Note Making Strategy & Tips for UPSC CSE Preparation

The UPSC examination is one of the most challenging examinations conducted in India. The exam takes place in three stages, including prelims, mains, and interview rounds. Once you’ve cleared all three rounds, you’re positioned as an IAS officer, a dream of all UPSC aspirants. If you fail to clear a single stage, you’ll be eliminated. In this battle to survive, there are many things that you should keep in mind when you prepare for the UPSC examination. If you’re planning to appear in the UPSC exam, you should be focused and determined enough to give your everything in this examination. Although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, whosoever does it with utmost dedication passes with flying scores. 

One of the most complex parts of the entire UPSC syllabus is to make notes. You should free yourself from distractions and try to focus as much as you can. You should also have a good timetable that you should strictly adhere to. Various subjects are present in the UPSC syllabus, which means the notes making strategy of each subject is different from one another. We’ve curated a list of the entire Note Making Strategy & Tips for UPSC CSE Preparation which will help you during your preparation days. So without any further ado, let’s get into the video.  

Note Making Strategy & Tips for UPSC CSE Preparation 

Here are some of the important tips and tricks you can follow to make notes to prepare for the UPSC exam. Before hopping onto the notes directly, it is imperative to understand why it is important to make notes. 

• Once you’re making notes, it will contribute to our knowledge base. 

• If you have all notes in a compact format, it will help during revisions. 

• During all three stages of this prestigious exam, notes will help you. You can overview any concept in the least amount of time. 

• Notes help in writing answers.  

How to make notes? 

• For prelims 

Do not waste your time making notes for current affairs or standard books in prelims, at the same time, making notes for ancient history and art & culture only. This is because these subjects are theory-based and need to be learnt hard. Notes will help you revise everything repeatedly. There is no need to make notes of polity, history, economics, and modern history. Also, you do not have to make notes on current affairs. For current affairs, the best way is to go through the online websites. 

They come very handily when you’re preparing for the examination. For instance, if you read about any current affair topic in the newspaper, you try to solve the questions related to the same through the online websites. This will help you gain a deeper insight into the topic and get an answer to the same. You can write these answers down daily. Before the prelims exam, prepare a factbook where you can mention facts related to all subjects. Revise this factbook thoroughly. 

• For mains 

In mains, notes are the most important thing which can change the game for anyone. Make sure you’re choosing the right sources to study for mains. Make notes only on A-4 sheets. Make comprehensive notes on every topic. While making notes, make sure they are creative and knowledge-based to attract you repeatedly. Your notes will be creative only when compact, concise, and have a connection. 

Try to connect different subjects. Use diagrams and flow charts in your notes. This will make them comprehensive yet concise. Whenever you write answers in the main, choose your words wisely. Rather start with a quote, facts, or current affairs report. This will add value to your answer and help fetch maximum marks. Next, you should go through the previous answer question papers, look at the questions, and write the answers down.

• For personality test 

In the personality test, make notes for current affairs and every keyword. If your pin code is 110006, make sure you know why this is your code or why the number 11 is used but not anything else. 

• Essay notes 

For essays, you need to have comprehensive notes. As mentioned earlier, make sure you’re choosing your sources rightly. Collect quotes, facts, and other important lines from newspapers, journals, and other authentic mediums. Use quotes and abbreviations while writing essays. 

• Optional paper notes 

When discussing the optional paper notes, sources should be only paper wise. Rather than being dependent on several sources, go for a series of sources. 

• Notes of notes 

In simple terms, notes of notes are a more straightforward form of your notes so that you can revise just before your exam. While making notes of notes, there is no need to go into detail. At the same time, writing only the topic, subtopics, essential facts, dates, years, etc. 

Conclusion 

We come to the end of the topic Note Making Strategy & Tips for UPSC CSE Preparation. In this article about the preparation notes, we walked you through the various tips and tricks you can use to make notes during your UPSC preparation journey. When you prepare for exams like these, it is tough to remember everything on the go; hence notes come in handy, using which you can revise each chapter without wasting the entire day. 

Making notes has a ton of benefits, including Once you’re making notes, it will contribute to our knowledge base. If you have all notes in a compact format, it will help during revisions. 

During all three stages of this prestigious exam, notes will help you. You can overview any concept in the least amount of time.

You can start by preparing your answers to the NCERT Textbook questions and further discussing the same with your study circle for a thorough understanding. You should also make sure that you’re reading the newspaper thoroughly and making notes from it. They’re highly important. Further, go through all the questions that were asked previously to have an idea about the types of questions that can be asked. Along with these tips and tricks to make notes, it takes a strong desire to succeed, consistent practice, and some coaching. We’re here to assist you with the guide portion, and we hope you’ll be able to properly incorporate the tips we’ll give you into your preparation. 

Also, make sure you’re picking the right books and courses because they can significantly change your journey to become a topper. Once you have the right mix of books, it can help. In addition, keep these hacks handy as they are indispensable.