It is often said by IAS aspirants and laypersons alike that the IAS exam is the toughest exam in the country. Some even call it the ‘mother of all exams. This is because the exam does have a very low pass percentage, less than 1%.
A look at the list of IAS toppers every year will only reveal the lack of truth in this myth. Many toppers come from nondescript schools and colleges. Many of them come from backward regions of the country with little or no scope for any kind of IAS guidance.
Another myth surrounding the UPSC Exam and which builds stress in a candidate is that an IAS aspirant should know and be aware of everything.
The IAS exam does not have the intention to check one’s factual knowledge. Instead, the UPSC assesses one’s understanding and conceptual clarity as well as analytical abilities.
In today’s age, it is no longer mandatory for candidates to attend teaching classes.Everything is available at the click of a button.
It is a misconception that writing skills cannot be improved. While preparing for the IAS Exam, candidates should practice answer writing as this will help their memory power as well as their confidence level.
The UPSC prelims have negative markings for incorrect answers. This implies that candidates should be very confident about the answers, and guesswork would not help. Rather, it could backfire.
The number of hours of study is less important. The quality of the hours put in matters more. This number depends on the individual.
Although IAS aspirants should read many books, it is not advisable to horde as many books as possible on a single topic or subject and try to read all of them.
It is not necessary to make notes on each and every topic. Some of the topics can be studied directly from sources, which can save you a lot of time.