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How to Prepare for UPSC Exam while you are in College?

By
Syskool
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58
upsc exam preparation while graduation

Golden days of life are the college days and therefore live every moment of it to the fullest. Study hard and party harder should be the goal of the college. But if you work little harder in your graduation than you can cover up to 70% of the syllabus of the UPSC Exam.

The UPSC Exams cycle consist of  three stages – Prelims, Mains and Interview, which normally has a fixed schedule in July (for Prelims), October (for Mains) and March/April (for Interviews).

The IAS is the perfect harmony of social and personal good, an opportunity, that only few can careers can provide. Be inspired. The 3 golden tips for IAS preparation is to aspire for this golden service you need to prepare smartly, persistently, and patiently.

Remember one thing that if you want to clear UPSC Exam than you should keep your basics clear because if your basics are clear than you can think about the problem and can try to find the solution for the same.

Must Read: How to Prepare for IAS Exams While Doing a Job?

Things you should keep in mind while you are preparing for UPSC Exam.

  • Start reading newspapers. The Hindu and The Indian Express are very good and read them religiously.
  • As you read the newspapers, make notes of important events. Divide in 8 divisions, namely, International Relations (Middle East and Asia), International Relations (Americas and remaining world), Government Policies and schemes, Personalities and Awards and Sports, International Organisations, Social Issues, Economic Policies, Defence. Classify all news in these categories. These will help you a lot as a ready reckoner while you are revising for the General Studies syllabus.
  • Start reading NCERT books from class 6 to 10. These are basic textbooks which will give you the gist of the subject and then you can go deeper and deeper into that subject. (For history, you should start reading India’s Ancient Past by R.S. Sharma, then Medieval India by Satish Chandra and then India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra.)
  • Don’t restrict your reading to only books. Go through Internet. They will provide you with knowledge which can’t be gained by reading books.
  • Remember that never try to learn all the things at the same time but what you read, read it with complete concentration and keep in mind for always.
  • Make use of the Internet. Watch documentaries like BBC’s days that shook the World which will increase your knowledge base.
  • Visit the websites of government ministries whenever a new bill is introduced. It will help you to know the government point of view on the bill.
  • Read at least 4 of the following magazines of your choice: Frontline, Civil Services Chronicle, Economic and Political Weekly, India Today, The Economist, Yojana, Kurukshetra.
  • Whenever any current issue comes up, look up all the details on the internet, including the history of the issue in question.
  • Decide your optional fast and then look online for the recommended reading list for that optional.
  • Invest 6-8 hours in your study daily and 14-16 hours on the weekend and occasional holidays. And the most important thing sleep for 6-8 hours which will keep you energetic and feel fresh throughout the day.

Also Read: How to Crack IAS Exam? 10 Tips for IAS Preparation

Selection of the Optional Paper

This is very important decision. First start preparing for GS and then after some time take this decision. Because in GS papers you will be introduced to variety of optional subjects like
History, Geography, Public Administration, Political Science, Sociology.

This will help you to determine your inclination to a particular subject. Selecting an optional paper without having knowledge of other subjects or without knowing your own writing and presentation styles and thinking patterns will put you in trouble.

Following are some basic criteria for selecting optionals:

  • Interest and understanding in the subject (about which you will come to know when you study for GS)
  • Analysis of the syllabus and previous years’ question papers of the shortlisted subjects
  • Writing style and presentation techniques suitable for that particular optional (about which you will know once you start writing for GS and essay)
  • Thinking Pattern expected for a particular optional (you will come to know about yours after you prepare for GS.)
  • Availability of study material and guidance
  • Weightage of optional in GS
  • Graduation background

In college your studies, hobbies and extra curricular activities should be your priorities. Try to gain as much experience as you can. Be open to all sorts of projects, assignments and ideas.

Also don’t develop a negative attitude towards private sector jobs. If you are getting an opportunity to work with some firm (start up or giant) then grab the opportunity ! It will give you altogether different experience.

Don’t Miss: All About Civil Services Exam

The Skeletal System: Guards of the Body

By
Syskool
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5
cartilage and bones

The Skeletal System consists of the bones of the body, their connecting cartilage and ligaments.

