How to Start Preparing for UPSC at Home?

How to Prepare for UPSC at Home? It is recommended to be thorough with the UPSC syllabus and exam pattern before starting with your preparation. Only hard work won’t be enough to crack the IAS exam. Combining hard work with smart work would do wonders for UPSC aspirants. Those who want to start their IAS preparation at home must have an effective plan and execute it perfectly for fruitful results.

Obtain the best strategy to prepare for UPSC at home along with the most useful study tips to help you prepare for the IAS exam 2023 and successfully clear it. In this article, we have developed an analysis that will guide the aspirants to clear all the roadblocks and pave their path to Civil Services.

How to Prepare for UPSC at Home?

IAS Exam, also known as UPSC Civil Services Examination, is carried out in three stages – UPSC Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test. Each stage of the IAS Exam demands a different approach. It doesn’t matter where you are from and where you have prepared for the IAS Exam. The only thing that matters is how well-prepared you are for the IAS exam, one of the country’s toughest exams.

To know how to prepare for UPSC properly, you must follow the right kind of UPSC preparation strategy to qualify for each UPSC exam stage.

Best UPSC Preparation Strategies

Start with making a list of all the standard books you must have to start the IAS preparation. You can find the hard copy or even soft copies that are available online.

• Subscribe to the Best Newspaper for UPSC; the best and safest option is now The Hindu.
• Make separate copies for each subject while making notes.
• Make a copy only for the Current Affairs.
• Think about an optional subject that you will pick in UPSC Mains.
• Come up with a realistic and practical timetable that works best for you.
• These are the initial preparation tips for not spending more than 2 days.

UPSC Preparation from Zero Level at Home

After you finish the basic preparation strategy, it’s not time to plan ahead. Initial days of preparation will be crucial for you as they strengthen your basic foundation. You need to be careful with every step you take these days.

Before you start UPSC preparation from the zero level, here are some tips that will be beneficial in setting up the tone for how to start preparing for UPSC.

Choose an Interesting Subject to Start with

You can start with an interesting subject to get that initial push if you are among those struggling with the query about preparing for UPSC. It will help you keep your motivational level high when preparing for IAS at home. Remember to make notes along with your preparation.

Prepare Robust Study Plan

Go through the UPSC Syllabus and analyze it properly. Take time to understand every subject and topic covered in the syllabus. Know everything about the UPSC Exam Pattern and develop a robust study plan.

• Set your daily, weekly, and monthly goals to cover the UPSC Prelims Syllabus and UPSC Mains Syllabus efficiently.
• Don’t get too overboard, and make small goals that are achievable. In addition, keep the weekends for revision which will help you in concept retention and building.

Build a Strong Foundation

The way UPSC has been framing questions is extremely tricky, and those with strong fundamentals can only survive this. That’s why strengthening your foundation will help you scale up your preparation strategy to cover the syllabus extensively. You must have the NCERT Books for UPSC to strengthen your concepts.

Read Newspapers

You can’t keep the newspapers out of the UPSC exam preparation. Reading newspapers will help you to develop your theoretical knowledge and writing skills and is extremely helpful in dealing with Current Affairs section.

• The Hindu and the Economic Times are highly recommended newspapers for UPSC preparation.
• Supplement your knowledge with the Monthly Magazines, as they have great articles on current news and static areas.

Go through Previous Year Questions

UPSC Previous Year Question Papers will help the candidates assess where they stand at the preparation level and also give them an idea about the trend and pattern of the questions asked in the UPSC CSE. This will allow the candidates to readjust the relevant part and master the art of relevant studying.

Problems Faced while Preparing for UPSC at Home

Once you get a complete grip on this examination and gain some experience, you can slowly follow tougher timetables. Preparing for UPSC at home is not a big deal. Just keep your confidence levels high.

However, there are some problems that you may face while preparing for UPSC at home.

• The UPSC syllabus is vast; hence, a lack of resources and expert guidance can be a key problem for the candidates.
• Thousands of books and study materials are available for UPSC, and the fresh aspirants get confused while choosing the right ones.
• Fresh aspirants may feel overwhelmed by the vast syllabus and get lost without coaching.
• Coaching helps the candidates prepare an effective timetable for preparation, but those preparing for IAS at home may find it difficult to manage their schedule.
• Candidates preparing for IAS at home can find it hard to fix their difficult areas without coaching.
• Evaluation of descriptive answers can’t be done by the candidates.
• But it doesn’t imply that the candidate should join coaching. Some key factors one should consider while preparing at home are mentioned below.

5 Proven Tips for UPSC Preparation at Home

Most important points have been covered in the previous section to ensure that your UPSC preparation at home is efficient and result oriented. The 5 most important tips to note before and during your IAS preparation at home are as follows. These are tried and tested by experts and toppers.

Stick to the UPSC Syllabus

As it is exhaustive and lengthy, covering all topics mentioned in the syllabus for both Prelims and Mains is important. Make the syllabus your checklist, as it will help you plan your time well, and you will be able to complete the syllabus before the exam.

Choose the best UPSC Books

Always choose quality over quantity. There are hundreds of books and study materials on the internet. Research and select the best IAS books to aid your home preparation. They should cover the syllabus and must be easy to understand.

Revision is important

No matter how smart you are, if you don’t revise, you will lose your chance at qualifying for the exam. Because there is too much to learn, make time for revision.

Mock Test is the key to success

Choose the best UPSC mock test online to practice and revise the syllabus regularly. It helps you fill the preparation gap and limits the negative marking.

Follow a schedule

Planning is the most important part of your UPSC preparation at home. Preparing a suitable timetable for yourself is recommended by analyzing your daily routine and dedicating most of your time to studying.