General Tamil
Aikaaram Mnemonic (உயிர்மெய்) — Remember 18 consonants with "க ச ட த ப ற ஞ ங ண ந ம ன ய ர ல வ ழ ள" using the phrase "கசடதப றஞஙணநம னயரலவழள" (Vallinam-Mellinam-Idaiyinam grouping: first 6 hard, next 6 soft, last 6 middle sounds).
Five Great Epics Mnemonic — "செமா சிகு மணி" (SeMaa SiKu MaNi): செயூர் (Seevaka Chinthamani), மாணிமேகலை (Manimekalai), சிலப்பதிகாரம் (Silappathikaram), குண்டலகேசி (Kundalakesi), மணி (Valayapathi) — covers all five Tamil Kappiyams.
Silappathikaram Structure — Three Kandam remembered as "PuMaVa": Puhar Kandam (Kannagi-Kovalan Poompuhar life), Mathurai Kandam (anklet trial, city burning), Vanji Kandam (goddess consecration) — story progression by city.
Thirukkural Division — Remember 3 sections as "ARM": Aram (Virtue, chapters 1-38), Porul (Wealth, 39-108), Inbam (Love, 109-133) — but mnemonic "அறம் பொருள் இன்பம்" itself is the trick, 1330 couplets = 133 chapters × 10.
Sandhi Rules (புணர்ச்சி) — When உ+அ meets, becomes வ: remember "உயிர் ஒற்று வல்லினம்" — vowel-consonant-hard letter sequence determines whether insertion happens; practice "தமிழ் + இலக்கியம் = தமிழிலக்கியம்" (no change) vs "நல்ல + ஆசிரியர் = நல்லாசிரியர்" (doubling).
General Studies
Mauryan Rulers Order — "CBA-Dasas": Chandragupta, Bindusara, Ashoka, then seven weak rulers ending with Brihadratha — first three are the mighty empire builders (322-185 BCE).
Indian National Congress Presidents Trick — "BANG" for early moderates: Badruddin Tyabji (1887, first Muslim), Annie Besant (1917, first woman), Naoroji (1886, first president), Gokhale (1905) — milestone presidencies for competitive exams.
1857 Revolt Centers — "DELHI-BKM": Delhi (Bahadur Shah), Eastern (Nana Sahib-Kanpur), Lucknow (Begum Hazrat Mahal), Highland (Kunwar Singh-Bihar), I(Jhansi-Rani), Barrackpore (Mangal Pandey), Kanpur, Meerut (starting point).
Five-Year Plan Focus — Odd plans focus growth/industry (1st-steel, 3rd-self-reliance, 5th-poverty); Even plans stabilize (2nd-heavy industry, 4th-agriculture post-drought, 6th-liberalization prep) — odd pushes, even balances pattern till 12th Plan (2012-17).
Monetary Policy Tools — "RRLOCS": Repo Rate, Reverse Repo, Legal Reserve Ratio (SLR), pen Market Operations, RR (Cash Reserve Ratio), tatutory measures — six RBI weapons to control money supply and inflation.