Get comprehensive guidance for UPSC Preparation 2024. Check the strategies, time table, tips, and and other important details for UPSC Prelims and Mains Exams Preparation.
The UPSC examination is one of the most competitive exams in India. Candidates appear from all over the country and aim at securing a high rank. When in doubt regarding how to prepare for the UPSC exam, you must know that all you need to have is a schedule and go beyond your previous academic years. If you are looking for help online, you've found it. We have a detailed guide on how to prepare for UPSC exams in each subject, which will make things a lot easier for you.
Table of Contents
- UPSC Preparation: The Right Strategy
- How to Prepare for UPSC?
- How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims?
- How to Prepare for UPSC Mains?
- How to Prepare for UPSC Exam Without Coaching?
- UPSC Online Preparation
- Preparing for the UPSC Personal Interview
- Best Books for UPSC Preparation
- NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation
UPSC Preparation: The Right Strategy
As you start your journey, you will find yourself asking many questions regarding how to start and get on the right track to the UPSC exams. The questions you have might relate to which books are best and what is the right UPSC preparation strategy. The first thing you need to do is understand the exam you are about to answer. Then you need to collect the study material based on the subjects you are going to answer. This includes your optional subject. You need to be precise in planning, which is why you need to pay attention to the syllabus and how much material you are going to refer. Remember, you can always use recommendations from previous toppers, but the question papers are never repeated.
How to Prepare for UPSC?
The most crucial question every aspirant needs answered is how to prepare for UPSC exams. UPSC Civil Service aspirants can become future IAS, IFS, or IPS officers by merely following the techniques mentioned below. The main objective you need to keep in mind is to be focused throughout and to make sure you have time to work hard and relax as well.
Take a look at the UPSC preparation tips below:
- Work Out a Schedule
- Prepare According to the Exam Pattern
- Layout the Material
- Mock Tests
- Revision is Key
Work Out a Schedule
Make sure you have your time management up to the mark. Make time for studying and also time for working on yourself. Never study with something running at the back of your mind because you will not be focused. Additionally, try to devote more time to subjects you find difficult and stick to a realistic study schedule, so you do not get demotivated.
Prepare According to the Exam Pattern
The UPSC website states the clear intention of the exam - finding candidates that have a complete awareness of history, geography, culture, and all the functioning aspects of India and the world. Read through the syllabus and make sure you have knowledge of different subjects. You don't have to memorize it word for word, but rather understand everything that is required.
Layout the Material
Collect all the material you need and from different sources. Choose books from Toppers, NCERT BOOKS, and relevant books that you can use for preparation. PDFs are becoming the most sort of material among aspirants. Once you have everything collected, you will know what you need to work on, and what can be skimmed.
Mock Tests
Never stop running mock tests. Collect question papers from various sources and keep answering them until you are confident that you can score well. You will also understand the pattern of the paper and where you need to give more attention. Mock tests are a great way to help manage time and answer questions more precisely.
Revision is Key
Before you go to bed and as soon as you wake up, revise and make it a habit. Constant reading is the only way you can clear the UPSC examination. If you have questions relating to specific subjects, such as 'how to prepare geography for UPSC,' the answer is always 'revise.'
How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims?
Every year candidates have to answer two segments of the UPSC exam - the prelims and mains. The UPSC prelims are very challenging and are the first step to the IAS interview. The exam has a lot of multiple-choice questions and requires a good amount of reading if you have cleared it. If you want to know more about how to master your UPSC prelims preparation, take a look at this article. We have detailed information regarding the study schedule, books from toppers and subject wise, along with articles you need to refer - UPSC Mains Complete Book List
How to Prepare for UPSC Mains?
The Civil Service Examinations as mentioned earlier is conducted in three stages- the Prelims, the Mains and the Interview and if one wants to crack this examination, it’s important to start the preparation one year earlier for the prelims exam.
- Generally the prelims exam is held between the months June to August so it’s important for the candidates to start the preparation from last year to January of the current year and from February to May should only focus on the prelims exams.
- After the premlis are done the candidate should immediately start with the answer writing practice for the mains exams.
- Candidates need to be aware that the mains exam is a descriptive exam, students need to write 150-300 words for each topic hence taking regular tests is highly recommended.
