Interview with Kiran Kamate | AIR 53 | UPSC-CSE 2025 | PSIR Optional

Transcript of Kiran Kamate PSIR Topper Interview

Mr. Abhijeet
Hello everyone, this is Abhijit from Politics for India. We’re very glad to announce that number of toppers selected this year have used our content. Some have used our PSIR notes. Some have used our PSR model answers. While many toppers have used our website politicsforindia.com for value addition to their existing sources. One such topper Mr. Kiran Kamate, he has secured all India rank 53 this year. We contacted him just after results and asked if we can have an interview with him where he can share his PSIR strategy. He kindly agreed and here we are. So, before we get into the interview, I’ll just share some brief about Mr. Kiran. So he he’s graduated in 2018. He started preparation for Civil Services in 2020. First three attempts he gave with Civil Engineering as an optional. In 2023, he thought PSIR would be a better choice and he switched to PSIR. So last year 2025, that was his last attempt. But he has managed to secure all India rank 53 with 275 marks in PSIR. I honestly feel that the tips and the strategies he has revealed in this video they’re very insightful. I don’t remember seeing uh these kind of videos since good amount of time. So I’m very confident that uh the strategies he had shared in this interview they’ll be very helpful for you all. We have discussed everything from getting started with PSIR, making PSIR notes, then attempting the mock test, tackling individual questions and then an overall strategy which one should have for the final paper. So the video has everything for everyone. Be a beginner or maybe you’re a pro I mean a pro student. The veteran, so to say. Okay. So please watch it carefully and let us know what you think.

Mr. Abhijeet
Congratulations. You had such a good rank. The parents, family they must be very happy. right?. And also the last attempt. So it was it was six and last attempt. So in that last attempt I got 53. So more than happy. Oh. And you’re preparing since 2018.

Mr. Kiran
2020 Sir. March. Just a few days before lockdown.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. Fine. Fine. And you graduated in 2018, I guess.

Mr. Kiran
2018 Sir. Yes. Yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
Then you switched to PSIR. So, when exactly that happened and what was your calculation behind it?

Mr. Kiran
Means, I had prepared for GATE and engineering services after my engineering graduation. So for two years I had done that. So 19 and 2020, till 2020 I actually had prepared for that. I had even got MTech program in IIT Guwahati. So, that is when I switched to Civil Services and that was the logic of mine to take civil engineing optional. So I was quite comfortable already I had written uh means there as well. So that is why I had taken it. But I wrote my first mains in 2022 with Civil Engineering optional. So I had written three Mains. In that first Mains I had written with Civil Engineering optional. But because of the scaling factors and technical subjects were not getting enough marks. So I just scored 225 sir. And at the same time I got my state government job. So that is when I decided okay I’ll switch and take PSIR.

Mr. Abhijeet
So you had any like tangible information regarding the scaling and all or it was just like heresy.

Mr. Kiran
No sir. I had sir, I had. Because just few years before that was, Civil Enginnering was getting almost like 300 plus, 310, 320. Okay. And… so I thought even on an average case I would be getting at least 270, 280 but that was not the case and this was something that was within the civil or engineering subject circle that was happening that time and even I talked to uh some of the faculty who were teaching in civil engineing optional as well. So, they also said the same. And at the same time there was no overlap, and preparing civil engineering it almost took like, I could study two times of PSIR or even three times. So with absolutely no overlap. So, now… that was the time I decided I have to switch sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So that that was from 2023 right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. So first three attempts Civil Engineering, next three attempts PSIR

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Yes sir. So I have no formal background in political science. Okay. And like. how did you start your PSIR preparation then?

Mr. Kiran
Actually, yes sir, I actually brought the Shubhra Ranjan ma’am handwritten notes. Got it from Delhi. So I read it. That’s a basically that was the thing I did. Just brought and started reading. I understood it but I was not quite comfortable with the paper 2 sir

Mr. Kiran
and also the organization was not that good in the notes and the handwritten notes was not,

Mr. Kiran
I was not comfortable with it. I personally don’t like handwritten notes, reading handwritten notes. So at the same time I found out your website and actually if you type anything related to PSIR I think your website pops up first. So that was my first uh glimpse of PSIR. Even before Shubhra Ranjan notes. So that is when I was very comfortable and I thought this website is made for me. I started reading it.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. And like how was your first attempt? then like.. see you start reading you don’t get like because many students, they ask me this question.
When they start reading they’re not aware with the keywords and all, and then it’s very confusing in the beginning. Yes sir. How did you deal with that?

