Do's and Don'ts for upcoming Prelims of 16th June:
1) GS
1) Stick to your own sources and do rapid revision and Don't go for anything new even if Upsc chairman suggests any material.
2) Do reverse planning now,like what you will study in morning just before exam and in afternoon break for whom CSAT is an issue.One day before and likewise.
3) In last 2-3 days just revise high probability topics and memory based ones.
4) On saturday do read Laxmikanth without fail as it is very scoring and just focus on English of the question and options.Upsc is twisting simple things and don't overthink in these questions.2-3 hours only.
5) Half hour for India physical NCERT and GC leong maps and that climate cartogram only.
6) 1 hour for Shankar last pages tables,conventions,National parks,WS,Wetlands,Endangered species,Environmental bodies,GHG,Ozone depletion gases,etc
7) Simultaneously keep Atlas handy and keep revising for environment,geography,current affairs,etc.Before sleeping do 10 min rapid reading of World physical and political map as whole which help you in 8 to 10 questions directly and indirectly.And again before entering the exam hall do same exercise.
8) History don't take load now, just revise spectrum summary at end of each chapter and tables given at last,NCERT just skim the images and Boxes given and same for Art and Culture NCERT.Here pictorial memory helps to atleast eliminate options.Also,2 page index of old NCERT can refresh your memory and help remember the chronology of ancient,medieval and modern.New Themes NCERT don't have detailed Index but Old has which will help you to revise in 30 min whole history.So total 2 to 3 hours as per your comfort.
9) Half hour for economy( I read Sriram) as it is mostly concept based and see BEPS,TRIPS,WB,IMF,INFLATION,FD,RD,ERD,FRBM,etc Like concepts and 15 min for Budget and Survey summary only.
10) Science and Technology no separate study ,it will be covered in Current affairs.
11) 2 hours Rapid revision of your current affairs material ( I read Vision) again just see Index and go for any specific if you don't recall and see maps given in them.
12) Index pages of all - Govt. Schemes Ministry wise, World report and Indices, International Organizations.
13) Finish this all in 12 hours on Saturday as per you speed and wrap up things by 7 or 8 pm.Only map before sleeping.
14) Keep all things ready 3 to4 black ball point pen,2 copies of hall ticket, check Your center on Map and schedule your transport before hand.Keep 2 water bottles,Ors,chocolates,fruits and don't overeat else your supercomputer will get less oxygen and blood ๐
And please solve maximum possible questions 90 to 95 atleast to clear prelims with good margin so you can start mains preparation soon.( I solve all 100 questions everytime and it has worked for me and my friends who were stuck in nervous nineties) You should not regret afterwards that if I would have attempted these 2 3 questions I would.....
Also, do 2 rounds atleast ,1 st round in 70 to 80 min and 2 nd round after that.Reading all 100 questions will give you confidence and build your linkages and there are 2 to 3 questions everytime which are interlinked will help to eliminate options.
Also,do circle the answers immediately like after solving 1 page which contains 5 to 6 questions and then go forward and also,it relaxes mind for few seconds.Dont encircle at last because your brain is exhausted and 1 single wrong circle can change whole series of circles ahead.
8 HOURS SLEEP IS MUST.
Please follow your own strategy now as very less time is remaining, just read this while having food or tea.
Just talk to yourself and say that you have worked very hard,I will follow my strategy and not repeat mistakes done in mocks and I will score minimum 150 and I will do great.
2) CSAT
1 very important thing - please do attempt min 65 to 70 Csat questions irrespective of your IIT,IIM background.I have seen many people not clearing prelims inspite of good score in GS due to overconfidence.