How to Prepare for IAS After 12th Board Exams: Cleared 12th Board exams and wish to push towards the IAS dream? Well, now is the right time to begin your preparation and clear the exam on your very first try. 

While it is usually after undergraduate studies that most students start preparing for UPSC CSE, an early start to IAS preparation will only boost your chances of clearing it. Further, it will help fastrack your way up and become a Cabinet Secretary, who is the highest-ranked civil servant in the Indian government. 

That being said, one cannot attempt the UPSC Civil Services Exam right after 12th since one must have a bachelor's degree to be considered eligible and be of at least 21 years of age. Read on to explore all about the ways to prepare for IAS after 12th board exams. 

Also Read: List of UPSC Civil Services Posts & Salary

Should You Start IAS Preparation After 12th Board Exam?

Well, yes! If you are determined to become an IAS officer, you should definitely start your preparation right after your 12th board exams. An early start to IAS preparation will give you an edge over your competitors. Especially for exams like UPSC CSE, where your base or foundation needs to be strong, experts often recommended starting your preparation after 12th. However, this does not mean that you would not concentrate on your bachelor's degree, which is not only of equal importance but is also one of the criteria to be eligible for the UPSC CSE. Some of the benefits of starting your IAS preparation right after 12th include:

• You would have ample amount of time to prepare for the exam and attempt it multiple times in case you don't succeed on the first attempt.
• During undergraduate studies, there is substantially less pressure on students, which makes it easier for them to focus more on IAS preparation. 
• You would have more time to strengthen your base and concentrate on NCERT books from Class 6 to 10. 
• You can easily identify your weaknesses and work on them. 

Also Read:  How to Qualify UPSC Civil Services Exam 2023 in First Attempt?

Common UPSC CSE Eligibility Criteria for All Candidates

There are some eligibility conditions that need to be fulfilled by the candidates. Take a look at the important points discussed below to ensure you match all the eligibility conditions. 

Age Limit: It is necessary for candidates to be 21 years of age. They should not be more than 32 years of age. The upper age limit is not applicable to candidates from all categories. OBC, SC, ST candidates have age relaxation. They are also provided with more number of attempts.

• General category candidates can apply till 32 years of age, and they have 6 attempts in total. 
• SC/ST candidates can appear for UPSC till 37 years of age. They have unlimited attempts till the time they reach the age limit.
• OBC candidates have 9 attempts and can sit for the UPSC exam till the age of 35 years. 

Nationality: Indian citizens or a person who is a subject of Tibet, Nepal, or Bhutan settled in India before January 1962 can appear for the UPSC exam.

Educational Qualification: Irrespective of the category, it is necessary for all candidates to possess a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. The students waiting for final year result can also appear for the exam.

Interested candidates must pay attention to the minute details too to become the best IAS Officer after 12th. If candidates prepare with complete hard work, proper direction and guidance, they can score good marks and qualify the interview. Read further to know the essential tips required to prepare for UPSC after 12th:

Step 1: Prepare Your Mindset

Before beginning with the syllabus for the UPSC CSE exam, candidates must first prepare their mindset. It is highly essential for candidates to be mentally strong and determined. Only then can they dedicate themselves. With a good mindset, candidates can easily set high goals and manage time to prepare for the UPSC exam.

Step 2: Choose the Right Course for Bachelor’s Degree 

After completing 12th grade, candidates must make a wise decision in choosing the undergraduate course. It would be better to pursue a degree that aligns with the UPSC syllabus. This makes it easy for students to prepare for the UPSC exam too. Considering this factor, many students opt for history, economics, public administration, political science, and sociology.

Step 3: Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree from a Recognized University

The minimum educational requirement for the UPSC exam is a bachelor’s degree. Students with a degree from a government university are eligible to apply for the UPSC exam. When pursuing graduation, students should prefer to choose the subjects that will make the UPSC Exam preparation easy for them. They can choose to study History, Geography, Mathematics, Polity, and more. A bachelor’s degree from a well-recognized university makes candidates eligible for the UPSC exam. In addition to this, candidates can also pursue a postgraduate degree if they are interested.

Step 4: Understand UPSC Eligibility 

It is necessary for candidates to match the eligibility criteria for UPSC. Only then they should start preparing for the UPSC exam. The candidates must know that Indian citizens with a bachelor’s degree or appearing for the final year can apply for the UPSC exam. The candidates should be between 21 and 32 years of age. For the candidates from reserved categories, age relaxation is provided. OBC candidates can apply for the exam till 35 years of age, SC and ST can apply till 37 years of age and PWD candidates can apply till 42 years of age. 

