TIPS FOR IAS MAINS Preparations for Mains examination should be done intensively. . One should al!

ays tar"et for Mains even !hile preparin" for Preliminary examination. This is be#ause there is mu#h in #ommon "round for study and there is little time for preparation for the IAS examination after the results are announ#ed. $. &. It al!ays helps if the #hoi#e of the optionals for the Prelims examination is one of the sub%e#ts #hosen for the Mains. After analysis'ta(in" the de#ision on the options) one should sort out the Main *uestion papers a##ordin" to the syllabus topi#s of the Mains examination. If one analyses these *uestions) after sometime the *uestions are repeated in one form or the other. This !ill "ive you time to prepare a standard ans!er to the *uestion papers of the previous years. This !ill also ma(e your tas( easy at the Mains examination. ,uestions as(ed are of the Masters level examination. Sometimes the *uestions are -#on#eptual. in nature) aimed at testin" the #omprehension levels of the basi# #on#epts. So) if you don.t have a basi# "roundin" in the basi# #on#epts) it !ould be advisable to start from simple boo(s. The ri"ht #hoi#e of readin" material is important and #ru#ial. 0ou should not read all types of boo(s as told by others. 1et a list of standard textboo(s from the su##essful #andidates) or other sour#es and also sele#t proper notes for studyin". 3hile studyin" for the optional sub%e#ts) (eep in mind that there is no s#ope for sele#tive studies in 4S5. The !hole syllabus must be #ompletely and thorou"hly #overed. 5*ual stress and !ei"hta"e should be "iven to both the optionals. Remember 6 in the ultimate analysis both sub%e#ts #arry exa#tly the same amount of maximum mar(s. For sub%e#ts li(e Mathemati#s and Statisti#s and 1eo"raphy maps et#) pra#ti#e is very important. One should also pra#ti#e other sub%e#ts and should not treat the same examination) as an 8experien#e "atherin"9 exer#ise to "et a #han#e for !ritin" mains is a "reat thin") !hi#h one may not "et a"ain. :en#e) you should "o throu"h the unsolved papers of the previous papers and solve them to stimulate the atmosphere of the examination. Sti#( to the time frame ;rou"hly minute for $ mar(s. Speed is the very essen#e of this examination. :en#e) time mana"ement assumes #ru#ial importan#e. Revision of sub%e#ts is very important be#ause 8anythin" you #ould not revise prior to the examination is as "ood as not havin" prepared at all9. The reason is that you have been preparin" for months or years to"ether. It is a human tenden#y to for"et somethin" after some time. :en#e) revision is a must. 3ritin" s(ills ;pa#(a"in"> matter a lot in the 4ivil Servi#es. Most of the #andidates

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appearin" for the Mains examination have a lot of (no!led"e) but la#( !ritin" s(ills. They are not able to present all the information'(no!led"e in a #oherent and lo"i#al manner) as expe#ted by the examiner. It is not only !hat you !rite) that is important) but also ho! you !rite !hat you !rite. ?. For developin" the !ritin" s(ills) one should (eep !ritin" model ans!ers !hile preparin" for the Mains examination. This !ould help the #andidate to 8"et into the "roove9 of !ritin" under time pressure in the Mains examination. The attitude should never be 8I !ill dire#tly !rite in the examination9. . @evelop and follo! your o!n style of !ritin". Try not to be repetitive and maintain a flo! in the style of your !ritin". Never try to imitate others in the style of !ritin". $. Se*uential and systemati# style of ans!erin" #omes after a lot of pra#ti#e and analysis of standard ans!ers. Try to stimulate the a#tual examination hours to %ud"e your performan#e and to plu" any loopholes. &. Instru#tions "iven at the be"innin" of the *uestion papers should be read #arefully. +. Stri#tly adhere to the !ord limit as pres#ribed at the end of the *uestion to the extent possible. Try not to ex#eed the !ord limit) as far as possible. Sti#(in" to the !ord limit that !ill save time. Aesides) the number of mar(s you a#hieve are not "oin" to in#rease even if you ex#eed the !ord limit. /. 3rite it le"ibly as it !ill simplify the evaluator.s tas( and he #an read the ans!ers easily. 2. :i"hli"ht'underline the important points) !hi#h you feel) are important. 7. If the !rite up is in essay form) !rite in para"raphs. A ne! point should start !ith a ne! para"raph. <. If the *uestion needs ans!er in point form) "ive it a bullet format. =. Beep suffi#ient spa#e bet!een t!o lines. $?. Try to maintain uniformity in your !riteCups throu"hout the paper. Some students !rite !ell in the initial papers. Dnder time pressure) the s#ript "oes from bad to !orse in the later sta"es of the ans!er sheets and "ets bad treatment. This may irritate the evaluator. $ . @on.t #ount !ords after every ans!er. If you have pra#ti#ed !ell) you #an #ount 8ho! many !ords do you !rite in a line and ho! many lines in a sin"le pa"e and the total !ords per *uestion9. $$. 1ive spa#e and divide it by a dividin" line bet!een t!o *uestions.

$&. One should tar"et at least $??'$??? mar(s in the Mains. The main #ut off also varies from year to year. TIPS FOR 3RITIN1 AN 5SSA0 One is re*uired to !rite an essay for three hours duration. This len"th of duration is enou"h. There is no standard !ord limit for !ritin" an essay. Remember to divide an essay into three parts 6 ;i> Introdu#tion ;ii> Main body and ;iii> 4on#lusion. The #hoi#e of topi# on !hi#h the essay is to be !ritten after #areful thou"ht. 3hile sele#tin" a topi#) the (no!led"e base of the topi# 6 i.e ho! mu#h you (no! about the sub%e#t is of #ru#ial importan#e. If you have data or statisti#s at your fin"ertips to ba#( some statements) all the more better. The introdu#tion is of #ru#ial importan#e. Remember 6 !ell be"un is half done. This applies to an essay all the more. One #ould be"in !ith a sayin" or a *uotation. ,uotations ma(e the essay interestin" to read. If you #annot mentally arran"e the points to be #overed in the essay) %ot do!n the points on a rou"h sheet of paper. Try to expand one point in its entirety in one para"raph and then move on to the next point. @o not (eep returnin" ba#( to one point after you have started another point. It ma(es the essay repetitive and borin" to read. If possible) try to maintain a lin( bet!een the points by a #onne#tin" senten#e at the end of the para"raph #overin" a "iven point. Beep your senten#es short. Eon"er senten#es not only lead to #omplex senten#es) but also point to #omplexity in thou"ht pro#ess. Dse minimum number of #on%un#tions. Finish off a senten#e as *ui#(ly as possible and start a ne! senten#e. In an essay) try to point out the problem areas and also su""est solutions to solve them. 4on#lusion is as important as an introdu#tion. It "ives an insi"ht into your analyFin" po!ers. Try to "ive a brief overvie! in the form of a "ist of the essay in the #on#lusion. Sour#e G #ivilsexpert.#om