Every student who has once wished or anyone who wishes to become an IAS or IPS officer, or someone who has a dream of serving their nation has to go through these exams in order to be one.
The CSAT or Civil Services Aptitude Test are examinations conducted every year for aspirants who wish to be another servant of their nation. These exams are the most difficult exams conducted by our government.
But what are they actually and how should one prepare for it?
Don’t worry, we are here to help you. So, tighten your seat belts and embark on a journey with us to know all about it.
Also Read: IFS Exam Date 2021: Check-out All the Facts about the Application Form Date, Exam Date & More
What is the Civil Service Aptitude Test?
The Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a nationwide competitive examination that is taken by students all over India. This exam is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission for recruiting students to various Civil Services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Foreign Service, and Indian Police Service.
Phases of the UPSC Examination
This examination is also known as the UPSC examination. It is conducted in three phases:
- A preliminary examination that consists of two objective-type papers, i.e., a General studies paper 1 and a General studies paper 2 which is also popularly known as the Civil Service Aptitude Test or CSAT, in short.
- The main examination consists of nine papers of conventional type. In this examination, two papers are qualifying and are only seven marks followed by a personality exam.
This exam is conducted every year by the Government of India to select candidates for the Civil Services Main Exam. And those who study hard enough to crack the exam as well as the interview which is conducted, later on, can now join the prestigious Indian government services like IAS, IPS, IFS, etc.
Now, let’s learn about how to prepare for the UPSC Aptitude Test or the IAS exam which is conducted every year.
Also Read: How Can We Keep the Momentum to Study for IAS? A Few Things to Keep in Mind.
How to Prepare for an Aptitude Test?
There is no best or perfect way to prepare for an aptitude exam for UPSC or the Civil Services Examinations. All you have to do is work hard enough for you to clear any test or paper that you want to & you’ll see success on your feet.
But how is that done? There are a few steps that one can follow, if in case:
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Practice is the Key
To prepare for any exam of your life, all you need to do is practice. And by practicing, we don’t mean just for an hour or so in a day. It means working hard enough so that you’ll see success touching your feet. But before that, familiarise yourself with the style and format of the aptitude test which will help you to calm your nerves & allow you to focus all your attention on answering all the questions.
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Know Your Test
It’s highly important for an individual who has decided to appear in one to understand its type. Each one is somehow different from the other, so before appearing for it, familiarise yourself with its different types because each test will test different skills and will take different formats. Know the pattern & never try to answer the questions just consciously based on what you think will be the answer to it.
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Don’t Get Your Friends to Help
If you are having an online exam, do not ever think of taking your friend’s help in any of it. It might look tempting to take their help & might sound a little immoral; but along with this, it is indeed something that carries a risk of backfiring. These application processes then require their candidate to appear for an online exam that is taken usually at the assessment center to verify the performance of the test. So, if you have decided to take the help of your friend, your secret will soon be out when you’ll appear for the online test at the test center allotted by them. These performance papers are taken to make sure the candidate is perfectly fit for the role that they are going to assign him/her. And if you don’t fit into their category, you will probably struggle and be unhappy in that role.
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Make the Most of the Online Papers
If you are having an online exam from the comfort of your home, make sure you make the most use of it. There are so many factors in your control that you should not ignore. Make sure you don’t get interrupted by any of your friends or family members; let them know that you are online for your exam and they should leave you alone for an hour or so. Make sure that all the materials that will be required by you at this point in time are in your hand, like rough paper, pens, calculator, and a dictionary, etc. Check your internet connection before appearing for the exam so that it doesn’t create an issue while you’re going with the exam.
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Realistic Simulation
If you are having your aptitude test at the assessment center, find out the timings for the exam and start practicing for it at the same time in your home. Make sure you sit for your practice test in one go & are not taking any breaks in between because this will create an issue for you while you’ll be appearing for the exam for the final time.
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Be Alert and Stay Focused
It is very important for you to stay concentrated while you are practicing for your online test. You are going to waste your precious time if that doesn’t happen. Make sure you have taken enough sleep and are not mentally as well as physically tired while appearing for the exam.
Also Read: What Should be The Preparation Strategies to Get Started for PCS Exams?
Conclusion
Hopefully, you find this information useful and if you have any other doubts regarding the same, feel free to comment down below and let us know all about it. Also, don’t forget to check out our other blogs.
