Preparation for UPSC: It is a familiar scene that those who aspire to sit for the UPSC exams are initially confused. This article aims to help you understand what the UPSC exam is and how you can prepare yourself in the best possible manner so that your chances of clearing the papers are high.
So, let’s start with the basics first. As an IPSC aspirant, you need to understand that pursuing a goal without a proper plan would remain an unfulfilled dream. The same holds in the case of the civil services too. The first thing you need to understand is that the usual strategy or planning will not work out. You must go for a ‘strategy plus’ approach.
There exists a thin line that separates a simple strategy from a smart one. The difference between the two is that the latter approach is far more productive than the former one. A smart approach can help you achieve a lot with fewer inputs.
Now, let’s take a look at the UPSC Exam structure so that going ahead, you can draw up your plan accordingly. The exam is conducted in three stages. The first stage is the preliminary exam, which comprises objective questions. The second stage is the main exam, which is in the form of a written exam. The third is the personality test or interview phase.
Each year, thousands of candidates put in a lot of sweat and blood to get through the exam. Not everyone is smart enough, and many aspirants do not have a clear idea about how to plan the preparation. This article has been prepared by keeping in mind the limitations of such candidates to have an idea about how they should proceed.
Preparation for UPSC: Understanding The Syllabus
The first thing that aspirants need to take care of is to have a clear understanding of the UPSC syllabus’s scope. Secondly, aspirants must also have an understanding of the nature of the exam, along with clarity. This crucial to figure out what they are supposed to study and what they should avoid. In the exam, almost all the questions are from within the syllabus. Therefore, a detailed understanding of the syllabus is fundamental for exam preparation.
The Strategy
Preparation for UPSC: Before starting with the preparations, it is essential to finalize a smart strategy by including the details of each step that needs to be covered one after the other. The strategy must be in the form of an extensive plan. It should focus on crucial aspects such as what should be done, how things are supposed to be done, and what specific resources might be required.
Selection Of The Study Material
Please note that selecting the study material is among the most challenging tasks, and it takes a lot to figure out the right thing. Unless and until there is proper guidance, most will fail to choose the right stuff. The most effective approach happens to be the one that involves starting the preparation by having the subject fundamentals in place first. The best way to make this happen is by collecting all the NCERT textbooks of all the subjects right from Standard VI and right up to Standard XII.
Focus
The UPSC exam is different from the various other exams. Hence, the usual approach while preparing for school exams will not yield any substantial results. It implies that the approach of rigorous study will not work here. Instead, smart study happens to be the ideal tactic. So, what does a smart study mean?
It means getting a good grip on the exam’s nerve and accordingly adjusting the other related aspects. The crucial factor is to focus on the stuff that is most important for the exam.
Current Affairs
Those who aspire to get through the UPSC exams must remain updated on what is happening in the world. Most do not realize that modern affairs and current issues are among the dynamic areas, and there must be a regular effort to remain updated at all times. The best strategy is to read at least one national newspaper every day. It will immensely help if all the current developments and proceedings about the syllabus topics are regularly revised. It will also help if specialized magazines are frequently referred to so that the syllabus’s special sections are appropriately covered. The priority should be on what new developments are happening globally, and the various events are taking place at the international level.
Pattern Of Study
A smart approach is to through go through the previous exam’s question papers. It would help an aspirant to determine what sort of questions might be asked. It further helps to identify the appropriate sources of reading material better. Analysis of previous papers assists in discovering the various perspectives of the exam. It also clarifies which sections of the syllabus are more important and how frequently questions from these sections have been asked.
Practice Tests
Preparation for UPSC: These can be quite handy for aspirants. These can help prepare well for the main exams and play a vital role in formulating an effective time management plan. Practice tests must be done as frequently as possible. A standard method would be to pick up something from the editorial of a newspaper on a topic relevant to the syllabus. Then frame an appropriate question and start writing the answer for it.
Use of Resources
Pay attention to the usability of the information gathered through newspapers, books, or the Internet, or whatever. Just make sure that there is a regular value addition.
The UPSC Exam is among the most prestigious exams. It is a challenge because of the length of the syllabus. At the same time, it is daunting since it’s unpredictable. Unless and until the preparation is vigorous enough, success will be unachievable.