Q. What was your preparation strategy for the preliminary examination?
A. I used to set achievable targets and complete them on time. Continuous improvement boosts confidence. The key to success is taking the preliminary examination with full confidence.
Q. How much time do you think should be devoted by an aspirant to prepare for these exams?
A. One full year of preparation before taking the preliminary exam will be ideal in my opinion. On a daily basis it is essential to read at least two national newspapers (3 hours or more in total). Current affairs plays decisive role even in optional subjects. On an average, 6-8 hours of ‘religious’ preparation every day will make anyone a topper.
Q. General Studies is a very vast section. How did you prepare for it?
A. I relied on internet, my own current affairs notes and clippings from newspapers and current affairs booklets of Vajiram & Ravi. For the ‘conventional’ subjects I relied on Tata McGraw Hill GS Manual. Intelligent time management is a very important prerequisite to clear this examination.
Q. Do you think it will be easier to crack the Prelims by focusing on GS as the weightage for both GS and CSAT is the same?
A. It would be sensible to prepare equally for both papers. The shortest route between two given points is a straight line. Hence it is better to avoid thinking about short cuts.
Q. What is your opinion about self study for prelims?
A. Since I have taken help from coaching institutes I am not in a position to answer to this question. But I know people who have cleared this exam by self-study. It is all about individual preference.
Q. What is your advice to candidates who did not do well in prelims?
A. Be sincere to this system of examination. Preliminary exam is just an exam to ‘eliminate’ and not to ‘select’. If one fails to clear this stage it must be due to inappropriate planning. This exam is a long process and it could be very punishing (loss of age, inability to find a job, peer pressure, societal pressure, your morale also takes a beating) if you do not show good results to yourself. Work with conviction and you will definitely succeed next time. If you feel there is lack of motivation or your heart is somewhere else, I suggest you to quit this examination as it demands high level of sincerity and dedication.
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