An Early Start for Civil Services

If you are in school or just started your college and wondering that you should start preparing for UPSC, this article is for you. What to study before you start studying for the exam?

Preparing for UPSC exams calls for a lot of dedication , determination and devotion. It is a long marathon rather than a 100 meter sprint. Here are a few things that can help create the right platform if you are starting early. 


Develop a wide knowledge-base 
Read one national newspaper regularly. Almost all national news papers will provide you a wide array of national and international information. 'The Hindu' and 'Indian Express' have good in-depth editorials for a sincere reading. Information from any source of relevance to your goal should be welcomed, as long as it is from a standard source. Start reading magazines that cover national issues. Frontline is one such magazine that covers core issues.  


Use television as an information source 
With the wide variety of channels on the TV today, it has turned into more of an interruption rather than a support in the learning process. However, if you are disciplined, make sure to watch good informative programs. Follow BBC, CNN, and yes Doordarshan.

Learn more about UPSC, Civil Services and the different departments under it
Talk to your friends and seniors. Get more information. You can also go through information on portals like www.upscguide.com

Develop a Circle of Knowledge 
Discussing about the topics with your family and friends helps you to explore various perceptions and helps shed light on multiple point of views.This will definetly help you in advancing your knowledge. While discussing be careful and don't waste time on unnecessary details and arguments, you should have a guided discussion that focuses on the topic.  

Start  with NCERT books 
Reading NCERT books prove to be extremely benificial as they are little encyclopedias. They are the first step in UPSC preparation.

Go through 'some' question papers  
Attempting question papers of previous years and General studies papers. This will expose your weaknesses and give you an idea about the extent of your preparation, your knowledge base, your speed and base.


Start developing a trust in your capabilities 
One should be dedicated and have faith in one's own capabilities. Define your goals and short-term targets and start working towards them. Develop a study style - late night, early morning, or a planned day study - whatever suits you best. Quality of hours put in is more important than quantity of hours. Your time and energies should be used in an efficient and effective manner.

Get ready to make a plan
Once you have an idea about the effort and commitment it will take to become a Civil Servant and you believe you are up to it. Get ready to make a plan. I will cover more about making a plan in another blog.

Confidence is your best friend.  Believe in yourself and prepare with full Dedication, Devotion, and Determination.