UPSC Civil Services Exam Prep

Cheatsheet Content

UPSC Civil Services Exam Preparation Strategy 1. Prelims Preparation 1.1. Core Subjects (Static) History: NCERT, Spectrum Polity: NCERT, Laxmikanth Economy: Vivek Singh, Ramesh Singh Geography & EVS: PMF IAS, G.C. Leong General Science: NCERT 1.2. Current Affairs Newspapers: The Hindu, Indian Express, Mint (for economic news) Take short notes from newspapers and institute material 1.3. Previous Year Questions (PYQ) Analyze last 20 years of PYQs. Focus on last 5-10 years for pattern analysis. Practice both horizontal (topic-wise) and vertical (year-wise) analysis. 1.4. Prelims Practice Test Series: Split up (any one institute) and Full-length tests (multiple institutes like Vision, Rau's, Forum, Vajiram). 1.5. Prelims Tips Keep fixed resource books. Multiple revision cycles. Revise test series analysis. Finish split-up tests before March, then move to full-length tests. 2. Mains Preparation 2.1. Content Building Prepare one-page content for each topic. Value Addition: Facts, diagrams, maps, reports. Refer to model answers of PYQs (e.g., Only IAS, Sunya material). Exhaustively review Topper copies. Prepare standard introductions and conclusions for each topic. Use the same facts across multiple papers where relevant. 2.2. Mains Practice Practice at least 5 answers per day initially. Attempt full-length papers after notes are made. Collate all facts, figures, and reports into a few sheets for last-minute revision. 2.3. Mains Exam Strategy (Priority) Focus on paper completion. Address the demand of the question separately in subtopics. Add value to meet the specific demand of the question. Emphasize presentation and handwriting. 3. Interview Preparation 3.1. DAF (Detailed Application Form) Fill DAF with due care, as it forms the base of interview preparation. Prepare detailed notes on each part of DAF. 3.2. Current Affairs & Discussion Engage in peer-to-peer discussion on current affairs. Read multiple newspapers for diverse perspectives: The Hindu, Indian Express, Mint/Economic Times, First Post (for IR). 3.3. Special Focus Areas Hobby Graduation background Service preference International Relations (IR) Budget/Economic Survey Hometown/State 3.4. Interview Sources Previous year interview transcripts (Telegram channels). Toppers' mock interviews (YouTube). 3.5. Interview Practice One-to-one mock interviews (2-3 times). Full panel mock interviews (5-6 mocks) after full preparation. Recommended institutes: Samkalp IAS, Chahal IAS, KSG, Vajiram, Next IAS. 4. Miscellaneous Tips Prepare prelims and mains in an integrated manner. Start writing answers as early as possible (don't wait for syllabus completion). Complete optional syllabus well in advance: Finalize sources. Prepare topic-wise notes. Practice test series (10-12 split-up, 6-8 full-length). Revise your tests and learn from previous mistakes. Prepare crisp notes for last-minute revision. Follow a single strategy (evolve your own, don't blindly follow toppers'). Practice is the key.