UPSC Prelims 2026 exam is just one week away. As you apply the final strokes to your robust preparation, it is equally important to keep yourself aware of the do’s and don’ts before and on the exam day.
The following blog is a comprehensive guide on the do’s and don’ts that must be adhered to before and on the exam day for a hassle-free and seamless exam experience and ensuring a that you achieve your UPSC goals without any unforced glitches:
Do’s and Don’ts before the Exam Day:
The days before the exam should be utilized for cultivating mental and emotional equilibrium. The level of mental composure plays a key role in determining your performance on exam day. Following s a list of do’s and dont’s that must be adopted before the exam day:
Do’s before the UPSC Prelims exam day:
1. Properly Arrange all the essential documents:
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Keep all the essential documents ready before the exam day so as to avoid last-minute panic and hassle.
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Documents like your admit card, government-authorized identity proof, mainly, Adhaar, PAN or Passport, must be arranged properly at one place
2. Verify the location of exam venue:
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Verify the location of the exam venue through the internet. If possible, visit the exam venue a few days before the exam.
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Also, remember to reach the venue at least one hour before the commencement of the exam
3. Do light revision in the final week:
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Do not engage in rigid preparation but only do light revision, thoroughly going through short notes and flash cards containing concise explanations of important formulas and concepts
4. Maintain a healthy diet and sleep schedule:
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Avoid junk meals and eat only healthy and hygienic food.
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Besides that, maintain a healthy sleep schedule and follow a 8-hour sleep routine
5. Practise mindfulness and cultivate self-confidence:
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Practice yoga and do physical activities like regular walks in the park and play sports like cricket, football, etc.
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Stay positive and confident about your preparation. Believe that you will crack the Prelims with flying colours
Don’ts before the UPSC Prelims exam day:
1. Don’t overload yourself with abundant resources:
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Do not study from multiple resources simultaneously. Multiple reference books create confusion and panic and overwhelm you, affecting your preparation subsequently
2. Do not study anything new:
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Do not begin a new topic or concept. This creates additional pressure and leads you to forget the topics you have prepared thoroughly
3. Don’t practise too many mock tests:
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Do not practise too many mock tests. It can deflate your confidence and demotivate you.
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Rather, it is better to go through 1-2 mock tests, identifying the errors committed during previous tests and fixing them through re-revision
4. Avoid studying till late at night:
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Do not study till late at night. This leads to distracted and inadequate sleep and may affect your exam-day performance
5. Avoid Comparison with others:
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Do not compare yourself with others or your preparation with that of others. Such irrational comparisons breed insecurity, demean your self-worth and deflate your confidence
6. Do not obsess over expected cut-offs:
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Do not concern yourself with the expected cut offs in the exam. This breeds anxiety and can severly affect your performance on the exam day
Do’s and don’ts on the exam day:
Just as there are do’s and dont’s that must be followed before the exam day, similarly, aspirants must follow a strict checklist of things to do and to avoid on the day of the exam.
Following sections provide a list of do’s and don’ts on the exam day to ensure a smooth exam experience:
Do’s on the UPSC Prelims exam day:
1. Reach the exam venue early:
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Reach the exam venue one hour before in order to avoid last-minute hassle. It is better to reach before than to race against time
2. Carry all essential items to the exam hall:
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Carry all important documents to the exam hall such as necessary stationery items, admit card, etc.
3. Chalk out the preparation strategy after first reading:
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Give a quick glance at the entire paper and then quickly decide your paper attempting strategy.
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Decide the order of attempting the questions without losing much time
4. Attempt the familiar questions first:
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Attempt questions with which you are well familiar and spare sufficient time to attempt the difficult questions after you have completed the entire paper
5. Manage Time effectively:
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Divide time on the basis of your convenience and allot specific time slots for each section
6. Manage emotions effectively:
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Control your emotions during the entire duration of the exam. Do not get too much excited on seeing an easy question and do not get too much anxious on seeing a difficult question because doing this compromises your accuracy rate in the exam
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Remember that a difficult paper is difficult for everyone, not for you alone
7. Stay mentally freash between GS and CSAT break:
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Stay hydrated during the break between GS and CSAT paper and eat some light meal
Don’ts on the UPSC Prelims exam day:
1. Don’t panic after seeing a difficult question:
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When you encounter a difficult question, do not panic at all. Take deep breaths and move on to the next question, reserving time for the difficult ones once the paper gets over.
2. Don’t spend too much time on one question:
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Do not spend more than 70-90 seconds on one question. If you exceed this time limit, then leave it and move on to the next question.
3. Use Elimination technique wisely:
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For both the papers, use elimination technique in a wise manner. It allows you to strike out the least accurate options
4. Don’t discuss paper 1 during break:
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Don’t discuss your GS paper 1 with fellow aspirants because it creates unnecessary anxiety and may affect your CSAT performance
5. Don’t leave OMR filling till the end:
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Fill in all the details of the OMR carefully. Do not leave OMR filling till the last. It creates panic and can cause unforced errors.
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Fill the OMR sheet after regular intervals, say for example, after every 40 minutes.
6. Don’t randomly guess answers:
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Avoid randomly guessing answers because negative marking can affect your performance severely. One wrong answer will lower down your overall Prelims score.
Final Checklist for UPSC Prelims:
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Check admit card details carefully.
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Reach exam venue a bit early.
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Carry only essential items like admit card, stationery, etc. to the hall.
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Attempt easy questions first.
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Do not spend too much time on one question.
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Don’t leave OMR filling till the end.
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Manage time wisely and effectively.
Conclusion:
Aspirants must follow a structured checklist as provided above for a smooth, hassle-free exam experience. Following the above checklist will enable the aspirants to minimize unforced errors on the day of the exam and reduce the gap between their UPSC ambitions and goals.
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FAQs
Q1: What should I do one week before the UPSC Prelims exam?
One week before the exam should be devoted to revision from short notes and flashcards and previously learned topics. Avoid beginning a new topic and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Q2: Is it advisable to attempt mock tests just before UPSC Prelims?
It is advised to attempt at the most 1-2 question. Attempting more than this might overload your memory. Analyze the previously given mock tests, identify the weak areas and strengthen them through re-revision.
Q3: How much time should I spend on one question in UPSC Prelims?
Ideally, you should spend approximately 70-90 seconds per question. If a questions takes much time, then leave it and reserve time to get back to this question after the entire paper is over.
Q4: Should I discuss the GS Paper after it ends and before CSAT?
No, discussing the GS paper during the interval creates unnecessary stress and panic. It may negatively impact your CSAT performance.
Q5: What are the most important things to carry to the UPSC Prelims exam centre?
Carry your admit card, government-authorised identity proof, required stationery and other documents as mentioned in the “instructions” section of the admit card. Keep all these things arranged beforehand to avoid last-minute hassle.
