My Strategy For UPSC Prelims Daily Dose of Gyan

I
My strategy for
UPSC Prelims
cleared the prelims exam twice. In 2012, I cleared without attending
any classes, and by studying on weekends while I was working full
time. I learnt a few things along the way that I wish someone told
me earlier!
Tip 1. Do not read books from cover to cover.
When I had just started preparing for the UPSC exams, I would pick up a
book and start reading it from the first page. I would read till like the 30th
page, get bored, and then put the book aside for a while. When I picked it up
later, I would forget what I read earlier. This went on for a while till I realized
there was no progress.
Instead, here is what I suggest you do read a book with a specific purpose.
Before you pick up the book, you should have an answer to this question
what do I expect to learn from this book today?. This will help you navigate
the book better. Go straight to the pages that will give you what you need,
read selectively, write notes and stash the book away till you need it for a
different topic!
For example, dont just pick up Spectrum Modern India and start reading it
from the preface till the last page (thats exactly what I tried to do the first
time). Instead, first figure out a list of topics that you need to cover in modern
Indian history. Then pick up your book to tackle a specific topic, like Causes
and Consequences of the 1857 Revolt. That way, you spend your time more
purposefully. You will be able to better track what you have read and what
you have yet to cover.
Tip 2. Laxmikanths Indian Polity is an exception.
All rules have exceptions. Laxmikanth is one book that you could read from
cover to cover. This book is organized as per the requirements of the prelims
exam, and has helped me answer 16 questions in 2012 and 8-10 questions in
2013*.
But two important things to note here: read this book repeatedly, and pay
attention to detail.
UPSC likes to ask us edge case questions and questions that we could easily
mark wrong if we read the book only superficially. For example, 2013 Prelims
had a question on whether the Attorney General can be a member of a
Parliamentary Committee. It is difficult to remember this if you only read
Laxmikanth once. Another question was on whether nominated members of
the Rajya Sabha can vote in Vice Presidential elections. The one-time-reader is
susceptible to marking this incorrectly unless attention was paid to the detail
that nominated members cannot vote in Presidential elections, but can vote in
VP elections.
*Note: I am recommending Laxmikanth just because that is the book that I
used for Polity. If you have an equivalent book by another author, that should
do as well. I also read DD Basu, but found that a) it was more
analytical/dense, b) not as well organized as Laxmikanth (it is good for Mains,
though).
Tip 3. Economy questions are the easiest to get right
Economy may be daunting to some, but the questions are based on your
conceptual understanding of macroeconomics. If you have this conceptual
clarity, you can answer every single question accurately, without having to
memorize boatloads of data! So invest time in understanding the concepts and
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analyzing how all the parts fit together.
What to study in economy?
1*. GDP (factor cost/production method, market price/expenditure method,
income method. Dont just read definitions, analyze! When do we use one
method vs. another? How will each method give us a different value?)
2. GNP (compare with GDP. When are the two different?)
3. NNP/NDP (why deduct depreciation?)
4*. Inflation (demand pull and cost push. Structural. Headline and core. CPI
and WPI. Phillips curve, stagflation and skewflation. Why has inflation
remained persistently high in India?)
5*. Monetary tools to combat inflation (there is always a question from this
area) CRR, SLR, Repo, open market operations, government securities and
treasury bills.
6. Nominal vs real GDP/GNP/Net National Income etc. (i.e., current prices vs
constant prices.)
6a. Base year selection (why does this matter? Why did we recently update to
2004-05 and are now planning to update to 2011-12? Arent we eroding the
value of constant prices if we keeping changing the base year frequently?)
6b. GDP deflator. Just the definition here.
7*. MSME industries- also just the definition and current thresholds
8*. Budget process (you may have this covered in Polity already. Look at
FRBMA goals also)
9*. Deficits in the budget- fiscal, primary, revenue, primary revenue, effective
revenue
9a. Deficit financing (monetizing vs borrowing)
10. Balance of Payments- current account and capital account.
11*. Current Account Deficit. Financing it with capital inflows.
12. FDI, FII, ECBs.
13. Capital account convertibility
14. Currency- fixed vs floating. LERMS (Liberalized Exchange Rate
Management System).
15. Why is the rupee in a free fall? How is this good/bad for India? Why are
some countries competitively devaluing their currencies (currency war)?
NEER and REER if you have the time.
16*. Demographic Transition Theory (another area which frequently shows up
in the exam)
17. Banking: all the stuff under #5 above + base rate, priority sector lending,
NPAs, SARFAESI Act. No need to go into excessive detail. Read any conceptual
stuff that shows up in the newspapers.
18*. National Manufacturing Policy (asked in both Prelims and Mains last year).
Maybe also look at the National Minerals Policy this year.
19. Savings and investment rates (both expressed as % of GDP). First
understanding how they are different. India has a higher investment rate than
savings rate. How is that possible?
