IIT Bombay alumnus, now IFS officer, shares do’s and don’ts ahead of UPSC Prelims 2024: 7 key points
The IFS officer, who is an alumnus of IIT Bombay, shared that he has cleared UPSC CSE Prelims five times in a row and has achieved the IFS cut-off four times.
With just a month left in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Prelims 2024 exam, Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer Ramesh Bishnoi shared some “do’s and don’ts for aspirants for last-month prep”. Bishnoi’s tips can be helpful for aspirants as he has cleared UPSC CSE Prelims five times in a row and has achieved the IFS cut-off four times.
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“I’ve learned a thing or two about navigating this exam and tackling mammoth syllabus,” wrote Bishnoi as he shared a few tips for UPSC aspirants.
Read, Revise, Test: The ultimate mantra
He advised the candidates to refrain from buying “new study materials” during the last month and instead keep on revising the syllabus that one had already covered.
Test, Test, Test
The IFS officer recommended taking as many “mock tests as possible” to “identify and eliminate the mistakes” before sitting in the coveted exam.
He also suggested that one should “analyse” and “learn” from the test.
Take notes
“Make online/offline notes of new useful information, key concepts, and especially your mistakes. This will be an invaluable resource for last-minute revision and boost your confidence,” said the IIT Bombay alumnus while sharing that he preferred taking notes online.
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Quality over quantity
Bishnoi shared that “everything in mock tests” is not “relevant” and that one should avoid investing time in “irrelevant details”. He suggested, “Based on past papers, prioritise questions, information, and concepts that have a higher chance of appearing.”
Previous years’ questions are gold
“Analyse the previous 10 years’ UPSC Prelims question papers. Many questions and concepts are repeated. By practising PYQs (Previous Year Questions), you can significantly improve your score,” he said.
High understanding of Polity, Geography and Economy
The IIT Bombay alumnus advised UPSC aspirants to strengthen their understanding of Polity, Geography and Economy. This, in his words, will “yield high returns on invested time” and help “tackle applied questions” easily.
“UPSC loves surprises”: Bishnoi
The IFS officer concluded his post by saying that “UPSC loves surprises”. He added, “Take All India mock tests from various coaching centres to get exposure to diverse question patterns. This will help you stay calm and composed on exam day, even if the format throws a surprise.”
The UPSC civil services exam is conducted in three stages: prelims, mains, and the interview. The preliminary exam is scheduled for June 16 this year, and UPSC Mains 2024 will be conducted from September 20 onwards.
