For those who have passed the Prelims before, what's one thing you want to advice those who haven't?

sandrokottos

do 2 readings from basic sources like laxmi+ncert+spectrum etc.Top this up with solving past paper of at least 10 years.Look at the variety of question asked on a particular topic--google and note it down on your basic sources+prepare miscellaneous stuff like reports,indices,IR bodies,envt orgs,etc exhaustively from the internet taking a look at past year question.Never ever waste time on mocks I have never done them but do just a couple for accuracy testing/planning attempts strategy.You can either be high attempt/low accuracy 75-80% types like me or a low attempt but 95%+ accuracy type.What matters is we clear the exam,nothing more and nothing less!

win_2017

Which book by romila thapar? That old ncert one?

To tackle ancient history ghatiya questions like eripatti,taniyur,ghatika,mahattara,pattakila, araghatta...etc etc . Refer glossary given at the end of romila thapar book. Such terms are given at the end. Refer Tamilnadu history book its extremely useful.

Will keep giving tips.

Early India: from origins to 1300ad

bhai seriosly?

Bhai the book is freely available on net. At the end glossary is given where all those terms asked in exam are present. Plus the book is extremely good.i wrote gupta numismatic question easily as i have read it from romila thapar.

Warlord

do 2 readings from basic sources like laxmi+ncert+spectrum etc.Top this up with solving past paper of at least 10 years.Look at the variety of question asked on a particular topic--google and note it down on your basic sources+prepare miscellaneous stuff like reports,indices,IR bodies,envt orgs,etc exhaustively from the internet taking a look at past year question.Never ever waste time on mocks I have never done them but do just a couple for accuracy testing/planning attempts strategy.You can either be high attempt/low accuracy 75-80% types like me or a low attempt but 95%+ accuracy type.What matters is we clear the exam,nothing more and nothing less!

i had done excatly this..but i think mocks are important as wel..esp vision ..
just before the pre one of friend gave me a beautiful advice..
kaha ki basic books ke alawa koi aur book tabhi padho, jab basic book se koi bhi kaisa bhi que tumse bann jaye..
iss ke baad he meine spectrum ke laast chap bhi raat liye the..
factory act wala q, lokhande wale sab wahin se banne the..
had scored more than 140..

andy133

Have been scoring around 140s consistently. My suggestions:
1. Revise all your standard books especially laxmikant and spectrum (modern history) thrice before exam. You should be a champ here and you should not get a single wrong question from these in exam.
2. Do all pt365 by vision. Not because you might get straightforward question from it but because it will enhance your knowledge so much that it will help you eiminate options. Also, everyone will be reading it and since it is a relative exam you should not miss out something which is being done by 90% of the aspirants.
3. Take up good quality test series. Dont go for unnecessarily tough test series like vajiram and sriram, they are not in line with what UPSC wants. ForumIas, VisionIas are pretty good ones.
4. You have to have to have to have to take risks in exam. You have to go by your gut feeling in some questions, you have to take a blind shot in a question where you can eliminate one option but not others. You have to mark an option which sounds right. Only this will enhance your score and remember, in upsc whay sounds right will more or less be the correct answer.
5. Cover everything in syllabus. Dont leave art and culture or ancient history or medieval. Dont leavr anything. Even if you find some subject tough just glance over it in the last few days and mark my words , you will get atleast 1 right questions out of 3-4 being asked.

Go with confidence for the exam and rock it.

Bhai...Art and Culture Kaha se kiya Tha....(for PRE)

Ncert fine art plus nitin singhania..for dance and music type things you can refer ccrt instead of nitin singhania.

WarriorLord

Do pray.

RxIAS

Have been scoring around 140s consistently. My suggestions:
1. Revise all your standard books especially laxmikant and spectrum (modern history) thrice before exam. You should be a champ here and you should not get a single wrong question from these in exam.
2. Do all pt365 by vision. Not because you might get straightforward question from it but because it will enhance your knowledge so much that it will help you eiminate options. Also, everyone will be reading it and since it is a relative exam you should not miss out something which is being done by 90% of the aspirants.
3. Take up good quality test series. Dont go for unnecessarily tough test series like vajiram and sriram, they are not in line with what UPSC wants. ForumIas, VisionIas are pretty good ones.
4. You have to have to have to have to take risks in exam. You have to go by your gut feeling in some questions, you have to take a blind shot in a question where you can eliminate one option but not others. You have to mark an option which sounds right. Only this will enhance your score and remember, in upsc whay sounds right will more or less be the correct answer.
5. Cover everything in syllabus. Dont leave art and culture or ancient history or medieval. Dont leavr anything. Even if you find some subject tough just glance over it in the last few days and mark my words , you will get atleast 1 right questions out of 3-4 being asked.

Go with confidence for the exam and rock it.

