How To Prepare For UPSC CSE 2022 – Free PDF Download

 

Exam Pattern

Preliminary stage (Objective Type)

• Paper I – General Studies  (200 marks) Duration : Two hours 
• Paper II –  CSAT (200 marks) Duration : Two hours

1. Paper-II will be a qualifying paper
2. Minimum qualifying marks are 33%.
3. Mains (Written and Interview)

• Written/Subjective
• 7 + 2 =  9 Papers 

Qualifying Papers –  (25%)

• Paper A: (One Indian Language) – 300 Marks
• Paper B: English – 300 Marks

  Interview  – 275 marks

Tentative schedule of CSE 2022*

1. Preliminary exam –  June/July 2022
2. Mains exam –   September/October 2022
3. Interview –   January/February 2023
   Your dream comes true sometime in April 2023!

Preparation  Approach for 2022

• College going student
• Working Aspirant

The Beginning

1. Do a little research on your own about booklist, pattern and rigors of the exam.
2. Watch toppers’ interviews on StudyIQ.
3. Make a conducive environment for studying
4. Get the books/resources and let the fun begin!

Benefits of early Optional selection

• Learn at better pace
• Read all the suggested ‘books’ and not just notes.
• More time to revise
• Optional syllabus of most subjects is static (less CA)

Optional Selection

• Anthropology? Sociology? History? Public Adm.? Literature?
• Factors to be taken into consideration –

1. Background /graduation
2. Interest
3. Availability of material nearby  you/online
4. Guidance by seniors in that subject
5. Select an Optional within 3 months of reading GS

SYLLABUS

Paper I – (200 marks) Duration : Two hours

1. Current events of national and international importance.
2. History of India and Indian National Movement.
3. Indian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
4.  Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
5. Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.
6. General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization.

7. General Science

 Paper II- (200 marks) Duration : Two hours

 

1. Comprehension
2. Interpersonal skills including communication skills
3. Logical reasoning and analytical ability
4. Decision making and problem solving
5. General mental ability
6. Basic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level),
7. Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc.  – Class X level)

      Books – TMH , RS Agarwal, Arihant

For Current Affairs

Current events of national and international importance.

• THE HINDU
• Yojana magazine
• India Year Book**
• Any one monthly current affairs magazines/videos
• UPSC IQ  – Monthly magazine by StudyIQ 
• Newspaper – One of the most crucial aspect of preparation

English medium

• The Hindu – vast coverage of international news
• The Indian Express – in depth coverage of national issues

Hindi medium

• Navbharat times
• Dainik Bhaskar

1. Vocabulary
2. Current affairs
3. Structuring essays – Editorials

Strategy for Current Affairs

• Focus more on Polity related CA
• Science and tech, Defence
• Art and Culture
• IR
• Newspaper – start making a habit of reading editorials

BOOKLIST for PRELIMS 

History

• History of India and Indian National Movement.

1. Old NCERT for Ancient class 11
2. NCERT 11,12 (New)
3. Class 6-8 NCERTS for Medieval(Themes of World History)
4. TN board books 6-12 class
5. Spectrum – A brief history of Modern India
6. Bipin Chandra’s India’s Struggle for Independence

Geography

1. Indian and World Geography -Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.
2. NCERT 6-10 – all world geography topics
3. NCERT – 11,12
4. G C Leong – Physical Geography
5. Geography of India by Majid Husssain
6. Oxford Atlas – While reading news –> make/add to notes
7. Maps

Polity
Indian Polity and Governance-

• NCERT 11,12
• Laxmikanth – Indian Polity

Economy

• Economic and Social Development — Sustainable Development, Poverty, lnclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.

1. NCERT 11,12
2. Indian Economy – by Ramesh Singh (for reference)
3. Sanjiv Verma’s – The Indian Economy (for basic understanding)
4. Any good Coaching class notes**
5. Latest Economic Survey Summary/Study IQ Videos

Environment
General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization

• Biology NCERT 12 (Only Environment chapters)
• Shankar IAS
• DR Khullar
• Dr.Ravi Agrahari’s book

General Science

• NCERTs 6-10
• Science Reporter
• Book by Dr.Ravi Agrahari
• Stress will be on Current affairs

BOOKLIST for MAINS

• **Books/sources mentioned in prelims booklist are not mentioned again

GS 1- General Studies-I : Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society

• Nitin Singhania for Art  and  Culture
• CCRT website/news articles
• World History- Norman Lowe** / Study IQ world History series
• Post-Independence-

     NCERT 12 (Politics In India after Independence);

•  9,10 (India and Contemporary World); India Since Independence
•  **If you have a lot of time then  –
•  India after Gandhi by RC GUHA (Summary on my Telegram channel)
• Society – NCERT 12 (Indian Society)

GS 2  – General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations

• Polity – DD Basu
• Governance book  by Laxmikanth
• Study IQ smart course for Governance
• Yojana magazine
• 2^nd ARC report (summary)
• IR – 12^TH  NCERT 

      (Contemporary world politics  + News analysis)
GS 3  – General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management

• Science Reporter magazine
• News  about new developments in science, Nobel prize
• Data/rankings from various reports
• StudyIQ videos
• Disaster management – IGNOU notes
• Internal Security  –  Book by Ashok kumar

GS 4 – General Studies IV:

Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude

1. Lexicon by Chronicle
2. Book by G.Subba Rao
3. Case studies

Essay

Practice key topics beforehand like

• Social issues,
• Pollution,
• Women empowerment
• Energy related issues
• Digital India
• 4^th Industrial revolution

1. Optional paper 1
2. Optional paper 2
3. English  – Practice previous papers 
4. Language – Practice previous papers

Time Table

2 year Timetable

 

Notes

Make your own notes always

• Benefits of making Notes –

1. Concise – easy to carry
2. Easier to revise
3. Things you write down will stick in your memory better

Do not make notes of Current affairs*

Practice

• Knowledge gained by reading is put to test in a limited period of time.
• So practice in a simulated environment – time / environment
• Join any test series (online/offline) – evaluate which topics are you weak in.
• Mains – answer writing – multiple platforms available (UPSCIQ)

Other Sources

• RSTV – Desh Deshantar/topic specific debates
• Down to earth magazine
• Livemint , BBC and AIR audio news
• PIB updates
• Study IQ videos for Current affairs/ Daily MCQ series 
• Social media accounts of various Ministries,UN organizations for info on different reports/new policies

Daily routine

• 40 Minutes for newspaper and Current affairs
• +
• 2 GS subjects for 2 hours each
• Or
•  1 GS subject for 4 hours

How to Avoid Burnout!

• Today, the human brain is exposed to tonnes of information – almost drowned in the digital stream of information.
• It is easy to feel as if the day is getting wasted doing too many things.
• Fix a time for digital devices

Maintain a schedule

1. SLEEP for 7 hours
2. Eat Healthy
3. Exercise for minimum 30 min everyday
4. MEDITATE 

• SACRIFICE

For 2 years , AVOID UNNCECESSARY 

1. CALLS
2. TRIPS
3. FRIENDS
4. RELATIVES

 
 

 

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