How I cleared UPSC CMS 2016 exam?

In this article we will discuss Dr. Aravind. C’s story, and how he cleared UPSC CMS exam in 2016. PrepLadder: Hello Dr. Aravind. C, tell us something about you. Dr. Aravind. C: Hello, My name is Dr. Aravind. C. I have done MBBS from Government Govt. Stanley Medical College Chennai. My UPSC Rank is 517. I had worked hard during my preparation. All my hard work has paid off. Presently, I am waiting for the appointment letter. PrepLadder: What do you think is the correct approach to study for UPSC CMS? Only Medical content or Medical content + General ability? Dr. Aravind. C: Both, Medical content + General ability. For general ability, just attempt previous year’s question papers. PrepLadder: When should the preparation ideally be started? Dr. Aravind. C: If you are preparing for other post graduation exams then you will just need a couple of weeks of practicing the previous year question papers. If you are just starting to prepare, then you would ideally require 6 months preparation at least. PrepLadder: Please list the books you studied for each subject. Dr. Aravind. C:  For UPSC I followed the Elsevier’s Comprehensive guide to Combined Medical Services. Also read: How to clear UPSC CMS 2017? PrepLadder: How big is the role of practice and revision while preparing for UPSC CMS and how much time should be dedicated for it? Dr. Aravind. C:  I completed the entire syllabus 1 month before the examination and utilized the last one month only for revision and practice. While studying I made sure that I don’t study anything that I won’t be able to revise later. During the revision period of one month I revised all my notes. But in the last week I filtered out the topics for revision, I emphasized more on volatile topics which were not concept based. PrepLadder: Did you use a time table/study plan to keep your preparation on track? Dr. Aravind. C:  I focused subjects which had maximum weightage and studied only the important topics because the syllabus was very vast and it was difficult for me to digest all of it. I revised important topics that I studied on the same day as well as every weekend to have a good retention on the subject. PrepLadder: Were you a topper or a mediocre student during MBBS? Dr. Aravind. C:  I was a mediocre student in MBBS. PrepLadder: List the most difficult and easiest subjects for you. Dr. Aravind. C:  For me, I find medicine easier and surgery to be difficult. PrepLadder: Do you think Online test series is required for UPSC CMS exam preparation? Dr. Aravind. C:  I was lagging in time management while attempting the previous year’s question papers. Therefore, I joined a test series and had an incredible exam experience. I was also able to overcome all my weak points through the online tests. Unique features of PrepLadder's UPSC CMS Pro Pack:

• Questions prepared by experts on expected exam pattern.
• Personal mentorship from recent UPSC CMS toppers (you can ask them anything like study schedule, best books, exam strategy, doubts).
• Exactly same software as real UPSC CMS.
• Artificial intelligence that recognizes your weak areas and gives you a topic wise improvement plan after each exam.
• Real- time connect with the faculty (all doubts answered by subject experts within 24 working hours).
• Revise offline using PrepLadder app.

PrepLadder: One mistake that you believe everyone must avoid while preparing for UPSC CMS. Dr. Aravind. C:  Don’t just leave the questions on general topics, they do count. My main aim was to get through UPSC CMS. So I focused on studying according to that. I started analyzing previous exam papers and went through almost every source I came by to know what was important from UPSC CMS viewpoint. I prepared only the high yielding topics. PrepLadder: Some last tips for our readers preparing for UPSC CMS Dr. Aravind. C: Your interview is your personality assessment, not your subject knowledge. The way you conduct yourself matters more. Plus its weightage is considerably less, so concentrate more on written test. Wishing all the best to everyone who is preparing for the exam. May you achieve what you wish for. Also read: How to Prepare for UPSC CMS in 4 Months - Exam Tips