 Thank you all of you for joining me and I was looking forward to this session. I was telling your adjacent last evening, I am coming to Chennai after 25 years, okay. So when I finished my graduation way back in the 1990s, then I was working in Chennai for some time, 6 months of work and I was staying in this place called Triplicane. Okay, I use the bus, go to office, a short stint and 2-3 words I learned back then, one was Vanakkam I learned. Okay, so when I come to all of you, I also learned the word Saapad and Tani. So in any confusion I had, I would ask them Tani Kundova and they would get something for me. Okay, and I also learned the importance of water management in Chennai because never before I had seen water in packets, water bottle itself was a big thing in the 80s and 90s. We didn't know water had to be rationed like that. We grew up with a lot of water, wasting water for that matter. Okay, when there is no jug, we would take the entire bucket and put on ourselves. When I come to Chennai, I realize water is so, so important, so scarce and then when I was preparing, I read about water harvesting and where Chennai, Coimbatore, where okay, the leaders in that. A lot of things changed for me when I came here and happy to be back amongst all of you. So thank you for coming in and for those who are initiated. My name is Shabbir. I happen to be a geography teacher. I started my career with geography, GS, geography optional, then essays. Now I'm all over the place. Okay, as teachers I think our problem is we love speaking. They ask me, why are you a teacher? What is inspiration? I said no inspiration to begin with. Really it was, I had to do something in my life because you know, like what happens after four or five years of UPSC preparation, suddenly realize that you can do nothing else. All the things we have learned, where does it go? And so started there and then I realized I love talking. I love talking and nothing better than making people sit and listen to me. Okay, so that's where it started off. But I hope I have done some justice to my calling. So thanks again. And I'm very happy to be here amongst all of you for a lot of reasons. One is of course, the curiosity part, because I have not taught anywhere outside Delhi. I was called to some places, but nowhere else. So when I had a chance to come here, I said, okay, that's interesting. Well, let me see. Okay. And in my class, I used to have a lot of students from Tamil Nadu, from Chennai. Okay, so we would converse whatever way we could converse in the class. A lot of students have qualified. It was a good opportunity for me. And second reason, of course, is I think you all are very blessed with the Institute like Shankara is because when I was teaching in other Institute, of course, now I have my own small humble spirit, trying to do a bit of my own, but I was part of, I think very fortunate there was part of this Institute called Vajram and Ravi. I was a teacher there for almost 21 years. Yes, maybe I'm a slightly bit older than I look like. So when I was there, I used to hear about Mr. Shankar. In geography, he was very inspirational. We had some common people who knew him. And I should hear he's doing a great work down south. So when there were plans to open a branch in outside Delhi, so Institute thought, let's go to Chennai. So at that time, all the people scared me, go to Chennai, you have got a formidable competition with Mr. Shankar. So my, my regards to him, may his soul rest in peace. You know, the character of Institute is known by the teachers and the founders who started. Okay. And equally inspiring is the fact that Madam, who is now managing, I think she's a great inspiration leader for all of you. How single-handedly she is managed, is expanded. And I'm amazed by infrastructure here. Suddenly, you realize the world is much, much bigger than that small area in Delhi called as old Rajinder Nagar. I called that as ISLUMS. Okay. Pathetic living conditions there. So you have such a good infrastructure. So all that reason, that's why I'm here. And my regards to Mr. Shankar, I said that inspiring in many ways. So you all are blessed in that ways. And a small introduction about me. So I started off with my journey on my own with a friend of mine. He is Mr. Devthi Pati. And we have been classmates back in college days. So he was working with Ascension as an MD. And I had a bit of idea about the education line. We got together. So otherwise, I have got no formal qualification to teach geography. That's one reason why I'm always on the defensive. I'm otherwise an engineer, unfortunately. Okay, many of us, we get into it because we think that's a great thing to do. And I'm no regrets there. I did it. Then I realized that I don't think I have an engineering brain also for that matter. In engineering and thank God I didn't make any buildings. Okay, I was with this in this company. ECC is headquarters in Chennai, right? That's where I was working at LNTCC for some time. So me and Dave got together. And I learned geography more as a teacher. So my students have been victims of my mistakes. So I would be asked questions. I wouldn't know answers. I will wait for one more day, go back home, learn and come back and tell them. That's how I learned my geography. So that's me and Dave together here. So let's start off now. I think it's a bit late. We started off for the reasons to accommodate all of you. So here we go. Okay, so the principle aim of today's discussion is geography optional. How do you prepare for it? What's the strategy and address some of your queries, whatever you have in mind. Before I continue, how much time do I have with all of you? Can I go for about one and a half hours or you are in a hurry? Online students also they can respond. Because he has said, no, I love talking. So if you're listening, listen to me, I'll keep on talking for eternity. Okay, so if you are in a hurry or something, let me know. Okay, and if you have to leave, you can leave no problem. Okay, but leave when I'm looking that side. Okay, and I will talk to me hurt. Okay, it always hurts when somebody walks out. But it's okay. All of us make our choices. Or we have a comment there. I can't read that comment. It's fine. Okay, I have a good eyes. It's just that key. It's too small for my eyes. So fine, we'll start off now. The strategy for geography. I think this is one of the most important first step. Choosing optionals in many ways, almost make or break off your career in UPSC. I've seen a lot of bright guys, a lot of bright students, because of wrong choice of optionals, because optional is 500 months, there's a lot of months. And optional, irrespective of what you think, requires about seven, eight months, part coaching, part self study, there are new books to be read. GS is the leveling ground, everybody is him, like a moralist, but you come from different backgrounds, some science, some from humanities, some have done job and they come back. So optional, I think is a very, very big challenge. And you must make this choice very, very diligently. And I can see that because myself and I started my preparation way back in 90s. I'm sure some of you are born at that time. Okay, so so back then I also flirted with four or five of us. I think I started with mathematics because of my engineering background. Then I realized mathematics of UPSC is very different from what I thought mathematics was. Okay, so I left mathematics. Then I took up physics. I had love for physics. In fact, if it was not for UPSC and engineering that I took up, I was more inclined towards physics. I did one year of graduation was for physics. Then I qualified examination and in engineering. So physics was my love. And I took up physics. But then I realized that love is different and practical is different. Okay, you shouldn't always marry the person you love. Okay, that's a different challenge altogether. So I realized physics. And I studied almost six months, two, three months of mathematics I had done two, three months of physics I had done. Then I took up public administration because I thought I'll be nice officer. I better know administration. Okay, I killed myself over it, whatever I could have, but nothing got into my head. Okay, I again spent three, four months on that. There's somebody told me sociology, my cousin, she qualified into service. She has sociology. She said Shabhi takes sociology. I said sociology, thankfully, only two, three weeks. Okay, then I said I had no idea what to do. And then my mother told me one fine evening. She said, why don't you try it because she was seeing almost six months or seven months of juggling, struggling, nothing was happening. I'm studying and I have no clue what to do. Then she told me why don't you take geography? I said, this is an opportunity. Why because my mother told me and I will take the subject. But doesn't happen because of you. Okay, so it was very convenient way, you know, the spark our failures on somebody. So I said, okay, I have got my inspiration now. And I took geography. When people ask me why did you take geography? It was my mother who did it. And I thank her now that I think she saw something about me. I don't know why she said geography. It clicked with me, I didn't qualify. It was a different thing. But I think I love the subject eventually. So my suggestion to all of you is take your time. Don't jump into because in this hurry of taking a subject