To tackle negative marking in UPSC exams, candidates should adopt a strategy that emphasizes careful analysis of questions. Developing a strong foundation in concepts allows candidates to eliminate wrong answers confidently. Practice with previous years’ papers can help them gauge which topics carry higher stakes, allowing them to focus their study time effectively. It’s also beneficial to employ a method of answering questions only when certain of the response, minimizing the risk of guesses that could lead to deduction of marks, thereby enhancing overall performance.