UPSC Exam Tips to Score High Marks 

  • GS Paper III is one of the papers in the UPSC Mains Civil Services Examination (CSE) that candidates are constantly wary of.
  • Given the wide range of things that GS III covers, their mistrust is understandable. From economic development to technology to biodiversity to the environment to security to disaster management, each of these topics is its own field.
  • There is no single source that can be accessed for optimal preparation because the themes are mutually exclusive.
  • Furthermore, whereas the sort of questions asked in the preliminary exams is mainly static, those in the main exams are dynamic. As a result, the mains preparation strategy and approach must be radically different from the prelims.
  • The UPSC Civil Services Exam is regarded as one of the most difficult in India. It is largely due to its comprehensive curriculum and limited number of openings.
  • However, with careful planning and a well-thought-out strategy, you can pass this exam in the first attempt!
  • Preparing for the UPSC Exam is a difficult endeavour, and many students become disoriented during their preparation.

Know your Exam Pattern: UPSC Exam Tips

  • First and foremost, you must recognise that the exam is rapidly approaching. As a result, don’t try anything new.
  • Understand the format of the exam, the scoring system, and how you will be evaluated.
  • The nature of the preliminary exams is objective. You will be given several options for questions and must choose one correct answer.
  • Time will fly by, but for Cut Off, just Paper I mark will be used. To qualify, you only need a score of 33 percent on Paper II.
  • The UPSC preliminary examination is broken into two sections:
Prelims ExamNo of QuestionsTotal MarksTotal TimeNegative Marks
Per question
Preliminary Paper I100 200 2 Hrs0.66
Preliminary Paper II 80 2002 Hrs0.83

Incorporate 3Ps in your preparation: UPSC Exam Tips

  • Patience, Perseverance, and Practice are the three Ps that embody the essence of what it takes to pass the UPSC test.
  • It will take at least two years, so be patient! Nothing beats consistency, so stay focused on your goal and practise as much as you can to remember what you’ve learned.

Know the basics of exam

  • Begin your preparation by reading the UPSC Exam Syllabus thoroughly.
  • Most students stray from the course content and waste a lot of time reading unrelated material.

Limit your study materials

  •    It’s more than enough to have two books each subject! Don’t read multiple books on the same subject.
  • Stick to the syllabus and just read the topics that are specified there.

Notes for revision

  • Keep your notes short and sweet. For speedy revision, use bullet points and brief sentences.

Practice answer-writing

  • The backbone of UPSC preparation is answer writing!
  • As a result, you’ll need to do a lot of practise crafting structured replies in a short amount of time.

Time management

  • There are 24 hours in a day for everyone of us! Whoever makes the best use of his time succeeds in his endeavour! You are not required to study 16 hours per day!
  • A focused and continuous study schedule of 6-8 hours is more than enough to pass this exam!

Peer learning: UPSC Exam Tips

  • Your preparation is fueled by constructive debates and conversations among like-minded applicants. As a result, take an active role in the discussion and share your concerns with your peers.

Steer clear of negativity

  • UPSC is a marathon, not a sprint! Maintain your composure and surround yourself with people that can motivate you to accomplish better!

Pursue a hobby

  • It will not only assist you in remaining cool, but it will also add to your entire profile, which is crucial during the Personality Test (Interview).

Keep your stress levels in check

  • Throughout the procedure, you will undoubtedly become stressed. It’s critical to recognise this and take some time off to unwind on such days!
  • Maintain your self-motivation by believing in yourself! Think about why you started every time you consider quitting!

Practice writing tests.

  • Knowing something is one thing; fleshing out your answers on paper is quite another.
  • Tests will not only help you improve your writing skills, but they will also prepare you to perform under pressure and in a short amount of time.
  • When you begin taking the exam series, you will be able to detect and close any gaps in your preparation. Use exam discussions and model responses to your advantage.

Avoid Negative Marking

  • Negative marking was first implemented in the UPSC Prelims test in 2007, and it has been part of the exam ever since.
  • This is a significant stumbling block that prevents you from accumulating further points.
  • With just one incorrect response, you could lose a significant amount of ground in the rankings. Please double-check that the questions you’re answering are 100% correct.
  • If you have any doubts, save them for later and only attempt the difficult questions after you have given all of the answers.
  • Examine past year’s question papers to learn about the types of questions that were asked, as well as the level of preparation required for each topic. You do not need to be an expert on any of the areas.
  • You’ll need a solid factual foundation and a general comprehension. As a result, identify a trend and select relevant topics.
  • The nature of questions asked by UPSC has changed significantly from 2013-14. Unlike now, when the majority of the questions are on current events, the majority of the questions used to be about theory.

Special Focus on Contemporary topics- 

  • The IAS exam’s current affairs component is extensive. You are expected to know everything that is literally under the SUN.
  • There is, however, a trick that many successful candidates have used to secure a good mark in both the Prelims and Mains exams. They primarily cover current events.

Trim your syllabus: UPSC Exam Tips

  • The UPSC syllabus is extensive, and you should be familiar with it by now. Trimming your syllabus entails eliminating some topics that are only worth a few points. You must be very selective about what you read and what you do not read.
  • If you examine your syllabus carefully then you would learn that there are many topics which require less attention. And, questions are also less from such topics. 
  • As a result, you should look for such themes in your study materials and pay less attention to them. This will save you time and allow you to concentrate on more vital issues.

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