Approach to read NCERT Books for UPSC and other government exams
Introduction
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for appointments into the elite branches of civil services of the Government of India is considered one of the most rigorous and demanding examinations in India.
The intake applications rate for UPSC is quite high - every year around 900,000 to 1,000,000 candidates apply every year. Candidates feel daunted, and sometimes are unsure of getting the right rank even if they have the right preparation, because of the sheer number of candidates appearing in the examination. Often in an attempt to read more current resources, candidates miss out on reading the most comprehensive resources already at their disposal, books published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
Here are a few strategies for how NCERT books can be leveraged for CSE preparation.
1. Coverage strategy
It is advised to cover the NCERT books subject-wise from Class VI to XII. For example, for history, you may want to start with the textbook for Class VI, moving on to VII, VIII, and so on. This will give you subject continuity and help you build your understanding chronologically. It is also recommended to build interlinks between your knowledge of the subject from a previous class while reading the textbook of the next class. To further consolidate your preparation, solve MCQs from another book to help cement your understanding of the subject further.
2. Visual assets
For subjects like geography and biology, visual assets are very important. Diagrams provided in NCERT textbooks are very important for these subjects. Some of the representations are relevant for the main of various state public service examinations.
3. Subject-specific strategies
It is imperative to give special attention to some subjects such as geography, and science (environment science sections). Questions from these topics are frequently asked in the examination and preparing from NCERT ensures that your subject knowledge is current, authentic, and up to date.
Conclusion
Candidates preparing for UPSC need to leverage every resource for strategic competitive advantage. Preparation with NCERT books can give candidates the necessary edge. To help candidates improve their confidence while attempting UPSC, Oswaal Books is launching NCERT summaries from Class VI-XII. This power-packed resource will help save time by highlighting the necessary sections for UPSC preparation as well as give candidates confidence that they have covered everything. This best-in-class resource will give candidates a tremendous advantage as they are a derivative of the research-backed NCERT books but are condensed for UPSC preparation.
