Clearing prelims is a major checkpoint in CSE journey of any Aspirant. With ever increasing competition and tougher prelims exam, clearing the 1st hurdle has become much more challenging than it was few years back.

Aspirants can look to do following to score big or to reduce negative marking and prevent their score from dragging down:

1) This exercise begins with reading a concise material, revising it thoroughly and practising tests effectively:

• Prelims 6 months timeline.
• Prelims Study Material.
• Revision Strategy.
• Prelims Test Practice Method.

2) Next important thing is solving previous year papers. Do this only after completing and revising entire syllabus and as if you are exam ready. This will tell you the difficulty level of the paper. Check cut-off for that paper and analyze where you stand. Solve 5 such papers.

3) The exercise mentioned in 2nd point will help you in analyzing difficulty level of your prelims paper. While attempting paper, understand if it is easy or tough. This will tell you the number of questions you need to attempt. If paper is tough, then do not take unnecessary risks.

Join here for free guidance from Mudit Jain, IRS CSE-17 (IPS CSE-14 & 15), Author of Decode Civils – Philosophical Essay Writing, Decode GS2, Decode Ethics 4.0 & Decode History Books

Ethics book referred by CSE 22 Toppers: AIR –76, 91, 176, 189, 249, 288, 297, 299, 326, 356, 476, 541, 611, 616, 700, 737, 739, 746 & others

History book referred by CSE 21 Toppers: AIR – 44, 212, 572, 653 & others

Sample PDFs of Books: Decode Civils – Philosophical Essay Writing, Decode Ethics 4th Edition,  Decode GS2 & Decode History

4) If paper seems to be easy then do not hold yourself back. Aspirants have a tendency to fix the upper limit of attempted questions. Do Not Do So! If paper is easy, attempting less will hamper your chances.

5) How To Attempt: 

• Mark answers in 2-3 cycles. i.e. go though question paper 2-3 times.
• In first cycle, mark in OMR only the answers you are 100% sure. 
• Mark/Bookmark in question paper the questions for which you are 50% sure. Mark them in your second cycle.  Strike out bookmark once you attempt that particular question.
• Separately mark questions which you know nothing about. Strike out the question itself. I used to do this for organizations/reports or ancient/medieval based questions for which I could not eliminate even 1 option. There is no point in making such wild guess.
• After second cycle, count in the question paper, number of questions still left unanswered. If you think you have attempted less then sort/prioritize leftover questions in order of difficulty. Answer only those for which you can eliminate at least 1 off 4 options.

6) Everyone has one or other weak areas. Mine were ancient-medieval and reports-organizations based questions. Take extra care and caution before attending such questions. If a thing consistently goes wrong during practice, it might also go wrong when it matters the most.

Therefore the crux is:

• Prepare well.
• Be sure of your weak areas.
• Analyze difficulty level of paper and attempt accordingly.
• Mark answers in 2-3 cycles. 100% sure –> 50% sure –> count left questions –> mark only those for which you have eliminated at least one option.

Also, be extra careful while marking answers. Do not circle the wrong option by mistake. Be calm. Keep check on your nerves!!!

PRELIMS BOOK LIST

1. Ancient-Medieval:
   • Lucent GK Book.
   • Civil services chronicle 30 pages notes. Click here for Notes.
   • TN board book.
2. Art-Culture:
   • I Read Nitin Singhania notes.
   • TN board book.
   • You can refer Nitin Singhania Book English & Nitin Singhania Book Hindi
3. Modern India:
   • Bipin Chandra 78 pages notes. Click here for Notes.
   • Lucent 40 pages.
   • Tables given in Spectrum.
   • Bipin Chandra Book.
4. World Geography:
   • NCERT 9-10-11-12.
   • G C Leong.
   • Vajiram yellow book.
   • Optional notes uploaded.
5. India Geography:
   • NCERT 9-10-11-12.
   • Vajiram Yellow Book.
   • Optional notes.
6. Map work:
   • Prem Patel for India map.
   • Oxford Atlas.
   • Newspaper.
   • GC Leong.
   • Prelims: Map Based Questions 2013-2019.
   • Previous papers to know what to prepare for world map.
7. Environment: Shankar.
8. Economy: Sriram.
9. Polity: Laxmikant Latest Edition..
10. Science: Current.
11. Current: Hindu + Vision monthly + Insights compilations. How to read The Hindu?

Prelims Topper Strategies:

• Shreyans Kumat AIR-4: Prelims Journey — Strategy & Motivation
• Prelims Preparation and more: Nand Kishore Mewara Former IRS, IPS and Now IAS.

ATB