June 2, 2023

Step by Step Guide for the Preparation of UPSC Exam

UPSC Exam

The UPSC Civil Service Exam is considered as the mother of all the written exams. It is one of the most competitive and prestigious exams in India. The exams are conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. There are various exams conducted by UPSC to fill the various vacancies for the government of India. Indian Administrative Service Exam or the Civil Service Exams are conducted by UPSC, in two phases namely- UPSC prelims and UPSC mains. The students need to start preparing for the exams at least from at least a year before so that they can cover the whole syllabus. For this clearing the UPSC Exams one needs to give it a wholehearted preparation. While starting preparation for UPSC exams many candidates are unsure of how to begin the preparations the right way or what they need to study. So, here in this article, we will provide you with step by step guide for the preparation of UPSC Exams.

How to prepare for UPSC Exam

Give below is the necessary guidance that can help you to clear the exams.

  • Watch your Routine-

One of the biggest set back a candidate can face is time management. The exams are conducted in three stages namely- the Preliminary, Mains, and Interview. All three have quite a large syllabus and the exams being extended over a year. Most of the candidates are either full-time students or office goers who need to schedule their preparation in the time they get after their routine.

The vast syllabus requires a separate study time-table for ensuring a consistent approach to every topic. It is only possible if the candidate set a time-table with deadlines to complete a particular topic. Though the individual timelines and processes may differ but working out the time strategy is essential for everyone. Last-minute studying or cramming has not helped anyone. It is important to give a lot of time for revising the topic already finished and so keep aside time for revisions and workout your brain regularly.

Also read:- Top 10 Law Entrance Exams After 12th in India

  •  Understand the Exam Pattern-

The intentions of the UPSC tests are mentioned on their website, which is to find individuals who have a specialized in-depth topic understanding but also a comprehensive awareness about the history, geography, culture and other functional aspects of India and also a bit of the world.

Though the questions may be specialized in the Optional subject papers but only somewhat more than an undergraduate level. In the case of medical, engineering and law an undergraduate understanding is enough.

Know about the extent of the syllabus and structure your study plan accordingly.

  • Plan a Structured Study-

The volume of the information available for the exhaustive exam is too much and so it is easy to make your study plan that concentrates on building basic concepts usually from the recommended NCERT books. Some of the topics may require follow-ups from some specialized books. It is good to find multiple source material but make sure not to overcrowd yourself with the books. Understanding the basic concepts proves to be more helpful than learning schemes as it may lead you in trouble by the vastness of the syllabus.

  • Practice Testing-

Keeping a regular habit of writing, reading, analyzing, and examining content is important. Having a regular debate and discussions with colleagues and friends on the topics associated with the syllabus and current affairs proves to be of great help. It helps the candidates with an excellent practice for logically presenting their views and even helps them to understand the depths of their insights.

There a lot of mock test papers available online to examine your preparations in the free time. This provides you with the necessary help on the day of examination. The UPSC website has got all the previous year question papers. Though the previous year’s questions are not repeated it provides a glimpse of the type of questions that comes up in the paper. By checking the previous year’s paper you can judge the difficulty level, depth of the required knowledge, analytical and logical complexity, relevance to the prescribed syllabus and scoring yourself on the questions that have been asked before.

  • Prioritize Revision-

The length and the breadth of the UPSC exams require daily revision. Make sure to include and allot time for daily revising the topics already done multiple times. Highlighting the important passages, or making notes for quick lookups before the exams are great. Make sure to get yourself these provisions for the sake of convenience and efficiency.

  • Updated Current Affairs-

A lot of questions in the paper are related to the candidate’s general awareness of the ongoing affairs in the world, with an important emphasis on the happenings in India. For getting to know all about the current affairs engage yourself in reading a multitude of daily newspapers namely- The Hindu, Economist, The Indian Express, Parliamentary Discussions, Regional language newspapers, All India Radio News and also various magazines like- Manorama Year Books, India, and Yojana.

  • Stay Healthy and Engaged-

It is also important to keep aside your books and interact with people as the UPSC exams not just look or examine the candidate but also the people around them. It is important to work and improve your speaking skills and general emotional well-being. Engage yourself in other activities as well and don’t let the exam weight stress you. Make sure to eat and sleep well.

The life experiences of the candidates also play an important role in the preparation for the exams as UPSC exams are designed in such a way that candidates efforts, strategizing, dedication, logic, planning, quick overall thinking, analytical powers are rewarded.

  The syllabus examines or tests the candidate’s ability to absorb the political, historical, cultural and geographical environment that one lives in. Thus, the actual UPSC preparation simply works on polishing the knowledge that the candidate already has received either as a student or a citizen of the country. So, rather than dwelling yourself in the vastness of the syllabus, concentrate on the ways you can get to know your world a little better.