Mr. Abhijeet
like, did you had understanding that it will improve over time or how was it? that learning curve?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. So, one thing is, because I had already spent three years of general study, I had some basic understanding of general studies. And it is in those three years that I actually found some comfort in political science and international relations. More so with Polity sir. So I thought, I actually had not prepared any other list of alternatives if I’m changing it was only one subject, it was PSIR. I didn’t talk to any topper or any coaching, the marks trends etc nothing it was just a choice purely made out of my interest in Political Science. But yes, I found it very difficult in the initial few years especially because once you start that western political thought you you will not be able to understand even.
So, I was that person. I did not understand.

Mr. Kiran
But I think with repeated revisions I understood it better. So, it only got better.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay, so what was the thing like in 2023, did you give mains with PSIR? how was it?

Mr. Kiran
No. I prepared for 23, and I do not clear the Prelims itself in 23. So now I’m left with another year to prepare for next attempt. So that is where I made my PSIR preparation more, you know, more in depth I prepared for PSIR. So, at that time the resources were shubhra ranjan notes, your website and utkarash dwivedi sir’s blog for revision or something. In the meantime I prepared a lot of value addition material. I have personally not made any notes. The only preparation I had made was the list of quotations, the key words and thinkers and their works. These are the three list I prepared and would repeatedly uh study them, revise them and then in 24 I give my first means with PSIR. So I scored 250 there. Okay. And I had written just two tests.

Mr. Abhijeet
Oh okay.

Mr. Kiran
So with just barely two tests that too five hours each I practiced and somehow I finished all the, both papers, and it went pretty well. So I scored exactly 250. 126 ,124… So 250 and I missed the final cut off by 37 marks.

Mr. Abhijeet
You gave interview?

Mr. Kiran
I gave my interview. Yes.

Mr. Kiran
I cleared the mains. I cleared the mains by just 15 marks. So cut off was 729. I scored 737 so just 12 13 marks extra. But I get an interview call I give my interview I do fairly well because 172 is what I scored but it was the Mains part where I was missing. So this time around I got 275. So I made a 25 mark jump.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes yes..

Mr. Abhijeet
So in PSIR, see I’ll get down to some details. Let’s say you started in 2023 okay you did the first reading. So what was your approach after that? Like since beginning you had a plan that I’ll go for first, second, third and then I answer writing. So what was your overall big plan?

Mr. Kiran
Initially there was no, absolutely no plan regarding answer writing. My only target was to read it at least two to three times. Okay. First understand the depth and the breadth of the subject. So, I was not rushing around with answer writings. So I made it a point that I read it once. I’m not highlighting or making any notes in the first time. Second time I’m reading it.

Mr. Kiran
Again, I didn’t go for any highlighting just I made some short notes out of it. Then in the third reading I actually went into a little deeper and made those value addtion notes and uh till then also I had not gone through the PYQs etc. I was just focusing only on reading. I wanted to get the concepts clear, get the syllabus covered. That was the only target. It was only when I got the Mains call that I wrote my first PSIR answer.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. So by that time you had done three readings.

Mr. Kiran
Yes. Three readings I had done it sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Fine. And what value addition did you do then? after 2024 Mains?

Mr. Kiran
2024 Mains, this time around sir I focused a lot on answer writing. This time it was exclusively more focused on answer writing, PYQ analysis and third is lot of newspaper reading. So I made a lot of value addition through newspapers. I knew the basic value addition that was available on the website notes etc. but I wanted to bring, for every answer I made a specific, one paragraph dedicated only for contemporary events irrespective of whether it’s asked or not. I made it a point that I will end my answer before the conclusion giving a contemporary relevance. So that is one fixed part I made it irrespective of the demand and across the questions. So that contemporary relevance came only through newspapers sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
You mean, even for theory questions or only?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir

Mr. Kiran
Even if it is the most theoretic question, I would somehow link it with current context. So, if it is anything related to capitalism, I would bring some ideas, current ideas relinking to capitalism even if it is Marxism I would somehow bring it, quoting modern Marxist thinkers and link it to that or the inequality report and link it. So I made sure that somehow one character dedicated exclusively for contemporary relevance.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So that was based on.. some.. like any realization you had or like you just thought this will be a good strategy?

