In the initial stage, aspirants preparing for civil service exam are generally confused. Many of them are unsure on how to begin and what to study. They have numerous queries in their mind regarding exam eligibility, exam dates etc. Many are not sure if coaching is a must or not. But wrong guidance can cost any aspirant a lot of time and waste of money. Many coaching institutes are unsure how to properly guide students as per the latest requirements of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), leaving the student with poor coaching and low-quality study materials. OUr advice to students is to first go through this website for clarity. Please search for any doubts or topics in our search box and you will get a lot of dedicated pages on the information you are looking for. So instead of asking people around - how to study for civil service exam, please refer to this website made only for you. This tip is for all students irrespective of teh fact whether they choose to go for coaching or decide to prepare for the ias exam without coaching.

How to prepare for this tough UPSC exam?

One of the primary factors that make the Civil Service Exam tough is the exam pattern. It consists of three stages, Prelims, Mains and Interview. Students have to cross each stage to move onto to the next. The level of difficulty increases with each stage. The last stage can also be a tough nut to crack because the UPSC tests not only the aspirant's knowledge and ability to write, but also their mental strength and ability to deal with situations. It requires a special kind of preparation to overcome the UPSC interview stage. Another important feature that adds 'toughness' of the exam is the syllabus, as it covers a diverse range of subjects, unlike many other exams.

When we look at the success rate in the IAS exam, one can understand why it is considered one of the toughest exams in India. Every year, lakhs of people take the IAS prelims exam. Out of this, only about 25% emerge victorious and move onto the 'mains'. After the main exam around 15% make it to the interview stage. In the interview stage, the success rate is about 50%. So, the pass percentage in the UPSC exam is less than 1%. UPSC exam can be called tough, if the student follows a strategy and prepare with direction, they can easily crack the exam. Here is the list of tips which can help the students to scale the exam.

We hope you will indeed take your IAS Preparations very seriously. The first step towards that is obviously the choice of subjects. Do choose them wisely. Please focus on - how to prepare for upsc, rather than Why the IAS exam is so tough!

How to prepare for IAS exam without coaching?

Many students qualify the exams without going for any coaching and some of them even top the exam. From this it is very clear that coaching is not the solution but your own preparation is - with or without coaching! Many students prefer coaching as it sets routines, targets and gives practice, but these can be done on your own. Only it require discipline and determination. You may actually end up saving more time and resources and putting it back into your preparations. A to-do list for self study

• Manage your time effectively and be disciplined. Develop a routine!
• Do selective reading but be thorugh in those protions
• Remember to have a good mix of books and self made notes
• Take mock tests at regular intervals
• Start preprations early, its a vast syllabus!
• Make short notes and mindmaps on a regular basis!They help your memory.
• Reach out to fellow aspirants. Discuss topics!
• Most importantly believe that you can do it without coaching!

How to prepare for IAS exam after 12th?

Starting early is great advantage as you can build your general awareness and really excel in the GS paper and interview as you will tune yourself to analysis and awareness. Also when the time comes you will not waste it on finding out about the exam and loosing precious time. A to-do list

• Find out everything about the exam
• Choose your Bachelor's degree in such a manner that you may benefit for the IAS exam. If you need a fall back option by doing a BTech. Don't worry. You can still start preparing and getting to know the social subject you wish to take for your IAS exam.
• Follow the news regularly
• Give your opinion and discuss the news daily
• Start giving IQ tests and getting to know about logical reasoning.
• Take up online test series for regular practice
• Subscribe to a magazine and read articles with understanding

How to prepare for IAS while working?

With less time in your hands, time management is crucial to your preparations. Some to-do list

• Set a schedule as per your liking and stick to it
• Find people who are in your situation or in your organisation and socialize with them to utilise that time for discussions. You will thus have time to chill with friends who are serious about the IAS exam. It will also fulfill your social needs and keep you stress free.
• Look for notes and study material that are short and effective. But some topics you will have to do indepth studies.
• Listen to the short news and do not waste time in listening to unnecessary discussion based news unless the topic demands it.
• Use memory techniques that speed up your learning.
• Frequently pratice giving tests and writing answers. That will work as revesion and practice.

How to start IAS preparation during graduation.

If you have chosen the subject that you will also write for in the IAS exam, then start solving and writing qnswers based on the chapters you cover. These will be teh notes you will study from when you appear for the UPSC exam. If you have not chosen that subject then add the IAS subject to your study routine, so that by the time you fill the form you know the subject well and only need to update information and do revision. See the tips given for after +2 and they are the same for you.