Selfstudyhistory.com’s Interview of Samiksha Dwivedi [Rank 56, CSE- 2025, History Optional]

Profile of the Candidate

 Introduction

(1) Tell us something about yourself. 

Samiksha Dwivedi- belong to Indore MP and did BTech in CSE and MBA from IIT Kanpur. Worked for 2 years in Software industry and selected in IBPS PO 2022, 2024 and got employment in PSB.

Questions Related to History Optional

(2) Why did you choose history as your optional subject?

Intellectual curiosity and interest in history as subject.

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

Positive- Static syllabus, coincident with general studies syllabus

Negative- vast and limited sources on certain topics

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

Selfstudyhistory notes, pyq and test solution. Content and test series of Prepcareer and LevelUp. Vision Abhyas History Optional

Books- Upinder Singh, JL Mehta, Sekhar Bandhopadhyay Plassey to Partition, Norman Low

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

Paper I – Ancient History Part A, Paper 2- World history Part B

(6) How did you prepare for Map Portion?

From Selfstudy and Prepcareer mapping courses and test series for other locations

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

6 hours at least.

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

Yes did regular answer writing, mainly through submission of tests and previous year questions.

Before prelims focused on half-length sectional tests, stand alone questions and post prelims, wrote full length tests for sectional and complete syllabus.

Time- depended on phase of prep, normally 1-1.5 hours for answer writing, post prelims- 3 hours tests 5 times a week with proper analysis of solution and feedback.

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

Joined Selfstudyhistory test series, Visionias Abhyas, LevelUp, PrepCareer.

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

Yes, helped in quick revision and value addition in case of new information

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

Yes, it improved hit rate during exams due to repetition of questions particularly in Paper 2. Alongside, helped in understanding UPSC framing of statement questions and the expectations.

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

It has become a mix of interpretation and factual questions. Need to master both for well rounded answers. More focus on value addition with maps, flowchart and historiography is needed.

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

Yes

• changes in history textbooks are justified or not? Suggested only if they are based on facts not ideology
• About Devi Ahilyabai Holkar and her contribution

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

• Provided me base material since I did not have background in History
• Model solution and content of PYQ
• Regular Test taking and answer writing practice, swift review and feedback

(15) Any specific thing you want to share about history optional?

• Focus on Mapping, Historiography and making answer interactive

CLICK HERE FOR ANSWER SHEETS OF SAMIKSHA DWIVEDI [Rank- 56]