1) Finalise your both optionals for mains. (just think pre is a formality and you will clear it)
2) Go through previous years papers for both optionals in mains and first optional for pre. (I would suggest wizard last year papers)
3) After doing this, now you need to start preparation for your second optional first.
4) Keep reading newspaper (Hindu is the best) and make it a habit to watch 8pm DD news (8.30 pm in English). Try to watch CNN and BBC for half an hour everyday whenever you get time. (Make note of important headlines/persons/events/places)
5) Start reading Frontline magazine and if possible Sportstar also. Dont miss on monthly issues of Competition Wizard and Pratiyogita Darpan
6) Once you are done with one section in your optional, see last year papers and questions related to that section. If you are comfortable answering them, then move to next section. Else read the same section again and again till the time you are not comfortable answering previous year questions. (This is the golden mantra for success in IAS - keep checking last year questions for sections you have completed and see how comfortable you are)
I think this would be good enough for you for atleast couple of month. Once you are done with your second optional and have got a good grasp on current affairs, success is not very far. Will talk about further strategy in my next blog. Please tell me if you find it useful or not. Suggestions to improve this are most welcome.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
15 comments:
Its really worth reading and usefull tips.
Hey.. thnks buddy for provinding us such a useful info abt IAS..
hi..it is good to know the info about the IAS which mostly helpful for first time aspirants.
Thanks and looking forward for many more tips and info.
Sir i am student of fashion technology and i want to prepare for UPSC examination. So i wanted guideline as how to start with my preparation.....and the study material required for the preparations...
Hi Sharat, What optionals are you planning to take and are you planning to appear for IAS 2010 or 2011. You can read all my posts on this blog. Hope that would give you an idea how to start your preparation. N in case of any other doubt, feel free to ask me that.
I am planning to take upsc in 2012.. so what optional should i take and what are the required study materials....
Hi Sharat.. this would be useful for you...
"Which optional/subject should I take ?" is the most often asked query in the comments section of this blog. This question like any other important question does not have a simple answer. The choice of optional may prove to be one's undoing in this exam as optionals carry huge weightage in terms of marks in all three stages. But if anyone thinks that just by choosing a safe optional one will clear all stages then one is just fooling oneself.At the same time choosing an optional in which you have more than a passing interest and one which you feel you have the aptitude for ,may prove to be an invaluable asset in this exam.Go through the syllabus and prelims/mains question papers of 2-3 subjects that you would have shortlisted from the unending list of UPSC optionals.Just see for yourself what kind of questions are being asked and whether you feel you will be able to answer them once you are thorough with the syllabus.Selecting optional remains more of an art and if you have to go by something then go by your interest in the subject alone,everything else should take a backseat.
Some of the basic factors that one must consider before zeroing down on an optional are:
1.Never choose a subject solely because everyone else is going for it.Consider your own interest and inclination for the subject especially if it is going to be your first optional as you will have to read it in much detail and get clarity of concepts.
2.The availability of resources in terms of books,guidance,coaching etc.For popular subjects ,resources are more easily available but it should be considered after you satisfy the first criterion.
3.Your subject in graduation or post-graduation should be considered if you are really comfortable with the subject.But do not go for it just because you have read it in college.
4.Once you decide on an optional ,fully back yourself to clear the exam with it no matter what others may say.In this exam individual performances only matter ,general trends count for little.
Finally, no optional is safe or unsafe despite what the coaching institutes or other experienced people might say.It is your preparation level which will determine whether the optional that you have selected will have one more successful/unsuccessful candidate.Listen to others,but do your own thing.All the very best !!!
HI Vinay,
I have GEOGRAPHY as my 1st option, but I hav problem with my 2nd optional.I m doing my PG in BOTANY.I m ok with BOTANY,but hav no idea of how to start practising it's ans.Actually what na, I hav no one to guid me on this topic. what every one is saying is GEO. is BOT is gnna typical with GEO.What say?
Hi Tamanna,
I would suggest you to go through last year mains papers of Botany. It will give you a good idea about the type of questions asked and how comfortable you are in answering them. If you think in most of the topics you are comfortable and you have good understanding of them, then definitely go for it. Else you can look for Public Administration as your second optional. Reason being, it would help you in Polity portion in mains. Secondly, in INterview it would be quite useful. Third, syllabus is not that wide and is interesting also. But, on negative side, questions are not direct and you need to have a good understanding of the subject to answer them.
hi,vinay.Definitely ur blog is immensely helpful to future aspirants .I hope u keep going with this great work...n also congrats for ur success in UPSC pre-lims...wishing u luck for ur mains exams.
I HAVE MATH AND PHYSICS AS MY OPTIONAL.........BUT IN MY TOWN THERE IS NO COACHING AVAILABLE.I HAVE GONE THROUGH THE BUKS AVAILABLE ON THE NET ..I LOOKS OK THAAT IF I STUDY I CAN DO IT...BUT I FEAR AS THERE IS NO COACHING....SHOULD I CONTINUE OR CHANGE MY OPTIONAL.....
sir a month back i finished my mbbs exams...now m planning to start preperations for ias..i dont think taking medical science as optionals would be an good idea...cos syllabus is very vast..so can you kindly help me out in choosing an optional? and also do you have any idea about what sub r usually chosen by medicos?
Hi you can read some previous post like "How to prepare for IAS". It would give you an idea how you can go about choosing optionals for IAS.
Looking at your background you can go thru syllabus of Psychology, Sociology, Geography and Public Administration and according to your interest and last year papers and syllabus you can finalise 2 of them.
Hello, I have just completed my civil engineering. And i am planning for IAS 2012. But in my past, I have not been into GK, and i am too weak in it. So, according to your tips, is it possible for me to crack next year. I mean, is it that, taht the current knowledge sufficient?
Post a Comment