This beginner-to-advanced UPSC study plan is designed for aspirants starting from scratch and progressing to Prelims + Mains + Interview readiness in a structured way. You can adapt the timeline based on whether you have 12, 18, or 24 months.
The plan is aligned with the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination.
🟢 PHASE 1: Beginner Level – Foundation Building (Months 1–4)
Goal
- Understand UPSC syllabus deeply
- Build strong NCERT fundamentals
- Develop reading & note-making habits
What to Study
NCERTs (Must Complete):
- History (6–12)
- Geography (6–12)
- Polity (9–12)
- Economy (9–12)
- Science (6–10)
- Environment (12)
Daily Routine
- 6–8 hours study
- 1 newspaper (The Hindu / Indian Express)
- Basic note-making (digital or notebook)
Outcome
✅ Clear understanding of core subjects
✅ Familiarity with UPSC-style questions
🟡 PHASE 2: Intermediate Level – Core Preparation (Months 5–9)
Goal
- Cover standard reference books
- Start Prelims + Mains integrated preparation
Standard Books
- Polity – Laxmikanth
- Economy – Indian Economy (Ramesh Singh / equivalent)
- Geography – GC Leong + Atlas
- History – Spectrum (Modern History)
- Environment – Shankar IAS
- Ethics – Basic concepts + case studies
Current Affairs
- Monthly magazine (Vision / Insights / Forum)
- Budget & Economic Survey (basic understanding)
Practice
- Weekly subject-wise MCQs
- Start basic answer writing (1–2 answers/day)
Outcome
✅ Syllabus coverage ~70%
✅ Confidence in GS subjects
🔵 PHASE 3: Advanced Level – Prelims + Mains Focus (Months 10–14)
Goal
- Strengthen weak areas
- Improve answer writing & MCQ accuracy
Prelims Preparation
- Full-length mock tests (weekly → biweekly)
- Revise static + current affairs repeatedly
- Focus on elimination techniques
Mains Preparation
- GS answer writing (daily 3–5 answers)
- Essay practice (1 per week)
- Ethics case studies
- Optional subject preparation (Paper I & II)
Outcome
✅ Prelims-ready accuracy
✅ Structured Mains answers
🔴 PHASE 4: Prelims Exclusive Phase (Last 3 Months before Prelims)
Goal
- Clear Prelims comfortably
Strategy
- Only revise (no new books)
- 25–30 full-length mock tests
- Focus on:
- Polity & Economy
- Environment
- Current affairs (last 1 year)
- CSAT practice (weekly)
Outcome
✅ High confidence for Prelims
🟣 PHASE 5: Mains Answer Writing Phase (Post Prelims – 3 Months)
Goal
- Score high in Mains
Daily Practice
- GS: 10–12 answers/day
- Optional: 2 answers/day
- Essay: 1–2 per week
Focus Areas
- Value addition (examples, diagrams, case studies)
- Time management (3 hours simulation)
- Ethics & Essay (high scoring)
Outcome
✅ Mains-ready performance
🟠 PHASE 6: Interview / Personality Test Phase
Goal
- Improve personality & communication
Preparation Areas
- DAF-based questions
- Opinion on current issues
- Mock interviews
- Body language & clarity
Outcome
✅ Confident and balanced personality
🕒 Daily Time Table (Ideal – 8 to 10 Hours)
- 3 hrs – Static subjects
- 2 hrs – Current affairs
- 2 hrs – Revision
- 1–2 hrs – MCQs / Answer writing
⭐ Golden Rules for UPSC Success
- Revise more, read less
- Stick to limited sources
- Practice answer writing early
- Consistency > Motivation
- Health & discipline matter
🔔 Final Advice
UPSC is not about intelligence, it’s about strategy, consistency, and smart revision. Even an average student can clear UPSC with the right plan and discipline.
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