The UPSC EPFO exam is one of the highly competitive exams, which many aspirants fail to clear because they all make the same mistakes every year. These mistakes often include ignoring the syllabus, avoiding UPSC EPFO previous year papers, skipping mock tests, etc. 

Making such mistakes reduces your chances of cracking the UPSC EPFO exam, and you need to invest another year in preparing. Which is again risky, as this is not a regular exam.

In this article, I’ll share the most common mistakes UPSC EPFO aspirants make and how you can avoid them!

Mistake 1: Not Checking Exam Pattern and Syllabus

It’s easy to make a big mistake when getting ready for the UPSC EPFO exam: not truly understanding the exam pattern and syllabus.

If you don’t match your study plan to how the exam is set up, you could end up wasting a lot of time on things that don’t matter.

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Rely on the official UPSC EPFO notification for the latest pattern 
• Verify the syllabus from multiple sources so that you don’t miss any important topics. 
• Focus on high-weightage topics from all subjects, but don’t ignore the rest of the topics.

Mistake 2: Avoid Solving UPSC EPFO Previous Year Papers

Another big mistake while preparing for the UPSC EPFO exam is not solving previous year papers. Many candidates focus too much on reading the concepts and forget to check the question types and patterns from the actual exam.

How you can use UPSC EPFO PYQs:

• Solve past papers with a timer to simulate exam conditions.
• Keep your phone on silent to avoid distractions.
• Analyze every mistake to understand why you got the question wrong.

Mistake 3: Assuming Current Affairs Are Easy

Current Affairs are not as easy as they may look. They include various topics related to core EPFO subjects.

Many aspirants make the mistake of taking current affairs lightly, and they keep it for the end. But covering the past 4 to 6 months of current affairs in the end is quite challenging, as your mind has a limit to retain information to a certain point. 

Here is how you can prioritize GA:

• Pay close attention to each current affair that is directly related to the UPSC EPFO syllabus, such as social security schemes, labor laws, and government policies.
• Along with the reliable newspapers, you should also include the Press Information Bureau (PIB) for official government updates and announcements.
• Learning current affairs is a continuous process. Dedicate time each week to review what you’ve read. Create short notes or use your daily current affairs app’s weekly summaries to reinforce your memory.
• As you read a news item, think about how it relates to a topic in your syllabus.

Mistake 4: Not Practicing Enough Mock Tests

Many aspirants preparing for the UPSC EPFO exam skip practicing mock tests. They only focus on learning new concepts. 

Failing to practice mock questions leaves you unprepared, as you don’t actually know if those concepts are clear or not if you don’t practice. You’ll release this in the actual exam. 

How to Avoid This Mistake:

• Make time every week to do a full mock test, just as if it were the real exam.
• After each test, review your performance. 
• Find your mistakes and check the detailed explanation to know where you went wrong.
• See where you’re losing time and what topics are giving you trouble. Then, focus your practice on those areas.

Mistake 5: Not Revising Regularly

It’s easy to forget things you’ve studied, and you’ll not even realize this. You need to understand that revising is as important as learning new concepts. In order to ensure that your mind will retain what you just read, you should revise regularly.

How to resize:

• Dedicate a specific time each week to go back over what you’ve covered.
• Repeatedly practice key topics and formulas until they feel second nature.
• Make short notes for important concepts so you can easily revise when needed.

Mistake 6: Poor Time Management

A common mistake while preparing for the UPSC EPFO APFC and AO/EO exams is poor time management. You can easily spend too much time on 1 less important topic while leaving the important topics untouched.

How can you manage time efficiently? 

• Don’t get stuck on one topic. Distribute your study time evenly to ensure all subjects are covered.
• When you take mock tests, set a timer for each section or complete exam. This will help replicate the actual exam environment.
• Tackle your most difficult subjects first, and later move on to practice your stronger areas.

Mistake 7: Ignoring Health and Well-Being

You must know that the UPSC EPFO exam preparation is a marathon. If you constantly push your mind to the limit, chances are it will break at some point, and you’ll lose motivation at that time. So, if you want to always perform at your best, you must prioritize your health.

Here is how you can prioritize your health:

• Take short breaks of 5 minutes during long study sessions.
• Add some exercise to your daily routine.
• Practice yoga or meditation.
• Eat a healthy diet. 
• Get at least 7 hours of sleep.
• Talk to your friends and family.

Conclusion

Now that you know the common mistakes aspirants make while preparing for the UPSC EPFO exam, you should use this information to create a customized study plan for yourself. Copying a study schedule of any other aspirant is another mistake. You must understand that what might work for him/her may or may not work for you.