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Candidates appearing for UPSC IAS prelims exam must check the UPSC prelims tips and tricks by the UPSC IAS 2020 topper AIR 17 Sarthak Agrawal to crack the IAS 2021 exam. The important tips to clear UPSC prelims exam include consistent study hours, mock tests and other important aspects. According to the UPSC topper 2020 AIR 17 Sarthak Agrawal, ‘After turning the first few pages in my GS-1 Prelims paper, I felt grudgingly confident that my first attempt at UPSC isn’t going to work out. Some of those agriculture and environment questions might have been written in Latin for all I cared about.
I decided to hang in there and tentatively marked a few answers. My experience with mock tests was such that I could barely attempt more than 20-25 questions with 100% confidence so clearing the prelims anyway relied on more than intelligence for me. Instead, I was hoping to use common sense, and wishing that luck was on my side that day (I could have traded a kidney for a vial of Felix Felicis).
In the actual paper, I don’t think I cracked even twenty in the first go. There were a few simple questions towards the end, but the others were a pain. I persevered and tried to apply my mind to at least get some more right.
Also Read: UPSC 2020 Topper Interview Satyam Gandhi AIR 10
Eventually, as it turned out, I got enough. Here are some tips from my whirlwind experience at UPSC Prelims 2020:
I used plenty of intuition and “intelligent” guesswork to make my way around the UPSC IAS questions. Many have noted before that extreme options are unlikely to be the right ones – for example, in the question on Desert National Park in Prelims 2020, it might be a stretch to say it has no human habitation at all. Of all the elimination shortcuts, I find this one the most reliable. Other popular ones include being wary of ‘consistently increased/decreased’ type of options; noting that an exact number or statistic is possibly incorrect; or deducing something of value from the etymology of a noun. When you consider how hard it is to deliberately create a wrong answer, it may become easier to find broad patterns of your own.
During the UPSC IAS 2021 exam, while attempting agriculture and technology-related questions, it often pays to be liberal in your outlook. So, whenever a prompt or option included the word “can” or the phrase “is possible”, I felt more confident in marking it yes or going with all the above (“…Artificial Intelligence can effectively do which of the following?”). After all, who knows whether some crazy scientist somewhere is working on just the thing you are about to rule out for being too far-fetched?
One of the tricks to clear UPSC prelims are the freebies that are found near the end of the paper (“What is West Texas Intermediate a grade of?”). Many questions on polity in Prelims 2020 were also quite straightforward (“A parliamentary system of government is one in which…”). However, they were towards the latter half of my set. Make sure you skim the entire IAS question paper before starting off, lest you become dejected after finding a few hard questions upfront.
While my IAS prelims preparation, one risky strategy I adopted - and adopt this at your own peril - was to attempt lots of questions in the unfortunate instance when you are sure only about a small number. If you’re clearly below the cut-off, does it matter whether you score 60 or -60? My desperation compelled me to make an educated guess on the question related to Gupta dynasty towns, but it didn’t work. On others, like the one on finding the ruler behind an inscription propounding tolerance, it did.
Also Read: UPSC Topper Interview 2020- Radhika Gupta AIR 18
During the UPSC IAS prelims preparation, it’s ok to skip some syllabus. I ignored topics like geography and history (except modern history) because I only had 6-7 months to prepare. I focused my preparation solely on current affairs, but still managed to do decently.
I took 50+ mock tests before prelims, not scoring too highly in most of them (in the 70s, mostly). Just to pump up my confidence, I started doing UPSC IAS past year papers despite already having seen a few of their answers at some point. Naturally, I did well, which helped me fool myself and kept me in good spirits – “coaching institutes just don’t get what UPSC is asking for”, I thought. But on a deeper note, it’s true that the actual papers have a better mix of questions than what is offered by the coaching-wallahs.
I compared my answers against the internet the morning after the UPSC IAS (I was reluctant to check the same day because I thought I fell short thanks to my many “intelligent” guesses). I was getting 116/200. On comparing with the answer keys released by coaching institutes, this dropped by a few points, but I had enough to get my motor running for Mains. However, my actual score was only 102 - nearly 10 points lower than what I expected but also ten higher than the cut-off this year. I don’t think anyone has gotten the hang of UPSC’s marking yet, so it is best to keep one’s head down and start preparing for Mains even if you’re getting 80+ on some answer keys.
