What to do after UPSC Prelims

The UPSC Prelims examinations for this year is scheduled to be held on May 28th, 2023. Many times aspirants are in a dilemma about what to do after the UPSC prelims examination. Some wonder if they should wait for the prelims results and then study or should they start preparing immediately after prelims. This article precisely tries to answer these questions and help you plan a strategy after the preliminary examination.

Start Your UPSC Main Exam Preparation Right Away

You will get about 2.5 to 3 months time to prepare for the UPSC Main examination. However, is this time enough to prepare for the main examination? There is no clear answer to this question, as it varies from candidate to candidate. Many aspirants have cleared the main exam by preparing for only 2-3 months but on the other hand some aspirants have not been able to do so.Candidates who have already completed studying for the main examination earlier, then for such candidates 2.5 to 3 months is more than sufficient for mains preparation. Candidates who didn’t have enough time to prepare for the main exam before prelims, they may have to fully stretch and work really hard after prelims. These candidates have to utilise each and every day well. First let’s understand how prepared you are for the main examination by analysing the components of main exam preparation.

What does the Main exam preparation comprise?

In order to be prepared for the main examination, you should have:

• Completed the topics given in the syllabus
• Prepared well for your optional
• Revised at least 3-5 times in order to remember the facts well.
• Given 5-10 mock tests.
• Evaluated your answer sheet and analysed your mistakes
• Solved past years’ question papers (3-5 years)

These are some of the tasks you need to finish in order to do well in the main examination. Every aspirant is different so based on your performance in the mock tests, you need to determine the number of revisions and answer writing practice that is essential for you. Do’s and Don’ts After the Preliminary ExaminationDo’s

• Take a break of 2-3 days and start preparing for the main examination right away.
• Before starting your preparation, first, go through the past years’ question papers. Understand the type of questions that are asked in the main examination. Make a list of important areas or topics that are repeated every year.
• If you have already covered the main exam topics once, then you should focus on revision and write mock tests.
• Mock tests should be evaluated by experts. After getting your paper marked, you should analyse it well. Make a note of your mistakes and ensure that you do not repeat them in the future.
• Choose an optional subject that interests you and is scoring. You can read the article on How to Choose an Optional Subject for UPSC to get an idea.
• Good marks in the optional subject can have a positive impact on your aggregate score and rank. Therefore prepare really well for the optional subject.
• Do revise 3-5 times before the main exam.
• Prepare well for the Essay. Prepare a list of important topics for the Essay paper and collect enough information and data for each essay.
• Solve past years’ question papers.

Don’ts

• Do not wait to start your preparation till the declaration of prelims results.
• Do not take either English or Indian language paper lightly.
• Do not doubt your abilities and don’t overthink.

The Civil Services examination is highly competitive and therefore be consistent in your preparation. Many times candidates miss the cut-off by a whisker. Therefore, make a plan, follow it perfectly and never question your abilities.
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