How to Start Preparation for Any Competitive Exam — Step‑by‑Step Master Guide (GOLN) - Competitive Exam Preparation Gurukul, GOLN

A comprehensive, step‑by‑step playbook you can adapt to any exam: civil services, banking, engineering, medical, defence, teaching, or international tests. Use this as a blueprint, customise the timelines, then execute with discipline.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary (Read This First)

Starting right saves months later. Your first 10–14 days should be a carefully designed on‑ramp: audit the exam, map the syllabus, sample prior papers, set constraints, build your calendar, and run a diagnostic week. After that, follow a simple loop:

LEARN → DRILL → REVIEW → REVISE → MOCK → ANALYSE → PATCH → REPEAT.

This guide gives you: – A Phase‑wise plan from Day 0 to Exam Day – Frameworks for syllabus mapping, note‑making, question analysis, error‑logs, and revision waves – Sample study plans (student vs working professional) – Checklists, templates, and trackers you can copy – Mindset, health, and digital hygiene rules that keep you consistent

If you’re overwhelmed, start with Phase 0–2 only. Once stable, add the rest.

Phase 0 — Orientation & Mindset (Day −3 to Day 0)

Goal: Set intent, constraints, and systems before touching content.

Why this matters: Exams reward consistency under constraints. Define those constraints early (time, energy, commitments) so your plan is realistic.

Actions: 1. Clarify the stake: – Which exam(s)? One primary, one backup at most. – Why now? Write a 3‑line purpose statement. Pin it to your wall/phone. 2. Time budget: – Students: 5–7 hrs/day net study on weekdays, 7–9 hrs/day on weekends. – Working pros: 2–3 hrs/day on weekdays, 5–6 hrs/day on weekends. – Non‑negotiables: Sleep 7–8 hrs; movement 20–30 mins daily. 3. Energy budget: Identify peak cognitive slots (e.g., 6–9am, 7–10pm). Reserve those for your hardest subjects. 4. Space & tools: – One desk, one chair, one lamp. Remove clutter. Noise options: white noise or silence. – Tools: notebooks (or a digital note app), flashcards (or Anki‑style SRS), timer, calendar/spreadsheet tracker. 5. Rules of engagement: – Airplane mode in deep work; social media only after evening revision. – 50‑minute focus blocks + 10‑minute breaks; after 3 blocks, take a 30–40 minute break.

Mindset cue: Start small but daily. If you cannot do 3 hours, do 90 minutes every day for a week; consistency beats intensity.

Phase 1 — Exam Reconnaissance (Day 1–2)

Goal: Understand the game you’re playing.

Actions: 1. Collect official artefacts: Latest notification, eligibility, pattern, marking, syllabus. 2. Paper anatomy: Read 3–5 recent question papers end‑to‑end without solving. Mark: – Repeating themes/topics – Question formats (MCQ, descriptive, data interpretation, caselets) – Difficulty pulses (easy/medium/hard distribution) 3. Cut‑list & keep‑list: From the syllabus, identify topics that: – Appear frequently → Keep – Rarely appear or are outside scope → Cut or de‑prioritise 4. Scoring opportunities: Locate high‑yield + low‑effort topics for early wins. 5. Negative marking reality: If applicable, define your risk policy (e.g., attempt only if ≥70% confident).

Deliverable: A one‑page “Exam Map” with pattern, weightage, must‑do topics, and risk policy.

Phase 2 — Syllabus Mapping & Resource Curation (Day 3–5)

Goal: Convert the infinite internet into a finite curriculum.

Actions: 1. Syllabus breakdown: Convert the official syllabus into a topic–subtopic tree (3 levels deep where possible). 2. Weightage tags: Mark each subtopic as A (high), B (medium), C (low) based on past papers. 3. Resource triage: For each subject, cap yourself to: – 1 primary textbook/handbook OR curated notes – 1 practise source (PYQs + quality question bank) – 1 reference (for weak areas only) 4. Stop rule: No resource hopping for 30 days. Only switch if the chosen source is provably inadequate. 5. Format discipline: – Concept learning: textbook/lectures – Skill drilling: problem sets/mock tests – Memory items: flashcards + spaced repetition

Deliverable: A Syllabus Tracker with topics, weightage, source to use, and target dates.

Mini‑Template — Syllabus Tracker

Phase 3 — Diagnostic Week (Day 6–12)

Goal: Measure your baseline before the heavy lift.