Importance of Bones

Each and every person has a skeleton formed of many bones. An adult person has 206 bones in his/her body; a human baby is born with around 300 bones, but by adulthood some bones fuse together and an adult person ends up with 206 bones.

In the Skeleton System of human body each bone has a function; some bones are there to provide protection to softer, more weak parts of the body: the skull protects the brain, and the two bony sockets in front of the skull guard the eyes. The rib cage shields our lungs and heart, and the spinal column saves the delicate spinal cord.

Other bones, like the bones of legs and arms, help human beings in moving around by arranging support for the muscles. If a person does not get enough calcium, the body will take it from the bones as they store calcium; however it makes the bones weaker, so it is advised to drink milk to build strong bones. It is the bone-marrow that produces red and white blood cells.

Must Read: The Circulatory System: Carrier of Life

Numbers of Bones in the Human Body

Bones of Human beings develop continually, from birth till the mid 20s. The smallest bone in the human body, that is only 2.8 millimetres long is located in the muddle of the ear, while the longest bone is the high bone that is called the Femur.

Maximum of number of bone in our body are located in the hand, finger and wrist: there are fifty four bones. The skull is made up of twenty nine bones. The circular part of the skull, also known as cranium, comprises of eight bones known as vertebrae.

The bones of human beings are regularly being worn down and re-made, to the extent that every 7 years, humans essentially have a new bone.

Read Also: NERVOUS SYSTEM

Structure of a Bone

Nearly 70 percent of our bones are made up of hard minerals like Calcium. The outer layer of the bone, that is hard, smooth and solid, gives shape to it. There remains inside this outer layer, a porous, spongy bone material known as the trabecular, or cancellous bone.

As this part is lighter, making the bone itself lighter, it becomes easier for us to move around; and not only this, it also permits space for blood vessels and makes our bones a bit more bendable so that don’t break too easily. At its centre the bones there remains a substance called bone marrow.

The shape of the long bones is generally cylindrical. Short bones, as those of wrist and ankle are made u of thick shaft of elastic material inside a thin covering of hard bone material.

Bones are really so unique in their lightness and strength that very few man-made substances can claim to come close to them in these qualities.

Also Read: BLOOD CIRCULATION

The Cartilage: holding the bones together

Cartilage, a spongy, flexible connective tissue that holds together the bones in our bodies, is found in the joints between the bones, the ear, the nose, the ribcage, the elbow, the knee, the ankle and the bronchial tubes. It is its springy qualities that make it a good shock absorber. Cartilage, unlike bones, does not have any blood vessels.

Cartilage, along with fluid, helps bones to rub against each other smoothly and perish. Cartilage, the connective tissue, is not as hard as bone, a perfect halfway point, and it is also less flexible than muscle.

Therefore, in human body, cartilage is found in places where we need assistance and structure, but a bit of flexibility too. This consists of our joints, ears and nose as well as in the vertebrate in the spinal Colum.

Ligaments

Ligaments are thick cords of tough stringy tissue that keep bones together at their joints. Normally one of the bones contains a tiny hollow containing a lubricating fluid that assists the bones in moving smoothly over one another, in a way as oil helps the parts of any engine move over one another.

Under tension ligaments strain and gets back to their original shape once the tension is diffused. However, it is always fruitful to keep in mind that, ligaments cannot revert to their original shape when they are extended past a certain point or for a prolonged period of time.

Also Read: BLOOD AND ITS CIRCULATION

Femur: the longest Bone

The Thigh Bone, also known as Femur, is the longest bone in the human body that grows in length at either end in growth plates. When Cartilage cells divide and increase in numbers in these growth plates, growth takes place. In this process the new cartilage cells push older and larger ones towards the middle of a bone, which eventually die and the space occupied by these older cartilage cells get occupied by these older cartilage cells get occupied by bone. When a bone reaches its full size, its growth plates get changed into bone.

The most interesting characteristic of femur is that its length can be used to get a rough estimate of a person’s height: the femur makes up 2/8th of a person’s height.

