How To Prepare for UPSC Prelims in The Last 30 Days? IFS Officer Shares Dos and Don’ts

With roughly a month left for the UPSC prelims exam, IFS officer Ramesh Bishnoi, who cleared the prelims five times in a row, took to X to share a quick guide of dos and don’ts to maximise preparation efforts in this crucial phase.

Having cleared the UPSC CSE Prelims five times in a row, and the IFS cutoff four times, I've learned a thing or two about navigating this exam and tackle mammoth syllabus. With just a month left, here's a quick guide🧵 to do's and don'ts for last-month prep. (1/n)

— Ramesh Bishnoi IFS (@bishnoirk_ifs) May 16, 2024

1. Do not buy every new study material

The IFS officer suggests aspirants resist the temptation of buying new study materials coming into the market. “Multiple revisions of what you’ve already covered will be far more effective. Read, revise, and test is the ultimate mantra,” he says.

2. Test, test, test

Ramesh advises aspirants to take as many mock tests as possible in this time frame as this is their chance to identify and eliminate mistakes before the actual exam.

3. Learn from every test

“Analyse test solutions sincerely. Make online/offline notes of new useful information, key concepts, and especially your mistakes. This will be an invaluable resource for last-minute revision and boost your confidence. I preferred making online notes,” he says.

Quality over Quantity: Not everything in mock tests is equally relevant. Based on past papers, prioritize questions, information, and concepts that have a higher chance of appearing. Avoid wasting time on irrelevant details. (5/n)

— Ramesh Bishnoi IFS (@bishnoirk_ifs) May 16, 2024

4. Prioritise quality over quantity

The IFS officer says that not everything in mock tests is equally relevant. “Based on past papers, prioritise questions, information, and concepts that have a higher chance of appearing. Avoid wasting time on irrelevant details,” he adds.

5. Consider previous year questions as gold

“Analyse the previous 10 years’ UPSC Prelims question papers. Many questions and concepts are repeated. By practising PYQs (Previous Year Questions), you can significantly improve your score,” he says.

A strong understanding of core subjects and concepts like Polity, Geography, and Economy will yield high returns on your invested time. With strong basics, you can easily tackle applied questions. (7n)

— Ramesh Bishnoi IFS (@bishnoirk_ifs) May 16, 2024

6. Focus on core subjects and concepts

IFS Ramesh opines that a strong understanding of core subjects and concepts like polity, geography, and economy will yield high returns on your invested time. “With strong basics, you can easily tackle applied questions,” he adds.

7. Practise diverse question patterns

The IFS officer mentions that the UPSC loves surprises. So, it is better to take all India mock tests from various coaching centres to get exposure to diverse question patterns. “This will help you stay calm and composed on exam day, even if the format throws a surprise,” he adds.

Edited by Pranita Bhat