4 Ways to Stay Consistent for UPSC CSE 2024 Exam

For UPSC CSE | 27th October 2023 – 10 mins read

“Consistency and willpower are the key factors which possess the potential to transform our dreams into a living reality”

– Manuj Jindal

Preparing for a mammoth exam like UPSC CSE is considered to be a big challenge itself, the primary reasons being its vast syllabus and difficulty level.

Therefore, staying consistent and disciplined are known to be key factors behind cracking this exam and often ensuring to do so is a hard task for many aspirants.

So, what exactly were the steps I took to ensure consistency which led me to not just clearing this exam but also achieve an AIR 53 in my final UPSC CSE selection?

Let me introduce you to this concept called “nudging” and its relevance especially during preparation for a competitive exam like UPSC.

Well, it is not just limited to clearing exams, but can also be utilized to motivate yourself or keep yourself engaged in your goals.

I know many of you must be wondering but what exactly is nudging? Nudging is nothing but a concept of gently pushing yourself in the right direction instead of procrastinating on your goals.

Nudging can be done in many ways or forms; you can do so by either reminding yourself or it can be someone else who will guide you to stay consistent and achieve the target you have set for yourself.

It is what I did during my preparation which till today helps me to stay disciplined, ensure punctuality and complete my work projects on time.

So, in this blog I will take you through the measures I undertook during my preparation period which immensely helped me to cultivate consistency.

Step 01: Have a nudging partner throughout your preparation

To start off, you can ensure that you have with you a nudging partner- and that person can be anyone, be it a family member or your close friend.

Well, having a partner or mentor besides you will give you outsider’s perspective and will guide you whether you are on the right path or not.

For example, if you are spending too much time on social media or taking multiple breaks in between your preparation, you can ask your close ones to remind you to stay focused on goals.

Without inspection, it is easy for aspirants to become distracted and waste a lot of their precious time.

So, taking honest and critical feedback on your time management skills can help improve your productivity and complete tasks on time.

Step 02: Break your big goal into small daily targets

The next step you can take is to utilise a technique which will help you to finish your tasks in hand.

In reference to this, you can make use of the POMODORO method – a widely used technique in which you set for yourself short study sessions upto time duration of 20, 30 or 45 minutes.

In these sessions, you can divide the topics given in the syllabus into small parts that you can easily cover.

Instead of studying for long hours at a stretch, you can use this technique to nudge yourself as this will instantly remind you to stay focused on your goals.

Looking back at my preparation days, I used to divide Economy syllabus into chapters to cover each day, which would roughly make up to 40 pages in day.

Therefore, depending on your reading speed and comfort level, you can divide the syllabus into small daily targets you must cover each day.

By following this method diligently, you will be able to cover the entire syllabus in an effective manner.

Step 03: Referring to topper’s insights for the right guidance

Another highly effective step you can take is to look at the blogs, videos or the interviews of the UPSC toppers in the past. You can also take a look at the answer- writing copies which are available for free online.

When you refer to the insights provided by the toppers, it will not just help you learn new things on your way but also guide you to be on the right path which had previously been followed by the toppers.

So, once in every while, you can refer to any topper’s insights to keep track of your progress and to check whether you taking the suitable steps.

This technique will prove to be extremely beneficial to also learn on how to approach the syllabus, structure your answers along with helping you stay motivated in your preparation.

Step 04: Ensure discipline by following reliable online sources

To stay consistent, you can take help from the online study channels for UPSC preparation. One such trusted channel is mine, i.e., Manuj Jindal IAS.

As referring to my YouTube classes and videos will provide you a picture as to all the things you must know in your exam preparation.

Apart from the guidance, regularly viewing my channel will boost your confidence and keep your motivation high to pursue your goals.

Therefore, by following either mine or any other reliable channel, you will stay self- disciplined and be consistent in your preparation for competitive exam like UPSC CSE.

As I strongly believe that consistent improvement and discipline are two of the essential qualities that all aspirants must inculcate in order to clear this exam.

His advice to aspirants

Lastly, I suggest my students to listen to your inner self or intuition. Have faith in your abilities to persevere in your exam journey.

As all of us are unique individuals and have different capabilities, therefore do not fall into the trap of comparing yourself with other aspirants or toppers.

Believe in yourself as you truly are your biggest motivator and perhaps the most powerful one!

I am confident that by following these tips to stay consistent which I discussed in detail above will prove to be beneficial in your exam preparation.

To clear a prestigious exam like UPSC CSE, you must be determined and consistent in your endeavour apart from rigorously preparing for the same.

Therefore, make sure to work on your shortcomings, prepare thoroughly, stay motivated and I assure you that you are well on your way to cracking this examination and achieving your dreams!