1. What makes one successful and another failure in Mains?All the candidates are having books, all the candidates are dedicated to work and most of them attend coaching institutions, take guidance from seniors and friends but what makes one success and another failure. Students say they studied for 18 hours and still they couldn't make mains. Others say they studied only for 8-9 hours and could make mains. Why these differences. The difference between successful candidates and the failure candidates is same as difference between ordinary and extra-ordinary persons.One who is able to make mains never counts the hours and how many books he/she has read. But they know what to read, what not to read, how much to read, how to use when required writing the answers. Civil Service exam never wants one to be ideal. It requires creativity, innovativeness within the candidates, who lack to use his/her knowledge properly they feel tough to clear the exam. Before starting the preparation find out properly what to read, what not to read, what types of question are asked from particular topics. After taking guidance from others put your own strategy, don't follow their strategy it may not be suitable for you,
Better strategy makes one success in mains.
2. Going through Syllabus
This year there is change in the syllabus of General-Studies and also optional paper. Don't get tense when somebody says there is change in syllabus. Civil Service exam tries to select candidates who are creative and innovative and aware of day to day life. Accordingly, syllabus has been changed.
First go through General Studies syllabus thoroughly and try to be perfect with the syllabi. If you know syllabus, 20% of your work is over. It helps you what to read and what not to read. Don't neglect the added syllabus. Always questions will be asked from the new syllabus. Try to think what type of questions may come from particular topic. What is the relevance of particular topic in today's life?
In the same way go through the added topics of both optional and try to cover them first. Old candidates may know other parts of the syllabus only added syllabus they have to be perfect. New-comers have to know whole syllabus before starting their studies.
3. Having balanced approach towards OptionalCandidates have to select too optiona1 for mains. Most of the candidates take one optional same for both prelims and mains. Some may have different optional papers for prelims and two different optionals for mains. Both the optional papers should be given same weightage. Don’t neglect the optional which you were having for prelims.. Don't think already that you have studied for prelims and can give less time for mains. There are many students who are unable to score more than 300 marks in first optional but easily they can score more than 300 marks in second optional. This is because way of approach for study differs. Student might know concepts but unable to use where it is required. Therefore study both optionals simultaneously. Marks of both optional are important to be successful in exam.
Considering question number 1 and 5 is equally important Question number 1 and 5 play very important role in getting good score. From both the optionals we have 480 marks for these questions. Therefore, practice writing short answers while preparing. Study previous year questions and analyze what type of questions has been asked from particular topics. Try to cover all the points within 200 words. Read the questions properly and answer according to the nature of the question. While studying try to note down topics where short notes can be asked and write points for that topic and keep. That will help during revision.
4. Exclusive skills for presenting answerAfter the prelims exams and till the exam date everyone study. But, in Civil Service main exam only studying is not important. But here important is how one is using his knowledge to write particular paper within three hours. What one writes during these three hours makes one topper and anther failure. Here how much you studied it doesn't matter, but how you are using your knowledge to write particular answer. Therefore while studying, always think what type of questions may be asked from particular topics and what points to be included to make different from others.
Many times we hear students saying they have done their exams very well. Question paper was very easy. But still they are unable to make mains. Why? When question paper is given they never try to read full question. If they come across the words they know they start writing answers. They might have written wrong answer also. There they make mistakes. First, study questions properly and understand what has been asked. Then think what to be written for that answer. Write up to the point answers. While writing 60 marks answers follow one strategy. When you read question, take always last page of your answer booklet and start writing the points what all to be included in that answer. Because while writing suddenly you may forget the points, these points give hints to continue the answer and make to be within the track. .
Don't repeat the paragraphs. If graphs, pie-charts, flow charts are required draw them to make examiner know what you have written. Always follow word-limit. If you think you know more about that answer and start writing more on that answer, you cannot complete the paper within a given time. Always try to give positive points. Don't mention anybody's name. Write such type of inputs which makes your answer different from others.
5. Current AffairsCurrent Affairs play leading role in the Civil Service main exam. Students try to buy many current affairs magazine and they think they studied more instead of that studied from one magazine and be a regular reader of newspaper. Whatever you read, try to make note of it, It helps to revise. Without revising you cannot remember the points. Study previous years question paper and try to analyse what type of questions have been asked from current affairs. See whether there is any change in asking questions from one year to another.
General Studies first paper contains national affairs, social issues, geographical issues and etc. And General Studies second paper includes international affairs, economics, science and technology, statistics. All these topics are related to current affairs. Therefore concentrate more on current affairs. The students having stronghold on current affairs are able to score more than 300 marks in General Studies. Current Affairs also play leading role optional. Same of the optionals like Public Administration, Political Science, Science, and Sociology require current trends. Therefore one must be aware what type of current affairs is required for particular topic. Here one should remember only reading current affairs never give marks. Try to revise it again and again and you will be able to recollect during the exam. Preparing current affairs should be continuous process and don't think some days can be allotted for it.
6. Two marker questions and 20 wordsAlways small things make great thing happen. That means, too marker questions are very important to score more than 300 marks in General Studies. Usually students think, it's only two marks, they can write them without any strategy. But when you really sit for writing you will understand how much difficult are those. To write these questions you must evolve good strategy. While reading newspaper you may come across some personalities, places and terms try to write on them about in 20 words. Keep on practicing. If answer is written up to the mark you can get full marks. If you ask any topper, he always says that he gave importance to two markers.
To make yourself different from others, prepare your own strategy in order to study these two marks questions. Go through previous years questions and try to write yourself for those questions. While reading any newspaper, magazine or book, note down the words and write on that topic.
In exam hall, write up to the point. This can come only by practice. Questions will be from Indian polity, economies, history, culture, science and technology, geographical concepts, personalities. While studying, make different note on different topics thus it helps to revise properly.
7. Selective Study
