Follow Five Steps :

• Read the basic books first, rather than going for guide books journals and foreign authors etc. What is required as first step is the mastering of the BASICS of the subject.

• While reading, focus has to be given on CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING rather than simply memorizing the facts. The Facts are easier to memorize if the concepts are clear.

• Memorize the FACTS Using Mnemonics or other interesting methods which suits your style. Make your flashcard or one register in which all your points and facts are intact and you can revise them anytime. Rather than simply collecting new fact every day, focus should be on revising what you have noted and only after memorizing when those thoroughly move on the new facts. Even when you are reading the new material, keep in touch to the older study material as well. This is very important, else during the examination, you will remember that you have read something alike but “what was it exactly” might not come to your mind except a faint image. This must be checked. The ultimate success depends on not ‘what all you have read’ but ‘how much you retain’. How far you have practiced by making maps & diagrams as well organizing the event in chronological manner. This is very crucial and should not be neglected at all.

• Analyse the previous years UPSC question papers thoroughly and try to chalk out the areas of the question. Also write down those question topic wise and keep revising and then identify the lacuna, which you commit while writing answers. Do not overlook them and do not lie to yourself that “it was a careless mistake”. Analyse your mistakes thoroughly whether it was due to lack of conceptual understanding or it was forgetting the facts. Master your weakness after analyzing them.
  NOTE OF CAUTION – Do not read the guide first and then the basic books. It has to be the other way round….

• Last but not the least, discuss with your friends. Discussion helps a lot provided it is honest discussion with the motive to help the other and in turn getting helped. Else it can be disastrous as well.

These are broadly some tips, which shall help you in the basic preparation. However, what matters most is the mental calmness and cool, which you maintain in the examination hall. Do not panic if you do not know any question. Apply your mind. Though not always, but most of the times the question can be rightly solved if one maintains cool and analyses it logically.