What are the three stages for the UPSC exam preparation?in detail

 The UPSC exam is one of the most prestigious and competitive exams in India, which is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to recruit candidates for various civil services posts such as IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, etc. The UPSC exam has three stages: Preliminary, Mains and Interview. In this blog, I will explain each stage in detail and provide some tips on how to prepare for them.

1 stage 

Preliminary Exam

The preliminary exam is the first stage of the UPSC exam, which is held in May or June every year. It consists of two objective-type papers: General Studies Paper I and General Studies Paper II (also known as CSAT). Each paper has 200 marks and 2 hours duration. The preliminary exam is only a screening test, which means that the marks obtained in this stage are not counted for the final merit list, but only to qualify for the mains exam. The candidates have to score at least 33% in the CSAT paper and clear the cut-off marks in the General Studies Paper I to qualify for the mains exam. The cut-off marks vary every year depending on the difficulty level of the papers and the number of candidates appearing for the exam.

Some tips to prepare for the preliminary exam are:

• Read the NCERT books from class 6 to 12 to cover the basic concepts of history, geography, polity, economy, science and environment.
• Follow a standard newspaper like The Hindu or Indian Express to keep yourself updated with the current affairs and important issues related to national and international events.
• Practice previous year question papers and mock tests to improve your speed, accuracy and time management skills.
• Revise your notes and important facts regularly to retain them in your memory.
• Focus on your weak areas and work on them to improve your performance.

2 stage

Mains Exam

The mains exam is the second stage of the UPSC exam, which is held in September or October every year. It consists of nine descriptive-type papers: four papers of General Studies, one paper of Essay, two papers of Optional Subject and two papers of Language (one qualifying paper of English and one paper of any Indian language chosen by the candidate). Each paper has 250 marks and 3 hours duration, except for the language papers which have 300 marks and 2 hours duration each. The mains exam is a comprehensive test, which means that the marks obtained in this stage are counted for the final merit list along with the marks obtained in the interview stage. The candidates have to score at least 25% in each language paper and clear the cut-off marks in the other papers to qualify for the interview stage. The cut-off marks vary every year depending on the difficulty level of the papers and the number of candidates appearing for the exam.

Some tips to prepare for the mains exam are:

• Choose your optional subject wisely based on your interest, aptitude and availability of study material.
• Develop your writing skills by practicing answer writing regularly. Follow a clear structure, logical flow and concise language while writing your answers.
• Enhance your analytical and critical thinking skills by reading various sources of information such as books, magazines, reports, etc. and forming your own opinion on different topics.
• Enrich your content by adding relevant facts, data, examples, diagrams, maps, etc. to support your arguments.
• Revise your syllabus thoroughly and cover all the important topics from different dimensions such as historical, geographical, political, economic, social, cultural, etc.

3 stage

Interview Stage

The interview stage is the third and final stage of the UPSC exam, which is held in February or March every year. It consists of a personality test conducted by a board of experts appointed by the UPSC. The interview has 275 marks and no fixed duration. The interview stage is an assessment of the candidate’s personality traits such as mental alertness, leadership skills, communication skills, social awareness, moral integrity, etc. The marks obtained in this stage are added to the marks obtained in the mains exam to form the final merit list. The candidates have to clear a minimum standard of suitability decided by the UPSC to be recommended for appointment.

Some tips to prepare for the interview stage are:

• Be confident and honest while facing the interview board. Do not try to bluff or exaggerate your answers.
• Be prepared for any kind of questions related to your biodata, educational background, hobbies, interests, current affairs, etc.
• Be polite and respectful towards the interviewers. Listen carefully to their questions and answer them with clarity and coherence.
• Be positive and optimistic while expressing your views. Do not be rigid or dogmatic in your opinions.
• Be humble and modest while highlighting your achievements. Do not be arrogant or boastful about yourself.

I hope this blog has given you a clear idea about the three stages of the UPSC exam and how to prepare for them. Remember that success in this exam depends on your hard work, dedication and perseverance. So keep working hard and stay motivated. All the best!