UPSC Preparation For Beginners: The Ultimate Guide

The UPSC Civil Services Exam also known as the IAS Exam is taken up by approximately 10 lakh candidates every year. This number is increasing with each passing year. It is a three-stage exam that will take you to the illustrious career of a civil servant. The diverse syllabus, cut-throat competition, the nature and demand of the exam and the infamous unpredictability of this exam has bestowed this exam with the title of the toughest exam in the country.

We have come with this reading to tell you what are the essentials of the UPSC Preparation For Beginners. 

UPSC Preparation Tips For Beginners

If you look at the recent trends of UPSC, huge numbers of fresh college graduates are preparing for this exam right from their college days. When every person is so dedicated, let us tell you the things that will give you an edge over other candidates if you include these in your preparation.

Things To know while starting UPSC Preparation:

Many candidates put in all their attempts but are unable to get through yet few candidates are able to clear the exam on their first attempt. What is the key to success? 

Before starting the preparation, one should be well aware of these things:

1. Go through the syllabus and by-heart it. The crux of cracking the UPSC Civil Services Examination lies in decoding the syllabus and aligning one's preparation with it.
2. UPSC Exam dates are released by the Commission in the Civil Service Exam 2023 Calendar online at the official website. Make sure you prepare according to the exam date.
3. Prepare according to the pattern of the exam. This pattern of examination is intended to assess candidates' overall intelligence and understanding level
4. You need to be mentally prepared for a rollercoaster ride that will transform you. You need to put in hard work, smart work, test practice, reading, writing, and so on. You must also reduce the number of hours spent socialising and watching mindless television. But you should not stop doing these things and become a hermit, as that would have a detrimental effect. To pass the IAS exam, you must put your studies first.

IAS Study Plan for Beginners

IAS Toppers suggest that candidates must prepare for the Mains and Prelims simultaneously. 

The duration between the Prelims and Mains examinations is 3 months which is not sufficient for confident preparation. 

• Practice MCQs for the Preliminary Exam. It gives you accuracy. 
• UPSC Mains Preparation requires a thinking mind. Try to develop your perspective on issues. 
• Start your UPSC preparation by studying the basic books to build your foundation. The NCERTs are the preferred choice. Though many people also refer to the NIOS books. But there is no difference between the two. You may pick a book that you can revise easily. 

NOTE: The information contained here is authentic, so you can safely use it for facts. In case multiple books give contradictory information, you should stick to the NCERT version.

You can see the list of NCERT or NIOS books to read for the IAS exam here.

When to Start Preparing for IAS Exam

It is suggested that the aspirants must start at least 10-12 months prior to the UPSC Prelims Exam. It is only then that you will be able to cover the syllabus comprehensively and have ample test practice. 

• Before moving on to the optional papers, you should start with the common GS papers. You should have completed at least 75% of the GS syllabus for the main and 50% of the syllabus for the optional subjects before taking the UPSC prelims exam. 
• You need to practice a few test papers a month before the prelims if your academic background makes it easier for you to score well in CSAT. The CSAT should be taken at least two months before the exam. However, it is a qualification exam, so you should aim to pass it.

Study Plan for UPSC for Prelims

You need to dedicate two months to studying only for the prelims two months before the exam. By using intelligent guesswork, you can avoid negative markings. Your sole focus should be on solving MCQs.

Current Affairs for UPSC Exam

Examiners can ask anything under the banner of current affairs in the IAS exam. But don't worry, the UPSC might be unpredictable, but there's a method to this madness. You should relate what you read in your daily newspapers (your primary source of current affairs) to the UPSC syllabus. Reading the papers and jotting down notes on current affairs is a good idea. For UPSC exam current affairs preparation, you can always rely on GS SCORE Analyst. We provide our experts with critical news analysis neatly categorized under sections based on several important news sources. In addition, you will have access to both prelims and mains practice questions.

It is natural for any beginner to experience fear and anxiety. Though you may overcome fear with practice and the right strategy.

Samiksha

Team GS SCORE