Actions: 1. Initial timed set: Do one timed mini‑mock per core subject (25–40 questions or a 30–60 min set). No pausing. 2. Error log (start now): For every mistake, record: – Q‑ID | Concept tested | Your error type (concept gap / misread / speed / guess / calculation) | Fix (concept to learn / rule to add / trick) 3. Micro‑syllabus: Based on the diagnostic, select 3–5 subtopics per subject to tackle first (mix of high yield + current weaknesses). 4. Feasibility schedule: Draft one realistic week using your actual life constraints. Execute it for one week before scaling. 5. Reflect: What prevented execution? Sleep? Commute? Unrealistic blocks? Fix the system now, not later.

Deliverable: Baseline score, first error log entries, and a feasible weekly template.

Mini‑Template — Error Log

Phase 4 — Build the Weekly Engine (Day 13–14)

Goal: Lock a weekly rhythm that repeats for months.

Principles: – Two deep blocks/day for learning (concepts) – One drill block/day for practice (questions) – One review slot/day for error‑log & flashcards – Two long mocks/week from Week 3 onward – One admin slot/week (plan, download papers, tidy notes)

Model Weekly Skeleton (Student): – Mon–Fri: – 06:30–08:30 Deep Block A (Subject 1 – tough topic) – 17:00–18:00 Drill Block (Topic‑wise questions) – 20:30–21:15 Review (error‑log + flashcards) – Sat: Full‑length Mock (AM) + Post‑mock Analysis (PM) – Sun: Mixed revision + weak‑area repair + admin + rest

Model Weekly Skeleton (Working Professional): – Mon–Fri: – 06:15–07:45 Deep Block (core subject) – Commute/Breaks: Flashcards (15–20 mins) – 20:30–21:30 Drill Block (short sets) – Fri late: 45‑min review + plan next week – Sat: Full‑length Mock + Analysis – Sun: Deep repair (2 × 90‑min blocks) + light revision + rest

Deliverable: Your customised weekly timetable pinned on wall/phone.

Phase 5 — Learn–Drill–Review (Weeks 3–6)

Goal: Enter the main loop and build momentum.

Daily Micro‑Loop: 1. Learn (50‑min) → One concept cluster (max 2–3 pages of notes) 2. Drill (50‑min) → 15–25 questions on that cluster 3. Review (25‑min) → Check solutions, update error log, make 2–5 flashcards

Note‑making rules: – Cornell or Q&A style: left margin = cues/questions; right = explanations; bottom = summary. – Feynman card: “Explain to a 12‑year‑old in 5 lines.” – Rule sheets: For formulae/grammar/shortcuts, keep one A4 “Golden Sheet” per subject; rewrite it cleanly every 2–3 weeks.

Retention toolkit: – Spaced repetition: New flashcards: Days 1, 3, 7, 14, 30. – Active recall: Close the text, answer from memory. – Interleaving: Mix topics in drills to simulate the paper.

Common traps to avoid: Resource switching, passive watching without notes, endless highlighting, unanalysed mocks.

Phase 6 — Mock Tests & Analysis (Start Week 3; continue till exam)

Goal: Convert knowledge into exam performance.

How many? – Early phase: 1 mock/week – Mid phase: 2 mocks/week – Last 4–6 weeks: 2–3 mocks/week (with enough recovery)

Mock day protocol: 1. Simulate the exam time, seating, water, stationery. 2. Strict timing. No pausing. No phone. 3. Mark answers in the exact format you’ll use in the real exam.

Post‑mock analysis (2–3× test duration): – Bucket your errors: – Concept gaps → queue for re‑learning – Process errors (misread, skipping step) → add checklist/rule – Speed/time allocation → adjust section order or question cut‑offs – Guessing & negative marking → refine risk policy – Update error‑log thoroughly. – One‑pager takeaways: Write 5–10 rules you’ll carry to the next mock.

Mini‑Template — Post‑Mock Summary

Phase 7 — Revision Waves (Start Week 4; intensify later)

Goal: Convert scattered knowledge into a tight, test‑ready core.

Wave logic: – Wave 1 (Weeks 4–6): Consolidate notes, finish first pass of A‑weightage topics. – Wave 2 (Weeks 7–9): Revisit B‑weightage, strengthen weak links, compress notes into “Golden Sheets”. – Wave 3 (Last 3–4 weeks): High‑frequency drills, mocks, and only high‑yield revision. Minimal new learning.

