The Preliminary Examination of the UPSC Civil Service Examinations serves as the first elimination. Hence, familiarity with all aspects of the IAS Prelims exam is extremely important to crack this phase of the examination.
With the 2021 registrations complete, and the Prelims exam already conducted on October 10, 2021, aspirants who missed the opportunity to apply this year must start their preparation for the upcoming recruitment now.
The Union Public Service Commission has already released the UPSC Calendar 2022 and candidates can refer to all the important tentative dates released and accordingly start their preparation. In this article, we bring to you the key aspects of the IAS Preliminary exam for reference and assistance.
Syllabus and Exam Pattern
Given below is the UPSC Prelims syllabus and exam pattern in brief:
| UPSC Prelims Exam Pattern | General Studies I | General Studies II or CSAT |
| Number of questions | 100 | 80 |
| Negative Marking | Yes (1/3rd of the maximum marks for the question) -0.66 marks for every incorrect answer | Yes (1/3rd of the maximum marks for the question) -0.83 marks for every incorrect answer |
| Duration of exam | 2 hours | 2 hours |
| Language of exam | English/Hindi | English/Hindi |
| Maximum marks | 200 | 200 |
| Cut Off marks | Counted for Merit. Cutoff varies every year. | 33% qualifying criteria (66 marks) |
GS Paper I – Current Affairs, History, Indian and World Geography, Polity, Economic and Social Development, Environment and Ecology are included in the GS I paper.
GS Paper II – Comprehension, Interpersonal skills, logical aptitude, decision making, are l included in Prelims CSAT.
Exam Schedule 2022
The tentative exam dates for the Civil Services Exam as per the official calendar are as follows:
| Phase | Exam Date |
| Notification Release | February 2, 2022 |
| Online Registration | February 2 to February 22, 2022 |
| Prelims Exam | June 5, 2022 |
| Mains Exam | September 16, 2022 onwards for 5 days |
Preparation Tips
- Prepare a set timetable – After analysing the syllabus, prepare a proper timetable with equal focus on every subject and topic. Separate time must be assigned for revision purposes.
- Read the newspaper regularly – Make it a habit to read every single corner of the newspaper daily. Spend at least 2 hours a day on this practice and make proper notes based on the latest events in the news. The Hindu and The Indian Express are the two most highly recommended newspapers.
- Make Proper Notes – The syllabus of UPSC is comprehensive and this is no hidden fact. Thus, revising the entire part in a single go becomes easier if proper and sorted notes are created.
- Practice Mock Tests – Prelims exam is about solving maximum questions correctly in less time. For this, you need to have a lot of practice. You should start taking mock tests as soon as possible. It helps you analyse your weak areas and you can improve those areas.
- Refer to the most Reliable Sources – There are multiple sources that are available offline and online, but candidates must only opt for the most reliable sources.
- Take Assistance, if needed – Beginners or those who are not familiar with the Civil Services Examination can also look for assistance online or through coaching institutes. There they can get all the required assistance to crack the exam.
List of Books for Preparation
Given below is a list of books that are highly recommended for IAS prelims preparation:
| Subject | UPSC Books |
| History | India’s Struggle for Independence – Bipan Chandra Indian Art and Culture by Nitin Singhania NCERT XI (Ancient & Medieval) NCERT XII (Modern Indian History) |
| Geography | Certificate Physical Geography – G C Leong NCERT VI – X (Old Syllabus) NCERT XI, XII (New Syllabus) World Atlas (Orient Black Swan) |
| Indian Polity | Indian Polity – M Laxmikanth NCERT IX-XII |
| Economics | Indian Economy by Nitin Singhania Economic Development & Policies in India – Jain & Ohri NCERT XI |
| International Relations | NCERT XII (Contemporary World Politics) Current Affairs |
| CSAT | Tata McGraw Hill CSAT Manual Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R S Aggarwal |
| Solved Papers | IAS General Studies Prelims Solved Papers – Vishal Publications |
| Current Affairs | Daily Newspaper Yojana/Kurukshetra Magazine Static GK Pratiyogita Darpan Manorama Yearbook |
Candidates who manage to qualify the first stage are called for the Mains examination. Further shortlisted candidates have to attend the Interview. For any further details about the IAS Exam, aspirants can visit the linked article.
There is still ample amount of time left for the IAS Prelims 2022. Aspirants must put in all their efforts and kickstart their preparation for the upcoming recruitment.
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