The 15x Revision Rule: How I Got AIR 37 in my 1st Attempt!

Main ideas, concepts, and lessons

Speaker identity + achievement

• Chaitanya Awasthi introduces himself and shares:
  • His All India Rank (AIR) in the Civil Services Examination: 37
  • Optional subject: Law
  • Attempt: First attempt

Purpose of the session

He explains that he had basic/fundamental doubts due to lack of guidance (after his father’s death). The session aims to:

1. Clear common foundational preparation doubts (questions most aspirants worry about).
2. If time remains, answer specific questions from the audience.

Ground rules for the talk

• “No topper or any person is an absolutist.”
  • What worked for him may not work for everyone.
  • The audience should assess for themselves and adopt only what feels right.
• He emphasizes he is not the most important person in the session—the audience is.
• He plans to finish early to enable a more interactive live Q&A.

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Methodology / preparation approach (detailed)

1) Chaitanya’s background and timeline (high-level)

Education path

• After showing early interest and targeting a future goal, he pursued B.A. LL.B. (National Law University) after CLAT, where he secured AIR 184.

UPSC preparation intention

• UPSC was a long-term “dream” for him.
• He initially planned to prepare from Delhi, but events changed his location (he mentions an incident that prevented him from enjoying Delhi’s “crowd-life”).

Life disruption and its effect

• In the first 10 days of post-college preparation, during COVID’s second wave, his father died.
• The next 2–3 months were rough, affecting motivation and clarity.

Discipline anchor

• His sister enrolled him in an online course.
• This helped him stay disciplined because it felt like invested hard-earned money.
• He resumes preparation in Kanpur, starting around July, and targets Prelims in June the next year.

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2) “Integrated preparation” and time structure

Core structure

He treats preparation as a long composite process, not simply “11 months = Prelims.”

Time windows:

• Prelims preparation: ~11 months
• Mains preparation: ~2.5 months
• Interview prep: ~1.5 months (with revision again)

Integrated prelims + mains (first phase)

• For the first six months, he never separated prelims and mains.
• By January, he transitions into Prelims mode.

Daily study slots (example routine)

• 9:00 am – 12:00 noon: Study (GS focus early)
• 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm: Study/GS (later: test series)
• 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm: Current affairs + value addition notes
• 11:00 pm – 12:00 am: Sometimes additional study
• He notes study hours increase as the exam approaches; once rhythm forms, it feels “normal.”

Accountability principle

• Accountability is only to yourself.
• Don’t just collect books/notes—if you don’t revise, the effort is useless.

Quality over “stretching”

• Avoid extending study time without focus.
• Prefer focused blocks followed by breaks.

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3) Prelims mode (what to do after January)

Meaning of “Prelims mode”

• Not a magical new method—mainly a shift in tasks and use of resources like test series.

How he changed the schedule

• 9:00–12:00: Continue GS study
• 2:00–5:00: Solve test series starting from January
• 7:00–10:00: Current affairs + value addition notes

Notes organization

• He shares notes through his social platforms:
  • Twitter/Instagram
  • Telegram (noted as “Life in a Note Shell”)
• Key idea: visibility increases relatability, improving understanding.
• He shows how Mains notes were converted into Prelims notes.
• He clearly states this is one method, and the audience should adopt it only if it fits them.

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4) CSAT importance (especially for prelims)

CSAT must not be ignored

• He argues CSAT applies to all backgrounds (science or arts).
• He observes CSAT difficulty is increasing for many aspirants.

Use available free help

• He recommends YouTube lecture/test series in Hindi or English, based on comfort.

Warning example

• He mentions talented candidates who do well in GS but fail to clear Prelims due to CSAT.

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5) After Prelims: what to do during the gap before results

Rest strategically

• After Prelims, he took 3–4 days rest (not “waiting” for results).

Start Mains/optional preparation even if unsure

If you feel anxious about results:

• At minimum, revise your optional (the work you already did).
• If you clear, you’re ready.
• If not, your optional still helps for future attempts.

Cover neglected optional-linked topics

In that gap, he suggests topics often missed during GS-focused prelims prep, such as:

• Ethics (within optional planning)
• Disaster management
• Internal security
• Social issues (to some extent)

Move into full mode after results

• Once results come, shift to full intensity for Mains.

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6) Mains preparation emphasis: answer writing + presentation

Most important element

• “Mains is a lot about answer writing.”

Why presentation matters

Even if you know the content, examiners evaluate:

• Clarity
• Coherence
• How well you present within exam constraints and time limits

Exam under pressure

• UPSC asks many questions quickly to test performance under pressure and mind functioning.

Strategy: manage time and quality

• He references: “Do not let the best become the enemy of good.”
• Practical approach:
  • First write 20 good answers
  • Then, with better control and time, convert some into better/excellent answers
• Maintain speed and stamina for the full set.

Answer composition under exam constraints

Within 7 minutes:

• Start writing immediately after reading
• Prepare an outline in under a minute
• Ensure both content and expression, not only diagrams

Use multidimensionality

• Strong answers include multiple dimensions, such as:
  • socio/political/economic/geographical/environmental factors
• More relevant dimensions → more detailed and differentiating answers.

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7) Essay preparation method (no separate content prep)

No separate content preparation

• Essay content should come from the year’s GS knowledge (GS1–GS4).

How he structured his example

He created an essay story by linking multiple GS angles:

• GS1: forests/environment tied to economic/political narrative (e.g., Magadha Empire)
• GS2: laws and environmental acts connecting to governance and economy
• GS3: green GDP/green finance showing value of forests
• GS4: a quote from Mahatma Gandhi for moral framing

He notes he has detailed videos explaining the essay approach and finer points.

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8) Specific essay tactics: Vikram Grewal Sir’s approach (as inspiration)

Idol/source

• He credits Vikram Grewal Sir for inspiring his essay strategy.

Essence of the strategy

• In the first 15–20 minutes, write ~20 points on rough paper for any essay topic.
• These points should cover multiple GS angles/dimensions:
  • social
  • political
  • economic
  • environmental
  • ethical dimension

Why this helps

• If each point becomes a small paragraph:
  • 20 points ≈ 10–11 pages
• UPSC’s essay space supports that kind of output.

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Sources / book lists (as discussed)

• He downplays anxiety about exact book lists.
• He suggests book lists among toppers are often similar; the real difference is how you read and apply the material—not only the list itself.
• He begins discussing sources for GS1–GS4, but the subtitles cut off mid-sentence.

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Speakers / sources featured

• Speaker: Chaitanya Awasthi
• Referenced individuals:
  • Vikram Grewal Sir (essay strategy inspiration)
  • Mahatma Gandhi (quoted for essay)
• Referenced exam-related entities:
  • UPSC (Civil Services Examination: Prelims/Mains/Interview)
  • CLAT (education path)
• Referenced platforms (where notes are shared):
  • Twitter, Instagram, Telegram (Telegram name given: “Life in a Note Shell”)