With the Civil Services Main Examinations 2024 starting on September 20, many candidates who have passed the Civil Services Preliminary Examinations 2024 must be sloganeering for the mains.
The mains exam plays a very important role in deciding one’s final ranks which shall eventually determine as to which service a UPSC aspirant will get.
Effective planning is the essence for aspirants preparing for the UPSC Civil Services Main Examination. The General Studies and Essay papers account for a lion’s share in the total marks of the UPSC mains.
Here, we will see strategies to prepare civil services mains examination as suggested by experts from Rau’s IAS Study Circle, preparation of general studies papers.
Experts point out, in contrast to the Preliminary exam, the mains have a very well-defined syllabus, and since 2013, there have not been any changes. Hence, they feel that high performance in the mains is achievable with due preparation and practice.
The important takeaways from experts’ feedback through analysis of past mains exam papers are given below:
1. Syllabus alignment: Most of the questions in the main papers are certainly related to the UPSC-specified syllabus, with deviations where needed only occasionally.
2. Predictable themes: UPSC mains questions follow a pattern; broad theme prediction is possible. Such questions are easily and effectively answerable for well-prepared candidates.
3. Preparation, practice makes the difference: The marks aspirants get in the mains examination varies due to their preparation and answer writing practice in the light of predictability of questions and their contemporary thematic focus.
Subject-wise strategy:
● History: GS Paper 1:
○ History syllabus incorporates India’s Art & Culture, Modern Indian, and Modern World History and India’s Post-Independence History; this is mainly focused on Art and Culture and Modern Indian History. Hence a candidate should pay more attention to those areas with a view to елекг those main art, architecture, literature from ancient to modern times.
● Geography (GS Paper 1) and Disaster Management (GS Paper 3):
○ Geography: Emphasis on climatology, climate change, oceanography, earth evolution, and geomorphology. Industrial location and resource distribution are also included. Prepare from NCERTs, PYQs and current affairs; use diagrams, maps, and examples in the answers.
○ Disaster Management: A few disasters would be enough to be prepared, like cyclones, earthquakes, drought, heatwaves, floods, etc. The NDMA guidelines and NCERTs may be kept at hand.
● Indian Society (GS Paper 1) and Social Justice (GS-Paper 2):
○ Indian Society: Caste, class, language, religion, urbanisation, and problems associated with disadvantaged groups. Back it with sociology NCERTs, PQYs, coaching notes, and answers sprinkled with examples, case studies, and data.
○ Social Justice: Emphasise on policies and legislation for vulnerable sections and sectors like health, education, nutrition. Keep current affairs updated.
● Polity & Governance: Emphasize constitutional issues, parliamentary functions, centre-state relations, judiciary, bureaucracy and fundamental rights. Only Prelim knowledge is required which can be supported with committee reports.
● International Relations & Internal Security:
○ IR: Current Affairs Following will help you in the preparation of questions which come on India’s relations with key countries and international organizations.
○ Internal Security: Practice areas—Terrorism, Cyber Security, Border Management—with present affairs and based on standard bookish questions.
● Indian Economy & Agriculture (GS Paper 3)
○ Macroeconomics: The focus must be on macroeconomic indicators and fiscal and monetary policy; answer supported by data and committee reports.
○ Agriculture: Issues, trends, and developments in Indian agriculture with a focus on reports of Government Committees and present policy initiatives.
○ Infrastructure: Problems associated with transport and its financing can be studied, supported by data, maps, and diagrams.
● Environment (GS Paper 3): Be prepared for questions on biodiversity, conservation, climate change, pollution, Environmental Impact Assessment through preparation of basics and current developments.
● Science & Technology (GS Paper 3): Understand pointed technologies, its applications, regulatory challenges, and improvements Kuldeep required using examples from current developments.
● Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude: Ethics should be prepared very well along with its applications. The important philosophical positions and ethical theories should be kept in mind. Previous year questions would help you in the preparation.
Preparation tips for aspirants:
1. Analyze the past trends and weightage of GS Mains Papers: Priority needs to be placed for topics accordingly on the basis of weightage associated.
2.Get ready with the important themes: Remembering & recalling key themes shall help you write effective answers in short periods of time.
3. Smart work with hard work: Concentrate on concise preparation that will help in qualifying the civil services.
4. Answer writing practice: Regular answer practice raises the quality of answers and brings out preparation lacunae.
5. Write after preparation: Revise topics before tests to boost confidence and seek feedback to improve.
6. Be ready for optional subjects: Prepare optional subjects thoroughly before prelims and then just revise and put in some practice after prelims.
7. Focus on Essay and Ethics papers: The questions in these papers are predictable. Also, they offer high reward for effort.
8. Take feedback and improve: Get personalised suggestions for improving answer writing from mentors.
