How To Prepare Current Affairs For UPSC CSE Examination

Current affairs hold an important position in IAS preparation. This can be seen by observing the types of questions being asked in both prelims and main. Some points have to be considered while covering current affairs.

Sources:

Newspapers like The Hindu or Indian Express (anyone) are very important.

It must be accompanied by the Press Information Bureau (pib) on a regular basis.

Newspaper reading and pib surfing should be done on your own. This will help you in a lot of ways like improving English speaking and writing skills, usage of terminology and thinking critically on issues.

Newspaper reading may consume time initially. But you do it. Gradually time will be reduced and skill improved.

Online:

You can take the help of online Civil Services preparation websites which provide The Hindu and pib analysis on a daily basis and are available free of cost.

For such daily current affairs for UPSC, you can refer to youtube classes provided by the following institutes:

1. Jatin Verma IAS Academy’s DNA.

2. Byju’s Daily The News Analysis

3. Study IQ

4. Study Lover Family

5. Drishti IAS

You can also read daily news provided by Online classes for IAS on their respective websites such as insights on India, IASBaba, Jatin Verma IAS Academy, Byju’s, etc.

Monthly Magazines:

After reading the newspaper, you need a monthly compilation of news. Vision IAS monthly magazine, Insights on India monthly compilation, Jatin Verma IAS Academy’s monthly Magazine are some of the best current affairs magazines for UPSC.

Way of reading news:

We read the news to score marks in exams. You must be able to link the syllabus with the article you are reading in that newspaper. Thus, developing a habit of reading and revising the syllabus from the first day becomes crucial. Read-only the relevant news and editorials. Refer to previously asked prelims and mains question on current affairs.

Some aspects which should be covered while reading is:

• Constitutional Provision (Articles/schedules)

• Polity (Laws/amendments/SC Verdict/etc)

Important data ( Ranking from reports, statistical data, etc which you think can be noted, revised, and can be used to substantiate mains answer. Also sometimes details like these are also asked in prelims like which ‘organization publishes Global Competitiveness Report (GCR)?’

• Historical background

• Places in the news: Geographical features & map plotting

• Case studies

• Economic terms and economic implications

• Art and Cultural importance

• Government schemes

Notes Making:

• It is good to make notebooks/files GS paper-wise. Within that, sub-sections should be made according to the topic.

• Any news should be added to it as you go on reading. Leave some pages after every topic so that you can use that space to add new information.

• Notes should contain mostly the keys words. Avoid using sentences.

• Make a habit of making flow charts wherever possible. This will help you to revise and retain easily. Also, examiners like charts & flowcharts representation as they are easy to understand and read.

• Add mnemonic where it gets hard to retain lengthy things like governors of India, international organization members, etc.

• Arguments for and against if found should be added to issue-based news so that your mains answer will be ready.

I am Anup Jaiswal education consultant having 10 Years of experience in the Education Domain. I am providing information about Upsc exams, Ias jobs, and other career-related domains.