Subject Wise Preparation Strategy
History/Indian Culture
A considerable share of the total questions asked in General Studies for IAS, comes from Indian History.
The syllabus for history can be divided in 3 parts ;Ancient;Indian History,;Medieval Indian History and;Modern;Indian History.
Most of the History questions asked in IAS Preliminary Test usually come from Modern India & Art and Culture. It has been seen that Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History dont constitute a major part in terms of the number of questions asked.
So if one has to prioritize the topics for Indian History, Modern India & Art & Culture should be given preference vis-a-vis Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History. Having said that never leave out the low priority topics altogether. Remember, UPSC loves to give its aspirants surprises.
One common mistake that most IAS aspirants make while preparing history is that in search of relevant books & study materials, they end up with a multitude of resources. Having too many books & study resources for one particular subject can do more harm than good when it comes to quick revision later.
Geography
Geography is divided into two parts ;Indian Geography;and;World Geography
It has been seen that Indian Geography is given more weightage in the Preliminary Examination. The following are the broad topics that you;MUST;cover before the exam.
Indian Geography
World Geography
Polity
Economy
Geography For Upsc Ias Civil Services Exam
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How To Prepare Geography For Upsc Ias Prelims 2017 In 1 Month
Geography is a very vast, slightly technical but very important subject for UPSC Prelims IAS Exam. If you understood the concept you will understand the chapter very easily. The knowledge of geography can also be used to solve several other questions, which are not directly from geography. So, it is essential that we prepare geography thoroughly. We are presenting a strategy which would help student in preparing Geography for UPSC prelims exam 2017.
Geography for UPSC CSE
Recent trends of questions
In UPSC IAS prelims exam, the number of questions coming from geography has decreased in recent times. In last 4 years i.e. 2014, 2015 and 2016 there were 20, 14 and 12 questions respectively from geography portion.
Moreover, the question asked from geography portion in recent times are not direct and easy. To solve a question one requires converging knowledge from several portions. So, to solve geography questions one has to very clear with the concepts of geography.
One main advantage of geography is that the it overlaps with Environment portion and the question are mostly conceptual, so if you know the concept, you will be able to solve the question easily.
What to read?
The best source for geography is NCERT books. Depending on the level of understanding, one can read NCERT books from 6th to 12th class.
Apart from that, map reading should also be made a regular practice. One should take an school atlas book and should daily look at the maps for at least 20 minutes.
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Strategy To Prepare Geography For Upsc Prelims
Geography is an important part of UPSC IAS Syllabus;and each year a considerable number of questions are asked in UPSC Civil Services Prelims and Main Exam. Geography as a subject has a direct linkage with other subjects like Environment and Ecology, Disaster & Management, Agriculture etc. Thus it becomes even more important to have a good understanding of the subject.
Many aspirants find geography difficult due to its vast nature and increased number of facts and figures. In this article, we are providing you with a complete strategy with important topics to be focussed while preparing geography for UPSC Prelims.
How To Study Geography For Upsc Prelims
Here are some ways to study this subject for UPSC prelims:
- First of all, memorize the syllabus. Take a printout and hang it on your study table if you want. But knowing the syllabus every inch is very important as it will help you to focus on topics that are important from the exam point of view. This will also help while making notes for the subject. This process should be followed for every subject.
- The second step is to study from NCERT and after that study from GC Leong. Do this properly as it will build your foundation for the books you will refer to in the future for Mains.
- The next step is to pick up one topic at a time and study them from different sources like magazines, newspapers, etc.
- Make separate notes for current affairs related to it.
- Solve previous years questions papers. Try to solve questions from at least the last five years.
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# Get Advanced Understanding With Advanced Books
Once you have a stronghold on the fundamentals, get an in-depth understanding of Geography by reading the below-mentioned books:
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Lehong
- India: A Comprehensive Geography by D R Khullar
- Physical Geography by Savindra Singh
- Models in Geography by Majid Husain
- Geographical Thought by R D Dixit
How To Prepare For Upsc Cse Geography For Prelims
Geography is one of the most important subjects in the UPSC IAS Prelims exam. Those who are going to or are planning to appear for UPSC Prelims are usually questioning how to prepare for geography UPSC prelims. Geography is also given as an optional subject for UPSC Mains, and it is a very common popular option amongst candidates. To have a proper preparation strategy in place with regard to how to prepare for geography UPSC, you must follow this post for expert tips and strategies.
Know all about the UPSC Civil Services here.
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What After Shortlisting The Subject
The main aim of our whole discussion is to know which is the easiest optional subject for UPSC ;mains for me. So its time for a decision, now we are going to finalise our optional subject.
