Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the authority that conducts various reputable exams in India, like Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), etc. It holds exams for more than 20 services every year. 

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Anyone aware of these exams knows how challenging it is to clear them. Lakhs of students sit every year to clear this exam, but only a few thousand can catch a seat. The questions that pound inside an aspirant’s head are “how to crack the exam on the first attempt?”, “what should I study?”, “Which material should I refer to?” etc.

According to the UPSC calendar 2023, the most popular exam which is conducted by UPSC is Civil Services Exam (CSE) which will be conducted on May 28, 2023.

Basic Approach To Clear The Exam

Cracking UPSC can be easy if the aspirant knows the tips and tricks. Firstly, one must know that there are three basic approaches through which an aspirant can clear the exam. 

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• Self Study

Shocking right? But it is very much possible for a candidate to clear the exam by studying through a book himself. But the only con of this approach is that this text-book-based approach is quite time-consuming as compared to the other approaches. 

In recent times, it has become quite rare to see an aspirant secure top rank in the first attempt entirely by self-preparation unless he has been preparing for a long time. The reason for this is the vast syllabus of the exam which makes preparation time-consuming, even years. 

When it comes to self-study, a lot of concentration, discipline, and motivation are required. It is not uncommon to see aspirants preparing for 3-4 years but still unsatisfied with their preparation. This is especially true for individuals who are either studying or working. They should seek methods that will help them in covering the topics better and faster. 

To conclude, this approach is not suitable if an aspirant is not willing to dedicate too much of his time to covering one topic. 

• Learning Through Mock Exams

Many aspirants believe that practice is very important for success, so they learn by including mock exams in their study material. This method is better and more efficient than the previous one. 

• Learning Through Coaching

UPSC coaching, whether online or offline, is one of the most efficient and best ways to learn topics faster and better. A good coaching center provides all the necessary and required study material like mock exams, guidance, expert classes for every subject, and techniques to boost marks. 

Many coaching centers do not make any worthy additions to the aspirant’s resources, so the aspirant should check the institute before enrolling in it. 

Tips To Have An Effective Exam Preparation

Although keep in mind that joining an institute does not guarantee success in the exam. The student must be willing to make an effort and match that of the coaching institute. When efforts meet the right guidance, the aspirant can crack the exam. 

Now moving on to the tips that the aspirant can apply to his/her preparation are –

• Know Your Exam

Before giving any exam, the candidate must know the exam well. Read the notifications of the UPSC exam and familiarize yourself with the exam syllabus, pattern, timeline, and eligibility criteria. Pick up the last year’s papers and skim through them to understand what type of questions are asked in the exam. 

• Books For UPSC Beginners

Books are the best friends of a UPSC aspirant. Without investing in a good book, one cannot clear the IAS exam. This is especially important for aspirants who are dependent on self-study. A special trait of a UPSC aspirant is his thirst for knowledge and reading new books. The syllabus is very vast, and the aspirant must have a habit of reading books. 

In most cases, NCERT books are recommended to start the preparation. Try not to go too vast and limit yourself to books and articles which come from verified sources. The aspirant must refer to a wise mix of books like NCERT books, online sources, newspaper notes, magazines, etc.

• Strengthen The Foundation

No matter the background, the aspirant must have a clear knowledge of all the basics of core subjects of the UPSC syllabus. This can be done by referring to NCERTs. Read the books twice and make notes accordingly. Make short notes for the Prelim examination and descriptive notes for Mains exam. 

• Practice with Mock tests

After covering a substantial portion of the syllabus, attempt mock tests. The number of mock tests attempted should be reasonable, as too many will drain energy while too few will leave you unprepared. Try attempting the mock test in an examination hall-type environment only. 

Make sure that you analyze your mistakes and gaps after submitting the test. Run the tests and continuously improve yourself in areas in which you lack. 

• Avoid Studying New Topics A Month Before Exam

A month before the prelim examination should not be used to explore new topics unless it is extremely important. A month should be given exclusively to revision.

• Proficiency in Current Affairs Is A Must

Over the past few years, it has been seen that current affairs occupy a large portion of the paper. An exclusive current affairs course is a good idea to keep yourself updated with the happenings of the world.

• Revise Thoroughly

The syllabus of the prelims and the main exam is quite scattered and vast. It is not possible to cover the entire syllabus, so the candidate should prepare what he knows best in the last month. The aspirant must prefer quality over quantity. 

This does not mean that the aspirant does not try to cover the syllabus. A fine balance must be maintained between the coverage of the syllabus and the revision of the covered portion. 

It is important to scan the previous year’s papers and analyze the pattern. This will help in prioritizing the topics. The portion of the syllabus which is more data and fact-oriented should be revised several times before the exam. Such portions should be kept for last-minute revision to keep them in fresh memory.

Wrapping Up

The UPSC exam is not the easiest to give, but these tips can surely help in attempting the exam in a better way. All these can come in handy while you set out to prepare for your UPSC exam. It is important to remember that your preparation is not an overnight job but must be given enough time to get the best results!

Frequently Asked Questions

• How much time should you devote to self study in preparation for UPSC?

Self study is proven to be the best revision technique to uplift your preparation progress. You can do your self study after completion of each lecture. Carrying out this process ensures a successful understanding of the concepts. 

• Why progress tracking is essential in competitive exam preparation?

It is crucial to know your strength and weaknesses in terms of exam concepts and study material. You can easily track it by practicing mock tests which further helps in getting clarity on your preparation. You can analyze and allocate required time as per your weak and strong points.

• What is the most crucial aspect of clearing UPSC in first attempt?

The three Ps also known as patience, perseverance and practice can aid in acing your preparation to a great extent. As an aspirant, these are the most essential yet common concepts to follow for getting your desired score.

• How to improve current affairs?

Current affairs comprises of a majority mark in the question paper. You can improve your knowledge on current affairs and news by staying updated on the recent ongoing topics. You can brush up your skills by building a habit of daily newspaper reading. Editorial page is considered to be the most crucial, you can read and prepare notes.