The Civil Services Examinations are highly regarded as the toughest due to their vast curriculum and smart writing ability. Due to the vastness of the curriculum, a fresh aspirant or a first-timer should begin his preparation at least 1 or 1.5 years prior to the Prelims as per the expert’s suggestion. The same thing applies here to APSC preparation. Since the APSC curriculum is similar to UPSC, preparation should also need to be very elaborative and exclusive.
To know more about the similarities of Syllabus of APSC & UPSC please read this article
For example, if an aspirant is willing to appear on the APSC Prelims in the year 2023, he or she must start with his/her preparation by June 2022 (latest). It means it’s time to collect the study materials. Borthakur’s IAS Academy’s study materials are specially designed by Top Bureaucrats for both Prelims and Mains. You can get the Study Materials here. You can also visit the linked article for a complete list of Recommended Books for APSC & UPSC preparation for both Prelims and Mains.
The following chart is approved by Vajiram and Ravi, Delhi for UPSC preparation which has been fruitfully moderated for APSC preparation.
Step 1: From June 2022 to April 2023 prepare GS both for Prelims and Mains. If possible go for optional subjects as well.
Also, From June to October 2022, four months you should prepare the optional subjects and CSAT side by side.
Step 2: From February 2023 to May 2023 revise GS and CSAT for the Prelims.
Step 3: After prelims (June 2023-October 2023) revise the optional, GS, and also prepare for Essays for the Mains.
Step 4: Solve Test Series papers as much as possible.
Step 5: Read newspapers on a daily basis as current affairs play a huge role while preparing for APSC examinations.
Step 6: Practice answer writing from the first steps.
Now comes further details to follow during your one-year-long preparation for APSC Examinations:
Prepare A Smart Study Plan:
For a systematic approach, you should make a plan, a strategy and set a specific and achievable daily goal for all three stages of the examination.
Be smart to choose optional subjects:
While preparing for the examination, it is important to choose an optional subject that interests you. So that you can read it again and again without losing interest. This will help you not only in your prelims but also in your APSC mains preparation.
Best Preparation for APSC Prelims:
To start your APSC prelims preparation you can start with standard books like Lakshmikant for Polity along with the NCERT books. The NCERT books can help you build the foundation of the static portion with which you can complement your preparation with other books like RS Sharma for History and Khullar for Geography.
Remember, Revision is the Key:
No matter how much you consume through reading various books, the key to your successful preparation will always be a good revision. Revising the topics weekly helps you retain the same for the future. The human mind tends to forget things after two days. Therefore to make the preparation stronger you need to revise your notes quickly and thoroughly.
Last Words
Above mentioned suggestions are tried and tested by successful aspirants which you can follow for your preparation for the APSC examinations. Last but not the least, for better guidelines of APSC examinations, you should visit Borthakur’s IAS Academy in person or can check their official website.