In this article, we have explained what to do and what not to do for upsc prelims. Now we will tell you what the UPSC Prelims Day topper’s suggestion is. We are telling you about what upsc toppers did on the prelims day and how they faced the exam. One week before the UPSC prelims exam, one day before the prelims exam, and dos and don’ts on prelims exam day. As the prelim exam comes near, every student feels pressure and fear. Every year 12 to 15 lakh students are ready to appear for the prelims exam. Out of them two to three lakh students take repeat exams. There are some things to keep in mind for the upsc prelims exam. You should sleep well before the exam. At least a month before the prelims exam, you need to check whether your syllabus is covered or not.
Around 12 to 15 lakh students from India go to different exam centers and take the upsc prelims exam. UPSC Prelims are of unique importance. It would be best if you relaxed a bit before and on the exam day. You need to try to keep your mind calm on the prelim exam day. Don’t talk too much with anyone and don’t chat too much. Even if you did not prepare for mains before prelims then you have no reason to panic because after prelims you get a good time of two to three months and during this period you can easily prepare for mains. So there is no need to worry about mains while preparing for prelims.
Most importantly, try to reach the exam center on time. Every UPSC exam center is in a city location so reach the exam center on time. You must reach the exam center on time as there may be traffic on the road in that city or exam center location. You should reach the exam center at least one hour before the paper starts. You may have even read the news that some students were not allowed to sit for the exam because they arrived a minute or two late. If you study hard but do not reach the examination center on time and if you are not admitted then the study is of no use.
You don’t need to read any book on the day of the exam or the day before. If you have self-made handwritten notes, a little reading of them will do. You can read maths and reasoning formulas for cast paper. But Maths and Reasoning should not be practiced on that day. After the General Studies paper, you usually get two hours before the cast paper starts. In this, you can do some revision and practice OMR sheet fill. Do not read any new books or re-read the books you have read on the day of the exam. Many students are seen reading many books outside the exam center on exam day. Nothing that is read in confusion remains in mind. This may stress you out. Try to be as relaxed as you can on the exam day. You need to tell yourself that I have studied enough and that I have prepared well for the exam.
Many students are seen reading books outside the exam center on prelims exam day but this is wrong. Because studying for three hours before the paper is of no use. But you can revise your handwritten notes instead. When you reach outside the exam center, sit quietly at a place and think positively. At the exam center location, you need to go the day before the paper to get the information about the exam center. Because if you visit the exam center on the exam day, you may get confused. There is no need to get confused by the rush at the examination center on the prelims exam day as all those students have come to appear for the examination. The first paper in upsc prelims is general studies, so you should have a light but nutritious breakfast at least half an hour before going to the paper.
The most important thing is that on the day of the prelim exam, you need to check all the necessary documents before going to the exam center. You have to solve at least 80 to 90 questions out of 100 in the general studies paper in the prelims paper. Think most positively the day before and on the day of the exam. On the day of the exam, you should focus only on the exam and not let any other thoughts enter your mind.
You should have a watch with you while going for the exam. And keep a black ballpoint pen with you for paper. You must keep checking that you must have the admit card.
Check the OMR sheet, question paper, and answer sheet properly after sitting for the paper and before the paper starts. Write your name, roll number, exam center number, and subject code very carefully on the OMR sheet and answer sheet. When paper time starts you need to focus on your paper without looking at anyone. Generally every fifteen to twenty minutes you need to check how many questions you have solved. After the paper, you also need to keep in mind how many questions you have solved. The easy questions you have to solve first and then solve difficult questions at the end of the paper. If the question takes time to solve you should either skip it or try to solve it fifteen minutes before the paper.
On the day of the exam, you may need to wake up early in the morning and meditate. Meditation helps calm your mind. You should meditate not only on the exam day but before the exam. If you exercise regularly, do that too on that exam day. Before leaving for the exam, you should try to sit quietly and meditate for 20 to 30 minutes in one place with your eyes closed. Practicing yoga will help you a lot on exam day as it stops overthinking and calms the mind.
