With just a month left for the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, aspirants are in a crucial phase of preparation. Amid the last-minute hustle, Mr. Altap Shaikh, a 2020-batch Indian Corporate Law Service (ICLS) officer, took to social media platform X to share valuable tips drawn from his own UPSC journey. His advice is widely appreciated for its clarity, relevance, and motivational tone.
Here are the key points Mr. Shaikh shared:
- Focus on Revision: He urged aspirants to stop exploring new material at this stage, with the exception of newspapers, and instead dedicate their time to revision of previously studied content.
- Strengthen Weak Areas: Based on mock test performance, aspirants should now identify their weak areas. For instance, if Indian Economy is a concern, topics like RBI, capital markets, foreign trade, current affairs, and economic terms must be given focused attention.
- Streamline Current Affairs: He emphasized avoiding new or bulky sources for current affairs. Instead, one should revise from familiar sources. Mapping-based questions, often neglected, should be actively practiced.
- Tackle CSAT Seriously: Mr. Shaikh highlighted the importance of the often-dreaded CSAT paper. He advised revising formulas, practicing comprehension passages and number systems, and solving previous tests to stay sharp.
- Master Elimination Techniques: He recommended practicing elimination strategies using previous years’ papers. According to him, such techniques are often the key to cracking difficult MCQs when direct answers are uncertain.
- Mapping for GS Paper I: Geography, Environment, Defence, and International Relations often feature mapping-based questions. He advised group practice with peers and understanding the geopolitical and ecological importance of different locations.
Mr. Shaikh concluded by stating that he couldn’t share specific sources publicly but intends to guide aspirants further through direct communication.
Officer Shaikh’s Post:
#upsc2025
— Altap Shaikh ICLS (@altapshaikhICLS) April 25, 2025
So dear aspirants, you have just 1 month left and huge burden of clearing the prelims.
As always,I wish you all the best and some suggestions for the last month
1. You have read enough. It’s time to revise again. No more new material except newspapers.#upscresult
His practical and focused suggestions come as a timely morale booster for thousands of candidates gearing up for the prelims, offering a strategic edge for the final lap of preparation.
Also Read: 15 Failures in Competitive Exams Later, Altap Shaikh Cracked UPSC CSE 2020
