How to start IAS/UPSC EXAM Preparation
The UPSC Civil Services examination is one of the most prestigious and toughest exams in the world. Every year more than 8 lakh aspirants apply for this exam but only a few hundred of them can clear it. Its vast syllabus and dynamic approach make it even more challenging. In this article, we will discuss everything that you need to know on how to prepare for the UPSC exam and achieve your dream of becoming a civil servant.
“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
The UPSC/ IAS Civil Services Exam (CSE) is a long journey that requires around 1-2 years of dedication during the preparation and around another year of the exam process which begins in May/ June and lasts till February/ March of the next year. Following are the steps you require to give a solid foundation to your exam preparation.
Understand the UPSC/ CSE Exam Requirement
- Understand the Exam Pattern
- Know the Syllabus
- Review Previous Year Questions
Going through the Pattern of the IAS/ UPSC Exam:
| Stage | Exam Type | Time | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | 2 Objective Type Papers | 2 hours for each paper | Qualifying Only |
| Mains | 9 Subjective Type Papers | 3 hours for each paper | 1750 |
| Personality Test | Interview | 20-30 minutes | 275 |
The UPSC Civil Services exam is conducted inthree stages. The first stage, the Preliminary Exam -is a qualifying exam with two objective-type papers.
- The General Studies Paper I is scored out of 200 and your performance in this paper will decide whether you are eligible to take the Mains Exam.
- The General Studies Paper II (Civil Services Aptitude Test) is a qualifying exam where 33% marks are required.
- Those select few who clear the Prelims Exam, write the tough Mains Exam which is a descriptive-type exam with nine papers totaling 1750 marks. This paper assesses your understanding, articulation abilities and conceptual clarity through 9, 3-hour long, papers out of which 7 papers determine the merit list.
- The top performing candidates of the Mains Exam are invited for the Personality Test which is an interview-type assessment for 275 marks.
Based on the total marks of the Mains Exam and the Personality Test, a merit list is prepared for selection in the Civil Services of India including IAS/IPS/IFS/IRS posts. The details are available in our Article ‘IAS Exam Pattern| UPSC Exam Pattern’.
Mastering the Syllabus of the IAS/ UPSC Exam
| Stage | Paper | Syllabus | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | General Studies I | Current Affairs and General Studies | 200 |
| General Studies I | Aptitude & Reasoning | Qualifying | |
| Mains | Paper-I | Essay | 250 |
| Paper-II | General Studies – I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History & Geography of the World & Society) | 250 | |
| Paper-III | General Studies – II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice & International Relations) | 250 | |
| Paper-IV | General Studies – III (Technology, Economic Development, Biodiversity, Security & Disaster Management) | 250 | |
| Paper-V | General Studies – IV (Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude) | 250 | |
| Paper-VI | Optional Subject – Paper I | 250 | |
| Paper-VII | Optional Subject – Paper II | 250 | |
| Paper A | Indian Language from Schedule 8 | Qualifying | |
| Paper B | English | Qualifying |
The detailed syllabus for both the Preliminary and Mains stages is given in the UPSC notification and is also explained in our Articles ‘How to prepare for UPSC/IAS Prelims Exam?’,‘How to prepare for UPSC/IAS Mains Exam?’ and ‘Strategy to Crack UPSC Interview’.
- The Preliminary stage tests students on current affairs, history, geography, polity, economy, science, comprehension, logical reasoning etc.
- The Mains Exam syllabus is more extensive and includes additional topics like internal security, disaster management, world history, social issues ethics, essay and an optional subject.
- Finally, the Personality Test is conducted to assess the critical thinking and character of the candidate.
Significance of Previous Year’s Question Papers
By solving previous year’s question papers of 5-10 years, you can develop a better understanding of the UPSC exam pattern and the types of questions that are asked. You can also identify the important topics that are frequently tested in the exam. This will help you focus your preparation on the most important areas.
Decide When You Wish to Appear for the IAS/ UPSC Exam
- Age and Educational Background will decide your Attempt Year
- Prepare a Strategy: 1-year, 2-year and 3-year plans.
- Choose your Optional
Age and Educational Background Will Influence Your Decision
The IAS/ UPSC Exam preparation requires extensive study in diverse subjects. The Prelims Exam is conducted in May/ June every year. Accordingly, one can estimate when to give their attempt keeping in mind the eligibility requirement (maximum age of the candidate) and the time they have to prepare. Detailed eligibility criteria for the exam are provided in our Article ‘IAS, IPS Exam Eligibility’.
