How to start preparing for IAS?

The UPSC Civil Service Exam is one of the most prestigious exams in India as it is a gateway
to the top government services like the IAS, IPS etc. It is one of the most competitive and
difficult exams around the world. It is the exam through which candidates can fulfill their
Indian Administrative Service Ambitions and this is the reason why it is known as the IAS
exam.
The UPSC SCE consists of three stages, Prelims, Mains, and Interview. And the difficulty
level rises with each stage, the interview being the most difficult one. It not only tests your
knowledge and ability to write but also your mental strength and ability to deal with the
situation. And millions of aspirants apply for the exams every year, out of which less than 1%
of those aspirants get into the IAS. Hey, but don’t lose hope. If you have the confidence, and
a hardworking spirit, you can crack the exam. Here are some steps you must take to prepare
for the IAS exams:

 Develop a timetable and stick to it – the most necessary thing is to manage your time
and be disciplined.
 Mock Tests are a must-do take the tests at regular intervals to get yourself ready for
the actual exam.
 Start your preparations early – the syllabus of UPSC is very vast, and starting as early
as possible will be your strength.
 Maintain Notes – Making self-made short notes regularly helps with your memory
and you’ll be able to cover the vast syllabus.
 Never stop practicing – practice makes perfect. Keep revising, and access your
performance regularly.

Here are some strategies that you must keep in mind for every stage:
1. Preliminary Exam
- Form a base – understand your syllabus and create a sound knowledge base around it.
- Attempt Mocks and Papers – Practicing about 20 thousand questions and attempting a
lot of Mocks will help you strengthen for the exam.
- Take care of the current affairs – current affairs are a necessity. Use a current affairs
magazine to prepare for that portion.
1. Main Exam:
- Increase your writing speed – writing 4000 words in 3 hours isn’t easy. Practice as
many questions as possible to improve your writing speed.
- Develop good presentation skills – work on improving your writing and writing
format as it is what will give you marks.
- Choose the best Optionals – Optionals can help you in increasing your marks or even
decreasing them. Choose the ones you’re most confident in.
1. Interview:
- Develop conversational and communication skills – having good communication
skills will help you present your answer in a limited time.
- Prepare points for every topic – preparing points on various topics beforehand will
help you present the best answer.
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