1. The Hindu Newspaper

đź“° How to Read The Hindu for UPSC CSE Preparation

1. Set Your Purpose

  • You are not reading for general knowledge, but for UPSC exam relevance.
  • Focus on issues, not news events. (e.g., “climate change policy” is more important than “today’s weather in Delhi”).

2. Sections You Should Focus On

  • Front Page → Read only if it has national importance (e.g., Supreme Court judgment, govt. policy, international treaty). Ignore political party fights, state politics.
  • National News → Pick topics related to governance, judiciary, constitutional issues, government schemes. Ignore local/state-only news unless of national impact.
  • International News → Focus on India’s relations with other countries, UN/IMF/World Bank reports, global summits. Ignore small diplomatic events.
  • Editorial & Op-Ed Pages → Most important section. They provide analysis of current issues. Read carefully but don’t copy; make short notes.
  • Business Page → Focus on Indian economy, RBI policies, inflation, fiscal deficit, major govt. reports (NITI Aayog, Economic Survey). Ignore stock market daily updates.
  • Science & Tech → Focus on ISRO, DRDO, new technologies, environment/climate issues.
  • Environment Section (if available) → Biodiversity, wildlife conservation, international conventions (e.g., COP meetings).
  • Sports → Skip, except when it’s about policies (e.g., National Sports Policy, doping rules).

3. What to Note Down

Make notes on issues relevant to UPSC syllabus:

  • Polity → Supreme Court/High Court judgments, constitutional amendments, governance reforms.
  • Economy → GDP trends, government schemes, RBI policies, agriculture-related reforms.
  • International Relations → India’s foreign policy, bilateral visits, agreements, global conflicts impacting India.
  • Environment → Climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity acts, global treaties.
  • Science & Tech → ISRO missions, defense technology, AI, biotech.
  • Social Issues → Women empowerment, health policies, education reforms, poverty alleviation.

4. What to Avoid

❌ Political gossip, party conflicts, election rallies.
❌ Celebrity news, movie reviews, sports scores.
❌ State-level local news (unless nationally relevant).
❌ Crime reports, sensational stories.

5. How Much Time to Spend

  • 60–90 minutes daily is enough.
  • Spend:
    • 15–20 min on Front + National news
    • 30–40 min on Editorial/Op-Ed
    • 10–15 min on Economy/International/Science
  • Don’t read word by word—scan for UPSC-relevant content.

6. Making Notes

  • Use Evernote/OneNote/Notion (digital) or keep a current affairs notebook.
  • Organize notes by GS Paper categories (GS1, GS2, GS3, GS4).
  • Write issue → background → recent update → significance → challenges → way forward.

Example:
Issue: Supreme Court on Sedition Law

  • Background: IPC Section 124A
  • Recent update: Court paused its use pending review
  • Significance: Balancing national security & free speech
  • Challenges: Misuse against dissent
  • Way Forward: Law reform, guidelines

7. Monthly Consolidation

  • Use magazines like Vision IAS Monthly, Insights Monthly CA, or The Hindu Review.
  • Your notes + monthly magazine = complete coverage.

âś… Pro Tip:
Don’t get trapped into “reading every word”. Remember—UPSC doesn’t test whether you read The Hindu daily, it tests whether you can analyze issues and write balanced answers.

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