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Approach Towards Prelims Preparation
Approach Towards Prelims Preparation
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
PRELIMS APPROACH
Now below you can find the detail strategy to be followed for General Studies Paper-1 & CSAT Paper.
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
Site to Follow: HinduBusinessline, Frontline, EPW, Arthapedia, Business Standard for latest
happenings in Economics.
Try to make short notes from the editorials, important articles. (You can find important Articles
in www.iasabhiyan.com )
CONTENTS TO BE COVERED:
Planning, Growth and Development, Inflation, Agriculture, Industry and Infrastructure, Poverty, Social
Security and Sustainable Development, Money and Banking, Insurance and Security Market in India , External
Sector of India, International Economic Organizations & India, Tax Structure & Public Finance in India, Human
Development in India.
Note-1: You can download all compilations of the above NCERT, Standard Books but these
compilations are for revision purpose only not for whole reading, so better finish as quickly as
possible the NCERT and Standard Books than you may prefer their compilations which are available at
www.iasabhiyan.com .
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
GENERAL STUDIES – POLITY (PRELIMS)
Indian Polity is the Study of the Structure of the Government.
The Importance of Indian Polity lies in Understanding the Political and Administrative System of the
Country.
Polity deals with the study of Government Machinery including Union, State and Local Level
Administrative System.
Governance – The Functioning of the Government and how it provides Service to the Citizens. In Brief
it is the Action of Government or the Manner of Governing a State.
Chances of Getting 15-17% of Questions in Preliminary Exam (Paper-1).
For covering Indian Polity you must have to follow Indian Polity by M.Laxmikanth (4th Edition or latest),
along with Indian Constitution at Work (NCERT).
If you have time you may prefer Constitution of India by D.D.Basu. (Optional)
Now how to read these books and have a full control over the Polity Section.
To deal with the Polity Section and learn in a simple manner I have divided the whole readings into 4
Phases:
1st Phase:
1. Read chapters on President + Vice-President + Governor one after the other;
2. Read Chapters on Prime Minister + Council of Ministers + Chief Minister + State Councils of Ministers +
Cabinet Committees one after other;
3. Then Emergency Provision;
4. Move to Parliamentary Systems +Parliament + Parliamentary Comm. + Parliamentary forums.
5. Complete CAG.
___________________________
2nd Phase:
1. Complete State Legislative Assembly
2. Move on to Supreme Court +High Court+ Tribunals +Attorney Generals + Advocate Generals +UPSC+
State PSC+ Subordinate Courts
3. Finance Commission + NITI Ayog (Don’t forget to read all about Planning Commission) + National
Development Council.
4. Centre State Relations+ Inter State relations+ Election Commission + Elections+ Anti Defection law
+System of Government
___________________________
3rd Phase:
1. Citizenship+ Fundamental Rights +Fundamental Duties+ Directive Principals of State Policy
2. Amendments+ Preamble
3. Union territories+ State Tribal Areas+ Panchayat Raj+ Municipalities
___________________________
4th Phase:
1. Finish rest of the chapters like NHRC, SHRC, Vigilance commission, Lokpal, National Commissions for SC,
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
ST, Women, Official languages etc.
In this way you can cover the whole chapters on Indian Polity and you will find interesting while reading
Indian Polity.
Note-1: Make extra notes on articles or amendments which are in recent news, because chances
of getting questions on these topics are more in prelims and mains. Like President’s Rule, Governor’s
Appointment, Ordinance, Bills, Acts etc.
Note-2: You can download the full M.Laxmikanth Book Compilation at www.iasabhiyan.com for
better revision.
Read NCERT (Old) for basics. “Basics are the Building Blocks of your Preparation”. After Starting
Preparation Make your own Running Notes (Years, Names of Battles, Major Dynasties, Literatures and Some
Rulers etc,) which will be useful at Revision Time. Running Notes Should be In such a Manner that for suppose
if you spend 1 hour for a Topic like Prehistoric Period in Ancient History then at the time of Revision the same
topic should be completed in just 10-15 Mins. Maintain Separate Notes in Order of Ancient, Medieval and
Modern History.
You should be in a Position to List out the Contents (Chronology) of History from Ancient to Modern as
According to Year Wise. It Will Be Easier if you go on with Preparation as like the Contents Listed out below in
Respective Manner.
CONTENTS TO BE COVERED:
I. ANCIENT HISTORY:
Prehistoric Period, Indus Valley Civilization, The Vedic Age, Later Vedic Age, The Sangham Age, Rise
of Mughal Kingdom, Buddhism & Jainism, The Mauryan Empire, The Age of Gupta, The Post-Gupta Period
II. MEDIEVAL INDIA:
Religious Movements of Medieval India, The Sultans of Delhi, The Mughal Empire, Later Mughals,
Vijayanagara Empire & Bahamani Kingdoms, The Advent of Europeans, The Maratha Age, Decline of
Mughals, Beginning of European Settlements
III. MODERN HISTORY:
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
British Conquest of India, Economic and Commercial Policies, The Revolt of 1857, Brahmo & Arya
Samaj, Indian Freedom Struggle, Pre-Congress Nationalist Organization, Indian National Congress, Rise of
Revolutionary Terrorism, Swadeshi Movement, Muslims League, First World War and Freedom Struggle,
Gandhian Era, Rowlett Act, Non Cooperation Movement, Simon Commission, Peasant Movements and
Revolutionary Terrorism, Civil Disobedience Movement, First and Second RTC, Growth of Socialist Forces,
Muslims League and Communalism, Quit India Movement, Independence and Partition.
