(Link to notes at the end of the blog)

Indian Culture – Salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.

• Most people seem baffled or overwhelmed with this section for Mains. However, the approach is very simple. The good part is that your knowledge base for prelims remains the foundation here too. All you need apart from it is the introduction-conclusion duo, value additions like diagrams, and one page notes for quick revision.
• Like the syllabus says, questions are asked only from “art forms, literature and architecture”. So basically for every era starting from the Indus Valley Civilisation, all the way to Mughal period, you must simply have a mind map/one page note/scribbled out points of its “art, literature and architecture”.
• Additionally, if you scroll through the past years, there are few themes which have been repeated multiple times or are simply of importance for UPSC, these are: art/architecture/literature of- Indus Valley Civilisation, Buddhism-Jainism, Sangam Literature, Gupta, Chola, Gandhara, Vijayanagara, Arab and Chinese travellers. So, there has to be additional focus on these. You need to have ready made answers for these topics.
• For the edge in your answers, the introduction and conclusion need to have a template. There’s barely anything else that can differentiate your answers from any other sincere candidate.
• Let us look at the Introduction: it must include the time period, and keywords or examples that will tell the examiner that you know the topic in and out. For example, let’s assume there’s a general art and culture question about Vijayanagara period, a possible introduction would be:
  • “The Vijayanagar Period from 1336-1646 has been a high watermark for art, architecture and literature. The glory has been chronicled by travellers like Domingo Paes, Fernao Nuniz, Abdur Razzaq among others.”
• So what I tried to do here is simply use my existing knowledge of travellers to embellish the introduction.
• In the actual art and culture question that came in 2021 paper about Bhakti movement, I did the same in my introduction. I used phrases like “From Nalayira Divyaprabandham of Alwars to Ravidas’s Begumpura, Bhakti literature has contributed to Indian culture in myriad of ways”.
• Similarly, for Conclusion, I would write:
  • Therefore, from Krishnadeva Raya’s Amuktamalayada to Hampi as a World Heritage Site, the Vijayanagara period added multiple hues to the mosaic of culture that is India.
• Additionally, as a unique yet extremely simple method, all conclusions can have international conventions, declarations and national laws/schemes, or a combination of all of them. This adds weight and distinctiveness to your answer.
• Say 2022 paper had a question on medieval Indian temple sculptures. A possible conclusion can be that “These sculptures are of outstanding value for humanity and must therefore be preserved through National Culture Fund, Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, with civil society partnerships like that of INTACH.”
• List of conventions/laws for all three keywords:
  • Art:
    • National Mission on Monuments and Antiquities
    • National Culture Fund
    • Antique Cell, CBI
    • Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972
    • Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005
  • Architecture:
    • World Heritage Convention, 1972: “outstanding value of humanity”
    • Article 49: responsibility of State to protect
    • Adopt a Heritage Scheme, Monuments Mitra
    • Involve Civil Society— eg: INTACH
  • Literature :
    • National Mission for Manuscripts: to preserve, document, and disseminate literature, eg. via digitization

Modern Indian history

• Modern History needs the foundation of prelims prep along with short one-page notes for major topics. Major themes like- tribal/worker/peasant/education/press etc as well as key events like NCM/CDM/QIM etc. hold more importance and must be prioritised.
• The way to get the extra mark here is by adding maps, for most topics apart from a solid introduction, conclusion and good analysis.
• Even for a topic like the socio-religious reform movement, you can add a map showing different movements in different regions. This will make your answer stand out. An answer on the Revolt of 1857 can have a map marking the storm centres of the revolt.
• Further, the conclusion for topics can link modern history to post-independence history, or highlight the significance of the topic. (You can refer to my notes for an idea on this)
• For example, for an answer on the Revolt of 1857, you can quote Bipan Chandra and say,
  • “Even in failure, the revolt served a grand purpose. The warmth of the Revolt of 1857 charged the Indian national movement of the 20th century.”
• To avoid the extensive labour of making separate notes, you can scroll through my notes and just pick up sheets of paper, write down the topic, intro-conclusion and a map/diagram. Use the knowledge base of prelims, you’ll sail through this one.

World History

• World History is clearly a topic with limited pay off, yet it does require some labour.
• I followed Anudeep Sir’s recommended resource and approach for this section. Find link here: Anudeep Sir’s blog
• I had made short notes for the keywords.
• Given the unpredictability of this section, the key is to understand the chronology, basic events and processes and prepare maps/diagrams for all major topics.
• For example, for American Revolution a basic map of America showing the 13 colonies can be practised. Or for French Revolution, a pyramid showing the inequality in society can be drawn (See my notes for reference)
• Please ensure your notes for these topics are ready before Prelims. Most of us have lost touch with world history over the years. Though the questions asked are few and the emphasis needed is limited, it takes time to do the first few readings of this subject.
• Please do not worry about the unpredictable questions from this section. It is unpredictable for all. You just need to prepare the core topics well and use that basic knowledge to write a half decent answer in those bouncer questions.

