How to prepare UPSC Syllabus through newspapers

Reading newspapers is highly essential for UPSC Exam preparation. Before preparing for current affairs, it is crucial to know the UPSC Syllabus and test pattern. Reading over the syllabus and previous years’ papers would assist an aspirant in selecting the relevant articles/issues from newspapers for the UPSC exam.

The Hindu and The Indian Express are some of the best and most recommended newspapers for UPSC preparation. Let’s talk about what to read in the newspaper for UPSC preparation and how to get the most out of it.

How to read Newspaper for UPSC Exam Preparation?

First and foremost, it is necessary to remember that you must not read the newspaper for more than 60 minutes. You should make notes on the current affairs by highlighting important points. Let’s discuss what to read under each topic. You can visit BYJU’S Exam Prepr that guides you on preparation for the UPSC exam.

 What to read in national news? 

• The effects of a catastrophic national event
• Any environmental disaster, accident, or other events that could have been avoided if a comprehensive disaster management plan had been in place
• ISRO or any other scientific development related news

 What to read in international news?

• International organisations such as the UN, UNICEF, WHO, ASEAN, and others
• The Prime Minister’s or President’s international conferences and activities
• Major political events that have occurred in various countries; for example, consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Rohingya refugee catastrophe. 

 What to read in economy news? 

• SEBI, RBI, NITI Aayog, NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM and other press releases
• The Finance Ministry’s Reforms and Measures, as well as their consequences; for example, the GST reforms, the government’s relief package, and so on
• Indicators such as CPI, IIP, GDP, and others

What to read in the Polity news? 

• Bills and actions made by the legislature
• Citizenship Reform Act
• The various schemes, reforms, and other initiatives by the administration
• Schemes started by the ministry
• The Supreme Court’s and the High Court’s decisions
• Uprisings of political coups
• Debates in the legislature
• News on topics of socio-economic relevance such as education-related issues, health-related issues, women’s issues, and issues or policies impacting the underprivileged are critical

 How to take notes for UPSC?

Here are some tips on how to take notes from the newspaper for UPSC:

• Make a list of things you want to remember in your own words. Essential words should be highlighted and underlined, and information from credible sources such as PIB, Yojana, and PRS should be included.
• Current-events notes should be short and to the point. ‘In UPSC preparation, less is always more’, as the saying goes.
• Before you really begin reading the newspaper, it is essential that you understand the syllabus for the UPSC prelims and mains examination so that you know what topics to read and what stories to cover.
• Reading the newspaper requires time and patience, but it is a highly gratifying habit after you get through the first few weeks. You’ll be able to distinguish between static and dynamic news, predict story developments, and build an understanding of the relative importance of news events.
• Going over the syllabus will not be enough; a candidate should also look over previous year’s question papers to improve their understanding of various areas of the exam.
• As a UPSC aspirant, you must concentrate on the underlying subjects or issues rather than specific news items and try to comprehend them in the best possible way.
• After you have finished reading the news, study it independently and attempt to form an opinion on the subject.

 This article discussed the importance of reading newspapers and the best way to do so. We hope that these tips will help you score well in your exam. Along with concentration, candidates preparing for the UPSC exam need an excellent tutor too, and where could you get a better tutor than BYJU’S Exam Prep? It is a perfect platform for exam preparation with fun and innovative learning methodologies.

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