Optimizes your Chances in Prelims 2021- How many questions to attempt in Prelims 2021

Just a few days are remaining in UPSC Prelims 2021. You all have given your best in covering the UPSC CSE Prelims syllabus and there is no doubt about it. However, the insecurities inside you cannot be ignored. These insecurities lead to your confusion about a number of issues, one of them being how many questions should you attempt in the exam in order to clear the cut-off by a safe margin.

Though there is no established process to know the accurate answer of these questions and you will see that many ‘experts’ try to answer it in the most diplomatic way possible. Even we, at Adda247, do not claim that our experience is infallible. We only try to analyse the pattern from last few years and then arrive at a conclusion, which probably becomes the most desirable option.

We understand that deciding the number of questions, even before the paper has commenced, comes with a lot of risks. It is the reason why ‘experts’ are hesitant in giving an objective answer to this question.

According to us, your attempt in the exam should be above 85 questions in any case. It, however, do not mean that people attempting below this threshold are not clearing the exam. Nevertheless, if you go by the majority of aspirants, you will acknowledge that they are attempting 90+ questions in order to get around 55 questions (net) correct.

We are advising you this threshold by carefully analysing the pattern of questions UPSC is asking lately. The number of vague questions in the paper is increasing and you cannot be sure about the answer, even after pondering over it for a week. So, no one is judging you for your accuracy level. The question paper is set in such a manner that you are bound to make mistakes.

It, however, in no way means that you should start attempting the questions randomly. Give a proper thought before attempting a question, apply elimination techniques, and then zero down an option.

Does attempting more than 85 questions guarantee your selection in prelims? No, but it definitely gives you scope to make genuine and silly mistakes. You may give your best and dream of not doing even a single silly mistake. It, however, is impossible to reduce it to zero and you have to be ready for it too.

Give your best as at the end, it is all that counts!