Utkarsh Yadav, who secured AIR 32 in UPSC CSE 2025, scored 292 marks in Geography Optional, with 151 in Paper I and 141 in Paper II. His Geography Optional strategy focused on concise revision, extensive PYQ practice, answer writing, and linking Paper II concepts with Paper I theories. He converted lengthy class notes into short, revision-friendly summaries and used active recall to strengthen retention. After Prelims, he practiced around 800 Geography PYQs by writing answers by hand and used timed drills to improve answer-writing speed. His approach also used AI selectively for case studies, examples, theories, and other value additions after building the core content himself.
| Paper | Marks |
|---|---|
| Paper I | 151 |
| Paper II | 141 |
| Total | 292 |
Contents
His Revision System
Class notes were bulky, so he ran every topic through a 5-stage funnel:
- Notes — full class notes
- Concise summary — 10-12 pages cut to 5-6, cross-checked with PYQs
- Memorize — the summary, not the original
- Active recall — explain it out loud with the notebook closed
- PYQ check, then answer — attempt the PYQ, then write it out
Making the summary was a revision round — that’s how 35-40 final pages stayed revisable in a week, repeatedly.
GS + Optional: Full Days, Not Half Days
He alternated one full day for Optional, next full day for GS — splitting each day in half, he found, leaves too little real focus time on either.
800 PYQs, Written by Hand
Post-Prelims, he and a study partner wrote out 800 Geography PYQ answers spanning 30 years. Rough time split across the full cycle: 60% notes-making, 25% recall + PYQ enrichment, 15% answer writing.
Paper II’s Trap
Paper II topics look generic enough to answer like plain GS — but that doesn’t score in an Optional. His fix: every Paper II answer links back to a Paper I theory. A Himalaya/GLOF question tied to geomorphic processes and isostatic equilibrium, not just described.
How He Used AI
- Wrote his own core content first
- Prompted per topic: “give me 2 case studies, 2 regional examples, 2 international examples, 3 geographers, 2 theories, value-addition from schemes”
- Picked only what fit — not everything the output gave
- Compressed a year of current affairs (Edukemy’s KOSMOS) into a 10-12 page document in two days the same way
Answer-Writing Speed
Five 10-mark questions took 45 minutes early on; daily timed drilling (5-10 questions/day, no full mocks) cut it to 30 minutes over 40-45 days. Attempt order: strong first 5, comfortable next 5, full intensity for the last 10 (15-markers) — best return per question. No enlarged handwriting; diagrams did the space-and-density work instead.
On “Trial Attempts”
He doesn’t believe in them. An underprepared attempt costs real focus afterward — he lost 1.5 months after narrowly missing attempt one. If you want a trial, solve a full paper at home, timed. Don’t spend a real attempt on it.
Quick Takeaways
- Summarizing notes is a revision round, not prep for one
- Alternate full days between GS and Optional
- Anchor every Paper II answer to a Paper I theory
- Use AI for enrichment after writing your own content, never before
- Drill speed daily in small timed sets
- Don’t waste a real attempt as a “trial”
For topic-specific depth: Human Geography insights (AIR 32) and Climatology strategy (AIR 32).
Build This Into a Structured Plan
Explore the Geography Optional Foundation Course by Shabbir Sir — built around the same concise-notes, PYQ-linked, mentor-evaluated approach.
In case you still have your doubts, contact us on 9773890604
Enrol in Geography Optional by Shabbir Sir: Here
Enrol in One on One Personalized Mentorship: Here
Enrol in GS Mentorship Program: Here
Enrol In GS Mains Mentorship Program: Here
Explore One Integrated Platform for UPSC Prep: Yooki
