IAS MAINS 2012 STRATEGY

IAS MAINS 2012 STRATEGY

Civil Services Mains Examination 2012 will commence from October 5. Those who have qualified prelims, it is a very good opportunity to join the premier services of India. It is a very good opportunity because number of seats filled by this examination is more than 1000. And we are reading from various sources that numbers of vacant posts are more than 1000. So invest your whole energy, give 100 percent commitment, take it as your last attempt and last but not least, keep it in mind that it is you who can do it. Only hard labor can transport you to Mussoorie. And one more thing, difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary is extra. So extra effort is needed to secure a place in your desired service. Here are some of the strategies (especially for General Study papers) which can help you to crack the mains examination:

1. Don’t take General Study lightly: Some students have a bad tendency to give too much attention on Optional papers, and they think that general study can be prepared in 20 to 30 days. This is bad habit. You can lose the race by ignoring GS. Scoring high in general study paper is easier than optional papers. Due to short questions and “to the point” answering behavior one can score high in General Study.

2.  Don’t focus too much on only those two or three sections of syllabus which are interesting for you. Because question asking pattern has changed drastically since mains 2009. Everything is mixed. Since mains 2009, in Modern India and culture section, questions are asked from polity and Indian geography, apart from freedom struggle. It means now each section of GS is important.

3. Number of short answering questions has been increased. Questions which have to be answered in 50 words (5 marks), are factual in nature. And one more thing, all the questions asked in this category, are almost compulsory. So you can’t have any other options except answering. And if you take the risk of overlooking it, it will be tough for you to score in General Study.

4.  Don’t ignore Current Affairs: About 70 percent Questions are asked from this section. The fact is that it is the most important section of General Study. Even questions asked in other sections have some current basis. So in General Study give priority to current affairs. Editorial, Science section, world section of newspapers are important. Don’t read them but study them like your books. Here are some of the  sources which can help you for this section, in fact for each section:

a. Newspapers: The Hindu, The times of India, The Hindustan Times and The Indian Express

b. Magazines: World Focus, Yojana, Frontline, Civil Services Chronicle (English and Hindi)

c. Websites: The economist, Science and Nature magazine sites, BBC news

d.  Reports and publication of government.

5.   Focus on Terminologies: Terminologies play major part in high scoring. Terminologies are asked in each section, particularly in Science and Technology, Indian Economy, Indian Geography and International. Everyday note down terminologies from newspapers and memorize it. You will be in a better position to answer such types of questions in examination hall.

6.  Better Time Management: Time management before examination and in the examination hall is one of the important factors for success in civil services examination. Don’t waste your precious time in reading too much books and newspapers. One or two books for a topic are sufficient. Similarly in examination hall, don’t write beyond word limit, since examiner is not going to award you more than full marks. So each question of a paper is important.

7. Creativity: You know success rate is very low in civil services examination. Everybody try their best to perform. But ultimately very few find a place in final list. Hence, do something special so that your answers reflect what you want to say, and what a examiner wants to know. Creativity is  one of them. Write original answer. Original writing means, your answers shouldn’t be reflecting the lines of any famous writer's books. Add some graphics and data’s in your answers. Give some examples to certify the views expressed by you in answers.

8.Read carefully: In examination hall, always read questions carefully. Underline the different aspects which are asked in question. It will help you to answering the all aspects of question. Keep revisiting the question during answering.

Apart from these factors, there are some other factors which are important for success in mains examination. But ultimately it is you, your labor and commitment which will decide your fate.  So keep preparing. If you have any queries, please share with me, I will be more than happy to respond. My conscience says you will succeed.