and finishing it off, if you make a mistake and you end up in a wrong subject, then you are trapped. And this examination doesn't give you too many chances are going to come back and start again. Okay, so optional is now one suggestion to all of you here. Have a small exercise for a few. Okay, so if you can take out your phone online also can take out your phone. I have a QR code. I do a bit of a survey. I'll show you the results of this also, which whenever I workshops on this, I tell my students if they can answer some questions. So online offline, if you can scan this QR code, there are three, four questions, very simple questions. See if you can answer those questions. And then I'll get back to you and I'll discuss what I intend out there out of that. Is it scannable from your distance? Yeah, some of you can scan from behind maybe. If not, we could help some of you maybe if you want us to carry your phone there. Our online students managing, they're managing. Okay, there are four or five questions and we're surprised about the results we will get. Okay, I can move from here. This is more clear. Maybe you could try the screen behind you maybe is closer there. If that works. Last couple of years, I've been trying this data driven decisions, how to choose what they do, or share some amazing insights that we have from people who have qualified. You can scan this. It's okay. You can use my phone for scanning. Anybody needs my phone? You need my phone? Yeah. And how will you, where is your phone? Then how can you then we'll get my data. You'll not get your data. That's okay. No problem if you cannot, you can no no problem. Anybody else needs. So while your data got it, I'll show you what results we have. Okay, these are the six broad criterias. Okay, we listed down ease of study. It looks easy to study resource availability, the books, the material, support systems, teachers, coaching institutes, some support systems in terms of maybe reading, booklets, interest and comfort. You have an interest in subject, GS overlap. Okay, and finally, the cost of course always matters. Okay, which an India is a price sensitive society. Okay, so cost matters. And I'm sure that's a valid point. This is what we found. Like, and it's surprising why the criteria for sectional optionals, 73% till of course you guys have got it. They said it is ease of study and length of syllabus. Have you studied the GS syllabus? There's a difference between knowing the syllabus and studying it. When I say study, it's about mapping what questions are asked, promote area asked, the battery almost by hearting syllabus. I was surprised in the ecosystem, even teachers can't recall syllabus. I was surprised in GS in particular, the vast students can tell us, you know, syllabus of geography in GS. Okay, they said something. I said, no, tell me exactly how it's worded. And the reason why it's worded like that. Because if syllabus is not understood, then you're on the place. Again, I found most of them. Okay, 57 said no, maybe. And those who said yes also doubt if they like to study the syllabus. You must ask yourself if you have done it or not. Okay, how many topers have you talked to? What to see in this ecosystem? There is no dearth of advisors. I'm sure some of you have become advisors of your juniors also. Okay, I mean, it's a very in thing. One guy who comes one before in the cycle, he becomes advisors for somebody else. So no dirt advisors. And with YouTube boom and internet boom, everybody is a great scholar in UPSC preparation. Okay, my experience tells me the people who should tell you about subject is essentially the people who have qualified. I mean, it's worth it because examination where you spend almost three, four, five years of your life. If you call all generations following your life will change. Your life changing the 100% but the generations that follow the entire society you live in, they all get changed. So in this kind of high stake examination, I encourage the go and talk to people of qualified. Don't take this. If I am starting institute, I should talk to people who have been successful in the institute running. If I'm going to become an engineer, I can talk to some guys who have become engineer. I found 78% said they talk to one or two guys and most of them said they have no access to talking to the topers who qualified. And this one, this subject has best overlap. 60% almost geography has a good overlap. I do not know what you have answered, though we will add that in our data eventually. So this tells me three things. Number one, when you make a choice an optional or a study method, most of us do not have a structured approach. We go by here say you talk to this guy, that guy, we have a good feeling. And this one ease of study and length of syllabus should not be that criteria when you enter examination of this level. It's a high stake examination. And I'm sure you know that fact the exam is very tough. I mean, if anybody says it's easy, okay, he does not have examination or is lying through his teeth. Okay, 60, 150, 200 qualify in the proper IES. Again, results, 900 results. To say it's easy, it's impossible. So your mind should start a type of a file. If you have I think we have got the whole process wrong here itself. In this preparation, there cannot be anything called as ease of study. You have to get out of comfort zones. You have to be highly inconvenienced. So people come and tell me that it is a difficult, it is unnerving, it is okay, this examination has no comparison to make you comfortable. And if you qualify your life becomes all the more uncomfortable for that matter. So ease of study cannot be at all. Length of syllabus is a misnomer. Because if the syllabus is not defined well, it'll be a short syllabus. If I tell you how, I must be on the syllabus, syllabus you should know, but don't choose by small or small syllabus. There are some who do interest, one of them have said interest also, but this is how students make choices. Okay, so that is where I begin my conversation here. So if you look at this list, sorry, if I look at this list, my approach will be you should first start with your GS syllabus study. And what are subjects? How many questions asked? The environment is a very powerful area of your syllabus. Very important. How many questions asked? In fact, which question normally can tell me? You see, there are three guides in a preparation. One is your syllabus. Second is your previous year's questions. And third will be your teacher, nobody else. So when I say a study syllabus and the P is also and you make a notes, what did you understand? Trends, you make your jottings, what makes sense to you? And if I do that, I find these are the seven core areas of the syllabus. Leave ethics and you find a geography has an overlap with these four years. Geography directly with paper one. You have got a whole lot in IR. Cannot do IR without geographical knowledge about where what lies, the entire geopolitics. Okay. You cannot talk about earthquakes or cyclones. You cannot talk about heat waves or tsunamis for that matter. Landslides or forest fires, like there's geography. And of course, we have a huge amount of geography in the development economy part. Construction, roads, exports, imports, and so on. And there's the reason why students tell us the whole person, perhaps in more in some ways. Okay, that was pitching the importance of geography. By the way, I know some of you have chosen otherwise. That's perfectly fine. I can only speak as a geography teacher. Okay, so take it with that sense. Okay, I'm not to say that other subjects don't matter. They do matter. And it's a comfort level. But those who are on the sense you can't decide on which optional those who are unsure about should you go for geography or not? I'm pitching it for them. So and that's the reason why most of environment teachers be teachers. I also in the GS back in my institute and teacher for environment, I also teach IR and also teach topics of development economics. But the series running, I handle that. We have some questions. I need to answer online. Okay, fine. So that's about this overlapping. Now, imagine whatever age you are in. What willing if you guys qualify? Within I'm sure all of you are here for IS, IPS, IFS, maybe IRS, looking for that type of a job more or less. Okay. So students, you qualify. Okay, within two years, you are heading a district or at least you are part of that body audition making. So what we expect what studying sincerely is you have to be thinking students. You are not a schoolchild. Like you're blindly doing what is told to him go that bad as thinking students or experience who have that level of responsibility. I think you should sit down and analyze the performance of students across. Okay, and I'm helping you on that. You can take off from there. These are some of the names. I hope you all can see the names and online also you can see this name. I just took up some sample. Look at an abstract our data last 10, 15 years. I mean, I have the data. Five years. Look at the first seven, eight, five, 10 ranks. Shruti Agarwal, 20, 20 one, 18, Pradeep Singh. And look at the subjects. History, PSIR, sociology, geography, PSIR, sociology, PSIR, economics, anthropology, sociology, philosophy, economics, physics, sociology, some engineering and geography. Okay, law, mathematics is now held here. Look at this one here. Mathematics, number