The UPSC administers the Civil Services Examination (CSE) annually, which
serves as a prerequisite for admission to some of the most esteemed posts in
India, including those in the Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian
Administrative Service (IAS). The UPSC Civil Services Examination begins with
the Preliminary Examination (Prelims). The test is objective in nature and
consists of two papers: the CSAT and General Studies.
To be eligible to compete in the Main Examination, candidates must pass the
screening examination known as the UPSC Prelims Exam. Due to fierce
competition, only around 10,000–12,000 out of the lakhs of applicants who take
the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam manage to pass. In order to successfully pass the
first obstacle on the path to becoming an IAS, it is essential to make sure
that one has a thorough UPSC Prelims Preparation.
Techniques and Advice for UPSC CSE 2024 Prelim
Exam Preparation
Because of the structure and format of the UPSC Prelims Exam, a thorough
preparation plan is necessary to succeed. The following is a list of important
components under different headings that should be included in a thorough
preparation plan in order to ace the UPSC Prelims:
Examine the syllabus in detail.
Reading and carefully examining the UPSC Prelims Exam syllabus is the first
step in starting your UPSC Prelims preparation. According to the official notification, the syllabus for the two UPSC Prelims exam
papers is a collection of subjects that are just suggestive in nature. One must
be aware of all the topics that go under a certain subject in order to prepare
it thoroughly. Therefore, in order to comprehend the subjects included in the
syllabus as well as their thorough breakdowns, one must conduct a thorough
examination of the syllabus.
Examine the Previous Year Questions
(PYQs)
The most crucial resources to help you prepare for the UPSC Prelims Exam
are the Previous Year's Questions (PYQs), which come second only to the
syllabus. Understand very well which subjects should be given priority and
which have a high weight. Analyse the questions that are posed about a certain
subject and determine the degrees of difficulty and current trends related to
that very topic.
Create a Successful Study Plan.
After reviewing the syllabus and PYQs, you should create a well-thought-out
study schedule that will allow you to thoroughly cover the whole course. Make
monthly and weekly schedules with a list of the subjects that need to be
addressed. Record the subjects you have covered each day and your progress
toward them. Organize your daily study time so that more time is spent on your
areas of weakness. Make sure the static subjects and current events are evenly
and fairly balanced.
A reasonable study schedule is essential. It might be very harmful to prepare
an overly ambitious and unrealistic study plan, as it is likely to fail. Using
the "Pomodoro Technique," which divides study sessions into 25-minute
segments with brief pauses in between, will help you stay focused and avoid
burnout.
Emphasize Conceptual Clearity
Conceptual clearity is tested in the UPSC Prelims Exam. Therefore, the goal of
subject preparation should be to increase conceptual clarity. For information
on a subject, consult a standard book, such as the NCERTs. Instead of memorizing
facts, concentrate on comprehending the subjects. Talk about a subject with
other candidates to get clarification.
Make thorough and concise notes on every subject. A Unique Approach to Current
Events
It is often known that current events play a major role in the UPSC Prelims
Exam. Current events must thus be given careful consideration while preparing
for the UPSC preliminary exam. Regularly read a quality newspaper and read one monthly current affairs magazine like Vision
IAS or Insights on India.
Never Ignore the CSAT Paper
Because the CSAT is just a qualifying exam, many
candidates prefer to overlook their preparation. But given that the CSAT exam
has become more challenging recently, this carelessness might have devastating
consequences. Thus, the CSAT Paper shouldn't be disregarded by candidates. If
one is familiar with the CSAT Sllabus, they might limit their practice to reviewing
the CSAT papers from the prior year in order to stay current.
Revise
Revise and Revise
For the UPSC Prelims Exam, there is a vast curriculum. This implies that
knowledge of previously covered material becomes more hazy when new material is
covered. Therefore, it is important to include changes in your study plan as
well. Make brief notes on every subject so you can quickly go over them again. Revision
should take up a large amount of the study hours. Make sure your study schedule
alludes to revising during the last 15 to 20 days.
Take Mock Tests
To get the highest level of preparation for the UPSC Prelims Exam, you must
complete a sufficient number of questions on each subject. Determine your areas
of strength and weakness and adjust your study schedule appropriately. Develop
your disposition for exam and boost accuracy, speed and your time management
skills. Develop clever question-answering techniques to increase your overall
score. Joining a reputable preliminary test series, Test Series, is the
greatest approach to include this component in your UPSC Prelims preparation.
Extra Advice
1. Join a productive study group and talk with peers
about ideas. This can help you have a better knowledge of the subject and
dispel any concerns you may have.
2. Maintaining one's physical and mental health must be prioritized in addition to academics. Eat well and get enough sleep.
3. Maintain your optimism and self-belief. Remind yourself over and again that the
difficult path will be worthwhile in the end.
4. There isn't a single, all-encompassing strategy for passing the UPSC Prelims
Exam. Thus, adjust the plan based on your unique advantages and disadvantages.
5. On the day of the prelims test, pressure does increase even with enough preparation.
It is crucial to manage this pressure appropriately
6. Remind yourself again that everyone experiences stomach butterflies, not just
you.
7. Always remember that you deserve to pass the test since you did your
homework effectively.
8. To keep calm, stay hydrated and take deep breaths.
Working cleverly and intelligently is just as important as working hard to pass
the UPSC Prelims Exam. If used wisely, these techniques may help one become
more prepared and give them the confidence they need to pass the UPSC Prelims
Exam.
We hope that your UPSC Prelims Exam goes well!