GREAT ARTICLE BY MRUNAL SIR
HOW TO PREPARE FOR UPSC CSAT PAPER-1 EXAMINATION
GS Manual a very thick book containing almost every topic of General Studies (Geography History, Polity, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc.)
Many publication houses (TMH, Unique,Spectrum,Pearson) release their Manuals.
You should buy atleast one of them. Because after each topic, they provide hundreds of mock questions, you must solve them to gain confidence and command over the topic.
If you have not purchased a GS manual, I recommend you get TMH (TataMacgrawhill’s) Click me to get it from flipkart.com with attractive discount. Hindi version of this GS manual is also available on Flipkart. Click Me to get Hindi Version TMH Manual
Crux of this whole plan is : First read NCERT, then read GS Manual and at last solve the Mock-questions given at the end of GS Manual. |
Science and Technology
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- NCERTs 7 to 10 (science): Can be downloaded for Free, in English Medium
- For Arts and Commerce grads, the 11-12th science NCERT may appear very tiresome, so leave them.
- GS Manual’s Science and Technology section (the explanations and principles of various things are important, “Why” this or that?) + the mock tests given in it. If you’ve purchased any Manual, well and good- just stick to it. But if you’re yet to purchase a GS manual, I suggest you get TataMacgrawhill’s GS Manual.
- Not much point in mugging up inventors, radius of Saturn’s moons, chem.formulas, Latin names of various plant and animal kingdoms and families etc in the manual.
- The Hindu’s S&T section (can be read online).
- Liberal use of websites such as Howstuffworks and Kids’ Encyclopedia Britannica for time pass.
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Economy
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- NCERT (10, 11, 12). If you can’t grasp formulas, leave them. Just try to understand the basics only.
- Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh (TMH Publication) = best “student friendly” book on Economy topics.
- Any one GS Manual’s Economy section + the mock tests given in it.
- Any one Magazine’s Economy section, to be upated with currents(Pratiyogita, CST, Wizard or Chronicle)
- Regular reading of Economy section of newspaper (The Hindu or Indianexpress, whichever you can get.)
- Consult wikipedia and google whenever you encounter any difficult terminology but donot try to do Ph.D on Economy. You just need to understand the basic concepts.
- Not much point in doing entire ‘Economic Survey‘, because the magz issue will cover the important facts anyways.
- Not much point in doing that ‘Economy’ special-book of Pratiyogita Darpan, because it’s mostly fact-bombing. That trend is over now. [That book used to sell like hot-cakes 2-3 years ago]
- I donot recommend Mishra Puri or Dutt Sundaram. For they’re written from academic point of view, hence very boring and not much helpful for MCQs.
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Polity
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History
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- NCERT 7 to 10 Social Science. Then NCERT Class 11,12 History.
- GS Manual’s History Section + Mock tests.
- (although it’d be a very daring move but) If you’re running out of time, you may skip Ancient and Medival History, because they’ll disappear in mains GS. And for prelims GS, they’re barely 4-5 marks and yet have big ‘hours-requirement’.
- Do prepare History of Modern India (1857 and freedom struggle) as it is important topic in Mains GS too.
- If you’ve time, you can use Bipin Chandra
- and Spectrum’s Brief History of Modern India.
- This Spectrum book is also available in Hindi, under the title “Adhunik Bharat kaa Itihas“
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Geography
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- NCERT 7 to 10 (Social Science) then NCERT 11,12 (Geography).
- GS Manual (instead of trying to mug up place-names, concentrate on clearing concepts and ‘why’ this or that). + Practice mock questions given in it.
- In Newspapers and Magazines issues, in the National/ International current affairs: note down the place names and check their location onAtlas.
Environment and Biodiversity (E&B)
- Download the NOS studymaterial.
- Again NCERT 7 to 10 (Both Geography and Science): Can be downloaded for Free in English Medium OR Hindi Medium
- GS Manual’s science portion
- The Hindu S&T (can be read online).
- Magz : current affairs related to Environment. (without getting into fact-bombing)
- Wikipedia for anything that requires elaboration.
The level of difficulty shown in last years’ paper for E&B, ain’t no point in doing Ph.D.
So I don’t think it is necessary to buy any separate ‘special’ book.
You can download some Free study material for Biodiversity by Clicking ME |
Empowerment
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- NCERT sociology books: Can be downloaded for Free in English Medium
- Magazine current affairs sections to know about various Social sector initiatives.
- If you’ve time, go through India yearbook’s important chapters (click me to get the list of important chapters) But keep in mind, frequent revision is necessary otherwise easy to get trapped in 4TF (4 Statements True/False) type questions
- (if you’ve time) Yojana, Kurukshetra etc. (but then again no need to get into ‘village/NGO case-studies’) just get the basics.
Again this study-plan is not exhaustive, it doesnot cover each and every topic.
Always include current-affairs from newspapers / magazine in all of them (except History)
Always keep the official notification handy and see the syllabus- topics given in it.
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Mock Tests Practice
No amount of preparation is complete, unless you practice some mock questions. practice the mock questions given at the end of each topic in your General Studies Manual.
Current Affairs
You must read either The Hindu or Indian Express on daily basis and maintain a current affairs diary from it
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