20*. Taxation- may be important this year due to GST. (direct and indirect.
progressive and regressive. Pigovian. VAT, GST)
21*. RGESS may show up this year. Keep on the lookout for such current-
affairs related topics.
22*. Inclusive growth. Maybe focus on gender inclusion.
23. Agricultural subsidies, PDS, Food Security.
Now, whenever you pick up any book on Economy, instead of reading it cover
to cover, you can use this list to study according to Tip 1 above. I would
recommend Ramesh Singhs book, just because it is organized better than
other Economy books.
After reading all the above concepts, understand how things link up. How are
growthinflationfiscal deficitpovertyrupee valuecurrent account deficit etc.
all related? If RBI increases the CRR, for example, what effect would it have on
all of these?
There were around 10 questions from Economy in both 2012 and 2013!
Note: I have left out several things you find in Economy books, like Planning,
details on Indian Agriculture and Industry etc. I do not think these are as
important, but you can cover them if you like Economy, or if you have a lot of
time in your hands.
Tip 4. Tackle History smartly
I did not read Ancient history. I feel like it is too vast with a ton of facts to
memorize, plus only 1-2 questions ever show up. So the return on investment
is low.
Rather, focus on Modern India and study it thoroughly. By thoroughly, I do
not mean picking up a History book and reading it cover to cover. Instead,
split the syllabus into chunks and read+revise each chunk smartly.
What to study in History?
Political developments: starting from the Regulating Act of 1773 to
Indian Independence Act of 1947. Pay attention to detail because this
is another area where edge-case type questions are asked. Sample
questions when did Communal Electorates begin? When was the
Central Assembly made bicameral? And you can have multiple options
questions like Which of the following were introduced in the Minto-
Morley reforms? You will be given some 5-6 options, and given
permutations of those to pick from.
1857 to Pre-congress: there are some facts here about early political
organizations etc.
Pre-Gandhian INC: Bengal Partition and Swadeshi movement,
Moderate vs. Extremist Debate
Early Gandhian: Champaran, Ahmedabad Mill Strike, Kheda
Gandhian INC: this is the biggest chunk. Non-Cooperation Movement,
Civil Disobedience Movement, Round Table Conferences, Quit India
Movement etc.
Non-INC / parallel threads in the Freedom struggle: revolutionary
movements, tribal and Peasant uprisings, Ambedkar, INA etc.
Pay special attention to the participation of women and Indians
abroad.
Also go through social reforms that were happening in parallel, cover
all religions.
How to study History?
Dont just read through Spectrum like a novel. Read purposefully. Make a one-
page note for each event, where you note Causes-Consequences-Important
Personalities. At the end, you will have around 40 pages of these which will
make revision more efficient. Revise often.
Studying Indian History this way should help you answer another 8-10
questions.
Tip 5. Focus on the basics for Geography
Study physical geography well, because it is conceptual and therefore will not
fail you during the exam. You should be able to get at least 5 physical geo
questions on the exam if you study the Fundamentals of Physical Geography
NCERT XI textbook thoroughly.
Cover latitudes and longtitudes, layers of the atmosphere, pressure belts, types
of rainfall (convection, orographic, frontal), monsoons, ocean currents, jet
streams, different types of rainfall etc. Pretty basic stuff.
I know geography can be covered more thoroughly than that, but I hate
memorizing stuff so I didnt go any deeper into things like names of dams,
tributaries etc.
Tip 6. Study the above areas in depth, and the rest in breadth
The rest of the areas in Paper 1, like environment, culture, social issues etc. do
not have a predictable base from which questions are asked. So you have to
cast a wider net here. Dont stress out too much about these, just stay curious
and read whatever you can lay your hands on. Like wikipedia articles, coaching
centre notes, blogs etc.
For environment, Vajirams booklet was nice and concise. I also searched
online for endangered and critically endangered species in India. Then I looked
up to see what the basic criteria are for classifying species as endangered or
vulnerable. I also searched for some government initiatives, like Project
Tiger, Project Snow Leopard etc. There were some 4 questions I could attempt
based on this.
Tip 7: Guess smartly, but not indiscriminately
After you have attempted all of your sure shot questions in Paper 1, you will
have plenty of time left in your hands! Spend this time to go back to other
questions.
Now, follow this process to smart guess:
1. Read the question carefully. More importantly, study the options carefully.
2. Can you confidently eliminate any of the options based on your
preparation?
2. Can you eliminate any options based on common sense?
3. If you have eliminated at least 2 options, only then should you guess
between the remaining two. Otherwise, leave the question. This restraint is
essential, unless you want to end up with a negative score.
See this example from Prelims 2013:
Question: Due to improper/indiscriminate disposal of old and used computers
or their parts, which of the following are released into the environment as e-
waste?
