Top 12 Tips for Punjab PCS 2024 Exam Preparation
The Punjab PCS is the most prestigious exam in the Punjab Region. It is attempted by more than 40 thousand aspirants though only a few realize their dream because of the vast syllabus and Dynamic Nature of the Punjab PCS Exam.
In this article, you can get all the information you need on how to prepare for the Punjab PCS exam and Achieve your goal.
The Punjab Civil Services (Punjab P.C.S.) exam cannot be cracked by cramming the syllabus or making notes. The Question paper and Interview round are designed to assess a candidate’s analytical thinking, Personality, and suitability for the Job.
This requires the intellectual development of the student. He/she needs to develop a knowledge-seeking and Analytical attitude apart from finishing the syllabus of the exam. This can be done by curiously analyzing all the events happening around us
Read on for 12 Tips for Punjab PCS Exam Preparation and Strategy to Crack it.
How to prepare for the Punjab PCS Exam 2024?
In this section, we have listed the most important tips for beginners to prepare for the Punjab PCS Exam. These tips aim at helping aspirants devise a well-planned preparation strategy for the upcoming PCS Prelims 2023–2024.
There are 10 important tips mentioned below:
Tip #1: Make up Your mind
Taking an affirmative decision about the preparation is a vital part of this journey.
You should ask yourself a question. What is the source of your motivation for the Punjab Civil Services Examination?
If your motivation is internal and you are ready to devote at least one year of your life to it, then you are ready to be a civil servant in Punjab
Tip#2:- Understand the Pattern of the Punjab PCS Exam
The Punjab Civil Services Exam is held in three stages and they are:
1. First Stage: Preliminary Examination consisting of Objective type questions (MCQ) of 400 Marks
The Preliminary Exam has two papers in it
- General Studies (100 Questions, 200 Marks)
- CSAT ( Civil Services Aptitude Test ) (80 Questions, 200 Marks)
Preliminary exams are only for the screening of a candidate for the next level of exam which is the Mains exam. The Marks he scored in prelims will not be counted in final merit.
2. Second Stage: Main Examination: – It contains 7 Descriptive papers of total 1350 Marks
- Paper-I Punjabi Language 100 Marks
- Paper-II ENGLISH 100 Marks
- Paper-III Essay- 150 Marks
- Paper-IV GENERAL STUDIES-I – 250 Marks
- Paper-V General Studies-II 250 Marks
- Paper-VI GENERAL STUDIES-III 250 Marks
- Paper-VII General Studies-IV 250 Marks
Note: – There is No optional Subject in Punjab PCS Mains Exam as per the latest Exam pattern of 2023
3. Third/Final Stage: Personality Test/Interview of total 150 marks – Face-to-face discussion with the PPSC Interview Board
Final merit is prepared by taking the total marks, obtained by the candidates in Mains and Interview Exam, into account
Note:- Marks obtained in PCS Prelims Exam are not considered for Final Merit
Tip#3 Understand the Syllabus of the PCS Exam
Knowing the syllabus is the foremost thing to do before you go through the study material and preparation strategy
Click here for the Punjab PCS Prelims Syllabus
Tip#4:- Make a Time Table for Self Study
When it comes to the Punjab civil services exam preparation, learning time management is a must. Proper management of time helps students to improve how they study. Everybody has their engagements throughout the day. So it would be unfair if we force you to follow a rigid study plan. Every student needs to create their Time Table as per their prevailing circumstances. All we need is 6 to 8 productive hours of study per day to excel in the Civil services examination.
You have already gone through the syllabus so make a custom time plan for a study that syllabus
Tip#5:- Make Newspaper Reading a habit
According to the latest trend, the questions asked in the Punjab civil services exam are dynamic in Nature. The Questions are directly or indirectly connected with current affairs. Hence, it is very important to follow the relevant news items in your daily newspaper.
For Punjab PCS Exam We recommend you read The Tribune Daily. In The Tribune Newspaper, you will get Punjab Related current affairs along with issues of national and international importance.
Click here to know How to read the tribune Newspaper for Punjab PCS exam
Tip#6:- Start Reading Basic NCERTs First
Because of simple language and uncomplicated explanations, NCERTs are the best source to make foundations for General studies. We recommend you read the NCERT books first before starting the advanced-level books.
You need to read the NCERT textbooks from class VI through class XII for each subject. For example, if you are reading Indian Polity, read the class VI Social Studies textbook and work your way up to the class XII textbook. (Always keep the Punjab PCS syllabus for your reference.)
Tip#7:- Read some Standard Books for GS
Here are the best books for the PUNJAB PCS exam.
