In this blog, we will delve into the importance of daily current affairs for PCS, how you can stay updated, and why Siddhi IAS, a trusted name in PCS coaching, can help you ace the current affairs section with their daily updates and analysis.
Why Are Current Affairs Important for PCS?
Just as in any other civil services exam, the PCS exam tests how well an aspirant can relate theoretical knowledge to ground reality. It is thus a given that current affairs constitute a fundamental constituent of the exam. Let's see why daily current affairs are important for PCS aspirants.
- High Weightage in PCS Exam
A big portion of the PCS Prelims and Mains General Studies paper is covered with current events of national as well as international importance. Questions can be as simple as recent government schemes, international relations to topics such as awards, sports, and science & technology. The updating of all current affairs daily saves one from the worry about the kind of information you would require tackling in the exam.
- Develops Essay and Answer Writing Skills for PCS Mains Examination In order to answer questions in PCS Mains, the applicants need to write descriptive answers and essays. For these, you can use examples, case studies, and government policies for your answers which would be much more holistic and effective. Current news updates sharpen the critical thinking skills as well as analytical skills required to produce quality answers.
- Helps in Interview Preparation
The PCS interview, also known as the personality test, assesses your awareness about your surroundings, ongoing current events, and ability to offer informed opinions. Being up to date on current affairs will be a confidence-booster answer during the PCS interview, as questions usually relate to governance, policies, and social issues, which means this increases the chances of one clearing the last hurdle of the PCS exam.
- Links a Static Syllabus to a Dynamic World
While the PCS syllabus encompasses a vast number of static subjects, such as history, geography, and polity, it is very important to comprehend how these subjects relate to real-life situations. For instance, reading the Constitution becomes much more relevant with the latest developments in government policies or landmark Supreme Court judgments. The daily current affairs bridge this gap between static subjects and their real-life applications.
How to stay updated with PCS current affairs daily
Nowadays, when everyone and everything around us is buzzing with information, a poor fellow gets totally baffled thinking about how he must go about preparing the current affairs. So, here are a few suggestions on how you might like to keep abreast of this daily current affairs for PCS exams:
- Follow Reputable News Sources
First of all, you need to update yourself with the current affairs that is occurring in your daily news. Habits breed habits, so read some national newspapers such as The Hindu, The Indian Express, or The Times of India. Important issues such as politics, economy, international relations, science, etc., get asked in the PCS examination.
You can also quote digital sources like PIB or Rajya Sabha TV for authentic news about the government.
- Join Current Affairs Coaching
For structured mentoring, enrolling in a coaching institution that updates new affairs day-to-day can be great. Siddhi IAS, for instance, provides current affairs news in a structured, handcrafted manner for PCS aspirants. Their content includes national and international affairs, state and country-specific affairs, and current government policies-all of which apply to PCS examination.
- Take Help from Mobile Apps and Websites
There are many apps and websites that give current affairs which are updated on a daily basis especially for competitive exams. Some popular apps are Inshorts, BYJU's, and Daily Current Affairs & GK. These apps give you the concise news summary of what happened around the world; even with your busy schedule, it would become easier to stay updated.
- Take Notes of Important Events
Take notes. The most important work while revising current affairs is taking notes. While you read and go through the news daily, you should maintain a journal where you write down all important events, their causes, and their impact. Maintain different sections for different topics like polity, economics, science & technology, and international affairs. Letting your mind go over those sometimes helps you retain information better and makes your exercise of revision that much easier.
- Attempt Daily Current Affairs Quizzes
Testing one's knowledge about current affairs by quizzing is a good idea. The night after reading or watching the news you read, you can log in to the websites like Siddhi IAS, GKToday, and Jagran Josh and take some daily quizzes which resemble the question type that may appear in the PCS Prelims exam, helping you to judge your preparedness for that exam.
- View Daily News Analysis Videos
Visual learning is easier than reading, and the daily news analysis video gives some insight into the current affairs of the world in a succinct manner. Siddhi IAS produces daily news analysis videos whereby experienced educators elaborate on the important events and explain their relevance to PCS.
Current Affairs Topics You Should Focus on for PCS:
Some of the major areas that you should focus on while preparing for current affairs for the PCS exam are as follows:
- National and International News
Major government initiatives and policies
Significant international events, treaties, and agreements
Political developments in India and abroad
- Government Schemes and Policies
Focus on central and state government schemes on health, education, agriculture, and social welfare.
Monitoring significant Government programs such as PM-Kisan, Ayushman Bharat, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
- Economic and Budget-Related News
Keeping yourself updated with the Indian economy's performance, along with G.D.P. growth rates, budget announcements, and major financial policies.
Economic terms and trends will support you in answering both objective and descriptive questions.
- Science & Technology
Major technological innovations, space missions, scientific discovery, and IT developments.
ISRO space missions, nuclear technology, and biomedical research developments in biotechnology.
- Environment and Ecology
National and international efforts to deal with climate change, conservation programs, and sustainable development initiatives.
Important events such as COP (Conference of Parties) and laws introduced by the government over the environment.
- State-Specific News
Since PCS exams are state-specific, you should concentrate on the current affairs of Punjab, including recent policies by the state government, budgets announced for the state, any festivals, culture events, or other infrastructure projects happening in the state.
Current Affairs Section of Siddhi IAS Punjab news, for better PCS preparation.
How Siddhi IAS Helps You in Daily Current Affairs
Siddhi IAS is a known name, but what sets them apart, first and foremost is the quality, but the whole package of the current affairs according to your need to crack the PCS. Here is the way through which they help you:
Current Affairs- Siddhi IAS keeps updating the current affairs with an in-depth research and presentation of the daily reports, focusing on topics thought to be of most relevance according to PCS syllabus.
Monthly Current Affair Collections: They give monthly collections of current affairs that make it easy for you to revise and keep updated on important events.
Punjab Specific Current Affairs: The good thing about Siddhi IAS is that it concentrates quite accurately on state-specific current affairs for Punjab. You will be well-equipped both for Prelims as well as the Mains.
Contingent Exam or Mock Tests: The testing of your current affairs knowledge has been made easy through regular quizzes and mock tests set up like what you may experience in the real exam.
Current affairs have a vital place in the PCS exam. So, it will be crucial to get daily news updates to ace the exam. Additional daily current affairs to your preparation strategy makes you feel more confident when dealing with questions and answers for both Prelims and Mains. In modern times, SIDDHI IAS has enabled you to comfortably become the master of current affairs and take one step forward in realising your dream to become a PCS officer.