UPSC Civil Services Exam: Strategies and books for beginners to clear IAS

 College students find themselves in a tight spot when it comes to preparing for the civil services examination and career counselors receive an avalanche of emails regarding the best preparation strategy to start early.

We all are well-aware of the adage "The early bird catches the worm". Early birds are persons who embark on desired actions to achieve their target much earlier than others and indeed early birds are winners in all walks of life, and the same is true with regard to Civil Services Exam as well.

This article will shed a light on all the possible strategies to get through the Civil Services examination at the earliest.

 

Start early to save precious youth-years!    

As we all know, the syllabus of the Civil Services Exam is vast and time is limited, so it's prudent to start preparation as early as possible. This does not imply that if a school student longs to become an IAS officer, he should commence his preparation with heavy-weight UPSC books right from class 4, but an approach in tune with UPSC requirements will certainly help.

Adopting a long-term approach has proven to be effective and also saves previous youth-years of many candidates. As an early bird, you will be better equipped and oriented when you actually wet your feet in the UPSC waters.

 

But that doesn't mean that those who start late can't clear the IAS exam!

This does not imply that those who start late are at fault and cannot clear the exam. All it requires is perseverance and a fervent desire to get through the Civil Services Examination. With an iron will and the right approach, a junior can come up with flying colors. This article intends to convey that early starters can be at an advantageous position provided that they keep the same vigor till the end.

How much time is needed for IAS preparation?

We all know haste makes waste and perseverance is the key to success. This eternal principle also holds true when it comes to the preparation for Civil Services Examination. The analytical ability, knowledge, and personality of the candidate developed within a span of 20 years are tested in this exam.

For building a strong foundation, a long-term effort is required; however, the foundation can be polished according to the UPSC requirement in the last one year. So, an aspirant should strive hard to build a strong foundation. If you have built a strong foundation, the job is half done.

A stark naked, but motivating truth: If you have a habit of reading newspapers regularly and a good grasp on the subjects in your school days (NCERT books), you are as good as most of the serious and senior players taking this exam. All successful candidates have a decent newspaper reading habit and exceptional command over subjects in their school days.

I have enough time; what should be my strategy to clear IAS in the first attempt?

The average UPSC aspirant's mind keeps on bristling with numerous questions like:

• How to manage UPSC preparation during my preparation?

• How to begin IAS preparation?

• As a beginner how should I start Civil Services exam preparation?

Answers to all the queries are below listed five suggestions:

1. A good understanding of the UPSC exam structure is vital and without it your preparation will go in the wrong direction. Going through the UPSC syllabus and previous year question papers of Mains, as well as IAS Prelims, will help you understand the areas from which questions are normally asked.

2. Needless to say, newspaper reading habit is vitally important. Experts advise reading The Indian Express or The Hindu.

3. All Civil Services Examination aspirants are well attuned to the importance of reading NCERT books. Priority should be given to geography, history, economy, and polity related NCERT texts.

So what does that mean for school students? As a student, get the hang of school texts, it will lay the foundation for your success in the UPSC examination. Think and chew over what is mentioned in your textbooks. Good writing skills are mandatory for UPSC aspirants as the best of your efforts will fall through in dearth of enough writing practice.

4. College going students and pass outs should decide on the optional subject after analyzing the previous year question papers and UPSC syllabus and start collecting relevant materials on the same. Aspirants should try to finish the optional subjects first, as this will definitely give you an edge.

5. During leisure time, go through the books related to India written by eminent authors. Reading these books will provide a clear picture of the past, present, and future of India besides widening your horizon. A good understanding of the problems of India with their right solutions can immensely help you frame answers in Civil Services Mains, Essay paper, and General Studies.

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