How to crack the prelims
By Sri S B Singh
Given its immense popularity among the educated, talented and hardworking youth of the country, the Civil Services Examination is the most bitterly challenged examination that can be found in India. Civil service can provide status, respect, status and status of any other job. Apart from this, it provides job protection and attractive allowances to provide a comfortable lifestyle. But more than all these factors, it is the nature of the job to be displayed in civil services, which motivates many people for it. In addition to offering challenges and diversity, civil services offer the most socially relevant jobs that provide meaning and justification for life. Unlike private sector jobs, where a person is doing most socially irrelevant jobs or even socially harmful jobs, civil services provide satisfactory jobs in police, education, health, welfare etc. That is the reason why many candidates work hard to get. Instead of making career in the private sector, in civil services.
As is well known, this is a three-stage examination that includes prelims, men and interviews. At all three levels of competition (i.e., initial, main and personality test), there are challenges. But it is in the first phase of the examination. That is the initial test, which is the most challenging. However, in order to allow a candidate to appear in the main examination, the prelims are considered as only a qualifying examination, but the fact is that it is both scary and intimidating. This is scary because out of a total of 4-5 lakh candidates, only 15,000 candidates have the chance to be selected at this level. Thus, it does not really translate into a Elimination Test, but rather a elimination process, and even the most talented ones are also at risk of ending in the Prielms level. If someone ends up, then he will have to wait for a full year to get the qualification and to get another chance to be present in the main. It is intimidating because there is much to test from traditional areas like history, culture, geography, environment and ecology, politics, science and technology to current and contemporary issues. While seeking the conceptual understanding of issues in the main exam, the prelims seek both conceptual understanding and factual knowledge which broadens its scope. In this perspective, the initial preparation is the true test of someone's nerves, tenacity, perseverance and perseverance.
Understanding the Prelims examination of UPSC
It requires both conceptual clarity and factual information base: While the main exam wants to test the candidate's conceptual understanding through writing skills, the prelims examine both the concepts and the facts. For example, if you are studying Buddhism and Jainism in history for your preliminary examination, then in both religions a question about the concept of the soul, the concept of God, can be asked, with very good clarity on the related concepts is needed. Then, questions related to facts alone can be asked, e.g. For the various Buddhist councils, where they were organized, for this, there is a need for intensive preparation of both the conceptual aspects along with the factual details of the curriculum.
This is a common test for both the IAS and IFS (Indian Forest Service) examinations: Since both IAS and IFS have the same preliminary examination, the format of the preliminary examination has been revised for both of them to be judged. Earlier, a large number of questions were asked from traditional areas like history, politics and economics. But now there are more questions on geography, environment, ecology, climate change, forestry to evaluate the IFS candidate. This new facility of examination should always be in your preparation.
Third. Preparation beyond NCERT books: It is the publication of NCERT's books that everyone will suggest cracking the preelimms. It is also fairly true. But you can not expect the NCERT books to question just those questions which are excellent on the concepts, but there is a lack of factual details in the examination. Therefore, you also need to consult books beyond NCERT.
Known well-known facts but fewer known facts also matter: There is no doubt in it, you need to know all the famous facts on history, geography etc. But at the same time, you also know about the lesser known facts. Is required because the UPSC has the passion to set such questions. My intentions with lesser known facts are those who are not significantly predictable in news or books. For example, if any money is knowing about the Laundering Act and its provisions, then it should also know which agency investigates and issues cases under this law. It is being implemented by the Enforcement Directorate. Similarly, we all know that the Mean Hour is celebrated every year, but it is also important to know which agency is implementing it i.e. WWF
Best Test Series is not the coaching of stuff, but the UPSC question for the last 15 years: I have a mantra for success in the Priilems. If you solve all the GS questions asked by UPSC in the initial examination in the last 15 years, except for questions related to current affairs, you will get 15-20 questions easily. Questions of previous years are repeated every once in a while. Apart from these, questions are also asked by the previous year's examinations conducted by the UPSC for CAPF, NDA. Some questions of the SSC examination are also asked. Therefore, instead of exercising questions created by commercial coaches and websites, its sensible to practice past years because they are authentic and can be replicated.
- Strategy for CSAT of UPSC Exam 2019
- CSAT is of qualifying nature now requiring only qualifying marks (i.e. 33% only). It does not make sense to devote too much time for CSAT. The best way of doing CSAT is to identify your strong areas in CSAT syllabus and do well in that area to score the qualifying marks. For example, if you are good in maths and reasoning, make it your strength and it will give you the minimum marks required to qualify. Similarly, if comprehension part is your forte, use it to your advantage in the exam.
DECODING THE PRELIMS GS SYLLABUS of UPSC 2019
- Current topics of national and international importance:
- This constitutes the most challenging part of the prelims syllabus in terms of its wide coverage and diverse nature. The problem here is not the current affairs per se, but the attitude of candidates towards it. Current affairs is to be done on day to day basis, but majority of candidates keep postponing it till the close of the prelims exam and then suddenly get panicky about it. You will definitely find it hard to do current affairs at the last moment because it requires enormous amount of information from diverse fields. Therefore, it should be part of your daily routine. Secondly, the sources should be of diverse nature to collect information on various topics of current affairs. At least 2- 3 newspapers should be thoroughly read and a couple of magazines, including a foreign weekly like The Economist, Time, Newsweek etc., should also be perused. Events of last one year should be scrutinized in detail. Additionally, some important events of two years preceding last year should also be refreshed.
