Revision Is The Most Important Tool For Tackling The Questions Where More Than One Option May Be Correct
— Mangesh Kumar, IAS Topper 2011-12 (4th Position)
How I Prepared For Civil Services Exam
In the Preliminary Examination, the General Studies paper is a big challenge. The number of areas which the question paper covers cannot be defined. Thus, it requires an extensive approach to touch each and every section. For conventional parts like history, geography, polity, economics, science and technology, start preparing from the NCERT books. After building your concepts from the NCERT books, refer to other standard books. This will be a systematic approach.
Simultaneously, start reading newspapers and magazines like CSR, Yojana, Kuruksbetra and if you get time, note down all the facts from these sources. This time the material which you note down must be factual, short and crisp.
India Year Book, plays an important role by providing information about the Government policies as well as new schemes and helps in getting a plethora of information about different departments of the Government. This book is essential for General Studies in the Prelims. The Economic Survey and the Budget may also play a role in covering the questions from economy part in the General Studies paper.
Revision is the most important tool for tackling the questions where more than one option may be correct. Here, the elimination method may also play an important role.
Therefore, for General Studies in the Prelims one has to be equipped with conventional areas as well as the current happenings around himself/ herself.