The team of IAS Planner experts and teachers has prepared an effective study plan for the Civil Services Examination Year – 2023, which is an important effort for all the aspirants to start their preparation in the right direction. This best IAS coaching in DehradunIn the beginning, we would like to tell all the candidates that you must understand that you have to study according to the syllabus of the Civil Services Examination. Various subjects such as history, geography, science and technology, politics, international relations, economics, environment, etc. make up the curriculum. But if you follow the syllabus prescribed by the Union Public Service Commission, then you get a direction in your field of study for preparation and as a result, you study what is in the syllabus. Remember, UPSC never asks questions out of its pre-set syllabus.
Since you have only one year in which to make sure that you are ready for Civil Services Examination or not. Therefore, it is advised to the candidates to utilize each day properly for study and practice and does their study in a systematic manner. Remember, UPSC tests your writing style and your understanding of the topics in the answers given by you. Hence, you are strongly advised to follow this particular strategy. A disciplined study plan with dedication and seriousness will ensure that you do not lose your focus and study track.
Mission IAS 2023 Phase I: June to August
First of all, go through the pattern and syllabus of the exam thoroughly and go through it as you need to have a good understanding of its syllabus. After that choose your favorite from the topics and subjects mentioned in the syllabus and then those which you are afraid of. To ensure this, pick three-four topics from the syllabus that interest you and a few others from the list. We must understand that when we start preparing, we must harness our enthusiasm and cover difficult topics in the beginning. If you are unable to do this also, then for this, if you study NCERT books, it will strengthen the base of your subject knowledge.
On the other hand, study the difficult subjects and list the comparatively easy to difficult subjects. For example, choose 1 subject of your interest and 2 subjects that you find comparatively difficult, in this way you will not get discouraged, and your interest in studying the subjects will remain.
How much, what, and how to study?
Time management is very important in the preparation and success of any competitive exam, so in the initial phase of starting the preparation, make sure that your study time does not exceed 4 to 5 hours in a day. Because in the beginning, we have to understand the study process very well, then only after proper guidance we should increase the time period of our study. Make sure from the very beginning of your preparation that you are making proper notes for important details, facts, and information. For example: If you have initially chosen History as one of the subjects to study, you may write down the name of the event/event, place (where the event took place), time/period, date, duration, and duration. Along with the information related to the empire, colony, country, group or people (special person), etc., can maintain a sheet of chronological events in a tabular form, and can also create an additional column for related additional content.
Newspaper and daily current affairs are important.
If we talk about Daily Current Affairs, then they have a very important role in the Integrated Study Plan of Civil Services Examination. Candidates have to note that, UPSC will not judge you only on the basis of General Studies (GS) topics in the exam, rather the commission will try to get your opinion and knowledge on the current events that are happening in India and the world. . For example: Like how and in which area are these incidents affecting the nation? and the reasons or measures related to it, etc.
Remember, while studying current affairs make sure that you go through them with a wide and open mind so that if there is anything related to your preparation topics, you can make a mental note to mention the same in your answers. Can Hence, developing the habit of reading newspapers is essential for this stage of preparation.
Note these:-
- Set aside a day every week for revision of the notes and information made by you.
- Do integrated preparation in this phase and study Common General Studies Papers/Topics of Prelims and Mains, and also try to cover your selected optional subject.
- Only 3 months before the next year’s prelims exam your focus should be serious the prelims exam.
- Analyze previous year’s question papers and try to solve them. However, do not expect to solve those papers completely in the preliminary level of your preparation, but in this way, you can understand the level and difference of questions asked in preliminary and main examinations.
Importance of personality building:
Keep yourself away from all kinds of distractions for one year and make sure you use all social media platforms in perspective of your preparation. Stay updated by joining Facebook pages and groups etc. related to or objective of the Civil Services Examination. But this does not mean that you should forget to study other extra-curricular or curricular activities! So, use your time smartly, during this time follow your hobbies or hobbies like music, dance, sports, or whatever, spend time with your family and friends, watch movies, socialize, etc. along with your routine and exams Maintain harmony in the preparation of Discuss current events with peers and groups preparing with you and understand their perspective, understanding them as a problem-solving perspective, remember your perspective of seeing and understanding things related to various events and facts is logical and Must be analytical. Take a good diet, and stay fit with regular meditation, exercise or yoga practice. This type of physical and mental meditation activity will also help you boost your concentration and confidence.
Mission IAS 2023 Phase II: September to October
Now after doing a quarterly study for all the broad subjects, your mind now becomes better at understanding and studying various things from an administrative point of view. Now in this phase choose another 2 to 3 new topics to prepare with concentration and make sure to start preparing as explained earlier. You have become more interactive now, therefore, now is the time for you to engage in group study and various important discussions with peers and study while analyzing them.
