How to Prepare for IAS Exam Effectively

Posted by Safiy Singh on January 11th, 2016

IAS exam is the most prestigious exam in India. Clearing this exam can open the door of opportunities for students and help them realize their dream of serving the country. Civil servants not just enjoy great respect but also get an opportunity to do something meaningful for the society. However, IAS exam is also one of the most difficult exams to crack. Only a fraction of the students who appear for IAS preliminary exam are able to clear it every year.

If you’re an IAS aspirant, here are some of the useful tips that will help you prepare well for this exam:

Current Affairs

Current affair is one of the most important components of the civil services exam. It is important to stay updated with all the current issues in India as well as other countries. Be it national affairs, social issues, international affairs or economics, most of the topics in General Studies paper are related to current affairs. It is also important for you to read newspaper regularly and make notes of anything you find to be interesting and worthy. This will make it easier for you to revise everything with lesser effort later on.

Basics

Getting your basics clear is of great importance. Many students make the mistake of studying too many books and moving to advanced topics without gaining a thorough understanding of their very basics. You should devote a good amount of time to understand the basics before moving to the more advanced topics.

Solving mock test papers

Solving mock test papers can go a long way when it comes to preparing yourself well for this reputed exam. The most important benefit of taking mock tests is that it can greatly help in increasing your accuracy and problem solving ability. Moreover, it will also make you familiar with the pattern of the exam and help you focus more upon the vital topics.

Thorough insights of question papers

It is important to go through the previous years’ question papers. Doing so will make it easier for you to identify the patterns and select the topics that are asked frequently in the exam. This will help you focus more on the topics that are quite important. It will also make it easier for you to understand the level of difficulty of the questions that are asked in this exam. This in turn will boost your confidence and help you prepare well for the exam.

Comprehensive Reading

As a civil service aspirant, you need to develop a habit of reading. The syllabus is vast and you need to cover a wide range of topics. You can start with reading NCERT textbooks for developing a stronger foundation. Gradually, you can move to other advanced books. Having good knowledge of the current affairs is also very important. Students should also make it a habit to read newspapers daily. There are many current affairs magazines that can help them stay updated with the latest events happening around the world. Internet today does come handy for all such students in this regard.

Selecting the best IAS coaching center will also make the preparation a lot easier. There are many good centers that provide the best IAS coaching in Bangalore. Equipped with the right knowledge and resources, these centers can provide you with all the guidance as is required to do well in the exam.