one, anthropology, geography, sociology, law, geography, mathematics, again, law. And if you see this, if you see the trends across, look at it again, subjects. So fundamentally, it is four or five subjects that actually matter. And the results, if take this year's list, was even incredible where people from Sanskrit from the regional languages, long economics, physics, all types of even chemistry, medical science. Look at literature in this, not on this one. It's also in 10 medical science also. And look at the, 280, this is unusually no 258. This guy must have been tremendous in GS and very interviewed. Look at them. 320, 284, 283, 290, 367, 335, and marks are all subjects. OK, if not this one, look at this one. No marks that people have got injured to have been my students also in 360 and 362. OK, this was Lakshmi among the highest marks in oftenals, anthropology, philosophy. So, what I'm trying to show you is three things. Mainly form four or five optionals on the top ones. All subjects give you results that people qualifying from law, Sanskrit, economics with a very technical subject, physics also, people qualify from all optionals. One, number two, those who qualify, they get the marks required. And those who qualify, they touch and cross to 80 to 90th century. So, if looking at a cohort, OK, it is a cohort of people who are qualified. There's a huge difference of marks. Now, you tell me, when you go out and ask students, OK, how much marks are you getting? What is your comfort level? Who will you meet more? Will you meet the guys who are qualified more or guys who are qualified more? Who will you meet more? OK, they are gone, correct? You can't access them. So, if you have to judge the process of preparation, the subject of preparation, OK, who should you actually be asking? People who are qualified. Unfortunately, you don't ask them because you don't know how to ask them or each them. If you are a capable person to qualify, you will get marks. In the same notes, in the same approach, one guy gets 319, 290, and I think as human nature, very few of us have to to blame it on the subject, blame it on the system, blame it on UPSC, on the teacher, on the course. If I am looking at, is it possible to score? Absolutely. And this is not just geography, OK? It is for all the subjects. But if every other person is qualifying, they are up. So, it's like, do subjects give you marks? Yes, they do. Is it easy to qualify? I said no. So, this data and I can go on a little bit. Most of you from, you know, a science background, I'm assuming, OK, some of you, I'm studying engineering background also. You can appreciate numbers better. Now look at this number. From subjects, how many people appear the subject? Look at this. Geography, people, ninety-four, ninety-seven applicants, sociology, fifty thousand, sixty-eight thousand, forty-four thousand, sixty-four thousand. What this basically means is, if more people are appearing, they are more likely, you will meet, did they can't hear me? Yeah, they can hear you, but voice is breaking. Just keep on doing this. On this side? OK. This work? You're online. I think you could not hear me well. Is it OK now? Can you confirm? Maybe the transmitter is nearer now. In between, OK, intermittently. OK, fine, I am continuing. Let me know if you still have a problem. So, come back here. So, what are the students appear? They will not vary much. But what are the students? If they qualify, the five hundred will not become into five. Ten, maybe eleven or twelve. If there are ten people appearing, maybe two people will qualify. If the ten are qualifying, the range somehow, that's what it's called as scaling. UPSC tries maintaining the balance. Same issue, what do you want me to do? Just hold on the class for two minutes. OK, fine, no problem. I can hold on. OK, fine. You can do that, yes. So, I think there's some problem in the audio. OK, they'll rectify it. I could even hold the mic if you want me to. We're back on the streaming. So, the objective of saying this to all of you is that for examination, which is as intense as it is, as demanding as it is, if you start a journey which is too much of doubt and tentativeness, it will destroy energy. It's like every person has a fixed amount of energy. That energy can either be used for doing a productive work or the energy is used for all type of negative thinking. End of the day, it's the same energy. So, when I'm saying this, I essentially want you to appreciate three or four things, one by one. Do a judicious selection of a subject, optional, after studying every trend. And then once you jump into it, then don't question too much. You must have the faith that, OK, fine, let's start off. Because for every subject, there will be people who will not qualify. And for every subject, there will be people who will qualify. There are people who will not get marks and there will be people who will get very high marks. OK, last year, the overall marks in the examination has been subdued. If you heard about a CSAT paper, this examination, subdued over, right? A lot of people are agitated. But the fact is, OK, there are people who have qualified, no? So, whatever be the standard that they ask you questions, if you are studied well, you will qualify. The problem is, when you are lower in terms of aptitude, if you are that, this will be a victim of chance. So, get out of that. All the data is essential because of that. That if you are focusing on the subject, the method of preparation, you have studied the syllabus well and give it all that you can have given. I don't think trends really matter. OK, you also asked me, sir, should I pick up the background trend? I said, no, don't. The main criteria should be your interest and the support that you can get. That's why all of the data to tell you how my students are appearing and how many qualify, what subjects do well, what marks are they getting. In fact, these have been, I mean, these are the marks of geography of students. Ashwarya and Yashar, Naman, Goyal, Anjali, Shrutia, Sonali, they all have been my student at some time of the preparation. OK, Pratham was my student. Junaid was part of my test series. Anjali has been through with me for a long, long time. She took almost three attempts, but then she made it. And last year, and these are the names. Yira Singhal, of course, I was not her teacher. Others in South Powersling, Ajay Singh, Ajay Jain, rank 12. The point of conversation in this year, we have this Galprekta. We have Nitin and Shubham. Shubham was an incredible example of a preparation approach. He is a first time guy, first time and he prepared during the covid online, OK, and he cleared it and he got the highest marks, almost a 300, 298, 99 he had got, OK, Shubham, this boy. Pratham took three attempts, but she also got rank 280 odd marks. He has got the point here is students do qualify. All type of students are there. You choose according to what you think is interest for you and why interest is so important because they go while you are preparing for qualifying in the first attempt, how many of you would want that raise your hand? How many of you would want to qualify in the first attempt? Yes, and that's nice. You should aspire for that. But the reality is be ready for second or third attempt. OK, and second or third attempts means you must read the same subject at least 15, 20 times and you cannot read the same subject if you don't have interest in it. Simple logic. If I give you, you'll go to sleep. So forget about easy paper or not easy paper. Forget about whether it is a convenient or not. One very important criteria is convenience. So so convenience in terms of comfort level, whether you can identify yourself with yourself or not. And that's where I see a lot of engineering students or science students have a natural affinity to a geography. Why? Because it has a semi-science base around 10, 15 percent plus the huge overlap we have with years. I hope I have given you a method how to evaluate your subject. Don't take a decision right now. Take your own sweet time. Go back and study. You want some data. I can supply it to you. OK, but choose it according to your analysis. Not because he told me or she told me or said told me and not because I'm inspired by the success. No, it has to be your choice, your method, your conscious decision, then it will work for you. If you take a subject and keep on debating, getting swayed by the opinions, you'll only spoil anything else. OK, so that's where I said this part of the conversation. OK, so this is the take away for you. Have faith in yourself. It is not the subject. It is you, your interest and your efforts because the people qualifying Sanskrit also, right? People qualified for the law. People qualify with physics. If you ask a physics guy, how is physics? What will you tell you? Oh, excellent. I love physics. If you go and talk to a guy who is qualified with Sanskrit, what he will tell you? They have wonderful subjects. Sanskrit is so scientific and so wonderful and legacy history. You come to me. I can talk with your geography, right? You go to a poor bad teacher, a little bit poor bad. So if you ask people according to what their interest is, that is not the way to the subject. OK, so don't get swayed by what we tell you. Take information from us. You can ask me, you tell us about geography. I'll tell you five, six things. Then you must talk to somebody else