Click Here to Visit WWW.UPSCSARKARIRESULT.COM Home Page

“WHY” before “HOW……………”

One should be very clear as to why they are even preparing for this exam. For most of the candidates it is just another rat race, thus ultimately they come out defeated. So it is very imperative that one should know why they are preparing for this exam.

For some, it is the power that comes with it, For some, it is the position which lets you pay back the society. Whatever it may be, the real question remains- Is the toiling worth it? Because, with great power comes great responsibilities and paying back societies can be done alternatively too. But if still the answer remains consciously clear about the ‘Why’ part and the ‘toiling’ part, one should start away without waiting any further.

Important things to know before knowing “How” to prepare

The exam is very demanding. The exam indeed asks you to be strictly disciplined, have patience and an all the time undeterred perseverance, all this apart from being a “know it all”. It requires extensive knowledge, extensive learning and an attitude of never giving up. For some candidates it is very easy to prepare without affecting their social life, for some, they even give up their digital social life as well.

The exam needs you to be a learner. The exam requires you to be an all time learner. You should have an attitude to learn and to know about things that you come across. It can test you on very basics of a concept or in-depth knowledge as well. One with these traits of a “Never giving up” and “curious” sail through it very easily.

How to prepare

The UPSC Exam has 3 rounds, Preliminary, Mains and the personality test. Each level of the exam tests the candidate for a different skill.

Preliminary Test :

This test is designed in a way to test the candidates knowledge objectively. That is, to know and know for sure. A test where either you know it or you don’t, there’s no subjectivity there. Knowing objectively would fetch you marks and any uncertainty might cost you dear.

Mains :

This tests the candidate’s knowledge subjectively, meaning, the candidates have to write substantially about topics being asked. It often becomes a race against time. In 3 hours, one has to write almost 50 pages or 4000 words. This requires intense writing speed, significant knowledge and good representation.

The Personality Test :

This is the most common test, which tests the overall personality of an individual on the basis of one to one talk.

How to start with GS
This exam expects you to know about India extensively. After all it’s , “Indian” civil services. Even though UPSC has chalked out a syllabus for the exam but the actual syllabus remains open ended. With dynamic developments in and around India remains a part of it makes the syllabus more vague, open and uncertain. The best way to cover such a syllabus is through reading a good newspaper and at the same time substantiating the static part of the news from the basic books.

The often cited success mantra of, “limited sources and unlimited revision” impinges upon the fact that the exam is testing more on the dynamic events than static core concepts. Thus, having a limited number of books only makes sense.

To start with, one should and must cover NCERTs since they are the ultimate reliable sources. As the information contained in them has government backing and the exam you are preparing is conducted by the government. So going through the syllabus, referring NCERTs for the corresponding topic and making notes for the same by incorporating any dynamic events/content thereof becomes a sound strategy.

This exam expects you to know about India extensively. After all it’s , “Indian” civil services. Even though UPSC has chalked out a syllabus for the exam but the actual syllabus remains open ended. With dynamic developments in and around India remains a part of it makes the syllabus more vague, open and uncertain. The best way to cover such a syllabus is through reading a good newspaper and at the same time substantiating the static part of the news from the basic books.

The often cited success mantra of, “limited sources and unlimited revision” impinges upon the fact that the exam is testing more on the dynamic events than static core concepts. Thus, having a limited number of books only makes sense.

To start with, one should and must cover NCERTs since they are the ultimate reliable sources. As the information contained in them has government backing and the exam you are preparing is conducted by the government. So going through the syllabus, referring NCERTs for the corresponding topic and making notes for the same by incorporating any dynamic events/content thereof becomes a sound strategy.

The sources for prelims and mains should be the same, the only difference is the fact that both the levels test a different skill. The sooner one realises this the better.

How to go with Optional
For Optional one should first try to do what they have already done. That is going with familiar subjects from their undergraduate courses. This not only saves time but also gives an edge compared to other candidates. But if for some reason you can’t or you don’t continue with familiar subjects one should go for the subject which really intrigues them, which really is interesting to them and one can master that subject simply by reading extensively about that subject.

Standard Booklist to be followed Subject wise

History
ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL
TAMIL NADU CLASS XI and CLASS XII
NCERT CLASS XI
MODERN
NCERT CLASS XII
SPECTRUM
Geography
NCERTs CLASS XI AND CLASS XII
Polity
NCERT CLASS XI BOOK – INDIAN CONSTITUTION AT WORK
INDIAN POLITY – M. LAXMIKANTH
Economics
NCERTs CLASS XI and XII
INDIAN ECONOMY – RAMESH SINGH
Art & Culture
NCERT CLASS XI
ART & CULTURE – NITIN SINGHANIA
Environment
ENVIRONMENT – SHANKAR IAS
Science
NCERTs CLASS VI TO X
CLASS XII BIOLOGY LAST THREE CHAPTERS

Spread the love