About this Video

• Video Title: BENJO P JOSE, AIR 59 | Strategy for Anthropology Optional | UPSC CSE 2023 Topper
• Channel: Vajiram and Ravi Official
• Speakers: Benjo P Jose
• Duration: 00:58:51

Introduction

This video features Benjo P Jose, who achieved AIR 59 in the 2023 UPSC Civil Service Examination. He discusses his strategy for the Anthropology optional subject, including choosing an optional, his approach to the syllabus, note-making techniques, and resource utilization.

Key Takeaways

• Choosing an Optional Subject: Consider your interest in the subject as the primary factor. Supplement this with an analysis of past performance data, looking at both maximum and average scores achieved in the optional subject. Finally, evaluate the availability of resources and guidance for the chosen optional.
• Anthropology as an Optional: Benjo highlights Anthropology's consistent high scores, its diverse content covering biological and social aspects, and the readily available resources (both free and paid). His interest stemmed from reading "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari.
• Syllabus Approach: Benjo primarily relied on topper notes, supplementing them with books (A.A. Jan's book was a key resource), Wikipedia, Google searches, YouTube videos, and ChatGPT for additional research and information. He emphasizes a holistic approach, integrating various resources.
• Note-Making Strategy: Benjo used the Cornell method with a digital note-taking app (GoodNotes 5) on an iPad. He combined handwritten notes, copied material from other sources (including Vajiram and Ravi materials), and images from physical notes.
• Resource Utilization: He strongly advocates using readily available free resources like YouTube channels, university websites, and especially EPG Pathshala. He also used ChatGPT to find latest research.

Benjo P Jose didn't explicitly list every single resource for each tiny subsection of the syllabus. His approach was more holistic, using multiple sources for different parts. However, here's a summary based on his statements:

Paper 1:

• 1.1-1.3 (Introduction): Notes were made after completing the entire syllabus.
• 1.4 (Human Evolution): Primarily A.A. Jan's book; supplemented with Wikipedia and Google searches.
• 1.5 (Primates): Mainly A.A. Jan's book.
• 1.6 (Fossil Primates/Paleoanthropology): A.A. Jan's book; YouTube videos; aimed for holistic understanding.
• 1.7 (Molecular Biology): Online YouTube videos; class notes from Vajiram and Ravi; focused on conceptual clarity.
• 1.8 (Archaeology): A.A. Jan's book; IGNOU notes.
• 1.9-1.12 (Physical Anthropology): A.A. Jan's book; YouTube videos; Abla M's notes.

Paper 2:

• 1.1 (Indian Archaeology): A.A. Jan's notes; IGNOU notes; Mandar P's notes.

• 1.2 (Paleoanthropological Evidences from India): A.A. Jan's book; Mandar P's notes; Google and YouTube searches.

• 1.3 (Ethnoarchaeology): Brief study; no specific resources mentioned.

• 2 (Linguistic and Ethnic Elements in India): A.A. Jan's book; Mandar P's notes; limited study due to focus on concepts over memorization.

• 3.1-3.5 (Indian Anthropology, Caste): Mandar P's notes.

• 5.1-5.3 (Village Studies): Mandar P's notes; EPG Pathshala.

• 6.1-6.3, 7.1-7.3, 8.1, 8.2 (Tribal Anthropology): A.A. Jan's book; Mandar P's notes; Abla M's answer copies; EPG Pathshala; Jstor articles; Kaka Committee report (indirectly, through topper notes); Abay Bang committee (indirectly).

• 4 (Indian Anthropologists): A.A. Jan's notes; Mandar P's notes; Nar Amit's notes; EPG Pathshala.

  Note: "Topper notes" refers to notes shared by previous successful UPSC candidates, not specific named publications. He used multiple toppers' notes, choosing relevant sections from each.