APSC CCE Prelims & Mains Exam 2022 Preparation Strategy – Study Plan, Recommended Books for APSC Prelims & Mains Exam

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APSC CCE Prelims & Mains Exam 2022 Preparation Strategy

Study Plan, Recommended Books for APSC Prelims & Mains Exam

You are happy/unhappy in your ongoing life, be you are a student/ professional/ unemployed, life was going somehow, suddenly you stumble upon or set your focus on the ‘APSC Combined Competitive Exam’ or you are a person always have the ‘APSC Combined Competitive Exam’ in your eyes. Considering all other aspects of life, if you have sincerely set APSC Combined Competitive Examination as your goal, then WELCOME ABOARD!!.

“Without strategy, execution is aimless. Without execution, strategy is useless.” – Morris Chang

STEP 1 –  The Earlier the Better

STEP 2 – Exam Pattern

STEP 3 – APSC Prelims Preparation

STEP 4 –  APSC Mains Preparation

STEP 5 –  Viva-voce (Interview) Preparation

STEP 6 – Relax (Not exactly!) Public Servant Life Starts Here

STEP 1 –  The Earlier the Better

 

Important Books for Assam General Knowledge 
  Economy of Assam
  Environment & Ecology
  Geography of Assam
  History of Britain
  Assam – Art & Culture
  History of Assam – Ahom and British Period
  History of Assam – Ancient Period


Starting preparation for anything (including APSC CC Exam) as early as possible will always give you a great advantage as you can build your general awareness and basics really strong over a longer period of time. And once the Notification is out, you will not waste time in collecting necessary information about the exam, what to study and from where to study.

Find out everything about the APSC CC Exam.

  • If possible choose your Bachelor/Master degree/electives in subject(s) you would like to take as optional papers in the APSC CC Exam (see Step 2).
  • If academic career is over, Don’t worry. Choose any subject from List of optional subjects  and collect materials and start preparing slowly but steadily.
  • Follow Current Affairs, News, Governance Issues, Social Issues regularly

We recommend that First-timer should ideally start preparation at least 9 to 12 months before the APSC CC (Prelim) Exam.

NOTE: Timeline may vary as all human beings are not the same in remembering, understanding and learning.

 

STEP 2 – Exam Pattern

First and foremost, you should know what you are up against? In this case, it’s ‘APSC Assam Civil Service Exam’. Then know what are the battles we have to pass through to win over the battle.

Detailed Analysis of the various stages and phases of the APSC Assam Civil Service Exam, that we must have to go through, are

  1. Written examination – consists of two stages
    a. Preliminary Examination
    b. Main Examination (written)

1. a. Preliminary Examination

The examination consists of two papers of two hours duration each. The questions are of multiple choice objective (MCQ) types:

Paper-I – General Studies – 200 Marks.

Paper-II – GS Paper II (CSAT) – 200 Marks. It is of Qualifying Nature.

NOTE: This examination is meant to serve as a screening test for qualifying for Mains Exam only. The marks obtained in this exam not counted for determining the final selection.

1. b. Main Examination

The written examination consists of the following papers of 3 hours duration each. The questions of the Main Examination will be conventional essay type (Descriptive):

Paper 1 – Essay – 250 Marks

Paper 2 – General Studies I – covers Indian History, Heritage, Culture and Society and Geography of the India and World (250 Marks)

Click to see Full Syllabus & more details

Paper 3 – General Studies II – covers Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and international relations (250 Marks)

Click to see Full Syllabus & more details

Paper 4 – General Studies III – covers Technology; Economic Development, Biodiversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management (250 Marks)

Click to see Full Syllabus & more details

Paper 5 – General Studies IV – covers Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude (250 Marks)

Click to see Full Syllabus & more details

Paper 6 – General Studies V – covers History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Environment of Assam
Click to see Full Syllabus & more details

Total – 1500 Marks

NOTE: The Commission has the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all the subjects of the Examination.