Mr. Kiran
Like, once I started writing answers that is when I felt, this can be a very good value addition and I tried it in a couple of tests and it got good, like evaluator also noticed it and appreciated it. So I understood, like I made a point and that (unclear)..

Mr. Abhijeet
this is good point actually because ultimately like you have to impress the examiner right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
When you write something relevant, it strikes a chord with them, right? It makes them think and

Mr. Kiran
Yes, absolutely. They will favor your copy. They will, it shows your efforts, right? Efforts, very likely to do.. that make stand out because everyone’s writing the same reading the same content, writing the same answers, putting the same keywords, thinkers, etc. Now it’s very difficult to actually stand out and with just everyday answer writing, a bit common sense I think I could do.. (unclear).. so that’s where I think newspaper comes in. Especially this year I felt, those who were focused primarily on just PYQ analysis. I think they got hit. It was more of newspaper reading and that dynamism. with which, newspaper reading brings in. Those. actually they did well.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. this year’s paper, I also felt it was little different than usual right?

Mr. Kiran
yes PYQs were not stressed enough. 1A was largely theoretical, it was largely based on PYQs. But 1B, 2B,

Mr. Abhijeet
they were like, 2A also.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir, 1B and 2B were very good questions.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. I’ll just see some questions from students.

Mr. Abhijeet
So, just to clarify, so the notes and the current affair. For current affairs, your only source was newspaper right?

Mr. Kiran
Newspapers. Only newspapers and nothing more actually nothing much and there was a CAVA course by Dipin Damodaran sir of Next IAS and he had actually given, he had, for the IR part… that very much .. audio is not very clear Kiran.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes sir, I’ll just check. Yeah, it it sounds better now. So, you said the newspaper. Which newspaper specifically?

Mr. Kiran
even between the two… between I read two newspapers The Hindu & Indian Express.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. so you’re saying the newspaper and the course you did at insight IAS, right?

Mr. Kiran
Next IAS sir. Next ias, I’m sorry next ias.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes sir, current affairs value addition. It was for GS or PSIR?

Mr. Kiran
It was for GS sir. Only for GS. But actually it helped a lot for PSIR answers as well.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So notes, you didn’t make any right? Whatever existing notes, you highlighted and like you you just use that.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. And then okay in 2025 you did answers.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. I wrote a lot of answers this time. I had joined this shubhra ranjan test series. So I completed the entire tests there.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Two iterations and two iteration of sectional test and one FLT. That was like ten papers then another eight in sarathi ias. So that was a QEP+
He had covered only the.. it was basically PYQs turned into test series. Okay, so that was about 18 tests in total.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay, 18 full tests.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
What was your process? like after you gave the test? Before the test, after the test, what was your process?

Mr. Kiran
The entire week I would prepare uh the respective section that was there for that weekend test. Okay. So I would make sure that the basic notes I would revise completely and if possible at least like every day two answers I would write the PYQs.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Abhijeet
We lost you again.. looks like. If we lose the signal one more time, we’ll continue our normal regular audio call. Okay. Right. Ultimately we are concerned about the content. Content. So what was your approach? like before the test you used to prepare for a week and you used to write two PYQs every day?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir…. (Your approach) before the test, the mock test and after the test how was it?

Mr. Kiran
Yes. Okay. So before the test I would read the entire basic notes. Okay. And uh everyday newspaper was something I always did. So uh then every day to couple of questions sir I would just do some answer writing. Okay. And ultimately write the test at the end of the week sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
So answer writing on the same topics on which there going to be..

Mr. Kiran
On the same, yes. If there was a test on 1A, Iwould write the PYQs of 1A.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay and after the test?

Mr. Kiran
And after the test, I would yes, I would wait for the evaluation to happen and uh I would take the.. whatever the comments there were… I would take them actually, invite them seriously sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So that was something I was not doing previously.

Mr. Kiran
So now I made it a point that I would, Whatever the points that they raised, I would try to bring it in.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Yes. And also I used a lot of chat GPT to evaluate my own answers.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So how like you used to type it or just like..

