Ace the civil services exam

A.K Mishra

Many young and dynamic minds are heading for UPSC Civil Services examination 2019. Some will be making their first attempt and some will be giving it yet another shot. There are certain guidelines to be followed every time you sit for this prestigious exam...

Follow the curriculum

One of the biggest mistakes aspirants commit is to not follow the syllabus given by the UPSC. Most of the students start their preparation without referring to the syllabus and within no time, they find themselves in a 'no progress zone'. The topics may be vast, but they aren't completely unlimited. CSE aspirants need to break this myth as this may prove perilous in the long run, costing them time, money, energy and resource. While preparing, consider UPSC syllabus as your roadmap, and continue referring it throughout.

Solve last years’ papers  

Aspirants do not realise that previous years' papers can help them prepare in accordance with the latest trend followed by the UPSC. While preparing, refer to these papers after each step in order to co-relate with the topics finished. This is a good indicator of whether you are moving in the right direction or not.

Getting basic reference 

Most of the aspirants do this by going for heavy weight books instead of getting the basics clear. The NCERT books up to Class XII are a good source of knowledge to start the preparation. 

Writing skills  

The mains exam includes writing essays. Those lacking writing skills may find it difficult to clear this hurdle. The aspirants should be well equipped with facts and knowledge, and should be able to write fluently. It's one of the toughest tasks, and if it's not given due attention, failure is guaranteed. Aspirants should focus on the exam-pattern writing rather than blogging to improve writing and typing skills.  

Reading newspapers 

One must understand what to read in newspapers and how. A newspaper has three segments when seen from preparation point of view  —  events (that gives facts and figures), issues (provides views and reviews that help develop individual’s understanding and opinion on contemporary subjects) and gossips. So a thorough reading and understanding of concepts will help the aspirants to frame and write well structured essays. 

Analyse your strengths 

As the UPSC exam demands high dynamism and adaptability, candidates miss to analyse their strengths and weakness, along with opportunities and threats.

—The writer is, Founder and Director Chanakya IAS Academy
 

Choose relevant books 

Flooding the room with UPSC preparation books will not necessarily bring you success. For effective preparation, choose books that are relevant. There are several hubs of such preparation books; aspirants need to look for relevant book. It is preferable for the aspirants to seek advice from their seniors, experienced mentors or reliable sources before buying such books.

Optional paper 

Aspirants opt for an optional paper based on the subject scores and marking trends, length and extent of the curriculum and subject that covers the GS paper. Optional paper should be chosen in such a way that it suits the aspirants' interest and inclination.