GEOGRAPHY ANSWER WRITING PROGRAMME: TLP MAINS INCLUSIVE OF GENERAL STUDIES MAINS PAPER-1

• Introduction
• Answer Writing
• Climatology
• Bio-Geography
• Population Geo
• Regional Planning
• Geomorphology

Note- All the sections including Climatology & Bio-Geography are updated. Kindly go through them 🙂

Dear Aspirants

We are extremely glad to announce the Guidance cum Answer Writing Initiative for Geography optional. It is a 100 day plan to cover the entire optional syllabus in a comprehensive and innovative manner. It has been planned in a way that by investing 4-5 hours from your daily routine, one can maximize his/her output. The only thing required from your side is commitment towards this plan. If you religiously follow this initiative, we can assure you that the chances of increasing your scores would rise substantially.

Note: To make it inclusive and complementary with General Studies, we have decided to frame questions that will be closely relevant to General Studies Paper-1 also. We suggest other aspirants to attempt certain questions to strengthen their Geography part of Paper-1. We will mark Questions falling under GS-Mains in RED for the convenience of aspirants. This will surely help every aspirant other than Geography Optional.

It is advised for aspirants of geography optional to inform their friends about this inclusion. Many might miss this considering it other optional 🙂

NOTE: we would be glad if some of you took the initiative to provide us with daily questions for any optional of your choice. We would be more than happy to post them here since it would benefit all the aspirants. We shall try to give reviews to the other optional answers also, as best to our capacity. But for public administration, we shall do it ourselves.

About the initiative:

• We have already given you the detailed study plans for various components of the syllabus in terms of syllabus, approach, imperatives, resources etc. The strategy would be updated regularly to cover all the remaining portions of the syllabus.

• Kindly note that although we shall be providing strategies for individual components of the syllabus and in fact have already provided for some of them, the representative strategy for Physical Geography is Climatology. Therefore, through the strategy of Climatology first. But in no case avoid the detailed strategies of other portions.

• The relevant portions of Paper I and II have been clubbed to ease your efforts. Geography optional can’t be understood without seamless integration of topics from different components of the syllabus. For example, you can’t understand desertification without having fair idea of climatic regions of the world. Similarly, you are expected to apply the concepts of Paper I into Paper II and vice versa. There are certain topics which are repeated e.g agro and social forestry, desertification, disasters etc. We have thus integrated such topics in the plan. It will definitely give you a better and comprehensive idea of the subject. Most importantly, this approach saves a lot of your time and effort.

Based on this strategy and your efforts, we shall be posting a total of 5 questions daily. These questions shall be in the following format.

Question 1. 5 map entries asking their location and a brief description

Question 2. Terminologies related to the chapter/topic mentioned in the 100 day plan

Question 3. Blue blooded Geography theory question to check your conceptual clarity

Question 4. Application based descriptive/ essay type question

Question 5. Reserved; may be of any type depending upon the requirement of the topic

• Answers will be reviewed along with feedback

• Brief synopsis in the form of directives will be provided at the end of the day.

• Mini tests will be conducted ever 15 days. This means that you shall have a minimum of 6 mini tests during this period.

• 10 days have been earmarked for revision purposes. During these 10 days, number of questions shall be increased.

• After the completion of 100 days, full mock test for both the papers will be conducted.

• Periodically IAS Baba will come up with articles for important and tricky topics and also about improving the quality of answers.

Modalities

• We will review the answers on rotational basis. Most probably, your answers would be reviewed at least 6 times a month. But this rule applies to only those who write on a regular basis. Irregular and occasional answers won’t be reviewed. It is to ensure sincerity and dedication in your efforts.
• Bimonthly tests would be reviewed for all without exception. However, reviews might take few days to be uploaded.
• An answer won’t be reviewed if it breaches the word limit. It will ensure economy of words.
• Map entries and terminologies are meant for your reference. By the end of 100 days, you will be having command over 1000 map entries and terminologies. It will act as pillars to your preparation. We strongly recommend you to take them very seriously.

Like a proactive Public Information Officer, we are giving you a detailed check list of the requirements of an answer as expected from UPSC. Here at IAS Baba, your answers shall be reviewed by taking into account the following factors:

• Interpretation and understanding of the question
• Knowledge of the concept being asked
• Presentation
• Use of maps, flowcharts and diagrams
• Use of examples and case studies to support the answer
• Adherence to word limit

• You can upload your answers by clicking a picture of your answer booklet. The picture quality should be clear and sharp. You can also type your answers in the comment box. In fact it would be appreciated.

• Any answer that is uploaded after 9 pm won’t be evaluated.

• We strongly encourage the practice of peer review. Never hesitate in discussing among yourselves. But don’t waste your time beyond a point. Time is precious; value it.

Don’t have any doubts

1. Remaining plan and individual strategies shall be uploaded regularly. We will be ready before you complete the initial segments of this plan.
2. This initiative is meant for 2015 aspirants. However, others can also participate.
3. Plan will start on 31^st
4. There won’t be any questions on Sundays
5. There is no fee. The initiative is free of cost and open to all
6. It is mandatory to have a login id and user name to join this initiative.

Detailed plan for the initial 20 days

Download the Plan– Click 

TLP Day Wise– Click here

Final words

We at IAS Baba expect you to take full advantage of this initiative. Be regular, sincere and confident. We are with you in your journey.

The only request that we have from you is to spread the word to your fellow aspirants so that the fruits of our efforts are shared by those who need them the most. The more we share our knowledge and resources, better our chances to excel.

All the best

IAS Baba