#CareerBytes: Five mistakes to avoid in UPSC CSE Mains exams
The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is one of the toughest and most popular competitive exams in the country. It is a three-level examination comprising Preliminary Examination, Main Examination, and Personality Test. The Main Examination, the second level, consists of nine subjective-type papers and clearing them isn't easy without the right preparation. Here are some mistakes to avoid during UPSC CSE Mains exams.
One of the biggest mistakes aspirants make while taking Mains exams is, not managing the time properly. They must allot sufficient time to every question wisely in order to attempt all the questions and score high. Not following the given word limit for questions is another mistake to avoid. Sticking to the word limit is important to complete the paper within the given time.
Many candidates tend to write unnecessarily long answers or confusing ones and include irrelevant information while answering questions. However, this is a huge mistake and must be avoided during the exam as it can also negatively impact their score. Candidates should also avoid writing irrelevant stuff like religious symbols, names, numbers, slogans, etc. in the answer booklet too.
Not reading or following the given instructions for the exam is another mistake candidates should avoid. Also, they should not write anything in their Question Cum Answer Booklet (QCAB) that may disclose their identity such as their name, roll number, signature, phone number, etc.
Candidates appearing for Mains should also focus on properly understanding the given questions first before answering them. Mains papers contain various types of questions with different "directional words" or keywords and understanding them is essential to write the perfect answers. Also, they should ensure that their answers have a proper structure with a good introduction, body, and conclusion.
Lack of proper presentation of the answers they write is another mistake candidates must avoid in order to do well. Often, in a hurry to complete the paper, they may ignore their handwriting and make the answers look messy which can reduce their score. Candidates should also avoid answering in mixed language medium; they shouldn't write partly in ink and partly in pencil too.
