How to prepare for UPSC Civil Services Exam ?

We all know that the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) conducts the Civil Services Examination, and it is a difficult and prestigious examination in the country. Still, lacs of young students from every corner of the country prepare for this exam and dream of becoming an IAS officer. If we look at the process and nature of this examination, we will find that to get success in this examination, we should have proper UPSC Preparation strategy. Generally, if a candidate starts preparing for this examination from the graduation level itself, then it is also possible that the chances of joining this service increases manifold, and the candidate can successfully decide his future in this prestigious service.

In this article we will tell the candidates how to prepare for IAS exam so that students can move ahead by making a sure shot strategy and can make their dreams come true. We will also discuss the UPSC preparation strategy for beginners or fresher’s.

Mainly, to get success in this difficult examination, it is very important for the candidates to have discipline and patience along with educational qualification, and a wise candidate should ensure that before starting the preparation for this examination, he/she has adequate and appropriate qualifications.

Study material and strategy determination

Generally, two to three years of time is considered sufficient for the preparation of Civil Services Examination, but it is also necessary that a candidate should follow the basic requirements of his studies and understanding of its subject matter. If this happens then the chances of getting success in this examination increases further, and a candidate can make and understand this plan along with his graduation education.

At the beginning of preparation for this exam, the candidate will first have to study NCERT books, through which the student will be able to develop his basic, analytical and language understanding and ability. Along with this, studying the syllabus of Civil Services Examination is also very important for the preparation of this examination, remember that all types of study work has to be followed according to the plan and strategy. Generally, it has been found that many students choose only one subject from the subjects selected in their graduation education for the main stage of this examination, and after determining the subject, the candidate has to start studying the optional subject selected.

For the preparation of Civil Services Examination, candidates should read various types of study material and subject areas like daily newspapers like The Hindu, Indian Express etc. for contemporary issues. With this type of study system, students prepare for contemporary issues which proves beneficial from the point of view of achieving success in the examination. In the last years, there has been a good proportion of questions related to contemporary issues in the preliminary examination question paper, hence this part of the study material is very important. Students should choose appropriate books for study and study them properly. It is also important that in the beginning, instead of high level books, students should study from those books which contain simple and basic information, like NCERT and NIOS books which are also available online for free. After studying the basic and foundational information, students can use appropriate books and study material for detailed study of that subject.

UPSC Prelims Strategy:

Civil Services Prelims Examination strategy is the first and most crucial stage of exam as it determines the fate of candidate for the forthcoming stage i.e Mains exam.To be successful in the Civil Services Preliminary Examination, not only serious and detailed study is necessary, but it is also important to understand what you do in those two hours during the examination, and how you do it? Therefore, it is very important to know how to achieve best time management, specific mental concentration and high brain activity in those 2 hours. Also, it is important to understand the nature of questions and adopt the strategy to solve them quickly in time. Many times it is seen that despite years and months of hard work and study, many students are not able to go to the examination hall with the required confidence. Due to lack of better time management, ultimately all their hard work goes waste and they fail to give their best performance in the examination. No matter how well you prepare, you will win only if you perform better and better than others in the last 2 hours. Therefore, this issue needs special attention.

General Studies paper is the first question paper of the preliminary examination. In this paper there are two types of questions are asked, one from the traditional sections of General Studies and the other from the contemporary developments. Questions asked from traditional sections are mainly from the history of India and freedom movement; Indian Constitution and Polity; Geography of India and the World; Ecology, Environment and Biodiversity; Indian Economy, Economic and Social Development and questions related to general science. Besides this questions related to contemporary developments of national and international importance are also asked in this question paper.

CSAT is the second paper that is qualifying in nature and candidates have to obtain 33% marks to qualify this paper. There are questions related to comprehension, mathematical abilities and aptitude along with questions of interpersonal communication skills.

UPSC Mains Strategy:

When it comes to UPSC Mains exam preparation, careful planning and a well-structured strategy are paramount. After crossing the first hurdle of this prestigious exam, the most important phase of your preparation journey begins, which is for UPSC Mains. The preliminary exam is qualifying in nature, so your score in that round will not determine your final selection. On the other hand, UPSC Mains exam will play an important role in determining your selection and rank.

As a result, it is important to develop a solid UPSC Mains preparation strategy that will boost your score and improve your chances of getting a good rank. The UPSC syllabus is broad and covers many subject areas that are essential for an administrator. It is divided into two language papers, four General Studies papers – I, II, III and IV, one essay paper and optional paper – I and II.

It is a good idea to pin the entire syllabus on paper and stick it in front of your study table. This will help you stay focused and remember the topics so that you can connect them to current events that you read about in newspapers, articles or any other study material. To prepare for UPSC Mains exam, it is generally advised to complete the syllabus once and revise it at least once before starting to prepare for Prelims.

For UPSC Mains exam you have to write at least 20 answers within the stipulated time period of 3 hours. This makes answer writing practice paramount for UPSC Mains as it enhances the ability to coherently express ideas within the given time frame, improving the skills to comprehensively address multidimensional questions. Having everything fit perfectly in your mind does not guarantee that you will be able to write it down on paper. Practicing answer writing every day will help you develop analytical thinking, formulate responses logically, and strengthen the integration of knowledge across subjects. Through continued practice, you will gain confidence, improve time management and develop the ability to present complex ideas with clarity, a key skill for success in the UPSC Mains exam.

Interview Preparation Strategy:

The UPSC interview, also known as the Personality Test, is the final stage of the Civil Services Examination. It aims to assess the candidate’s suitability for administrative roles. The interview panel evaluates the candidate’s communication skills, depth of knowledge, analytical ability, and overall personality. It is important to be well-prepared, confident, and articulate while answering questions to leave a positive impression.

While preparing for Personality Test or Interview of UPSC Civil Services Exam one should have command over DAF (Detailed Application Form). Most of the questions often arise from DAF only consisting of questions like Family Background, Educational Background, Job and professional experience and hobbies related questions. Apart from the DAF related questions the candidate should have sound understanding of current issues. Before facing actual interview the candidate should thoroughly revise his DAF, optional subject, current affairs and issues and should give mock interviews. It is also important that students should also watch UPSC Topper Interview to get a fair idea about the types and difficulty level of questions that are put before students. By watching these interview candidates can get insights about other important things such as body language, etiquettes etc.

Remember that selection of subjects is a very important step in this examination and your preparation and success is determined on it, hence take your own decision while choosing the subject. Interest is the first and fundamental basis for achieving success in such kind of exam. Since the syllabus of Civil Services Examination is huge, we will have to study throughout the year, and hence you will have to make hard efforts to make this scheme successful and only then you will be able to complete this huge syllabus successfully. Therefore, gradually increase the study period and instead of memorizing the exam-related facts, understand its content and increase your conceptual understanding, only then it can be possible to get success in this examination.