who can tell you about sociology. Maybe somebody else talk about poor bad, maybe. And then you make a choice. But remember this. It is not the subject. Every subject can get marks. It's about you, your efforts and your interest. And there is scientific way. So I tell my students, take inputs about geography from me. What decided geography, then jump in and help you. But I can't help you any other subject, right? That's what you to choose, elect and move on, finally. OK, so this part of conversation done. OK, now let me take up a and discuss geography as a subject. OK, so geography is essentially these broad seven areas. Some of you, I have chosen some of you will choose broadly. This is the scope of geography, physical geography. It's all about nature, environment, geography, ecosystem, environment, biodiversity, soils, forests, economic geography, all development angles, population, settlements, urban, rural. There's a philosophical area called a geographical thought. Political geography and regional planning. Planning is a very important part of geography because ultimately planning is what? Where are the resources? Industries, how can the infrastructure, problems of urban areas, rural area combined them together? You get planning. So one of the core themes of geography is planning, planning for rural development, hill area development, planning against disaster issues, planning for security, planning for agriculture, planning for infrastructure, planning for geopolitics. There's a big area planning is very, very applied in nature. That's why I said geography has an overlap with economy and development. I mean, if as a teacher, if I was not teaching geography, I would be teaching economy because of our industries ignored for any planning and that's part of geography. So this is the scope of geography. Now, if you look at those who qualify and those who don't, again, if these are the aspirants, very few are the top-ups, typical gap we have. There's a huge crowd at the bottom run and some of them escape and they become top-ups. So I'm discussing now why this gap and I'm talking from the perspective of geography plus. See if you can appreciate this in terms of a GS also in some ways. So again, we had surveys on this. I do this in my workshops. Why the gap? The common answer, sir, I have noted the books. I lack motivation. I have not done PYQ practice, PYQ is previous questions. Answering is an issue for me. Consistency problem. I get demotivated, not regular. I started late, I didn't have time. Very common reason for many of them. This is in general and I suggest do keep track of this and ask yourself what you will tell when asked, eventually. But I see something else here. This is what I'm told. But I won't and you appreciate this aspect of preparation. See, and I have been industry for almost 21 years of teaching and my own preparation for four or five years. So that's go to 25, 26 years in UPSC career. That's quarter of a century, a long time, I believe. In this entire span, what I noticed is questions have changed, the syllabus has changed, the type of reading material required has changed, the explosion of issues around us, awareness has shot through the roof in terms of time has not changed. Back then when I was studying, then also GS was, again, one year approximately, now also one year. Back then, geography used to take about three and a half, four months. Now it takes five months. The course, in terms of the time has not changed and then also the classes were two and a half hours on average every day. The same thing you guys are doing more or less. The problem is the teaching pedagogy, the approach, the teaching methods, the teaching, you can scope. Well, that has not changed. The questions have changed dramatically. Think of a question like this. One question is, I am giving a gender equation, I am assuming you all know this. What are the prospects of solar energy in India? Discuss its pros and cons. Let me question. Discuss solar energy as a game changer in India's energy security and of major support for small marginal farmers. I hope you get the question or a few. One question is, what is solar energy? Prospects and pros and cons. How is it helping us? How not helping us? The second one is, I have asked something else. I have asked you about, tell me how is it a game changer? In terms of India's energy security. And then I am asking you, tell us if this can be a major support for small marginal farmers and how? Can you realize the difference of the content here required? Typically in class, a teacher teaching and even you studying, if I ask you, tell me five things I teach in solar energy. Most of you will tell me, tell us what is solar energy? What are the technology? What are the prospects? What are problems? What are solutions? Most will say, sir, you want to teach structure and we teach that. But the questions have gone to next level. So while I cannot afford not to teach the base content, but the base content is not enough anymore. Yesterday I took a class. OK, I'll show you some questions also on those. The question was on. Give us your opinion on. Is India doing enough to manage energy, energy based geopolitical challenges? OK, for India's economic growth. Is India doing enough to manage energy based geopolitical OK, issue challenges for India's economic growth? You realize where the question level is. I'm asking your opinion. What is India doing? A, B, C, D. Tell us is that helping India in terms of energy geopolitics? I won't even ask you in terms of energy security. But when in the class teaching you guys, I will teach you from where India gets oil, gas, what are the problems, what we have done recently, and that's all. But this question is at a different level. So you must appreciate that in your preparation, now at least last three, four years, your preparation has to go through some stages. Like, you know, go on walk and run and fly the stages. And earlier, the base content used to be enough. The base content taught in eight, nine, ten months was enough. The questions have been particularly after 2017, 18. And the chain had started from 2014 onwards. So so I'm talking about, OK, the questions. I level one question, which is straight from syllabus. What is energy security? What are the source of Indian energy? Component of thermal energy, fossil fuel, renewable energy, straight from syllabus. Your notes will have it. Your books will have it. And syllabus is mentioned. Level three questions are beyond syllabus. This I asked you. You cannot escape the fact. But the questions are beyond syllabus and require your opinion, your thinking. You have to talk about what is your understanding of the issue. Like, say, I can see this question as a possibility. Criminality and morality. They are not coterminous in terms of their relevance discussed. And the question. Criminality and morality. Like, are not coterminous. Means there are some acts. Which are, which are criminal acts. Just what do you think in terms of what is immoral? Can we say that criminal? Yes or no? Immoral. According to our society is maybe living relationship is immoral. Immoral. Okay. Maybe not helping somebody when he asks for the help. But can I say that this criminal also? This was a statement in, in the context of this lady who had painted some nude photographs with her daughter. Okay. Big news. I think it was a Karnataka issue. And she was hounded for that. The court says that what you may consider as immoral is not necessarily criminal. Like, say, in our culture, you know, lesbian rights or homosexuality is immoral, correct? Can that be criminal or not? Okay. You got the question now? Now tell me, in a foundation class, can we teach this to you? In the basic class, I'm teaching you Indian society. I'm teaching you constitution. I'm teaching you probably recent amendments. This discussion is not taught to you, right? And this discussion, I cannot teach you at the first level. Remember that. You'll run away from the class. So accept the fact. The questions are changing now. There are telos in the next level, level of discussions. Like, say, Chandrayaan project. Tell us the advantage, disadvantage, whatever you can tell us. But if I ask you your opinion, do you think developing countries like India should be in its missions? What is your opinion? That's an L3 question. Your opinion is required now. And because this topic is in news, so maybe some of you have read this. Otherwise for many questions, you have no clue on this. So know that I'm going back here. There's something called as core foundation understanding and something called as advanced understanding. I hope I have given a difference here. So the L2 is like a transition question. Not straight, but it is not as tricky either. From syllabus, but not as tricky. This is a classic difference I've made when I'm teaching my topics. So what happens here is, I'm getting examples from, by the way, how many of you have taken geography all week and raised your hand? Some of you know syllabus more or less, right? Online, I believe some of you may have seen syllabus. Look at the questions asked. Explain how all of you know topic called telemorphology and geomorphology. And people are teaching that. Look at the question asked last year. Explain how various aspects of telemorphology are used in transportation as settlement, land use planning. I'm telling you, this is a question which you can't move one line on this question. While I know flood management, while I know transportation, I know settlement problems and write this in 15 marks. 