Prepare a Strategy for Success in IAS/UPSC Exam:
‘If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe.’ – Abraham Lincoln
There is no one-size-fits-all plan that will suit all aspirants. Based on the needs, educational background and abilities of a student, they need to prepare their plan. Inspiration can be taken from how previous toppers from your field/ or of your temperament have prepared. These topper’s preparation strategies are available on our ‘Topper’s Journey’ tab.
The plan will also depend on the time available for preparation. Some candidates are working professionals, some are college students, and some others take a drop year to focus completely on preparation. Choice of self-study or going for coaching/ test series should also be made at this stage. There are many affordable and accessible Study Courses available at Chahal IAS Academy to meet the needs of all kinds of candidates.
Preparation Plan IAS/UPSC Exam for 1 Year:
| Month | UPSC Prelims Exam | UPSC Mains |
|---|---|---|
| June- Aug |
| Start preparing for your Optional Subject. |
| Sep- Dec |
|
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| Jan- March |
|
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| April-May |
|
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If you only have one year to prepare then you will have to complete current affairs, standard books and answer writing practice all simultaneously. You should start with foundational subjects common for both prelims and mains. Also, it is crucial that you cover the newspaper daily and stay abreast with current affairs. In the next phase, it is important to revise the previous material as well as complete your optional along with other mains-specific topics. At this point, you should start taking tests for the material you have already covered to check conceptual clarity. Answer writing is also a crucial skill which you need to work on. As the Prelims exam comes close, for three months it is advised to test yourself regularly in exam conditions (i.e. from 9am to 11am) and also focus on the CSAT paper which has been very challenging.
Preparation Plan for 2 Years:
| Year | Syllabus to be Covered |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Complete a study of standard books and optional subjects. Start reading the newspaper. |
| Year 2 | Focus on regular tests and answer writing. Systematically cover current affairs. Mock test practice and regular revisions. |
If you have two years to prepare for this exam, then you should start by focusing on the basics. Starting with NCERT books from classes 6-12 of subjects like History, Economy, Polity and Geography will provide you with a good foundation. In the first year, your goal should be to clear your fundamentals and pick up the habit of reading the newspaper. You can also get started with your optional.
In the second year, it is important to focus on the current affairs systematically. You should also start practising mock tests, do regular revisions and answer writing. You can complete and consolidate notes on all subjects so that you can ensure quick revisions. You can refer to the one-year plan given above for a more detailed course of action.
Preparation Plan for 3 Years:
| Year | Syllabus to be Covered |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Familiarise yourself with the exam Begin reading NCERTs Starting with reading the newspaper. |
| Year 2 | Study Standard books Decide optional subject and start preparing it Keep abreast with the newspaper |
| Year 3 | Focus on regular tests and answer writing. Systematically cover current affairs. Mock test practice and regular revisions. |
‘Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.’– Jim Rohn
While having three years for preparation is ideal, it is necessary to have a plan to keep yourself on track in this long journey. You can start by understanding the requirements of the exam. At this stage, reading the newspaper is important from the perspective of creating a habit of newspaper reading as the content may not be as relevant for exams three years later. So, in the first year focus on basics by reading the NCERTs.
In the next year, you should systematically take up standard books and remember to revise the content you have covered. The art of notemaking will be essential to consolidate the information which you will read over three years. It is also valuable to identify the optional subject you will be going forward it.
In the third year, you should focus on finishing the study material and then doing rigorous tests and practice. A detailed year long plan has been provided above.
Choosing an Optional
This is a big decision to take as you will invest around 2-4 months in optional preparation and you can find more details about this in our article‘How to choose an optional subject for IAS-UPSC Exam?’.
Finalise Your Resources & Booklist
- Decide Booklist
- Decide Current Affairs Strategy
It is important for students to identify good resources and revise them repeatedly so that you get conceptual clarity. Basic books like NCERTS form the backbone of the preparation. Our article on ‘Comprehensive Reference Materials for UPSC- CSE Exam’ will give you a ready book list, curated by experts, to get started immediately.
Covering current affairs smartly is important to crack the Prelims Exam. Reading a newspaper and other current affairs material regularly is very important. ‘How to Start Current Affairs Preparation for IAS/IPS/UPSC Civil Services Exam’ will equip you to tackle this challenge.
Set Your Roadmap
- Set Timelines and make a Time Table
- Learn to Make Notes
Timelines and schedules are necessary to keep yourself on track in this very long journey. A daily study plan will help you manage your time effectively and avoid feeling overwhelmed. This plan should incorporate regular revisions and also focus on mock tests to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, regular answer-writing practice is essential for improving your skills.
