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History |
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Geography |
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Economics |
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Science and Tech |
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Polity |
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Mental ability |
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Current National and International Affairs |
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| As far as the Preliminary is concerned the candidate is required to have an extensive coverage of the all topics whereas Mains requires a candidate to have in depth knowledge of the areas. Devising a strategy for cracking the GS paper involves the candidates to understand the pre requisites that are mentioned above. |
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| PRELIMINARY (FIRST TIMERS) |
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| Let us take an example of a candidate who is preparing for the Civil services for the first time and starts his/her preparation a year before the actual preliminary examination. |
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| MAY- OCTOBER |
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| The strategy can be |
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Go through that Year Preliminary Question Paper and analyse the trends in which the questions have been asked over say 10 years. |
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Start reading each component of the GS as if you are going to write the mains exam the same year itself. In short concentrate on factual details and also prepare yourself to be able to write descriptive answers on the given topic. |
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For Example: Let us take you are studying Current Affairs
“The 13th Finance Commision constituted - Vijay.L.Khelkar heads the Commission” |
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For preliminary you may be asked |
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The heads of Finance Commisions |
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The relevant article of the constitution pertaining to the Finance Commission etc |
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| For mains you may be asked |
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To write the Recommendations of the 12th Finance Commission |
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Make your own notes from any standard national newspaper apart from referring to any standard civil services magazine. While making notes from the newspaper concentrate on the national and international news which is important for the exam. The city and state news do a quick reading because this area might be important only in the Interview stage and not for the written stage. |
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| Tips for making news paper notes |
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Divide the paper/Book into columns. Each column pertaining to a component of the GS syllabus |
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Let us take an example of a news item again. |
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“National Biodiversity Commission constituted”
It can be considered as a part of Environmental geography/Polity
Write down the name of the head of the Commission, whether has been formed by executive action or what? The profession of the person who heads the commission? Who does the commission report to? Which ministry it comes under? Are other any other commission like this? Etc. |
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“Kachch becomes the 15th biosphere reserve of India”
When you write this information in your note, also find out the names of the other biosphere reserves of India, The Man and Biosphere programme. Use a standard atlas and immediately see where Kachch is located in the map.
3. Revise your news notes every week and then read the Civil service magazine which comes every month. There might be some details which you might have missed which you can cover up with the magazine. |
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| NOVEMBER- APRIL(All Candidates) |
| By now you would have got a fair idea of the syllabus and what is required etc. from now on you only target is cracking the Preliminary so start studying the GS components with an eye on factual details and gather a fair idea because from now on you need to prune your skills of eliminating wrong answers and with negative marking this task is not easy. |
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| Your Strategy can be |
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Make a time table when in you study Optional Subject in the morning and General studies in the afternoon. This is how the Preliminary exam schedule is like so if you plan you study your mind will tune in like this. |
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Test your progress every week with either in house or online coaching. |
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Evaluate your strong areas and build on your strengths. Analyse your weak area and work on it. |
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If you are strong in current affairs with atleast 4 strong areas in the GS paper your probability of cracking the Prelims is higher. |
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| APRIL- 2 days before the CSP |
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Revise whatever you have studied again and again with a proper time table. |
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Work out questions every day |
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Take up mock tests |
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| Remember “Success is sweet but its secret is not only sweat but also the right strategy”. |
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