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( Shashi Pant, BSc., Uttrakhand, Via: E-Mail )
CSC: Online test series are worthy when it comes to UPSC prelims. Mock test should be practiced by all before every exam. Mock test when practiced in exam like setting, are really helpful in removing the fear of exams. But, not all can attend coaching institute's mock test. And that’s when you can use online test series.
Many websites and coaching institutes do offer prelims test series which helps aspirants understand their weak areas in each topic and sub-topic. In fact many of the online test series are cheaper than offline test series.
The test series depends not only on the questions - but the answers given along, and most importantly, the evaluation, along with discussion. So, keep in mind all these points before going for any test series and choose accordingly.
( Harsh, Via: E-Mail )
CSC: Dear Harsh, UPSC CSE preparation is one of the toughest journey of life. UPSC preparation needs mental strength and ability to overcome the failures. During the course of preparation many aspirants feel the same as you do right now.
The fact that you continued with your five attempts tell us, how passionate you are about this examination.
Analyse your previous 5 attempts. See and find what are your flaws, where are you lagging, what mistakes are you repeating again and again. Once, you find that, you will be able to improve on them, when you improve on them, you will be able to clear the exam. All that you need is ‘will and determination’ with dedication and smart work. Give your last attempt after analyzing your mistakes. You already know the sources to study from.
If you reach the interview stage, don’t think that you are at disadvantage because of your repeated failures. The UPSC Board do not judge you because of that. As you have already attempted five times, that means you already have accumulated large amount of knowledge. Just use this knowledge to blow away the interviewer’s mind and let them see how awesome you are! So, go ahead, brace yourself up and give everything this time.
( Divya Rai, Via: E-Mail )
These days many UPSC aspirants join a coaching institute while pursuing their graduation - the minimum qualification required to appear for this exam. However, these days quality material is available easily in the market. One can start preparation by self-study even when s/he is going through the grind of their college life. It is up to you to pick either self-study or coaching based on self-assessment of your dedication and discipline.Therefore, before taking any hasty decision it would be wise if you could gauge the schedule of the college which you will join after 12th results and based on that decide on either self-study or coaching.
( Arun Suri, Via: E-Mail )
Banking Exams and Civil Services, these two exams follow entirely different pattern. For a successful attempt at any exam, it is pertinent to channelize your energy in one direction. So firstly, you must introspect your strengths and weakness and overcome this dilemma that whether you will prepare for banking exams or Civil Services Exam. After that you also need to work on your English and Maths as these exams need you to qualify the aptitude paper also. For this, you must practice your basics of English as well as Maths and take some tests to analyse your progress. Always remember, no feat is impossible to achieve unless you give up and fail to try again.
( Radhika Mohan, Via: E-Mail )
It is good to be clear about your goal from the start. But you must remember that life is a whole of your experiences in parts. College life is one such stage where you explore new dimensions of your personality. It is that time of your life where you take decisions for your career choices. So pursue that course in your graduation which is to your liking. To appear for civil services exam you need to have a graduation degree from any stream. Therefore, Either B.A or B.Sc. would suffice.
( Saumya Sharma, Via: E-Mail )
Before preparing for any exam one must be clear about their final aim. Since you have dilemma between two widely different fields, it becomes imperative that you choose either one of them first. If you wish to have a career in teaching at college level then NET is a suitable exam;but if you wish to become a civil servant then you will have to appear for Civil Services exam conducted by the UPSC. If your choice is NET then you need not worry about maths paper because paper 1 in this exam asks for general teaching aptitude based questions and paper 2 is subject-specific. You will not be required to give maths paper. However, in the Civil Services exam, paper 2 is aptitude based which is of qualifying nature (need to score minimum 33% of the allotted marks),but don't feel disheartened because the UPSC asks elementary level maths upto 10th standard only. Also, you can improve you’re your hold on the subject by brushing up the basics and by practising some model aptitude test papers to improve your weak areas in the subject.
( Madhu Mishra, Delhi, Via: E-Mail )
To become an IAS officer, a candidate has to clear Civil Services Examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission. The basic minimum qualification required for applying for this examination is a degree from a Government recognized Universities, or an equivalent qualification. Candidates who are in their final year or awaiting results are also eligible to appear for UPSC preliminary Examination. Qualification-wise you satisfy the minimum criteria, but your final selection in this 3 stage- exam depends on your dedication as well as preparation. Anyone with streamlined preparation and perseverance can become an IAS officer. So analyse the reasons why you want to join this service and take a plunge into this preparation if that cause drives you to work for it.
( Amit Saxena, BE (4th Year), Greater Noida, Via: E-Mail )
CSC: Dear Amit, Civil Services Exam is all about a planned effort with the right guidance. Your examination process will be about mind over matter. We truly won’t say that it is impossible but, it is a very difficult goal to achieve. You have to refine your thought process for the exam and get ready to work hard. The number of hours don’t matter, it is always the quality of the reading/understanding acquired from the books and other study material. Keeping this in mind you should have a very clear-cut content plan for the coming 5 months (till Prelims) and then for the next 4 months till Mains exam. UPSC exam has blurred the lines between Mains and Prelims. It will be better if in the first three months you integrate your Prelims and Mains studies. Then, channelize all your efforts with focus on Prelims for the next 3 months and then only on Mains for the next 4 months.
Your, first step should be to read standard books (NCERT books from class VI to class XII). The next step is to enroll yourself for a good quality integrated test series for Prelims and Mains. Commit yourself completely for the content plan and follow the test series schedule religiously. It will go in your favour, for the subject based tests will help you how to study the subject. By the end of March, you will complete all the basic stuff and you will be thorough with all the topics. Also, choose one optional and try to finish it by April, so that after Prelims you can easily revise it. Focus mainly on prelims after April. If you have decided to give the exam then go for it with all the guns blazing.
( Shruti Bhatia, BA(Hons), 1st Year, Patiala, Via: E-Mail )
CSC: Dear Shruti, you are an undergraduate student of 19 yrs. The eligibility for Civil Services Examination is 21 yrs. You want to study further and complete your post-graduation first and then later on give an attempt. However, there is no hard and fast rule which tells you when to start reading or studying for this examination. You can start at any age. Many aspirants start preparing for this examination even when they are still at school. Since, it is your childhood dream, I hope that you must have been studying newspapers or relevant magazines to keep you abreast of the current affairs. This will help you cover most of your syllabus. Your choice of the optional will decide other half of your preparation. If you take your undergraduate and post graduate subjects as optional, vast majority of the syllabus will be completed simultaneously. Civil Services is a tough examination. It requires extensive preparation. If you have made your mind to compete for this examination, it will be better if you start preparing at the earliest even though you want to give the exam at a later stage. It is rightly said that ‘Early bird has the worm’!