  2. Viva-voce (Interview)  – 275 marks.

The candidates are interviewed by a Board. Interview Marks are added to the marks scored in the written examination (Main) to arrive at the Total Marks scored, which determine the rankings of the victories soldiers in the ‘War of APSC Combined Competitive Exam’

Go To APSC Interview – Tips, Question & Guidance (All you need to know)

 

STEP 3 –  Prelims Preparation

If Preparation started 9 – 12 months before expected APSC CC (Prelim) Exam

Start with the General Studies (GS) paper and CSAT paper for Prelim Exam. Initially, read thoroughly standard books (like NCERT books, Laxmikant etc.) and other details study materials so that it helps in both Prelims and Mains Exam, and try to finish the entire syllabus. Read and revise; read and revise as many times as time permits.

By this, before the Prelims Exam, you should have completed at least 40-50% of your Mains GS syllabus (It will be of immense help if the time gap between Prelims and Mains Exam is less).

CSAT paper is of qualifying nature and thus you should focus only enough to comfortably fetch you qualifying marks. Click to see APSC Prelims CSAT Preparation Strategy

If started 3-4 months before expected APSC CC (Prelim) Exam

  • Start your exclusively Prelim preparation for GS paper and CSAT paper.
  • Focus on either your notes or readymade materials which are very concise.
  • Try to cover the whole Prelims syllabus through must-read books and readymade concise materials.
  • Do NOT try to read all standard books available in the markets.
  • Read and revise as many times as time permits.

Join Adhikary Education’s APSC Prelims Test Series, if possible (highly recommended), as these will help in assessing your preparation level.

“The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining” – John F. Kennedy

For beginners, recommended basic Books for GS Paper I

Additional standard Books for GS Paper

  • Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth
  • Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh
  • India’s Struggle For Independence by Bipan Chandra

Books List for GS Paper II (CSAT)

  • Verbal & Non-Verbal Reasoning – R. S. Aggarwal
  • CSAT Paper – 2 Manual by TMH
  • Analytical Reasoning – M. K. Pandey

STEP 4 – Mains Preparation

Based on your attempts in Prelim, you think there is even a slight chance of clearing the Prelim, Immediately start Mains Exam Preparation.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson


If you have started preparation 9 – 12 months before Prelim Exam, it’s very safe to assume that you should have completed at least 30-40% of your Mains GS syllabus. And now, you are left with 60% of GS paper and the optional of Mains Exam.

Normally, Time gap between APSC Prelims and Mains Exam is of 5-6 months, and the new GS section is very vast, no accordingly allocation more time for GS Papers and the optional subject of the Mains.


If you have started preparation only 3-5 months before Prelim Exam, then it can be assumed that you would have completed around 30-35% of your Mains GS syllabus.

Immediately after APSC Prelims Exam, start right there, don’t waste any time. Normally, Time gap between APSC Prelims and Mains Exam is of 5-6 months, and the new GS section is very vast, no accordingly allocation more time for GS Papers and the optional subject of the Mains.

Join some APSC Mains Test Series, if possible (highly recommended), online or offline, as these will improve your answer writing practice and helps in time management.


After APSC Mains Exam Schedule is out

Mains Exam schedule is released approximately one month before the start of the exam and afterward, you should make study plan and time allotment among the GS, English and the optional subjects, based on the exam date of each paper and how much to be covered.

STEP 5 –  Viva-voce (Interview) Preparation

Go to APSC Interview – Tips, Question & Guidance (All you need to know)

Interview is the phase where questions are asked without any syllabus and also it’s the place where you can show your specific skills and justify why you are best suited for the post.

Anyway, for an non-extra-ordinary interview session, try prepare answers for the following questions (remember, there is no syllabus and questions can come from anywhere, about anything)

  1. Know who you are? Including all you have done and gone through after you were born.
  2. Know Assam and it’s main problems, prospects (Political, Socio-economical, Geographic etc.)?
  3. Why you fought the ‘War of APSC Combined Competitive Exam’?
  4. Why want to join Assam Civil Service (or any specific service) and justify your suitability for the posts?

STEP 6 – Relax (Not exactly!)

See yourself achieving the cherished dream.

Let the Game begins….

Disclaimer: This is a plan best only by our perspective; it may NOT be suitable to many aspirants. Best plan is what you develop by having SWOT analysis of yourself.

 

“A deliberate plan is not always necessary for the highest art; it emerges.” ― Paul Johnson

Recommended Books List for Political Science Optional Paper

Recommended Books List for Education Optional Paper

Recommended Books List for History Optional Paper

Recommended Books List for Sociology Optional Paper