ICSE Preparation Tips: The right way to study History & Civics for the exam

The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today ~ H.Jackson Brown Jr.

Studying the History & Civics paper is definitely a Herculean task because it contains one of the most extensive syllabuses of any subject. As the ICSE Examination 2023 is almost knocking on the door, it is important to have a solid preparation plan to ace the examination.

We, at Edugraph, had an interaction with Ms. Sanjukta Chatterjee, History & Civics teacher from Douglas Memorial Higher Secondary School to discuss what is the right method to study ICSE History and Civics, important chapters and much more. Read on to get the best preparation tips and get ready to score the best in the subject!

Tips on the correct method to study History: While studying a particular chapter, give a thorough reading and underline the keywords. Note down the important dates and years. Do this chapter-wise so that later on you don’t have to search for the important dates. Example - 16th October 1905 – Partition of Bengal.

Insights on the latest paper pattern: The pattern has changed only for Part I while Part II has stayed the same for ICSE 2023. Do the same as you used to study objective-type questions from previous years’ papers. Multiple Choice Questions have made it easy for you to score marks.

Important Chapters for this year: In Part II, from Section B three questions come from Indian History. If two questions come from Indian National Movement (1857-1917), then one will come from Indian National Movement (1915-1947) or vice versa. However, one question from Gandhi’s chapter usually comes.

From Contemporary World, two questions usually come. From the First and Second World Wars including the Rise of Dictatorship, usually, one question comes and the second question from UNO, Agencies, and NAM.

In Civics, from each unit, one question comes – Union Legislature, Union Executive, and Judiciary. However, from Union Executive every alternate year one question from the President and Vice President or from the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers comes

Most scoring chapters for board examination: In History: UNO and its Agencies, NAM, Revolt of 1857, and Partition of India. In Civics: Union Legislature and Judiciary are easy and scoring chapters.

Time Allotment: It is important for you to decide on the chapters that you find easier than others and start studying. You have to make up your mind as to which questions you are going to attempt. For example – if you think that you are going to attempt two questions from Contemporary World, then concentrate on World History chapters more, and vice versa if you want to answer only Indian History–concentrate on those chapters.

Similarly, for Civics, if you think that you will write Union Legislature and Executive, spend more time on those chapters so that whatever variety of questions comes from those chapters, you can answer it.

Make a daily study routine and follow it ardently in order to complete the ICSE 2023 syllabus within the allotted time.

Tips on preparing for picture-based questions: Picture study is easy to memorise and it always comes from History chapters. Identifying famous personalities such as Lord Mountbatten, Subhas Chandra Bose, Hitler, Mussolini, etc. and scenes from historic events are a common type of question, but national moments related to the freedom struggle are rare.

Last-minute preparation tips: While studying a chapter the keywords that you have underlined or the dates you have written, go through those parts when revising. This will help you to remember the full chapter.

How to self-assess before the exam: Solve the last five years question paper within two hours. You will get many common questions in the current examination.

To do your best and answer as best as you can should be your main objective. We hope these tips will help you in your preparation for the ICSE 2023 examination. All the best!