yes, there is a hope...

Trust : Virtue or Calculation Some books are so engrossing and enriching that sharing them becomes obligatory because irrespective of the language they are written the message they convey is equally useful to all. so much so that they call for group reading sessions and wider discussion in clubs and colleges. Their applicability is not limited to schools or colleges but they are equally hit for boardrooms, war rooms, court rooms alike.  Matt Ridley is a celebrated author who has previously authored top selling titles like Genome and the Red Queen. To categorise The Origins of Virtue : Human Instincts and the evolution of Cooperation, published by The Penguin  in 1996 will be a tough task as it fits into several genre at the same time. Its a research document, a compilation of stories, history book, a economics paper. The book is categorised into 13 chapters dealing into different themes where cooperation has evolved as a modus towards mutual gains and development of society fr...

The results of CSE Mains 2016 have been announced and the Personality Test is scheduled to begin very soon. Though I have been like a rusted Iron block after working in the field in the last years, still the announcement of Mains result gives me a kick reminding my own days of UPSC CSE preparation where the everyday we used to wait for results along with the mighty ORKUT group which was source of all nonsense rumours and offcourse some sensical information. Once thing which happens first in the field is that you stop reading THE HINDU which is as boring as it could be in fast changing and flooding Whatsapp Gyan era. Though I opted for Businessline which in tone and tenor smells like its elder The Hindu so I will be suggesting few topics which may appear during the course of discussion in Personality test.  1.         GST               Tops the chart only due to the fact that during last year it has occupi...

As discussed in part-1, we are continuing from next point from summary sheet of CSM DAF, 1-      Particulars of prizes and medals etc.-       In this column if you have made an entry and now after going through your DAF you find it silly or not worth mentioning then you can’t undo that, so better thing is just try to justify that honor in 25 minutes ,if question is raised from that topic like generally any winner in district, state, national championship in Extempore, Debate, Quiz or any Talent search exam like  NTSE or scholarships like Olympiads then most probably they may ask you about contribution of such schemes for scholar development and academics , your topic for the event like in debate, essay etc. they may even ask you to speak for 2 min. on any random but weird topic ,if extempore, debate or public speaking is your hobby, then don’t try to speak impromptu but take few seconds ,make  few points in mind and then speak,...

 In UPSC preparation , you can get matter from anywhere but how to write answers using that matter is something which requires expertise and practice. These are few insightful instructions of Upendra sir, which I fortunately got to listen during our brief interactions. I have personally found them very useful for both optionals and have added few points myself, based on my recent experience of CSE Mains 2012. Following are the few touch-points, which can be broadly applicable to all, as per current pattern:- 1.    Writing practice is key for mains exam. Preferably practice daily. 2 .    Questions should be understood clearly and should be broken into parts if it is a complex one and in one’s own word about what does it mean as sometimes comprehending the question is itself a key, 3.   Sociology should not overpower the general understanding of the problem. 4.   Every question must be treated as a problem and you are suppose to solve that...

PAPER - II Indian Administration   As this Paper concerns mostly with the application of principles discussed in paper 1 so to prepare it one must be comfortable and should have command on paper 1 so as to show how principles discussed in theory can be applicable to implementation aspect. Thus it would give a good feedback on examiner that aspirant has not only mugged up the syllabus but also has clearly understood the underpinnings of the discipline and all interconnections within the subject are crystal clear to the aspirant.                  Especially from the last 2 years paper 2 is designed in such a way that many questions appear to be out of blue and can be approached like a GS paper which will end in mediocre marks and that is the reason that there have been variations in marks scored between the candidates. Secondly you can connect the "GS" type’s ques. to some concepts in PA so it will appear that you can apply the ...

             Public Administration is like a mirage, it appears easy from a distance to the new aspirants who are in the process of short listing optional subjects for CSE but if we see the general marking pattern in the subject for last 3 yrs, we can easily discover that marking  is like a cliff with few exceptional high scores with generally below average marking. Secondly, it is not necessary that high scores in Public Administration paper -1 are supplemented by equally good or near marks in paper 2. This may be due to different approach required to attempt these 2 papers at a gap of 2 hrs.              The only benefit and perhaps the only reason for popularity of Public Administration is that everyone who looks at its syllabus at first go, feels a bit comfortable mainly due to its inter-disciplinary approach and broad subject-matter. Secondly, it also makes one comfortable in General Polity sections...

Sociology is something which matched with my temperament and sometime it becomes difficult for me to differentiate between sociological thought process with  my own sphere of thought  which may be called as  “common-sense” in sociological dictionary but  seems very sociologically relevant.            Coming straight to the references which I used in civil services preparation in my mains exam, let me update that I was a graduate in economics and political science so many topics like those of Marx, political sociology, research methods topics of paper-II were those with which I was aware of and only needed sociological perspective. This myth which I stated in above line was broken once I got hold of HARALOMBOS & HOLBORN  (as per advice of Upendra sir during Mains 2011) as it presented seemingly aware topics in entirely new perspective ie sociological. Secondly it matters less  what you referred...