UPSC Exam Pattern
Before getting into the Preparation Strategy, it is important to have a clear understanding of the UPSC exam
pattern. UPSC has three stages- Prelims, Mains and Interview. Aspirants must qualify each round in order to
proceed to the next one. Here’s an overview of each stage.
UPSC Preliminary Examination:
The UPSC Civil Services Prelims consists of two exams- namely
General Studies-I and General Studies-II (CSAT). Aspirants must score marks above the cut-off in the GS-I Paper,
and qualify the GS-II Paper by scoring more than 33% marks.
UPSC Mains:
Candidates who qualify the Prelims make it to the Mains. The Mains consist
of 9 papers. Two of these are qualifying, and the other 7 are merit-oriented. Candidates must also choose an
Optional Subject- and write two papers based on this Optional Subject.
UPSC Personality Test or Interview:
The UPSC Personality Test is the final round in the UPSC
Selection Process. The final score is declared after the interview on the basis of the cumulative score of the
UPSC Mains and Interview.
It can be a daunting task to start preparing for UPSC. However, a well-structured strategy is the first step in
setting you up for excellence.
How to prepare for UPSC | UPSC Preparation Tips For IAS Exam
Here is a step-by-step, fool-proof strategy for preparing for the Civil Services Examination.
Step 1: Know the Exam Well
Before starting the preparation, it is essential to know everything there is to know about the exam. Read
through the UPSC Notification and acquaint yourself with the exam syllabus, exam pattern, timeline, and
eligibility criteria.
Step 2: Strengthen Your Foundation
Before getting into the advanced topics, it is important to have a strong foundation first. No matter your
educational background, you need to understand the basics of all the UPSC subjects. For this, refer to NCERT
books of various subjects. Read them twice, and make notes.
Step 3: Upgrade Your Knowledge
Once you have a basic understanding of the syllabus by studying from NCERT, it’s time to upgrade your
knowledge by reading the standard books for UPSC. Make notes while reading these books to refer to later while
writing answers. For the complete UPSC Booklist, check the linked article.
Step 4: Practise Answer Writing + Revision
Once you’ve studied from NCERT and the
Standard Books, you can start practicing answer-writing. Practicing answer writing is extremely important for
scoring well in UPSC, especially UPSC Mains. Before that, it’s a futile exercise, as you will have to
constantly refer to the books while writing the answers.
At this stage, it’s also important to incorporate consistent revision. Dedicate your weekends to revising
whatever you’ve studied throughout the week.
Step 5: Mock-Test Based Learning Approach
Around two months before the Prelims Exam, start incorporating Mock Tests into your study routine. Opt for a UPSC Test Series that is closest to the exam
pattern, and attempt it at the same time as the actual exam. After each exam, spend time in analysing it and
identifying your weak areas. This way, you can brush up on concepts you may have missed out on. This will not
only help in decreasing your exam anxiety, but will help you prepare extremely well for the exam.
Now that you have a basic idea of all the components that go into creating a comprehensive study plan, here are
some more specific, subject-wise preparation tips.
Subject-Wise Preparation Strategy for UPSC
Following is the UPSC Subject-Wise Preparation Strategy. Follow these recommended practices in order to prepare
for this coveted exam and optimise the chances of your selection.
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UPSC Polity & Governance Preparation Tips
- In recent years, the importance of government policies has increased tremendously, both in the Prelims and
the Main Examination. This trend is expected to continue.
- The questions are more or less straightforward, and can easily be answered after adequate preparation.
- Certain chapters in Polity are tested frequently, namely Constitutional Development, Fundamental Rights,
Fundamental Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy, Union Government, Judiciary, Amendments, Local
Governments, Federalism, and Election Process.
- Most of the available books lack information on current constitutional developments. So, a keen perusal of
newspapers and magazines is essential to develop a sound knowledge of the provisions of the (for example, one
should be aware of the historical judgments of the Supreme Court of India, like Triple Talaq, Right to
Privacy, Right to be Forgotten, Adultery repealed, Aadhaar Verdict, etc.).
Check out the micro topics and preparation strategy for Polity here.
UPSC Preparation Tips for General Science, Life Science and Science and Technology
- This section can be divided into 4 parts - Science and Technology, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.
- For students from an Arts background, this section might be challenging. However, a basic understanding of
Science, which can be gained through studying from NCERT books can go a long way in helping to solve most of
the questions.
- Science and Technology have become an important section of GS since the past 15 years. Considering the
overall increase in the weightage of current affairs, questions are mainly asked from India-specific
developments.
- Recent Analysis shows that General Science questions cover general appreciation and understanding of
day-to-day science.
- So, observing and experiencing everyday science will come in handy. For example, a question regarding NAVIC
was asked in the 2018 Prelims. So, all future initiatives of ISRO, like Gaganyaan and other missions
automatically become more important. Thus, one must prepare a strategy of prioritization regarding such
important topics.
