Selfstudyhistory.com’s Interview of Romit Bhatt [Rank 390, CSE- 2023, History Optional]

Profile of the Candidate

Introduction

Tell us something about yourself. 

• My name is Romit Bhatt . My hometown is in UTTARAKHAND .  I have done my graduation in BA (H) history from SGTB KHALSA COLLEGE , DELHI UNIVERSITY. I also completed my MASTERS in HISTORY from IGNOU . I started my preparation in 2020 along with college and full fledged preparation from 2021 . This was my third attempt . I reached till interview in  first attempt (2021) , till mains in second attempt (2022) and this was my third attempt.

Questions Related to History Optional

Why did you choose history as your optional subject?

• I liked history as a subject since my school days . History also helped me in understanding our past culture , values and traditions .

Kindly mention positive and negative about the History Optional for those who what to take history optional.

• Positives –   overlap with gs -1 and gs -4
  • History also helps in writing anectode in essay
  • Material is easily available
  • Good affordable test series are available
  • It is very interesting subject to read
• Negatives –
  • lengthy and bulky syllabus
  • unpredictability of map portion is increasing
  • Too much subjective in nature

Kindly mention booklist and sources which you followed for History Optional.

• Ancient India – Upinder singh (made notes out of it ) . For map – self study pyq and Rashid Yashin book
• Medieval India – IGNOU and Satish Chandra
• Modern India – shekhar bandopadhyay from Plassey to partition
• World history – Ranjan chakraborty and Norman Lowe

In Paper I and II, you answered 3 questions from Part A or Part B?

• Paper 1-  3 from part B
• Paper 2 – 3 from part B

How did you prepare for Map Portion?

• This was one area which helped me in getting good marks in paper 1 in all 3      attempts (147,137,141) . Two sources that helped me a lot were –  SSH map book which include pyq as well and rashid yasin map book

How much time per day you used to give the history optional during your preparation (both before and after prelims)?

• Before pre – 2 hours daily
• After pre  –  4-5 hours daily

Did you do answer writing regularly? If yes, what amount of time you devoted to it and how did it help you?

• I did answer writing only after prelims . I took ssh test series in all my three attempts and revised model answers .

Did you join any test series? If yes, kindly name it? How did it benefit you?

• I joined SSH history test series in all 3 attempts . model answers were very good which helped me in supplementing my notes.

Did you maintain self-notes? If yes, how did it help you?

• I made notes of ancient , medieval and modern history . I could not make notes of world history as I prepared it only after 2021 prelims . so there was time constraint .

Have you solved previous years papers of history optional? Did it help you in the examination?

• I read it from ssh pyq book . did not solved them

In your views, how the nature of questions asked in history optional changed in recent years?

• Questions are becoming more analytical rather than factual . This year modern India compulsory part was of very good quality as we have to think before  start writing .

Were you asked questions related to History in interview? If yes, kindly mention those.

• Historical take on New education policy
• How to enhance interest of history among students

How did selfstudyhistory.com benefitted you in your History Optional Preparation?

• I took SSH test series in all my three attempts . along with it pyq book and map book helped me a lot

Any specific thing you want to share about history optional?

• History is very interesting subject but it is very lengthy and highly subjective in nature . map portion of paper 1 reduces some subjectivity and focusing on map portion can enhance one’s score in paper 1 .

Click here for Answer Sheets of Romit Bhatt [Rank 390, CSE- 2023, History Optional]