- Check out the syllabus of all the 4-5 subjects selected. While going through the topics of the syllabus if you feel you know about them or you are interested in reading, learning about them then mark the subject.
- Repeat the above process for all 4-5 subjects. I am sure you will be able to pick 2 subjects out of them in which you have deep knowledge and interest.
- If you can pick one subject after the above process then congratulations your task is complete.
The last factor you must consider is going through previous year papers. Pick the last 3 year papers and go through them. You must keep 2 things in mind while analyzing previous papers:
2. Mark out the questions for which you know the answers or you have some knowledge about.
Once you have marked and analyzed the previous year papers of both subjects. You will know which one to choose and why to choose it.
The Importance Of A Test Series
Joining a good test series is very important, both for practice as well as testing your knowledge. A good test series on geography for UPSC can help you identify, rectify and strengthen your weak areas. Therefore choose your;test series;wisely. Solve as many tests as you can to get enough writing practice for the exam.
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Geography Syllabus For Upsc:
The nine-word Prelims Geography syllabus focuses solely on Geography of India and the World. This is a fair assessment. This brief may make the exam sound complicated, detailed, and frightening but you don’t need to be concerned about this.;
In an ideal world, most of our geographic knowledge would be condensed into these nine words.;;
The solution is included in the syllabus for the;UPSC Mains Exam. Over 45%;of the;General;Studies paper is made up of three main points,;all of;which account for nearly;50%;of the total.;These three main points are:;
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Main geographical features of the world;
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Diversification of critical natural resources;
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Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, cyclones, and so on are critical geophysical phenomena.;
As a result,;in order to;prepare for the geography portion of the main exam, you should concentrate on learning and;memorising;all of the topics on the exam’s syllabus. Because focusing on mains will prepare you for prelims, this method will allow you to prepare for both at the same time.;
While considering the three major geographical areas, I;would like to draw your attention to the topics being discussed:;;
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Having a thorough understanding of the Atlas. Many topics related to the demography, direction, oceans, continents, and everything else are covered in depth.;
Upsc Prelims : Strategy To Prepare For The Exam
- UPSC Prelims 2021: Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, UPSC has postponed the preliminary exam of Civil Services to October 10th from the original schedule of 27th June. It has given more than 100 days extra for aspirants to prepare for the exam.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, UPSC has postponed the preliminary exam of Civil Services to October 10th from the original schedule of 27th June. It has given more than 100 days extra for aspirants to prepare for the exam.
Now having an additional window of preparation right before the exam might appear a blessing to most of us, but havent we all wasted the long gaps just between the exams in our school and college days? This gap carries an additional risk of straying away from the path of optimal preparation.
There are 2 possible categories on the basis of preparation done by June, when it comes to Prelims 2021:
1. Those who were sure that they were not going to make it to the exam.
2. Those who were not in the first category, meaning, they at least stood a chance, or better, were certain of a selection if the exam was conducted in June only.
Also try to practice in the actual examination conditions, ensuring that you eliminate the common anxiety related errors.
answer writing for GS before Prelims. It will distract your attention from the Prelims orientation unnecessarily and will be counterproductive for your preparation of Prelims.
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# Connect Dots With Current Affairs
Be a smart candidate and try to connect the static part of the Geography subject with Current Affairs. You will come across many news and editorials that have direct relevance to the subject. Hence, being up to date with current affairs with the help of newspapers is inevitable.
Also read:How to Prepare for Current Affairs in UPSC
Distribution Of Key Natural Resources Across The World ;
- Account for the change in the spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel industry in the world.
- Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.
- How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?
- With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world.
- It is said the India has substantial reserves of shale oil and gas, which can feed the needs of country for quarter century. However, tapping of the resources doesnt appear to be high on the agenda. Discuss critically the availability and issues involved.
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Three Pearls Of Wisdom
It would give me immense happiness if I can help a student in their preparation for this reputed exam. My advice, in a crux, for geography for UPSC optional paper to you would be:
- Always connect the static parts of contemporary events. This will keep you on track and help you combine the two aspects of this paper better. For example, the Bali Volcanic eruption can be connected to the Plate Tectonics Theory, the discovery of the N.Bhupathi frog can be linked to the Continental Drift Theory etc.
- The mapping section in Paper II is extremely scoring and must not be left at any cost. Get into the habit of referring to the atlas starting from your Prelims geography for UPSC preparation itself. Always be curious and look for the places you read about in current affairs on the map.
- Focus on the diagrams. I cannot stress the importance of this point enough! Diagrams are crucial to this subject and must not be ignored at any cost.