PUNJAB PCS Exam: History
- History of Modern India – Bipan Chandra
- Spectrum Modern History
- India’s Struggle For Independence – Bipan Chandra
- India’s Ancient Past – R.S. Sharma
- History of Medieval India – Satish Chandra
PUNJAB PCS Exam: Geography
- Certificate Physical and Human Geography – Goh Cheng Leong
- NCERT’s 11th and 12th Class
- Oxford Student Atlas
PUNJAB PCS Exam: Environment
- Environmental Studies: From Crisis to Cure – Rajagopalan
- NCERT 12th Biology (Chapter 13 onwards).
- Punjab School Education Board Environment Booklet ( Chapters related to stubble burning)
Punjab PCP Exam:- Indian Polity
- Indian Polity by Laxmikant
- Governance in India by Lakshmikanth
PUNJAB PCS Exam: Indian Economy
- Indian Economy – Ramesh Singh
- Economic Survey of India
- Economic Survey of Punjab
PUNJAB PCS Exam: General Science and Technology
- General Science – Arihant Publication
- Science subject NCERTs
- Science Reporter Magazine
PUNJAB PCS Exam: Current Affairs
The current affairs section is the most important in any competitive exam. Along with regularly reading the newspaper, one should read some good monthly magazines like Yojana Kurukshetra and a Current Affairs Compilation
PUNJAB PCS Exam: Punjab GK
- History and Culture of Punjab:- PSEB Book Class 11th and 12th
- Geography and Agriculture of Punjab:- Class-XII Rural Development And Environment ( Selected Chapters)
Tip#8:- Make Short Notes and Mind Maps
It is very difficult to memorize and revise this vast syllabus of the PCS exam. You should make precise notes and mind maps to make it easy to memorize and comfortable for last-minute revision before prelims or mains exam.
The thumb rule for making notes is that you must summarize 100 words into 10-15 words or else notes will defeat their purpose.
You can also make Mind Maps for Complicated and diverse topics. A mind map is a visual diagram that lets you organize your notes in a two-dimensional structure. A mind map shows relationships, hierarchies, and connections between individual pieces of information at a glance.
Mind maps provide a great overview of a topic because they store all your notes related to that topic on one single page.
Tip#9:- Join Prelims Mock Test Series
When you have completed any of two subjects of General Studies and current affairs of 2-3 months then you should join a good Practice Test series for Punjab PCS Prelims 2023.
You should keep the following things in mind before joining any test series for Preliminary Exam
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Test series must include Sectional Tests and Full-length tests for General Studies as well as for CSAT.
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The test series must be followed by an Explanation Lecture by experienced faculty
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The test series should strictly be according to the latest trend in PPSC Questions
Tip#10:- Practice Answer Writing For Mains
Answer writing practice is the most important part of preparations for the Punjab PCS Mains Exam. You have to learn about how much better your presentation skills are while writing answers in a time-specific manner. You can join a Test series for PCS Mains as well.
One thing you must keep in mind before starting answer writing for the main exam is that you must have completed 70 % of the syllabus of the General Studies.
Tip#11:- Revise
Revising effectively can go a long way to help you prepare for the Punjab PCS Exam in a manner that you end up cracking it in the first attempt itself. Your Short notes and Mind Maps are a one-stop solution for holistically revising the whole syllabus. Here are a few tips to revise Syllabus in a better way
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Take Small Targets, complete them, and then revise them.
For Example, you have decided to read a particular topic in a Book within 2 days. After reading that topic you should do a quick revision of the short notes or Mind Maps you created.
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Revise Every week
Choose a day, preferably Sunday, on which you will revise the whole syllabus you studied last week.
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Daily review
Start taking a daily review of the previous day’s study or notes before starting a new topic of the day.
Tip# 12:- Stay positive and motivated
Maintain your regularity and consistency daily and keep yourself motivated.
You can watch all the motivational videos on the internet/YouTube, but as always, they will only give you motivation at that moment. In the long run, you’ll need to learn to stay motivated internally.
Here are some tips to keep yourself motivated during the Punjab PCS Exam Preparation
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Self-improvement will lead to motivation i.e. Better scores in Mock tests
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Read Some Good Books like Power of Habit, Biography of APJ Abdul Kalam
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Socialize with like-minded people
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Talk with your loved ones
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Stay away from Negative People
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Do proper exercise
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Try to develop an interest in GS Subjects
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Imagine yourself as SDM or DSP of a police
“When it gets tough, turn around and look how far you’ve already come”. This is the best motivation.
All the best!
