How to Crack PCS Exam?
12/10/2021
How to crack UPPSC PCS exam – The UPPSC PCS exam is one of the most popular state civil service exams in the country. In the last few years the UPPSC has changed the UP PCS exam pattern and made it similar to that of the UPSC IAS exam pattern.
Lakhs of applicants every year appear for the UPPSC PCS exam to get recruited as Group A and B officers in the state. However, to achieve their goal, they look for answers to questions like how to crack PCS exam in first attempt? How to crack UPPSC preliminary exam? How to prepare for uppcs without coaching?. Such candidates wonder what UP PCS preparation material to refer, how to prepare for UPPCS, etc.
UPPSC PCS exam pattern
UP PCS Prelims exam pattern
- Prelims exam consists of two papers: General Studies Paper-I and Paper-II.
- These papers are objective type with multiple-choice questions.
- General Studies-II is a qualifying paper with minimum qualifying marks being 33% for all.
UP PCS Mains exam pattern
- The Main (Written) examination consists of compulsory and optional subjects.
- Compulsory Subjects: General Hindi, Essay, and 4 General Studies (Papers: I, II, III, IV) Papers are conventional type and duration is three hours. Candidates have to qualify in the Hindi paper too.
- Optional Subject: This examination consists of two papers. Candidates have to select any one subject from the list of optional subjects. Each paper has 2 sections consisting of 4 questions. Candidates are required to answer a total of 5 questions with a minimum of 2 questions from each section.
UPPSC PCS Main – Details of Compulsory and Optional subjects
| Subjects | Papers | Max. Marks | Duration |
| (A) Compulsory Subjects | General Hindi | 150 marks | 3 hours for each paper |
| Essay | 150 marks | ||
| General Studies (Paper-I) | 200 marks | ||
| General Studies (Paper-II) | 200 marks | ||
| General Studies (Paper-III) | 200 marks | ||
| General Studies (Paper-IV) | 200 marks | ||
| (B) UPPSC PCS Optional Subject (one subject out of 29 subjects) | Paper-I | 200 marks | |
| Paper-II | 200 marks | ||
| Total | 8 Papers | 1500 | 24 hours |
How to Prepare for UPPSC-PCS: Prelims, Mains & Interview (Viva-Voce)
1. UPPSC PCS Exam Preparation Tips & Strategies for Prelims Exam
Tips on how to crack UPPSC preliminary exam
- Check the trends with an analysis of previous years UPPSC PCS question papers to know subject-wise questions and difficulty levels.
- An analysis of past trends gives an understanding of which topics are more important in comparison.
- It helps in better and strategic planning of subject wise and topic preparation.
- Check previous years category-wise UPPSC PCS cut-off marks to get an idea of how many marks are required to crack the UPPSC PCS exam.
UP PCS Prelims Syllabus: For Paper I
| Prelims Syllabus: Paper I‐ No. of Questions- 150 (200 marks), Duration: 2 hours |
| Current events of national and international importance. |
| History of India and Indian National Movement. |
| Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. |
| Indian Polity and Governance-Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Right Issues, etc. |
| Economic and Social Development-Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc. |
| General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change – that do not require subject specialization. |
| General Science |
UP PCS Prelims Syllabus : For Paper II
| Prelims Syllabus: Paper II‐ No. of Questions-100 (200 marks), Duration: 2 hours |
| Comprehension. |
| Interpersonal skills including communication skills. |
| Logical reasoning and analytical ability. |
| Decision making and problem solving. |
| General mental ability. |
| Elementary Mathematics upto Class X level- Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry and Statistics. |
| General English upto Class X level. |
| General Hindi upto Class X level |
Subject Wise Trend Analysis of Previous GS Paper I Question Pattern
| Sub/ Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Current events | 35 | 14 | 39 | 37 | 18 | 22 | 25 | 39 | 22 | 39 |
| History & Non Aligned Movement | 26 | 34 | 25 | 30 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 26 |
| Geography (India/ World) | 17 | 27 | 22 | 17 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 22 | 21 | 16 |
| Indian Polity & Governance | 5 | 11 | 15 | 19 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Economics/Social Development | 13 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 13 | 10 |
| Ecology & Environment | 8 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 8 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 16 |
| General Science | 29 | 21 | 12 | 14 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 14 | 22 | 12 |
| UP-Special + Static GK | 17 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 13 |
| Total Questions | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 | 150 |
Subject Wise Trend Analysis of Previous GS Paper II Question Pattern
| Sub/Year | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
| Comprehension | 15 | 09 | 10 | 10 | 09 | 10 | 10 | – |
| Interpersonal skills/ communication | 12 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Logical reasoning | 10 | 09 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 27 |
| Decision making | 08 | 08 | 03 | 09 | 08 | 09 | 09 | 11 |
| General mental ability. | 20 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 14 | 13 |
| Elementary Mathematics upto Class X level | 13 | 12 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | – |
| General English upto Class X level | 10 | 21 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 15 |
| General Hindi upto Class X level | 12 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 20 |
| Total Questions | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
UPPSC-PCS Prelim Exam: Official Cut off Marks
| Category/Cut Off | Cut Off in 2019 | Cut Off in 2020 | Expected Cut Off in 2021 |
| General | 123- 128 | 121-126 | 122-128 |
| OBC | 121-126 | 118-123 | 120-127 |
| SC | 103-107 | 102-108 | 104-110 |
| ST | 92-97 | 93-98 | 95-100 |
| PWD | 99-104 | 99-105 | 100-106 |
| Females | 119-124 | 118-123 | 119-124 |
2. Strategy for UPPSC Mains Preparation Tips
Some important UPPSC PCS exam preparation tips & strategies for mains are:
Strategy- 1: To understand the nature of questions
Understanding the nature of Main exam questions is important. In recent times, application based questions are being asked from topics ranging from social, economic, scientific, environmental, cultural, to political, etc. Questions are also on problems faced by the people from different regions, religions, castes, genders on a local, national, and international level. Answering these questions requires a sound knowledge of concepts, facts, and data from static subjects and not just of current affairs.
