How to make notes for UPSC ?

Hi,  I’m Abhijeet Sinha, IAS 2018 batch, UPSC 2017 AIR 19 and this is my take on how to make good notes for upsc preparation 

There are lots of queries regarding Note Marking which comes up in nearly every aspirants minds

• Is Note Making useful ?
  • According to me, making notes is must for civil services preparation. Civil Services is like a marathon, and it is humanly impossible to remember and revise what one has read months / years ago, without having some kind of notes. Secondly, notes help restrict the domain of preparation from the expanse of everything under the sun, to that which is relevant

•  Should Notes be Digital or should it be written by hand ?
  • I feel Digital Notes are better, because it helps to
    • Search Instantly across notebooks – This is very helpful to remember and revise
    • Interlink Notes – Using Hyperlink ( Ctrl + K) – This helps to connect the various parts of the syllabus
    • Are easy to carry and are available 24*7
    • Can be edited very easily
    • Have a backup online – To protect from malicious activities of your friends or foes 😛

• What are the Digital Software available ?
  • Microsoft OneNote or Evernote are both good and popular

• How should I start making the notes ?
  • Open the syllabus. Then make separate notebook / section of each of GS papers or of the broad categories of GS papers. Say for GS 2, make separate section out for Polity, governance, IR and welfare schemes
  • Now make separate sub sections of each phrase of the syllabus
  • See Tejasvi’s notes attached below for reference

• What should I note down ?
  • Your notes should attempt to ask the questions What ? Why ? How ? When ? Where ? Examples ? Benefits ? Cons ? Suggestions ? Data ? Committees ? Schemes ? Alternatives to the phrase of syllabus in question
  • For instance, in GS 3, there is a phrase called Inclusive Growth. Now, your notes should have different paragraph and bullet points for What is Inclusive Growth ?  Why do we need Inclusive Growth ? How do we attain it ? Evolution over time ( When ) ? Any Government schemes for same and their critical analysis ? Recent Data ? Any committee reports to attain it ? etc
  • All these questions may not be possible for every topic. But, try to maximise these dimension of questions and answers

• Where should I note down from ?
  • Start by Googling the phrase of syllabus verbatim ( eg Inclusive Growth). There will be many websites which will provide relavent material on it
  • Then understand it and note in your own terms
  • Then after, whatever you read be it textbook, newspaper, magazine, committee reports, Vision Material, etc extract the relevant part and note it down in the relevant part of your notes

• Should I use Ctrl C ( Copy) and Ctrl V ( Paste ) from elsewhere to save time ?
  • Ideally don’t. Making your own notes, in your language, also helps to
    • Assimilate better
    • Understand better even in future
    • Helps develop Answer Writing skills and vocabulary to certain extent

• Should I make notes out of the static part like Geography / History / Laxmikanth ?
  • For static parts, do make notes. It is a short term pain, but has long term gain. But don’t do it in the first reading. In the firs reading, read like a novel and then make notes in subsequent readings
  • Laxmikanth, however I think is a note in itself and one can skip making notes out of it

• I do coaching, where the classes have made me write their own notes. Should I make my own separate notes ?
  • I have not done classroom coaching. So, I may not be able to answer accurately. But, I think making of separate notes may lead to duplication of efforts. Instead, it would be wise to leave adequate space after every chapter / segment of the notes, where you can add your own content later

• I read Vision Mains 365. Should I make notes?
  • You must. These notes are generally 1 year compilations and may not be made according to the syllabus. So, please use Mains 365, but make your notes the fulcrum and extract new details / facts / examples / analysis from the materials to put it in your notes

• Can I see notes of some topper ?
  • Sure, here is the link of my GS notes https://abhijeetsinhaupsc.wordpress.com/2019/02/02/my-gs-notes/

• Which books should you read for UPSC preparation. ?
  • Here’s the booklist that I recommend.