- History and Culture:
- Of late, there is a tendency to ask more questions on art and culture part. This needs to be thoroughly done through books like "The wonder that was India " by A. L. Basham," The Gazetteer of India" Modern India should be given more emphasis because large number of questions are asked from this section of history syllabus. For ancient and medieval India, one can depend on NCERT books , but for Modern India, at least 2-3 different books must be consulted.
- Geography:
- In geography, environment and ecology are also included which makes it a large chunk of the prelims exam. Adequate attention must be paid to geography section as it would carry more marks than any other Atlas reading holds the clue to understanding geography. For environment and ecology, websites like ENVIS INDIA, and magazines like Down to Earth will be handy.
- Polity:
- A thorough knowledge of Indian Constitution can take care of the polity section. Any good textbook on Indian Constitution can be referred to, but it must be supplemented by reading the articles of the constitution and their interpretations. For this, I would recommend P.M. Bakshi's book on Indian constitution. Needless to add here that the current developments in judiciary, legislature governance issues will also have to be followed along with the constitutional provisions. I will recommend two websites Live Law and PRS India to update information on polity and law related issues.For prelims 2019 exam, focus should be on matters relating to judiciary and landmark judgements of Supreme Court, change in the electoral laws and changes in the RPA Act, 1951
- Economic and Social developments:
- Though in terms of numbers , fewer questions are being set on economics, yet, its current affairs component has been increasing. In other words, there are more current economic questions than the traditional questions on economy. This strengthens the case for a thorough knowledge of Budget, Economic Survey, and careful perusal of economic news appearing in the pink newspapers ( financial newspapers are printed in pink newsprint).
- Govt schemes, policies and programs:
- A good number of questions are asked about various schemes of the government. For this, you need to access important government websites especially of the Ministries of Agriculture, Rural Development, Social Justice , Women and Child Development which roll out various welfare schemes. The problem here is that the questions on government schemes and programs are not of a general nature. The minute details are also asked relating to a particular scheme. Therefore, each government scheme needs to be followed in its minute details otherwise it will be difficult to arrive at the right option given in the question even though you might know about the scheme.
- Science and Technology:
- For best coverage of this section, a two pronged strategy should be employed. One, basic theories of physics, chemistry and biology must be buttressed by reading NCERT books on science. Two, applied science, (mostly part of current affairs) must be covered through newspapers and scientific magazines.
Strategy to score qualifying marks in Prelims:
One must always remember, it is unrealistic to aim at complete command of prelims syllabus. What is required is a substantial command over the syllabus and being selective in preparation. Usually, you require 110 marks to qualify in the GS paper of prelims. To achieve this, a safer strategy would be to command a couple of static parts of the syllabus e.g. history, culture and polity and ensure at least 20-25 correct answers from these areas. Thereafter, one should focus on securing at least 15-20 answers from the remaining static areas like geography, economy etc. This would ensure at least getting 40 correct answers. Finally, one should prepare from current affairs to get at least 15 correct answers. If this pattern of preparation is followed in a discreet manner, one can fetch the required score i.e. 110 out of a total score of 200.
SUGGESTED BOOKS LIST for UPSC Prelims 2019
Current Affairs:
- INDIA YEAR BOOK-2019 brought out by Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, New Delhi.
- Annual Reports of Ministries of Environment and Forest, Tribal Welfare, Women and Child Welfare, Social Justice, Rural Development, Department of Science and Technology, Atomic Energy, Renewable Energy.
- Major Newspapers
- Current Affairs Magazines
- Websites: PIB, PRS INDIA,
History:
- NCERT: Ancient India( R S Sharma) , Medieval India (Satish Chandra) , Modern India (Bipan Chandra)
- A L Basham: The wonder that was India
- The Gazetteer of India: Vol . II
- Bipan Chandra: Struggle for India's Independence
- A R Desai: Social Background of Indian Nationalism
- B L Grover: Modern India
- R.C. Pradhan: Raj to Swaraj
Art and Culture
- Publications Divisions books on art and culture
- Basil Gray: The Arts of India
- A. L. Basham : The Wonder That Was India ( chapter on art and architecture)
- The Gazetteer of India, Vol. II: Chapters on art, literature and culture
Geography:
- All NCERT books on geography from Std. vi to xii
- ICSE books on geography.. 8th- 10th std.
- Goh Cheh Leong: Certificate Human and Physical Geography
- Atlas by Oxford India publication
Polity and Constitution:
- P M Bakshi : Constitution of India
- D.D Basu: Constitution of India
- S.C Kashyap: Our Constitution
- M P Singh: Indian Federalism
- B K Sharma: Indian Constitution
Economy:
- NCERT: Indian Economic Development
- Mishra and Puri: Indian Economy
- Economic Survey 2015-2016
- Yojana
- Major Financial newspapers
General Science:
- NCERT: Std X books on Physics, Chemistry and std XI and XII books on Biology
- Magazine: Down to Earth
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