Preparing for Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, both the Preliminary and Main stages, is an onerous job that demands a strategic and disciplined approach. It is a long and difficult journey to be a civil servant because one should have knowledge coupled with other features like perseverance, time management, and a clear understanding of the examination pattern and syllabus. The motive of this article is to provide guidelines that would help aspirants tackle the UPSC Prelims and Mains in the right manner and you know about How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims and Mains.
Understanding the Exam Pattern and Syllabus
First things first, understand the UPSC examination pattern and syllabus. The UPSC examination has three levels, the Preliminary exam, the Main exam, and the Personality Test/Interview level.
Preliminary Examination or Prelims
The Prelims is a screening test comprising of two papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (also called as the Civil Services Aptitude Test or CSAT). Both papers are objective kinds with multiple choice.
1. General Studies Paper I: This paper will have questions from general fields of History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment, General Science, and current affairs.
2. General Studies Paper II (CSAT): This paper tests comprehension, logical reasoning, analytical ability, decision-making, basic numeracy, and English language skills.
Also Read: Cracking the Current Affairs Section of the UPSC Exam
Main Exam (Mains)
The main exam is descriptive and consists of nine papers:
1. Paper A: Compulsory Indian language
2. Paper B: English
3. Essay Paper
4. General Studies I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History, and Geography of the World and Society
5. General Studies II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations
6. General Studies III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio- diversity, Environment, Security, and Disaster Management
7. General Studies IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
8. Optional Paper I
9. Optional Paper II
Also Read: List of Services in UPSC
How to Make a Study Timetable
An effective study timetable is the minimum requirement to prepare for UPSC. The following points explain how a good study timetable can be made.
Set Goals
Set realistic and achievable goals. Base your small thoughts on breaking down the syllabus and try to have daily, weekly, and monthly objectives. It not only makes the journey systematic but also easy to find progress at every point of time, keeping the motivation quotient high.
Make a Timetable
Draw an hourly and weekly timetable that covers all your subjects. It is useful to give maximum time to difficult subjects and revise your notes regularly. Also, don’t forget to give a few hours every week to read about current affairs because that plays a very important role in scoring marks in the Prelims and Mains examinations.
Gather Resources
Assemble all the study materials that you would need. NCERTs should be the base of your preparation. For prelims, follow the prescribed books for each subject, some online material, and the previous year’s question papers.
Also Read: How to Prepare for the UPSC / IAS Interview?
How to prepare for Prelims
One needs to clear their concepts and then practice loads. Here is how you can do this:
General Studies Paper I
1. History: First, build the base of your learning with NCERTs and then move on to some advanced readings like India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra.
2. Geography: Basics from NCERTs; Reference: “Certificate Physical and Human Geography” by G.C. Leong.
3. Polity: Laxmikanth’s “Indian Polity.”
4. Economy: Basics from NCERTs; Reference: “Indian Economy” by Ramesh Singh.
5. Environment: Shankar IAS Academy’s “Environment” covers everything.
6. Current Affairs: Newspapers- Read a good newspaper daily – The Hindu or Indian Express; follow any monthly current affairs magazine.
General Studies Paper II (CSAT)
Though CSAT is a qualifying paper, good marks are essential. Habituate yourself with reading comprehension, logical reasoning and fundamentals of numeracy. Reference books such as the “CSAT Paper 2” of Arihant Publications would be useful.
Also Read: List of optional subjects in UPSC CSE
Preparation for Mains
The Mains examination seeks extensive knowledge with the ability to analyse. The manner in which one can go about writing this examination would be as follows;
General Studies Papers
Paper I: Prepare for Indian Heritage and Culture – draw inputs from CCRT and NIOS resources. For History and Geography, rely on standard books and Atlas.
II: Regularly reading newspaper can be followed for Paper II, which includes governance, polity, and international relations topics.
III: For economic development and security-based threads, one can use government reports and economic surveys rather than referring to various kinds of sources.
IV: The ethics paper, can be studied from the “Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude,” with little help taken from extracts of daily newspapers.
Optional Papers
Choose your optional subject carefully. It should interest you, suit your background, and most, importantly, resources should be available for study, according to the syllabus.
Essay Paper
For the essay paper, practice writing on various topics. Develop the habit of structuring your essays with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Reading editorials should help improve your essay writing skills
Also Read: How to prepare for ESSAY for UPSC Mains?
Revise and Practice
Regular revising is very important. Keep small notes with you for quick revising. It is also important to solve last year’s question papers on a regular basis and to give as many mock tests as possible. It helps to build a great understanding of the pattern of the examination and how to answer question papers within the stipulated time frame.
Time Management and Consistency
Time management is one of the most imperative preparation skills. One should follow his timetable religiously without any postponements. Also, consistency in study habits counts much more than individual marathons of studying.
Staying Updated with Current Affairs
Current affairs are a vital part of both Prelims and Mains. Do not refer to speculative news. Participate in groups and update your notes regularly.
Physical and Mental Health
UPSC preparation is extensive. There is no substitute for following a disciplined life. Do take a break from your schedule. It is advisable to work out. You must have at least 6-7 hours of sleep daily. A short period of mindfulness or meditation can make any aspirant stay calm and composed.
Conclusion on How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims and Mains
The preparation for the exam, really, resembles more of a marathon than a sprint. It requires a strategic, regular, and optimistic approach by the aspirant in order to increase the chances of success on the exam. Remember, to be diligent and devoted in the process of preparing for the UPSC exam.
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