How to prepare for UPSC CSE 2025-26 by Jatin Verma

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UPSC journey can  prove to be a life changing experience in the life of any aspirant. Considering that the Prelims date for UPSC 2025 has been decided, it's opportune time that we gear ourselves and dive into the preparation. But before that a plan is a prerequisite. Rightly put by  Benjamin Franklin ―  “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

Things to remember and instill in your mind- 

  • 8 months are more than enough if you are dedicated and willing to work hard.
  • Always remember - “Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” 

Hence you need to try to put 8 hours daily with consistency. There may be some days that you don't feel like studying but you will have to do the grind.

  • Do not be a PT Master. Focus on Mains topics and Optional too and keep their short notes prepared beforehand.
  • Carry on with Integrated Prelims and Mains preparation
  • Go through previous year questions before starting any subject.
  • Try to follow the 70:30 time distribution- Static: Current
  • Revise what you read timely. You can schedule the revision in three phases- first within 24 hours, second by the end of the week, third by the end of the month. 
  • Do not leave the newspaper for more than 15 days before the ‘D-Day’ otherwise you will have problems in preparing for Mains even if you clear Prelims.

Now coming to the sources to follow for the Preparation. Most of you must already be aware of the requisite materials for the exam. But for the freshers who might be planning to give this exam for the first time this year, here is the list of the basic minimum resources that you have to complete.

 

Subject

Sources

Polity
  • Very dynamic subject
  • Read and digest M.Laxmikanth
  • Can be supplemented with D.D. Basu
  • Focus on Bills, Acts in news - can be asked in Prelims and Mains
  • RSTV videos

Economy
  • Indian Economic Development- 11th NCERT
  • Macroeconomics- 12th NCERT
  • Economic survey, Budget
  • Niti Aayog Report

Geography
  • Fundamentals of Physical Geography- 11th NCERT
  • Physical Environment of India- 11th NCERT
  • Human Geography- 12th NCERT
  • Indian People and Economy- 12th NCERT
  • Certificate Geography- G.C. Leong
  • Map book
  • Mains- Savinder Singh, Khullar/Majid Hussain
  • Interlink with Mains topics such as Disaster Management.

Environment
  • Biology class 12th NCERT- Last 4 Chapters
  • ICSE Books
  • Newspaper, Monthly magazine

History
  • Indian Ancient History- R S Sharma( Old NCERT )
  • Indian Medieval History- Satish Chandra( Old NCERT )
  • Indian freedom struggle- Spectrum
  • Bipin Chandra- India’s struggle for Independence
  • Bipin Chandra- India’s struggle after Independence
  • World History- Arjun Dev NCERT

Art and culture


 
  • An introduction to Indian Art- 11th NCERT
  • Focus on art and culture chapters of 
    • Indian Ancient History- R S Sharma( Old NCERT )
    • Indian Medieval History- Satish Chandra( Old NCERT )
  • CCRT
  • NIOS 
  • Watch videos on youtube. Audio-visual helps memorize better,

IR
  • Don’t try to be a scholar
  • Focus on country-country relations - static and current developments
  • Newspapers will help a lot
  • V.N Khanna

General science
  • NCERT- 9th
  • NCERT - 10th
  • Newspaper and monthly magazine

Ethics
  • ARC- Ethics in Governance
  • Remember definitions 
  • Subba Rao- For case studies

Other Mains topics
  • Society- Indian Society- 12th NCERT, Social change and Development- 12th NCERT
  • Governance- ARC report, Unacademy videos
  • Social Issues- ARC reports, Newspaper, PIB, PRS, Frontline
  • Disaster Management- ARC Report ( Crisis Management )
  • Security- Challenges to Internal Security of India- Ashok Kumar

Current affairs
  • Read newspaper keeping both Prelims and Mains syllabus
  • If possible, make notes
  • Don't approach Current Affairs date- wise, do it issue- wise.
  • Revise with a monthly magazine.
  • Attempt test series 

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