1. Beryllium
2. Cadmium
3. Chromium
4. Heptachlor
5. Mercury
6. Lead
7. Plutonium
Options:
a) 1,3,4,6 and 7
b) 1,2,3,5 and 6
c) 2,4,5 and 7
d) 1,2,3,4,5,6 and 7
Now I didnt read up about this, so I had no clue. BUT common-sense
suggests that Plutonium, which is a heavy, unstable and radioactive element,
cannot be released. So if I eliminate option 7, I am left with only one possible
answer, which is b!
There are always 2 or 3 such questions, so be on the lookout.
Tip 8: How many questions should you attempt in Paper 1?
Obviously, you must first attempt all the questions that you are sure about. If
you focus on Polity, Economy, History and Geography as mentioned above,
you will be able to attempt at least 40 questions. That should give you around
60-80 marks, based on your accuracy. Now the challenge is to take this up to
100+ marks.
In your second round, go back and attempt all the questions where you can
reasonably eliminate at least 2 options. You should be able to get another 40
questions that way. Accounting for negative marking, this should get you well
above 100 marks.
At the very end, I generally mark a few questions where I have a good gut
feeling too, but do this at your own risk!
Tip 9: One simple rule for Paper 2: PRACTICE!
You wont believe how many people end up running out of time because they
get stuck on one math question, or read a passage for too long trying to figure
out one ambiguous question. All your timing woes can be avoided if you
practice enough.
I suggest you set this as a baseline: practice as many tests as you need to,
until you are able to consistently score above 150 in CSAT.
What books should you read? I got the TMH manual for CSAT in 2011, it was
pretty good. It had some 8 tests in the end, which were pretty good. It looks
like TMHs latest edition is much fatter and much pricier! I havent tried any
other manuals, but look through all of them and make your own call.
Leave a comment if you have any question.
RELATED
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anonymous on August 21, 2013 at 6:11 pm said:
bingo.dude.looking forward for a startegy on geofraphy too from ur
side for prelims.
and yes thanks a lot.
Reply
thiraviyam A on March 19, 2014 at 8:18 am said:
thanks
Reply
AJEET SINGH on May 9, 2014 at 11:28 am said:
thanks a lot sir
Nx cool on August 26, 2013 at 7:13 am said:
Very good. Like to read more from you
Reply
DailyGyan on August 28, 2013 at 2:22 pm said:
Thanks guys. Updated the post with more info.
Reply
Nx cool on August 29, 2013 at 4:01 pm said:
Thank you. This is indeed helpful. Pl keep on posting
Reply
minnu on August 29, 2013 at 2:11 pm said:
hi i am gonna write exam in 2014,,i will be able to start peparation by
oct 10 only..plz guide me .i will get around 6 to 8 hours per day and
csat is bit problematic for me ..many mistakes in comprehension,,n
very difficult to perform under the pressure of time i manage to get
130 135 in mock tests but want to score atleast160 or 170 plus to be
on safer side
Reply
Follow the strategy mentioned above for Paper 1. Starting
on Oct 10 will still give you plenty of time to cover
everything for next year.
Regarding CSAT, keep practicing! You have nearly one
year, and you score will definitely go up from 130 to 160s.
As you read more books for Paper 1, you reading speed
should improve and that will help you save some time.
Dont get stuck on any one question for too long. Have a
cutoff (say 2 mins max), and leave the question if you
exceed that time. Put your watch right next to the question
paper because it is very important to keep time closely.
Reply
Nx cool on August 30, 2013 at 4:19 pm said:
Pl suggest some mock test series for paper I for practice before exam
Reply
I signed up for Career Launcher. It was ok, not great.
Around 50% of their questions were similar to UPSCs.
Rest were crap. I heard Vajirams tests are decent. No idea
about the rest.
Ill try posting some mock tests on this blog after Im done
with Mains.
Reply
Nxcool on August 31, 2013 at 6:46 am said:
I even subscribed to GKtoday last year. I would say around 20% was
good, rest was really waste. Anyway, we need mock tests around
March/April. But for now, I will concentrate on basics. I will follow
your blog for your advise.
Reply
abhishek on September 4, 2013 at 5:50 pm said:
few questions on which I want your opinion. I shall be thankful if you
reply, explaining elaborately
1)are the answer writing practice(on different websites like
http://answers.forumias.com/ and http://insightsonindia.com/daily-
answer-writing-challenge/) a substitute to test series of different
coachings ? Please elaborate !
2) Would you suggest me to go to delhi and join 2 test series(visionias
and synergy) for GS mains (after I complete the static portion GS,
myself and I am making the notes from The Hindu regularly !!! )
3)I have made a word document of the suggestion given by toppers
for the preparation of GS. There, they suggest to look into the map to
mark the places, which are in news. May I know, is the suggestion to
look into map for the places in news, tuned in, with the post 2010 era
of UPSC exam pattern?
Do you bother to look into the places in news?
