Ritesh Kumar
April 20, 2023 11:59
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Clearing the UPSC Prelims is the first and most important step in the journey of becoming an IAS officer. Preparing for the UPSC Prelims exam involves an intense study schedule and preparation plan. It is important to understand the complexities of the exam and its structure to devise an effective strategy.
In this blog, we will discuss the do’s and don’ts of UPSC Prelims strategy. We will discuss developing a comprehensive plan and identify important points to consider. By the end of this blog, you will better understand the UPSC Prelims exam and the strategies you should use to ensure success. So read on to find out the hidden treasures!
1. Research the syllabus and understand the areas of focus:
Researching and understanding the UPSC syllabus is crucial to preparing for the UPSC Prelims exam. By understanding the syllabus thoroughly, aspirants can identify the key topics that must be studied and ensure their preparation is focused, systematic and in-depth.
In addition to providing an overview of the essential topics to be covered, knowledge of the syllabus also helps aspirants to focus their preparation according to their areas of strength. Recognising topics that require more attention and effort can ensure that each area is comprehensively covered, thereby increasing the chances of success.
2. Focus on the increasingly relevant topics:
Problem-solving and analytical ability tests comprise a major part of the IAS exam. As such, it is essential to focus on the topics that are increasingly relevant for UPSC Prelims Preparation.
Effective preparation requires candidates to focus on the core topics assessed, such as current affairs, economics, history, geography, and general awareness.
As each year’s exam paper sets a new level of difficulty, staying ahead and preparing for ever-evolving topics is important. To do so, it is essential to keep track of the latest developments in the country, such as government policies and legislation changes, on a daily basis.
As the syllabus for UPSC Prelims exams spans vast areas of knowledge, targeting the structure and pattern of the questions asked would help make the learning process more efficient.
3. Read through the NCERT textbooks for a clear understanding:
Reading through NCERT textbooks is one of the most important steps in UPSC Prelims preparation as it provides students with the right study material. NCERT textbooks are a single source of reliable and accurate information to increase the understanding of concepts.
UPSC Prelims require students to be thorough with their understanding of the topics they read. The NCERT textbooks contain content that is organised systematically and helps the students to understand various topics in a better way.
The NCERT books provide the basic knowledge that is required for IAS strategy. This helps to narrow down the huge syllabus for the exam and saves time by focusing only on the authors and topics that are important for the exams. The material is written in simple English, making it easier for the students to understand the relevant context.
NCERT textbooks also contain important illustrations, charts, and diagrams to make understanding the topics easier. As experienced authors and editors write the NCERT textbooks, they are a reliable source for an in-depth understanding of the topics.
Since the questions in the UPSC Prelims exam come from the topics mentioned in the NCERT textbooks, these textbooks can be used as reference material to help study and answer questions.
4. Revise regularly:
Preparing for the UPSC exam can be a daunting endeavour. You must regularly revise to ensure you are adequately prepared. Revising regularly has many advantages that can help you in devising an IAS strategy.
Firstly, regular revision helps you to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the syllabus. This is important as questions can be asked on any topic, making it hard to study everything if you do not revise. Additionally, having revision sessions enables you to practise any challenging topics and understand them better.
Secondly, it allows you to identify your areas of weakness, and then you can address them accordingly. With the revision, you can ensure that you keep track of the topics you are struggling to understand, and as a result, you can then put in extra effort in these areas to stay ahead of the competition.
Finally, it allows you to solidify what you have learnt. Revision allows you to go through the topics you think you know better and figure out any gaps you may have missed. This further ensures that you do not need to start from scratch and have a good foundation of knowledge to tackle the exam.
5. Practise mock tests and analyse results:
The most important factor in UPSC Prelims preparation is practising mock tests and analysing the results. The process of taking tests and analysing the results helps the aspiring candidate understand their strengths and weaknesses, which in turn helps them make progress and improve their scores.
Practising mock tests helps the candidate get used to the atmosphere and exam pressure. It gives them a good understanding of how the actual UPSC Prelims would be. Taking mock tests also allows the candidate to familiarise themselves with time management during the exam and how to best utilise the time given.
Analysing the results from mock tests is equally important. The analysis lets the candidate identify their weak areas and focus on those areas to improve their scores. Mock test results also indicate the difficulty level the candidate can expect from the actual UPSC Prelims.
The best strategy for any candidate to make the most out of mock tests is to take a mock test multiple times, take time to analyse the results, put in the effort to improve the weak areas, take another mock test and repeat the process. Those who practise this way will have a better chance of clearing the UPSC Prelims exam.
6. Join an online study group or coaching:
Joining an online study group or coaching can benefit IAS exam preparation in many ways. Firstly, joining such a group or taking up a coaching course helps individuals to receive guidance and support in their preparation journey. Being part of a coaching institute like PW ONLY IAS also motivates aspirants to stay on track with their studies.
Additionally, online study groups or coaching classes allow aspirants to obtain the knowledge and tools to succeed in the exam. Additionally, they can also utilise the platform to interact with experienced faculty and other aspirants who can provide useful guidance and tips in solving the questions during the exam. This can help improve their understanding of the topics and allow them to think out-of-the-box.
Overall, joining an online study group or coaching for UPSC Prelims preparation can be advantageous for aspirants as it can help them stay organised and up-to-date with their studies. However, if one cannot access coaching, there’s no need to worry as hundreds of IAS have cleared the UPSC with self-preparation; constant hard work and focused determination are the keys.
1. Don’t Overburden Yourself:
UPSC Prelims preparation is a challenging yet rewarding activity. It requires more hard work and dedication than normal studies. An aspirant must take the right steps with the right dedication and guidance to get the desired results. However, it is important not to overburden yourself while preparing for UPSC Prelims.
Overburdening yourself with too much content, expectations and lack of advice from a mentor or senior can often lead to extreme stress and, in many cases, even burnout. Such situations not only lead to the wastage of valuable resources and time but can also affect the morale of aspirants and result in lesser chances of success.
To avoid overburdening oneself with unnecessary studies, keeping an organised plan of action and meticulously following it is important. This should include goal setting, understanding the syllabus and using the right resources.
2. Don’t try to study everything at once:
Preparing for the UPSC Prelims can be intimidating, but if you focus on one area at a time, the task becomes much more manageable. Successful candidates who have been through the rigorous process of studying for the exam vouch for the importance of not trying to study all the topics simultaneously.
The UPSC Prelims is an objective multiple-choice test designed to gauge a candidate’s knowledge and skills in various areas such as General Studies, Polity, History and so on. Trying to prepare for all the topics at once can be overwhelming and inefficient, as it can be difficult to remember all the information for each topic.
Focusing on one subject at a time is important to adequately study it and better absorb the material. This method helps you learn it more effectively and retain it longer.
3. Don’t get distracted by social media or other activities:
One of the biggest barriers to success can be a distraction. It is very easy to get distracted by social media, gaming, television and other activities.
It is important to realise that the journey of IAS exam preparation is long and tiring. The questions are complex and require careful thought and substantial amounts of time.
Spending too much time socialising or engaging in other activities, such as gaming, reduces the time to focus on the preliminary examination. The more time you spend on social media, gaming and other activities, the more likely you will find it difficult to concentrate on your studies.
All these distractions can eventually add up to reduce your chances of success in the UPSC Prelims exam. Therefore, you must plan your activities and practice discipline while preparing for the exam.
4. Don’t ignore the Previous Year’s Test Papers:
Previous year’s question papers are crucial in preparing for the UPSC prelims. By reviewing the previous year’s question papers, candidates can better understand the pattern, difficulty level, and topics asked in the examination. They can use this information to build a solid strategy while preparing for the exam.
Previous year’s question papers can also help candidates identify their weak areas and allow them to focus more on those topics. Additionally, it also provides a valuable opportunity to practise the topics that have been asked in previous years and help them gear up for the examination in a more focused manner.
5. Don’t try to memorise everything:
It is common for students to try and memorise as much information as possible for the exam. However, this is not the most effective way of preparing for the exam and might even be counterproductive.
Memorising and continuously going over large amounts of information can lead to burnout and frustration, reducing the effectiveness of a student’s efforts to prepare successfully for the Prelims. Rather than memorising information, an individual should focus on understanding the concepts and forming an overall picture of what is being discussed. This helps students better comprehend information quickly and logically.
Additionally, memorising information might lead to confusion during the exams, as the individual has limited opportunity to revise the material. Through conceptualisation, the student would be more flexible and able to adapt to unexpected answering scenarios. Acquiring knowledge from a broad perspective also helps the student develop a deeper understanding of the topics, increasing the chances of correctly answering questions.
One must have a well-planned strategy to prepare for the UPSC Prelims exam. Following the do’s and don’ts mentioned above can help one to make the most of their preparations. It is important to have a realistic understanding of the syllabus and the difficulty level of the questions.
Finally, one must stay motivated and dedicated throughout the preparation process. Additionally, it is important to stay current with current affairs and practice as many mock tests as possible to gauge one’s level of preparation. One can ace the UPSC Prelims exam with consistent hard work and dedication.
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Q1. What is the best strategy for UPSC prelims?
Ans: The strategy discussed above in the blog is one of the best for the UPSC Prelims preparation as it has covered almost every small detail that needs to be considered for devising an effective study plan.
Q2. What are the 3 P’s of UPSC?
Ans: The UPSC exams require Patience, Perseverance and Practice, commonly called the Three P’s, to pass it with flying colours.
Q3. What is the 10 8 6 technique in UPSC?
Ans: 10 hours of study, 8 hours of sleep and 6 hours of other activities. This was the success mantra of a 2019 Miss India Finalist, Aishwarya Sheoran, who secured an all-India rank of 93 in the Civil Services Examination.
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