Important Topics to cover in UPSC Prelims

Indian independence movement with focus on the following:
1. Important congress sessions with year, president and important resolutions
2. Important viceroys and their tenure with important decisions
3. Government of India acts 1909, 1919,1935 and charter acts

In ancient history, the focus should be on:
1. Hindu philosophy and Buddhism and Jainism
2. Mauryan and Gupta period
3. Basic art, architecture and scientific development during that period

In medieval history, the focus should be on important kings such as Akbar, SherShah  etc and other important dynasties and their chronology.

In policy, the stress must be on areas of current importance in general and following areas in particular:
1. Fundamental rights, DPSP, fundamental duties
2. Parliament and parliamentary proceedings, committee system
3. Judiciary
4. Constitutional bodies

In economy, the focus should be on basic and fundamental concepts such as: 
1. Growth and development, poverty, inflation, unemployment
2. State of national and global economy
3. Important committees and bills
4. Recent budget and economic survey

Very important areas for pre exam are geography, ecology and environment:
1. For geography, the focus should be on NCERT books of 6 to 12 standard
2. Detailed study of maps with focus on important national parks, rivers, dams soil type, forest coverage
For general science, NCERT books from 6 to 10 are vital to study.

The focus should be on basic concepts used in everyday science and latest technological development such as 3rd and 4th generation mobile technology, nanotechnology, biotechnology etc.

General guidelines: 

• Focus on easy questions first,
• Do not waste time on difficult questions,
• Make only intelligent guesses,
• In last few days, the focus should be on revision and not on covering new topics. The experts advice at least three revisions of the syllabus before the exam,
• Practise as many test papers as possible