Tips on how to prepare for UPSC exams at home

 The scale and scope of the UPSC civil services exams can be humbling, and there are many who go to great lengths to prepare for these examinations. Some aspirants even leave the comfort of their homes and travel to centres like Delhi to take coaching from top IAS academies. 

When it comes to UPSC exams, however, it is your self-study that matters the most. You can get all the help you want from coaching centres, teachers and seniors etc, but it is the hours you sit behind your study table that will determine whether you perform well in the UPSC exams or not. 

Is it possible to prepare for the civil services exam sitting at home? You may ask. And, the answer is a resounding “Yes”. 

If you are sincere with your efforts and you have an intelligent approach towards your preparations, you can certainly prepare for these exams from the comfort of your home. Here are a few tips that you will find useful in preparing for IAS exams from home: 

1. Gather the best study material 

Once you have made up your mind that you will appear for the UPSC civil services exams, the first thing you should do is go through the entire length and breadth of the syllabus, and get a sense of all the subjects you need to study. And, if you are planning to prepare from home, you must first research and identify the best books and study material for each subject. Ideally, you should look for books which are comprehensive, and which is best suited to your self-studies.  

2. Identify your strengths and weaknesses 

The UPSC exams test an aspirant’s knowledge on a diverse set of subjects. The exams include questions from varied subjects like history, geography, sociology, sciences, polity and governance etc. 

You may be good at some subjects and you can even have some favourites, but with such a vast syllabus, it is only natural that you will struggle with some topics. It is best that you identify your weakness areas as soon as possible, so that you can start working on it early.  Once you have identified your strengths and weaknesses, you can prioritise your self-studies accordingly. 

3. Prepare a self-study schedule 

Studying for the entire syllabus of the civil services exam is no simple task; the only way you can complete such a vast curriculum is if you have an intelligent self-study schedule. 

You should prepare a time-table which lets you devote sufficient time to each subject, and allows you extra time to work on your weakness areas.  Your study plan should also establish clear targets and time-lines, and you must vouch to meet those targets with sincerity and a sense of purpose.     

Remember! It is very easy to make study plans; the hard part is to stick to them. 

4. Find a suitable online coaching 

If you are planning to prepare from home, the one thing you must consider is online classes for UPSC. Best online coaching for UPSC like Youth Destination, allow you to prepare for civil services exam from the comfort of your home by providing you resources like live online classes from top teachers, recorded video lessons and doubt clearing sessions etc. 

5. Pay attention to revisions 

When it comes to civil services exams, your revisions are critical for a comprehensive understanding of each subject. By revising a topic a few times over, you will understand the subjects better, and your thoughts on the topics have become a lot clearer. 

You can never be sure about your preparations until you have gone through the syllabus a couple of times. Be it the prelims or the mains exam, your revisions will serve you well in both. In the mains especially, it will help you write answers that are coherent and comprehensible. 

6. Get into a reading habit 

One area that aspirants often struggle with is current events and happenings of national and international importance. The current events questions can be a bit of a Pandora’s Box, and the only way you can prepare for such an open-ended subject is by developing a good reading habit and keeping a tab on all that is going around in the world. 

7. Don’t ignore test series

After you have completed your syllabus and you are confident about your preparations, you must test it by attempting as many test series as possible. Making an honest assessment of your preparations is essential for cracking the UPSC exams, and mock tests serve that purpose perfectly. 

Conclusion 

If you gather the right resources and your preparation strategy is coherent, studying at home is something that can work in your favour. If you are sincere with your efforts, it can possibly even give you the best chance of passing this rather challenging exam.