The time management tips for the UPSC exam can be a rather complex topic since it is among the toughest competitive examinations in India. It makes the students wonder about what it can offer, be it reputation, power, money, etc. The people clearing the UPSC examinations began their journey to become an IAS Officer, an IPS Officer, enroll in Indian Foreign Services, etc. UPSC has much to offer and requires that the students qualify for the three stages of its examination process which are as follows:
- Prelims Examination
- Mains Examination
- Interview
Only after clearing all the three above can a UPSC aspirant qualify to become what he aspires to be. Thus, each year nearly 10 lakh students enroll for the prelims examination but only a few hundred are selected. This determines the competition in the Indian market. Thus, talent is one way to define the qualifiers but also, time management tips that people adhere to play a major role in the student’s performance. Each aspirant needs to follow adequate time management tips and tactics to perform better with confidence.
Before starting the study routine for the day, one must be relaxed, believe in himself, and think with a sound mind. To make the most out of each day, follow a certain procedure that involves study time, breaks, relaxation, etc., and maintain consistency because consistency is the key to success. Therefore, an adequate strategy that you can follow to determine and score better marks in the examinations can be seen as under:
Table of Contents
Create a Realistic Timetable
Have an adequate timetable that you will be following daily. Make it more realistic and less complicated. The stricter your timetable is, the more difficult it can be to maintain consistency. Set appropriate activities accordingly and adjust in that environment as per your comfort. To maintain the pace in the long run, it is advisable to have a timetable in which you can better maintain consistency. It is one of the core aspects of time management tips in the case of UPSC.
Effective Time Division
Divide your time as per the need for the subjects or the topics in a particular subject. Larger topics can be broken down into segments to have a clearer understanding of the basics as well. It is very important to have only a certain activity to do at a time and maintain focus on limited activities in a particular timeframe. This is a universal tip for not only UPSC examinations but also for any other competitions. It is a proven strategy that can help in the long run.
Task Prioritization
Prioritize the tasks according to your needs and abilities. The tasks can be prioritized based on difficulty level, based on length or based on importance, etc. One must prioritize their tasks to effectively use the time frame daily. To master the time management tips, this activity is a must. It can be done for all activities in your daily course of the day. Tasks must be first divided into parts and then allocated in different time frames as per the student’s requirement.
Avoid Interruptions
Interruptions can be in any form, that is it may be unwanted sounds, activities, friends, family, business, etc. When preparing for UPSC examinations, concentration is the key to making the time frame count. The time in which you are preparing must not be hindered. While studying, you must focus on the task that you have to complete in that time frame. More concentration helps you acquire in-depth knowledge of the topic and grasp it faster. It is necessary to completely avoid the interruptions that you can.
Avoid Procrastination
Procrastinating has an adverse impact on the routine that one is following. It means to lay off the work required to do currently only because one does not want to do it. Therefore, procrastinating is a habit of many individuals in their normal course of action as well. Delaying the work meant to be done currently is a means to disrupt the scheduled plan of the day. It is to be avoided at any cost and a way to do that is to constantly remind yourself about your goals and believe in yourself. The above time management tips can help you in doing so.
Health Care Management
Staying healthy is also a challenge, but as we know, health is wealth, it must be maintained. Thus, eating healthy is a factor in keeping your mind sound as you will also have a healthy body. Alignment of the brain along with the body is very important to keep the flow maintained. Also, good health helps you stay active and helps your mind to stay in focus. To maintain your health, you can start by eating healthy, sitting or lying in the correct postures, working out in your free time or outdoor games, timely intake of medicines if any, etc.
Adequate Breaks
Continuous studying hours can put you under pressure or even depression for the worst. To relax, free your mind, and connect with the outer world, you can take sufficient breaks in between. Whatever you see fit, you can do in that time. These breaks must not be too long to distract you nor too short to keep your mind still busy. Adequate breaks offer you the opportunity to have the time you need to clear your mind and relax since it is an integral part of maintaining a sound mind. You can be involved in leisure activities like sports, reading, or your hobbies.
Consistency
The key to success is having consistency in any type of work that do. Consistency is the steady commitment to daily practice and revision. When doing the practice daily, you can inherit the culture and nature of the work environment so it becomes easier to cover the syllabus in an economical time frame. It also helps in maintaining stress and focus on the particular task that is being done regularly. A strong foundation of knowledge and ability to learn is maintained and it develops effective exam-taking strategies over the period of time.
Initiate PQRST
One of the most effective strategies is PQRST with the help of which one can analyze the majority parts of the preparation done in a better and more efficient way. It is the most advanced way among all the time management tips to test your level of understanding. It is the acronym for:
- Preview: It means to establish the general theme of the test.
- Question: Formulate main questions related to the texts.
- Read: It inculcates adequate reading habits and critical thinking at questions.
- State: Summarizing the main information gathered.
- Test: It relates to testing your knowledge and accuracy.
Analyze Progress
A time-to-time analysis of your progress is a must to track the level of understanding that you currently have. It is a universal way to test the level of knowledge that one has gathered over the time being. We can see the examples in the schools and colleges as well during the time of examination. Thus, this analysis shows how much conceptual knowledge has the person gained and calculates the retention level of knowledge of that person. It is the last procedure in the time management tips that are followed by the students.
By thoroughly following all the above time management tips and tactics, a student can significantly raise the level of his standards, and have a better chance at scoring good marks in the UPSC examinations. This is applicable for both the examinations required for the UPSC i.e., Prelims and Mains. Conceptual knowledge of these time management tips can also be used for the interview round. Wishing you all the best for your future.