The UPSC CSE is divided into essential stages:
- Preliminary
- Main exam
- Interview or personality test
To pass each stage with a good rank, equal dedication and a clear strategy is required. According to the most recent UPSC CSE pattern, the Prelims are divided into two papers:
- Paper I of General Studies (GS)
- Paper II of the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT).
Both of these exams consist of multiple-choice questions. Both papers are worth 200 points each, for a total of 400 points in your UPSC prelims. The questions are graded negatively. This means you will lose one-third of your marks for each incorrect answer.
You will receive zero points if you get one answer correct but mismark three others. Each paper must be completed within a two-hour time limit.
Because of the restrictions on the number of attempts allowed and the age criterion that appears to apply in your case, you must pass the prelims on the first try.
If you want to pass the UPSC on your first attempt, make it a priority to pass the Prelims first. Let us now look at some practical tips for passing the UPSC civil service exam on your first attempt:
Table of Contents
1. It would be best if you thoroughly comprehended the UPSC syllabus.
Your preliminary paper is objective, whereas your main paper is descriptive. To pass the mains, you must first master the fundamentals. Read your NCERT textbooks because they are time-tested and highly recommended sources for gaining fundamental knowledge on topics covered by the mentioned syllabus.
2. Making effective notes
Few aspirants know that making notes for UPSC exam preparation is a skill. Candidates should take notes on both the dynamic and static elements of the syllabus. Take monetary policy as an example. The static component of the General Study (GS)-Economy is the fundamentals of monetary policy and its objectives.
However, inflation targeting and the latest RBI initiatives under the monetary policy are dynamic elements. Similarly, many issues in politics, geography, science and technology, and international relations have static and dynamic characteristics.
Second, make notes using colors, pictures, and various artistic methods. It will enhance your right brain and assist you in better memorizing the subject.
3. Essay writing practice
If you want to pass your IAS exam on your first try, you must learn the art of creating an excellent essay. The maximum word count for your UPSC essay is 2500. There will be two mandatory essays, each worth 250 points.
This exam’s essay writing differs from regular essays. Time is limited, and the word count is high. Add to that the strict characteristics your essay must exhibit to meet UPSC requirements. If you have an optional paper in sociology, you should use academic theories to improve your writing.
You can begin by writing about topics covered in newspapers and great online news portals. Begin with shorter word counts and work your way up to 2500 words.
To conclude, I will emphasize the importance of remaining focused throughout your preparation months. No matter how exhausting and mundane your study hours are, keep your final objective in mind and don’t give up. You must plan and execute the proper strategy to pass your IAS exam on the first try.
4. Choosing the Right Option
Choosing the incorrect optional subject is a choice many public service candidates regret later in life. When deciding on an optional subject, three factors must be considered.
First and foremost, you must be enthusiastic about the subject. After a few months of preparation, a subject of disinterest will become burdensome. Second, having a lot of learning resources and great coaching will help you prepare much faster.
Third, the subject’s potential for scoring must be considered. Although literature subjects have the most success rate, students must be fluent in the language before choosing it as an optional subject.
Geography, History, Philosophy, Public Administration, and Sociology are the top five most popular subjects in civil service exams. Medical Science, Commerce and Accountancy, Economics, Animal Husbandry, and Psychology are the top five subjects in terms of rate of success.
5. Always take practice tests
Answering previous years’ question papers provides a clear understanding of the kinds of questions asked in the UPSC CSE and a means of assessing your own level of preparation.
Mock tests, both online and offline, are more beneficial than you think. Take these and the advice provided by the experts who check your answer sheets seriously.
Conclusion
UPSC is one of the most frequently asked concerns by UPSC aspirants. The Civil Service Examination (CSE) is administered by the Union Public Service Commission to select candidates for the IAS, IFS, IPS, and other related services.
For General category candidates, UPSC provides six attempts to pass the IAS Exam. As a result, every candidate strives to pass the UPSC Exam on the first try. Most aspirants are curious about How to Crack UPSC on First Attempt or ‘How to Prepare for IAS’! One of the most difficult challenges a candidate’s faces is staying on track with their preparation.
According to statistics, lakhs of applicants apply for the UPSC IAS Exam each year, with only thousands making it to the Mains exam and then the Interview. To qualify for each stage of the IAS Exam, you must be determined, perseverant, and consistent.
In the preceding article, we attempted to provide an extremely comprehensive answer to how to crack UPSC on the first attempt.
Que1 Has anyone passed the UPSC on their first try?
Ans1 The UPSC civil services exam is one of India’s most difficult. Candidates typically need more than two attempts to pass this exam. However, several candidates pass the UPSC exam on their first attempt every year. Some of them even pass the exam with flying colors.
Que2 Is 5 hours of studying sufficient for UPSC?
Ans2 An aspirant may be unable to specifically plan for the entire 5 hours, resulting in gaps. Every day, an aspirant must study GS, optional, current affairs, and so on, and dividing the 5 hours may be ineffective. As a result, an aspirant should attempt to put in at least 7-8 hours per day and keep increasing it.
Que3 Which subjects should be prioritized for the preliminary exams?
Ans3 To be safe, you must completely cover the syllabus. However, for Prelims, you can give the economy and related developments a little more weightage.
However, subjects such as Politics, Ecology, Economy, Modern India, and Geography are always given a high weightage in the exam. As a result, give equal weight to all of these.
In exceptional cases, such as CSP 2016, current affairs weightage was high; similarly, history weightage is sometimes seen to be high (in CSP-2019). As a result, your approach should thoroughly and comprehensively cover all the topics.
Que4 How much sleep do UPSC students get?
Ans4 A UPSC aspirant needs five to seven hours of sleep per day. You should sleep more if you have asthma, allergies, or other health issue. As a result, a candidate can save time. If a candidate is studying early, they should eat a nutritious breakfast and drink plenty of water.
Que5 Can one pass the preliminary exams with only 70 days of preparation?
Ans5 Yes, you can pass the preliminary exams. Many people have done so recently. However, you must be very disciplined, determined, and willing to work in the correct direction.
Make a plan for the next 65 days, with at least 20 days for revision. And, daily, practice MCQs from quizzes, past UPSC papers, and our test series papers on the topics you cover.
It would help if you also stuck to the revision schedule for the preliminary exams, which will help you maintain discipline in your preparation. The questions provided under this plan are of excellent quality and will cover the majority of the essential subjects for prelims.
Que6 Which of the UPSC optional subjects must I take?
Ans 6 Candidates can select from approximately 50 subjects for their optional paper. When choosing the optional paper, keep the following points in mind:
- Basic understanding of the subject
- Previous results based on UPSC analysis
- Academic background and interest
- External assistance/coaching is readily available for the subject, as is a wide range of study materials.