Mr. Kiran
No. So I would just scan the papers and put it on chat GPT and ask it to evaluate and identifying the strengths and weaknesses of my answer.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
And I would uh then whatever the comments that it gave, I would try to embibe it and I also used chat GPT particularly for value addition.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Only particular value addition.

Mr. Kiran
I would make.. for example I would give a particular topic and ask it for some contemporary value addition or some thinkers and their concepts which are like not regular or the newer ideas.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm. Mhm.

Mr. Kiran
So I would try to link them. So this is what I used cht GPT for.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. like. like… for example there if there is some phenomena and you cannot think of an example, right? Then you can ask chat GPT to give example from contemporary times or something like that right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Kiran
For example the crisis of political science. Now we tend to write all the usual stuff but somehow I used to identify the contemporary relevance of it. So I would ask chat GPT to give me a contemporary idea of some work or some author which would, which I can use it for value addition.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm.

Mr. Kiran
So this is how I used it.

Mr. Abhijeet
So this was your unique point which you wanted to emphasize that contemporary relevance of entire. So basically at the end of it you had, like you were aware. you had points regarding contemporary relevance of entire political science I would say, right? Of all the topics.

Mr. Kiran
okay I had some contemporary relevance ready one or two points. Yes yes.

Mr. Kiran
And this was not only for.. like using chat GPT, even let’s say the everyday newspaper. If I come across some good value addition I would use it directly sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.. and like would you write it down somewhere or you.. just like how was that?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir, I would write it down. Yes sir. In just, yes sir in my, let’s say in that very answer I would make it a point using a different ink so that that would stand out. Next time when I’m revising I know that this part is something that I have done differently. It is not in my usual notes. So that would help me identify.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm. Yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So now I would say what was your final resources like let’s say you cleared prelims 2025.

Mr. Kiran
Hmm.

Mr. Abhijeet
After prelims 2025, what all resources you referred? You refer the notes and did you refer your answers also? how was it?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir, there were three resources sir. One primary is the notes, from the coaching institute. Second is the politics for India website.. hmm.. hm.. and Later on I think the website itself became my main source sir.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. So, then third was the Utkash Dwivedi sir’s blog. That I actually used for revision and some kind of value addition. Okay. Mostly for revision purpose because it was very crisp and very easy to read. So I had not made any my own notes.

Mr. Kiran
Mhm. Yes. These were the three resources, three only resources. I topped it up with everyday answer.. everyday newspaper reading. Two newspapers the Hindu and Indian Express.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. And did you refer your answers also once again after prelims or like that process was over already?

Mr. Kiran
Like which answers?

Mr. Abhijeet
The previous, I mean mock test which you wrote.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir, I had actually written the questions from a crash course by shubhra ranjan ma’am. So I have read them again and again sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Kiran
That actually gave me a way of.. like how to write answers. So initially I was not very.. at ease with respect to answer writing. So.. that crash course answers actually helped me understand answer writing.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Great. Great. Okay. So how many total revisions you would say you did for the entire PSIR? Four, five, how was it?

Mr. Kiran
No sir, three I would say three.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Only three and after that answer writing, right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Because answer writing was something I was doing parallelly. So I had not kept it like I would finish these number of revision and then do answer writing. So I was taking it along. So everyday answer writing and sectional test and revision. So it was all happening simultaneously.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. So you did not prepare short notes also then right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Short notes, I did not prepare. Only notes I prepared were the three list I mentioned. One list was section specific keywords. Lot of keywords. Then second list was thinkers and their concepts.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. Let’s say some question….

Mr. Kiran
like Hannah and her concepts on totalitarianism etc. So I made the section specific keywords that was again a very exhaustive list. Third was section wise.. again quotations. So all the thinkers whatever quotations that came. So I would just open a section on the politics for India website. I would just jot down all the quotations that came, in the same sequence. So that actually helped me to revise sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
So even if I’m just reading the quotations now I know serially how the topic has progressed. So that was the way of actually revising and active recalling. Now what that actually pushed me to think the theory part of behind those quotations. So I would I would force my brain to recollect the topic rather than directly opening topic and reading.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm.