4)In the same word document,the toppers suggest to make the notes
as well as keep the newspaper cuttings for the revisions.
How to identify the newspaper articles to make the notes for, and to
cut, for further reference ? (I do make notes from the newspaper !!! )
How to prepare for CSE(in the right direction), is itself a matter
research !!
Reply
DailyGyan on September 4, 2013 at 7:33 pm said:
1) If you can get to religiously submit answers on these
online fora, then they could be a substitute to test series,
especially in early stages of the preparation (where the
focus should be on articulating your thoughts in the best
possible way). However, as you get closer to the exam,
timing practice and expert feedback may become more
important.
2) You do not need to travel to Delhi to take VisionIAS
tests. I am currently taking them remotely, and it works
just fine (I also took a couple of tests in their classroom in
Delhi- so I can tell that there is not much of a difference).
If you want to take Synergy, however, you need to be
physically present in Delhi to attend the discussion
sessions. I hear the discussion sessions are valuable.
VisionIAS uploads discussion videos online, synergy does
not.
3) Will UPSC ask us to point places in news on a map?
Probably not. But I still look up the map when I encounter
places I hadnt heard of. This I do not for the sake of the
exam but to improve my knowledge in general. Also,
seeing things on a map will help me remember the name
of the place better, and helps me tie it in with other things
I may know.
4) Look at previous years question papers. Or better yet,
buy a book that organizes the questions based on
category. Then try to understand what kinds of questions
were asked. Tiger tourism question (2012 mains) was
covered extensively by the Hindu. The question about the
importance of Patharughat in the freedom struggle
(2012) was also in the Times of India, but very few people
would have read it let alone saved it. If you read the
syllabus and previous questions enough times, you will
develop a sense of what is important.
[Mrunal has compilations of previous questions on his
blog, I think. I found history questions here:
http://mrunal.org/2012/10/download-history-mains-33-
years.html%5D
Are you giving mains this year?
Reply
abhishek on September 7, 2013 at 10:02 am said:
What would you suggest a guy who is willing
to join any test series for mains? some of the
probable points that I expect in your reply are
(firstly try to decide the direction of
preparation by the comprehensive analysis of
the recent previous year question papers)
a) complete the static portion and have
unassailable command on the dynamic
portion(by making notes from
newspapers/magazines/website ).
b) try to solve the questions of the previous
your GS papers(the questions which are like
current era of GS questions). referring to the
previous year optional question paper for the
corresponding parts of GS would do no harm !
c) try to write comments on the several
popular news website, showing your own
opinion.
once, you are comfortable and confident with
the above three points, then only think of
joining a mains test series
-a CSE-2014 aspirant
bipin solanki on April 16, 2014 at 6:53 am said:
thanx a lot but i am getting it much tougher
Anon on October 24, 2013 at 3:15 pm said:
Are you the one who sets UPSC paper?
Just kidding! Thanks for the guide. Looks like you are all prepared for
the exam.
Reply
Rudraa on November 27, 2013 at 5:27 am said:
Very useful.thanks!!!
Reply
Soniasen on November 30, 2013 at 7:51 am said:
Sir i want to prepare for ias. Iam a girl living in small town where not
much inf available for it.pl suggest me gud books and effective
stretegy.waiting for ur reply
Reply
sharan on December 11, 2013 at 11:02 am said:
Find really smart information after a long time of search.
Reply
Smriti on December 11, 2013 at 3:19 pm said:
i wud have done such a blunder.coz i planned on reading stuff cover
to cover..even half read bipin chandra.thanks dudei wud have gone
completely off- track now
Reply
kiran on December 14, 2013 at 6:42 am said:
If u know more than this pls, post ur thoughts to us begginers It
was good i want to have some more knowledge from u
Reply
MADHU on December 18, 2013 at 10:26 am said:
SIR CAN I GIVE IFOS MAINS IN HINDI MEDIUM IF NOT THEN WHY
Reply
Spirate on December 19, 2013 at 1:09 pm said:
You can give it in Hindi medium also. See this years
notification here:
http://www.upsc.gov.in/exams/notifications/2013/csp_ifs/ifshindi.pdf
Reply
Abhilash on December 19, 2013 at 1:03 pm said:
Which books should we start with,Which books should be read?
Reply
Spirate on December 19, 2013 at 1:05 pm said:
Start with whatever interests you the most. I started with
Polity, found it pretty helpful since I could relate things in
Economy and History back to polity.
Reply
Abhilash on December 19, 2013 at 1:04 pm said:
I am a beginner,plz help me by givin instructions what all 2 read nd
what not.
Reply
Truetoheart on January 15, 2014 at 9:49 am said:
Thank you so much It is very very helpful
Reply
H.RODINSANGA on January 16, 2014 at 4:51 pm said:
thanks a lotvery helpful
Reply
Nitin on January 17, 2014 at 3:06 am said:
Thnxxx buddy for ur ideas, bt m still confused about Geography?
