Building a Strong Foundation
NCERT Textbooks:
Biology Class 12 (Chapters 13-16): Grasp the fundamentals of ecology, crucial for conceptual questions.
Geography NCERTs (All Classes): Mine these for information on protected areas, species, pollution, etc. Make detailed notes on these topics based on past year question papers (PYQs).
Science Class 10 (Chapters 14-16): Identify and delve deeper into environment-related topics within these chapters.
Mastering Past Trends
Previous Year Questions (PYQs): Invest significant time analyzing PYQs. Research the sources of information for these questions, understand the thought process behind wrong answer choices, and learn to make informed guesses based on your environmental knowledge.
Staying Updated on Current Affairs
Newspapers: Develop a strong curiosity for environmental terms and concepts appearing in daily newspapers. Research these topics to gain a deeper understanding.
Daily News Analysis: Follow reliable sources like WritiyIAS website to stay updated on static environmental topics. Supplement this with daily quizzes from websites, videos, or Telegram channels to solidify your knowledge.
Annual Current Affairs Compilations: Watch WritiyIAS compilation videos to gain insights into important environment-related current affairs over the past few years.
Preparing for UPSC Mains
Newspaper Editorials: Focus on editorials related to previous year's UPSC Mains thematic areas in the Environment section. Make notes while keeping your existing environment knowledge base in mind.
Structured Mains Notes: Create well-organized notes on specific syllabus topics relevant to the Mains exam. For instance, prepare notes on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and its limitations.
Finally,
Develop a Personalized Approach: Adapt this strategy to your learning style. Practice Regularly: Take mock tests and analyse your performance to identify areas needing improvement.