Mr. Kiran
So because PSIR revision, I felt sir if while reading it is very easy when once the notes are in front of you it’s very easy to recollect but when we are thinking and trying to write an answer it becomes very difficult and we tend to miss the details so when I did this, it actually helped me better revise and recollect

Mr. Abhijeet
This is very true what you’re saying. When you start, actually start articulating then you realize your limitations right?.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Kiran
So I actually I was very honest with my.. answer writing. If I was not writing good answers, if I’m failing to recollect, I was I was just accepting that this was something I was not able to do. So only then I could course correct very immediately. Uh so this was something I did sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So what was your approach to course correction? You would refer chart GPT for value addition or you would go back to the notes or you would just spend time thinking about it? How was it?

Mr. Kiran
So first I would think sir. First, not the notes, not chat GPT. It is always me contemplating what should I do? What should I think or I would just sit there and brainstorm. Only thereafter, it is use of notes and chat GPT and I would keep chat GPT as number three sir. First is active recall, then notes, then chat GPT. If I directly jump to chat GPT, I think somewhere I am losing that ability to even think. I cannot just out get into that habit and it.. so much so that I lose my ability to even think.

Mr. Abhijeet
This is very true actually, because chat GPT.. then it it puts you in certain direction right? if you if you’re not very clear, what to get out of it, then it gets you in certain direction and then you lose the track.

Mr. Kiran
Correct. Yes, absolutely, absolutely yes, sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
So, fine. And.. okay, I’ll just go through questions which students have posted. If something is remaining, we’ll cover that.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Abhijeet
One more thing. When you give a mock tests, there is certain evaluation done by the evaluator. Not everything they give feedback to, we agree on. Okay?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
So, how was it like? Because sometimes, some students tend to go completely opposite. Sometimes, some students, they don’t understand what exactly the examiner is trying to say. How is your approach like? Respecting the evaluator plus trusting your own judgment ?

Mr. Kiran
This is a very practical problem that even I faced. Because a lot of times when when, let’s say I’m bringing a completely new idea, a new concept into answer writing and the evaluator let’s say he’s just evaluating my answer based on the synopsis that is provided by the coaching center. Now he’s not appreciating or even trying to make an effort to understand what I have written. He’s just comparing the synopsis and saying this is missing out and you you should have written this.

Mr. Abhijeet
Exactly. Exactly.

Mr. Kiran
Then it it’s difficult to maintain the self-confidence also, right?

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. Yes.

Mr. Kiran
Now he’s not even acknowledged that I’ve written something different or tried.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes.

Mr. Kiran
Now that actually demotivates and you stop putting more efforts and you just go the regular way. But somewhere I felt.. in spite of the.. the lack of acknowledgement or criticism, I would just accept and continue to do that sir. Because I felt that was that was the… that was my hallmark of answer writing and that is where my answers would stand out. Irrespective of whether they understood or not. Because ultimately it is not.. the person.. actual person evaluating in the UPSC exam will be more experienced. and with more subject expertise. So he would be more accepting in a sense. So I was not not very really worried about what they said or even commented. But taking that out, anything extra they say, let’s say some sort of value addition they had said, that I would take it sir. Again, the only that criticism I would take which I felt I could translate in the real exam, real test. Okay. Let’s say sometimes some absolutely.. like what say… not a pragmatic points also they specified which is just dumped from some research paper etc. They just put it and say you should have added this. Now on a practical basis that might not happen. So only that criticism, those comments or value addition which I felt would.. I would be able to recollect on the day of exam only those I would take it. So ultimately it is I am writing and I should be able to recollect. So, those things I would make it a point and rectify them. Rest all I would just ignore sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
This is very good. You…

Mr. Abhijeet
Basically we have to take our own responsibility, right? At the end, we cannot blame it on the examiners or somebody else.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. This is good approach. So basically you took the feedback which you felt was relevant, positively. If you felt something was not possible or something was contradictory to your self conviction, you just ignored it.

Mr. Kiran
Ignored it sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
You didn’t.. completely ignore that. Like I mean some students, what do they do in this position, they completely leave the test series.

Mr. Kiran
Completely, yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. That was also not the approach you adopted. You felt that whatever value addition…

Mr. Kiran
There was a balance sir. balance. Yes. I maintained that balanced.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So I didn’t take any extreme steps. This is good. Okay. And PYQs. So you you did PYQs also through test series, right? Separately. Did you do anything like that?

