UPSC Preparation Strategy: Useful Tips for UPSC 2019

The Civil Services 2019 examination notification will be out in a month. Once the application process starts, lakhs of candidates across the country will apply for this prestigious examination and attempt to become civil servants and future caretakers of the country.

If you are an aspirant for the civil services, here are a few useful tips before applying for UPSC Civil Services Examination 2019.

Eligibility conditions:

You should satisfy yourself of your IAS eligibility by going through the last year’s notification. It will give you a good idea of where you need to fill gaps in documentation as well make you aware of the number of attempts you have left.

Please make a mental note of the following points:

• Have your citizenship documents like PAN, Adhaar and Voter ID handy before applying.
• Update any documentation which is outdated now as most documents such as educational certificates, citizenship documents etc. take 15-30 days for updating.
• Make sure that address given on all the documents are correct and current, otherwise you risk missing out on UPSC communications after the examination.

Preparation:

Now that you are satisfied that you are eligible to appear for the exam, it is time to launch the final stages of your IAS preparation strategy. Current affairs are a very important part of the syllabus throughout the examination process.

Preparation should revolve around brushing up on as much news as you can cover from monthly news magazines. In addition to this, keep on reading a reputable newspaper like The Hindu.

Preparation for Prelims

Prelims consists of two papers of two hours each. Preparing for prelims is not very hard, but requires concentration and practice.

Here are a few quick tips:

• Study from a point of view of increasing your knowledge.
• Practice previous year’s papers with a timer and focus on increasing accuracy. This would familiarise you with the style of questions that UPSC prefers to ask.
• Pay attention to both CSAT and General studies equally. Remember that these are qualifying papers, without clearing these, all the preparation is wasted.
• Read through NCERT social studies and general science books at least once before prelims. They give well organised and formatted information which is ideal for revision.

Preparation for Mains

Maintain tempo of the mains preparation along with the prelims, as the syllabus for mains is vast and comprehensive. A few helpful ideas to prepare for mains are:

• Set aside time for studying for mains every day and strictly use it only for that.
• Practice writing essays.
• Keep brushing up current affairs as this would help not only in the prelims, but also General Studies papers in the Mains exam and the Personality test.

In conclusion, having all the documents ready to prove your IAS eligibility, and following a disciplined study regimen would ensure success in the UPSC Civil Services exam, while also keeping you stress free during the whole process.


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