How to Read Newspaper for Current Affairs for an UPSC IAS  exam?

Current affairs mean, events of political or social interest and importance happening in the world at the present time (as defined by oxford dictionary)

As in IAS exam fact based questions are mentioned, so while preparing for the exam it is necessary for you to know about all the current affairs happening in the world at present.

Let’s start with the basic knowledge for the beginners about:

• The sources that will help to get information about current affairs.
• Which is the best source that will help most??
• Which newspapers to refer??
• Is referring one newspaper enough??
• The main topics in a newspaper to read.
• The topics in a newspaper that are to be avoided.
• Preparing notes related to current affairs for an exam.
• Tips on how to remember about event or topics.
• Final preparation for an exam.

The sources that will help to get information about current affairs is:

1. Newspapers
2. News Channels On Tv
3. Magazines
4. Books
5. Online Blogs Or Websites

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Which is the best source that will help most?

The simplest and easiest source to know about all the current affairs is “NEWSPAPER”. If you are busy doing your other stuff, It is easy to mark any important topic or event in the newspaper so that you read can it later. When you see news in television it is difficult to remember the names or places or events related to each other. As I mentioned in IAS exam some facts based questions are asked. So here newspaper plays a very important role to help you easily for exam preparation.

Which newspapers to refer?

1. The Hindu (best to read)
2. Times of India
3. DNA
4. BBC
5. Deccan chronicle
6. Indian express (best to read)
7. Hindustan times

Tips on how to remember about events or topics.

Remembering about topics is not so difficult you only need to highlight the important words that you have noted down.you may need to highlight the hard words that are not easy to remember so when that particular topic is asked in exam just by remembering that hard world you will easily remember that whole topic and can easily write the answer.

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Is referring one newspaper enough?

YES, referring to one newspaper is enough as every newspaper catches up with the current affairs. So it will be good to keep it simple.

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The main topics in newspaper to read

First going through the old question papers will help you to know what type of questions are asked from newspapers.

Following are the main topics to read:

1. Administration/polity
2. National news
3. International news
4. Geography of India and the world
5. Economy and economic development
6. Science and technology
7. Editorials and articles

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The topics in newspaper that are to be avoided

1. Local news
2. Sports
3. Bollywood
4. Lifestyle
5. Music

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Preparing notes related to current affairs for exam

Preparing notes will help you in the end when you will revise all the topics so it is very important to make proper notes. Noting down the important or main topic will surely make you remember events or topic more quickly and easily.

You can make 3 or 4 notebooks (depends on you) and Each book should consist of some topics with index on the first page so that current affairs can be updated separately

Eg: book 1 for administration/polity

Book 2 for economy and economic development

Book 3 for the geography of India and world