Preparing for UPSC Civil Services (IAS) Exam can be really daunting in myriad ways. There is so much to study, so little time and absolutely no idea of a beginning or end. One can easily get lost in the sea of information or get bogged down by different ideas, strategies and topper tricks/hacks. Though the UPSC CSE preparation strategies given by toppers are useful, most of the time they are in the favour of old students who already know the ropes of IAS preparation very well, leaving the newbies in the lurch.
So, In this article, I am trying to lay down a broad strategy for UPSC Civil Services Exam 2018 for the Beginners who are not yet sure of how to approach this exam.
Commandments for Success in UPSC Civil Services Exam 2018:
Newspapers & Magazines:
The first thing a newcomer should do is to start reading newspapers. Why reading newspapers is so important? Because reading newspapers is vital for gaining an understanding of the complex issue of the day and for gaining awareness about Current Affairs.
Standard Reference Books:
Instead of reading many books once try to read a single book multiple times. You need to read standard reference books for different subjects. Some of them are:
M Laxmikanth for Polity
India’s Struggle for Independence: Bipan Chandra for Modern History
India After Gandhi: Ramchandra Guha for Post-Independence History
Ramesh Singh for Economy etc.
Note: I will soon post a detailed Book List for Aspirants.
NCERTS:
Reading NCERTs for UPSC Civil Services Exam is very important for building concepts. NCERTs become important not because of their content, but because UPSC asks questions from them. UPSC will lift a line from NCERT and may convert it into a question. And that’s why NCERTs are important.
Websites & Internet:
One needs to utilise the internet effectively for UPSC Exam preparation online. And that means not wasting time on countless useless WhatsApp/Facebook groups in which no worthwhile information is shared, and only time wasting discussions on cut off take place.
Use internet effectively to search for information not easily available in exam preparation books or to understand a particular concept you find difficult. The Internet can also be utilised for general reading about different topics of UPSC syllabus to build a well-balanced outlook towards current affairs. Some of the useful websites are:
Editorial pages of Indian and Global Newspapers like The Hindu, Indian Express, Economic Times, Mint, Business Line, NY Times, Guardian etc.
Websites dealing with specific topics of the Syllabus like Down To Earth(For Environment), IDSA (For Defence & Internal Security), CFR (For International Relations; their backgrounders are unmatched in describing the background details behind issues), The Diplomat (For understanding Asia-Pacific Affairs), The Economist (For a global perspective about issues)
YouTube for videos related to the syllabus (For Example Michael Sandel Videos for Ethics)
General Reading:
General reading is very important to build a holistic perspective on the issues happening around oneself. And it’s very important to have a well-rounded and balanced personality not from the point of view of Interviews but in general too. So, one should read a lot from varied sources like Novels, Magazines, Books etc.
How To Study:
The focus should be on building fundamentals and conceptual clarity and not on mugging up information. UPSC tests knowledge and understanding and not factual information. So, focus more on building concepts and less on information.
Integrated Preparation:
One of the very common mistakes people who have just started their preparation make is to think of Civil Services Exam as three different and discrete steps. This whole exam is one integrated exam having different levels testing different skills. So, exam preparation strategy for beginners should be holistic and integrated too. Yes, when a step approaches focus should be on that step, but that should not mean the preparation becomes discrete.
Current Affairs:
Another mistake students make is of neglecting CA and trying to cover them through compilations as a last-ditch effort. This can be disastrous. UPSC asks CA questions which are rooted in concepts and require deep analysis. And these questions cannot be covered at the last minute, least of all through compilations. So, the best way to do CA is through regular reading of newspapers and from the sources mentioned before.
Skill Building:
The three different levels of this exam test different skills. So, to ace this exam, one needs to develop those skills. For example, Mains demands excellent writing skills as well an ability to analyse issues. So, to develop these skills, it is imperative that one does adequate writing practice to be able to express one’s views effectively.
Timeline:
Although everyone learns and reads at a different pace and hence the time's lines vary per individual preferences and tastes, a general timeline can be prescribed which one can modify according to one’s requirements.
Month
Preparation Strategy
Dec
Start Preparation: Cover Basic NCERTs
Jan-March
Finish Optional Papers along with Static Portion of GS
Apr-May
Focus Exclusively on Prelims: Take Mock Tests and Revise CA
June
Prelims Exams
July- Oct
Prepare for Mains: Do writing Practice, Revise GS and Optional
Oct
Mains Exam
Nov
Relax and do General Reading
Dec Onwards
Start Preparing for Interview
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