How To Start UPSC Preparation From Zero Level At Home?
Although preparing for the IAS exam with the help of a coaching institute is ideal however there are many cases where aspirants are not able to afford the high fees of the coaching institutes which is why we have prepared this article with the sole aim of helping young aspirants prepare for their IAS exam at the comfort of their house. Go through this entire article thoroughly and prepare for your IAS exam at your home, with the current situation of the pandemic and other factors including studying for your IAS exam at home seems like the best option available. The syllabus is vast and the exam is considered one of the most difficult competitive exams. A serene approach and a sound mindset can help you in great ways and help you take your preparation to the next level. Extremely competitive and the increasing number of applicants can be a little intimidating however with proper preparation and dedication anyone can achieve great results and conquer the exam, be mentally prepared for long study hours and studying anywhere from 6-8 hours a day, read newspapers regularly to improve your general knowledge and read current affairs this will help you improve your knowledge vastly.
Tips on How You Can Prepare For Your IAS Exam:
Prepare Yourself Mentally:
Before beginning the preparation for the IAS exam you first need to prepare yourself mentally, as the IAS exam is extremely competitive there will be thousands and lakhs of students appearing for the exam and you have to come out at the top, for that you need to mentally prepare yourself for long study hours and zero distractions you only have to focus on your studies and on your health.
Prepare a Schedule/Timetable:
Prepare a solid schedule/timetable that will help you stay on the right path and help you track your progress which will effectively help you improve your skills and knowledge. A timetable can be greatly helpful if followed properly and rigidly.
Understand The Full Syllabus:
Understand the full exam syllabus, this will help you prepare a solid timetable and will also provide you with all the necessary information that you might need to prepare a schedule. Select your subjects properly.
Optional Subject Selection:
The optional subject consists of 500 marks, select a subject in which you are interested and make sure that there are ample notes and study material available for that subject.
Take Notes From NCERT Notebooks:
The NCERT notebooks are very helpful when it comes to IAS exam preparation, starting from class 6-12 NCERT notebooks as they have the basic knowledge and concepts explained in great detail.
Prepare Notes:
Prepare notes by yourself. This will help you quickly refer or jump to a concept when you’re confused about some topic and will also help you improve your retention skills. Short notes help in revision and with a quick glance help a student recall information.
Read Newspaper:
Read the newspaper daily as this will help you improve your general knowledge and current affairs.
Solve Previous Year UPSC Question Papers:
Solving previous UPSC question papers can help you get an idea of what the real question paper might be like as the formats remain unchanged for the most part. Solving previous year UPSC question papers will also help you improve your handwriting and accuracy.
Mock Tests:
Appear for mock tests; these will help you assess yourself and help you decide which subject would be best suitable to you and help you improve your shortcomings. Participate in a series of mock tests.
Practice Questions:
Answer practice questions as many as you can, this will help improve your accuracy and will also improve your writing skills greatly. Read your questions carefully and answer with proper accuracy as in the real exam you will not have enough time to think about irrelevant information and with limited time the answer accuracy might suffer.
Interview:
Prepare for the interview, interview is the last stage of the IAS exam and is conducted in the UPSC official office premise in Delhi. With the sole aim of choosing the right candidate, a board of competent officers asks you questions about your hobbies, general knowledge, current affairs, etc. this is done to assess how quickly you can think and how accurately can you reply.
Magazines:
Magazines like Kurukshetra, Yojna can be of great help and help aspirants provide crucial information and important tips.
Have a Positive Mindset:
Have a positive mindset throughout your IAS exam preparation, even though there will be over a lakh of applicants you still have to think positively and move in the right direction. Stay positive throughout your IAS journey.
Revision:
Revision can be of great help as it helps you improve your retention skills and might also help you bring back some of the crucial information right before the main exam.