Apart from the tips mentioned above, keep the following points in mind:
- Increase your study capacity by reducing the current preparation time to 6 to 8 hours according to your daily responsibilities.
- Try to cover all the difficult topics by the end of this phase, before moving on to more interesting and easy topics like the Environment in the next phase.
- Since you are taking up difficult topics in this phase, so make sure to get as much detail as possible about the topics so that you can get clarity and understanding on all the important topics.
- Apart from the recommended books, you can take help making notes from NCERT and other authentic online sources.
- Be sure to make notes for important points, events, dates, formulas, etc., and keep in mind that these should also be memorized.
- Start practicing solving the last few years’ questions, by attempting this you will be able to check at what stage you have reached in your preparation process.
- Only with practice, you can be successful in developing the skill of writing more answers to the questions.
Mission IAS 2023 IIIrd phase: November to December
- Check your preparation plan and level once again, and find out whether you have covered all the topics or not.
- As you are targeting difficult topics in this phase, so finish them well in time and take the help of NCERT Books along with recommended books to get a firm grip on the rest of the topics.
- Now start studying your optional subject along with simple subjects like environment. For the optional subject, start preparing with NCERT from the book related to your optional subject.
- Along with this, keep revising whatever you have studied, and also keep in mind that all other remaining topics should be covered in this phase.
- As mentioned above, do not ignore the importance of current affairs, because it is mandatory to cover current affairs for topics like environment, and technology. Current affairs updates will play a major role in all three stages (Preliminary, Main & Interview) of the Civil Services Examination examination.
Mission IAS 2023 IVth phase: January to February
After completing most of the subjects, in this phase now focus completely on your optional subject. If you have any subject left, please take it up at this stage and complete the entire syllabus by the end of February. At this stage, start studying it along with choosing the optional subject of your interest, in this way enthusiasm remains within you for the Civil Services Examination.
Now, in the remaining 2 to 3 months for the exam, revise and revise all your subjects/topics thoroughly, focus well on your notes in these two months, highlight important points and information in your notes, and Start a well-planned study.
Phase V: March to June (Mission Prelims)
Till the prelims exam (June) keep your full focus on the prelims exam.
As you have already covered most of your “GS (General Studies) 1st Question Paper” syllabus so this is the time for quick revision for preliminary preparation. Also focus on Civil Services Aptitude Test “(CSAT) Second Question Paper” also, start solving maths questions from NCERT books, and solve previous year’s question papers as thoroughly as possible.
This is the best time to attempt test series for prelims and other such exercises. Many civil services exam coaching provide test series courses with around 40 to 50 test papers which cover the syllabus of both GS paper and CSAT paper. Some educational institutes also provide answers for clarifications which will help you in assessing your preparation process and knowledge level. Read all your subjects and then read again.
Especially keep updated on dates/events/names/etc well from newspapers and other relevant sources. To stay abreast and understand current affairs, read All India Radio News, Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, Indian Year Book, Economic Survey, Yojana Patrika, and other current affairs magazines that many IAS academies offer.
Phase VI: October to July (Mission Mains)
Mains Exam Special Preparation: The Civil Services preliminary exam is mostly held in the first week of June, and the main exam is scheduled in or around the month of October. There is a time difference of about 3 months between these two exams.
- Increase your preparation level in this period of the preparation phase and plan 9-10 hours a day for study. Remember now you have only 3 months left for the main exam.
- Keep in mind that no subject has been left out for study, but if there is such a thing, then finish it only in one month and focus on the revision and revision of the third phase for all your subjects.
- In this phase of preparation, pay special attention to your optional subject, and practice essay writing on a regular basis.
- If you practice solving previous years’ question papers, these efforts will prove to be helpful in scoring good marks in the Civil Services Examination.
- To prepare effectively for a topic, solve case studies related to it as much as possible and develop your understanding by analyzing them.
There are many test series available for mains which are offered by almost every IAS academy. Giving these types of tests and explaining the answers given by them will improve your preparation process and level rapidly. In this way, you will also develop the right approach to enhance your writing skills and formulate your opinion on the subjects.
Do not ignore the importance of answer writing, and it should be practiced diligently as a regular habit of answer writing will help you crack the main examination. Make sure that your aim should not only be to fill the answer sheet completely, but your entire focus should be on how to write a good answer. The focus should be on this.
We hope that with the help of the tips given in this article, you will be able to prepare for this exam in a proper way and achieve your goal of cracking the UPSC IAS exam next year.