My background being quite mathematical, I didn’t prepare much for UPSC CSAT. Still, I’d suggest doing at least a couple of papers before entering the UPSC IAS exam hall. One minor challenge I faced was remaining focused despite “not performing very well” in the morning session. Another important factor while IAS prelims preparation was avoiding lethargy after returning to the centre after a three-hour break. However, I got a 180 in CSAT, which I am very pleased about.
I hadn’t written a single Mains answer until I cleared prelims– or even studied properly for Ethics, essays, or optional - so don’t worry too much if you haven’t either.
Finally, don’t be too disheartened if a few of your guesses fall flat during the UPSC IAS prelims 2021. That’s just the nature of the beast, unfortunately, so you shouldn’t necessarily consider it to be an indictment of your preparation.
Good luck!
Others:18 February,2025 - 30 April,2025
Answer Key Date:11 March,2025 - 09 April,2025
Application Date:28 March,2025 - 29 April,2025
Hello aspirant,
For becoming IAS , you have to first complete your graduation from any background from any recognised university or college. If you are in your final year, then also you are eligible. After that you have to give an entrance exam name UPSC . If you will clear this exam then according to your marks you may get the IAS position.
To know about UPSC entrance exam, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
All the best!!
Hello Rishika,
You can take any stream for becoming IAS. As per the eligibility criteria of UPSC IAS , student have to graduate from any stream from any recognised university or college. So it's doesn't matter from which stream you choose. But if you really want to become IAS, then humanities , arts related subject helps you alot.
To know more, kindly go through the given link:
https://competition.careers360.com/exams/upsc-cse
Good luck!
Hello Chetan,
IAS (Indian Administrative Service) is one of the top civil services in India. IAS officers work in various government departments, implementing policies, managing administration, and advising ministers. They hold key positions like District Collector, Secretary, or Commissioner and play a vital role in governance and public service. To become an IAS officer, one must clear the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE).
I hope this answer helps you. If you have more queries, then feel free to share your questions with us, we will be happy to assist you.
Thank you and wishing you all the best for your bright future.
Oh that's good
For becoming an IAS officer you have to give UPSC exam , and focus on excelling in academics, particularly in subjects like History, Geography, Political Science and English. Maintain a strong foundation in these areas and stay updated on current events and national/international issues. After 10th standard, choose the Humanities or Social Sciences stream, then graduate from a recognized university. Prepare for the UPSC and for studies you have to focus on excelling in academics, particularly in subjects like History, Geography, Political Science and English. Maintain a strong foundation in these areas and stay updated on current events and national/international issues. After 10th standard, choose the relevant subject and complete your higher education and graduation then prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, which includes preliminary, main and personality tests. Join coaching classes, develop skills like communication, leadership and problem-solving and stay motivated. And also research more about that exam.
Have a great day
Steps to become an IAS officer
Graduation
You should have a bachelor's degree in any discipline from a known university
Arts: History, Geography, Political Science, Economics, Sociology
Science: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology
Commerce: Economics, Accountancy, Business Studies
Preparation for UPSC Civil Services Examination:
Study the Syllabus: Learn the syllabus for Preliminary and Main exams.
Choose Elective Subjects: Take elective subjects that you enjoy and have expertise in
Study Material: Reference textbooks, handouts distributed during the coaching and internet resources.
Practice: Previous years' question paper, mock tests, etc
Coaching Institutes: Join a good coaching institute for formal guidance 3. UPSC Civil Services Examination:
Prelims Exam: An objective-type qualifying test that will make you eligible to appear in the Main examination.
Main Exam: Very subjective test which includes all subjects.
Interview: Personality test by a panel of experts.
Important Tips:
Start Early: Better preparation starts early.
Time Management: Manage your time very efficiently.
Consistency: Follow a regular study routine.
Stay Updated: Current affairs and news.
Seek Guidance: Who have an experience can be consulted upon for guidance.
Practice Regularly: Solve the previous year's paper and mock tests.
Stay Positive: Believe in yourself and work hard.
Hence, with these steps and dedication and perseverance, you're sure to achieve your end as an IAS officer.
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