UPSC Prelims Preparation Strategy -Dos and Don'ts
Revise, Revise and Revise: Whatever subject and topic you are studying, make sure to revise and remember so you do not make lose marks in those topics. Without proper revision, you will probably carry more confusion into the exam hall and end up with a higher negative score that will undo all the good work that you have otherwise done. Make an assessment on Facts vs Concepts: The UPSC prelims over the last few years in core subjects have become quite conceptual. So look at the last 4-5 year’s question papers and make an assessment of the type of questions that are asked on each subject. For example, in Polity, you do not need to rote learn names of past Presidents, Election Commissioners, etc. (Qs used to be asked on them earlier but not anymore). The Economy paper is now highly conceptual and highly scoring. So concentrate on understanding the basics. Make an assessment of all subjects. If your preparation is a mismatch to the exam pattern, then you will only be wasting time. Spac