Mr. Kiran
No, nothing specific. Because as I mentioned there was another test series that had actually.. it had modeled the entire PYQs into a test series. So that way I was writing the PYQs itself. So I did not have to again separately do pyqs.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm. So this was actually one help that I got sir Okay okay.. One more thing. So any methodology did you develop.. while.. like.. for PSIR answers? I think one thing you already shared that, att the end, towards the conclusion, you would write the contemporary relevance.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Anything else apart.. like..

Mr. Kiran
I’ll mention two things sir. I’ll mention two things.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
First thing is uh uh during the crash course in shubhra ranjan ma’am. She told something like whole to part approach. Now whole to part approach especially for 15 and 20 markers. What she said was build an answer by establishing the background. Then, arrive at the demand. Now that way it would be more organic and in a literary sense that answer would emerge very naturally. For 10 marker you directly hit the demand. No wasting.. Directly start off with the demand of the question. Especially for 20 marker, that is what she suggested. Brief background, then slowly arrive and hit the target. So this is something that I applied in last in last Mains as well. This year I limited it only for 15 and 20. Last year what mistake I did was even I applied it for 10 marker. So what I understood was this approach whole to part approach will not apply for 10 marker. Because you do not have that many space and by the time you are establishing the background most of the like 50 60% of the answer is gone. Now you’re answering the demand only in the next 40% of the paper. So, so this was one mistake I did. So, I corrected it. This time I directly hit the target, demand of the question in the 10 marker. For 15 and 20, I made sure I continued with this. So, this was one approach sir.

Mr. Kiran
The second approach was.. the some topper few years ago in one of the YouTube video I had seen she had mentioned this 5C approach. Okay. So, the 5C approach. Basically the first C was Context. Okay. So whatever question is there, I would establish the context of the question. In what context that topic came.. then came the Content. So I would expand on the con.. I expand the concept and write on that content. So that is the second C. So Context and Content first and second C

Mr. Kiran
Third was Compare and Critique. Okay. Here, similarly related topics.. I wrote.. I brought in different things irresective whether it’s asked or not. I just briefly bring some similarly placed ideas and also write a critique. Okay. It’s.. if compare is not possible or if it’s not asked I would bring in the critic part. So I would bring.. and made sure that half of page I would just write critic sir. And this is something.. I gave a lot of emphasis. Because.. let’s say irrespective of the topic whether it is given in a very optimistic shade that.. a question is asked in an optimistic shade even then I would write a critic to it. Okay. So that actually gave a two side image of the same concept. So it gave the sense of completion. So this actually, this was a third C – Compare or Critique, based on the demand. Fourth came Contemporary relevance, sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Which I mentioned earlier.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. Yes.

Mr. Kiran
So this would be dedicated one.. one paragraph then came Conclusion.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Kiran
So this was my 5C approach and this was actually suggested by some other topper few years ago.

Mr. Abhijeet
Mhm.

Mr. Kiran
So, but I made it a point that I use it. So it actually made thinking very easier. So it gives some logical sequencing.

Mr. Abhijeet
Exactly. Exactly.

Mr. Kiran
It gives a structure to your thinking. Structure. Yes. And al.. structure to thinking and also you know what what is coming next. So you’re not wasting too much time of as to what to write. You already know what what is to be done next and also because I have a 5C approach, I also know how to divide my page. Once the division of paper is done actually writing becomes very easier.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So before you writing the answer, you have a rough structure in mind, right? and then you’re just filling that structure. This is very good approach. It.. it helps you remain on track also. And also, let’s say there’s a topic.. on some concept… and we’re just writing one side of that concept in entirety and last, (we are) just dedicating one paragraph for some critic and then writing immediately, abruptly ending with the conclusion. Now, that won’t be happening now.

Mr. Kiran
Yes, it will be very sequential.

Mr. Abhijeet
When you don’t have a structure, basically our biases come in. When we understand.. like, if you understood something very nicely, we tend to explain that a lot.. and yes.. so, those kind of biases. When, whatever we find interesting, we tend to emphasize that. Those kind of biases come in.

Mr. Kiran
Yes, yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Fine. What was your approach regarding.. like, you mentioned about that third C, right? Compare and Critique. So in that, you always had other scholars to compare or criticize or like.. for comparison of course, you need other scholars but…

Mr. Kiran
For comparing, yes, for comparing part, I am choosing those authors and thinkers that are of the same ideas. Supporting the ideas. Critic is exactly opposite. Now whatever ideas I’ve established I’m using the opposite ideas to… you know critique the very idea.