Don’t Miss: Useful facts about Cells

National Green Tribunal(NGT) and Yamuna Action Plan(YAP)

By
Syskool
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4
yamuna action plan

The National Green Tribunal was constituted on 18 October 2010, under the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. The NGT was established for effective and speedy disposal of cases related to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources.

Functions of NGT also include enforcement of legal rights related to environment and providing relief and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected therewith.

Also Read: Indian River Systems

Functions of NGT

Being a specialized body it is armed with necessary expertise to handle environmental disputes which often involve multi-disciplinary issues. According to the National Green Tribunal Act (Section 19, clause I) 2010: “The Tribunal shall not be bound by the procedure laid down by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice.”

In environmental matters, the NGT’s dedicated jurisdiction “shall provide speedy environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in higher courts.” The Tribunal is empowered to make and strive for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6 months of filling the same. The principle place of Sitting the NGT is Delhi.

Composition of the NGT

Clause 1 of the section 4 of the NGT Act, 2010, while dealing with the composition of the Tribunal states: “The Tribunal shall consist of (a) a full-time Chairperson; (b) not less than ten but subject (not maximum of twenty full-time Judicial members as the Central Government may, from time to time, notify; (c) not less than ten but subject to maximum of twenty full time expert members, as the Central Government may, from time to time, notify.

Qualification for appointment of Chairperson of the NGT

According to the NGT Act 2010, the Chairperson of NGT must be a sitting or retire Judge of the Supreme Court of India or a sitting or retire Chief Justice of a High Court. He or She shall not hold any other office during his or her tenure as such.

Many projects have been undertaken by the successive Governments in the past to clean the river Yamuna, the dirtiest river of our country.

Also Read :The River Ganga

Background to Yamuna Action Plan (YAP)

Yamuna Action Plan is one of the largest river revival projects in India. It has been declared as a bilateral project between the Government of India and Japan. To implement the project the Government of Japan has catered a financial grant of 17.7 billion yen, under the Japanese Bank of International Cooperation (JBIC). The project is being implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, National River Conservation Directorate and the Government of India.

Yamuna Action Plan

In order to clean Yamuna, the dirtiest river of the country, YAP was formally launched in 1993.  YAP has till date completed two phase as YAP-I and YAP-II. The YAP-I, covered Delhi, eight towns in Uttar Pradesh and six towns in Haryana. Under YAP-II, the stress was on the 22 km stretch of Yamuna. Now YAP-II is in process, that is phase III of Yamuna Action Plan for Delhi, with an estimated cost of Rs. 1,656 crore. YAP-III, initiated in 2013, was supposed to be completed by 2015.

Success Rate of YAPs

The cleaning of polluted Yamuna, under YAP-I and YAP-II, was carried out in accordance with the level of the biological oxygen demand of the Yamuna. Under these two phases 286 scheme were completed in 21 towns of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana at a cost of Rs. 1,453.17 crore. These schemes also consisted of 39 sewage treatment plants under which sewage treatment capacity of 767.25 million litres per day had been created.

In a recent report Energy and Resources Institute (Teri) has informed that to support aquatic life and day-to-day activities of the people living on the banks of the river Yamuna, 3.46 billion litres per day (BLD) of fresh flow of water is needed. This has been reported based on an analysis for the last 10 years. The Teri report has also described that the YAPs may not be 100% successful in improving water quality but it is true that the water quality has not deteriorated after its implementation.

Don’t Miss: Stanford Develops Plastic from Agricultural Waste

How to Prepare for UPSC Exams While Doing a Job?

By
Syskool
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37
upsc-preparation-with-job

Preparing for UPSC Exam while working is hard but the journey is very much possible once you decide to undertake it. If you have a will to overcome the hurdles you can achieve the cherished goal. Literally to be very frank its hard to manage both at the same time but its moderate if you have little prior knowledge about the basics.

In academics, if you were good till standard tenth, half of your work is done as the base is clear. If not, then you need to work little for the basics first. First have a thorough revision of NCERT Books from standard six to ten and make a routine of reading daily newspaper. Preparing without thinking about the end result is actually the best way to prepare for this exam.

Also Read: Everything about UPSC – IAS Exam – Preparation Strategy, Syllabus, Eligibility, Optional Subjects, Previous Paper, Books, Schedule, Cut off, Resources.