15 marks means not more than two pages. The topic is an applied topic, next level topic, which we cannot teach you when we are focusing on course completion. Look at this question. Discuss, and all of us know this word, discuss role of slope, latitude and relief in landscape development. We know landscape models, we know role of some factors, but linking these three things, it's impossible, you have studied this in the class, impossible, even I would not have taught you. What do you have to do? Look at this question. Notice one, the concept of tectonics has been derived from isostasy, conical drift, and explained examples. I mean, I have not seen a single teacher, student tell us, okay, drift, they can handle, isostasy, what's the link? You have got no clue here. And they're not even from regular books. What do you have to attempt this? And all of this, okay, last two, three years, this is a question, next level question again, stream basins and drift area, watershed is a paper to topic for planning and discuss something of those lines. And this, I can tell geography why this is my domain. This is a trend for every subject. I've done this mapping for GS also, for optional also, I've done this for, you're always in SAS table, right? SAS table, if you open up, you don't even know it is what topic? They all, we know it's a philosophical topic, but how to start, where to end? Essentially, UPSC has elevated the entire examination level. This is not meant for those with weak heart, not meant for those who want comfort studies, not meant for those who are not willing to think at all. Okay, and I'm sure when I say, in Hindi I say this, there's one category of students called as part chore. Part chore, basically part is study, chore is chore as in thief. People who run away from studying, in Hindi we call them as part chore. In UPSC, I says one more category they've discovered, likhith chore, who rescue from writing. They will do anything but not write at all. So they will listen, YouTube, so I've listened to their YouTube. I understand everything as a likhithi chore, writing chore, they can't add one sentence. I'm sure all of us are part of that team, including teachers. We also hate writing. And with that, I'm just demonstrating what I mean by L3 level question. Okay, and this is not just geography, remember this. It's true for SS paper, it's true for ethics paper. And you've seen, you see a CSAT paper. Okay, and I do not think UPSC will come down in terms of level. Why? Because, you know, what they have done, my daughter is in class 9th, 10th, and I was seeing her, I tried teaching her whenever I can. I was seeing some questions on English language and history. The questions in language where compared to authors and their work, okay, as in the subject. One author is a poet. He had written some poem. Another guy is a social writer. And the question examination was compare contrast styles for a class 9th student. Class 10th NC, yeah, they're one of the greatest innovations of modern society is the concept of nation states. And in India, the nation state development took a lot of time. The roots of which is in India's national struggle. In UPSC we can ask, we can give the statement and ask to comment on this. And they have asked questions in school at that level. If I ask you, tell me, what is nation state? And tell us how nation state is the biggest innovation of our political system. How and why? And the chapter tells us, Gandhi's biggest contribution was that he contributed to the building of India's nation state. Comment on this. Understand level of question asked there. You think it is UPSC high level. The school level has gone through the roof. Last year's, we're analyzing the CDS paper and the NDA paper. Even the questions there have become elevated, which means I doubt if the UPSC level will come down anymore. They're elevating it. Accept the fact. That's what I tell the students. You guys are fighting for the CSAT of CSAT. I've said nothing doing. UPSC will not listen to you. UPSC is not employment generation program. Remember that. It's not your adhikar. Your question. But your right is not to qualify. UPSC is not there to absorb you because you're unemployed. They want bright, smart guys to run the country. And if I am there as the government, I'll want the same thing. You can't qualify. So they are elevating the standards and across subjects. I don't think it will become any easier. This is for you to understand first. So the questions will be thinking level questions. Okay, questions. And we did analysis we have done. In geography particular, I've done this. Because that's what I'm discussing now. In the last two, three years, L2 L3 questions are almost 70, 80% of your syllabus questions. Do the same thing for GS also. If I was here for GS workshop, I would have done that with you guys. Sit down and ask yourself which are the L3 questions. You'll be surprised how many L3 questions they're asking you now. I hope I have set that benchmark for all of you. See, as a teacher, I can do two things. One is I can play this down. I'll tell it'll happen. Don't worry. Keep set. I'll give you some comfort. The second is as a teacher start by saying, Don't take it lightly. This is the standard we demand out of you. Let's see how we can do it. I as a teacher does not want to downplay this level. Because if you downplay it, you will get surprised after 6, 7, 8, 1 year or 6, 7 months. I want awareness to be there. And unfortunate that many of you have not even seen or studied this like this. You will ask me, you know, So what's the difference between a regional center and centers in Delhi? I think this is one of the differences. But I can see Shankar Ayes has taken care of some of these L3 level questions also. So X, that's the analysis here. So I propose the preparation should be two stage preparation. One stage is what I call as the foundation level. Foundation level is essentially syllabus completion. The basic books, the basic notes, You know the constitution, you know India's history, You know the economy, you know all the concepts around social issues. You understand India's art culture. That is your foundation. A lot of foundation is definitely inspired from the school studies. That's why we keep telling you, That's a strong foundation. The foundation in GS can take you approximately, Okay, 10, 11 months. In geography, it takes about five and a half, six months. Foundation content. But the foundation content will not help you qualify. When I compare, I think, by the way, How many of you are from engineering background? Raise your hand. So almost half of the class here and online, I'm sure. Or at least you know about this. Look at the analogy here. Think of IIT in intense examination and the class 12 syllabus. You'll find there's no difference. The topics of class 12, which I'll ask you now, If you're a topper of class 12, You have studied all topics very well. Can you qualify IIT? You cannot. Same topics, but the treatment of IIT is much, much higher. The same is your foundation and your next level. The foundation is like your class 12 course. You have to read that, master it, But that will not help you qualify. In geography optional. I say there is the foundation class. Typically I take six months to cover. Not good or bad. The teachers who do that in four months also, Five months also. But I have my limitations. I was taking the course for four months. Over time it has increased. Okay. So for me is going to be six months in which approximate division is Physical geography, 75 days, environment geography, 10 days, economic geography, 15 days. So almost matter. Approximately days. Plus or minus some days. And maybe I had a vacation or some holidays. By the time we take. And over 50 days, where physical geography, 15 days, environment geography, five days. Again, I have mapped it. In this advanced course, we teach you the next level patients Along with answer writing along with, Okay, you know, your practice revisions and all of that. The series also is part of this one. The one thing I want to differentiate again. Well, all of us know. Answer writing is important. I'm sure all of us know this. All of us know that we have to give tests. The mistake that we do is we assume the test that we give During the foundation course is the test that you need. The answer is no. Because see a past equation like this. Telemorphology. How is it important for transportation? Settlement of planning important for what issues? This one question has six themes that they're covering. You can't answer the and most questions are interdisciplinary. When I'm teaching you resources. It is part of the disaster management. It's off your geopolitical aspects also. So until I've done all the topics. Yeah, that's adding will not be good answer. So you're. While the. What I mean by that is I'm testing what I taught. I'm teaching. But that is not exam level. The one I say is your progress. Another is. Different things. That is. Cultures on temples are merits to Indian society. Is the question asked last year. You can't, you know, in a social issues also. You have a good idea about the locations where what temples are what where stupas are. What reforms you can't ask the question at all. Energy security geopolitics. You can't answer