Strategy for
History mains
- By Bhushan
Deshmukh
If the prelim’s is to be compared with one day match,
mains could be described as test match. The temperament and technique to play
it is different than prelims.
Prelim is mainly factual study, many times without
knowing how or why. On the other hand main’s is analytical study, knowing the
essence of the story.
With introduction of first 30 marks questions last
year and now 20 marks one, instead of regular
60 marks, you are suppose to know the essence of many more stories.
Who can take history?
Student from any discipline can choose and master
this subject with systematic efforts. Apart from that it enables candidate to
write their essay paper with a historical perspective which gives depth to the
arguments.
History is the only subject that can be lived. It is
full of plots and counter plots, desires and detachments, wars and peace
missions, giant triumphs and utter failures, a moving kaleidoscope of people,
events and locations. Studying history is as good as sitting into time machine
and visiting our ‘wonderful’ past. But all this is true only if you are
‘interested’ in the subject. Without interest, proper understanding of the
subject can’t be developed. In that case history will seem like subject with
vast syllabus, full of unrelated events and mere description of dead past. But
interest either natural or created will make your past talk with you. Indeed in
the words of E.H.Carr “history is a continuous dialogue between past and
present”
As it is rightly said that history is not a study of
facts, but interpretation of facts. Facts are just raw material with which
interpretation is done. Answers in the main’s are about your interpretation of
History. The angle of focus on history has constantly changed. From Political
to Cultural to Economic Candidates are exempted if facts go wrong, but analysis
is correct, but other way round will not do. Unlike other humanities subject, history
does not have a theory part, all the 4 part i.e. Ancient, Medieval, Modern and
World are applied.
How much scoring history is?
History is
one of the most popular option is U.P.S.C. examination for obvious reasons. It
has synergy with General studies. In prelim history occupies frontline (14
questions out of 100 in prelim 2011) In mains 82 marks questions of history and
culture get covered by optional history (As
per mains 2011G.S. paper) It is also useful in writing essay. Since at
least one socio-cultural issue comes as a topic, historic vision gives depth to
the arguments. (for e.g. related to
culture ‘Does Indian Cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it’
asked in mains 2011)
History complements with any combination of optional,
but goes best with political science, next best with Public Administration.
In the mains examination History is directly compared
with other subjects.
History is highly subjective subject. Suppose the
question was given ‘Evaluate the Gandhi’, then all candidates will write different
answers. Which of them is right or wrong? None. It depends on how arguments are
pushed. This makes the subject safe. Generally it is not possible that you
don’t know anything about the answer. Ultimately you fetch some minimum marks
in each question. That way no body goes below 200 in history.
But going by same logic history also does not give
very high marks. There is nothing called perfect answer. Because of this
phenomenon marks do not go above 390. But then to get into IAS one need to get
55-60% marks in the subject and that makes this subject an attractive
proposition.
History is scoring subject. One of my student Sonal
Sonkavde made a fortune with 390 markes. Shrikesh B. Lathkar who
scored 365 in history in 2010 mains in his second attempt to got the 57th
rank says, "History (365) has done it for me sir. Biggest thanks to
you."
We can refer to the data of those written mains 2009.
This is the larges sample group of 9026 (excluding only those handful who are
chosen for interview). We can observe that History is third most popular
optional taken (2777), just after Public Administration (3067) and Geography
(3190) But if we the average marks secured by the candidates then History (242)
is better then Public Administration (232) and Geography (221)
History is the scientific subject and can be studied
scientifically. It is as scientific as physics or mathematics, only since it is
from humanities side, things are open ended.
With optional scraped in prelim, now there is no differentiation
between those having history as first optional and those having it second, all
are now equally placed.
Resource material?
The compulsory map question should be solved first
and prepared first. Twenty sites are given & you have to mark them all on
the given map and describe its importance in four lines. (Probably) one mark
for marking site and two for description. Sites given are of specific
importance in history (for e.g. Kumbharia, Sirpur, Pangudaria in
mains 2011) By daily practice this question can turn into scoring one.
They give blank map with only India India
In paper II world history is to be targeted. On
modern India France about how the fall of
Napoleon took place, but there are no such controversies in India India
IGNOU books are useful for mains too. It could be
used selectively. Brilliant Tutorials has published the material on mains
history which is update and refined.
Some internet sites are rich in content and
photography in history For e.g. www.indhistory.com,
www.historywiz.com/India.htm
Wikipedia can prove a magic wand for getting answers.
Publication division has done grand job of publishing
material which prove very helpful for the mains. They are
1) India
2) India
3) India
For world History good work is done by Jain &
Mathur. Their book for world History mains is excellent. It has covered our
syllabus topic wise, but it is also true that it is not edited properly.
Recently a book is published by Krishna Reddy by the name ‘Modern World’
overcomes this issue. It has avoided the bulkiness and is updated with recent
changes in syllabus. World History by
L.Mukherjee is lucid and will make answers readable. It can be used as
complementary with Jain & Mathur or Krishna Reddy.
Tracking syllabus is a fruitful exercise, for mains.
The vast syllabus cannot be covered without the pointers. What is interesting
is that syllabus of mains is clearly defined and examiners remain stick to it.
(For e.g. in 2011 mains question asked
word to word from lines of syllabus, Ibn Batutah's Rehla (20), Mughal paintings
(30), Independent foreign policy post-1947(30), Industrial Revolution(20), Nazi
aggrandizement (30)
No comments:
Post a Comment