Techniques: – Two‑column revision: Left = prompt/question; right = answer. Cover right column and test yourself. – 90/30 review: 90 minutes revise, 30 minutes attempt a mini‑set from the same topics to test retention. – Friday compression: Each Friday night, compress the week’s learning into a single page per subject.

Phase 8 — Subject‑Wise Tactics (Quant, Reasoning, Language, GK/CA, Technical)

Quantitative Aptitude: – Foundation first: Arithmetic (percentages, ratio/proportion, averages, mixtures, time & work, speed/time/distance), Algebra basics, Number systems. – Drill by patterns: DI sets, caselets, word problems. Track the stem patterns (how questions are asked). – Speed & accuracy: Mental maths warm‑ups (5–10 mins daily). Learn when to skip.

Logical/Analytical Reasoning: – Families of problems: Syllogisms, seating, puzzles, coding‑decoding, series, LRDI. Build framework checklists for each family. – Diagram first: Externalise information; don’t juggle in your head.

Language (English/Bangla/Hindi): – Inputs: Daily reading (editorial + non‑fiction). Note vocabulary in context. – Outputs: 15‑minute writing drill (summaries, précis, essays, letter formats). Grammar rule sheet. – RC technique: Read the question stems first for factual RCs; for analytical RCs, read passage cleanly, then answer.

General Knowledge (Static) & Current Affairs: – Static GK: Make one‑page maps/timelines. Use spaced repetition. – Current Affairs: Daily 20–30 mins digest; weekly 90‑min consolidation; monthly 3–4 hr revision. Build a CA vault segmented by polity/economy/science/IR/culture/sports.

Technical/Subject Papers: – Build from official syllabus + PYQ trends. For every chapter: – 1–2 concept pages – 20–40 questions (easy→medium→past exam) – A “troubleshooting” box: common pitfalls + one‑line fixes

Phase 9 — Time Management & Section Strategy

Section order: Start with your highest scoring, lowest stress section to settle nerves.

Micro‑budgeting: – Allocate time per question type beforehand (e.g., 45–60 sec for easy MCQ, 2–3 mins for DI sets per question). – Two‑pass rule: First pass = sure shots; second pass = medium; leave time for review.

Negative marking: – If −1/4th negative: attempt only when ≥70% confident or you can eliminate 2 choices. Track your hit‑rate in mocks to calibrate.

Phase 10 — Building Your Personal System

Dashboards & Trackers: Maintain one sheet with: – Hours studied (net, not gross) – Topics completed & pending – Mock scores & analysis links – Error‑log summary (top causes + fix status)

Weekly Review Ritual (30–45 mins): 1. What did I plan vs what did I do? 2. Top 3 blockers? Fix the system, don’t blame yourself. 3. Next week’s 3 priorities per subject.

Monthly Milestone Review (60–90 mins): – Syllabus coverage (%), score trajectory, accuracy trends. – Decide: continue, pivot (e.g., re‑balance subjects), or intensify mocks.

Phase 11 — Health, Energy, Lifestyle

Sleep: 7–8 hrs; same wake‑up time daily. No all‑nighters in the last month.

Nutrition: Regular meals, protein at each meal, fruits/veg daily. Hydration: 2–3 litres/day. Caffeine: stop by 4pm.

Movement: 20–30 mins daily (walk, mobility, light strength). On mock days, simulate exam posture.

Stress toolkit: – 2–3 mins box‑breathing before mocks. – 5‑minute “brain dump” when anxious—write all worries, then time‑box solutions. – 10‑minute sunlight walk after waking.

Digital hygiene: – Disable social media feeds during study windows. – Keep a “distraction log” on your desk; address after study hours.

Phase 12 — Study Plans You Can Copy

A. 12‑Week Plan (Student)

Weeks 1–2: Orientation, Recon, Diagnostic (Phases 0–4) + A‑weightage foundation starts.

Weeks 3–6: – Learn–Drill–Review daily – 1 mock/week → 2 mocks/week from Week 5 – Finish A‑weightage topics in all subjects – Build flashcard base; error‑log habit

Weeks 7–9: – Consolidate notes → compress to Golden Sheets – B‑weightage topics + targeted repair from error‑log – 2 mocks/week + full analysis

Weeks 10–12: – High‑yield revision only; maintain flashcards – 2–3 mocks/week; peak test readiness – Finalise exam‑day kit & logistics; sleep stabilisation

Daily time targets: 6–8 hrs net (Mon–Fri); 7–9 hrs (Sat–Sun).

