How to start UPSC Preparation

If you are referring to smart work, you can crack UPSC with less hard work. The simple rule is to practice and solve previous year's puzzles as per experts. However, UPSC is a coveted exam that requires a significant amount of effort. This exam takes at least ten months to prepare. The duration between prelims and Mains is usually less than 3 months, and the UPSC Mains syllabus is so extensive that it takes at least 6 months to complete. Similarly, prelims require at least 4 months of study and 2 months of practice. Many students have studied for 8 hours every day for years to pass this exam. Therefore, this exam requires lots of effort, and there is no short cut to cracking it.

Hi Yashasvi, You need to make issue-based Current Affairs notes to be able to revise them effectively before the exam.
1. Current affairs-related questions are usually dynamic in nature and based on issues related to the main syllabus.
2. If presidential elections were in the news, for example, UPSC would ask about the election process in the preliminary exam and about the president's role in governance in the main exam. Therefore, you are required to prepare topic-based notes.
3. The UPSC has provided a detailed syllabus, and you can fit CA events accordingly in each section. For instance, you can put security-related developments in Paper 3.
4. Also, prepare CA notes in digital form, as it is easy to update these notes.
5. You can create a topic-based folder for each paper and note down important reports, developments, and data related to it.
6. You can make separate short notes about reports and data to quote in the Mains.
7. For the prelim, you can highlight factual information from the main CA notes in a separate folder.

You can choose Economics Optional for UPSC Mains Optional Papers I and II. The optional subject is required for UPSC Mains, which is the written stage of UPSC CSE. This is the eighth and ninth paper of the Mains, and it consists of two papers. Usually optional paper 2 is applied and paper 1 is static concept based. There is no such thing as a "best-scoring optional subject" in the UPSC and marking patterns change every year. These are popular optional subjects that are usually preferred by students.
1. Public Administration
2. Political Science
3. Sociology
4. Anthropology
5. Geography
However, many aspirants have scored well in subjects like mathematics and literature. Most experts recommend that aspirants take their graduation subject as an optional subject in the UPSC because it saves them a significant amount of time. Otherwise, you can go with your favorite subject so that you can easily study it for longer hours. Economics is the best option for you because you have a B.A. (Hons. ). In Economics from Delhi University.

You can simultaneously work as a banking professional and prepare for the UPSC exam. All you need is a strategy for proper preparation that fits in with your work schedule. You might find the following suggestions useful in your preparation strategy:
1. Print out the UPSC Mains syllabus and make sure you finish each topic two months before the exam.
2. Make use of online tools to create your revision notes.
3. Pick an optional subject that doesn't demand much of your time. You can take your graduation subject or any popular subject that requires less study time.
4. Develop a plan for how much practice time you can devote on the weekends.
5. Bring your notes to work so you can study when you have time.
6. Try to devote at least four hours per day to regular study.
7. Utilize holidays and alternative weekends to practice previous year's questions and a mock test.
8. Pay more attention to important topics that come up frequently. You need to put in some extra effort, and you can clear UPSC along with your banking job.

Hi Gowri, You can clear the UPSC exam as a working professional with some effort. To prepare for the UPSC exam, you need to make a proper preparation plan as per your job schedule. Here are some tips that may help you;
1. Print out the UPSC Mains syllabus and make sure you finish each topic two months before the exam.
2. Utilize online resources to prepare your revision notes.
3. Select an optional subject that requires less effort from you. You can take your graduation subject or any popular subject that requires less time.
4. Make a strategy as to which subject to read more about and how much time you can allot on the weekend for practice.
5. Carry your notes to the workplace to study when time permits.
6. Try to give at least four hours to study regularly. With proper strategy, you can clear UPSC as a working professional.

There is no best-scoring optional subject in the UPSC. This is because optional markings vary as per trends, which change every year. Usually these are popular optional subjects:
1. Sociology
2. Anthropology
3. Political Science
4. Geography
5. Public Administration
These five subjects have higher score trends and are more popular among aspirants. The sociology optional syllabus is comparatively less demanding and can be completed in three months. Also, you have a better chance of scoring well in this subject with good writing practice. However, toppers have scored well in subjects such as mathematics, literature, and Physics as well. This shows that if you have good command over your subject, you can do well in any optional. Therefore, your criteria for choosing an optional must be your interest and study level.

Hi There, You should be a graduate at any subject. That includes Engineering, medical, Science, arts and commerce graduate. There is nothing to be particular about any stream in civil services. The best way to go ahead is to choose subjects in which you SEE future. What would you like to do in future. One important thing to always keep in mind is that there are very few vacancies in Indian Administrative Service and Lacs of students who apply for it. You should always have a backup plan in case you fail to make the cut. Therefore, choose the subjects accordingly. What would you like to do after finishing 12th? If the answer is Engineering then you should select Physics Chemistry and Mathematics. This is how the decision should be taken. Rest be assured that whatever subjects you will choose, that will make no difference. You can still apply for the Civil Services Examination. The eligible candidate must be an Indian National having either appear for the final Graduation Degree exam or pass in any stream from a recognised University within the age of 21 to 30 years with upper age relaxation for reserved candidate. But Civil Service Exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission and as such you will need to prepare yourself for the UPSC exam. In most cases since there are many specializations and subjects which you need to be well aware of, Arts is a stream which is preferred by many IAS aspirants.
1. Read NCERTs from class 6th to 12th, with the basic concepts.
2. Get yourself habituated to read the Hindu newspaper daily, make sure you read editorials.
3. Improve your communicating skills as it will prove to be very useful in UPSC interview.
4. During the final year of your graduation get yourself enrolled in a nice coaching institute like the 'Vaji rams or 'vision IAS and make notes of Current Affairs and practice answer writing. This is when you are required to read all the reference books.
5. Take a lot of mocks in your final year of preparation. As you have all the time in the world to become a civil servant, as of now your aim should be reading NCERTs and making a detailed notes of what you have read. Also make sure to read daily journal, the Hindu is recommended. Hope this answer will help you to adopt a good prep strategy. GO ON TO BECOME A GOOD CIVIL SERVANT!
STOP NOT TILL THE GOAL IS REACHED!