Step 5: Go through the UPSC Exam Pattern

When preparing for different stages (Prelims, Mains, and Interview) of UPSC, candidates must know the exam pattern. This will help them to prepare well for every stage. Let us take a look at them one by one. 

• Prelims Exam: In this exam, candidates have to answer objective-type questions. The exam, which is of qualifying nature, consists of two papers namely GS Paper 1 & GS Paper 2 (CSAT).
• Mains Exam: After qualifying prelims exam, candidates can appear for the mains exam. It is a descriptive paper that consists of a total of 9 papers. While one paper is Compulsory Indian language, one is for English and Essay each. There are two optional papers and four GS papers. Out of 48 subjects, candidates can choose one optional subject.
• Interview: Candidates who qualify both previous rounds have to appear for the final interview round.

Step 6: Read Newspapers Daily

In addition to the NCERT and reference books, newspapers are a great resource for current affairs. It is necessary for candidates to read a credible newspaper on a daily basis. Through newspapers, they will get a wide knowledge of general awareness topics, international and national events, and more.

Step 7: Choose an Optional Subject for UPSC Mains

There are a total of 9 papers in the UPSC Mains exam. Out of these, papers VI & VII are optional. Candidates can choose any one of the optional papers from 48 subjects. Choosing the subject wisely helps students to increase their overall marks. The marks obtained in the Mains exam are counted in the final merit. Hence, the overall score can be increased if one scores high on the optional subject.

Step 8: Improving Writing Skills

In the Mains exam, candidates have to write descriptive answers that need regular practice. This will help you in building an answer structure and express your thoughts easily and quickly. By regular practice, candidates will be able to divide the required amount of equal time for answering each question. 

Step 9: Prepare a Strategy

After passing the 12th standard, candidates have a couple of years of time to appear for the UPSC exam. This time should be used wisely to prepare for the exam. Candidates can prepare a strategy and manage time to prepare the syllabus. In addition, they can also analyze the exam pattern to prepare for the exam.

Step 10: Stay Up to Date with UPSC notification

Candidates must always stay tuned with the latest updates for the UPSC IAS. The official updates, syllabus and exam pattern are important things to know. In addition to this, candidates must also learn about the physical requirements for UPSC and medical eligibility. After matching all the eligibility factors and clearing all three rounds of the exam, candidates will be selected and provided training.

How Many Hours Should be Devoted to Prepare for UPSC IAS? 

Many aspirants wonder about the number of hours required to prepare for IAS exam. Generally, teachers and toppers suggest 15 hours of study a day. In contrast, there are several fast learners who have qualified for the exam by studying for 6-7 hours a day. Given that all candidates have different abilities, everyone requires a different amount of time. Experts recommend that candidates must start preparing for the UPSC exam at least 1 year before. With more time for preparation, there are higher chances of cracking UPSC.

Also Read:  UPSC CSE Prelims Passing Marks 2023

Quick Tips to Become an IAS Officer After 12th

Becoming an IAS officer requires a lot of dedicated effort. While preparing for the UPSC exam, candidates have to face many challenges and struggles. Especially, when preparing for UPSC after the 12th board exams, candidates must possess the right approach to prepare for UPSC. Only with an effective study strategy can they crack the UPSC exam. In the following points, we have highlighted some important tips and tricks to make the preparation process easier for you.

• Go through the entire UPSC Syllabus to get an idea of the important topics and subjects. This will also help you in choosing the right graduation course. Subjects like history and polity can be of great help while preparing for the General Studies paper. It can be beneficial only if a candidate finds these subjects interesting. 
• When selecting a subject from the list of optional subjects, prefer a subject in which you have great command.
• Focus on subjects like Economics, Public Administration, and more that cover a major part of the exam.
• Keep your basic concepts clear of subjects that you learned in school. Especially Mathematics, as it is required in the Prelims stage.
• Visit the library and refer to all the NCERT and other relevant books to improve your knowledge.
• Regularly read newspapers to stay updated with current affairs at the national and international levels. 
• Improve your communication skills to perform your best in the IAS interview round.
• Besides covering the syllabus, solve the UPSC Previous Year Question Papers and evaluate yourself to know the level of preparation.

Following all the steps mentioned above will help candidates to crack the UPSC exam on the first attempt.

Related Links: