Introduction Of HCS Exam: 7 Prepartion Tips To Clear HCS Exam

There are several competitive exams organized by State Civil Service Commissions in India to recruit the perfect candidates who will join various bureaucratic posts in the concerned states and conduct their administrative duties with responsibility. This, in turn, will help in the efficient administration of the affairs of the state. 

The HCS (Haryana Civil Services) exam, conducted by HPSC (Haryana Public Services Commission), is one of the most prestigious exams organized in Haryana to recruit the ideal candidates for various civil service positions in the state. Every year, more than 100 thousand aspirants take part in the HCS exam to realize their dreams of becoming the Haryana state civil servant. 

However, knowing the HCS exam syllabus will not be enough for you to crack the HCS exam. The vast syllabus and the dynamic nature of the exam make it a difficult job for the candidates. 

We at Abhipedia will guide you with our comprehensive knowledge about the HCS exam and ensure that you come out triumphant with flying colors! 

How difficult is the HCS exam?

Since the HCS exam is a qualifying exam for various Haryana State Government administrative posts, it is a pretty difficult exam. Therefore, candidates need to have a thorough understanding of the HCS Haryana exam pattern and the different stages of the exam. This will enable them to prepare holistically for the HCS exam and clear all the stages. 

What are the different stages of the HCS exam?

The HCS exam organized by the HPSC is conducted in three distinct stages. 

• The first stage is the Preliminary Examination or Prelims, commonly known as the Civil Service Aptitude Test (CSAT). It serves as a screening exam for the Mains, and thus, the marks obtained here are not considered while creating the final merit list.
• The second stage of the HCS exam is the Main Examination or the Mains.
• The third and final stage of the HCS exam is the Personality Test or the Interview. 

If you want to develop a thorough HCS exam preparation strategy, you can enroll yourself at Abhipedia.

The tons of resources, including the Micro Courses for the HCS exam, ensure a foolproof understanding of what lies in your way and how to go about it. 

On the other hand, the HCS free test series ensures seamless revision and a reliable way to brush up your knowledge. The finest resources offered by Abhipedia will enable you to strengthen your foundations and clear existing doubts. 

Let’s take a look at the most effective way to prepare for the HCS exam.

How to prepare for the HPSC HCS exam?

The new HPSC HCS Prelims or CSAT has a structure that is very similar to the IAS exam. You need to invest a lot of time in self-study to crack the HCS exam successfully. Since the HCS exam is unlike any other Civil Services exam, cramming the syllabus or preparing the notes will not help crack the exam. 

If you are an aspirant for the upcoming HPSC HCS exam, try to develop a holistic knowledge of the General Studies papers. Another pro-tip is to stay curious about the national and international happenings while having a keen eye to critically analyze things. 

We, at Abhipedia, have presented the following tips for you to prepare for the HCS exam successfully. 

1. Decide if you are motivated enough to be a civil servant in Haryana:

Before going to the first step of devising a well-planned examination strategy, look inside. Ask yourself if you have the motivation to join the top Civil Services positions in Haryana. You can judge yourself best. If you feel that you can stick to a minimum of 5-6 hours of thorough study regime for a year, then go for it! Additionally, you can take the Abhipedia HCS free test series to assess your preparations and do the needful to take it a notch above.

2. Understanding the HCS Haryana exam pattern and syllabus:

You need to understand the intricate details of the HCS Haryana exam pattern and all the stages it entails. Once you are familiar with the pattern, you can create a personalized study plan according to your strengths, weaknesses, and the required areas of focus. 

You also need to be familiar with the HCS exam syllabus. You can check out the exam pattern and the latest HCS exam syllabus on Abhipedia mobile app by visiting the section dedicated to the HCS exam. 

3. Create a customized study plan:

You should be the one to highlight your organized study schedule and learning goals. Creating a personalized study plan enables you to navigate through your preparation seamlessly. It also holds you accountable for your learning outcomes. 

Since you know about your engagements throughout the day, it is best to devise your own study plan instead of following a rigid study plan that has been imposed upon you. You need to create your own timetable and dedicatedly devote 3 to 5 hours per day to excel in the HCS exam. 

3. Back to the basics- start your preparation with NCERT books:

NCERTs are the best resources to develop your foundations for the General Studies papers of HCS. They feature simple language and uncomplicated explanations of multiple concepts. Therefore, building foundations is best done with NCERT books.

You should always keep the HCS syllabus with you for reference. It is best to start your preparations with NCERT books from standard VIII to XII before going to the advanced level books and study materials. You can also fortify your HCS exam preparation with thousands of Micro Courses and Video Tutorials from Abhipedia.

These courses and video tutorials are aimed at developing solid conceptual foundations and eliminating your shortfalls. They also help you get a thorough idea of the question patterns by providing you with tons of previous years’ question papers. 

4. Read newspapers daily:

Be it local or national newspapers, reading them daily gets you attuned to the happenings in India and the world. Since the questions asked in the HCS exam are pretty dynamic and connected with current affairs, reading newspapers habitually will increase your chances of qualifying in the HCS exam. You can also download news apps to follow relevant news on the go. Alternatively, reading the current affairs sections on Abhipedia’s website and mobile app will give you a boost!

5. Making short notes:

It is the most critical part of your study and HCS exam preparation routine. Since the syllabus is massive and consists of multiple sections, it is highly important to create a mental map to internalize things better. Making short notes will help you to memorize the necessary details and also speed up your last-minute preparations. 

6. Take part in quality mock test series:

Developing speed and efficiency and managing time properly is essential to help you excel in the HCS Prelims Test Series and Mains. For this, you can join Abhipedia’s HCS free test series. The test series is curated to bring out the best in you while helping you practice effectively. Over the years, several toppers have credited the state-of-the-art test series to be the driving force behind their success. 

7. Implement foolproof revision:

If you want to crack the HCS exam on your first attempt, you need to revise thoroughly. Holistically revising the entire syllabus needs you to improvise and create short notes and mind maps. 

Create small and realistic targets for yourself in your exam preparation strategy. Once you have achieved those targets, revise holistically. Make a habit of revising weekly to go through everything that you have covered in the past week. Before starting a new topic, review your preparation daily by analyzing study notes.

Final thoughts:

Abhipedia video tutorials and mentorship videos by experts are a great way to learn the best-in-class techniques and implement them in your exam preparation strategy to ace the HCS exam in one go!

Although the above-defined strategy will lead you to sure-fire success, you should always have room for improvisation. Improvising your preparation strategy according to your requirements will help you go a long way in achieving success!