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CIVIL SERVICES APTITUDE TEST - STUDY PLAN
In
order to face competition and come out with flying colours in an
examination like CSAT, a student should have conceptual knowledge in
each test area and should also develop a strategy to face the exam.
For the successful implementation of the strategy, a student should
have the right combination of knowledge, approach, and skill. The
details of each of these is given below:
It’s
the right combination of knowledge, approach, and skill which will
help a candidate be perfectly
ready for the exam.
Knowledge:
A
thorough understanding of the different concepts covered in the exam
will help a candidate achieve a competitive score. It is imperative
that a candidate is familiar with test areas, test pattern,
difficulty level or the number of questions topic-wise.
Approach:
A
candidate needs to be equipped with different shortcuts and
techniques to crack a competitive exam. Since these are time-bound
exams, time becomes a critical factor. So it becomes imperative that
a candidate is not just thoroughly knowledgeable in different test
areas but is also equipped with different methods to solve a problem.
A right approach will facilitate him get the right answer in the
least possible time.
SKill:-
A
right combination of knowledge and approach will help a candidate
arrive at the right answer to a problem in the least possible time.
The other dimensions which are also being tested in the exam are the
selection of the right questions, the ability to perform under
pressure and the ability to devise a strategy and act upon it when
there are any surprises in the exam. Mere knowledge of different
concepts or awareness of different methods to solve a problem is not
enough unless it is adequately backed by thorough preparation under
different scenarios to cover all the facets of the exam.
Therefore,
for a candidate to come out with flying colours, he/she should be
well equipped with Knowledge, Approach and Skill.
The
study plan for seven test areas in CSAT-paper II can be divided into
four Stages.
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Stage
1:
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A
student should attend class regularly. He should solve all the
problems discussed in class once again, at home, with
complete understanding of the concept.
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Stage
2:
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Apart
from attending classes, the student should go through the concepts
given in the Study Material, solve the examples first without
referring to the solution and then refer to the solutions to
compare his/her approach with that given in the solutions. After
solving the examples, the student should solve all the problems
given in the exercises. The emphasis in this stage of preparation
should be on gaining complete knowledge of the basic concepts
involved.
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Stage
3:
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A
student should solve all the test papers. While solving the test
papers he/she should keep a time target and focus on maximizing
the net score, during this stage of preparation. He/she should
develope his/her own strategy of dealing with the individual test
papers. The emphasis in this stage must also be on identifying
shortcomings in each area, if any, in terms of awareness of
concepts and methods of solving.
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Stage
4:
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A
student should take Mock CSATs and analyze the approach. These
tests can be covered at the rate of about one or two tests per
week. The main learning will be in tackling each section within an
overall exam scenario, thus developing abilities to take on the
real CSAT. The candidate should regularly discuss his/her mock
performance with the faculty members and take their guidance.
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