Shall i need to buy separate book for modern history
Thnxx once again
Reply
Which magazine should i go for for Current Affairs, n thnxxx for al ur
help
Reply
How to make notes from The Hindu.
Reply
priya on January 28, 2014 at 2:42 am said:
Thanks for providing good direction,I want to know how to prepare
for mains exam and how to prepare notes for indian polity and which
book should be used for csat preparation?
Reply
om on January 31, 2014 at 4:08 pm said:
I use to prepare upsc before 2 nd half year.how much time peroid
should I give to it??
Reply
Spirate on March 1, 2014 at 3:03 am said:
Hard to give a specific answer to this. Depends on how
comfortable you are with GS and the optional. If you
havent started already, you should now!
Reply
akanksham4 on February 6, 2014 at 5:04 am said:
what is the best time to start preparing for UPSC?
Reply
Earlier the better! In my humble opinion, at least 4-5
months before Prelims is needed.
Reply
Rachna on February 19, 2014 at 6:11 am said:
HI, this is my first time. I had never thought of Civils until I now. Im
working with gov sector and wish to utilise my time studying. thats
when i thought of preparing for civils. But since im new to this area i
have no clue where to begin. I need your complete guidance on what
strategy to follow and which books to refer. Please help. I dnt wnat to
take up coaching in the beginning.
Reply
Follow this for prelims. Will post one soon for Mains.
Reply
Arya R on February 23, 2014 at 6:07 am said:
You are the Best!! I am planning to prepare on my own, and I am sure
your blog has given me a sense of direction. Thanks a lot Gyan.
Definitely bookmarking your blog. Hope you make it! Thanks and
looking forward to more articles..
Reply
Arijit on February 25, 2014 at 5:00 am said:
Will NCERT books on Economics ( XI and XII ) suffice to prepare for
UPSC Prelims 2014??
Reply
Should be sufficient. If any concepts come up in the news
paper, follow up on Wikipedia or something.
Reply
Arijit on March 1, 2014 at 6:00 pm said:
Okay Thanks..
bharti87 on February 28, 2014 at 5:36 pm said:
Reblogged this on LazyBird .
Reply
ummanaik cn on March 11, 2014 at 6:01 am said:
sir can i write GS papers of mains in Kannada medium..?
Reply
Yes, sir. You can!
Reply
Arijit on March 13, 2014 at 5:21 pm said:
Do we need to go through all the ARC reports for the mains..???
Reply
Saurabh on March 19, 2014 at 7:04 am said:
Thnx sir for such good suggestions..
Sir i want to prepare for 2017 ..
Please guide me,how should i start..
Should i join any institute ??
Reply
Spirate on April 17, 2014 at 2:13 pm said:
Saurabh, you have over 3 years left, so please
dont join coaching institutes. If they are of
any help, it is to people who do not have time.
The information they teach could become stale
by the time you write the exam. The pattern
may also be completely changed by then!
Id suggest that you:
1) Focus on your graduation this is your
foundation for not only civil services but any
other job as well.
2) Become a well-informed citizen read the
newspapers every day. Follow-up on any
important/unknown articles with some
Wikipedia/Google searching.
3) If you have time after 1 and 2, read about
our Freedom movement and Indian history
after independence (Bipin Chandra has good
books on both). Pick up NCERTs to revise
basics of geography.
Sorry for the late reply, but hope this helps.
ARC reports are not an absolute requirement, but if you
have the time to do so it could give you some helpful
points to use in your answers. I found the ones on e-
governance, crisis management and ethics particularly
helpful.
Reply
Arijit on April 17, 2014 at 2:21 pm said:
Okay Thank u so much.. Ill go through
them too..
Rdhi on March 16, 2014 at 5:07 pm said:
Thanks a lot sir ! Information is really really helpful.ofen i got confused
with how many question one should attempt but i got an answer
today. It would be more benificial if u suggest something about
important topics in science and history (sculpture mudras,dances )
.please suugest some books on these topics .Thanks again.
Reply
Try Spectrums handbook for Culture. It has compressed
millions of facts into a few pages. This could be helpful for
Mains also. But if you really want to retain all that
information, you should supplement your reading with
some visuals watch youtube videos or see pictures of the
dances / songs / architecture styles etc.
Reply
shazia khan on March 18, 2014 at 6:36 am said:
plz suggest a good online testseries for prelims 2014.hoes vision ias
for prelims
Reply
sajjad hussain on March 20, 2014 at 1:12 pm said:
quite nice articlemay almighty bless U
Reply
sheela on March 30, 2014 at 3:53 pm said:
hello,
its already march end now.. i havent yet seriously started preparing
yet without any effort, im able to score 130 on an average in csat
paper 1, thts a big head ache..i mostly bunk tests coz i don finish
studying the portion.. im alil diverted mentally.. wil i be able to get
through if i start preparing atleast from april onwards..??
