Lack of proper guidance is one of the main reasons why many UPSC CSE candidates are not able to clear all three hurdles of the exam, namely, Prelims, Mains, and the Interview round. In fact, many get stuck in the first one itself, the Prelims.
To help candidates with a complete guide on how to crack Prelims through self-study and a little bit of hard work, IFS officer Saurabh Kumar recently launched the third edition of his book, Prelims Simplified, which has already become a bestseller amongst aspirants.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, the officer shared inside details about his book.
LEARNING FROM HIS OWN EXPERIENCE
When Mr. Kumar began his CSE journey, he was left with only two attempts, considering the age limit, and so it was imperative that he cracked the examination anyhow. He chose Mathematics as his optional subject and chose to focus on Prelims primarily. However, much to his dismay, he realized that there are not many books or guides available in the market that solely focuses on the Prelims part of the examination.
“I did not opt for coaching classes. When I struggled with the preparation of Prelims, I decided that once I get into the service, I will contribute something from myself for future aspirants, to minimize their struggle during preparation,” Mr. Kumar told Indian Masterminds.
When the UPSC CSE results were announced in February 2019, the officer secured AIR 16 and accomplished his dream of getting into the Indian Forest Service, and with that, he decided to help everyone who needs guidance during their preparation.
PRELIMS SIMPLIFIED
Initially, he used to guide only those students who came to him for help, but soon, he realized that he should write down his tips and advice so that the ones who are unable to reach him also understand the concepts involved.
He decided to write an unconventional book that would impart guidance through the officer’s own experience. He jotted down every important detail that he felt could help others. He has also written down the common mistakes that everyone makes, and that he made during his preparation, for people to avoid them.
“I have included inclusion and exclusion errors in Prelims Simplified which will not only tell aspirants what to read and grasp, but also what not to read and leave altogether. The book will help them observe relevant and irrelevant details and prepare accordingly.”
THEMATIC APPROACH
Prelims Simplified has a thematic approach that helps one to align themselves with UPSC on an everyday basis. He has broken the entire syllabus and the previous 10 years’ papers into 200 different themes.
“This ideally means that if an aspirant solves 1 theme or 5.5 questions per day during their preparation, they will properly be able to align themselves in the direction of UPSC CSE and get into the shoes of a paper setter.”
Prelims Simplified is the first book that offers the division of previous years’ question papers into multiple themes. The book is an entire package, packed with every detail and advice that an aspirant will need to clear CSE.
FREE PDF FOR EVERYONE
Currently posted as the Assistant Conservator of Forests, Dharwad subdivision in Karnataka, the officer’s main motive behind writing the book was to help the ones struggling in their preparation. He isn’t here to make a profit out of it; therefore, Mr. Kumar has also launched free PDFs of the addition of newer editions of his book, which are available on https://www.prelimssimplified.com/ for all to go through. He has also kept the book’s rate at a very nominal price so that everyone can afford to buy it.
The book is already a huge success amongst UPSC CSE aspirants, with several people coming forward to praise the officer and his work on social media and different websites.
On his part, the officer is now trying to find time from his hectic schedule to write and launch Prelims Simplified’s Hindi version, for aspirants comfortable in the language, as there are not enough guides available in the market for them.
You can buy Prelims Simplified from Amazon through this link: https://amzn.to/3LA5iNO
