The UPSC IAS Prelims exam has evolved to become the most unpredictable one, among the three stages(Prelims-Mains-Interview). The extensive and diverse syllabus and the little amount of time to correct mistakes are the key causes. Contrary to the Mains, you only have two hours to demonstrate your ability to clear the Prelims. Aspirants MUST take into account the fact that there is unpredictability in the Prelims the moment they reach the test center. I will share the strategies for dealing with the uncertainties of the preliminary exams in two parts.
- Mental preparation for Prelims – More than everything else, you need to be vigilant, self-assured, and psychologically tough on the day of the Prelims exam. Be aware of the fact that the test will be unpredictable and that UPSC will ask a few bouncers. This acceptance of truth will calm your thoughts and enable clear thinking. The questions are intended to throw you off course and are meant to gauge your level of confidence. Don’t worry if you think that you are making mistakes. I can tell you with confidence that you will be able to answer the question once you have carefully read it. Focus on answering one question at a time, giving yourself just enough time to figure it out before moving on to the next. Do not forget that everyone will find the exam difficult if it is difficult for you. Keep your confidence up, and remember that your presence of mind is your best weapon in the Prelims exam.
You might be tempted to answer all 100 questions at this point. Your mind will now set the next trap at this point. It would be beneficial if you made an effort in line with the circumstances and your comfort level. In the weekly exams that Officers’ IAS Academy delivers to its students, we encourage them to answer as many questions as they feel comfortable with. While some students find that answering just 75 questions yields the best outcomes, others go as high as 100. From one to person, it differs. Our weekly exams are constructed as close to UPSC standards to provide the best IAS coaching experience, so that our students may reproduce them and successfully take the Prelims.
- Smart work in Prelims Preparation– Revisit your reference texts, attempt as many of the questions as you can, and study the UPSC questions from the previous yearsto improve your understanding. Make sure you are comprehensive with the fundamentals as well. If your fundamentals are solid, you can handle many of the prelims questions with ease. So emphasize studying the NCERT materials and you may take NCERT-related tests by clicking here. Concentrate on questions that have been asked frequently. Additionally, some topics are given a higher weighting than others. Therefore, be sure that you are proficient in these areas because your chances of passing increase the more knowledgeable you are in them. For instance, nearly one-fifth of the questions are related to the environment.
In addition, themes with bigger weighting include Modern India, Economy, and Politics. Your chances of passing the Prelims increase as a result. To avoid being troubled by the sheer size of the static components, in the end, all of the static portions should be covered in the early stages of preparation. Additionally, if you are knowledgeable in static subjects, the doubt factor for Prelims decreases because you are more self-assured and capable of answering challenging questions in the Prelims test as a result of your extensive knowledge.
Make sure you’ve read the section on current events as many times as you can. It becomes crucial because so many of the Prelims questions are based on current events. Since current affairs are so diverse, you should only read one current affairs publication, like PULSE, and keep reading it. Click here to watch the video of our student Sivanandham(AIR-87), who used ONLY Officers’ Pulse to achieve this feat in his very first attempt.
Prelims is the stage with the most ambiguity, and it was intentionally made that way to test the candidate’s mental agility. Once you leave the exam room and look at the question paper once again, you will find that the questions are rather straightforward and can be answered with knowledge and “presence of mind.” You are making mistakes because of your stress. With this in mind, we developed a detailed study program that brings the best IAS coaching methods and has made our academy one of the top IAS coaching institutes in India. I implore every aspirant to make use of the information and tools I have provided. I wish everyone well on their upcoming exams.