How To Start IAS Exam Preparation at Undergraduate Level

The Indian youth are quite passionate about the Civil Services owing to this career is considered as the most coveted exam in India. The main driving factor behind this career is linkage of reach, power and status with civil services. To realize the ambitious dream of civil services lacs of aspirants take up this examination every year. But due to limited number of seats and three layers of exam the competition remains very tough and success ratio remains quite minimal. The exam needs patience and perseverance along with due diligence and dedication. The entire process of exam take almost an year and the preparation demands more than an year for this exam. This is the reason that this exam demands preparation as earlier as possible and it is advisable to start preparation right from start of college.  The preparation should be met with proper guidance and support, because the earlier you get your foundations right the more likelihood of your success in the IAS Exam.

This article deals with the tips for preparation of civil services exam during undergraduate level.

Getting prepared with Civil Services Exam during Graduation Years

There is no alternative except hard work for Civil Services Exam. Apart from this there is no clear cut strategy too that can sail you through this exam. But here are few tips that will surely help you to prepare on undergraduate level

Choosing Right Priorities

Right from the start of graduation the students are concerned with the choices regarding their career. Sometimes they are lured by the lucrative corporate jobs and high salary career options with blend of glamour and high standard of living. Most of the students however have cravings for higher education and research options. Very few of them have the desire to serve the nation and have penchant desire to think about general well being of the nation at large. These few people choose civil services platform to give wings to their dreams. By contemplation and introspection, if a student feels he is destined for this then he/she should start laying the foundation for the road ahead.

Developing an understanding for Civil Services Exam

Undergraduate students have ample amount of  time and thus they have luxury to prepare for this exam. But before taking a step ahead in the preparation it is quite necessary to develop an understanding regarding the pattern and syllabus of civil services exam.Considering the ocean like syllabus it is wise to start as early as possible. Before delving deeper it is important to develop curiosity and understand expectation of civil services exam. Once you are clear with the priorities and carved a plan for the preparation the entire task become easier.

You can start by understanding the UPSC Exam Pattern, eligibility criteria, Syllabus and the format of the exam. Rote learning should not be a part of one’s preparation as the recruiters will expect a candidate to have strong analytical abilities, sound judgement, good knowledge of current issues.

Building up Interest

It is said that before waging a war it is important to think like a soldier. The same is true for civil services. Before taking a plunge into actual syllabus and CSE Books it is necessary to inculcate a habit of reading and writing. The news papers like The Hindu and Indian Express are good platform to start with. These papers not only help you to develop a habit of reading but they will also assist to you to form a better perspective that will help you to write a good answer. These papers will build general awareness and opens one up to a whole new world. It is a rational practice to keep a log of the important articles in the newspaper. Selective reading should be practised on a regular basis which will help in the long run. Editorials in Hindu contain a good analysis of contemporary issues and prove to be of great value from the exam point of view.

Strong Foundation

Reading NCERT’s is very important for understanding the basics and gaining conceptual clarity. Effective reading of NCERT books is extremely essential to kick-start one’s preparation. Multiple readings over a span of time will ensure a sound foundation and a student can move to other standard books gradually. The first reading should be such that, one should get a feel of the content while reading. Second reading involves conscious effort to understand the nuances and introspection. 

Advanced Studies

This is the part where one can pick books related to India written by visionary authors for supplementary reading during leisure time. Government websites and news portals are one of the best sources to get accurate and up to date information about the policies of the government. 

Optional Selection

Optional Subject for UPSC Mains has to be chosen at the initial stages of preparation itself. If the subjects offered during the undergraduate level are a part of the main syllabus in the civil service exam, one can analyse the parts that overlap and start preparing accordingly. This can save one a significant time during the actual preparation. Even if the subjects offered don’t overlap, pick an optional which interests you and start with basic research.