The general studies or GS paper 1 is one of the papers in the civil service examination conducted by the UPSC. The main aim of the GS 1 paper is to assess the students’ understanding about various subjects which are considered relevant. The general studies paper 1 includes the following subjects :

• History
• Geography
• Art and culture
• Society
• Current affairs

Candidates are required to have a solid understanding of these subjects to ace the GS 1 paper. The total duration of this paper is 3 hours and total marks is 250. All questions are compulsory. The question paper comes with 20 questions, which are in Hindi and English. Candidates are required to answer the first 10 questions in at least 150 words and last 10 questions in at least 250 words.

GS 1 Preparation Strategy

GS 1 is one of the crucial steps for aspirants aiming for a position in the Indian civil service. This paper mainly consists of subjects like Geography, History, society, current affairs etc. The GS 1 paper has a vast syllabus and it can be covered only with a proper preparation strategy. A well made plan could not only help you understand the concepts, but can also help you retain everything you studied.

Understand the syllabus

The preparation for GS 1 paper should start with candidates familiarising them with the syllabus. Candidates can visit the official website of UPSC or other websites to understand the syllabus of the general studies 1 paper. Clearly understanding the syllabus can help you allocate the necessary amount of time for most important topics.

Write down the syllabus in a book and try to Identify the most important topics from them. Certain topics of the syllabus are considered more important. So Identify those and write them down. This can help you while you’re revising the topics.

Develop a study plan

Effective preparation is possible only through a well made study plan. Your study plan should be made in such a way that there should be enough time for you to read, revise and practice questions. Many UPSC experts suggest adding weekly and monthly targets to the study plans. Making the plan is not enough, you should be able to execute it without any flaws.

Choosing the right resources for preparation

When it comes to UPSC exams, the number of study materials available in the market is countless. From NCERT books to books by expert teachers, there is a large number of books available in the market for UPSC preparation. This makes choosing the right study material a daunting task. Many experts recommend NCERT books as the first choice for UPSC preparation. Apart from NCERT books, there are a lot of other books by renowned authors. It is better to go with recommended books for preparation instead of buying books which nobody has ever heard about.

Stay updated with current affairs

One of the topics that plays a crucial role in your UPSC journey is current affairs. UPSC expects every candidate to be well versed with current affairs of the country. It is an impossible task to become a civil service officer without having any knowledge about what’s happening in the country. There are a lot of sources from where you can stay updated with current affairs. This mainly includes newspapers, magazines and Online portals.

Regular Revision

The only way to retain what you have studied is by revision. Make it a habit to revise topics every week or two so that you don’t forget what you have already studied. Allocate a couple of hours for revision every week to understand and memorise the topic for the exam.

Group study and discussions

Group study and discussions are a great way to enhance your knowledge. Group studies can also help you retain complex topics. Group studies can also be a great source to clear any doubts and gain clarity on tough topics.

Solving past year questions

One of the important things to do while preparing for GS 1 paper is to solve past year question papers. Solving past year questions can give you an idea about your strengths and can help you identify mistakes and rectify them.

Expert Recommended books for GS 1 Paper

Since there are a lot of books by a lot of teachers and mentors available in the market, it can be a challenging job for aspirants to choose the right one for their preparation. Below is a list of books suggested by experts for GS 1 paper preparation.

Art and Culture

• An Introduction to Indian Art- Class XI
• Fine Arts NCERT Class XII
• Centre for Cultural Resource and Training (CCRT) material
• Chapters related to culture in Ancient and Medieval India NCERTs

Geography

• Fundamentals of Physical Geography XI NCERT
• India: Physical Environment XI NCERT
• Fundamentals of Human Geography XII NCERT
• India: People and Economy XII NCERT
• Certificate Physical and Human Geography: GC Leong
• A Complete Solution to Human & Economic Geography
• A Complete Solution to Indian Geography
• A Complete Solution to World Geography
• A Complete Solution to Physical Geography

Indian Society

• NCERT Sociology – Class XI & XII
• Indian Society/Social Problems in India – Ram Ahuja

History

• A Brief History of Modern India- Spectrum
• India’s Struggle for Independence- Bipan Chandra
• India Since Independence- Bipan Chandra
• World History: Patterns of Interaction by McDougal Littell
• A Complete Solution to Ancient History
• A Complete Solution to Medieval Indian History
• A Complete Solution to Modern India Mains
• A Complete Solution to Modern Indian History
• A Complete Solution to World History

Conclusion

General studies paper 1 requires a well rounded plan and approach to crack. The vast syllabus makes GS 1 paper a rough paper to pass for a large number of people. But as many say, with the right approach and preparation nothing is impossible. A well made and executed strategy can make a huge difference in the UPSC journey of a candidate. Above given are some of the preparation strategies that a candidate can implement to ace the exams in the first go.