UPSC Civil Services: 8 Last-week Preparation Tips To Ace The Exam

Civil Services, which is one amongst the examinations conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), is all set to kick-start the year-long selection process with the preliminary round. Since the bells for the examination are about to ring, the last-week preparations should be done in a constructive manner. Explore how to prepare for the Civil Services during the last week!

5 Common Mistakes To Avoid To Ace UPSC Civil Services

1. Recall The Concepts

The most important task for the aspirants is to recall all the concepts that include general studies and civil services aptitude test (CSAT). Starting from history to Indian polity, every subject has its consequences. Give your best during revisions and focus more on the basics because it will help you come to the right answer through the elimination process.

2. Work On The Timeline

You might have prepared a timeline for many concepts in the syllabus. Your job during the last week is to master them thoroughly. Learning the concepts based on the timeline will not only make the concepts easy to understand but will also save time during your revisions.

3. Read The Snippets In The NCERT Textbooks

We understand that the last week will be more important for Civil Services aspirants and reading the NCERT textbooks at this moment is not a good idea. However, reading the snippets in the NCERT textbooks will give you an overall understanding of the concepts. In every page, you will find at least one fact. Devote some time for this task because direct questions can be expected.

4. Focus On The Current Affairs

There is no need to say much about the importance of current affairs in the Civil Services. There is no boundary to this section and one can expect question from any corner. The best way to prepare for this section during the last week is through your self-prepared notes besides reading India Year Book.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting publishes the India Year Book annually. Never get into the details of the concepts because it will eat up your time. Indeed, make a note of the facts and statistics mentioned in the India Year Book.

Tips To Prepare For The Current Affairs Section In UPSC Civil Services

5. Keep The Facts On Your Fingers

The preliminary examination will be based on both concepts and figures. Mastering the concepts is different from reading the facts and figures. As the main examination is conducted offline, aspirants can manage when they are not sure of the figures. However, this is not possible in the preliminary round. One should master the facts and statistics meticulously during the last-week preparations.

6. Never Ignore Paper-II CSAT

Aspirants might be familiar with the CSAT, which is considered as a qualifying paper in the preliminary round. There are incidents where the aspirants have ignored this paper during the last-week preparations, which has yielded negative results during the shortlisting process while being considered for the main examination. Though the major focus should be on the general studies paper, devote reasonable time for practising for the CSAT during the last week.

7. Keep Distractions At Bay

The last-week preparations play an important role on the D-day. Motivate yourself and try to avoid all the distractions such as WhatsApp and Facebook during the last week.

8. Take Enough Mock Tests

Taking full-length mock tests will only display your level of preparation before the examination and help you get better. One can also acquaint oneself with the question format and time management by taking the mock tests.

Civil Services Preliminary: Important Topics To Read For Indian Economy