7 Reasons: What is Test Series in UPSC and its Significance

The UPSC CSE is one of the most prestigious and difficult exams to crack. It is a no-brainer that the most targeted Civil Service Examination requires your undivided attention and preparation.

The Test series not only makes you familiar with the exam structure but fully prepares you by working on every aspect that needs to be worked upon for IAS Exam.

But you may ask, “What is test series in UPSC?”.

Just think about why many of the aspirants appearing for the UPSC Mains exam are unable to crack it.

The reason is simple: the aspirants focus only on studying standard books, completing the UPSC Syllabus, strict study schedules and going through various study materials and online resources. However, because of time constraints, they lack quality practice!

UPSC Preparation won’t be fruitful if you study without evaluating your knowledge. Testing yourself for UPSC Exam is as equally important as preparation.

This blog talks about what is test series in UPSC, how evaluation is beneficial from the IAS Exam point of view, and how Examarly is helping in test-based preparation for UPSC Prelims.

Significance of Test-Based Preparation for UPSC

Test-based approach for UPSC offers a lot of benefits that not only boost your confidence and performance but also escalate the possibility of scoring high.

Some of the benefits of test-based Civil Services Exam preparation are mentioned below:

1. Aids in completing the vast syllabus in chunks

UPSC Syllabus seems endless if you prepare for IAS or any other UPSC-conducted Civil Services Examination without testing yourself frequently. The cycle of study won’t stop if you focus on studying only as there might be a possibility that you may forget the previous one.

Testing small portions of the UPSC Syllabus after preparation will be fruitful as this will help you retain these micro topics in your memory. Thus test-based preparation for UPSC CSE enables you to cover the entire syllabus in chunks.

Aspirants who are working professionals are not able to give the required time as well as attention to their studies. Preparation time is less for them. These mock test series of UPSC help them to cover the vast syllabus in time.

Frequent tests make you step forward in preparation by monitoring your knowledge of the previous section of the syllabus. This helps identify where you have to focus again on the topics that have already been covered.

2. Enables you to achieve targets

Doing a full-time job can take a toll on your preparation. You might not be able to join coaching institutes to help you with your preparation.

The test series provides you with time-constrained targets that aid you to cover the entire syllabus in bits. Lesser time is required to consume such micro targets compared to the bigger ones.

This is an advantage to the working aspirants as well as they have limited time for studies due to their work. Success comprises time management, goals and habits. 

3. Helps to maintain consistency

Frequent mock exams of UPSC enable you to stay motivated, focused and dedicated to your dream. Consistency and dedication are the base on which dreams are built.

If you are consistent in preparation then it will compensate for factors such as lack of time, mental pressure that is build-up due to work as well as studies, self-doubt to lack of confidence or de-motivation, and so on. 

4. Increases the probability of scoring high in exam

Making frequent testing a regular practice enables the IAS aspirants to answer the questions correctly. This simply means it refrains you from negative marking in UPSC Prelims.

Besides improving your answer writing ability in explanatory answers, it will improve your score as well as aid you to rank higher than other aspirants in UPSC Prelims.

5. Sharpens your memory and improves your performance

Frequent mock exams along with UPSC Preparation are very beneficial. They enable you to learn how much knowledge you have retained so far which you gained while preparing for UPSC Exam.

Continuous practice via mock exams helps you to retain most of the topics of the UPSC Syllabus in your memory with the examination pattern and performance analysis.

UPSC mock exams provide ample opportunity for working aspirants to balance their work and preparation for the exam. 

6. Provides you sufficient practice through Mock Test Series

“Practice makes perfect”.

Since practice is the key to the door to success, it should not be taken lightly. With practice, you enhance your preparation and move closer to success. 

Test series cover the maximum portion of a subject along with difficult questions as well. These mock question papers provide UPSC aspirants with sufficient practice. Mock exams familiarize the exam pattern to the aspirants. 

7. Inculcates the skill of time management 

Continuous practice of mock tests builds up the skill of answer writing (or choosing the apt answer) precisely. Frequent test series of UPSC retain the knowledge in your mind which will enable you to answer instantly without taking much time.

You Might Also Like: How To Prepare For UPSC Prelims And Mains Together Like An Absolute Pro!