this. Security and you have done IR plus whatever India is doing in terms of kind of effects. So just differentiate this. So lot of tests you give while you are doing the foundation. They are not exam tests. They are your progress tests. Actual test starts when you are starting off with your advanced course. And this applies to both. It applies to your optional and even your GS. So that's how I differentiate the two stage of preparation. I'm audible online. Is it okay? Is it fine all of you here? Okay. So this was the foundation course. And this is the advanced course. Right. Okay. Now this is a very important thing and I hope you can transfer this to your GS preparation also. This is the three levels of questions. Level one. Our information based question. What type of questions? What is this? What are cyclones? What has India done for tsunami management? What are India challenges? What are technology problems in solar energy? The what type of questions? Level one questions. State from syllabus. L3 questions are your opinion questions. Your analysis questions. While these questions are based on what you have read. This is based on what you think is a personality thing. Okay. If you ask me. One thing that UPSC is testing is your personality. Nothing else. Your. In terms of your commitment for development. Your ability to interlink things. Your personality in terms of your strategic planning. Your critical thinking skills. Because if UPSC was testing the knowledge alone. They would have gone to the best college of India and taken the purpose from there. No. Good. The top 10 ranks. Make them. Yes. Good. The top 10 ranks. Good. Why are they putting you through a process. Writing. And why is the thing of this is. So whatever personality tests they could not do. They say now take up SS and SS are topics you could not have anticipated. The topics you could not have prepared for at all. They are saying not right spontaneously. Let's see how you mind things. Because if I give a topic to you and you know they can ask you. You'll get prepared for it. No. Simple thing. SS. Are designed to surprise you and now give me a write up on this. And they're doing this in GS papers also by asking a surprise questions. Link. The tonics and I saw Stacey. I mean it's impossible to think about the question. Let's see what you do. You might you might give me a poor answer. But if it's logical, I'll take it. Let's see what you think about it. You need best there. Okay. So every question I say is your personality thing. Okay. So when you're preparing for the examination, you have developed that development sensitivity. I mean I wish I had more time. I would have taken up an article in current affairs and I'll discuss with you. You have an article to read. Okay. What to pick up from the article not simply mining facts. Mining facts is what your YouTube channel guys are doing. What content you are getting is doing. But thinking on the questions is this level of preparation. At least be aware of this. How to do it. I mean, God willing, if I get a chance and the systems allow us, we can think about it. Be aware. Okay. That is what they're doing. So the typical approach we really have is you prepare from base to what stop. My approach is you must do this, but also start developing like this. This is what we call as. Okay. I give a content to memorize any way down. This is an analytical approach, the why approach, the vision approach. I'm trying to establish the fact why you have to go beyond the foundation course. And this applies. I said for everything that you're doing. The GS work, the optional work, whatever I'm setting you are doing. The beginnings can be level one answers level two answers. You ultimately must graduate towards this. Okay. That's the approach I would recommend. Okay. I have found an acronym for this. Okay. It's entirely my indigenous creation. Okay. I call this as the you are approach. You are as in, you always understand the topic. We, you are. We is the vision, the vision of India's development, the vision of what is liberty, the vision of what's democracy and a is the approach that applied aspect. What can you do about it? And you as in, I mean your personality. If this idea gets in granting you that UPSC preparation is not syllabus completion. That's the easiest thing you can do. UPSC preparation is not current affairs coverage. It is not simply newspaper reading. It is something much more where you must elevate your personality itself. And I'm telling you 100%. I've interviewed so many of them and many of them that should have been part of my classes. Those who qualify, they are a very, very different personality. Very different from the regular students who otherwise have some other type of issues. So be aware of this thing. Yes. Initially, your focus has to be course completion. Do the notes diligently memorize the facts wherever you can. Okay. You have to read the basic books. That is a base content. On that you develop a personality. That's why I always say this. The preparation actually is very easy preparation. You know why? Because most people are not able to transit on this side. Most of you get trapped at the base level itself. If you know some small tricks how to elevate yourself, the game is over. Others can't keep match. So the examination looks very tough in some ways. Okay. But if you know that nuance, the technique, how to elevate ourselves to the next level, it's a very easy examination. It's difficult not to get a rank if you are aware of that next level. Okay. So anyways, I have found an acronym that works for me. And I'm focusing on this aspect. So your advanced course gets into this one. Your enrichment content is about this vision approach where you're applying whatever you have read. Okay. Having said this. Now this I think is whatever I told you till now. That's part of appreciating examination in terms of what's required. Now this I think is a very important part of setting a process right. Okay. And share something you decide whether it works for you or not. Now this is I think I hope you all can read this. Can you read out if you have because I know it's a bit too small for most of us. Okay. So you a timeline in terms of months, the years 24 or 25. And this is what you should do and I'm talking about geography for now because that's my mandate. Okay. And maybe GS. So you are now here. geography foundation six months will take me six months from August up to January end. Okay. Or maybe early seven, six months. This is not enough. There is a part called a geography advanced course. Okay. And if you are giving your problems. How many days is that anybody knows how many days. Come on, you should be knowing your fingertips. So approximately a 90 odd days. If generous maybe 100 but 90 approximately. May and examination or June or July, August and mid symptom is examination. Okay. So effectively it's less than 90 days because after giving a prelims, you all will go through at least 20 days of trauma. Whether qualified not qualified according to Shankara is answers according to XYZ answers. I'm there. I'm not there one month less one. You are always bargaining there. Use, you will definitely waste 25 days there. And examination 10 days before that you will go crazy. You not know what to do. You will be a good student and working hard. You will go absolutely nuts. So I say your effective days are essentially month of July and August. Because you will spend debating whether qualified or not. If not qualified, you'll have another one month of morning. And if unfortunately you have lost one month now. The effectively have month of July month of August. So if I look at actual study days, it's just about 70 odd days. In 70 odd days, can you learn answer writing? In 70 days, can you learn answer writing? Can you learn essays writing? Can you finish the higher level content? You cannot do that, right? That's one question. Second question I'm asking all of you is before prelims, how much time should devote only for prelims? Any ideas? Four months, three months, five months somebody said, how much time do you need for prelims exclusive preparation? Three months, four months. So if the month of May is examination, at least March onwards, I will say start from Feb itself. Feb, March, April, whatever May you have, right? So if you start a prelims preparation from Feb onwards and after prelims, you have 70 days for main readiness. When should you finish your main preparation? Got a lot of logic here? You cannot afford to leave the main preparation for after prelims. After prelims is memorize, revision memorize, gift test memorize, that's all. So if you are giving your prelims in the month of May 24, when should your course get over? Jan, latest, correct? All of you? And which course? Foundation or advanced course? Advanced course, not foundation. You have, it's like on first of Feb, give your means, okay, I'm on my means. You might require that level of proficiency. If you delay this, even if you clear the prelims, what will do with it? That's the common question. If you clear the prelims and you're not main study, it's waste, right? And it's, I say it's a criminal waste because prelims clearing itself is a huge task, you know? You spend months together, some of the years together, practicing and praying and qualifying. And then qualifying, what a sheer waste. So if you're giving a prelims, the approach has to be, I'll give the