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UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) preparation is a long-term process that demands strategy, discipline and consistency. Here is a detailed guide that outlines the step-by-step preparation procedure

Examination Format:

UPSC Civil Services Exam is conducted in three phases

Prelims ( Objective Type ):

• Paper-1 : General studies, 100 questions, 200 marks.

Paper 1 marks are counted for Prelims, while Paper 2 is qualifying

• Paper-2 : Civil Services Aptitude Test, 80 questions, 200 marks (qualification, 33% minimum required)

Mains ( Descriptive Type ): Total 9 papers

Paper	Marks	Description	Qualifying/Counted for Merit
Paper A	300	Indian Language (chosen from the list of languages)	Qualifying (33% required)
Paper B	300	English Language	Qualifying (33% required)
Paper I	250	Essay	Counted for Merit
Paper II	250	General Studies I (Indian Heritage & Culture, History, Geography of the World and Society)	Counted for Merit
Paper III	250	General Studies II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice, and International Relations)	Counted for Merit
Paper IV	250	General Studies III (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)	Counted for Merit
Paper V	250	General Studies IV (Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude)	Counted for Merit
Paper VI	250	Optional Subject Paper I	Counted for Merit
Paper VII	250	Optional Subject Paper II	Counted for Merit

Interview/Personality Test: 275 marks.

Grand Total (Mains + Interview): 2025 marks

Create a study Schedule:

Time	Activity	Description
6:00 AM – 6:30 AM	Wake up & Meditation/Exercise	Start the day with 30 minutes of physical exercise or meditation to refresh your mind and body.
6:30 AM – 7:30 AM	Newspaper Reading (Current Affairs)	Read The Hindu or Indian Express focusing on editorials, government policies, and international news.
7:30 AM – 8:30 AM	Breakfast & Relax	Take a break to have a healthy breakfast and relax for a while.
8:30 AM – 10:30 AM	Static Subject 1 (GS Paper)	Study a General Studies subject like Polity, History, Geography, or Economy using NCERTs or reference books. Focus on conceptual clarity.
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM	Short Break	Take a 30-minute break for some relaxation or a quick snack.
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM	Static Subject 2 (Optional)	Study your optional subject. This could be any subject you have chosen, such as Sociology, Geography, or Public Administration.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM	Lunch & Relax	Enjoy a healthy lunch and rest for a while.
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM	CSAT Practice (Aptitude)	Practice CSAT topics like Quantitative Aptitude, Logical Reasoning, and Comprehension (focus on areas of improvement).
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM	Current Affairs Notes & Revision	Make notes from the newspaper or monthly current affairs compilations. Revise key government policies, reports, and schemes.
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM	Short Break (Tea/Walk)	Relax and refresh yourself with tea or a short walk.
4:30 PM – 6:30 PM	Answer Writing Practice (Mains)	Practice answer writing for Mains. Choose questions from previous years or mock tests and practice structuring your answers effectively.
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM	Optional Subject (Notes/Revision)	Revise the topics you studied earlier in the day or make short notes on the important topics.
7:30 PM – 8:00 PM	Dinner & Relax	Take a break for dinner and some time to unwind.
8:00 PM – 9:00 PM	Mock Test Practice (Prelims)	Attempt a Prelims mock test or solve previous year’s question papers to improve speed and accuracy.
9:00 PM – 10:00 PM	Review & Revision	Review mistakes from the mock test and revise important concepts from your study material.
10:00 PM – 10:30 PM	Relax & Wind Down	Engage in light reading or relaxation activities before bed. Sleep early for a fresh start the next day.
10:30 PM	Sleep	Get 7-8 hours of sleep to ensure you stay fresh and focused.

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Weekly Schedule

Day	Focus Area	Description
Monday	Polity & Governance	Focus on reading Indian Polity by Laxmikanth. Study important topics like Fundamental Rights, DPSP, etc.
Tuesday	History (Modern India)	Study modern Indian history from books like India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra.
Wednesday	Geography (Physical & Human)	Study physical and human geography using NCERTs or G.C. Leong’s Physical Geography.
Thursday	Economics (Indian Economy)	Study economics from Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh or NCERT Economics for basics.
Friday	Environment & Ecology	Study environment topics from Shankar IAS’s Environment book. Focus on biodiversity, climate change, etc.
Saturday	Optional Subject	Dedicate extra time to covering optional subject in detail. Revise or complete a major topic.
Sunday	Full Mock Test & Revision	Take a full-length mock test (Prelims or Mains) and dedicate the rest of the day to revision and reviewing weak areas.