- In Life Science, the emphasis is on Zoology. Only a few questions are asked from Botany, particularly from
agriculture, biological diversity, and plant systems. In Zoology, most of the questions are related to the
human system and diseases. Topics such as Communicable diseases and Nutrition are always significant.
For the Science and
Technology Preparation Strategy and Micro-Topics, read the linked article.
UPSC Economic and Social Development Preparation Tips
- This section includes topics such as Sustainable Development, Poverty, Socio-economic Inclusion,
Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
- While most questions in this area focus on the Indian economy, staying updated on International Economics is
also essential, as it influences India.
- Recent trend analysis reveals that most of the questions are asked from Industry, Agricultural Production,
Exim Policy, Money and Banking, Public Finance, and Reforms. Three to four questions are from different
programs announced in the previous and the current fiscal year. Topics like economic reforms (government
initiative in ease of doing business) infrastructure and reform policies (e.g., RERA) are also important and
must be studied.
- In money and banking, one has to keep an eye on financial and banking reforms (e.g., Mergers of Banks,
Insolvency, and Bankruptcy Law, Twin Balance Deficit Problem, NPA, etc.)
- In the last few years, there has been a significant shift in this section. Most of the questions are
contemporary in nature but require a proper understanding of static areas of the Indian Economy.
- One must carefully follow the economic survey and budget. A basic understanding of the subject can be
achieved by reading the Class XI NCERT book on the Indian Economy.
For the Economy Preparation Strategy
and Micro-Topics, read the linked article.
UPSC Preparation Tips for Geography and Environment
- This is one of the most vital sections in the Preliminary Examination.
- In Indian Geography, a thorough understanding of the Physical Aspects of India and clarity of locations is
the essential minimum requirement. It also helps in the economic, as well as the human aspects of Indian
Geography.
- In General Geography, the emphasis is on conceptual aspects. A careful study of 'A Certificate Course in
Physical and Human Geography’ by Goh Cheng Leong would be helpful.
- In World Geography, the relevance is more with contemporary developments. Focus on locating places in the
Atlas while reading the newspaper.
- A new dimension to the Preliminary examination is a set of questions related to the Environment. One should
be aware of the developments associated with Ecology and Environment-related issues; and also the various
initiatives and conferences which have been held, especially those for preserving the biodiversity and
ecosystem of the country and the world.
- For Geography, a proper reading of NCERT textbooks on Geography (from VI to XII) along with Books by Goh
Cheng Leong and a regular study of the Atlas is more than sufficient.
Check out the micro topics for Geography and Environment on
the links.
History and Culture Preparation Tips for UPSC
- An analysis of the Previous Years’ Question Paper patterns reveals that while the number of questions
have decreased, the difficulty level of the questions has increased. In recent years, questions have been
asked from areas that were previously never tested.
- In Modern History, the most tested period is between 1857 and 1947, which includes the uprising of 1857,
social reform movements, Governor Generals, and national movements.
- In Ancient India, questions on the Vedic Age, the Mauryan Period, and the Gupta Period are the most
frequently occurring. The Sultanate and Mughal periods are most important in Medieval History. In recent
years, Marathas, Vijaynagar, Bahmani Kingdom, and Southern Dynasties have been gaining more importance.
- The importance of Indian culture has increased significantly. Thorough knowledge of the development of
Indian culture, right from ancient times, is vital to score well in the Preliminary Exam.
To know the History and Culture Strategy and Micro-Topics,
read the linked articles.
Current Affairs Preparation Tips for UPSC
- The significance of Current Affairs has seen a surge in the Civil Services Exam, with a rise in its
weightage each passing year.
- It is a vast subject, comprising events of national and international importance, multilateral developments,
sports, and personalities in various fields, as well as with prizes, awards, and honours.
- The Current Affairs section also includes General Knowledge questions. Simply reading newspapers and current
affairs magazines will not suffice when answering these questions.
- However, with a proper study strategy and time management, this section can be easily manageable.
Check out the importance of current affairs and
the preparation strategy here.
UPSC CSAT Preparation Tips
- There has been a rise in difficulty in the CSAT Paper in recent years. With lesser expected topics being
tested in the exam- and candidates' overconfidence regarding CSAT being a qualifying paper has led to the
success rate in CSAT dropping significantly.
- Candidates need to score 33% marks on the paper- failing to do so will result in not being shortlisted for
the selection.
- CSAT includes questions on Comprehension, Reasoning, General Mental Ability, Basic Numeracy, Logical
Reasoning, and Decision Making.
- Invest in a closest-to-exam pattern Test Series, and focus on practicing UPSC Previous Years Question Papers.
- The most important fact to remember is that this paper is qualifying, and candidates must secure a minimum
of 33% marks. If one fails to do so, then they will not be considered for the selection.
- Questions on Comprehension and Reasoning are also included in the paper. Proper practice of previous years'
question papers and model questions is sufficient to ensure a good score.
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