The UPSC Civil Service Examination is considered to be one of the toughest exams in the country. It comprises three stages: Preliminary Exam, Mains Exam, and Interview round. After you’ve cleared the Prelims stage of this prestigious exam, you’ll go on to the most important part of your preparation: UPSC Mains. Because the UPSC CSE Prelims is a qualifying exam, your performance in that round will have no bearing on your ultimate selection. It is the IAS Mains exam, and your performance on it will determine both your selection and rank. Therefore you need to develop a sound UPSC Mains strategy.
As a result, it will help you improve your score and increase your chances of achieving a decent rank. The first stage is to figure out how to prepare for UPSC Mains, which includes things like solving UPSC previous year papers, self-assessment, and topic review, among other things.
While experienced applicants have a good understanding of what should be done following prelims, beginners and fresh aspirants are frequently at a loss. As a result, individuals seek answers to their inquiries about UPSC Mains Strategy for Beginners or how to prepare for UPSC Mains from a reliable source.
On that note, let’s discuss some effective strategies that help you ace the civil services mains exam in the first attempt.
Be Consistent With Your Preparation
- The advantage of extra time is the most significant advantage that early novices have. There is, however, an issue. When there is enough time, it is your ‘consistency maintenance over this extended period of time’ that requires greater attention, not your ‘time management.’
- As a result, all days, weeks, and months should be pre-scheduled with specific goals in mind.
- To begin, a candidate must mentally imprint the full syllabus of all three stages of the exam.
- This simple but significant task can help you stay focused and relevant in your preparation.
Sufficient Time Allocation
- Given the limited time available, it is critical to follow the mains first strategy, which means that you should begin your UPSC preparation by planning your UPSC Mains strategy.
- Following the prelims, a candidate has only three to four months to prepare for the mains. The requirement of answer writing and essay writing practice tightens the schedule even more. As a result, focusing on the mains section initially will be a wise decision.
Choose Your Optional Subject Wisely

- The optional subject is the most important part of the Mains course. The optional subject you choose should reflect your level of comfort with and interest in the subject.
- This selection must not be swayed by erroneous predictions about “which alternative is the most scoring.” It is not the optional subject that determines your grade; rather, it is your preparation and presentation (answer writing) that determine your grade.
- However, there is a strategy to choose the finest UPSC Mains optional subject.
Make a Proper Study Plan
- After carefully selecting an optional subject, the candidate must begin the preparation process straight away.
- Plan ahead of time to allocate the months and organize your days and weeks so that you can complete the curriculum for the four General Studies examinations and Optional subjects. It is possible to complete the Mains preparation only if you meticulously arrange your schedule.
- One thing to keep in mind is that the mains and prelims syllabuses are not fully segregated. In fact, there is a large overlap. As a result, a considerable percentage of UPSC Prelims is covered when preparing for UPSC mains.
Follow Daily Current Affairs To Keep Yourself Updated
- Following the newspaper diligently and consistently every day is an important, if not crucial, part of the preparation. All major national and international events should be kept up to date by the candidate.
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