Civil Services Prelims, Tips for College Students Preparing for the IAS Exam

  • College is the greatest venue for brilliant aspirants to begin their IAS exam preparation.
  • With all the vigour of youth and the sharpness of a student’s mind, just-out-of-college boys have a better chance of passing the IAS exam. However, without proper direction and techniques are included in the preparation, the attempt may be useless, resulting in the loss of valuable attempts.
  • This is something that aspirants should never allow to happen. We hope that this post will be of great assistance to individuals who are looking for proper guidance in order to study for the IAS exam while still in college, particularly final year and pre-final year students.

1. Get a jump on the competition.

  • Please keep in mind that the UPSC Civil Service Exam (CSE) requires 21 years of age and a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. It’s also worth noting that final-year students are eligible to apply for the IAS Prelims. Many applicants miss out on this early opportunity and arrive late to the UPSC Civil Service Exam preparation sector. The fact that the average age of applicants that make it into the final UPSC CSE rank list is 28 years reflects this.

2. Purchase the most highly regarded IAS books.

  • Purchase the most essential books for UPSC CSE preparation once you’ve chosen on IAS/IPS as your career objective. On a separate page, we’ve prepared a master list of UPSC books. However, the books listed below are the ones you should start with.
  • NCERT Books are available for purchase online through Amazon or as a PDF download.
  • Laxmikanth’s Polity.
  • Ramesh Singh’s Economics.
  • Bipan Chandra’s History.

3. Recognize that you have a limited amount of time, so prioritize your tasks!

  • Those who prepare concurrently for UPSC CSE while in college would have time constraints, unlike many other candidates who can devote a full year to UPSC preparation. As a result, your capacity to prioritise is quite crucial. Do only what is absolutely necessary.

  • Study the UPSC syllabus thoroughly. Examine the UPSC CSE question papers from previous years. This should put you on the right track.

4. Register for the Believers IAS mock exam series.

  • Many first-year and second-year college students participate in the Believers IAS Prelims Test Series, despite the fact that they can only apply for the IAS exam in their final year of study.

  • This is an excellent method for staying focused and understanding the UPSC requirements by practising questions that are similar to those in the actual UPSC test.

  • You should not be concerned about your grade, but rather use mock tests as a learning opportunity. Mock exams assist you in comprehending not only the UPSC question pattern, but also tough ideas. If you’re lucky, a mock exam series can provide you with a large number of direct and indirect questions. This had happened previously with the Believers IAS Test series.

5. Make the most of your free time

  • If you have an hour to spare, make the most of it. whether you’re waiting for a bus or in the library.

6. Obtain information from newspapers and magazines

  • Regardless of time constraints, don’t skimp on your newspaper reading. It’s not so boring once you get into the groove, believe us! For quality articles, we recommend The Hindu or The Indian Express. Make editorials and op-ed pieces a priority.
  • In terms of magazines, EPW is an excellent place to look for up-to-date information. Yojana and Kurukshetra are government projects and initiatives towards understanding.

7. Talk to your friends about current events.

We’re not going to tell you to stop talking. Long discussions and debates are commonplace in college. Enjoy it, but develop a group of friends who share your viewpoints and with whom you can discuss current events.

Believe us when we say that sharing of knowledge is one of the most crucial components that helps most applicants pass the IAS exam. Begin forming groups as soon as you get at college.

8. Continue to write

  • The pace with which you write is very crucial in UPSC CSE Mains. When compared to working professionals, aspirants fresh out of college would have a significant edge because they are still familiar with pen and paper. Make the most of this opportunity.

  • Here are some pointers to help you improve your writing: Participate in your college’s essay competitions. Write letters to the editors of well-known publications.