How Test-Series Help in Evaluation?

Test series of UPSC is beneficial to both working professionals and non-working in evaluation in the following manner: 

1. Identify loopholes in your preparation: Besides inculcating the skills of answer writing, prudently managing time, etc., it also identifies the loopholes in your IAS Preparation by analyzing your performance at different levels of the test series. This will help attain a perfect strategy for preparation. 
2. Know your strength and weakness: Mock Test is a valuable tool that can help you improve your performance at each stage of UPSC Preparation. If the questions that you have attempted are wrong, it enables you to learn from your mistakes so that you won’t repeat them in the exam hall. Besides this, it will
   • Identify your weaknesses which will help you to know where you have to concentrate more.
   • Identify your strength, i.e. it will give you a notion of your skilled areas.
   • Monitor your overall performance
3. Build up the right strategy: After identifying the loopholes, strengths, and weaknesses. You can set up an IAS preparation strategy to proceed in the right direction. In short, the test series of UPSC helps the working aspirants in self-assessment and sets them on the right path towards success.

Prelims Test Makes Your Effort Count in UPSC

Test-based preparation for UPSC CSE or any other competitive exam is effective.

It contributes to making your effort count in UPSC CSE in the following manner:

1. Maximum coverage of topics with some questions compiled in a test.
2. Helps you to apply your theoretical knowledge and understand the exam pattern.
3. It helps you to know the loopholes and weak subjects in your UPSC Preparation.
4. Helps you to recall the concept deeper than merely gaining the facts while studying.
5. Improves your paper-solving speed.
6. Helps you to face the challenge confidently and enable you to be calm and poised while attempting the actual UPSC Exam.
7. Helps you to stay focused for IAS Exam.
8. Helps you to be familiar with the concepts you learned so far.
9. Monitor your progress at each level of preparation for UPSC CSE.
10. Providing sufficient practice that is important from the UPSC Exam point of view and boosts your confidence level.

How to Decide which Prelims Test Series to Take?

Attempting mock test series before sitting in the actual exam is a good practice. This helps you to get an idea of how difficult the paper is going to be and how much time you should allocate for each question.

So before attempting any test series or choosing your mock exam platform, keep the following points in mind:

1. It is prepared by an expert or not: If the mock test series are prepared by experts who have been through the exam themselves, then it will be a good option to attempt. This indicates that fellow aspirants who are appearing for their first attempt will be able to get an idea about the actual pattern.
2. The test series must be pocket friendly, else don’t register for it. As it might be probable that it will not be according to your expectations. So always invest in an affordable test series.
3. The mock exams are designed according to the pattern of prelims but their difficulty level of questions is high compared to actual prelims exams. Many reputed coaching centres provide good quality test series, look for them.
4. Whether the prelims test series is a replica of the actual exam or not: Are the selection of questions provided in the mock exams similar to those asked in the actual IAS/IPS exam or not.
5. The mock exams are designed according to the pattern of prelims but their level of difficulty is low compared to actual prelims exams. Moreover, there are many typos that will only serve as a waste of time for you as you will be spending more time rectifying them rather than attempting them.
6. Consider real testimonials of previous students and refer to some toppers’ interviews. This will help you to understand whether the provided test series is useful or not.

Check Out Our Blog On 9 Tips: Last Month’s Strategy For UPSC Prelims

Test-Based Preparation with Examarly

With Examarly, UPSC aspirants like you can work towards your dream via beneficiary test-based preparation.

You can test your knowledge with practice not only in the UPSC Prelims syllabus but also in the current affairs section.

We are dedicated to assisting UPSC aspirants in performing better in Civil Services Examinations. Examarly is not just a platform for self-study exam preparation for UPSC examinations; it is a motto that is meant to create success.

Conclusion

Test, a valuable tool, serves the purpose of improving the learning of aspirants. This measures the level of skill that one has achieved in their UPSC Civil Services preparation.

In short, frequent tests enable you to tackle the problem in a simpler way. Just win over your fear via test-based preparation and see how you perform well in the most targeted competitive Exam.

In this article, we described what is test series in UPSC and how to study for UPSC while being a working professional. We hope you got your answers.

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