The Significance of Reading Comprehension in CSAT
The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) is the second paper of the preliminary examination for civil services of the Union Public Service Commission. This paper is of a qualifying nature, requiring a minimum of 33% to pass. It assesses various abilities including problem-solving, interpersonal skills, decision making, logical reasoning, analytical abilities, and of course, reading comprehension. Reading Comprehension carries the most weightage in the CSAT, with 25-30 questions appearing every year. Hence, having a well-thought-out strategy can help you navigate the challenging comprehension segment with ease.
How to Ace Reading Comprehension in CSAT?
-
The language and content of the
CSAT
comprehension are more sophisticated than those found in Banking, Insurance, and State PSC’s. This makes it more challenging to understand and answer within a limited time frame. It requires consistent practice and high-level reasoning and inferring skills.
-
The passages in CSAT are often sourced from editorials of prominent newspapers. These passages share the same tone and complexity as those in the editorials, which may be unfamiliar to many aspirants.
-
Practicing with previous comprehensions from
UPSC Question Papers
2011 – 2019 can aid in your preparation. Additionally, solving the prelims test series can give you a better understanding of the pattern.
-
Ideally, you should aim to spend about 1.5 minutes per question. The CSAT paper contains a total of 80 questions to be answered within 120 minutes. As each passage usually has 3 to 4 questions, this leaves about 5 to 7 minutes per passage in the comprehension segment. Therefore, extensive reading and a good strategy are essential to stick to this timeframe.
-
The first reading should ideally be the only reading. It's important to read slowly, process each word, and mark important points. Note down the assumptions and premises of the passage to quickly eliminate irrelevant options and save time.
-
While reading, focus on understanding what the author or passage implies, the central theme of the passage, and the possible inferences. This can prevent errors like mixing up facts and inferences with the central theme.
Reference Sources:
The Hindu, Indian Express, Frontline, Yojana and EPW
Areas of Focus:
Arts, Science, Economics, Environment and Climate Change, Administration and Governance, and Philosophy. Regular practice and careful reading can significantly improve your performance. We hope these tips will help you in mastering reading comprehension.
Explore more topics on the
UPSC Syllabus
page. For more preparation-related articles, visit the provided links.
Further Reading