Reply
Yes! You still have the time. My advice is to study for
Mains as well. Focussing solely on Prelims may get you
through the first step, but you will realize the 3 months
available between Prelims and Mains is insufficient to cover
GS+optional.
Make a schedule for the 3-4 months that you have left.
Plan on covering the Mains syllabus at least once before
Prelims.
Reply
poonam singh on April 4, 2014 at 4:04 am said:
sir.. i got selected in bank but i m also preparing for iasis it advisable
to go for bank at this time as ias pre 2014 is in august?
Reply
Husnaa on April 9, 2014 at 7:40 am said:
i am working full time and planning to prepare for prelims in aug
2014. if I start to prepare now is it practically possible to finish
preparing for paper 1 and 2.please advise and provide good tips to
prepare in short time wisely.
Reply
Yes, it is fully possible to finish the Prelims syllabus in
time. You should be more worried about covering Mains
syllabus as well before Prelims. The time gap between
Prelims and Mains is small so you cant put away Mains to
after Prelims.
Since you are working full time, here is a possible
strategy:
1. Spend the first few days thoroughly understanding the
scope of syllabus for both Prelims and Mains. Pick an
optional asap if you havent already.
2. Read the newspaper in the morning for an hour a day.
Skip the entertainment and sports sections, focus on
Economy, Polity, Science, Environment etc. Compile notes
and revise these on Saturday and Sunday. Also glance
through International Affairs since it could be helpful for
Mains.
3. Carry a book to work and set a target for a day. Spend
whatever time you can find (lunch break / loo break / tea
break) on meeting that target. You can safely carry a
history book and cover modern India without arousing
suspicion
4. Once you are back from work spend a good 2 hours
covering Prelims syllabus. Take a dinner break, then study
for your optional for another 2 hours.
5. Weekends- focus on revising, taking nice long breaks,
and covering some GS Mains syllabus like International
affairs, Security, Ethics etc.
Sounds like a lot of work, but in my personal opinion, the
reading was a nice break from work-related stress!
If you feel at any point that you are unable to give your
job or the preparation your best efforts, make a decision
to pick one. Will keep you happier in the long term.
All the best!
Reply
wiltedthread on April 11, 2014 at 10:17 am said:
what about general science and medieval India? I am sure, they do
cover some chunk.
Reply
wiltedthread on April 11, 2014 at 10:29 am said:
oh! one more area, i.e., current affairs? How did you
prepare for that?
Reply
Current affairs- read the newspaper everyday.
Not just a 10 minute glance but a thorough
read that takes >45 minutes. Editorials help
you out for Mains. Factual info in
Economy/Environment/Polity/Science sections
help you out for both Prelims and Mains. I had
a Google doc where I compiled current affairs
organized by area, and would revise the
weeks news on Sundays.
Medieval India- I mentioned in the post that I
skipped it due to paucity of time. I found the
RoI to be low here.
General science- I didnt put in any special
effort because I am a science student, but you
could either pick up any Prelims manual or
NCERTs.
Mohan Palatshaha on April 11, 2014 at 10:21 pm said:
Really nice information, needed suggestions from you.
Currently I m working as a manager in one IT company in South
America, having ample amount of time to study but m lacking with the
books and proper guidance, can you please suggest me any online
guide which would be perfect for taking me in right direction.
Reply
Hey Mohan, my first attempt was while I was working in
the US. I was in a similar position as yours where I did not
have access to any resources. But I was able to clear
prelims using the strategy above. I couldnt clear Mains
though, because I didnt focus on GS + 2 optionals.
It is easier now that you have only one optional. I would
advise you to look at Mains syllabus from now itself. Have
you picked an optional subject yet? Go through the
syllabus for the optional and GS Mains thoroughly, and
plan the next months so that you can cover the entire
Mains syllabus at least once before prelims.
Leave any questions you may have here and I will try to
help out the best I can.
Reply
Harnoor on April 13, 2014 at 7:36 am said:
I am feeling so blessed at the moment since I randomly landed on this
blog and got to read this strategy, especially tip 1 I am a beginner
who first picked up reading Ncerts from class 6 onwards as per the
various advices that are floating on internet. I have hardly managed to
get past class 8, and have been studying the same way as you have
mentioned in tip 1 and for a long time I was not satisfied with the way
I was studying, because by the time I pick up from wherever I left
studying the last time, I have forgotten what I was studying to begin
with I am glad to know the solution to my problem before I picked
up advanced books. I have a few doubts regarding sorting the
material. I will appreciate and be glad if you would reply to my
queries.
1) How did you sort the topics to be studied from a particular book?
2) How to prepare science portion for prelims ? (Considering I am
from non-science background)
Harnoor
Reply
Glad to know this is of some help. Youve got a beautiful
blog yourself!
