The UPSC examinations are divided into three stages: Prelims, Mains and the Interview round. The UPSC Prelims stages contain General Studies Paper I and CSAT Paper II.
Introduced to the UPSC examination in 2011, CSAT Paper stands for Civil Service Aptitude Test Paper, where the candidate has to obtain a minimum of 33% as qualifying marks. Well, scoring a bare minimum of 33% may sound easy, but due to the unpredictability of the nature of the paper, it gets difficult to write the paper, especially for candidates coming from a non-English background.
There have been several protests to scrape off the CSAT paper, but it continues to play its role of qualifying paper in the Prelims round. If you are nervous about your English language skills, worry not; we have you covered.
Stick to the end of the article as we share some essential pointers to help you prepare effectively for the CSAT paper.
About the CSAT paper
The CSAT paper is a qualifying paper consisting of 80 questions marked at 200 marks. The time given to complete the questions is 2 hours. However, the paper is subjected to negative marking. On correct answering, 2.5 marks are awarded; for every incorrect answer, ⅓ rd of the total marks are deducted. No marks are deducted for questions not attempted.
The syllabus of the paper comprises of
Basic numeracy and data interpretation
Comprehension
Decision-making and problem-solving questions
General mental ability
Interpersonal skills (including communication skills)
Logical reasoning, including analytical prowess
How to clear the paper?
Foremost, cover your basics by following a good English grammar book (Wren O Martin or SP Bakshi). Expand your vocabulary and ensure correct grammar usage to understand a given text or paragraph in the paper. Learning common idioms can help you fare well in your exams and expose you to new words.
Studying newspapers and English magazines or practising Queen's English can be especially handy in clearing the CSAT paper. Reading will expose you to new words and help you to expand your vocabulary.
You can use Flashcards for Vocabulary modules to improve your vocabulary.
For preparing Math and the logical questionnaires, going through the previous year's question papers is recommended to gauge how in-depth you are required to cover each topic. Some of the topics that require high priority are linear equations, number systems, profit loss, ratio proportion, speed-time- distance- work.
Some good books that can aid preparation for CSAT paper are Concise CSAT by Madhukar Bhagat (TMH Publications), Cracking the CSAT Paper 2 (Arihant Publications), GS Manual Paper-II by TMH and Word Power by Normal Lewis.
It has been commonly observed that candidates often do not take the CSAT paper seriously. Despite being a qualifying paper, you will be highly disappointed in the final marks obtained if you do not score the required marks in the CSAT paper.
Before you prepare, solve the previous year's questions to assess your strengths and weak areas. Various manuals published by renowned publications can come to your aid. It is advised to give mock tests to assess your preparation. With adequate preparation and determination, it will be easy to ace the paper with flying colours.