B. 12‑Week Plan (Working Professional)

Weeks 1–2: Same phases, but smaller blocks. – Morning deep block (90 mins) + evening drill (60 mins) – Weekend long study + 1 mock (Sun)

Weeks 3–6: – Maintain 2 × 60–90‑min weekday blocks – 1 mock/week (Sat) + analysis (Sun AM) – Finish A‑weightage in 2 subjects; rotate third each week

Weeks 7–9: – Add Friday night review & planning – 1–2 mocks/week depending on recovery – Focused repair on weak sections

Weeks 10–12: – High‑yield revision windows (commute flashcards) – 2 mocks/week; taper last 4–5 days

Daily time targets: 2–3 hrs weekdays; 5–7 hrs weekends.

Phase 13 — Checklists & Templates

Daily Checklist – [ ] 2 deep blocks completed – [ ] 1 drill block + review – [ ] Flashcards (10–20 mins) – [ ] Update tracker & error‑log – [ ] 20–30 mins movement
Weekly Checklist – [ ] Syllabus % updated – [ ] 1–2 mocks + full analysis – [ ] Golden Sheets updated – [ ] Next week plan ready by Friday night
Monthly Checklist – [ ] Coverage vs plan – [ ] Score & accuracy trajectory – [ ] Top 5 recurring errors and fixes implemented – [ ] Resource audit (stay within your chosen set!)
Simple Planner (copy into your doc)

Week #: ______ Dates: ______
Top 3 Priorities (Subject‑wise):
1) ______________________
2) ______________________
3) ______________________
Mock Schedule: Sat __ / Sun __
Admin: Downloads / printing / room setup (Sun 6–7pm)

Golden Sheet Structure (per subject) – Formulas & thumb rules – Common traps & anti‑traps (counter‑examples) – Top 10 question stems + micro‑approach – Must‑remember facts (≤ 1 page)

Phase 14 — Descriptive Papers, Essays, Interviews

Descriptive/Essay: – Argument skeleton: Intro (context + thesis) → 2–3 body blocks (point–evidence–explain) → conclusion (synthesis + forward look). – Drill: 2 essays/week (30–40 mins each). Review for structure, clarity, examples, and balance. – Facts vault: Maintain quotes, data points, case studies by theme (economy, health, education, environment, IR, ethics).

Letter/Report/Précis: – Learn formats (salutation, subject, body, sign‑off). Practise on real prompts. Time yourself.

Interview/Personality Test: – Dossier: One‑pager about you (education, work, projects, strengths, hobbies, home district/state/country basics). – Mock interviews: Record yourself. Fix filler words, speed, posture. Keep answers precise (60–120 seconds) with examples. – Current affairs: Be opinionated but balanced; avoid absolutism; defend with logic + data.

Phase 15 — The Last 30 Days

Priorities: – Stop resource changes. – Finish Wave 3 revisions. – Maintain 2 mocks/week (or 3 if recovery is fine); focus sharply on analysis and energy management.

Playbook: – Triage: A‑weightage & high‑frequency topics daily. B‑weightage alternate days. C‑weightage only if it’s your strength. – Compression: Re‑write Golden Sheets from memory. – Sleep & stability: Fixed bed/wake times; practise at exam hour.

Avoid now: Starting brand‑new bulky sources; erratic sleep; social media debates; comparing with others.

Phase 16 — Exam Week

Logistics: – Admit card, ID, photos, stationery, transparent bottle, permitted items. Visit the centre (if possible) or map the route. – Eat predictable foods; hydrate; light movement daily.

Revision: – Mon–Wed: High‑yield sheets + 2–3 mini‑sets. – Thu: One light mixed set; early night. – Fri (if exam Sat): 30–45 mins flashcards only; relax.

Mind: – Micro‑visualisation: The hall, the first question, the calm rhythm. – Box‑breathing 2 mins pre‑paper. Affirm your risk policy.

Phase 17 — Exam‑Day Strategy

Before: – Reach early. No last‑minute cramming. – Fill details carefully. Plan section order in 30 seconds.

During: – Two‑pass rule. Mark doubtfuls; don’t sink time. – Stick to cut‑offs: if a question crosses your time budget, skip. – Track the clock per section (wristwatch if allowed).

