7 Effective Note Making Methods for UPSC

Making notes for UPSC is a useful skill that helps you remember information, organise your studies and prepare for examinations. Students in the Indian education system, where competition is fierce, can profit from the practice of note-making as a means to achieve academic success. It is also important for candidates who prepare for competitive examinations like the UPSC civil services exam. 

Best Methods for Making Effective Notes For UPSC

The method you use to make notes for UPSC is a crucial factor. Different methods are applicable to different types of information and learning styles. As the best upsc coaching in India, we provide best tips and methods for making effective notes for UPSC and how they can be used in competitive examinations like UPSC.

1) Outlining Method

The outlining system is the most effective method of UPSC note-making. The system requires using pointers and sub-pointers to frame notes. Start by dividing your chapter into 4- 5 main crucial points, and keep adding your notes and sub-notes within those pointers. This system generally works when there is a lot of content. It makes it easier to relate to and understand the relationship between points. Subjects like history, psychology and sociology can be noted down using the outlining system. 

However, it does have its shortcomings. You might get further focused on filling spaces rather than understanding generalities. This system generally works more when you have access to laptops. Nevertheless, it might permit unmannered recording and careless notes.

2) The Cornell Method

The Cornell Method is a time-consuming process that requires some attention. Your content should be distributed into three distinct stages, including keywords, notes and summary. These keywords correspond to pivotal retention questions, primary keywords related to the content at hand, and significant answers. 

In the notes section, you can validate charts, tables, running notes, and class pointers. The summary provides a more coherent representation of the notes. The Cornell system's emphasis on active learning is worth pursuing. The learning process is more methodical and cognitively friendly. The system is criticised for leaving little space for the notes section after partitioning. This is time-consuming and requires a lot of dedication to write summaries.

3) The Boxing Method

The Boxing system refers to taking notes in small boxes to understand the relationship between different concepts better. It is generally used for relating ideas and concepts and explaining the differences between two relatable ideas. It highlights crucial points and is used alongside the outlining system. The boxing system helps your notes stay systematised and straight to the point. It makes it easier to connect general concepts and is used for making text notes. Nevertheless, this system is frequently looked down upon because of the constant need to make boxes and stay largely structured and systematised.

4) Mind-Mapping Method

The mind-mapping system gives way to a further interrelated conception. It is generally used for complex subjects like history, psychology, sociology and political science. Mind mapping requires you to have one main idea and branch it out into several lower ideas,sub-ideas and so on. It helps to understand the overall scale of the chapter. This system is great for visual learners who understand images more. 

Furthermore, it summarises chapters in a systematised format. However, details can be fluently overlooked and more frequently than not, it has a high distraction probability. Learners who use this system might get more focused on the charts or diagrams they make rather than the factual content and its applicability. It is an effective note making method for UPSC.

5) Charting System

The Charting system promotes active recall like the Cornell system and connects concepts like the mind- mapping system. The charting system is great for visual learners as well. It involves creating a table or Venn diagrams with all the important details you bear while understanding a concept. It helps when you are struggling to remember some forgotten concepts. This system is great for actively recalling and retaining basic bits of information you might overlook. It reduces the quantum of jotting needed and strikes a comparison and similarity between difficult concepts making it relatively fluent. 

However, the charting system is not so great because some details can not be classified into maps. Moreover, maps are frequently time-consuming and require dedication to complete.

6) Flow Chart Method

The Flow Chart Method is grounded on three effects- simplify, visualise and connect. This system is useful for heavy subjects like philosophy and psychology. This system involves the use of arrows, bubbles, flowcharts, and elaborate doodles to write down information. It requires the use of the creative and the processing corridor of your brain. The flowchart method is great as it gets your creative faculties working making your brain more active. It also encourages simplifying complicated concepts in your own words and is easy to use.

However, this system frequently leads to disorganised notes and idea charts. It needs the user of this system to understand concepts in their ideas and language. Hence, it might not be the most useful tool for those who start preparing one day before their UPSC exam.

7) The Presentation Method

The Presentation Method is a system that involves using your mentor's notes and slides to fill in the blanks in subjects that you have studied at the upsc online coaching centre. It involves taking a copy of the teacher's slides and noting down the points that are not there in your notes or the points that you have missed. This system is great for UPSC aspirants. It saves time and energy by only expanding on the concepts since the general idea is formerly given in the slides. 

However, this system can encourage laziness and passive note-making. This could lead to no engagement in classroom lectures and make the aspirant solely rely on the study material. Consequently, small details could easily be overlooked in this system.

Which UPSC Note-Making Method is the Best in 2025?

The best UPSC note-making method has to be grounded on the material and information you have to record. For some, it might be the Cornell system while others may use the flowchart system.

All in all, note-making is an important tool that can help aspirants navigate their way through the highly competitive environment, that is the civil service exam. By understanding the different types of UPSC note-making methods, using effective note- making ways, and reviewing notes regularly, students can understand and retain the material they are studying, which can give them an edge in their studies and career as a civil servant.

Thus, note-making can be tailored to match the learning style and preferences of the candidate. It is important to try out different note-making styles and find what works best for you.