How to prepare Polity for UPSC Prelims 2011

So lets start with preparing Polity for prelims 2011.
Polity is very important not only from prelims but also from mains point of view, so the aim should be to get a good grip over polity.
One can rely on Ravindran Sir's notes (Vajiram and Ravi) which can be sourced from any xerox shop in Rajender Nagar,Delhi.
In case you are residing outside Delhi ,then the best book for polity is "Polity by Laxmikant", this book should be read from end to end preferably.I personally found Polity by Laxmikant to be the best book as it is written in simple language and points format.It is a must read for any serious aspirant.
There are usually 9-10 questions from polity in prelims are most of them are easily doable if one is thorough with the concepts in polity.
For instance a matching question can be asked of the form :

1. Column - A -------------- Column - B
2. 1.Directive Principles -------------- 1.South Africa
3. 2.Emergency Provision -------------- 2.USA
4. 3.Amendment Procedure ------------- 3.Ireland
5. 4.Fundamental Rights -------------- 4.Germany

where you have to match from which country the respective provisions of the Indian Constitution have been taken.
Similar type of matching questions are asked for Contitutional Amendments and their domain, for example it can be asked that with what does 91st Amendment Act 2003deals?(it has put a ceiling on number of ministers).So prepare all the important and latest amendments.
Looking up previous polity questions asked in prelims would give you a fair idea that having clarity of concepts in polity would ensure you will answer correctly almost all polity related questions.
Many times aspirants are worried that how they can remember all the articles of the Constitution.Well ,the truth is you need not remember all the articles but only the important articles.For instance you should know that President can seek advisory opinion of Supreme Court under Artticle-143.The idea is that those provisions of constitution which keep coming in news are important like Article 144(Uniform civil code),Article-356(President's Rule) etc.
I shall be giving a list of important articles in one of the subsequent posts for benefit of newcomers to this exam.Happy studying !!!