The act of preparing for the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) examination can be an experience which is on the one hand rigorous, and on the other invigorating. This last week before exam feels like a proper combination of anxiety and motivation, does it not? Fear not this article here is to guide you through the last-minute sprint with these top five tips:
- Strategize Your Revision
- Prioritize: Concentrate on materials that contain topics or issues which are weighted more or on aspects where you are not very strong. If you only have a short amount of time, don’t attempt to review everything; instead, review wisely.
- Make Short Notes: Summarize extended subjects into brief notes to pick up. There is nothing wrong with bullet points, mind maps, and flowcharts.
- Revise Previous Years’ Papers: Always be familiar with the exam pattern and the kind of questions you are likely to expect. In essence, it is as if one is getting a glimpse of the examiner’s thoughts.
- Mock Tests and Time Management
- Take Mock Tests: Simulate exam conditions. Solve as many papers and mock tests of previous years as possible. Review your performance afterward.
- Time Management: Time every section. Important thing to remember is that UPSC is not just an exercise in knowing things; it is also about time management.
- Current Affairs and Newspapers
- The Hindu, Indian Express and other reliable newspapers are your best friends. Please, read the editorial sections: they give the readers an idea and contain different opinions.
- Focus on National and International News: Learn about the background, consequences and governmental action connected to current affairs.
- Mind Your Health and Well-Being
- Sleep Well: To recap, to have a better memory retention mechanism in your brain; you require rest. Do not cram last minute; it will not work for you.
- Stay Hydrated and Eat Nutritious Meals: Cognition is a product of your diet. Include foods such as nuts, fruits and whole grain products in order to have a food that helps the brain.
- Light Exercise: A brief walk or even a yoga exercise can help the mind to calm and in the process minimize stress.
- Stay Positive and Confident
- Visualize Success: Perhaps, you would have seen yourself boldly answering questions in the examination hall. Positive visualization does wonder indeed.
- Avoid Panic: Do not despair if one day you find yourself in difficult situation in the exam or tests during the classes. Leave it and then try to get back to it after sometime.
- Believe in Your Preparation: You have done your best; you owe it to yourself.
During the last minutes of the preparation journey Aspirants does many common mistakes so it’s better you not repeat these mistakes so here are some of the mistakes that most aspirants do in last minute:
- Panic Mode: People get stressed and nervous when time is moving against them. And just to reiterate panicking is only going to hinder you even further. It biases your mind and even with the simplest of information, you can be fooled into believing all kinds of things. Thus, if for instance you get to a point where you think that your
roommate should be out of the house by now and your roommate is still in the house
then instead of panicking grab a fistful of air and resume your train of thought.
Confidence that you’ve done your best preparations and centre your energy towards
completing the specific task.
- Changing Answers Frantically: As time ticks down it’s common to question your
decision making process. However, it is wise not to change your answers unless you
have come across a very obvious mistake. As the study proves, first impressions are
mostly true. Always remember the knowledge bank you had embarked on for months
and therefore do not despair.
- Skipping Instructions: Due to the pressure, this is caused by time constraint,
some candidates fail to read instructions keenly. This can result in easily preventable
misunderstandings. Remember the first step is to go through the question paper in
its entirety. You should know how many marks are assigned to each question and
whether wrong answers will be penalized or not and whether any special instructions
have been given. Not paying attention to these points could lead to very serious
consequences.
- Overthinking: Of course, one has to be logical, but do not count the number of
possibilities to answer the question. It is not always good to complicate matters when
the correct answer has been provided. Don’t second guess yourself and stay within
your comfort zone, you’re goal here is not to get a perfect score in the subject but to
get as many questions’ right as you possibly can within the given time.
- Ignoring Time Management: Clock is your enemy and is your friend. Allocate
time wisely. If you have a question that looks like it takes more time for you to answer
just ignore it and come back to it later. Questions should be arranged in order of
expertise or relevance of the marks they attract.
What is the best strategy for Pre & Mains UPSC exam?
Writing UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is actually quite a daunting task, and
having an effective plan can determine your success. Whether you’re aiming for the
preliminary (prelims) or the mains, here are some key strategies to help you navigate this
challenging journey:
Understand Exam Structure
The UPSC exam consists of three stages: Preliminary examination, written examination
(Mains examination) and finally the interview or the personality test. It is therefore
important to understand not only the format of the exam, what is contained in the syllabus
and the distribution of topics and questions in each stage. Prelims are more on objective
answers while in Mains the answers are described. The interview determines your character,
your ability to communicate and what you know.
Start Early
Do not wait till the last minute to start preparing for this important exam. It requires a
healthy amount of effort on a daily basis over rather long time duration towards the UPSC.