- Prepare for Mains along with Prelims, the are mains subjects that overlaps with prelims subjects and UPSC mains has 9 papers given below:
|
Papers |
Topics |
Total Marks |
|
Paper A |
Indian Language |
300 |
|
Paper B |
English |
300 |
|
Paper I |
Essay |
250 |
|
Paper II |
GS I |
250 |
|
Paper III |
GS II |
250 |
|
Paper IV |
GS III |
250 |
|
Paper V |
GS IV |
250 |
|
Paper VI |
Optional Subject Paper-I |
250 |
|
Paper VII |
Optional Subject Paper-II |
250 |
|
Total Marks for Written Examination |
1750 |
|
- The Essay papers in mains exams consists of two sections A & B with four topics in each of 125 marks and a total of 250 marks for the sections. Candidates need to choose a topic from each section and write about 1000-2000 words in three hours.
Some tips on Essay Writing:
- Choose the topic wisely.
- Think about the topic for 30 minutes.
- Write down all the points at the end of a sheet.
- Make a structure of your essay.
- Don’t be provocative.
- Provide suggestions for reforms
- Conclude
How to Prepare for UPSC Exam Without Coaching?
Aspirants for the UPSC examination head over to coaching classes run by experts, but not everyone has the time or resources to attend. You don't have to worry. As you read this article, you will learn how to prepare for the UPSC exam without coaching. But remember, it is not going to be easy. It will take hardwork and patience to succeed.
The first thing you need to know is the pattern for the UPSC Examination. From the pattern, you will get an idea on how to prepare for UPSC mains and prelims:
|
Stage |
Question Papers |
Subjects |
|
Prelims |
General Studies - I |
Geography |
|
Current Affairs |
||
|
Environment and Ecology |
||
|
General Science |
||
|
Economy |
||
|
History |
||
|
General Studies - II |
quantitative aptitude |
|
|
logical reasoning |
||
|
comprehension skills |
||
|
Mains |
Essay Type (Descriptive) Papers |
9 Subjects + 2 optional Subjects |
UPSC Online Preparation
If you are wondering how to prepare for UPSC at home, you are in luck. The internet can give you all the material you require for your UPSC preparation. From PDFs to recommended books (which you can order home) are available in plenty. There are many mock exams you can access and answer at your convenience. Along with this, you can access online coaching or use the material readily available to prepare for the exam. The tips we provided above sum up the question 'How to prepare for UPSC without coaching?' and the answer is - hard work. You can find the best website for UPSC preparation or even information on the best app for UPSC Preparation.
Here's why Getmyuni.com is one of the best sites for UPSC Preparation.
We have a list of articles below that sum up the entire preparation process and how you can benefit from time management. Additionally, we have listed out all the books from toppers, and subject-wise books in various articles.
Refer to the links below if it applies to your current requirement:
Preparing for the UPSC Personal Interview
The UPSC 2024 personal interview is just as important as the exam. It is worth a total of 275 marks and can help candidates be considered for ranks awarded. While looking up previous data, we have found that if a candidate does well in the personal interview round, their overall ranking has been positive in the civil services exam. The UPSC 2024 exam requires you to clear the main examination and have a good amount of general knowledge of social-economic and political events around the world. Try to develop critical thinking and leadership qualities to help you through the UPSC personal interview.
To sum it up, you need to make sure your timetable for UPSC preparation 2024 can be followed and does not overwork your mental health. Working your mind beyond its capacity can take a toll on your health, and this could affect your performance. Plan well in advance and make the best use of the tips above.
Best Books for UPSC Preparation
The books you use are crucial to facing the questions for the UPSC examination. There are many subject-related books you can refer to, but make sure you tend to newspapers, current event magazines, and other related publications such as the India Year Book for more information.
The list of UPSC preparation books below should get you started.
|
Subject |
Book Name |
|
Political Science (Polity) |
Indian Polity for Civil Services Examinations - M. Laxmikanth |
|
Culture |
Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania |
|
Geography |
Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Leong |
|
Oxford School Atlas by Oxford Publishers |
|
|
Economy |
Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh |
|
Economic Survey by the Ministry of Finance |
|
|
Current Affairs |
India Year Book |
|
The Hindu |
|
|
History (Modern India) |
A Brief History of Modern India written by Rajiv Ahir |
|
|
by Shankar IAS |
|
Environment and Ecology |
Environment And Ecology – A Complete Guide – by R. Rajagopalan (Lexis Nexis) |
|
Ethics |
Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude by G Subba Rao |
|
The Lexicon for Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude by Niraj Kumar |
|
|
Ethics, Integrity & Values in Public Services by Ramesh K Arora. |
NCERT Books for UPSC Preparation
If you are answering your UPSC examination, you already know what NCERT books are and how essential they are as well. If you are looking for the best ways on how to prepare current affairs for UPSC, or even how to prepare economics for UPSC, NCERT books should be your first move.
You'll find the complete list of NCERT books on this link. - UPSC Prelims Complete Book List
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