Strategy for Cracking UPSC Civil Services 2024 Preliminary Examination

Cracking UPSC 2024 | Prelims Strategy | Chetan Bharat Learning

Every year, the UPSC conducts the Civil Services Examination (CSE), which is the doorway to India's most prominent jobs, such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), and so on. Chetan Bharat Learning offers the best upsc offline coaching in Chandigarh. The UPSC Civil Services Examination begins with the Preliminary Examination. It is an objective test that consists of two papers: General Studies and CSAT.

 

The UPSC Prelims Exam is a screening test that must be passed before being eligible to take the Main Examination. Cutthroat competition in the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam means that, despite lakhs of hopefuls taking the exam, only 10-12 thousand pass. Thus, comprehensive UPSC Prelims Preparation is required to successfully overcome the first hurdle in one's IAS dream. 

Strategies and Tips to Prepare for the UPSC CSE Prelims Exam.

 

The nature and structure of the UPSC Prelims Exam necessitate a thorough preparation strategy. The major components to include in one's complete preparation strategy to crack the UPSC Prelims are described below under various headings:

 

Analyse the syllabus thoroughly.

The first step in UPSC Prelims Preparation is to read and thoroughly analyse the curriculum for the UPSC Prelims Exam.

 

The syllabus for the two papers of the UPSC Prelims Exam, as stated in the official notice, is a list of solely indicative topics. To fully prepare for a topic, one must first comprehend what will be covered. As a result, in order to understand the topics stated in the syllabus, as well as their specific breakdowns, a thorough analysis is required.

 

Analyse previous year questions (PYQs).

Following the syllabus, the Previous Year's Questions (PYQs) of the UPSC Prelims Exam are the most crucial guides to your UPSC Prelims preparation. A deep analysis of the UPSC Prelims PYQs helps you prepare in the following ways:

 

  • Identify and prioritise the topics with the highest weightage.
  • Identify reoccurring motifs.
  • Understand the types of questions asked on a specific topic.
  • Assess recent trends and difficulty levels.

 

Prepare an Effective Study Plan.

After reviewing the curriculum and PYQs, you must develop an effective study strategy to thoroughly cover the whole subject. The following are some of the crucial things that should be included in one's study plan:

 

  • Prepare weekly and monthly schedules, including a list of topics to be covered.
  • Keep track of your daily progress on topics covered.
  • Divide your daily study hours so that more time is spent to your weaker areas.
  • Maintain a delicate and weighty balance between static themes and current events. 

Focus on Conceptual Clarity.

The UPSC Prelims Exam evaluates conceptual understanding. So, when developing a topic, one's primary goal should be to increase conceptual clarity. The following suggestions can help you reach this goal:

 

  • To cover a topic, go to a standard text such as NCERTs.
  • Avoid rote learning and instead concentrate on understanding the material.
  • Discuss a topic with other aspirants to acquire clarification.
  • Prepare accurate and concise notes on each topic. 

Special Strategy for Current Affairs

It is commonly known that the UPSC Prelims Examination is heavily focused on current events. Thus, UPSC Prelims Preparation necessitates close attention to current events. Here are some pointers to help you ace this area of your UPSC Prelims preparation:

 

Maintain a frequent subscription to a good newspaper. A wise option would be to follow a monthly current events magazine.

 

Categorise the news into categories such as government schemes, places in the news, acts and policies, etc. Prepare brief notes on news stories and file them under the appropriate categories.

 

If a piece of news is relevant to a syllabus topic, include notes on that item with notes on the associated topic. This will improve your comprehension and retention. 

 

Do not ignore the CSAT paper.

Many hopefuls overlook CSAT preparation because it is merely a qualifying exam. However, as the difficulty level of the CSAT paper has increased in recent years, this neglect could have disastrous consequences. Thus, a candidate should not ignore the CSAT Paper. 

 

Revision is the key.

The syllabus for the UPSC Prelims Exam is extensive. This indicates that as one covers new things, one's understanding of previously covered ones deteriorates. Thus, it is important to include modifications in one's study regimen. The following tips can help you do this:

 

  • Prepare concise notes on each topic to allow for easy revision.
  • A considerable amount of the study hours should be spent on revision.
  • Prepare your study strategy so that the final 15-20 days are devoted entirely to review.

Practice Mock Tests

To prepare for the UPSC Prelims Exam, you must answer a sufficient number of questions on each topic. This helps you in the following ways:

 

  • Identify one's weak and strong points and adjust one's study strategy accordingly.
  • Develop exam temperament.
  • Improve speed and accuracy.
  • Improve time management.

 

Learn to approach questions strategically to maximise overall marks.

 

Bonus Tips

Join a reputable study group and discuss concepts with your peers. This will help you improve your comprehension of a topic and clear up any doubts you may have.

Along with studying, one must prioritise physical and mental health. Eat well and get plenty of rest.

 

  • Maintain your confidence and a good attitude. Continue to remind yourself that the reward for enduring the difficult path is worthwhile.
  • There is no one-size-fits-all technique to passing the UPSC Prelims Exam. So customise the plan to your specific strengths and shortcomings. 

 

D-Day Tips

Even with adequate preparation, pressure builds up on the day of the exam. To perform well in the exam, it is critical to managing this pressure appropriately. Here are some tips for doing the same:

 

  • Continue to remind yourself that you are not alone in feeling nervous.
  • Keep reminding yourself that you studied hard and deserve to pass the exam.
  • Stay hydrated and breathe deeply to be comfortable. 

 

CONCLUSION

Cracking the UPSC Prelims Exam requires not only hard effort but also strategic thinking. These tactics, when used wisely, will help boost one's preparation and create confidence in one's ability to pass the UPSC Prelims Exam effortlessly. Chetan Bharat Learning offers the best offline and Online UPSC Coaching in Chandigarh.

 

Know more about UPSC Civil Services 2024 Preliminary Examination.