Aspirants who prepare for the Civil Services exam aim for a good rank, which can help them get the desired Service. Every topper has a different strategy. There is no one strategy that can help you ace the Civil Services exam. Therefore, go through the list of important points that you must keep in mind while making your own strategy.
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Toppers’ UPSC Preliminary Exam Strategy
You should remember that you can become a topper if you use effective study techniques, revise multiple times, write mock tests and remain consistent throughout your UPSC journey. In order to score good marks in the UPSC Preliminary exam, try to include the following components in your strategy.
Go through the Syllabus:
Before starting your preparation, you should go through the UPSC syllabus. Make sure that you study thoroughly each and every topic given in the syllabus and don’t leave anything to chance.
Go through the Previous Years’ Question Papers
Analyse the trend and subject-wise weightage of the questions in UPSC prelims examination by going through the past papers. You should analyse the last 5-8 years’ question papers and understand what is most important for the preliminary exam. You can also refer to the page on UPSC Prelims Subject-Wise Weightage to understand the trend.
Make a Study Plan and Stick to it
It is vital that you make a study plan/timetable and follow it properly. You can make changes in your timetable if it is necessary but otherwise don’t change your study plan frequently. Be consistent and achieve your daily targets.
Join Mock Test Series and Solve Past Papers
In order to understand the level of your preparation it is imperative to give mock tests in a simulated environment. In the initial stages of your preparation you can give sectional mock tests and when you have completed studying all the topics, you can focus on full-length tests. Giving a mock test alone is not enough. Analyse and evaluate the paper. Learn from your mistakes and ensure that you do not repeat them.
Along with the mock tests, you should also solve past years’ questions in exam-like conditions. This is an essential part of UPSC preparation.
Revision
If you have thoroughly revised all the topics 3-5 times, then chances of you clearing the exam increase. Revising means that you are able to recall all the information that you have studied without referring to textbooks or any other study material. Use ‘active recall’ techniques in order to retain the information for a longer period of time.
Do not Set Unachievable Targets
Set goals that can be achieved. If you make a plan that is not realistic, it will make you feel disappointed eventually. Make a plan that you can follow easily.
Work Hard and be Consistent
UPSC preparation demands consistency. Initially you may feel very enthusiastic about every aspect of UPSC preparation but over the months as the journey gets tougher, you may lose track and interest. Therefore, ensure that you remain consistent with your studies, revision and mock tests throughout the UPSC preparation process.
Choose the Right Books
Your focus should be to read one book multiple times rather than reading many books. You may have a tendency, especially during the initial stages of your preparation to go through a plethora of study materials, books etc. However, you should focus on studying with limited but the right study material so that you can revise several times before the exam. Making notes from various books and not being able to study or revise it is akin to ‘lost effort’. If you are a beginner, you can refer to the linked article for Best IAS Books For UPSC Civil Services Exam 2022.
Prepare Well for CSAT
If you are aware of the UPSC preliminary exam trend, you would know that the CSAT paper has gotten tougher over the years. Therefore, do not take CSAT lightly. Give mock tests and prepare well for it.
Therefore, first understand yourself and then see which strategy works for you. You can refer to different strategies but make a strategy that really works for you.
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