Now to your questions:
1. For Polity- cover all of Laxmikanth. For econ- use the
list I gave on this blog. For
history/geography/environment- give a quick first read of
any book to understand the landscape and populate a list.
In subsequent readings, go according to that list. I will
also post the lists on this blog after my interview.
2. The fastest way would be to read a prelims manual (say
TMH), or you could get all the NCERTs and compile the
material yourself.
Reply
Harnoor on April 18, 2014 at 9:10 am said:
Thank you for your reply. I guess TMH
manual will help me to get what I am looking
for. All the best for your interview, I hope you
clear it. And please do share a detailed
strategy for mains, interview, time-
table/routine etc, so that people like me can
copy it & ace this exam
And one more thing, what do you suggest (to
a person who started reading The Hindu, very
late and also has no notes prepared) to cover
current affairs in a short period of time?
Thanks for visiting my blog.
Venkat on April 15, 2014 at 6:30 am said:
Hello sir,
Im impressed with your strategy and i would like to ask a suggestion
from you. I thought of appearing for IAS prelims 2014 i.e this year. Is
it a good thought to prepare for prelims which is 3 months time gap
from now? I mean 3 months is sufficient to prepare for prelims?
Thanks in advance.
Reply
Yes, sir! 3 months is sufficient. But dont study just with
Prelims in mind. Look at Mains GS and Optional syllabus
as well. Allocate time for that as well, since this time the
gap between prelims and mains is rather small.
In my opinion, 3 hrs of studying per day for the next three
months should be sufficient to clear prelims. You should
be spending weekends and any extra time on Mains.
Obviously, it is both quantity and quality of study that will
matter in the end.
All the best!
Reply
Imran on April 18, 2014 at 10:33 am said:
nice one sir, very much helpful, I am
preparing for 2014 , started studying in last
month only, I am Engineer and full time
working in a Govt sector, plz guide how to
select optional subject . Thank you .Regards,
Rahul
Spirate on May 7, 2014 at 7:41 am said:
What subjects are you interested in? Pick an
optional based on your interest, not on other
factors like availability of material, perceived
difficulty etc. If you are passionate about
learning that subject, all else will follow.
faiza on April 23, 2014 at 10:44 am said:
sir, is it essential to read ncert from 6th to 12 for geography, polity,
histry, science because i have joined i a test series, all these books i
have to study for that test series.
Reply
layika on April 24, 2014 at 4:30 pm said:
hi please let me kno in detail wat all to study in general science,
environment and biodiversity. what topics to focus on and d related
uselfull books on these
Thanks for all ur points in helped me allot.
n please help me in these subjects too
m looking forward for ur reply asap. thanks allot in advance
Reply
arjun on April 25, 2014 at 6:01 am said:
Hi . Such life saver of a blog yours is . Thank you . I have a doubt .
The UPSC sets its question paper for the exams in august 24th by
which date ( atleast around which date ) ,i am asking this because after
that date the current affairs wont be covered in the prelims during
those dates when the question paper is already set , we can avoid
going through the current affairs and save a little precious time .
Please let me know on this . Thanks a ton .
Reply
ajish on April 27, 2014 at 7:02 am said:
thank you for the great recommendations dear. see you in service
Reply
vamsi on April 30, 2014 at 5:19 am said:
Hello Sir,
Thaking you for providing this much information..
can u please suggest me the order of subjects and time division for
starting the preparation.(time table upto 24 Aug 2014).
Reply
Mark Milhiem on May 7, 2014 at 12:00 am said:
Its really helpful for me as a beginner with a sense of direction to
head to. I want to join a coaching centre in delhi by October 2014 to
prepare for the next year CSE..What all do I need to read and be
equipped with first before I joined the coaching to reaped maximum. I
dont want to be clueless with the sea of information being handed
down in a short time with less time time to grasp them. Thanks, sir.
Reply
Spirate on May 7, 2014 at 7:47 am said:
If you can, browse through the Polity/History/Econ/Geo
books before you join coaching [refer my other post for
the booklist]. A prior reading will help you better
understand whats being taught in class.
Also- coaching classes only supplement but do not replace
self-learning. Spend quality time outside the classroom in
studying the material yourself. All the best!
Reply
shilpi agrawal on May 7, 2014 at 5:00 am said:
sir due to my illness i hav only one month left for mppsc prelims pls
suggest some short time strategy.
Reply
prasanthi on May 8, 2014 at 11:05 am said:
hello sir, is there any problem in studying 6th to 10th social studies
that are of state syllabus?
