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IAS Papers : Tips to Prepare General Studies Paper

By contributor | July 28, 2008

An extensive study is required for preparing GS Prelims. Start your preparation with ncert books of 10th standard on various subjects like History, Geography, Polity, Science etc. and then go through other books recommended for G.S. It will be better to prepare G.S. Mains first and then for Prelims.

For G.S. Mains start your preparation with recommended books, magazines and newspapers. Here, one should be very careful about the word-limit because you have to answer the questions in limited number of words. This also can be achieved through practice. There should not be any introductory remarks while answering the questions of G.S. Mains. Try to write the answers to the point.

In Preliminary exam, multiple choice questions are asked and these can be answered on the basis of facts you have remembered while reading the books on various subjects. One should also try to develop the capacity of answering multiple choice questions as quickly as possible because you have only 120 minutes for answering 150 questions in exam.

Tips for General Studies Preparation

1. Read newspapers and magazines carefully, which will expand your knowledge base and give good command and writing skill.
2. Preparation for General studies should be done hand in hand while preparing for optional papers.
3. NCERT books should be studied carefully and newspapers like The Hindu and magazines such as Frontline.
4. Trend nowadays has shifted more towards current issues, hence a thorough awareness of recent events/happenings is mandatory.
5. Other than the syllabus given, questions on planning, budgeting, developmental programmes, latest issues of political and constitutional importance, Panchayati Raj, electoral reforms, natural resources, culture, growth of nationalism, committees, commissions etc can be expected almost every year.
6. Emphasis is normally placed on the general aspects of the subjects, which every educated person aspiring to join the civil services is expected to know.
7. The General Studies paper needs special and thorough preparations and does not need to be over-emphasised.
8. Those who would like to appear for Civil Services should have a strong base, which will make them easy to follow the subjects.
9. Exhaustive study of each subject and every aspect of the General Studies is essential.
10. An important point is efficient time management and proper planning. The time available with the candidates for preparations is limited and hence has to be intelligently utilized.

Reading Material for UPSC General Studies Exam

Indian Polity:
NCERT (+1 level)—Indian Political System
N.L. Madan : Bhartiya Rajya Vyavastha
D.D. Basu—Indian Constitution
Kashyap—Constitution of India
Publication Division—Subhash Kashyap : Our Parliament
P.M. Bakshi—Indian Constitution

Science:
NCERT : (10 level) : Science, (+2 level) : Biology.
Popular Science Series (CSIR)

Indian History & Culture:
NCERT (+ 2 level) — Ancient India, Medieval India, Modern India.
Publication Division : Gazetteer of India (Vol 2 : History & Culture)
Vaid’s Study Notes.
Gandhi Nehru Tagore & Ambedkar—Gopal Krishna
Raghavan Aiyer—Mahatma Gandhi

Geography:
NCERT (+2 level)
Sharma & Cotinho : Economic and Commercial Geography of India.
Indian Economy
NCERT (+1 level)—Evolution of Indian Economy.
Mishra & Puri or Dutt & Sundaram
Bimal Jalan

Statistics:
(NCERT +1 level) Elementary Statistics

1. India Year Book latest
2. One competitive Magazine
3. Economic Times & The Hindu
4. Yojana/Kurukshetra.