‘How To Make Notes For Civil Services, UPSC/IAS/IPS Exam Preparation?’ is a quick guide to notemaking which is an essential skill for this exam.
It is important to take care of your mental and physical health during this challenging journey. The internet provides access to a vast amount of information, but it is important to be selective and avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary content.
Get the basics right
The Civil Services Examination is conducted in three stages; Prelims, Mains, and Personal Interview. The minimum educational qualification required is graduation from the any recognized university in India. The age limit is 21-32 years (relaxation as per government norms) and the maximum number of attempts allowed is 6 for general category students
- The most important thing before going for this decision is to analyze each aspect of IAS
preparation right from the exam pattern, syllabus to the previous year’s questions papers. Owing to its highly unpredictable nature it is not a sure-shot that the candidate may get success in one go and, in many instances, this process becomes lethargic due to repeated failures. - Discussing with seniors/mentors and those who have prepared for the CSE will also provide you with an overall insight into the examination and it will help you in adopting a proper strategy, planning, and executing accordingly.
Play with the Right strategy:
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” — Michael E. Porter
Success in this examination depends on making the right decisions at the right times. Right Strategy and guidance play a very important role in the selection. A strategy is like a make or break factor that will determine your chances of selection in the IAS examination.
- Syllabus: The first and foremost step is to thoroughly know the UPSC CSE syllabus.
Aspirants should mug up the entire syllabus. Clarity of the nature and scope of the syllabus
will help in understanding what to read and what not to read. The questions asked in the exam are always within the syllabus and hence keeping a close eye on the syllabus is fundamental. - Reading NCERTs: As a beginner of UPSC preparation, your foremost priority should be to finish the NCERTs first. NCERTs will help you to develop your basic knowledge and understanding of various issues related to different subjects. NCERTs provide the base for your UPSC preparation.
- Reading Daily Newspaper: The newspaper is like Bible/Koran/Geeta and is one of the most crucial IAS preparation tips for beginners. One should read at least one newspaper daily to develop a very basic understanding of the day-to-day happenings around the globe and continuously improve this knowledge by interlinking these topics in answer writing. With the increasing weight of current affairs questions in prelims every year, regular newspaper reading gives you an upper hand in both papers. It will help you stay updated with current affairs.
- Previous Years’ Questions: Aspirants must go through the previous years’ question papers thoroughly to get a clear understanding of the examination pattern. It will help in getting a better perspective of the types of questions asked and identifying the best sources for preparation.
- Practice mock tests: For prelims, practicing mock tests and for mains daily answer writing practice is very important. One should join a good test series for regular practice of the complete series to cover the whole syllabus. These mock tests not only help in preparing for the exam but also help in learning time management.
- Choose your optional wisely: Choosing the correct Optional Subject for clearing this exam is very important. You should choose your optional very carefully taking into account your educational background, familiarity and interest in the subject, syllabus, availability of good resources, and coaching classes.
- Discipline is a key to success: Staying disciplined with your studies and timetable is
very crucial for success. Discipline is like taking homeopathic medicine. It will take time to produce the results and while following you are going to face the pain and irritation but as the time progresses you will see different changes inside you. These changes will be an integral part of your personality gradually. - Gain experience not shared in books: Experience is a very expensive asset, yet it’s
crucial for your UPSC preparation strategy. Apart from reading books listen to useful programs like RSTV debates, take a trip to a rural area, understand how basic functionaries work, interact with as many people as you can from different socio-cultural backgrounds to enrich your experience. Explore the questions that you confront on day to day basis. This will make your answers unique. - Health First:Last but not the least; you should take proper care of your health. IAS exam is the game of mind over matter. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. Try following an exercise regime like doing yoga, playing some sports, and even meditating. This will help you to avoid burnout and keep you focused on your studies.
Scheduling/Prioritising things:
- Daily, weekly, monthly schedule:
- Make a proper schedule by prioritizing the things, for instance, you will finish this subject or chapter in this much time or week. Our Brain does not act properly until and unless it is being commanded clearly. This clarity will come when you make a proper schedule by writing it down on paper.
- The secret mantra is to Revise, Revise, and Revise! Studying is important, but so is revision. Preparing for the UPSC will require you to remember a lot of information which is nothing less of a herculean task. So, how will you ensure that you retain all that you’ve studied? The answer is a simple revision! This is even more important for static subjects which have a definite syllabus.
- Make a personalized schedule keeping the above aspects of preparation in attention and start this adventurous journey. Remember that UPSC CSE is not just a goal but a journey, not a 100-meter race but a marathon. Your commitment, dedication, and perseverance will pay off to you one day definitely.
All the best!