Start out with basic—the NCERT books as a foundation is highly recommended.
Master the Syllabus
It measures across the syllabic spectrum; nevertheless, prioritize the areas relevant, as well
as the weightiest. Prelim preparation modules should cover current affairs, history,
geography, polity and general science. For mains, drill down into subjects as Economics,
Ethics, and the like, or writing Essays on various subjects.
Practice Mock Tests
Try to take attempts at mock tests for prelims as well as mains. This helps the student to
familiarize with the type of questions that are asked, time management, and increase
accuracy. Self-assess your performance and see where you are wanting.
Effective Note-Taking
Make notes that are brief when studying. These will be handy during the time of revision. Make notes with mind maps, flowcharts, diagrams, etc.
Revise Strategically
Revision is key. Revise frequently to thicken the barrier between someone’s existing
knowledge and the new knowledge learned in the class. However, the candidate should still
devote some time to revision at the start of the week preceding the examination.
Essay Writing Skills
Mains include essay writing. Get used to writing essays on the different topics. Formulate a plan of action, The three-part plan is the Standard: Introduction, Body and Conclusion.
Which degree is perfect for IAS?
IAS is one of the most popular exam. IAS aspirants are always an instrumental aspect in
policy making, executing government initiatives, and over-seeing good governance. In this
respect, there is truly no ‘correct’ degree for an IAS officer although certain academic
discipline is likely predisposes an applicant to the competitive selection process.
Considerations
When deciding on a degree, keep the following factors in mind:
- Relevance: One thing you should consider is the choice of the degree with reference
to the IAS syllabus and tasks in administration. It is most relevant to subjects such as
public administration, political science, economics and laws.
- Depth of Knowledge: go for concept. One with a large focus on social relations, society, governance, and policy is useful in this role. For instance:
- Political Science: Covers some of the important elements of governance,
politics, and the relations between countries.
- Public Administration: Concerned with administrative theories, public
policy and management.
- Law: Provides you with legal information as a tool needed for decision
making for policy execution.
- Interdisciplinary Approach: A large number of successful IAS officers possess
degrees in various disciplines. Integrating different subjects can improve one’s
problem-solving skills. It helps to combine, for example, such pairs as economics and
law, or sociology and political science.
- General Studies (GS): The IAS examination comprises a GS paper. The topics
addressed under the GS papers also benefit from a wide-range academic background.
Popular Degrees for IAS Aspirants
- BA in Political Science: Discuss about governance, political theory, and even
international relations.
- BA in History: Enables them grasp the historical background which is very
important especially when developing policies.
- BSc in Economics: Provides expertise in the technology of the offer, as well as
knowledge of certain economic policies.
- BSc in Environmental Science: Of significance for sustainable development and
environmental management.
- LLB: Especially important for legal matters of administration working, writing and
implementing the rules, as well as, interpreting laws.
Which board is best for IAS?
- CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education)
Advantages
- Structured Curriculum: CBSE has a rigid curriculum regarding the course of
study preferred as well as offering a good platform in subjects such as Mathematics,
Science, and Social Studies. This structure can be helpful for studying about IAS in a
systemized manner.
- Widespread Availability: CBSE schools are so prevalent in India for education
that children can easily enrol with them for quality education.
- Standardized Exams: CBSE conduct standard board examinations which are
important in cultivating good study habits as well as time management skills – both
of which are requisite tools for IAS examination preparation.
- NCERT Books: CBSE board is the closest to NCERT textbooks and they are the
most recommended books for IAS preparations.
- NIOS-National Institute of Open Schooling
Advantages
- Flexibility:NIOS provides decentralized system of instructions and examinations.
Students may also choose programs that will suit their needs depending on their
interest. This flexibility can however be useful in the sense that IAS aspirants may
wish to focus on specific subjects.
- Individualized Approach: NIOS provides unique educational environment,
especially for a student who wants to study flexibly alongside preparing for the IAS.
- No Geographical Constraints: NIOS is open for all across the country and
students can study from anywhere. It can help those located in the rural areas.
- Focus on Self-Study: NIOS offers a facility to self-study, which helps a long way
for the IAS aspirants.
Considerations
- Subject Preferences: If you have a given leaning towards certain subject areas, you
should take your qualifying course in the board that best suits your leaning.
- Personal Learning Style: Think about which scheme fits YOU best – do you like
planned schedule (CBSE) or more free time (NIOS).
- Availability: Also, it is necessary to check the availability of schools affiliated to
each of these boards in your region.
So, IAS success is not an overnight story; it is the result of hard work, commitment, and
hard-core preparation. Every board you select must be understood to mean concentrating on
answering the question, Read widely, and write answers.