Get Started with the Basics:

By using NCERT books, your first objective should be to lay a solid foundation. These books cover basic concepts in an easy to understand manner, which is important for both preliminary and mains exams.

Suggested NCERTs:

• History: Indian History-related NCERTs for Classes 6 -12.
• Geography: Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Contemporary India, NCERTs for Classes 6–12.
• Polity: NCERT 11th and 12th (The Indian Constitution in Practice).
• Economics: Understanding Economic Development, Indian Economic Development are covered in NCERTs for classes 9 -12.
• Science: For the fundamentals of physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science, see Class 6-10 NCERTs.

High-Level Reference Books:

• Polity: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth.
• History: India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipan Chandra (modern history), A Brief History of Modern India by Spectrum.
• Geography: Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong, Oxford School Atlas by Oxford.
• Economics: Indian Economy by Ramesh Singh, Follow Economic Survey and Budget documents.
• Environment: Environment by Shankar IAS.
• Science and Technology: Follow current affairs magazines and online sources.

Preparing for Current Affairs:

• Daily Newspaper: Read daily The Hindu or Indian Express. Focus on editorials, government schemes, international relations and important national news.
• Monthly Magazine: Frontline for in-depth analysis of Yojana, Kurukshetra, Government policies, socio-economic issues and rural development.
• Current Affairs Websites: Websites like Insights on India, ForumIAS, and VisionIAS provide daily current affairs and monthly compilations.

Selecting Optional Subjects:

Choosing the right optional subject is very important as it carries 500 marks in mains. Choose a topic based on

• Your interest in the subject.
• Availability of study material and guidelines.
• Previous year scoring trend.
• Overlap with general studies (if any)

Focus on the practice of writing answers:

For mains, writing skills are essential.

• Start early: Start practicing answer writing before prelims to get comfortable expressing ideas clearly and concisely.
• Follow a structure: Each answer should have a clear introduction, body and conclusion.
• Use examples: Where possible, include real-life examples, case studies or data to reinforce your answers.
• Time Management: Practice writing answers within the word limit (150-250 words) and within the allotted time.

Test Series:

• Regular practice: Helps identify weak areas.
• Exposure to test-like conditions: Test series simulate exam conditions, helping you get used to managing time and pressure.
• Feedback: Detailed feedback on your answers can improve your writing style and presentation.
• Popular Test Series: Insights IAS, Vision IAS, ForumIAS offer quality test series for both Prelims and Mains.

Revision Technique:

• Multiple Revisions: Aim for at least 2-3 revisions of all topics before the exam.
• Make Short Notes: Make short notes for each topic which you may refer during revision. Use diagrams, flowcharts and bullet points for better retention.
• Focus on core areas: Revise current affairs and optional subjects multiple times, as they are very important for majors.

Primary-specific techniques:

• Solve Previous Year Papers: Familiarize yourself with the type of questions asked in Prelims by solving previous years (at least last 10 years) papers.
• Mock Tests: Enroll in a prelims test series to improve speed and accuracy
• Work on CSAT(Civil Services Aptitude Test): If you are weak in CSAT (Mathematics, Reasoning, Comprehension), practice these sections regularly to ensure that you clear the qualifying threshold.

Mains-Specific Strategy:

• Essay Writing: Practice writing essays on different topics. Structure your essays with a strong introduction, body, and conclusion.
• General Studies Paper: Revise four GS papers extensively. Focus on ethics and case studies in GS Paper IV.
• Optional Papers: Ensure thorough coverage of your optional subjects, as this can give you an edge in scoring well.

How to Prepare for an Interview:

After clearing mains, focus on personality test (interview).

• Current Affairs: Stay updated on the latest happenings in India and the world, as the questions are often based on current events.
• Mock Interviews: Take part in mock interviews to practice answering questions with confidence.
• Work on Personality: The interview assesses your personality, confidence, communication skills and ability to handle stress. Be polite and organized.

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The UPSC exam requires both intelligent and hard study techniques. You can succeed if you stick to a well-thought-out plan, edit frequently, practice writing, and stay up to date on current events. Remain steady, concentrated, and self-assured!