IAS preparation 2022: How to prepare current affairs?

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The candidates should try to complete the current affairs daily and revise it on the weekends. It is commonly observed that the current affairs become baggage and the candidates spend a large amount of time in covering the current affairs only and compromise with the time allotted to other subjects. This is not a good strategy in the long run because though current affairs are most important, other subjects also need preparation because the IAS question papers always surprise the candidates. So it is advisable to take a balanced approach.

See here: Important topics for Geography

What to Study for Current Affairs for IAS Exam?

The candidates should select the sources for current affairs carefully because authentic information is the biggest requirement for IAS exam. The candidates can select from the following sources

Newspapers

The Hindu, The Indian Express, The Hindu Businessline(Monday)

Monthly Current Affairs Magazine

Pratiyogita Darpan, Civil Services Times, Yojana, Niti Aayog reports, Economic and Political Weekly (for some topics only), World Focus year-end issue only.

Websites

PMO, MEA and Finance Ministry, PRS India, PIB

Notes of some reputed coaching institutes such as Vajiram and Ravi, Vision IAS and the likes.

The candidates should also listen to the Rajya Sabha Debates.

Read Here: Most Important Topics for IAS

How to make notes of Current Affairs?

The candidates can go for two types of notes.

• Date-wise Notes
• Topic - Wise Notes

The date-wise notes are of no use because searching and sorting are impossible in these notes. On the other hand, the topic-wise notes are better. The candidates can get all the information related to the topic in one place. The candidates should stick to the topic-wise notes and try to write all the information at the same place related to that topic. The following aspects can be covered the notes.

Current Happening

• Problem definition
• Trigger point
• Impact assessment
• Sustainable Solution

Background

•  History
• Geographic Location          
•  Economic Aspects/Impact              
• Legislation related to the topic               
• Any International event similar to the event( Research)

When it is a new government initiative then the orientation should be the impact assessment of the initiative. The candidates should also take note of critical points of the initiative. It will help in the critical evaluation questions in the main exam. The most important point to remember while preparing the current affairs notes is that the notes should be concise because in the IAS main the candidates need to write 250 words (maximum) for a question and he or she needs to present all the important aspects of the topic with the future-oriented sustainable solution.

The candidates should rely on writing direct and short sentences in the notes and the answers. It will increase their writing speed and help them to write more information in the answers.

To write plenty of information in a few words, the candidates are required to improve their vocabulary. The newspapers can help them in a big way if they can write words and use them in their writings.

In other words, we can say, the candidates need to fill Gagar me Sagar.

See Here: IAS Exam Pattern