5 Last Minute Tips to Ace UPSC Mains 2022 Exam

5 Crucial Last Minute Tips for UPSC Mains 2022 Examination 

1. Avoid Reading New Material

If you are looking for tips and tricks to ace this exam, here is the first one. Whenever you have the urge to study something extra to score more marks, then avoid it. Right before the exam, it is best to avoid studying anything new. 

The chances of you remembering anything new are low. Trust that you have prepared your best and are going to ace the exam with whatever you have studied till now. 

2. Revision is Your Best Friend

Revision is your religion during the last few days before the exam. Spend your time revising whatever you have studied. By now, you should be able to tell the areas you are weak in and the subjects you are strong in. 

Go through the facts, figures, dates, and names as they are easy to forget. Spend more time on high-yield topics to ensure you do not lose out on scoring marks in the exam. 

In case you want to revisit any information about UPSC Mains preparation, here is a list of articles that will help you. Here you will find other tips and tricks to help you gain an edge over others. 

3. Revise Faster with Self-Prepared Notes

This is the time to refer to your self-made notes. Notes help you revise large topics faster while remembering everything important with ease. 

Avoid going back to your books, as that will only slow down your revision and possibly confuse you. Also, do not try to retain any new information nor attempt to cram any information. It is always better to have a conceptual understanding rather than cramming, as you are more likely to forget the latter. 

4. Solve Mock Tests

If you have the time, we highly recommend you attempt 1 or 2 mock tests before the exam. 

There are many reasons why Mock Tests are important for your UPSC Mains preparation, but here we shall highlight two major ones. 

First, the obvious reason is that writing tests will polish your writing skills and help you understand how to write effectively. It will help you connect events, people, and history and craft convincing arguments that impress the examiner. 

The second reason is that it is one of the ways you earn confidence in yourself, which is equally important as writing a good answer. If you lack confidence while writing the exam, you are likely to forget the information you already know. 

At the same time, do not pressure yourself to solve mock tests until the last minute. You must be at your best to clear the UPSC Mains 2022 exam. The mind needs to relax a bit before any exam so that it can process and register information to help you remember better. It’s like getting a good night’s sleep and waking up refreshed. 

5. Be Optimistic 

This is the last tip, but it is as important as any other. If you think hard, you will be able to recall countless examples of aspirants who studied as hard as any other person but failed to clear the preliminary exam. One of the reasons behind their failure is a lack of confidence and negative self-talk. 

A positive mindset is a key to success before any exam. 

Exam Tips from India's Top UPSC Faculty

Besides the tips mentioned above, our UPSC Dream Team has a few tips to share with you. Let’s see what those are. 

Here is what Vivek Singh, UPSC Faculty for Economics, has to tell you:

1. Read every question carefully

2. Maintain the speed from the start

3. Don't leave any questions unanswered

4. Use enough examples, flowcharts, and committee reports in your answers

M Puri, eminent faculty for Polity, IR, and Governance, wants you to focus on these 4 points:

1. Do not exceed the word limit

2. Don't leave any questions unanswered

3. Add more points of analysis in your answers

4. Avoid repeating the same points by employing different physiology

Our Ethics Faculty, Atul Garg, goes beyond academics and wants you to focus on your mental strength. He suggests 

1. Maintain your emotional balance in the last few days. Don't brawl with anyone, and never argue with the invigilator.

2. Maintain a happy state of mind. Keep smiling while writing the exam. Try to enjoy the paper.

3. There are nine written papers. Never revisit or discuss the paper that you have given. It can impact your next paper by demotivating you.

4. Eat like a Yogi and not like a bhogi. Take light, healthy fresh, home-cooked meals.

5. Focus on quality rather than quantity of words while writing the answer. Short, relevant, and we'll organize answers with clarity that will fetch you marks rather than just filling the sheets till the end.

Deepanshu Singh, Faculty for Indian Society, has some evergreen advice to help you write sharp and impressive answers. Here is what he suggests: 

1. Aspirants need to focus on current issues, especially for GS-2 and GS-3, which is pretty dynamic

2. Special focus on Judiciary and role of Parliament along with RPA provisions

3. Major social issues like poverty, education, health, and related interventions by state and civil society are a hot favorite of UPSC examiners.

4. Avoid using a new source at this time and focus on revision from your own notes

5. Try not to cross the world limit or write on the margins of the question cum answer booklet to avoid penalty marks in mains.

Here is what Hemant Jha, our renowned faculty for History, suggests you focus on before the exam: 

1. Revision of grey & untouched relevant topics & themes of GS (non-current) & optional subjects.

2. Rapid revision of all relevant current issues (GS) from Dec. 2021 - Jan. 2022 to the end of August 2022

3. Smart contemplation over Essay pointers & ideas

4. Meticulous consideration of maps, sketches, diagrams, graphical representations, etc. to be used in answers of GS, optional subject & Essay

Last but not least, eat and sleep well before the Mains exam. Get a good night’s sleep before the day of the examination and eat a healthy meal the night before and the morning of the Mains exam. This will give you an edge and help your brain retrieve information faster and more accurately. 

That’s it! We hope you use these tips to elevate your preparation academically and mentally. 

PrepLadder, a UPSC CSE exam preparation leader, wishes you all the best for the upcoming Mains 2022 examination. 

Keep following our posts to stay updated with the latest information about the UPSC CSE exam. You can also join our Telegram channel for UPSC exam preparation to stay ahead of the competition. 

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