How to read newspapers for UPSC Civil Services Examination?

Reading the newspaper often consumes lots of time, as young aspirants are unaware of what to focus on and what to avoid. Below are some tips that will help you save time:

The general consensus is that THE HINDU or THE INDIAN EXPRESS (Delhi Edition) are ideal for UPSC preparation. Choose one that suits you.

All political news is to be avoided unless it pertains to relevant GS concepts.
For example, political debates over the imposition of the president’s rule have to be avoided, but the concepts related to the president’s rule have to be focused.

Avoid reading the state section of the newspaper unless it has a larger national implication.
State schemes or programmes that can be good case studies for your Mains answers can be picked, for example, the Kalia scheme of Orissa for farmer welfare, the Guaranteed Pension Scheme of Andhra Pradesh as an alternate pension scheme, the Mission Kakatiya of Telangana for water conservation, etc.
You can read it if you are also preparing for the State PSC Exam / UPSC interview.

Focus on global and domestic macroeconomic trends – economic output, economic growth, unemployment, poverty, inflation and deflation, and investment.
Focus on articles announcing policies of the government, especially those by the ministries of finance and commerce.
Focus on articles related to policies/views of major bodies like RBI, NITI Aayog, SEBI, FICCI, CII, NASSCOM, ASSOCHAM etc.
Do not read news or interviews about individual business houses or companies, but be thorough with emerging sectoral trends; for example, know what is ailing the coal sector in India or what are the prospects of the electronics industry in India, etc.
Do not read the news related to Stock Market.

The most significant news stories are reflected in the editorial page. It has an in-depth analysis of important topics. Articles are a mix of analysis and facts, thus making them important for both prelims and mains. And reading good articles also improves one’s essay-writing skills and English. So, most of it has to be consumed.
But avoid reading dozens of articles about a single news item. For example, many articles appear regularly on the long-running Russia-Ukraine war; avoid reading these once you have developed a well-rounded understanding of the issue.
Avoid political editorials and interviews and those irrelevant to the UPSC syllabus.
Be cautious that you develop a well-rounded understanding without any irrational bias. Make it a point to read articles that are left, right, and centre on an issue. For example, on the issue of subsidies, you should read articles on why subsidies are a waste of money, why subsidies are needed as a protective net, and also an article on why we need a mix of subsidies and alternatives.

Focus on international organisations like the UN, ASEAN, WHO, IMF, etc., and their reports and publications, and India’s engagement with them.
Focus on major political events in other countries that have possible ramifications for India and the world, like a military coup, nuclear tests, military occupation, Brexit etc.
Visits of dignitaries like the Prime Minister, the President, and the foreign ministers, and the treaties and agreements signed on such visits.
Avoid international politics, for example, the US Presidential race and debates, the Russian Presidency, EU internal politics, etc.

Have an understanding of the major sporting events of the world like the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, Wimbledon, the FIFA World Cup, the Cricket World Cup, etc. But avoid going into the nitty-gritty of the sport and the commentaries.
Read about a sport in more detail if it’s your hobby, as you may face questions on it in the interview stage.

Notes should be crisp and should be additive, i.e., you should be able to add to them as and when you learn more on the emerging issue under the syllabus heading.