose-who-how- etc.
Not only this one must know every topic has its language, and that language must be used in answers. These are keywords that must come in the answers. Effective answer writing is key to success, is the mantra to clearing UPSC CSE
Now thats a tightrope – you must be thinking on one side, we are struggling to complete the syllabus and other side I am asking for enrichment.
One must also make wise use of internet and know how to use internet for upsc preparation.
Look, who is guiding you.
So I have come up with 32 themes to be studied from horses mouth-ie the Bureaucrats themselves, along with the qualified academicians. We did this experiment between 2010 an 2015 and this was a hit.
Students cleared exams with minimum efforts and Maximum output strategy, under our mentorship. All this by officers who have cleared Mains and are serving in system through various departments.
It is during themes, that one get what UPSC actually want you to do- know all views and make your own view. Based on current affairs and issues of national importance, we have studied previous year question papers and marking pattern and come up with 32 themes. IN continuation of this, we have come up with a personal mentoring program with following themes.
QEP BASIC (32 THEMES) is Designed such that it Comprehensively covers 32THEMES which once learnt, can be easily replicated to ALL PAPERS (GS I, II, III, IV, Essay, Optional) to enhance your score by at least 150+ Marks. It is for;
Those taking their first Mains, and aim to get selected in their very first attempt and have done some foundation course before.
Those who are aiming for CSE 2021 and have completed their Foundation Course.
What do you get: a) Online Lecture sessions according to themes, such that by the end of the course you would have made self-made notes, which you can just revise before Mains and Prelims.
b) 4-5 answer writing per theme with feedbacks for improvements. c) Quality enrichment tips and notes, theme wise on e-mail. d) High Impact Answers: Practice using Diagrams, relevant Fact & Figures, important Keywords & Quick recall Acronyms (to remember important dimensions and way forward). Importantly full test series with above themes will give a boost of 100-150 marks for sure. Many have cleared in first attempt also.
See reviews below https://www.sankalpiasforum.com/post/story-of-a-working-guy-who-cleared-in-first-attempt-ajay-kumar-ias https://www.sankalpiasforum.com/upsc-sucess-story-navnath-gavhane
The 32 themes are given below

So I have come up with 32 themes to be studied from horses mouth-ie the Burecrats themselves, along with the qualified academicians. We did this experiment between 2010 an 2015 and this was a hit.
Students cleared exams with minimum efforts and Maximum output strategy, under our mentorship.
It is during themes, that one get what UPSC actually want you to do- know all views and make your own view. Based on current affairs and issues of national importance, we have studied previous year question papers and marking pattern and come up with above 32 themes.