The Civil Service Aptitude Test also known as CSAT is a qualifying paper in the UPSC Civil Services Prelims exam. Aspirants need to achieve a minimum of 33% marks in this paper. It may appear to be a walk in the park, but if you are already familiar with the UPSC CSE’s uncertainty, you know that getting the minimum marks will require thorough preparation. You need to have a well-thought-out strategy to master the CSAT paper.
First of all, it should be noted that CSAT takes significantly less time compared to GS paper 1. You only need to get a minimum of 66 marks out of 200 to pass the paper. So, there is no need for you to spend a significant amount of time preparing for it. It examines a candidate’s logical reasoning, analytical capabilities, judgment, interpersonal and reading comprehension skills. To help you clear the CSAT paper, we have prepared the following strategy. This method is very practical and should be followed consistently.
| Exam | Marks | Total Duration | No. of Questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS Paper 1 | 200 | 120 Minutes | 100 |
| GS Paper 2 | 200 | 120 Minutes | 80 |
| Duration | 100 Days |
| Timings | 11-2 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday |
| Course Fee | ₹ 19,999/- only |
| Materials | CSAT Hand-outs and Educrat IAS Academy’s CSAT Materials. |
| Features |
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Many CSAT manuals have been released by reputable publishers. The CSAT Manual by Tata McGraw Hill, on the other hand, is the one most often suggested. The usefulness of a booklet like this cannot be overstated. It is a one-stop destination for all of your prep needs.
You don’t have to read the entire book from beginning to end in order to benefit from it. The book is split down into sections, and you may pick and choose which sections you want to read based on your interests. This book covers a wide range of subjects thoroughly. In a matter of minutes, you can practice and revise each topic.
Aspirants find Maths extremely tough and time-consuming to prepare for all of the topics of CSAT prelims. There’s no need to cover everything in advance. In order to prepare this subject, use the table mentioned above and select the most important topics. Use the past year’s paper to evaluate the difficulty of the questions.
Let’s review some fundamentals before we wrap up this strategy. It’s important to maintain a sense of calm, focus, and motivation while revising. The more you revise for CSE preparation, the better you remember what you’ve learned. As a result, we urge you to revise at least once every week, if not more frequently. Because you can’t cover everything at once, you’ll need to stay collected. So, take it one step at a time, keep your focus and maintain discipline. The more you can ease up, the better off you will be in the long run. Be careful not to push yourself too hard. Never start a topic you can’t finish on the same day. Rather than rushing through unfinished work, it’s better to take the time to go back and rewrite your doubts. In the end, keep yourself motivated by telling yourself that you can succeed. Throughout the entire CSE preparation year, you must maintain a high level of motivation. You must never lose that motivation because if you do, your everyday studies will become tedious and you won’t be able to enjoy the process of preparing for the CSE at all. Final thoughts: ‘Uncertainty is most painful,’ which is accurate because you have no idea how the Prelims exams will be set. Hence, have confidence and rely on the method that many others have used to the greatest extent. Begin your preparations as soon as you finish reading this article. Wishing you the best of luck!
Best Regards, EDUCRAT IAS TEAM
Educrat IAS provides India’s & Kolkata’s best Mentorship for preparation of all services under Civil Services Examination (CSE). We provide extensive and holistic preparation to a small batch of sincere & dedicated UPSC Civil Servant aspirants who aspire & dream to become a part of the coveted Civil Services.
