Classroom Programme for G.S.

One thing is very conspicuous and intelligible to almost all that in General Studies, the questions are plain & straight and do not involve much analysis or explanation or examination etc. what one comes across in the optional subjects.

The Second thing which too is very distinct that questions carrying about 140 marks are very-short answer-type questions, which are very scoring.

The third thing is also very simple to understand that the part of statistics constituting 40 marks too is scoring in nature. The last thing too is understandable that General Studies papers overall have greater objectivity and so there is always a greater chance to get greater marks than in the optional subjects.The classroom programme is oriented to fulfillment of this purpose. This represents a comprehensive & complete programme to enable the Civil Services Aspirants to fetch 370-380 level of marks.

Classroom teaching is oriented to facets of the topics not the topics in general. A few examples of this orientation are given below.

A. In the section, the first topic is "The Preamble". Under this orientation various facets of "the preamble" are considered first and then each is taught individually, independently and at the same time collectively, like mentioned below :

1. Is Preamble a part of the constitution?
2. Comment on the view : The Preamble represents the entire constitution.
3. Various parts of the Preamble.
4. Comment on the view : The constitution is an extension of the Preamble.
5. To what extent the Preamble defines the nature of polity?
6. Various ideals of the Preamble.
7. How Preamble defines the objectives of the Indian Political System?
8. Philosophy enshrined in the Preamble.
9. Comment on the view : the Preamble represents the philosophy of the constitution.
10. The ideal of popular sovereignty in the preamble.
11. Intrepretation of the "words" of the Preamble.
12. Doctrine of Social justice in the Preamble.
13. Relevance of the Preamble.
14. How the relevance of the preamble has been increased in recent times.
15. Relation between the Preamble, Fundamental Rights & Directive Principles of the ------- State Policy in the light of judicial intrepretation.
16. Comment on the statement : Little Socialism written in the constitution, but it pervades ---- the entire constitutional scheme.
17. Comment on the statement : Little Socialism written in the constitution and the rest ------ expanded by constitutional amendments.

B. In the section Indian Economy, the topic usually picked up by the Civil Services Aspirants first, is "Planning & Development". Under this orientation this is to be taught as follows :

1. Planning Commission — Status, Composition & Functions
2. Controversy related to the role of Planning Commission
3. Comparative study of the status, structure and role of Planning Commission and-national Development Council
4. Comment on the view : Planning Process adversely affects Federal Structure
5. Comment on the view : National Development Council has emerged as a Super / Parallel Cabinet
6. Comparative study of the status, structure and specific roles of the Planning Commission and the Finance Commission
7. Basic features of Indian Planning
8. New approaches in Planning Process beginning with Eighth Five Year Plan
9. New Approaches in the Tenth Plan
10. Major objectives of Tenth Plan
11. Tenth Plan approach : Growth target of 8% — Positive aspects of attainment
12. Tenth Plan approach : Growth target of 8 % — Limitations in attainment
13. India's move towards becoming an Economic Super Power
14. Concept of Indicative Planning
15. Rationale of Decentralized Planning
16. Planning and market forces
17. Limitations of Market forces in development process
18. Need to go beyond liberalisation and privatisation in the context of development
19. Basic objectives of Planning
20. Pitfalls of Planning
21. Federal Planning — Concept and features
22. Relevance of planning in the era of liberalisation
23. Comment on the statement : Should Planning Commission be abolished?
24. Need to redifine the role of Planning Commission
25. New Role of Planning Commission
26. Mahalanobis Model
27. Rao-Manmohan Model
28. Strategy of Planning
29. Economic Planning and increase in the rate of capital formation
30. Comment on the Statement : In Planned Economic Development actual growth has-been lower than target growth?
31. Progress of Indian Economy during 50 years of Planning
32. Structural changes which have taken place in economy during the Planning period
33. Various Concepts related to Planning like Functional Planning, Structural Planning,-Soft Planning, Development Planning, Physical Planning, Financial Planning, Static Planning, Dynamic Planning, Prospective Planning, Rolling Plan, Planning from below, Micro - Level Planning, Macro - Level Planning, Multi - Level Planning, Piece-Meal Planning etc.

This has manifold advantages over general way of preparation.

1. This enables the Civil Services Aspirants to develop comprehensive understanding of the topics.
2. This reduces considerably the chances of not attempting the questions in the examination.
3. More often than not a facet is picked up and put as a question.
4. This enables the Civil Services Aspirants to write quality answer; for they consider those facets in advance while preparing.

Classroom teaching is oriented to creation of answer-formats which enables the Civil Services Aspirants to write quality answers so that they might fetch maximum marks possible.

The Civil Services Aspirants generally have the tendency to write answers in a traditional way. Besides their answers show absence of certain vital aspects or points of information as well. The principal reason is their not paying attention to formulation of "good approach" to answer.Many times this idea does not occur to their mind and many times they fail to do so. In both the cases they present poor quality of answers in the examination, the result of which is poor marks (interestingly many a Civil Services Aspirant is not aware of this fact).We drive our point home by taking an example of a popular question, showing what one writes generally and what one should write to get maximum marks possible. We take a relevant question "Discuss the constitutional status of Indian President" from the section Indian Polity.First we present the answer-format of this question in point-form which is usually presented by most of the Civil Services Aspirants.