After: – If there’s another paper soon, write a quick debrief: what worked, what to fix tomorrow.

Phase 18 — After the Exam: Recovery & Next Steps

If more papers remain: – Sleep, protein, hydration. – Brief analysis only; do not spiral into over‑analysis. – Review only the rules you broke; recommit for the next paper.

If the cycle ends: – Within 72 hours, do a reflective review: which systems served you, which didn’t. – Archive your trackers and notes; write a 1‑page “Operating Manual” for future you.

Troubleshooting Guide (When Things Go Wrong)

“I can’t stick to the plan.” – Shrink the plan to the smallest executable version: 1 deep block/day + 30‑min drill. Execute for 7 days, then scale.

“Mocks crush my morale.” – Separate identity from skill. Mocks are diagnostics. Focus on process metrics (attempt quality, accuracy in sure‑shot questions) before total score.

“I forget everything.” – You’re over‑reading and under‑recalling. Switch to active recall: close notes, answer from memory, then check. Double your flashcard time for a week.

“Work/life keeps interrupting.” – Use anchor slots (morning + one evening). Anything extra is bonus. Protect anchors at all costs.

“Too many resources.” – Enforce the stop rule. Pick one core + one practice. Move on.

“Anxiety spikes before study.” – 5‑minute walk, 2 minutes of breathing, 30 seconds of setup (clear desk, open book, set timer). Hit Start.

Sample Daily Timetables

Student (8 hrs net): – 06:30–07:00 Wake, walk, tea – 07:00–08:30 Deep Block (Subject A) – 08:30–09:00 Breakfast + break – 09:00–10:30 Deep Block (Subject B) – 10:30–11:00 Break – 11:00–12:00 Drill (Topic‑wise sets) – 12:00–13:00 Lunch – 14:00–15:30 Deep Block (Subject C or essays/RC) – 15:30–16:00 Break/movement – 16:00–17:00 Drill (mixed) – 20:30–21:15 Review (error‑log + flashcards)

Working Professional (2.5–3 hrs net): – 06:00–07:30 Deep Block (core subject) – Commute: 15–20 mins flashcards – 20:30–21:30 Drill (short timed set) – Fri 20:30–21:15 Review + plan next week

Example Weekly Plan (Fill‑in)

Week 4 Goals:
– Quant: Percentages, Ratios → 120 questions + formula sheet
– Reasoning: Seating + Syllogisms → 80 questions; build frameworks
– Language: 5 RCs; 5 précis; grammar rules 1–3
– GK/CA: Daily 25 mins; weekly 90‑min consolidation
– Mock: Sat #3 full; Sun analysis + error‑log

Mini‑Library: Methods That Actually Work

Active Recall: Test yourself without looking; close the book.
Spaced Repetition: Review at expanding intervals (1–3–7–14–30 days).
Interleaving: Mix topics to improve discrimination.
Feynman Technique: Explain it as if to a child; find gaps.
Elaboration: Link new info to what you already know.
Dual Coding: Words + visuals (tables, timelines) for memory.
Deliberate Practice: Focus on the exact sub‑skill causing errors.

Quality Control: How You Know You’re On Track

Leading Indicators (weekly): – ≥10 focused hours/week (working pro) or ≥35 hrs (student) – 2–3 concept pages/day – 100–150 quality questions/week (student) or 60–90 (working pro) – Mock score stable or rising; accuracy improving in sure‑shot buckets

Lagging Indicators (monthly): – Syllabus coverage ≥ 30% (Month 1), ≥ 65% (Month 2), ≥ 85% (Month 3) – Golden Sheets complete for all core subjects by last 4–6 weeks

Ethics & Exam Integrity

Use legit resources; don’t leak papers. Build real competence—you need it for the job after the exam too.
Respect exam rules; plan logistics responsibly.

Final Pep Talk

Start with one page of the syllabus and one 50‑minute block today. Then do it again tomorrow. Progress compounds. Your future self will thank you for every tiny, boring, disciplined session you complete. Onward.

Appendix — Copy‑Ready Tables

1) Syllabus Tracker

2) Error‑Log

3) Mock Summary

4) Daily Plan

5) CA/GK Vault (by theme)

6) Golden Sheet Index

Subject | Page # | Last Updated | What changed | Pending additions

7) Interview Dossier (1‑pager)

8) Essay Drill Log

9) Health & Habit Tracker

10) Weekly Review