Books to follow:
Class VI-XIIth NCERT (Old or New for Basics)
For Ancient Indian History- You can refer R.S.Sharma or Makkhan Lal (Old version)
For Medieval- Old NCERT by Satish Chandra (Both Parts)
For Modern India History- Spectrum Publication (Must), Bipan Chandra (If you have time)
All the E-Books are available at www.iasabhiyan.com.
Note-1: You can download all compilations of the above NCERT, Standard Books but these
compilations are for revision purpose only not for whole reading, so better finish as quickly as
possible the NCERT and Standard Books than you may prefer their compilations which are available at
www.iasabhiyan.com .
For basics regarding Environmental Studies one must go through NCERT Social Studies & Science
(Class -VI to XII).
Chapters to follow for Environment from the Social Studies/Geography & Science NCERT:
Go along with Newspaper Daily and Magazines like Terra Green & Down to Earth.
Prepare for Mains too along with Prelims in Case of Environmental because only less contents
regarding this in Mains.
After reading the basics from NCERT you can prefer to Shankar IAS Environment for advanced
environmental notes (Must for Environment with detail analysis and also helps in Mains).
Note-: If the above readings were over than you can prefer my compilations of Environment of the
above chapters as well as Shankar IAS Environment for revision purpose which is available at
www.iasabhiyan.com .
The important things for General Science one Must have Indian Year Book and should go through
Hindu Newspaper (Science & Technology column on every Thursday), Science Reporter etc., and maintain
running notes according to it. NCERT is a Must.
After completing the above chapters from NCERT you can move on to Lucent GK for better
understanding of some important topics. You may also refer any GS Manual (Optional).
Make running notes on Medical Issues, Space, Defence, Diseases, Nutrient Issues, Nano
Technology, Energy related topics which will also be helpful for mains preparation.
Science & Technology Monthly Current Affairs will be available at www.iasabhiyan.com .
Note: You can prefer my compilations on NCERT Science (Class VI-X) of the above chapters for
revision purpose which is available at www.iasabhiyan.com .
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Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
You have to read only a few chapters from each book that are related to Sub-Topics.
Apart from these you should have a reference book for getting more information:
1. The Wonder that was India by A.L.Bhasam (Only relevant chapters) (Do not waste time on reading the
whole book)
2. Facets of India by Spectrum Publication.
3. CCRT Site.
4. The Hindu Friday Review for Art & Culture.
Prepare for Mains too along with Prelims in Case of Art & Culture because only less contents regarding
this in Mains.
Note: You can download all compilations of the above NCERT, Standard Books, CCRT compilations,
News Paper Compilations, but these compilations are for revision purpose only not for whole reading,
so better finish as quickly as possible from the NCERT and if possible Standard Books than you may
prefer their compilations which are available at www.iasabhiyan.com .
8
Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
Before starting the standard books, first go through these beautiful books by NCERT- to get glimpse of
the sub-topics and read accordingly to have a good control over Geography. Follow the related topics from the
reference table and stick to it.
Physical Geography
World Geography
Class Capters
7 7 to 10
8 1, 3, 5 & 6
12 (Human Geography) 1 to 10
Indian Geography
Agriculture
Apart from these you should have a reference book, a good atlas for getting more information.
Prepare for Mains too along with Prelims in Case of Geography. All the above NCERT, Standard books are
available at www.iasabhiyan.com .
Note: You can download all compilations of the above NCERT as well Standard Books, but these
compilations are for revision purpose only not for whole reading, so better finish as quickly as
possible the NCERT and Standard Books then you may prefer their compilations which are available in
www.iasabhiyan.com .
I think from the above approach towards handling General Studies Paper-1 for Prelims will be clear to
all of you.
From 2015, UPSC has changed a little bit in Prelims with respect to CSAT. Now CSAT is only qualifying in
nature (33% needed i.e. 66 Marks out of 200). So for this we have to follow some basic standard books and
practice test series to get glimpse over the paper.
1. Comprehension- To deal with the Comprehension part read TheHindu Editorials (More than Enough).
2. General Mental Ability & Basic Numeracy- Practice R.S.Agrawal, Quicker Maths by M.Tyra
3. Logical reasoning and Analytical Ability- Analytical Reasoning by M.K.Pandey (BSC Publication)
(Best For Reasoning)
4. Remaining topics like Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills, Decision Making,
and English Language will be easily handled with common knowledge of basic things.
After practicing the basics from the above books, you can take test series which are available at this site freely.
The above E-Books, Test Series of various Institutions are available at www.iasabhiyan.com for free download.
10
Rajesh Nayak
STRATEGY TO FOLLOW FOR PRELIMS
CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION
In Our Next Post You will find how to Approach towards Handling Mains Preparation
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Rajesh Nayak