APSC Prelims Exam – Last minute Tips & Suggestions (Before and During Exam)
The first battle of the APSC CC Exam War is about to begin. Your tireless efforts for the APSC CC(Prelims) Exam is to be tested on 30 December, 2018. We recommend following last minute Tips & Suggestions before & during exam:
Believe in your preparation & Stay Positive
You have given enough time and energy to your preparation, now stop worrying and trust yourself. Don’t worry about what you have not studied; as now is not the time go back in time and study more.
Revise & revise
Last-minute revision will help you remember all the important points that you have studies earlier. Try to Revise all your self-made notes as they are well researched by you and contains your understanding about the topic.
Don’t read new topics
Now is not the time to study anything new as it will be tough to give enough quality time to thoroughly understand the topics. It may also add to your anxiousness and confusion regarding the topics.
Relax from evening preceding the exam day
Your all the preparations will work if you are calm and relaxed. Try to avoid last minute panic. This will avoid you making any silly mistakes in the exam. Eat right, Take adequate rest and sleep early.
Exam Checklist
# Print out of e-Admission Certificate (with a passport size color photo pastes in the space provided)
# A valid photo identity proof (we recommend you to have a photocopy too)
# Ball Point Pen with blue/blank ink
Reach the centre in advance, enter Exam Hall 30 minutes before the start date
Strategy during the Exam
# Read the instructions carefully # Read the question carefully, before attempting it, especially check for ‘NOT’ in the Question statement. # Do not panic if you do not know any question. # Manage Time efficiently & Don’t get stuck on a question # Leave no question unread & un-attempted.
# First, finish all Questions you are absolutely sure.
# Mark ‘X’ (or anything else) for doubtful Qs on the Question Paper only by pencil, which can be attempted only after you are done with all the Questions you are absolutely sure.
# Mark ‘Y’(or anything else) for Qs you have no idea on the Question Paper only by pencil, which can be attempted only after you are done with all the Questions you are absolutely sure and Qs Marked ‘X’.
# Guesswork, if you don’t know answer to any Q, i.e. Marked it ‘X’ or ‘Y’, Don’t leave it un-attempted, as there is no negative marking in APSC Prelims
Intelligent Guessing – Try to remember anything you know about the topic of the Qs, then try to eliminate the most unlikely options and then select the most appropriate options among the remain options.
Do not make wild guess
APSC Prelims 2018 examination is not a hard nut to crack, given that you have put in a good amount of time and right strategy during during preparation and exam. Give the exam with Self-believe and confidence, Victory will be yours.
All the Best..Good Luck..👍👍
(And See you enrolling for our APSC Mains Test Series)😀😄
Disclaimer:The strategy mentioned above is the preferable approach of Adhikary Education team and can’t be claimed as best method or fit-for-all method. Aspirants may have different/ individual suitable approached also, if you have one that works for you, then stick to it.
APSC CC (Mains) Interview –Tips, Question & Guidance (All you need to know)
APSC CC Mains 2016 results is out now. For those in the list, the war is not won yet, you still have the last battle, i.e. Interview or Viva-Voce. You need to prepare and perform alteast decently in the interview, to get a good score out of 200 marks, which will get added to the Mains written exam to determine the final score for selection.
APSC CC(Mains) Final Marks = CC Mains (Written Exam) marks + Interview marks
Need for Interview
The interview stage of the APSC CC (Mains) Exam is supposed to assess the suitability of the candidates who are academically qualified to serve the executive branch of Govt of Assam. They try to ascertain personality traits, qualities and essentialities of a good civil service officer.
InterviewProcess
Unlike APSC Prelims and Mains Exam, Interview questions have no defined standard & Syllabus and thus difficult to prepare and generalize questions by the APSC Interview Boards, and solely depends on the board members taking your interview.
There will be multiple Boards, each board has one chairman (probably either APSC Chairman or as APSC member) and two/three other members.
InterviewQuestions
Most of the questions asked in interview are usually predictable barring a few. It is therefore important to be as attentive and as calm as possible in the interview so that the answers should be short, sensible and up to the point.
You should try to answer any question by systematically arrange the facts and points (in mind).
It is more about answering correctly rather than giving correct answers. You should smartly sail through the questions whose answer you don’t know.
Tips for APSC Interview Preparation
# KnowYourself – Very probably the APSC Interview board will ask atleast one question regarding yourself. So, know everything (what comes in your resumes) about yourself. Stick to the original you (If you are not a good actor). Your Hobby, Your Academics, Your Achievements, Your Job (for working candidates), Your Family etc.
# WhyACS/APS or any other service – At some point of time they may ask your reason to join ACS, APS or any other particular service. Prepare a very convincing answer for this question. Utmost important for candidates already in a job, any way superior to APSC ACS/APS etc.
# CurrentHappenings – Reading newspapers, magazine, following govt/development happenings and other current issues of Assam and India is very important
# Know Assam – Knowledge about Assam History, Polity, Geography, Economy and Art & Culture is also very important, so, try to brush up again these areas. (Very important if you are staying outside Assam). Also know your locality.
# Optional / Academic subjects – Questions can be asked about your optional subject(s) and degree/masters subject(s), so try to revise alteast the fundamentals of these subjects. (Very important if your Optional(s) are different from your educational background)
# Don’t Bluff– If you don’t know answer of a particular question, say “Sorry Sir/Madam, I do not know” instead of beating around the unknown bush. Just make sure you don’t say too many “Sorry Sir/Madam, I do not know”.
Before the APSC Interview
# Preparementally – The Interview stage demands more of calm and composed mind & personality, so stop accumulating more and more information immediately before Interview and try to be in your comfort zone.
# Readyall necessary documents
All original certificates (including Birth Certificate)
Mark Sheets
Caste certificate
Disability_status(if applicable)
We recommend No Objection Certificate (NOC) also
# First impression(Dress code)
On Interview day, Dress smartly in a comfortable full formal attire.
For Male – Shoe (with shocks), Trouser (Preferably dark coloured), Full sleeve shirt (Preferably light coloured). Tie is optional (based on your comfort level and climatic condition). Wristwatch is good.
For Female – Shoe or Sandal (low-heeled / do not make noise), simple Saree or a Salwar suit (based on your comfort level). Neaty hair and minimum makeup. Minimum jewellery.
NOT Recommended
Avoid bright colours/shades/prints cloths
No cool jeans and T-shirts.
No sneakers or flip-flops.
Male candidates avoid very stylish beard and long hair.
Be ConfidentBe Positive
Don`t give up and never despond! Believe in yourself and your luck; you can do everything!!!!
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
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.
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
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.
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):
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’
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).
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.
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)
Know who you are? Including all you have done and gone through after you were born.
Know Assam and it’s main problems, prospects (Political, Socio-economical, Geographic etc.)?
Why you fought the ‘War of APSC Combined Competitive Exam’?
Why want to join Assam Civil Service (or any specific service) and justify your suitability for the posts?
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
