Cadre preferences: the art of redundancy

Cadre selection is not just a choice; it is an exercise in game theory. A key technique is the dummy choice.

What is a dummy choice?

Placing a cadre with a lower closing rank after one with a higher closing rank, so that it can never affect your allocation. For example, as an outsider, putting Madhya Pradesh after Uttar Pradesh makes little sense: MP will always close before UP.

How to use it

• Split your choices into preferred and anti-preferred zones.
• In preferred zones, don’t waste choices as dummies.
• In anti-preferred zones, pick popular cadres with few seats to make those zones redundant.

It needs a nuanced read of your preferences, category and state-wise data. Ask your mentor.