The Civil Services Examination (CSE) has three stages with Prelims being the first stage. UPSC Prelims is going to take place on 4th October 2020 and the results will be declared within 50 days from the date of examination. This article will brief you about the specifics of the UPSC result with special focus on prelims result and its cut off.
The CSE examination is an annual examination which usually starts in the month of May. However, this year, it has been delayed till October and now the UPSC Prelims 2020 result will also be delayed. Against July when the prelims result used to usually come out, this year, the results are expected in Mid-November.
UPSC Prelims Preparation to meet the Cut Off
As a quick revision to the exam pattern of UPSC, the prelims stage has two papers – General Studies and CSAT. The marks assigned to each paper are 200. While GS paper has 100 questions; CSAT has only 80. There is a negative marking of ⅓ marks of the total marks assigned to the question hence, ⅓ of 2 marks will be deducted for every wrong answer in gs paper while in CSAT, ⅓ of 2.5 marks will be deducted.
UPSC Prelims is the screening test, scores of which are not considered in the final merit list. Only marks of General Studies paper of prelims are used to decide the UPSC Prelims Cutoff as CSAT paper is only qualifying in nature. Hence, a candidate has to score the maximum in paper 1 of the prelims.
Candidates can follow the below-mentioned tips to prepare for the examination and secure themselves a seat in the final merit list:
- Familiarity with the UPSC Syllabus – It is of utmost importance to know the IAS syllabus by-heart. It will help aspirants to limit their resources and elevate their revisions.
- Stick to note making – Notes are important for any and every aspirant. The only choice is to select the mode of notes making. An aspirant can prefer digital notes over handwritten notes. However, they shall not miss on making notes for the examination.
- Turning to SWOT analysis – A candidate should know the strengths and weaknesses in all the major subjects of the examination. Accordingly, he/she can devise a strategy to master such topics.
- Tracking the performance with test series – As many mock tests as possible should be taken up by the candidates. The performance in such tests reflects the preparation level for the main exam.
- Revision is the key – It is a repeated advice to the candidates. The more you revise from the limited sources, the better chances you have to crack the exam. It is not the number of books but in the number of revisions that decide your success.
Candidates should see the last years’ result to get an idea of the UPSC 2020 result. In 2019, 11845 candidates cleared prelims examination. UPSC Prelims 2020 result too is expected to announce the similar number of candidates for the mains stage. The cut off for the general category in Prelims 2019 was 98. Candidates preparing for the 2020 CSE exam, should try scoring above 110 to be on the safer side.
The examination, though is tough, but can be cracked with simple perseverance, strategy and right approach. Candidates who will clear this year’s prelims will take up mains examinations that are scheduled from 8th January 2021 onward.
