The prelims exams of civil services are conducted by UPSC every year. Many students dream of becoming an IAS officer but only a few achieve success. There are many common mistakes that candidates make during exams. The UPSC prelims have negative markings. Candidates should avoid making mistakes in exams. It is not possible to avoid negative marking in exams but we should try to minimize it so that we can have a good score.
Students sometimes get pressured and start guessing work for better performance. It leads them to failure. The situation gets tougher when candidates have to choose between two very close options. That’s the situation when students attempt by guessing work.
Here, in the article, we will discuss some important points by which we can Reduce negative marking in prelims examination.
- Read the question paper carefully
The first thing you need to do during the exam is read all the questions carefully. After reading make sure you attempt the correct ones. Give proper time to understand the question paper. Questions can be tricky sometimes. Maybe you know the answer but failed to recognize it. So, it’s important to read and understand the questions carefully to avoid negative marking.
- Finish the correct one
After reading the question paper, finish the question on which you are sure. Attempt the correct answer first and leave the question on which you have a doubt. It will save your time and you can spend the remaining time understanding the questions.
- Avoid the guesswork
Guessing work doesn’t always work. When you are appearing for the UPSC examination, you need to avoid guessing work to reduce negative marking. Attempting questions on which you are not sure can cut your correct answers also. So, avoid guessing work in the UPSC examination.
- Read again the remaining questions
After you attempt all the correct questions, you have enough time to read the question paper again. Give time to understand the remaining question. Maybe you can answer some of them. So, if you have time, read the remaining questions.
- Mark the answer correctly
The common mistake that most of the candidates make is not marking the answer correctly. If you mark two answers, there is a chance to incorrect the question. So, be careful when marking the question.
- Preparation with proper study material
If you want to be good with your marks, you have to study with proper study material. Study material plays an important role in the preparation of the UPSC examination. Be prepared by making notes and with the help of the best books. Many coachings like Legacy IAS Academy, RAU’s IAS, and Shankar IAS provide useful study material. Join the Best IAS coaching in India IAS if you need it.
- Be confident
Be confident in your preparation. Many candidates get nervous during examinations and make mistakes. If you want to reduce negative marking in the UPSC prelims examination, be confident in your preparation and perform excellently.
- Leave the unsure questions
Don’t attempt a question if you have zero knowledge about it. If you try guessing work on such a question, there’s a high chance of getting negative marks. So, it’s better to leave the unsure question. There is no negative marking for unanswered questions. So, if you are not sure of your answer, leave the question.
- Practice mock tests
Practice quality mock tests as much as possible. Experiment the number of questions you attempt in the mock test. Analyze how much you are losing in negative marking. Mock tests help candidates in preparation. By attending mock tests, you can find out your weaknesses and strengths. You can work on your weak areas and make your preparation strong.
- Revision
If you want to get good marks in UPSC prelims, revision is very important. Revision is the most important part of the preparation for any exam. Many aspirants don’t like to revise, again and again, they like to study further. At last, they forget everything. Study without revision is equal to no study at all. So, understand the importance of revision and make it a habit of revising your daily preparation regularly. You can reduce negative marking in UPSC prelims by revising your preparation.
- Don’t rely on hacks and tricks
Don’t rely on hacks and tricks too much that is there on the internet. Prelims are all about knowledge. Take mock tests for better preparation. Shortcuts and hacks can be dangerous for your preparation.
If you believe in your preparation, you don’t need to worry much about negative marking in UPSC prelims. Just go through with the right study plan and proper study material. Understand the syllabus of UPSC prelims and study accordingly. Negative marking cannot be avoided completely. Everyone makes some calculated guesswork and there is nothing wrong with it. Just make sure that you avoid answering questions where you haven’t heard or read even a single word about it. Such questions have a high chance of getting wrong.
By following the above tips, you can reduce negative marking in UPSC Prelims. Be confident about your preparation and do well in examinations.