What Not to Read for the UPSC Prelims Exam?

As per the UPSC 2023 calendar, the IAS Prelims and main exams are scheduled to take place on May 28, 2023 and September 15, 2023 respectively. Lakhs of IAS aspirants will take it and hope to clear it and make it to the UPSC mains exam later. The IAS prelims exam consists of two objective papers:

1. General Studies Paper I
2. General Studies Paper II (CSAT)

Both the papers are of 200 marks each. They both carry negative marks for incorrect answers. Candidates have to score a minimum of 33% in the CSAT paper. Only the marks of the GS paper I will be counted for the prelims ranking.

Download the UPSC Prelims Syllabus PDF.

While preparing for the IAS prelims, a candidate should know that there are certain things he/she should avoid reading or studying.  A candidate should not waste time reading this type of information. We give you a list of such unwanted topics:

List of what not to study for UPSC

• You should avoid sports news. Once you clear the mains and get a call for the IAS interview, you should look for news related to your hobby (if it is any sport).
• Business news not related to the UPSC syllabus.
• Avoid criminal news even if it is capturing headlines.
• Don’t read small and irrelevant regional/state/local news. Only read national news.
• Avoid Bollywood and other entertainment news. They have zero UPSC value.
• Don’t read the names of the presidents/prime ministers/currencies of all the countries in the world. Study only prominent names and those that are creating relevant news.
• In the field of sports, art and science, learn a few names which have been in the news recently (example, if somebody has got a prominent award from the central government).
• For the prelims give only less focus on ancient and medieval Indian history (don’t ignore completely but your first priority must be to finish the freedom struggle portions).
• Focus on macroeconomics. Read microeconomics only if you think you can get a better understanding of the topics.

Visit BYJU’S Website for strategy and articles on free IAS prep and all the latest on UPSC IAS exam.

Also See: