Is preparing for PCS Exam different from preparing for IAS Exam?

Both the IAS and PCS exam requires the candidates to have an extensive understanding of a wide variety of subjects such as History, Geography, Political Science, Science, General Studies Art and CULTUREand even Ethics. The subjects are almost identical with a big chunk of syllabus overlapping. While the UPSC questions are targeted towards having an in-depth understanding of the topics, the PCS, on the other hand, is concentrated on more facts and figures. Besides the questions in the Punjab Civil Services Exam are more concentrated towards the state of Punjab and they ought to be prepared thoroughly. Either of the two examinations is challenging and rating one above the other can be a misleading statement. Success in any Civil Services Examination expects a candidate to have 3 D’s Determination, Dedication, and Dextrous.

There are 5 steps that are integral in the preparation of PCS Exam.

Step 1: The first step you should make while you begin PCS preparation is to understand the syllabus in detail. By doing so the candidate shall be able to find out the strengths and weaknesses. Accordingly, the candidate can choose his optional subjects. This strategy not only enables the students to bank on their skills but also enables them to work harder towards working on their shortcomings. Students can choose to self-study or enrol in a coaching institute. One should remember always that whatever means the candidate chooses it is always the candidate who has to put in the hard work and stay focussed to reach the goal.

Step 2: It is extremely important that the student has access to quality and correct study material. Individuals who go about looking for many books should understand that the syllabus for the PCS Exam is humungous and with every minute counting referring to NCERT book and 1-2 good reference books per subject is enough to prepare for the examination. Besides the newspaper reading magazines such as India Today, Yojna or CSR provides a candidate with an added advantage. The reference books play an integral part in the candidate’s preparation for the arduous examination. For History the recommended books are Ancient History by RS Sharma, Medieval History by Satish Chandra, and Modern History by Bipin Chandra, Sumit Sarkar, For Political Science the only book recommended is Laxmikanth, Geography by QC Leong,The candidate should pay attention to the fact that the syllabus of the UPSC and the PCS exam is identical except the latter is less extensive. Preferably go through a Punjabi newspaper as it shall help you in performing well in the comprehension.
One of the books providing comprehensive coverage of General Knowledge of Punjab is RANGLA PUNJAB BOOK. Some of the other noteworthy books on Punjab culture are Saada Punjab and The Punjab Review both of which have been by Munish Jindal, Punjab GK by VMS Grover. Besides the study material, spare time for adequate revision by answering the mock questions on the topics on a daily basis.

Step 3: Prepare simultaneously for the Mains examination alongside the PCS Exam Prelims as there is very less time between the declaration of result for the PCS Prelims and the Mains Exam. However, there are topics which are relevant only for Mains (for example, Ethics, Internal Security, World History etc).

Step 4: Time Management and Answer writing are two of the important aspects of the PCS exam Mains. Candidate should have ample practice for writing answers in a time constrained environment. It is important to get your answers evaluated by mentors and seek improvement based on their feedback.

Step 5: One of the critical elements of the exam is the DAF(Detailed Application Form). There can be a number of questions that can be put across to you. Candidate should try to figure out the likely questions that can be asked from the DAF. Seek the best answers to those queries by consulting with the teacher a friend or someone who has given the examination earlier.