Make the best use of time

When you start preparing for the UPSC Exam you have very little time to devote for preparation so it makes sense to utilize it most effectively. Working people don’t have the luxury of dedicating 15 hours daily to CSE preparation. Nor it is required. Instead of trying to cover the entire syllabus, be selective.

  • Pick the sections that are easy to score and cover. The best way to build your knowledge base is by reading things that you find interesting and which excite you.
  • For Preliminary Exams, topics which include current affairs, maps, polity, comprehension, passage, decision making, and statistics. These topics are very easy to score off and can be prepared while travelling and in your free time not just while preparing in your study time.
  • Map based questions are also very easy to score off. Develop a regular habit of going through the atlas once. Studying Atlas everyday for 15 minutes you can get almost all the map based questions correct in the Preliminary Exam. But maps cannot be mastered in just 10 or 15 days. Doing this will leave you more confused that confident.
  • The best approach to start with atlas study is to glance through the maps to just get an idea of the country, its coasts, oceans , states. After you are familiar with the facts, go for more in-depth study by focusing on physical geography of states, national highways, mountains, glaciers, rivers, islands, inland seas etc.
  • Read the newspaper or a good magazine in your free time. The Hindu and The Indian Express are both high quality newspapers. When reading newspapers focus on editorials and news articles that are of relevance to UPSC preparation.

Get More Done in Less Time

As a working person is hard pressed for time but should make the most of the time for preparation. Focus on getting the maximum done in least amount of time. For this you will need to prepare a list of things to study, the most important first. Then assign just enough time or slightly less to cover the topics but not too less as this will put under pressure on you.

Also Read: Books for UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam Preparation

Develop a Routine and Stick to It

  • By making routine you can prepare the syllabus within a very short time and it enables you to be more focused.
  • Developing a routine is even more essential for working people due to limited time available to them.
  • Pick a time slot, maybe in the evening or night or early morning where you can study uninterrupted for 2-3 hours.
  • Some people prefer late night study while others like the calm and serenity of early mornings. Pick your time slot and stick to it.
  • Even 2 to 3 hours of dedicated study coupled with reading a magazine, newspaper, previous year book or atlas is compulsory during the day hours and it can be an effective preparation plan.
  • You will need to take pain to stay awake late or wake up early to study but then cracking the UPSC Exam while working does take some extra effort. But the fruit is well worth to it.

Must Read: IAS vs IRS – Make informed decision while you Choose

You Don’t Have to Leave Your Job to Prepare for UPSC Exams

You can very well prepare while working. Many people have cracked the civil services exam while working and you can too.

The focus is on general awareness, environment, decision making, language skills and basic mathematics. All these topics can very well be prepared while working at the same time.

At the most you should take about 15 days leave before the prelims for quick revision and about a month off from the job, if possible, before the UPSC Exam.

Having a Job Has its Own Benefits

The UPSC Exam is such that if you crack it in the first or second attempt you’re on the top of the world but as the years and attempts roll by, there’s a sense of insecurity that can impede your preparation, hinder your focus and thus further heightens the insecurity in a vicious circle.

The other big advantage working people have is during the interview stage and this can be huge. The interview panel looks favourably upon someone who has reached the interview while working as this means they have something to fall back on and have previous job experience as well. People working in the public sector especially have an edge as compared to someone who has been preparing full time for years.

Also Read: Hindi Books for UPSC Civil Services Preparation

Benefits of Positive Attitude and Thinking

By
Syskool
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2
Quite Interesting Facts About Rainbow

The key to a healthy and happy life lies in staying positive. Spreading positivity, happiness and cheer all around oneself keep the body fit and the mind, tension-free. Our day-to-day lives are very hectic, and we often feel weighed-down by life’s pressures and demands- deadlines to meet, family gatherings to attend, staying in touch with friends, and at the same time, finding time for your own self- this involves a lot of work and can be very tiring. But as we may have experienced, a positive atmosphere along with a good and hearty laugh does wonders and leaves one feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Therefore, it is needless to say that staying positive and optimistic in our attitude and thoughts is extremely important in order to lead a stress-free life. Here’s presenting some benefits of positive attitude and positive thinking.

