Fundamentals of cracking UPSC CSE prelims during coronavirus crisis

Fundamentals of cracking UPSC CSE prelims during coronavirus crisis

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There is a concept called as a blessing in disguise and the trying times now during the COVID-9 pandemic validates that saying. While the world seems to be in the brink of collapse and the future looks bleak and uncertain, it is extremely plausible for anyone to succumb to the invisible virus and tend to give up on their dreams. The UPSC aspirants are no different. Given the situation where prelims and mains are indefinitely postponed, cold and damning water is poured all over the student’s preparations and plans.

If everything is so unfortunate and unwelcome, why did we say in the beginning that this pandemic is a blessing in disguise? Well, because it’s true and gives a glimpse for serious UPSC aspirants of what the future holds for them. This a true test for IAS, IPS or IFS aspirants in whether or not they are fit of the job. Because a job in civil services in India is full of uncertainties and unpleasant surprises that are thrown at you, and if you succumb now for an invisible virus, then what’s the guarantee that you won’t succumb later during your service?

Just consider these trying times as another test for your patience and zeal to serve your people and the nation.

Fundamentals of cracking UPSC CSE prelims during coronavirus crisis

In this article, we have provided a few tips for the students, to cope up with the crisis and turn these difficult situations into an advantage for their UPSC preparations.

Let’s now have a look at the revised exam schedule of IAS Prelims 2020:

UPSC IAS Prelims 2020: Exam Date & Schedule

Exam Date Timings Paper No. of Questions Total Marks
To be announced on 5 June 2020 9.30 – 11.30 am Paper I: General Studies (GS) 100 200
2.30 – 4.30 pm Paper II: GS (CSAT) – Qualifying 80 200

UPSC CSE 2020 – Modify your study plans

You might be a working professional or a student or unemployed who is preparing for the UPSC exams. And these holidays are a godsend because of the fact that you have got an enormous amount of time to prepare thoroughly. A student or a working professional had to balance between office and college hours with UPSC preparation hours, but now that times have changed and the struggle for maintaining that balance is gone, work from home has reduced the pressure on employees and extra time and effort can be put on the preparation instead.

If you were someone who used to study for 6 hours every day before (in the night), you can now either study more than 8 hours or maintain that 6 hours spread across the whole day, on an assumption that you are staying at home the entire time. A well-distributed study plan throughout the day is healthier and more effective than slogging for 6 continuous hours at night. But then again, it depends on the candidate to candidate. It goes without saying that there is no one good way to prepare for these exams and the candidates must analyse themselves in line with there competencies.

Old NCERT History Books PDF Download

Old NCERT Geography Books PDF Download

NCERT History Books

NCERT Geography Books

UPSC CSE Mock tests

Now is the time you mock it up! Double the mock tests in these holidays than what you were doing before. Somewhere between solving 3 to 5 tests a day should skyrocket your preparation and get you closer to your dreams. Trust us, the power of taking mocks is more than the power of memorising tons and tons of textbooks every day. Solve as many as previous year question papers as possible in these holidays. Usually, students don’t get time to do enough mock test because of the vastness of IAS syllabus, but now that they have got an extra 3 to 4 months of time, they can use it to the best of their advantage and ace up their UPSC civil services preparation during coronavirus crisis.

Social distancing

Well, remember how you were struggling to reject party invitations and your friend’s birthday party celebration so that you can sit in your room and study? Well, the COVID-19 crisis is as if it was made to make lives easier for UPSC aspirants. There is no one now to disturb and distract you for parties, movies or night outs. You are left with yourself, your UPSC materials and your loving family with healthy food at home and no work or college pressure is the icing on the cake. This crisis is a true blessing in disguise for serious aspirants. Make the best use of it and improve your UPSC civil services preparation during coronavirus crisis.

Keep up with the current affairs

Currents affairs have never been as important as now for UPSC civil services aspirants. The invisible coronavirus has made some greatly visible policy changes in the country. From health to education and infrastructure to economic policies, there are metamorphic changes coming our way which are all COVID centric in nature. Students need to keep themselves updated with plenty of new changes in administrations and policies because the crux of the 2020 UPSC civil services paper will be around the COVID-19 pandemic.

Getting news and opinions from trusted and valid sources is of utmost importance given the fake news crisis in the world. It will be disastrous for students to read wrong information day in and day out and form miscalculated and misled opinions on those pieces of information. We recommend Indian Express, Jagran Josh and thewire.in for trustworthy news and editorials columns.

As we already mentioned, there is no single simple way to clear this exam. If that was the case, it would never be known as the toughest exam in the world. But what we can say with confidence is that the coronavirus crisis can be turned into a massive advantage for the preparation of UPSC civil services. With or without coronavirus, its sheer determination and hard work of student’s that matters at the end of the day.

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