How to start preparing for UPSC Civil Services Exam?

Starting preparations for your UPSC Civil Services exam might seem to be a tedious and confusing task. When the course you need to cover is vast, there can be a lot of perplexity about ‘where to start from’ or ‘what to focus more upon’!

Starting preparations for the UPSC exam comes right from the innermost feeling that needs to keep you motivated through and through. If you really want to achieve something, you should be true and loyal to your commitments. UPSC requires grit, so one must decide to work hard.

When it comes to commencing preparations, one must start from scratch so that you end up covering all the aspects of the examination. It is best to study from NCERTs of the 11th and 12th level to strengthen your basics. Get to read a lot of text books to apprise you with the primary knowledge essential for your exam. Delve deeper into the core of your subjects to understand them well.

As we all know, the UPSC Civil Services exam needs a thorough knowledge of vast aspects including current affairs, so start reading the newspaper; twice!
Make note of all the important newspapers that you should cover ranging from International Relations (Middle East and Asia), International Relations (Americas and remaining world), Government Policies and schemes, Personalities and Awards and Sports, International Organisations, Social Issues, Economic Policies, Defence. The general studies section that you need to cover is vast, so should be your resources.

Go through a number of informative sites on the internet including blogs, online portals and edifying video portals. There is a wide web of information not available so handy in books, keeping in mind that the internet automatically throws light on important information. Moreover searching and segregating data according to your need is a lot easier on the web.

Make it a habit to follow important magazines like Frontline, Civil Services Chronicle, Economic and Political Weekly, Kurukshetra, The Economist, Yojana and India Today to keep you updated with the latest trends going on in the national as well as global scenario.

Your level of determination should not falter juxtaposed to the amount of efforts you need to put in. Being someone who is preparing for the UPSC Exam, you might miss a meal but not a daily edition of The Hindu.

Moving on from resources to implementation, you should keep a tight schedule for your daily studies. Attaining a balance between all the subjects is necessary. It is essential to set a weekly or monthly benchmark for your study. Try as hard as possible to meet deadlines. Try to understand every aspect of the question paper and the areas you really need to work hard upon. Your journey towards the goal of cracking the UPSC exam will take you a lot more further from where you currently stand. Holding an office after clearing the UPSC Civil Services exam amounts not only to having worked real hard for glory, but also for the purpose of serving your country.