Perfect is the enemy of good

When preparing for Mains, avoid the temptation to achieve perfection in any topic. These tips help you optimise instead:

1. Focus on 4 or 5 headers for every topic: definition or data (for the introduction), background, challenges or issues, needs or positives, and suggestions or the way forward.
2. Use mnemonics and memory tricks to internalise that content.
3. Use tables to organise your notes better.
4. Reproducibility. Often ignored: use the headers from one topic in as many topics as possible.

Reproducibility, explained

GOT FQS: Grievance redressal, citizen Oriented, Time-bound delivery, citizen Friendly, Quality improvement, Service standards. Where can you use it?

• Benefits of a citizen charter
• Good governance
• Benefits of data to citizens
• The way forward on any bill
• Civil society

Build reproducibility into your notes and your Mains notes won’t run past 300 pages.