Approach To Cover Geography:
- Read the syllabus thoroughly and understand it
- Shortlist the books that cover the syllabus in entirety and stick to them
- Do a first reading of the books
- Refer to previous year UPSC questions to get the idea on what kind of questions are being asked by UPSC on any topics and do the preparation accordingly.
- Do the 2nd reading and make short notes from them.
- In the 3rd reading refer to your short notes and this should be used for your further revisions.
- Solve practice papers: Get the help of any good standard Mocks available to test your level of preparation.
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Tips To Prepare For Ias Prelim Exam In 3 Months
UPSC CSE or IAS Preliminary examination requires the right action plan along with hard and smart work. It also requires effective time management besides diligence and endurance to get through it. This article will highlight some important tips about how to prepare for the IAS Prelims exam in three months.
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How To Prepare Geography For Upsc
To Download
Dr Vijay Agarwal
After unravelling the strategy of preparing history and politics for civil services, we will now delve into the methodof preparation for the third important pillar of general studies Geography. Before we jump to the plan of action, it will be better to first identify the practical, parallel boundary lines within which we should prepare. As discussed earlier, mixing topics can lead to lack of focus and disrupt our efforts.
The two boundary lines which one should keep in mind are:
a) The syllabus set by the Union Public Service Commission
b) The number of questions asked on the subject in the prelims and mains.
The unsolved question papers of previous years will help one determine the level of preparation this subject requires. Hence, let us simplify the above mentioned points.
Syllabus
The curriculum for Geography for the preliminary examination consists of mere nine words -Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. Actually, this brief makes the exam sound complex, too detailed and quite scary. Ideally, most of the knowledge on geography we have till now gets embodied in these nine words. If you go on to pick up books related to each mentioned topic, you will definitely be exhausted. But dont worry, we have a solution to this problem.
Background of the examination
Nature of questions
Method of preparation
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Upsc Prelims : How To Prepare Indian Geography Through Atlas/maps
Your UPSC exam prelims preparation will not be complete if you dont study an atlas. Map-based questions are a regular feature in the UPSC civil services prelims exam. Many maps based questions in UPSC Prelims confuses the aspirants. Many aspirants are confused about where to begin when it comes to maps or atlases.; This article gives you a few pointers on how to effectively utilise the maps or atlas for preparing Indian Geography and tackle the map-based questions in UPSC exam.
You can buy either the Oxford student atlas or the Orient Blackswan school atlas.
Benefits of studying for UPSC exam with an Atlas:
- Makes Geography easier to learn
- Covers physical and human Geography
- Enhances your ability to recall names of places, physical features, etc.
Upsc Prelims : How To Study Indian And World Geography Through Maps
Maps are an integral part of the UPSC Civil Services Geography syllabus. In this article, we have provided important topics from Indian and World Geography that can be studied with the help of maps for better retainment and memorizing.;
UPSC Prelims 2021: How to Study Indian and World Geography Through Maps?
If you have gone through the Previous Year Papers of the UPSC Civil Service Exam, you would have noticed at least one map-based question asked each year. In some years the number can go up to 3 which means you can easily score 4-6 marks out of map-based questions. Now, the important question is how can one study geography with the help of maps? Maps can make you retain information for a longer time period as compared to reading the same information. If studied carefully, maps can be a fun and engaging way of learning.
In this article, we have provided all the important topics from the Geography syllabus which can be read and learned through map-reading. These steps and information will help you score well in the UPSC Civil Services 2021 Prelims exam.;
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How To Prepare Geography Syllabus For Upsc Prelims And Mains
Geography is one of the basic and most important subjects in UPSC CSE preparation. It is asked in all the three stages of the examination, hence, it is essential to study it in detail. Since a lot of topics overlap in Prelims and Mains, it is important to study it holistically. Heres a full-proof strategy to kickstart geography preparation for UPSC:
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Read NCERTs: Start out by covering geography NCERTs from class 8th to 12th. It will make your foundation strong. Moreover, questions straight from the NCERTs are asked in the exam which is why it is important to start your preparation from here.;;
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Basic books: Next, go for a thorough reading of the basic books of geography, which includes Certificate physical and human geography by GC Leong and Geography of India by Majid Hussain.
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Previous year papers: Next, go for solving previous year question papers. Solving the previous years questions will help you in identifying important topics that need to be revised and re-revised thoroughly.;
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Mock tests: Mock tests are very important as they will allow you to assess your preparation and identify the area of weakness that could be worked out in the future.;
Current affairs: Read newspapers such as The Hindu and monthly magazines namely Yojana and Kurukshetra to prepare the current affairs portion.