Reply To: civil services


#1319
Ankit19
Participant

There is a common misconception regarding this examination that one should not hurry and go slow in its preparation and it takes time to qualify it. The basis for this misconception is mainly the average number of years to clear this exam which is usually around 3.
There are some of the essential points which can help you in clearing IAS exam:

Start reading newspapers: Not newspapers like Times of India(I would suggest that the first thing you do is throw out that newspaper), but papers like The Hindu and The Indian Express. They are very good and I would suggest you read them religiously.
Start reading NCERTS: These are basic textbooks which will give you the gist of the subject and then you can go deeper and deeper into that subject. For example, for history, you should start reading India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma, then Medieval India by Satish Chandra and then India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra. Then you can read textbooks which go deeper in the subject.
Don’t restrict your reading to only books: Read sites like Quora. They will provide you with knowledge which can’t be gained by reading books.
Visit the websites of government ministries whenever a new bill is introduced. It will help you see the government point of view on the bill.
Read at least 4 of the following magazines: Frontline, Civil Services Chronicle, Economic and Political Weekly, India Today, The Economist, Yojana, Kurukshetra.
Whenever any current issue comes up, look up all the details on the internet, including the history of the issue in question.
Decide your optional fast and then look online for the recommended reading list for that optional.