Clear UPSC Exam with These Tips

Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) is the authorized agency to conduct civil services examination along with 10 other exams. Civil Services Examination is the one to recruit candidates into Indian bureaucracy, diplomacy, revenue, foreign and other eminent services. Lakhs of aspirants dream to crack the examination with their sheer hard work but only a few hundred make it to the final list. Hence, it is very important to know about this examination and the right strategies to be built to crack it in the first attempt.

The commission had announced 796 vacancies for the civil services examination 2020. Prelims took place on 4th October. UPSC Exam has three tiers – Prelims, Mains and Interview. Mains will take place from 8th January 2021 onwards. Candidates who are preparing for both the 2020 and 2021 examination will benefit from these strategic tips to sail through the examination.

Know What is UPSC Exam

UPSC as it is called, is one of the toughest examinations in the country that is conducted to recruit candidates into Indian administration. Aspirants who sit for this examination opt one of the following services:

• Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
• Indian Police Services (IPS)
• Indian Foreign Services (IFS)
• Indian Revenue Services (IRS), etc.

The examination is an annual event which takes place in three stages:

• Preliminary Stage
• Mains Stage
• Personality Test (Interview Stage)

Each stage is equally important for the candidates as a single mistake can cost one attempt as there is a limit to the number of attempts to this examination.

What are the Eligibility Conditions of the IAS Exam?

The commission brings out the official notification usually in the month of February each year. The notification contains along with other details, the UPSC Eligibility Criteria. The following are the IAS eligibility conditions:

1. The candidate has to be an Indian Citizen
2. A general category candidate has to be a minimum of 21 years of age and should not be 32 years old on or before 1st August of the examination year. (For example – If a candidate is going to take the UPSC 2021 examination, he should be at least 21 on/before 1st August 2021 and should not have attained the age of 32 before 1st August 2021.)
3. A general category candidate has six attempts to take the examination.
4. The commission sets relaxation in the age and number of attempts for the following categories:
   1. SC/ST
   2. OBC
   3. EWS
   4. Ex-Servicemen
   5. Defence Personnel
   6. Persons with Disabilities

What are the Right Tips for the IAS Exam?

Each and every candidate almost reads the same books for the examination but what is it that makes one a topper and other to struggle for a success. It is nothing but the right strategy for the examination. The following tips will help you design your way towards the final list:

1. Will Power – Everyone talks about the books and syllabus first, but in reality, the first thing needed is a strong-willed aspirant. Unless you have a strong ‘Why’ for the examination, you will find it hard to focus on the right direction.
2. Discipline – Though it is talked about much but yet it is undervalued thinking that multiple books will solve the purpose. However, once a candidate has a disciplined approach, he/she finds it easier than the rest to focus and get the desired results.
3. Rest is the same – The aspirants need to focus on the rest of it with both will power and discipline:
   1. Syllabus – Don’t stray away from the UPSC-defined syllabus for the examination. Stick to it till the very end.
   2. A few books make it easier – Stick to less number of books but more number of revisions.
   3. More number of revisions – A weekly revision agenda should be created by the aspirant. Once, concepts are clear, an aspirant should push weekly revision to monthly revisions.
   4. Periodic Mock Tests – It is important to test your preparation with authentic mock tests.
   5. Previous Year Question Papers – Old question papers are as good as new as aspirants can learn the trend, practise smart elimination technique and track what they have learnt so far.

The examination is taken up by lakhs of aspirants. In 2020, around 10.8 lakhs aspirants have applied for the UPSC Exam. Only a few thousands will make it to the interview round from which only 796 candidates will succeed to make it to the final list. Hence, each and every tip should be adhered to.