prelims brand-name mains ready. Not that I think about mains when the prelims are over. You don't have time for that. If you start now, foundation is done, advance is done. Okay, and you have got Feb, March, April, what I call as prelims program. What are we doing? Mains revision program. Mains revision, whatever you could have to do, do it now. So your method depends on you knowing your timeline properly. So just have some jottings on this. I just put that month. And now it's August 23. You must finish off your mains readiness, not later by January. Okay, then you get into your prelims study, what I call as a prelims program, whatever it is. Of course, you can get into your interview preparation. That's the cycle that you need. If your mains course is going on up till March, April, not years attempt is over. You have no chance. When I say mains ready, I mean both. I mean foundation and I mean advance. And so writing, test proper, advance concepts of healthy level. My intention, not what I'm doing here with your mind. My intention is not to scare you or confuse you. My intention is tell you what the reality should be. Then you go back and plan what is to be done. How we'll manage, how many hours you'll study, what course will you join, follows after that. If you are doing a GS also, same approach. You must finish GS by Jan. I think you guys are having five hours of class. Most of you is required. You have got no other way out there and do it that way. Fine. Can I move on from here now? So you wrote it down. Okay. I may give you that. If you want, you can take it from there also. That is my recommendation that we have now given the cohort that you are. I don't know what is your level of study. Probably a two type of students. One is those are preparing for 24 and those preparing for 25. And please. There's a saying. Where there is a will that is a way. But I'm not a believer of that beyond a point. But we say this quotations and unnecessarily burn ourselves. It's like I'm standing on the balcony of 10 the floor. Where there is a way and I want to fly. And I'm laughing my hands. And I believe if there's a will there is a way. I'd flap and jump out of the window. What will happen? Okay. I will fly in the next birth itself. I hope that you are born a bird. So where there is a way is a nice idea. But also be pragmatic there. Don't get into a pressure unnecessarily. So if you think you can do this, go for it. But not a blind radio. If you think I must wait and do this and do it. It has to be your conscious choice. As institutes, we are not supporting. But what works best for you. Think on that. Talk to your teachers. Talk to your mentors. And make a wise decision. Okay. No less. I said the two of you are there. 24 attempts and 25 attempts. My recommendation is this. If you are a 24 attempt student. And you're starting. Okay. You're optional. Now or maybe it began a month ago. Then you have no time for that once course. What you should do is do the foundation course in January. Apparently you are doing GS course. According to doing. From January. geography. And after you join the main support program, which will be a very fast program. Okay. To finish and get ready for the main examination in geography. It will be tough. But you have got no other option. I will not recommend that you join foundation and advanced together right now. Because the timings are different. I ended up having two classes here. And you're doing two classes in GS. That's a crazy planning. If you ask me, you should not be doing more than two classes a day. The remaining time was go back and read the device books. Memories, make your notes. Okay. See if you join geography with GS. And you're planning for 24 examination. Then please don't join advanced course in geography. GS, your student will help you what to do. Okay. What geography? Do you join the foundation? Okay. Give you a prelims examination. Then these two, two and a half months, we'll do what's best possible. But then give the examination light to work clearly. In UPSC, I can't believe in trial attempts. It's absolutely nonsense. No trial required. One trial. Take the papers on your own. Because no matter how bad a preparation, if you give the examination, there will be an expectation there. And no matter what, if it won't clear, you feel very bad about it. And as the attempts increase, you always will have a guilt. Oh my God, I wasted that time. So don't give any trial attempts, please. Give the prelims life you want to qualify. Like I'm jumping out of a building, you have to tap and land on the other side. It can't be a trial jump for the point here. Because this admission is not that legal. I'm a stress artist. I'm switching between rules. I don't have a trial jump there. Trial jump to another level. Okay. But in the performance, you must jump to clear it. Then your effort makes sense. So your planning now would be, I will definitely clear the problems according to my study. And I will do the entire foundation of the optional. Whatever option you have. And then, because of your plan, whatever is time remaining between the plans and means, will go intense on this, and you will get ready for the means. It is not the perfect method, but it's the best method. As students, if you come to us, I won't advance course also. I'll sell it to you. But my recommendation to the teacher is, don't do that. You can only mess up the preparation. It will impact the attempts in the next year. That's a 24 recommendation. For those who are preparing for 25, I'll say, do geography foundation right now with us. Do your GS along with madam. You are doing. That won't score and everything to join from next year's August September month. Because what happened is in three, four months, you'll consolidate your proper geography. You'd have read all the books. The GS in command you have. When I start the advance in the August month or September next year, can you be with me? I'll take the process. And for you guys for 25, 25 should be your death night. You have to qualify when you give the problem. Those in 24. Okay. Try your best. Try your best. If you want to qualify, be pragmatic. Okay. Why is there an accordingly study? Is it okay all of you? Any questions here? So yes. So I'm repeating geography. We have two states here. And I explained why you need two stages. And the timing is important when you must start off with what stage. Any questions want to clarify? Offline online? Any question you want me to ask? You want me to clarify? Answer. Fine. So I think if you have it, let me know eventually. Okay. So I've explained this to you. So winding up the conversation. My suggestion is don't look for the easy way out. Easy way out is fooling yourself. Easy way out is conning yourself. There's a process to it. There's a scientific method to it. And people who qualify, they're capable of doing that. And you know one of my students told that to me and I appreciate that I'm sharing all of you. In a class there are two type of students. One who we call as rankers. They'll work hard different way and they will clear it. The undergraduate students who we call as bankers they are for making helping me make money. You decide where you want to be. Every ecosystem earns like that. As teachers, my job is to convert you into a ranker. But to do that use your mind, your understanding. Be a blind blind student. The one thing I repeat in the class every time that we want thinking students. Aspirants who can think understand the process. So all of this is to help you understand the process. Take a leap and done. So no easy way out. Be rational. You think, you choose and hang on. There is no shortcut. There is a process you can't bypass that. There's a method to it. Do it properly. You'll qualify first, maximum, second, and maybe. And my recommendation all of you will be when you enter the UPS preparation be willing. Give two, three years of your life. It takes time. Because partly because our school systems are not really up there in terms of UPS demands. The reason, IT entrance is at another level. Schools are not there. That's why we need a gap. Your coaching institutes. The reality is the level is high. Type of mathematics you are taught. Reasoning you are taught. Cat examination another level. The reality. Don't creep about it. UPSC in some ways the mother of all examinations requirement is really very high. And I have seen people qualify. People coming from very regular baggage. In fact, the pepper sometimes qualify. Because it requires a persistence. It requires commitment there. Be willing to give years of life. That's never a way to trust me. I have never felt begging on the streets. Today UPSC career is giving out of money also in terms of salary. Crazy money. The starting salary is institutes can be as high as one lakh, two lakhs, three lakhs also. If I give one interview. In Delhi it's a crazy salary you get. And I'm happy why because it attracts good talent then. So don't be scared about. If I don't qualify, what? Life will give you a chance. But do it properly. You have to be cognizant of that. That this is a very long process. In the long process, you have to get three things right. Your approach has to be right. You have to have realistic timelines for yourself. And the support system must be right. It's like, you know, if there is a small half degree difference here. By the time I'm launching my rocket, I'll end up in Mars. Small distance, a