Geography

• Geography is a whole 100 marks worth of questions in GS1 and therefore must not be ignored.
• While the prelims knowledge can act as a base, with a little more effort your geography answers can also shine through.
• First step like always is looking at the PYQs and identifying repeated themes and questions. Second step is that for all important topics prepare short notes.
• These notes will have an introduction explaining the basic concept.
  • For eg, if a question on salinity, just define that “Salinity means the total content of dissolved salts in ocean. Salinity is calculated as the amount of salt dissolved in 1,000 gm of seawater. It is generally expressed as ‘parts per thousand’ (ppt).”
• They need to mandotorily have Maps, for eg if there’s a question on monsoon, map it out with the Bay of Bengal and Arabian sea branches, and general direction of monsoon rains.
• Further, it often happens that after these technical points there is still a lot of space left in the answer but we are not left with any points. Here’s the funda then:
  • You generate extra points from a public policy view/ UPSC syllabus view. For eg, there is a question about Himalayan vs Peninsular rivers and you have explained all the basic geographical differences after that if you want to write more points for the extra mark, you write about:
    • how it affects agricultural patterns
    • how it shapes disasters in the two regions
    • how it shapes hydroelectric/irrigation projects in the region
    • how it necessitates projects like the Interlinking of rivers
  • this way you will always generate 2-3 extra points than your peers that will fill the pages and fetch you marks.
  • Further for Conclusions, be creative and write distinctive points from current affairs.
    • For example back in 2019, the Himalayan states had asked for a “Himalayan Bonus”, so if there’s a question on Himalayas I would always write about Himalayan Bonus as alson Niti Aayog’s recommendation for a “Himalayan Authority” for Integrated Development of Region.
  • All you need is regular newspaper reading, simple google searches and adding these to your notes.
• In terms of what is to be focused on for Geography, there are four things
  • Indian Geography: with special focus on: India’s physiography, Himalayas, River systems, Monsoons
  • World Geography: with special focus on Climatology, Oceanography, Arctic, Antarctica, geophysical phenomena—earthquake, tsunami, volcano, cyclone
    • Corals, Mangroves also need focus
    • Make note of recent earthquakes, tsunami, volcano, cyclone
  • Distribution of Resources
    • focus on resources repeatedly asked, focus on both India and world
    • make maps, they will help you remember them
    • just remember 3-4 key areas or names of places
    • there must be a section about threats to the resources, which will generally be on lines of overexploitation, illegal use, climate change etc.
  • Location of Industries
    • Make notes for key industries (refer to my notes)
    • Points for location of any industry can be generated through the following framework:
      • land, labour, capital, entrepreneurship, proximity to raw material, proximity to ports/railway stations, proximity to markets, government incentives like tax sops
    • Apart from this, you can always add a section in such questions about problems faced by these industries
      • For eg: Jute industry is faced with obsolete technology, low market demand, lack of diversification etc.
      • This can give your answer an edge.
    • Finally industry answers can be concluded with specific points,
      • for eg, for a question on sugar industry, the conclusion can include way forward of launching a technology mission, offering branding support to industries and creating interlinkages with ethanol blending programmes.
  • I had made short notes for most of the important themes, and have already shared it in the previous blog.

• Source: NCERT, Vision IAS model answers, Shankar IAS model answers, Google searches

Indian Society & Diversity

• Prepare short notes on themes of PYQ (can refer to my notes)
• Add examples
• Bring the following in answer:
  • Gandhiji: “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and test of our civilisation.”
  • Tagore: “The unity of India has been and always shall be unity in diversity.”
  • Nehru: Discovery of India: idea of civilisational continuity
  • Shashi Tharoor: Battle of Belonging: “India is a thali, a selection of sumptuous dishes in different bowls.”
• Use the following for conclusions
  • 1995 Declaration of Principles on Tolerance UNESCO
  • UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity
  • 51 A (e): promote harmony and brotherhood

Women, Population, Poverty, Urbanisation

• DATA becomes important here, basic data for all of these topics. I have them on fingertips, they are so basic and important that they must be internalised.
• For eg,
  • India’s population: LANCET puts it as 138 crore, to peak at 160 crore by 2048 and stabilise to 109 crore by 2100
  • Sex ratio: NFHS 5: 1020: 1000
  • Child Sex Ratio: 929:1000
  • 15-59 age group= 60.3% (Census 2011)
  • 60+ age group = 8 % (Census_
  • Old age population to double by 2041 to 16% (Economic Survey)
• Some international conventions/ references can also be used in these topics, some examples are
  • Women: Beijing +25, CEDAW
  • Population: ICPD Cairo which “places women at the heart of population and development”
  • Urbanisation: UN Habitat called cities as “pinnacle of human civilisation” ; Agenda 21 for Culture, SDG 11
• You will find many such examples in my notes. Poverty notes are under Poverty notebook to be published under GS 2.

(Poverty Notes are summaries + value additions to Dipin Sir’s note as foundation + model answers I prepared for Shankar IAS when I was working there in 2020)

Effects of globalization on Indian society

• Use simple definition, bring real life examples
• eg: for Glocalisation can use eg of brands like “Global Desi” selling fusion clothes

Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.

• Begin with basic definition, key points with substantiation and conclude with constitutional articles
• A lot of value addition can be done in these topics
• For eg: to foster secularism and reduce communalism, best practices like
  • Hong Kong Race Relations Unit
  • African Union’s Inter Faith Dialogue
  • Phoolwalon ki Sair, Delhi
• You will find them in my notes.
• More of Social empowerment can be found in the notebook on “Vulnerable sections” to be published under GS 2.

The good thing about GS 1 is that a lot of preparation is already done with Prelims. However, beyond that a little more effort is needed keeping in mind the demand of mains.

Identify themes from PYQs, prepare your own short notes and your value additions like maps/diagrams/examples. All you need is an approach for each of these topics which will add depth and style to your answers.

Link to Notes:

1. Art and Culture: Art and Culture Notes PDF
2. Geography Notes: Geography Notes PDF
3. Modern History: Modern History Notes
4. Society: Society: Features, Diversity Notes
   • Population and Associated Issues: Population and Associated Issues Notes
   • Urbanisation: Urbanisation Notes
   • Effects of Globalisation: Globalisation Notes
   • Communalism, Secularism: Communalism, Secularism