The evening and night preceding an examination are crucial. This evening’s activities will impact your performance. Here are the tried and true recommendations that sincere aspirants should follow.
- Food And Rest — Most Essential: Sleep early, sleep well, and set two alarms: In the last week or month before an exam, you may sleep irregularly late. Nevertheless, the night before D-Day is too important to be deprived of rest and tranquillity. You must have heard accounts of students passing Prelims despite not sleeping the night before. The inability to concentrate in the exam room will cause you to make mistakes if you are sleep-deprived. Suppose you have insomnia and require sleeping medications, plan. Furthermore, set two alarms on separate devices (smartphone and alarm clock), ensuring they are far enough away from the bed and set to maximum volume.
- Eat early; eat tried-and-true foods: A light meal is crucial at night; do not overfill your stomach, as you should feel good in the morning and not have to worry about constipation, digestion, or acidity. Additionally, avoid experimenting with food; avoid unhealthy food, carbonated beverages, and alcohol. Instead, consume foods that are known to agree with your digestion.
- It is natural to be anxious about your chances on the PT exam; however, you should save your thoughts for exam day. Furthermore, approximately twelve hours before it, when you are in bed, it will preoccupy your thoughts more than anything else. Try to gain mental control; reassure yourself that everything is fine. Either you will ponder or worry, or you will fall asleep. Morning anxiety will not enhance anything, including your performance on the PT exam.
- What do you eat for breakfast? Avoid giving your intestines unpleasant surprises. It would be best to feel light and vigilant; food will contribute to this. Do you enjoy oatmeal porridge with honey and banana?
- What are you consuming in between exams? If you are with family, you will likely bring lunch to the exam room. Carry food appropriate for the season, such as vegetables and sandwiches made with whole wheat bread. Avoid exploring the area for new food during lunch; take care of your stomach for a few more hours; consume recklessly after physical training.
- Avoid hyperactive friends, family members, and strangers: There are ‘forever worried’ aspirants who constantly dread the UPSC and constantly imagine rejection instead of focusing on preparation. Avoid such individuals; avoid paranoia and have confidence in yourself. Additionally, avoiding a family member or distant relative may be necessary. People generally have a high opinion of the UPSC and IAS, and they may salute or praise you unnecessarily if you converse with them on the subway or bus to the exam venue. Do not participate in others’ overwrought theatrical behaviour.
- Logistics: Admission ticket, stationery, cash, and travel
- Maintain the e-Admit Card: Maintain the legibly printed admit card on your table. Carry extra copies in your purse and other pockets; do not take chances. To make it foolproof, upload a soft copy to a cloud drive like Google Drive and memorize the brief link. The UPSC rules also state that “you are responsible for the safekeeping of the e-Admit Card, and in the event of any other person using this e-Admit Card, the burden is on you to prove that you have not used the services of any impersonator.” Additionally, “candidates who do not have clear photographs on the e-admit card will be required to bring a photo identity proof, such as a passport or driving license.” Aadhar Card, Driving Licence, Passport, Voter I Card, etc., and two passport-sized photographs, one for each examination session, along with an undertaking to present.”
- Maintain black ballpoint pens: Your stationery package should contain black ballpoint pens for completing the OMR sheet. You may also bring pencils for preliminary work. Keep at least two black pens with you, preferably of your preferred brand, that do not leak or swell when used to fill circles.
- Read the instructions provided by the UPSC. Few people do this, so you do not need to learn from them. Instead, read all instructions provided by the UPSC and the “Poster” with instructions posted outside the Examination Hall.
- You should have performed a Google map search of the examination centre and known its location before bed. If travelling with others, you should have arranged for a vehicle or decided to use Ola, Uber, etc. Remember to arrive at the exam room at least twenty minutes before the 9:30 AM commencement time. Consider the possibility of rain, Metro malfunction or Metro card failure, traffic jam, flat tires, etc. To summarize, give yourself an advantage.”You will not be permitted to take the examination if you arrive 10 minutes after the scheduled start time.”
- Check the UPSC website: The UPSC occasionally publishes a notice regarding a change in examination centres (though not the day before the Exam). So you will gain a lot by monitoring the website for updates.
- Choose your attire for the exam day: If you are in Delhi, wear cotton and avoid irritating materials. Also, check for weather updates; keep an umbrella, sunglasses, and spare pair of lenses.
- If you need last-minute reassurances (revision minutes before gate entry or during a break), choose and pack your last-minute review materials. It is a personal choice for many individuals to study in exam rooms. It is best to avoid it. Harder to say than to do. Furthermore, on PT day, if you are one of the fortunate individuals who can afford to visit their homes during break time, do not take a siesta or fall asleep on a comfortable home bed.
- Keep paper, tissues, and water in your bag. Keep an old newspaper in your bag for handling food or sitting in the park or on the sidewalk during your break. Include tissues and potable water in your bag.
- Also, any “error in filling in details on the OMR sheet, particularly concerning Roll Number and Test Booklet Series Code, will render the answer sheet subject to rejection.”
- Carry a wristwatch to the exam venue; no IT gadgets, no valuables: Avoid bringing a phone, Bluetooth devices, or calculator in the PT exam (however, a non-programmable calculator is permitted in the GS Mains exam) and expensive items in your carry bag. According to the UPSC’s regulations, the Commission is not responsible for the loss of such items. Furthermore, you do not wish to invite disciplinary action or be barred by the UPSC for rule violations.
- It is advisable to Google your exam location days before the test and to contact the school administration for clarification if necessary. Furthermore, upon arrival, confirm the location of the examination.
- According to UPSC regulations, “Orthopedically / Visually Impaired candidates who have opted for their scribe should observe that their scribe will only be permitted in the Exam with a separate e-Admit Card. Separate e-Admit Cards will be issued for personal scribes.”
A Brief Overview
- You are dozing early and sufficiently; you are setting morning alarms.
- You eat early and do not experiment with novel foods.
- You avoid hyperactive acquaintances and family members.
- You have an e-admission card, an ID, a black ballpoint pen, and enough cash in your wallet.
- You bring a wristwatch to the exam room but no IT devices or valuable items.
- You have planned your exam day travel (subway, transit, taxi, and attire).
- You have examined the UPSC website for any new information.
- You know your attendance number.
- You are doubly confident about the examination location.