Many stories are going around concerning the life of a UPSC IAS exam aspirant, particularly about the toppers. Aspirants for the UPSC IAS exam should be aware that claims like “a UPSC aspirant must study 16 hours a day to crack this test” and “one applicant only glanced through the textbooks and duplicated the information to clear the exam” are flat-out inaccurate. No UPSC candidatecan study nonstop for 16 hours a day without becoming exhausted. Nobody can pass the IAS exam by merely memorizing the texts, either. Because each aspirant is unique, the number of hours spent studying will vary from person to person. There will, however, be a certain commonality in each UPSC aspirant’s life. These characteristics turn an aspirant into a topper.As the top IAS Academy in Chennai that has produced many splendid civil servants, Officers IAS Academy suggests you to carefully go through this article and incorporate points that can be used in your preparation.
- Studying reference books takes up more time in an aspirant’s schedule. NCERT textbooks, Laxmikanth, and other common reference books are examples of them. One must provide adequate time at the outset of preparation to study and comprehend the subjects and get ready for questions that could be asked in both the Prelims and Mains.
- The Hindu is a fantastic source of current affairs and features editorials that help you comprehend a variety of important themes, therefore UPSC aspirants should read the newspaper every day. It’s essential to regularly read and make note of the newspaper’s key points.
- A good current events publication must be read in addition to this. You’ll keep informed about current events and improve your test performance if you read every day. This one step will make your preparation much easier because current affairs are important for Prelims, Mains, and the Interview. Since current affairs are so diverse, you should only read one current affairs publication, like Officers’ PULSE, and keep reading it. Click hereto watch the video of our student Sivanandham(AIR-87), who used ONLY Officers’ Pulse to achieve this feat in his very first attempt.
- It should be noted that as mock tests are an essential component of preparation, applicants must allow enough time for both Prelims and Mains mock tests. Test yourself accordingly using numerous Mock Tests that are offered on the market, including MCQ and subjective question types. The amount of time allotted for them will change depending on your area of expertise. For instance, you could allocate the same amount of time to the Prelims and Mains during the early stages of preparation, but if you have four to five months left until the Prelims, you might progressively give the Prelims greater emphasis. Similar to this, after passing the preliminary test, you should focus entirely on the Mains. As a result, frequent writing practice is required to increase your chances. If you want to join our free continuous practice testing initiative, click here. Keep visiting our website to check the launch of our “Test Series” with Intelligent analytical inputs for students.
- The aspirants’ optional preparation is another area that is essential to their everyday lives. You can begin your Optional preparation a few months into your preparation if you are a complete novice. Use this opportunity to learn the fundamentals of UPSC preparation while also deciding which Optional is ideal for you. You may devote 30 to 40 percent of your time to optional preparation once it has begun. You can progressively cut back on your Mains/Optional practice once you begin your “Prelims only” preparation (when the calendar indicates 4 to 5 months for prelims) and enter Prelims preparation mode. Click here to see the video of our student Taruni Pandey who shares her experience of Optional preparation with Officers IAS Academy for whom it was her first & last attempt.
- Every aspirant will have different strengths and limitations, therefore it is important to create a schedule that works best for you, whether you’re focusing on subject-specific preparation or Prelims-Mains preparation. This requires continuous analysis of what you have previously learned as time goes on. The secret to remembering what you learn for a long time is to revise frequently. As a result, set aside some time each day for revision. If you are worried about time management, click hereto see the video of Mr. Rangarajan IAS where he explains the tricks in time management. Also, watch the video where I have explained the daily routine of a topper so that you can apply some of them to your preparation.
Please make a schedule that includes breaks and time for rest because mental exhaustion can negatively impact learning. In the beginning, make sure you study at least 6 to 8 hours each day; after that, you can extend it to 12 hours. An aspirant’s body requires adequate rest because it might take months or even years to prepare for a test. For this reason, getting a good night’s sleep of 6 to 8 hours is essential, along with some light exercise and meditation to keep your mind sharp. In addition, a balanced diet is suggested for a healthy life. 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.