Mr. Abhijeet
So for that, you used to quote thinkers or you used to write on your own also? like certain ideas?…

Mr. Kiran
No sir, it is mostly thinkers. if I’m not able to think of any particular thinker, then I would generalize and write itself. But mostly it was with with thinkers.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. So this practice also you must have done beforehand, right? I mean..

Mr. Kiran
Yes I have. Yes sir. That is where the everyday answer writing came in. I made the everyday answer writing only to practice this. Okay. I would not.. use this, all of this and experiment on the day of the test sir. Because on the day of the test, you are just worried about syllabus completion completion of the paper etc. There you do not have that luxury of doing all of this and directly one cannot do this. So I would make sure I practice this on an everyday basis. So it becomes easier even in the in that time crunch, I’m still able to stick to this. It becomes your system, like that.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes sir. Because the problem is everyone knows.. most of the things like with respect to writing I have to write in a structured way but because of the time crunch and because of that pressure we ultimately do go to our primal instincts and we just try to finish the paper.

Mr. Kiran
Mhm. Very true..

Mr. Abhijeet
And that is where we mess up.

Mr. Kiran
Yes… and once you lose the track then you’re just bothered about paper then.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes sir. Yes yes yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
So total, I would say you wrote uh some 10 sectional I mean 10 FLTs.

Mr. Kiran
Uh.. 10, Yes sir. 10.

Mr. Abhijeet
Eight sectional tests, which are also of 20 questions sir. Even though they were sectional, it was still 3-hour paper.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Abhijeet
and then, one FLT completely (Paper 1 + 2) and then… Previous, PYQs. The other test series, four sectional tests and four full length tests.

Mr. Kiran
Okay.

Mr. Abhijeet
And then two PYQs every day, right?

Mr. Kiran
Yes. And two PYQs every day.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So that.. If not writing, at least brainstorm.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Abhijeet
So that is good number of questions. Good number.

Mr. Kiran
Yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
So this third time I mean last time your focus exclusively was writing, I would say, right? like that? Parallerly you were reading.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. Yes. Last time it was more of reading very less of writing. This time it was a balance of both but with more emphasis on writing.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay. Great. Okay. Fine. I think we’re done mostly.. okay.. with all questions… Just wait.. PSIR, PSIR answer writing.. GS PSIR.. Did it help anything in GS2? GS?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir. This time around, even the questions on IR part, they were not very GS specific. They were very vague. Because some energy security question, linking to West Asia. It was not a very direct question with lot of sub-parts. So that.. I felt PSIR students were more comfortable.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. And one more area I wanted to highlight was the paper solving strategy sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. Yes.

Mr. Kiran
This is where again I made some changes.

Mr. Kiran
Mhm.

Mr. Kiran
This time around, like I would always attempt the 20 marker first.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Then write.. then write the 15 marker sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
then go to the section A 10 marker.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay.

Mr. Kiran
Always section A 10 marker first and then end with section B 10 marker.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. Okay.

Mr. Kiran
So what what I felt was writing, completing 20 marker, 15 marker gave so much momentum that 10 marker I saved a lot of time sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay. So towards the end you were able to like write very fast.

Mr. Kiran
Yes. Yes. Let’s say towards the end if then average time is X minutes for 10 marker, I was actually able to do it in less than.. X- 1 minute. So I had.. I was doing it in, because of the momentum I had gained. If I had written the same answers.. of first 10 marker I would have taken X + 1 minute.

Mr. Abhijeet
Oh.. yes.. yes..

Mr. Kiran
Because.. yes.. because of the lack of momentum.

Mr. Abhijeet
This totally makes sense. I also never thought like.. this totally makes sense actually.

Mr. Kiran
This is purely practical sir.. because I’ve tried, tested and it works absolutely fine.

Mr. Abhijeet
Yes. Yes. Yes, Usually we’ll accept that starting the first 10 five questions has to be in very good handwriting, very good content. That is why we start off with that. But the problem is we tend to put in a lot of energy, as well as time also. So now that leaves the crucial 20 marker, 15 marker with a little less time sir. And there we compromise our answers.