I failed to implemeht point no. 4 this yr and I know I have missed it by few marks. All Q I skipped by not following gut feeling,turned out to be correct. Shit !!!!!

perky

Have been scoring around 140s consistently. My suggestions:
1. Revise all your standard books especially laxmikant and spectrum (modern history) thrice before exam. You should be a champ here and you should not get a single wrong question from these in exam.
2. Do all pt365 by vision. Not because you might get straightforward question from it but because it will enhance your knowledge so much that it will help you eiminate options. Also, everyone will be reading it and since it is a relative exam you should not miss out something which is being done by 90% of the aspirants.
3. Take up good quality test series. Dont go for unnecessarily tough test series like vajiram and sriram, they are not in line with what UPSC wants. ForumIas, VisionIas are pretty good ones.
4. You have to have to have to have to take risks in exam. You have to go by your gut feeling in some questions, you have to take a blind shot in a question where you can eliminate one option but not others. You have to mark an option which sounds right. Only this will enhance your score and remember, in upsc whay sounds right will more or less be the correct answer.
5. Cover everything in syllabus. Dont leave art and culture or ancient history or medieval. Dont leavr anything. Even if you find some subject tough just glance over it in the last few days and mark my words , you will get atleast 1 right questions out of 3-4 being asked.

Go with confidence for the exam and rock it.

Bhai...Art and Culture Kaha se kiya Tha....(for PRE)

Ncert fine art plus nitin singhania..for dance and music type things you can refer ccrt instead of nitin singhania.

I have read vision booklet of art and culture and ccrt short notes available on mrunal.

But now I am thinking of reading nitin singhania ... Should I?

Alright

Solve as many tests as possible..command on basic books,current affairs by forum or insights and while doing so don't disintegarte your mains mode.focus shud be integrated but near to prelim for 1-2 months it shud be prelim specific..Always remember even if you clear prelim ,Mains is the big battle so don't get disillusioned and see the larger picture.
Its My personal experience of the process.

andy133

Have been scoring around 140s consistently. My suggestions:
1. Revise all your standard books especially laxmikant and spectrum (modern history) thrice before exam. You should be a champ here and you should not get a single wrong question from these in exam.
2. Do all pt365 by vision. Not because you might get straightforward question from it but because it will enhance your knowledge so much that it will help you eiminate options. Also, everyone will be reading it and since it is a relative exam you should not miss out something which is being done by 90% of the aspirants.
3. Take up good quality test series. Dont go for unnecessarily tough test series like vajiram and sriram, they are not in line with what UPSC wants. ForumIas, VisionIas are pretty good ones.
4. You have to have to have to have to take risks in exam. You have to go by your gut feeling in some questions, you have to take a blind shot in a question where you can eliminate one option but not others. You have to mark an option which sounds right. Only this will enhance your score and remember, in upsc whay sounds right will more or less be the correct answer.
5. Cover everything in syllabus. Dont leave art and culture or ancient history or medieval. Dont leavr anything. Even if you find some subject tough just glance over it in the last few days and mark my words , you will get atleast 1 right questions out of 3-4 being asked.

Go with confidence for the exam and rock it.

Bhai...Art and Culture Kaha se kiya Tha....(for PRE)

Ncert fine art plus nitin singhania..for dance and music type things you can refer ccrt instead of nitin singhania.

I have read vision booklet of art and culture and ccrt short notes available on mrunal.

But now I am thinking of reading nitin singhania ... Should I?

Have been scoring around 140s consistently. My suggestions:
1. Revise all your standard books especially laxmikant and spectrum (modern history) thrice before exam. You should be a champ here and you should not get a single wrong question from these in exam.
2. Do all pt365 by vision. Not because you might get straightforward question from it but because it will enhance your knowledge so much that it will help you eiminate options. Also, everyone will be reading it and since it is a relative exam you should not miss out something which is being done by 90% of the aspirants.
3. Take up good quality test series. Dont go for unnecessarily tough test series like vajiram and sriram, they are not in line with what UPSC wants. ForumIas, VisionIas are pretty good ones.
4. You have to have to have to have to take risks in exam. You have to go by your gut feeling in some questions, you have to take a blind shot in a question where you can eliminate one option but not others. You have to mark an option which sounds right. Only this will enhance your score and remember, in upsc whay sounds right will more or less be the correct answer.
5. Cover everything in syllabus. Dont leave art and culture or ancient history or medieval. Dont leavr anything. Even if you find some subject tough just glance over it in the last few days and mark my words , you will get atleast 1 right questions out of 3-4 being asked.

Go with confidence for the exam and rock it.

Bhai...Art and Culture Kaha se kiya Tha....(for PRE)

Ncert fine art plus nitin singhania..for dance and music type things you can refer ccrt instead of nitin singhania.

I have read vision booklet of art and culture and ccrt short notes available on mrunal.

But now I am thinking of reading nitin singhania ... Should I?

No. But read ncert fine arts class 11 book

vaibhav_19

@andy133 @andy10 and rest

feel too scared while attempting questions not confident about. self doubt creeps in. pertaining to point 4 you mentioned.
Any practical tips to get over this
Thanks