Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Preparation
Make Up Your Mind
The most important thing before going for this decision is to analyze every aspect
of IAS preparation as it is not a sure-shot that the candidate may get success in
one go and, in many instances, this process becomes lethargic due to repeated
failures.
Discussing with seniors and those who have prepared for IAS examination will
also provide you with an overall insight into the IAS examination and it will help
you in making a good decision at the right time.
Scheduling/Prioritising things:
Daily, weekly, monthly schedule:
Make a proper schedule by prioritizing the things, for instance, you will finish this
subject or chapter by this much time or week. Our Brain does not act properly
until and unless it is being commanded clearly. This clarity will come when you
male proper schedule by writing it down on paper.
The secret mantra is to Revise, Revise, and Revise! Studying is important, but so
is the revision. Preparing for the UPSC will require you to remember a lot of
information which is nothing less of a herculean task. So, how will you ensure
that you retain all that you’ve studied? The answer is a simple revision! This is
even more important for static subjects which have a definite syllabus
By adopting these techniques it should be helpful for you to maintain a well-
balanced schedule for both the Prelims and Mains. But as Swami Vivekananda
said, make this exam your goal and let the passion for becoming a Civil Service
Officer run deep into your veins!
All the best!
There is no hard and fast rule of timing to prepare for this examination. But, if you
have the right guidance and you know the demand for this examination you can
crack this examination in one go as well. However, starting the preparation as
early as possible is being suggested to understand the whole dynamics of this
examination and preparing oneself for every section of the examination can be
taken care of.
Willingness to outwork and outlearn everyone should be the most important
ingredient of an aspirant mindset. This mindset attitude will help you in going the
extra mile when things are not going well and you feel drained from inside.
As a beginner, you should ideally give 7 to 8 hours depending upon the work
ethic in starting time. This daily schedule should comprise of daily reading of
Newspaper followed by the subject you are preparing and optional subject. You
can bifurcate the timing of both portions according to the need of your subject.
It should be remembered that at least one day should be given in a week for the
revision so that apart from incorporating new information daily you can collect the
information in sequence to utilise it properly before the exact battle day.
Felling mental tiredness and lethargic is quite common in every aspirant and you
neither should nor worry about these things. As a human being mood swings and
you will feel; why I am preparing for this examination and what I will get by doing
such hard work and making your near and dear ones suffer as well in case your
family depends upon you.
The most appropriate advice will be to not think about the result too much and
think about the process rather than thinking all the time about the result. As it is
said that" think about the journey rather than the destination". By doing
developing a thought process like that you can develop a good habit of positive
thinking, which can play a crucial role in defining your career.
You can also go out for a movie with your friends from time to time or you can
spend some quality time with your family. These little things play a very important
role in changing the mode and once again you can start studying with 2x energy.
The only thing you can do is discipline, discipline and discipline. But, this
discipline will come when you will be crystal clear in your thought process as to
why you are preparing for this examination and how far have you come in this
process. As it is being said that think about a day at time and piece by piece and
drop by drop you will reach the place where you want to be.
In terms of prioritising the things think like; what is more important your dream or
any work that will drive you away from your dream so, keep yourself agile all the
time in learning new things and developing new habits that can be helpful for
your dream.
The more books you read, the higher is your probability of sailing through.
Absolutely no. CSE is not a test of knowledge but application of things you
already know. One must better read one book four times than four books one
time.
You need to be a monk when preparing. No, you only need to be self-disciplined.
You don't have to go in hibernation. All you need is self-control. People who love
you are your springboards to bounce back when you feel low. My mother, partner
and two friends were very instrumental in my success. Yes, you should not
socialise that often as it distracts but some unwinding only eases the stress.
How does one measure intelligence? Can we call someone highly intelligent just
because he/she scores 100% in Mathematics or Physics at the 10th Class level?
Or do we call a student who has consistently secured a first division intelligent?
The fact is, the notion of intelligence is susceptible to varied definitions.
At last, I would say that "your limitation is only your imagination” and any
success doesn't come by remaining there in your comfort zone. So, go and
grab this opportunity that you have got and make your parents, teachers
proud of you, go and get the success as the world is yours. Like in the
words of Swami Vivekananda "Arise awake and stop not till the goal is
reached". Good luck……
If you have joined CHAHAL ACADEMY, just follow the curriculum of the batch,
you will reach the destination. If you are starting on your own, to begin with follow
the initial steps.
No strategy
Shortage of time
Mental stress
Lack of energy for studies
Inability to start the UPSC preparation.
However, in reality, there lie several plus points for a working professional if he is
preparing for the Civil Services Examination.
Dr Shena Aggarwal, former UPSC topper was working while preparing for UPSC,
so it is neither new nor unbelievable for a working professional to understand that
s/he can prepare well and better than others for the Civil Services Examination.
NO TIME FOR DEMOTIVATION:
A UPSC aspirant who is also a working professional would have a lot to do both
professionally and academically. He would have no time to feel dull, lazy,
pathetic, and unpleasant and other bad vibes which a full-time UPSC aspirant
has to go through.
S/he would always be in work mode, filled with confidence and always stay
motivated. This way s/he can counter the most powerful factor which leads to
several failures in UPSC examination.
UPSC would always be a platform for them to unlock their hidden potential and
study for the examination in a comprehensive manner. Their ultimate aim is to
give their best to harness the best results. Therefore, they would give their least
attention to unnecessary apprehensions.
Work is Worship. For a working professional who is also preparing for UPSC,
study and work both are his/her topmost priority. He would always be very clear
on why he wants to clear UPSC examination. S/he would always study with
utmost dedication with no second thoughts or plans in mind. A working
professional would always have a laser-like focus which is crucial to clear this
examination.
Working professionals are skilled in meeting their targets on time. They can
make use of this skill of theirs in meeting daily study targets in UPSC preparation
and thus never feel left behind and burdened. This will keep away the
unnecessary stress from him.
THEY HAVE A WELL-PLANNED STRATEGY
Working professionals understand that they have a very limited amount of time
for completing the entire syllabus. So, they try to utilise every minute they get for
studying the most in the minimum amount of time.
NO DAYDREAMING
Working professionals are not unnecessarily concerned about the ranks, cadres
or services they will be allotted. So, their complete focus is on the preparation
part.
BONUS TIPS
IAS TIMETABLE/STUDY PLAN FOR WORKING PROFFESSIONALS :
Every minute counts: Utilise the best out of every minute you get in studies.
Utilising every minute is more important than utilising an hour.
Be strong. Don’t feel guilty comparing yourself to a 21-year-old sitting in his
room supposedly studying for 25 hours a day.
Learn to manage your time efficiently, you can't prepare for CSE even if you
leave your job because it's all about efficiency in time management.
Remember the purpose and never get carried away by the comforts of the job.
Stick to “MINIMUM MATERIAL, MAXIMUM VALUE”
Get enrolled in a test series.
WEEKENDS are your most productive assets. Say NO to any sort of the
extension of office work. Switch off your phone on Friday night and switch it on
only on Monday morning (At least don’t take calls).
Weekends are also your weekdays. The study is your work”
Everything above will work ONLY if one can spend at least 3–4 hours daily and
20–24 hours during weekends (Sat/Sun). The whole effort is to strike a balance
between work and study.
Working and preparing at the same time can be a great fulfilling experience in
life.