Last Minute Tips For Prelims

Things I used to keep in mind during the last week of prelims –

Passive reading and revision over active recall – During final week, my focus shifted to light revision. I preferred passive reading to avoid unnecessary mental fatigue and preserve my energy for exam day.
No new mocks or PYQs – I knew that low mock scores affected my confidence, so I consciously avoided attempting any new questions in the last few days. This also helped me stay calm.
Revision of tests where I had performed well – Revisiting tests in which I had scored well gave me confidence. For instance, I had not performed well in Abhyaas tests but had done reasonably well in Simulators, so I prioritised revising the latter.
Trusting my preparation – I used to keep telling myself ‘Monika, you’re sorted’
Avoiding unnecessary discussions – I never studied in groups even during normal preparation days or during IIT, hence I didn’t get myself involved in any group discussions.
No new sources or materials – I avoided opening new compilations, magazines, or resources in last week.
Maintaining sleep and routine – I started going to bed exactly at 10 pm to simulate exam-like pattern. Though it can never beat final day anxiety and nervousness.

The last week, for me, was less about studying more and more about staying calm.

As advised by many, I always tried to stop studying completely a day before the examination, but honestly, I could NEVER do so. Not studying at all used to make me even more nervous and anxious. So instead of forcing myself to do nothing, I kept my short notes with me and passively went through them whenever I felt like it. It helped me stay calm.

• Stick to short notes and familiar material – whatever I read, it was at least read 3 times before that day.

• Going through checklist beforehand –

Checklist I used to keep:

✓ Admit Card (at least 2 copies)
✓ Passport-size photographs
✓ Transparent pencil box/pouch
✓ Black pens (carry extra)
✓ Valid ID proof (if required)
✓ Medications (if any)
✓ Chocolates/light snacks for break time
✓ Water bottle (transparent)
✓ Watch

A day before prelims is equally important as the D-day itself, hence for me managing it well was equally important.

Approach of attempting the paper –

Paper I (GS)

My approach was to complete the paper in multiple iterations instead of trying to solve everything at once.

• First Iteration (≈ 1 hour) – I aimed to go through the entire paper once and attempt questions I was confident about. During this stage, I used to mark answers on question paper itself instead of OMR.

• OMR Filling + Second Iteration (≈ 45 minutes) – After completing first round, I used to fill the OMR sheet and simultaneously revisited questions that required a little more thought, elimination, or educated guessing.

• Final Iteration (Last 15 minutes) – The final few minutes were reserved for difficult questions, a bit of risk-taking and hunch based Qs. I also used to keep tracking the count of Qs attempted in each iteration to ensure I don’t go beyond 95.

CSAT

• First Iteration (≈ 1 hour) – I completed questions I was comfortable with first. For instance, I found relations, age-based, and inference questions relatively easier, so I attempted them first and filled the OMR simultaneously.

• Second Iteration (Second hour) – I then shifted towards remaining questions and completed OMR filling alongside solving the paper. I used to find Reading Comprehensive quite time-taking hence used to attempt them in the end.

How many Questions one should attempt?

My strategy differed from what is generally advised, especially in my 2023 and 2025 attempts. I attempted around 92–95 questions in both attempts, which is usually considered on the higher side.

However, I believe there is no universal ideal number of questions to attempt, but there should be an optimal range that one is comfortable with. For example, through sufficient practice, I had realised that attempting around 92–95 questions suited my strategy, and going beyond that was usually not safe for me.

Therefore, for questions that I had absolutely no idea about, I consciously evaluated the risk involved before making a choice. Eventually, I preferred attempting questions where the risk was relatively lower and elimination could improve my odds.

Applying Common Sense and Static Knowledge

Thumb Rule 1 –

Extreme statements are likely to be wrong (All, Only etc)

For instance,

Without knowing much about UAVs, I noticed that all the statements contained very extreme wording, which made them appear incorrect.

Thumb Rule 2 –

Use General Awareness

In such Qs, common sense can help. For instance, we see plastic being used extensively around us, which can indicate that all statements are likely correct.

Thumb Rule 3 –

Use your static knowledge to make unfamiliar statements more conclusive and improve your chances of arriving at the correct answer.

Statement II was fairly straightforward, so I was confused between options B and C. Based on what I knew about Raja Ram Mohan Roy, I tried to logically derive the answer.

Thumb Rule 4 –

Know which Qs are to be left due to very high risk.

Since I had literally zero idea about these elements, I didn’t attempt this question.

Thumb Rule 5 –

I had a very strong hold on PYQs and it helped me answer few repeated questions. Practice your PYQs well!

The Araghatta question has appeared twice in UPSC Prelims in the last ~30 years. Hence, in such questions, the probability of scoring becomes relatively high, especially if one has revised PYQs thoroughly.

What to do during the break hour between GS and CSAT?

The break between GS and CSAT is more important than many people realise.

Few things to I used to keep in mind –

Have lunch or a light meal – I usually used to eat at a nearby food outlet. At the same time, I always carried snacks in case food options were unavailable nearby.
Do not discuss or Google GS answers – I knew that finding out I had marked questions incorrectly could disturb me, hence I never discussed the paper during break.
Revise familiar CSAT formulas/concepts – I used to revise a few basic formulas or concepts that I was already comfortable with. (No new formulas.)
Stay hydrated – Since Prelims is usually conducted during peak summer, I ensured that I drank enough water.
Sit quietly for a few minutes – I used to simply close my eyes and relax. It helped me refresh mentally before the second paper.
Wash my face before entering the hall
Stay close to the examination centre – I avoided unnecessary travelling far during the break(even during Mains break). I did not want to take any risks.

Reiterating this again — never use the break to analyse the GS paper. You still have to perform your best in the next two hours, so protect your mental space and focus on CSAT.

ALL THE BEST!!