How to Prepare for UPSC Prelims 2021?

UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Paper-I (General Studies)

The syllabus for UPSC Prelims 2021 is mentioned as below:

• Current events of national and international importance.
• History of India and Indian National Movement.
• Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
• Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
• Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
• General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity, and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.
• General Science.

UPSC Prelims Syllabus for Paper-II (CSAT)

The General Studies-II or CSAT is qualifying in nature. Hence, you need to score 33% or 66 marks to qualify for this paper. The UPSC Prelims Syllabus for the CSAT paper is as mentioned below:

• Comprehension
• Interpersonal skills including communication skills;
• Logical reasoning and analytical ability
• Decision-making and problem solving
• General mental ability
• Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)

Now when you are aware of the syllabus of the Prelims 2021, let’s have a look at few essential tips that will help you to crack the first level of UPSC CSE.

Effective Tips for UPSC Prelims Preparation

Tip#1 Make a Study Plan

Making a study plan is the first and the most crucial step of your preparation journey and hence should be taken smartly. Creating a proper study plan serve as a foundation stone for the Prelims preparation. Candidates must have an effective strategy and should divide each indicative topic viz. History, Polity, Geography throughout the study timetable and set milestones to prepare each paper within a specified deadline. Make sure to follow your study plan religiously and stick to it till the end.

Also read: How to Prepare for UPSC 2021: Important Tips & Tricks

Tip#2 Stay Updated with Current Affairs

Current affairs are the most crucial part and ingredient of the UPSC exam preparation. When preparing for Prelims, make sure to inculcate the habit of reading one or two good newspapers to stay up-to-date on current affairs. Also, go through news websites for the latest on national and international politics, science and technology and socio-economic issues. Smart UPSC aspirants have the habit of reading newspapers daily and staying updated with the latest events of national and international importance.

Tip#3 Practice Mock Tests

Prelims exam is all about solving a maximum number of questions correctly in minimum time. And if you want to become a pro in it, you will have to practice a lot. There can’t be the best way to practice than solving Mock Tests. Solving them regularly gives you an idea of the frequently asked questions in the examination and helps assess your preparation level. If you haven’t started taking Mock Tests yet, start now! It will help you identify and analyze your weak areas and give you a reality check of your preparation.

Tip#4 Do Revision

Revision during Prelims preparation is of paramount importance. The importance of revision is twofold. Firstly, it helps you to remember topics and methodologies that you covered some time ago. Secondly, if done correctly, it will help increase your confidence and reduce anxiety. Hence, you will be well prepared for your examination. Whatever is memorized, whatever studied should be reviewed before getting in bed, and even the following days to keep track of whatever is absorbed.

Tip#5 Believe in Yourself

Half of the battle is won when you believe in yourself and stay positive throughout the exam preparation. Just work hard and always remember your goal. Do not look at the exams as a burden but a golden opportunity to improve and showcase intelligence.

We hope that these tips will help you figure out how to prepare for UPSC Prelims 2021 and crack it in the first attempt.

When preparing for the UPSC examination, students like you require the most comprehensive and well-planned preparation resource. That’s when PrepLadder comes into the picture!

A name you can rely upon for the UPSC CSE preparation, PrepLadder has everything you need to ace UPSC CSE on one single platform. This includes concise, effective and well-planned video lectures by our Dream Team for CSE, a well-structured and high yield QBank, highly competitive PrepTests based on real exam pattern, and Previous Year Papers in the form of tests.  

The best part about the Dream Team is that you can carry it wherever you go and get anytime & anywhere access to well-researched study material. 

All the best for your exams. Stay tuned for more updates.  

Own Your Dream