Preparation time management and the effort for it must correspond. No matter how accessible the training resources are, it is really the personal applied approach which makes a candidate successful. So, what should be the next step once you decide to appear?
Nature of competitive examinations
To begin with, an aspirant must exactly know how tough the competition is. For example, an IAS examination is both difficult and fierce. Lakhs of candidates appear annually for the exam. Thus, it is obvious for the concerned authorities to conduct the IAS paper in a way so that they are able to pick the best from the lot.
Likewise, it is important for a candidate to look at the complete picture. IAS exam is not only a highly competitive paper but also a prestigious job-to-do. It is a big responsibility to be a part of the Indian Administrative Service. Give it a moment to realize your ambition. It will self-motivate you to stay focused during the preparation period. Most importantly, you must consider it- competitive.
Priority of tasks
In the beginning, it may appear to be a mammoth task to crack the IAS code, similar to any other competitive paper. After all, the sheer thought that so many candidates have the same goal to achieve, can be both encouraging and fretting. It may seem like a rat race, but then, the preparation time is not to think about how capable the ‘others’ are; it is time to put yourself in the right frame and get-going with a personal attitude and approach.
To do so, a) prioritize your preparation and then, b) prioritize your time and syllabus. In a manner of speaking, you need to know how prepared you really are and then, map your schedule according to your personal abilities and capabilities.
It may so happen that you may be a current affairs person already. Still, on other accounts, like having enough subject knowledge or brushing up your academic concepts, may need some hard work from you. Similarly, it is important to stay updated on the current affairs matter, so you need to pay that extra-attentions always. It is wise to further your strengths and it is also important to polish your weak areas.
In the nutshell, there is nothing known as ‘enough’ in examinations such as the IAS. On the contrary, one should pay attention to the complete course and decide on the basis of a) scoring sections of the paper, b) personal strengths and weaknesses and c) the next, time-at-hand.
Effective time management
Like just mentioned, time is of the essence, more than it may seem. If you are focussed to deliver the ultimate, it is important to regard the time and manage your schedule. Some people can crack the IAS in 3 months preparation and still, many of us usually have a panned-out schedule of at least 9 months to do the same level of preparation.
But, that does not make it any less or more of an IAS exam schedule for you. What is really required is how you manage the number of hours of the 24. Therefore, effective or optimum utilization of time is the biggest favor you can do to yourself, rather than fretting over the fact that how you will begin preparing or cover a huge syllabus.
Accessibility
Fortunately, for the present times, there is so much raw material like online course material, books, previous year question papers, mock tests database and so forth, available at a click. Most of these study guides have been designed by experts, who are well-versed in the previous and the recent trends in the exam pattern.
Thanks to the compartmentalized world of internet, there are specialists like the online coaching institutes to help you prepare for an engaging and interactive training.
We are talking about ‘expert speaks’.
The seemingly unapproachable world of expert coaching or ‘real-time’ interaction with them, through ‘live’ classroom coaching, is now a reality. All you need to do is- join the virtual classroom and work out your own way.
Be a part of this and every important trend of competitive exam coaching to call it the shots. The screen is perhaps the greatest value-add to gain an insight on what has happened time so far and what may continue to happen during the preparation time. Period!
Physical and Mental Relaxation
It is important for us to mention- how crucial it for the aspirants to not take physical and mental stress during preparation. The thumb rule is; to achieve more (while the preparation), one needs to be at ease, creative and sensible. It is natural for us to feel worried about the time we have, or on how much can we really prepare. Yet, it is no point doing the usual and end up doing nothing or wasting time.
Instead, log on and take the internet help, so that there is no physical and mental stress. When you have access to the content, it is wiser and smarter to use such an opportunity judiciously. Think about how there is no time to while away. The Internet has made studying more comprehensive and versatile too. The same subject can be studied in different formats and this helps you stay focused and fine-tune your preparation at the minimum possible time. Do it the way it is meant to be.
This is a brief outline of how to improve productivity during exam preparation. It is always good to follow a subjective approach, in short, it is best to not have a herd mentality and follow your own conduct.
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