small error I can rectify. But long distance make a small error here can take you somewhere else. UPSC is that long distance marathon. I use this adage that when you're running very, very fast and very, very, you know, basically make sure you're running in that direction. But if a direction is wrong, you'll end up in wrong place faster. So get a process right. Get a timeline right. And make sure you have people and support systems. Once more mistake here, you'll end up messing up your preparation. Not that your life will get become bad, but the preparation will be destroyed. And UPSC is difficult to come back and start again. Because it's a tedious thing. So always nice to start in the right way from day one itself. Course could ever possible. That's one recommendation to all of you. And third, spend time studying the previous questions. Okay, studying from the right sources. I'm a big fan of studying from the books. Okay, because notes alone will never suffice. It is in mind and you're on. Now I'll ask conversation before I wind up. It's almost time. There are issues about how to teach it when I was invited. I've been very excited. Like I said, it's a new geography. I'm exploring whether I can teach beyond Delhi or not. The way Shankar is reached out and madam reached out more than happy there. But the problem is I cannot be physically present here to teach you. It's not possible. So what we are thinking is a type of hybrid model where you must study life. I'm not a great fan of hardings every time recordings if it doesn't work out otherwise be part of life classes. So I think we are thinking on the screen teaching and live interactions. You can ask your doubts to me. I'll clarify the line itself and I'll come down with me and my team where three teachers. I take almost 70% of the classes and then we have got two other teachers. Dimple madam is there. The pool studies then something else also by the mentors will come down here a couple of days in a month and put your process. Okay, properly. It's a willing to study with me with our team with a collaboration. We are more than happy to be there. It is an exciting thing for us. But this will limitation is impossible for me to come here and teach you every day. I would love to do that. But I think technology has ensured that we can do otherwise also. That's one. And the second problem is the timing thing I'm told you have got classes. So geography classes at 12 o'clock to till two to 30. And I give a second half for the enrichment sessions. It's not that the same slot will have the enrichment classes or advanced classes. So we run two sessions. The two sessions will run concurrently if you join them together. Otherwise you can do foundation right now and join that once later on. And those who have done the function already. Then though you should join the advanced course immediately. We're starting off I think September and October will start the advanced course. But for that I need your foundation to be strong. That's two realities we must confront with. Having said talk to the institute. You can reach out to us also. Whatever queries you have, you can ask us. We'll try to clarify that. And my wishes to all of you irrespective of where you study, what you study. Study well, give it a best shot. We are in very exciting times where for India suddenly a lot of prospects have opened up. We definitely want to become the best country. We should be there in some way or the other and you can be part of that nation building. So exciting time, invest time into it. And I'm sure life will come out eventually much better. That's from my side. Unless you have some questions to ask me. Online students are interacted with you as much right now. If you have some questions, ask me and I will answer. So thanks for my side. I'll wait for your queries if you have any. I hope I did not. I was going to drag on you guys. We sat through. Started around what 345 maybe and it's now 510 by my watch. So one and a half hours approximate. Is there a question there sir? When does the foundation go start? So what we do in my institute is we run a relay race. So we take admissions every second month. Right now it's like in a topic A, B, C, D, E topic. We can start from A and finish till Z. We can start from B, the A will come in May. We can start from F, the F, A, B, C, D will be done later on. So in our institute, we're starting from Monday. No, from Tuesday rather. We're starting off the Climatology. So if you guys are okay, you can sit and join and see how it works out for you guys. So foundation scores starts from and 6 months. Wherever you start, you will be given 6 months to finish off. So we're starting from today is Sunday. We'll have one session tomorrow orientation and then we'll have the proper class from Tuesday. 12 or 2 o'clock. Anybody else? The next entry point will be I think, but after next you have no chance for 24 attempts. It's already been tight. The next admission will be probably in the month of October or November maybe when I start off with your population geography. The three entry points that we have in geography. Anything else, any questions? No, we require, don't interact. I could see some of you smiling, but in general you are very serious, serious. I'm not a serious man. I always say we don't want serious, we want sincere students. Laugh, have fun, enjoy the process. Okay, and be sincere in terms of the commitments. Yeah, thank you. Thank you so much. Anybody else in equations? We don't need to do this twice. One is enough. But generally I say you must revise enrichment every second year. If you have got one year of gap or two years of gap, maybe 25 if you are joining, then you should join again. Otherwise do it once, you don't need to do it twice. When is your attempt? 24. Then don't join advance course right now. You can't handle it. Too much for you. Then you join the foundation. Do the GS course here, isn't it? Do the GS properly. Because it's four classes in a day is mad. It's not a right target at all. See, if you join, it's good for me. I make money there. But that's not wise. You join foundation course. And after prelims, the two and a half months we have, we'll do whatever it takes. It will not be a perfect preparation, but good enough to qualify. It will be touch and go. But don't join advance now with GS going on parallelly. You can't handle it. It will be too much for you. You want you to be alive. You want you to be dead in the month of January. My recommendation is don't do that. Anybody else? Yes. If I already done the optional foundation, then after that I'm currently doing the GS course. Then you can join. Yes. In one day, two classes is okay. So enrichment will start from September and October. Absolutely. But make sure your foundation concepts are very strong. If your foundation is done, command is there on that. Because I will not teach foundation anymore. I'll take the next level entirely. Then you must join. If you're planning for 24, you can do it. Anybody else? Ladies don't ask here. Ladies are all over. ISRO is all real ladies. Boys, you have got tough race. Rank also of first four, five, six ranks. The girls are taking it. So we can see clear differences. One lady who has decided here otherwise. Is it deliberate or it is a fortuous? Girls on one side, boys on the other side. No. Not deliberate. It happens. It's called an instinct. I know it's a bit stronger South India. I know that. When I was in Chennai, I was in the bus. And the bus was empty types. And I was tired. I went and sat on the lady's seat. And I was tired at so badly by so many people. I got down next stop itself. I said probably I will get lynched by the time I reach. Then I realized the lines are very, very strong here. So I'm alive. Any questions? Ladies? Nothing? I thought I was too good. You guys are too smart to understand everything. You have got no doubts. Online in equations. There's one question there. What was that? Schedule of the course. What do you want exactly scheduled? You want the day wise. So we have that. You can check up on our website. And I maybe I'll share with the Shankar ISL Academy also. I'll give the schedule to you. No worries. I can't mention right now. But we have a schedule. Free structure. Bad question to ask me. So free structure is next department. And the teacher will come and teach you. So that's the next question. We'll handle afterwards. Anybody else? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Life courses are also recording. Yes. But my suggestion is if recordings you're doing, then do it same day. Okay. Don't keep it afterward. And if possible, be in the live sessions wherever possible. It's a different experience altogether. But you'll get recordings also. Yes. So if you are online students will give you for the entire duration of the course. But if the students are offline with us, we give them recordings only for three days. My belief is recordings. If you keep it eternally, it's like, you know, you will keep on ignoring and doing it afterwards. And what happens then? So offline students, if you are there, okay, like in Delhi, then you can only three days recording online, which you will be most of you live will give you for the entire course. Anything else? All good. Nice. So we are done. Anything else you can let me know. Okay. So my pleasure being here. Have a lovely preparation. My wishes to you and God bless all of you. Thank you so much.