Read Also: Concepts To Learn in Life

Helps you live longer and together

Anyone who leads a hassle and tension-free life, has a good immune system, making her or him resilient to many diseases, and most importantly, is happy and content with life, will have a long life! Optimism, health, and longevity have a positive correlation with one another, as “a person who desires to live longer can do so by having a positive outlook on life and the world around them. Optimism on an individual basis has the ability to improve longevity in life and in the workplace.”

Brings Inner Peace and a Sense of Fulfillment

Everyone has their own definition of “happiness” and what it means to be “truly happy”. For some, it may be sharing close bonds with friends and family, for some it may mean being at the top position in their field, while for some others, it may be a sense of security and attachment with the ultimate power, commonly referred to as God.

Dwelling in an environment which is nurturing and peace-giving, happy and optimistic, gives one the feeling of security and acceptance. Such people are then able to attain inner-peace and are content with life. They experience a sense of fulfillment and lead, what they believe, and a serene life.

Improves Self-Esteem and Confidence

People who keep themselves as well as others around them, happy and cheerful, tend to have a higher self-esteem and are more confident. Self-esteem is the value judgment that an individual holds about herself or himself. Confidence refers to the extent to which an individual feels comfortable in their own skin and can “be themselves” in social settings. This appraisal, in turn, further boosts confidence and thus, self-esteem.

Must Read: Most Interesting facts about Life 

Optimism boosts Immunity

Positive thoughts keep one stress-free and hence, healthy. A major improvement can be seen in individuals who are ill if they maintain a positive outlook to treatment and believe that they can better with medication. Happy thoughts and a relaxed mind lead to the release of stress-relieving hormones, and also strengthen the body’s immune system, thus ensuring that individuals fall ill less often.

Positivity Improves Health

“Health” has many connotations. It refers to a person’s well-being on the physical, emotional, mental as well as the social front. A healthy person is one who is able to meet life’s challenges while knowing that she/he has a strong social and familial support system. This enables the individual to be peaceful, emotionally and mentally.

Happiness is a Stress-Buster

The concept of stress is dealt with in the field of Psychology, where it is defined as “a feeling of strain or pressure”. While an optimum level of stress is good or rather, necessary to improve performance, taking too much stress hampers one’s productivity and quality of work. It is very important to reduce which are nothing but events or stimuli in the environment that cause stress.

One way to do this is, of course, by staying happy and cheerful. It has been found that people who stay optimistic in the face of stress cope better with such situations than those who remain pessimistic. Optimistic individuals seek to find ways to get past the stressful situation, while pessimistic individuals may simply give up and believe that nothing can be done to change the situation that they are in.

Happy Thoughts keep us Energized

The feeling of “Yes I can do this!” is a huge energy booster and a determinant of the overall success. When one is happy, one is more pumped up to work and more importantly, make things work. One also looks forward to meeting their deadlines and making sure they leave no stone unturned to attain success.

Optimism Increases Motivation

When one stays happy and optimistic, one is motivated to work harder. If we see happy people around us, we ourselves remain motivated and also motivate our friends to work. As a result, the team works more efficiently on the whole. A positive surrounding makes us believe in the very famous quote- “Nothing is impossible. Because the word impossible itself says ‘I M Possible’”.

Don’t Miss: Important Life Lessons You Learn in the First Year of Employment.

Improved Job Performance

It has been found that optimism and overall job performance of an individual show a positive correlation. This means that as the levels of optimism increase, the performance is also seen to increase. A positive attitude towards one’s work and one’s colleagues, one is much more likely to enjoy their work as well as enjoy working with their team. This, in turn, ensures that interpersonal relationships improve, and a positive work environment prevails

Positivity Improves Success Rate

Staying focused, staying optimistic, and believing in oneself and in one’s work, along with giving in one’s 110% to the job is what counts even more than the actual job itself. If a person believes that no matter how hard they try, they just cannot complete the task at hand, they will never be able to succeed despite having the potentiality to do so.

Also, Read:

Concepts To Learn in Life

Lessons to Learn from the Life of Mahatma Gandhi

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