Strategies for Preparing CSAT Examination

CSAT or Civil Service Aptitude Test which is officially known as the General Paper 2 of the UPSC Civil Service Examination conducted along with General Studies Paper 1. It was introduced in 2011 by UPSC to examine the analytical skills, reasoning ability and aptitude of the IAS aspirant. The total mark assigned to this paper is 200.

The other points the candidate needs to consider regarding the CSAT examination are:

• The candidate can score 2.5 marks for every right answer
• ⅓ rd will be deducted for every wrong answer
• The answers are objective-type
• No deduction of marks for unattended answers. 

The syllabus for the UPSC CSAT examination includes comprehension, interpersonal skills including communication skills, logical answering and analytical ability, decision-making and problem-solving, general mental ability, basic numeracy and data interpretation. The IAS aspirants require a strong grasp of these subjects to score high marks in the UPSC prelims examination. 

Why CSAT Examination Important?

The aspirants preparing for the UPSC Civil Service Examination must know the importance of the CSAT examination and the goal of the UPSC behind the CSAT exam. Here are reasons why the UPSC CSAT examination is crucial for the candidates to clear the prelims examination.

• As the prelims examination is the screening test for shortlisting the candidates for the UPSC mains examination, the marks for both General Studies I and General Studies II (CSAT) were taken into account.

• According to the present Civil Service Examination structure put forward by the UPSC, to qualify for the Civil Service Preliminary Examination, the candidate requires a minimum of 33% or 66 out of 200, for CSAT paper alone. 

Effective IAS Strategy for CSAT Examination

Here are some effective civil service strategies for securing high scores in the UPSC CSAT examination.

• Develop a Strong understanding of the Syllabus and Examination Pattern

Before starting the preparation, the IAS aspirants must be thorough with the CSAT syllabus. This helps them to prepare an effective study plan for preparing Civil service prelims CSAT examination.

• Prepare an effective Study Schedule

Create an effective study schedule for preparing Civil service prelims examination. It is necessary to allocate at least 1 to 2 hours for CSAT. Set up a timetable exclusively for the CSAT examination. This helps the candidate to allocate time for each topic included in the CSAT examination based on their weakness and strengths. It is recommended to revise the covered topics daily, practice mock tests, and work on the previous year’s question papers. This will help the candidates to score high marks in the CSAT examination.

• Read Newspapers daily

Newspapers are considered a great source for learning current affairs and general knowledge. In addition, reading newspapers will also help the candidate to improve their vocabulary and comprehensive skills. The experts recommended reading newspapers like The Hindu and The Indian Express daily and making notes on each important event and fact. And also editorial reading helps help the candidates to improve their vocabulary skills

Tips to Prepare UPSC CSAT Examination

•  Before starting the CSAT examination preparation, it is necessary to understand the structure of the examination and its syllabus.

• Choose the right study materials for the preparation

• Regular practice on previous year’s question papers and attending multiple mock tests helps the candidate to become familiarised with the exam pattern, their strength and weaknesses, improves time management skills, and so forth. 

• Give importance to mental ability and logical reasoning sections

• Reading newspapers daily will help the aspirant to improve their reading and comprehension skills.