Reply
kaveri on June 20, 2014 at 11:20 am said:
yes u may study NCERT books it will helpful more than
the state Board syallbus All the Best
Reply
dr.taruna on June 5, 2014 at 4:02 pm said:
hi sir ur guidance is of real help i want to ask shd i prepare for mains
too this time whn just 2months left for pre
Reply
narendra on June 22, 2014 at 8:42 am said:
sir ,you gave a good information regarding upsc preliminarythanking
you sir
Reply
saurabh on June 28, 2014 at 10:16 am said:
thanx alot sir plz suggest how to maintain wt i read 4 ias.smtimes i
feel nervous due to diffidence.
Reply
ayoosh on June 28, 2014 at 3:21 pm said:
how to study current for prelims if i was not regular with newspaper
Reply
Spirate on August 5, 2014 at 2:56 am said:
Dont worry about it at this point, focus on revising what
youve already read.
Reply
Raghu on July 3, 2014 at 11:55 pm said:
Hi sir,
I m so confident now towards reaching ma aim, ur words really
eliminated half of d tension regarding how to prepare for exam becoz I
belong to low middle class family n I was so worried bout purchasing
books n allnow d half tension remained s right now I m working as
production engineer for full 8 to 10 hours a day I hardly get 4 hrs to
studyhow to manage thIs ??? N more all I badly need a radio station
that gives me news becoz I cant sit see daily news o read news papers
within 4 hrs that I get for studiesif i get a radio news station then
atleast i can listen to news during ma travel hrsI need a complete
guidens from u on my optional PUBlic administration n how to achieve
well in gs All 4 papers and is it good if I solve 10 years question
papers for prelims??? Without reading anything else ????
Reply
If you have access to the internet, you dont really need
the radio. UPSC aspirants read the newspaper everyday
not only for the news tidbits but also for the editorials and
op-eds, which usually contain well-articulated arguments.
If you are pressed for time, spare about 30 mins everyday
to glance through http://www.thehindu.com, and read any
important editorials/op-eds you come across. This process
may take longer in the beginning, but you will be able to
do this faster as you go along.
Reply
Learning on July 9, 2014 at 5:36 pm said:
roviding such a useful information.This was my second attempt and
marksheed is declared on Upscs Website I got just 132 maks.36 in
paper 1 and 95 In Paper 2.I had attempted 75 marks in paper 1 and
56 questions in paper2. I have already read the books you have
suggested but I didnt read newspaper for somedays. kIndly reply
whats more need to be done.Thanks.
Reply
Try attempting more questions in Paper 1 and 2. Dont
worry about current affairs if youve missed reading them
regularly. Youre better off investing your time on the
static syllabus like history, environment, polity etc.
Reply
Ramya on July 18, 2014 at 7:44 am said:
Hi,
i am going to write Prelims next month. as i am a house wife and i
have 2 small kids. so that, i dont get much time to prepare and also i
am unable to go to any type of coaching because of some financial
crises. can you please suggest me how to prepare for prelims. i am
very much worried..
Reply
Worrying isnt going to help! There are many parents who
clear this exam! You dont need coaching either, with the
proliferation of information on the internet. Read the right
books, and revise them often. Focus on polity, history,
econ and environment for prelims. I hope youve been
practicing CSAT.
Reply
S Venkatalakshmi on July 26, 2014 at 6:33 pm said:
Its a nice Blog sir.I am writing upsc 2014 this aug 24.But I am in a
situation yet to start.As there is only 28 days for the exam,we u guide
me how to clear upsc this time with this limited time.This is first
attempt for me.If u give a good timetable and whole topics to cover as
planned time,it will be a great kind on u
Thank You Sir.
Reply
You are yet to start for prelims? Gee, thats risky! Focus on
polity, history and environment these topics give you
maximum bang for buck. Practice CSAT. Good luck!
Reply
abhinaya on August 2, 2014 at 9:09 am said:
Sir ur suggestions r really inspiring and helpfulIm a final year cs
engineering student..im not attending placements..I want to appear for
2015 prelims. That is 12 months from nowIve opted for Upsc portal
online coaching materials.its pretty good.is tat ok?I studied in CBSE till
10th so Ive some grasp of ncert books..so now what should be my
strategy and time table to crack 2015 prelims? I shd attend final year
classes.bt I still can manage 8 to 10 hours per day. Is tat sufficient? Pls
guide me.
Reply
Haha 8-10 hours a day for a full year is sufficient to get
you the first rank! Just make sure you study consistently
and dont lose steam. This is a marathon and not a sprint.
Focus on reading all the standard books for Polity, History,
Geography, Economy, Environment etc. Read the
newspaper everyday to gather both facts and analysis of
current affairs.
Reply
Ive even downloaded many apps for current affairs wch gt updated
daily..I also gist of current affairs from online material ..is tat
sufficient? Pls reply.how to organise my preparation to get good marks
in prelims?
Reply
Just reading news summary isnt sufficient. Focus on
editorials and op-eds as well.
Reply
thanks a lot sir..Ill surely follow ur words.il
need ua guidance throughout my journey of
preparation
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