Strategy-2: To Understand evaluation methods of answers
The examiners of UP PCS Main Exam evaluate not just the candidate’s knowledge and their answers, but also how the answer has been framed by them. Evaluation is on whether the candidate has answered to the point, has adopted an multidimensional approach and finally a positive concluding solution. Factors like conceptual clarity, content relevance, objectivity and use of examples in the answer help secure good marks.
Strategy-3: To practice words & time limit for a question available
The candidates who appear for the main exam are bound by a word limit and time limit. Mock papers of reputed coaching centres is a good tool to get better at answering. It gives the candidates guidance on how to crack the UPPSC PCS exam.
Strategy-4: Know the UP PCS mains syllabus
The UP PCS mains syllabus is vast but candidates must remember it for all the papers. This requires constant revision and a focussed study that evaluates the preparation at every step.
Strategy-5: Other tips to follow
The competitive aspirants preparing for UPPSC- PCS 2021-22 exam should go through previous questions that have been asked in recent UPPCS Main exam, to get an idea of the rigour and the depth of preparation required to clear the exam.
It is a fact that none of the questions in the Main exam directly come from static topics. Hence, answers must be tweaked as per the questions’ tone. This requires candidates to be abreast of all burning and hot topics at the national and international level in addition to expertise in the relevant subjects.
Aspirants must be aware of the culture, customs, regional languages in addition to the history and geography of Uttar Pradesh.
Making notes in brief for each subject.
Strategy & Tips for UPPSC-PCS Interview Preparation
The UPPSC-PCS Personality Test is the last stage of selection. Total marks allotted to this stage are 100.
Generally, the personality test lasts for half an hour. It is a holistic test where the interviewers take stock of a candidate’s personality, analytical approach and thought process. Candidates are also tested on how they relate to different problems on the social, economic, administrative, political, demographic fronts, etc. of the state and nation as well as the solutions offered by them.
Some important tips for this test:
- Understand the different aspects of your personality.
- Get well versed with your biodata to answer personal questions.
- Listen to topper interviews to understand and strategize your interview preparation.
- Develop positive thinking and confidence and try to avoid nervousness.
- Don’t try to impress the interview board with misleading facts or arguments.
- Know about your own district and state’s unique features.
- Try to be articulate in your answers.
- Maintain soberness in both dress and body language.
- Revise topics from optional subjects and keep stock of current affairs.
- Always try to understand questions asked before answering.
UPPSC-PCS Success Formula – How to crack PCS exam in first attempt
Setting up a Goal: Setting goals for a career gives vision as well as motivation. Advantages of setting a goal are:
- Provides focus and direction towards achieving a target.
- Prioritising time, efforts and money
- Time management
- Performance evaluation
- Increasing efficiency
Creating a daily Timetable: Study time, energy levels and attention span are three important factors that play an important role in the preparation for any competitive exam. Using the time judiciously is needed to achieve a good balance on study and the daily routine. A good timetable also helps keep the study schedule on track.
Role of good health: “Health is wealth’, the proverb says it all. A healthy diet, sound sleep, with regular exercise to de-stress and keep the body fit should be part of the routine of every aspirant.
Importance of emotional management: Preparation for UP PCS is time-consuming and hectic. It is easy to be demotivated or stressed during preparation. Combating this is very important not just to keep the motivation level high. It is good to bond with other UPPSC PCS preparing individuals to know different aspects, means and methods to crack the exam.
How to prepare for UPPCS
Improve Reading Speed: One of the crucial factors for any exam is speed. Since the syllabus is vast, covering it all is possible only when a candidate has a good reading speed. This factor can be improved with constant practice. Some tips for this are:
- Concentration and focus are two factors that improve reading speed.
- Use a timer to time your reading.
- Skim through the important facts to save time.
Make Your Own Study Timetable
- Divide the subjects and the respective chapters/ topics.
- Make hourly slots in the timetable for every day, then every week, month.
- Classify subjects, topics, and sub-topics for both the prelims and the Main syllabus as per strong and weak areas.
- Incorporate revision time every day.
Make an effective revision schedule for UPPSC-PCS preparation
Revision helps with retention of facts, concepts, etc. and that’s why it’s a crucial aspect of preparation. Whatever has been studied has to be revised for retaining it. Experts and toppers recommend revision daily. This three tier plan is as follows:
Practice Sessions: Revision must be done every 15th day and every 3rd month for the topics studied.
Daily Revision Schedule: Before closure for the day, a quick recap cum revision is a must.
Weekly Revision Schedule: Topics studied in the past 6 days of the week have to be revised.
Monthly Revision Schedule: The last two days of every month revision of all subjects, chapters, and topics studied in that month.
How to evaluate study progress for UPPSC-PCS exam
Evaluate Your Learning: Mock tests and questions from particular topics from the previous year question papers can be a great help in evaluating yourself. As per the test result of that topic, rescheduling that topic for study or revision must be done.
Evaluate Your Speed: Solving the questions correctly and in the given time requires plenty of practice and preparation. Mock tests can be used to evaluate speed and also improvement if needed.