How to do the Preparation For UPSC prelims ?
Being one
of the four lakh and above students to appear for the UPSC prelims every year
can be nerve wrecking, but stepping into the arena prepared, level headed and
confident takes precedent over everything else when it comes to the civil
service examinations.
It is
undeniable that the preparation for UPSC prelims cannot be overlooked or taken
lightly, and this simplistic yet comprehensive four-fold strategy should give
you a way to start and plan the months before the exam.
1. Syllabus completion, revision and practice
questions
The core
aspects that you will be faced with during your exam can be tackled by assuring
that you are thorough with the syllabus given during your preparation for UPSC
prelims.
- Syllabus Completion.Taking for granted certain topics as important and others as secondary is never a good idea, especially the first time you cover the course. UPSC prelim questions vary greatly in focus every year, making it important to cover as much ground as possible. Try shortening the course material into notes, pointers and charts to help you through your revisions.
- Revision.At least one revision is a must, but if you can squeeze in a second then there’s nothing like it. Revisions give you a chance to pay attention to factual details that you may have breezed through – yes, there are tricky questions that can catch you off guard, so don’t leave out the side notes!
- Practice Questions.It’s not all about the studying, getting the hang of handling the paper, speed and presence of mind is just as important. A large part of the preparation for UPSC prelims is taking as many practice tests as possible, giving you a wholesome perspective of what taking the exam will really be like. HINT: Time yourself, there isn't any point knowing the answers if you don’t manage to finish the paper.
2. General Awareness and Current Affairs
Covering the textbook syllabus is
half the battle, but the other half is a little less set in stone. When it
comes to preparation for UPSC prelims, it’s not all about the books – it’s just
as important to keep yourself updated with current affairs.
The trick is to do it on a daily
basis, slowly adding to your archive of information – current affairs are not
an easy portion to tackle in the last minute.
Not sure on where to look? It helps
to start with websites dedicated to current affairs in regard to IAS papers,
and then stem out from there.
3.
DISCUSSIONS AND DIALOGUE
Don’t mark out everyone else in
preparation for UPSC prelims as your competition; a person to question, discuss
topics with and argue out certain facts and doubts is always a great help.
4. CRACKING
THE PAPER
Lastly there comes the answering of
the questions – ironing out the details and knowing where to start and how to
finish.
The best way to go? Start with the
questions you are absolutely sure of, then move slowly down the list to answers
you will arrive at by the process of elimination, and leave the ones you are
least sure about to the last.
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