One week before the prelims exam you must be a little relaxed so in that one week you just need to focus on revision and keep doing test series practice. You don’t need to read any book before a week you just need to revise what you have read if you have highlighted important topics in the book. If you have handwritten notes, you should also revise them for a week. You should memorize/ recite the maths and reasoning formulas on csat paper. Assuming you have prepared well for upsc throughout the year, one week before the exam you only need to focus on revision. A week before the prelims exam you need to take care of your health. You need to sleep properly, eat good and nutritious food, do yoga or exercise. One week before the exam you have to think positively every day and talk with positive people. A week before the exam you need to sleep properly. A week before the exam, you need eight to ten hours of sleep so that you don’t suffer from acidity, headaches, and stomachaches.
If your exam center is in other cities then you need to reach the exam venue on the previous day and check the exam center information on the previous day. On the previous day, you can do only a little revision and read some formulas for CSAT. Especially on the day before the exam, you don’t need to read any book just tell yourself that what you have read is enough. You need to get a good sleep the day before the exam. Make a list of all the documents you need for the exam. You must check your Admit Card, Aadhaar Card, or any other government identity card required for the UPSC prelims exam. On the day before the prelims exam, you only need to do one last revision. You don’t need to overthink or think negatively on the day before the prelim exam. All you have to think about is how to keep yourself positive.
On the day of the UPSC prelim exam, you have to think only positively on the exam day. Don’t think too much about the exam-related results, or what will happen next. You must get up early in the morning and reach the exam center on time. Prelims exam General Study paper starts at 9:30 AM. So you should reach the exam center at 8:30. If you reach the exam center on time and if you have time then you can do a little revision related to the topics you feel are important. But you don’t need to read any book on that day. On the morning of the exam, you may want to wake up early and do some yoga or exercise to freshen up. You should have a light but nutritious breakfast before the start of the exam. Don’t eat too much breakfast.
Before reaching the examination center, you should check whether you have an admit card, Aadhaar card, or other government documents. And only then have to leave for the exam center. After the general studies paper, you get a lunch break in which you have to eat some food but it should be nutritious. As the cast paper is in the afternoon, you need to eat a little so that you don’t fall asleep during the paper. You need to reach the exam center on time before the cast paper starts. Every year you must have heard that many students are denied entry to the exam center because of a minute or two of delay. So your first duty is to reach the exam center on time.
Things to do for upsc prelims day –
1. Always Carry necessary documents – Admit card for prelims exam, Personal government identity card like Aadhaar Card, Driving License, PAN Card, and Voter ID are all identity cards that you need to carry with you for the exam. The upsc commission suggests a list of all the important documents that you will need for the exam center and take all those documents to the exam center. Along with this, you also have to carry your passport-size photos to the exam center. While going to the exam center, you need to check whether you have all the documents or not. Be aware that if one of these documents is lacking, you may be denied admission to the exam center.
2. Practice – If you have time outside the exam center, you should practice filling OMR sheet. Similarly, you need to practice OMR sheet filling in the time you get before the paper. Many students don’t get marks even though their answers are correct because they don’t fill in the OMR sheet properly. OMR sheet you have to mark the circle properly. Fill out the OMR sheet according to the UPSC commission instruction letter. Don’t get confused while answering the question. You should practice filling out OMR sheets on the morning of the exam, the day before, and the week before so that you can save time and gain confidence.
3. Eat a light but nutritious meal – You should have a small breakfast in the morning before going to the exam. Don’t eat too much breakfast as it can make you sleepy. Eat some jaggery with nuts or dry fruits. You can even eat a fruit. You need to have a light but nutritious meal in the time you get after the general study first paper. You should make sure that you have a light midday meal. On the day of the exam, you need to eat selective food. Do not eat any food that will upset the stomach. Many UPSC toppers have said that they made a list for themselves of what to eat and what not to eat on the exam day. After finishing both the papers you can have your favorite food or dinner in the evening. Not only on the day of the exam but also for a week before the exam, you need to choose your diet. By eating a selective diet you will not suffer from stomach pain and acidity.