General Studies (Paper 1)
Five-Year Plan Periods — Remember launch years: 1st (1951), then add 5 repeatedly: 51-56, 56-61, 61-66, 66-69 (shortened), 69-74. From 12th Plan (2012-17) onwards, NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission in 2015.
Poverty Line Committees — "ALST" for chronology: Alagh (1979), Lakdawala (1993), Sendhe Gupta (2005), Tendulkar (2009), Rangarajan (2014). Each made poverty estimation stricter/more inclusive than previous.
Crop Season Mnemonic — Kharif = Karvat (rainy season crops, June-Oct sowing): rice, cotton, soybean, bajra. Rabi = Rest (winter crops, Oct-March): wheat, mustard, gram, barley. Zaid = summer gap crops (March-June).
HDI Three Components — "LES" acronym: Life expectancy at birth, Education (mean + expected years), Standard of living (GNI per capita). All three equally weighted in UNDP's Human Development Index.
Demographic Dividend Window — India's working-age population (15-64) peaks 2035-40; dependency ratio lowest 2025-30. Remember "2030 middle" as India's golden demographic decade. Maharashtra urbanization 45.2% (Census 2011), higher than national 31%.
Maharashtra — Society, Culture, Heritage
Ashtavinayak Sequence — Mnemonic "My Papa Thinks Money Often Leaves Random Places": Moreshwar (Morgaon), Siddhivinayak (Prayag-Siddhatek), Ballaleshwar (Theur), Mahaganapati (Ranjangaon), Chintamani (Varadvinayak-Mahad), Girijatmaj (Ozar), Vighnahar (Lenyadri), Vighneshwar (Rajangaon).
Varkari Saint Chronology — "JeNaMuTuEkTu" = Jnaneshwar (13th C), Namdev (13th-14th C), Muktabai (13th C), Tukaram (17th C), Eknath (16th C), Tukajaram. Remember Jnaneshwar-Namdev together (Pandharpur tradition founders), Eknath revived movement, Tukaram peak.
Maharashtra Folk Dances — "PLDKT": Powada (ballad-dance), Lavani (tempo dance), Dhangari Gaja (shepherd dance), Koli (fisherfolk), Tamasha (folk theatre). Each tied to specific communities: Koli=coastal, Dhangari=Dhangar shepherds.
Peshwa Succession — Mnemonic "Baby Bats Bite Mad arayan ost": Balaji Vishwanath, Baji Rao I, Balaji Baji Rao, Madhav Rao I, Narayan Rao, Madhav Rao II (Sawai). Total 7 Peshwas (1713-1818), ending with British annexation.