1. Indian President as the constitutional head
2. Executive powers of the Indian President
3. Legislative powers of the Indian President
4. Other powers of the Indian President
5. Conclusion

Now we present the right and effective answer-format.

1. Article 52 & 74, mentioning the constitutional existence and executive powers vested in the president
2. Discussion on understanding the real constitutional status of the president in the light of the Parliamentary from of govt. in India.
3. Status to be conceived under 42nd constitutional Amendment Act.
4. Status to be conceived under 44th constitutional Amendment Act.
5. Discussion on the existence of Council of ministers being mandatory
6. Discussion on impeachment process becoming valid if the president violates the constitution by not acting in accordance with the advice of Council of ministers.
7. No special powers of the president during emergency.
8. Little scope of discretionary powers.
9. Views of Supreme Court - mention of important cases.
10. Views of constitution makers
11. Conclusion that Indian President is a constitutional President in all matters - He heads the state but he does not rule.

This example must give the Civil Services Aspirants the idea about right format of the answers which fetches marks and how otherwise the Civil Services Aspirants end up getting poor marks.

This shows that just knowing is not important and knowing in general is not important, what is important is writing the best answers for maximum marks. This is essence of success.

FOCUS ON VERY SHORT - ANSWER TYPE (20 WORDS) QUESTIONS

The new pattern of the questions for the last three years shows that there are invariably seventy 20-word questions carrying 140 marks. This pattern calls for a new strategy to focus on the preparation of answers to such questions.

Reasons for such a preparation is quite obvious :

1. One can get full marks (that is, 2 out of 2)
2. Easy to prepare
3. Play crucial role in increasing the marks beyond 350-360 level

In order to consolidate Civil Services Aspirants' preparation the institute provides seperate 8 booklets (which covers a vast area from where various kinds of very short-answer type questions are put) on :

1. Personalities of Indian History
2. Facts related to Indian Culture
3. Political Terminology and Concepts
4. Facts related to Geography & Environmental Issues
5. Persons & Places in News
6. Economic Terminology, Concepts and Programmes
7. Terms related to Information Technology
8. Facts related to india & the World and International Relations.

Class lectures are delivered on various sections like Indian Polity, Indian Economy, Indian Geography, India & the World which will enable the Civil Services Aspirants to answer some of these questions.

Special lectures are delivered on Facts, Terminologies and Concepts which need some understanding and which are not the part of the booklets or classroom lectures. Orientation lectures are given as to how to write answers to such questions. List of questions is provided for the writing practice.

The content of the subject matter, one deals is of paramount significance. One collects plenty of information related to a topic or a subject matter. Then arises the question what to incorporate and what not. Writing anything does not mean writing a good answer. One is supposed to sort out the most relevant points. Since one does not have the scope to write much, only very relevant information has to be incorporated in the answer. Much of one's marks depends on this aspect of one's writing.

Most of the Civil Services Aspirants have the sincere satisfaction of writing the answers without being concerned with what they have written and they are caught unaware only when they obtain marks, they feel they are not commensurate with what they have written.

There is special thrust on writing in the classroom programme through the following three methods.

1. Discussion of approaches to write answers with examples from various sections of the General Studies.
2. List of select model questions of various sections viz. Indian Economy, Indian Polity will be provided to the Civil Services Aspirants, so that they might keep on writing answers to them.
3. Evaluation of answers on a regular basis so that Civil Services Aspirants might come to know their status.

Orientation classes for Essay is a part of Classroom Programme for General Studies. These classes covers manifold facets of Essay-writing in order to enable the Civil Services Aspirants to write good essays. Following are the features:

1. Comprehensive orientation lectures are delivered.
2. List of important and probable topics for Essay is provided to the students.
3. Every Civil Services Aspirant can write essays and get them evaluated individually.
4. Standard formats of probable topics of essay is provided to the students.

Current Affairs constitute roughly the half of the General Studies papers. Apart from pure current affairs sections, in the sections like Indian Economy, Science and Technology, Indian Polity there is a thrust on the Current issues.

The Institute organises seperate and independent classes of about 20-day duration in the month of September focussing upon that year's Main Examination. These classes incorporates all aspects of Current Affairs of all sections. Civil Services Aspirants appearing at the Main Examination can expect almost all the questions of Current Affairs from these classes.The Institute provides adequate study material packages also on Current Affairs.

The Institute provides the facility for repeating the classes in the next session free of charges to all the students (particularly newcomers), who face problems in the classroom programme from time to time).Repetition of the classes has helped many students consolidate their preparation and develop their understanding level. This facility incorporates making the students available new study material packages (like study material packages of Current Affairs) as well.

The Institute organises exclusive classes for Civil Services Preliminary Examination in the months of Feb.-March-April. The thurst in these classes are, three-fold. First, adequate and examination—oriented study material packages are provided from where a large number of questions appear in the examination. Second, in the classes, focus is given on those sections from where greater number of questions are asked viz. Current & Miscellaneous etc.Third, in the classes, focus is given on those sections also where students face greater problems like General Science, Indian Economy etc.