Mr. Kiran
Yes. And uh so that is why I reversed it. I made it sure that I would finish 20 markers.. and also the thing is 20 marker and 15 marker, we need a lot of better structures and better depth of answer writing unlike 10. 10, it’s more of extension of GS so we can think of.. anyways we are hitting directly the demand of the question. We do not have to think much. But 20 and 15 we need a lot of thinking in the background sir.. and that won’t happen under pressure. So I made it point that 20 markers, first three questions, then all the six 15 markers, then section A 10, then section B. Completely.

Mr. Abhijeet
This is a very good strategy.. actually these kind of things.. it shows how much efforts you have put in. Because when you’re consistently thinking about ways to improve, then you get these kind of ideas.

Mr. Kiran
Ex.. exactly sir. So that is what I mentioned earlier, because we have to be very.. the self diagnosis has to happen every day. You cannot just expect some mentor or evaluator to do all of this. And you cannot just outsource all of that to some mentor or evaluator because ultimately you are going to write the answer and you are in a better way of understanding.. one’s own weakness.

Mr. Abhijeet
Exactly.

Mr. Kiran
I’ll be more honest about my own weaknesses. I will not wait for others to identify it. I don’t have that much time also sir or even if I get that feedback I it I won’t have that time to make those corrections.

Mr. Abhijeet
Very true. You don’t have that conviction also.. right? when somebody else tells you.. even if someone tells you.

Mr. Kiran
Exactly. I will not have that conviction. But when you go through that process and then you you realize oh I’m lacking in this. I need to go around it like this. Then you have that confidence. You have that clarity also. Right?.

Mr. Abhijeet
Perfect.

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
Oh, great. Great. So, uh, okay. Overall, it it was a long journey for you also, right? You started in..

Mr. Kiran
Long and very uneven journey because a civil engineering graduate taking PSIR, out of the middle without any guidance. It was a biggest.. risk I had taken… But I glad I’m glad that I took that risk because a lot of my friends who are stuck in Kannada literature, or they know that.. that optional is not doing well. They know that they have to change the optional but they were very reluctant and to step into a new optional. But I made that decision and I actually cleared sir. But some of them are still stuck and now they’re actually regretting that we should have decided like you. Sir that risk taking ability also is needed in this exam sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
And I think you’re married also, right? So family and all.. went on.. went along right? I mean you didn’t stop for.. just for UPSC.

Mr. Kiran
No.. no sir. I was working full-time state government job uh one year and four months ago I got married. Oh, so it was all a mix of all that sir.

Mr. Abhijeet
And exactly it’s not that just your last year efforts have produced this result, right? It was effort before that as well, right? Cumulative.

Mr. Kiran
Yes, it is all cumulative effort.

Mr. Abhijeet
Exactly. Exactly. Yes. So, have you resigned yet or like how is it?

Mr. Kiran
Not yes sir. Actually.. I have to wait for some communication, either the service allocation or the LBSNAA letter, then I have to get relieved from here sir. So that the service record gets continued from state to center.

Mr. Abhijeet
Oh, it continues ha?

Mr. Kiran
Yes sir, it’s called technical resignation. So it actually helps all the NPS, leaves, everything get carried forward.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay great nice.. nice.

Mr. Kiran
Yes.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay so thank you. Thank you very much. Best luck.

Mr. Kiran
Okay. Thank you.

Mr. Abhijeet
Okay sir. Thanks. Now, if you made it so far, uh congratulations. I’m very sure that you must have received very good insights from this video about PSIR preparation, especially about answer writing.
Now, if some part of the video is still unclear, I’ll recommend that you go back to that part, play again, listen carefully. Because the strategy is shared… usually.. sometimes toppers have their own way of sharing.. some things are a little cryptic and then maybe listening twice or thrice, it helps us make it.. make it understand better. One more thing I’ll recommend is, rather than seeing the strategies of multiple toppers, you come back to the same video after some time when you feel confused. Especially when you start answer writing and all.. And, it will again do a lot of value addition to you. This is my experience that rather than watching the strategies of multiple toppers, it is better to stick to one topper’s strategy and revise it again and again. Try to understand everything that is being shared there. Once you understand everything, once you implement everything, then maybe you can move on. Okay? So that’s what I’ll recommend. And one more thing, this year we’ll be posting lot of current affairs related videos for mains 2026, only PSIR related. So I recommend you subscribe to this channel so that you get timely updates regarding our videos. Okay? With this, thank you. Bye.