Strategy For APSC Mains Exam Preparation.

Though opting for APSC preparation with the aim of serving the public is a tough choice, it remains a popular vocation among students and professionals from every field. APSC CCE is a systematic public service examination, evaluating aspirantsin different levels of examinations, namely, Prelims, Mains and Vice-Voce(personal interview). Aspirants arerecommended to make strategies to prepare forAPSC Prelims and Mains 9-10 months prior the prelims.

The Preliminary exam is the first elimination round in APSC CCE, followed by the mains. The APSC Mains exam chiefly consists of two stages:

• Written Examination
• Vice-Voce Test (Personal Interview)

For higher chances of success in APSC Mains Examination, we have listed some of the most important strategies that will help you in your for APSC Mains Exam Preparation.

1. Time Management

The gap between prelims and mains is short to be precise from the exam point ofview. Hence, it is suggestive to start your mains preparation while preparing for the prelims exams.This strategy will help you cover almost 35-40% of the mains syllabus while studying for your prelims and study the rest 60% after your prelims exams.

2. Enhance Your Writing Skills

As the mains exams include General English paper in its syllabus, it is very important for the aspirants to be proficient in their English writing skills. You can develop your writing skills through regular practice of essay writing, report writing etc. Practicing essay writing on various topics will help you put your thoughts and ideas into words and sentences, simultaneously resulting in the growth of  vocabulary. Besides, it is important to brush up your writing skills as the mains exam is subjective in nature for all the papers.

3. Effective And Speedy Answer Writing

Besides being proficient in the language, it is equally necessary to be fast and effective in your writing. The APSC mains syllabus is an open ended course. Its vast syllabus demand aspirants to write the details of subject in an effective manner, so as to make an impression in the evaluator’s mind. Moreover, the ability to write fast in the exam will help aspirants attempt all the questions in the question paper and also save time for a final revision of the written answers. Therefore, writing practice is the key to your goal of cracking mains.

4. Critical Thinking

The vast portion of APSC mains exam requires aspirants to know the basic details of a subject. Studying the details of every subject will evoke critical understanding in the minds of the aspirants. You must know the details of an issue with regard to its causes and consequences. Critically examining an issue will help majorly in writing an effective answer, persuading the evaluator to give good marks to the candidate.

5. Notes To Revise Before Your D-Day

Many APSC toppers from the past highly recommend making notes since theinitial days of your preparation. These notes can be framed using keywords of the topics being studied, crisp and informative. These short notes will help you make a quick revision of the important points on the day before your mains exam.

6. Leave No Questions Unanswered

One of the most important strategies of APSC preparation is to attempt all thequestions asked and complete the paper. Even a difference of 1 mark can decideyour future in the race of civil service examinations. Hence, if you know even aslightest hunch of a question, do not wait for your answer to come by itself, forceyour answer to come out.

7. Choose Your Optional Paper Wisely

Your optional subject can be the game changer in APSC exams. So, it is imperative to choose your optional subject wisely. Aspirants are advised not to be persuaded by the majority choice but to choose a subject of their individual interests. You may also take up the core subject of your graduation as your optional subject. Repeating the same subject will help you cover the optional syllabus faster and better.

8. Solve Previous Years APSC Mains Question Papers

Solving previous years’ question papers helps you gear up for APSC CCE. Practice solving question papers to develop better writing skills and critical thinking ability. Try to complete each paper strictly within a span of 3 hours. This will increase your writing speed for the actual APSC mains. Question paper solving and mock tests should be done on the weekly basis as a technique of self assessing your preparation.

9. Stay Up To Date With Current Affairs

Besides prelims, current affairs remain an important part of your mains preparation as well. A candidates knowledge is reflected in his answers, referring to current affairs will help you write effective and credible answers.

Conclusion

Each stage in the APSC CCE demands candidates to be consistent with your hard work and dedication. APSC mains preparation is likely to have a slightly different strategic plan with some constant ones from the prelims. The above mentioned strategies to prepare for APSC Mains must be positively kept in mind by aspirants who expect good ranking in the upcoming APSC CCE.