Source – indiatoday.in
PSC IAS 2020: Since the changes in the UPSC exam pattern, current affairs has become a very prominent component in Civil services examination as many questions at every stage of the three-tier examination are asked from this section. Most of the aspirants whether they are beginners or veterans of the exam are still skeptical about Civil Services exam preparation.
Current Affairs is a dynamic and undefined part of the UPSC Syllabus that puts aspirants in a dilemma thinking how and from where to start current affairs preparations for IAS.
To clear all the doubts and give aspirants’ a fair idea on how to deal with the current affairs, GS SCORE presents a strategy on how to cover the current affairs part of the UPSC Syllabus for UPSC 2020 aspirants.
Identify sources: There is a deluge of reading material both online and offline on current affairs which makes it difficult for the aspirants to understand what to read.
Aspirants are pilling CSR, Pratiyogita Darpan, EPW, Chronicle, Yojana and every random magazine you can name on their desks and never opening them due to paucity of time. This exercise is definitely counter-productive. You should choose quality over quantity.
Current Affair sources:
- Daily Newspapers
- GS SCORE Weekly Current Affairs Compilation
- All India Radio
- GS SCORE gist of RSTV’s Big Picture, India’s World, Yojana, Kurukshetra, PIB, and PRS India
- Internet
Don’t waste much time on Current Affairs: The problem with most aspirants is not that they neglect newspapers, but they overplay its importance. Some read newspapers for almost 3-4 hours a day, leaving them with no time to read other subjects. Current affairs are important; newspapers are important, but not so much that you invest time disproportionately. Ideally one should finish reading day’s current affairs in 1-2 hours.
Strategy for current affairs preparation consists of:
Prelims study:
- Practice 50 MCQs on current affairs daily (Practice GS SCORE Weekly Current Affairs MCQs)
- When the exam is nearer practice 100 MCQs daily (Join GS SCORE PT Test Series)
- Revise at the end of the month
Mains study:
- Newspaper reading (30-45 min) – every day
- Look for issues and make notes on them (one or two a day)
- Weekly or monthly current affairs compilation is a useful aid in this regard that compiles all the dimensions and developments on a topic in a lucid manner.
Weekly and monthly revision
Cover issues and not news: Civil servants aspirants should look beyond news and headlines. They must have a nose for issues. UPSC generally asks questions on issues that are in news. So you must understand the issues in news thoroughly and make notes on them. Usually, coaching institutions cover issues comprehensively and current affairs compilation is the best among them.
Usability: UPSC aspirants must develop the ability about the usability of the information and data they are obtaining from current affairs.
Note making: Making notes online or offline comes handy during exams as they help in quick revisions. Therefore, it is advised that aspirants must make short notes for the revisions.
Revisions: Mark Twain said that there is nothing as good as re-writing. With the same token clause, there is nothing as good as revision in the civil service preparation. The aforementioned methods will ensure that you capture 90-95 per cent of current affairs in a manner relevant to this exam. But current affairs are a continuous and evolving field that keeps piling up by the day. The best way to retain the content is through constant revision.
Answer-writing practice: There is no substitute for answer-writing. It is a craft as well as art. You must learn it before it is too late. Academic, newspaper and article writing is different from answer writing for UPSC examination.
Your answer should represent an IAS officer in the making and to learn that you must not skip test series which provides at affordable costs with easy accessibility across the country.