Do you have only 6 months or less before the next UPSC Civil Service Prelims? Don’t worry. You can clear the Preliminary Exam within this short time-frame – provided you follow the right strategy.
Remember, there is no UPSC Mains unless you clear UPSC Prelims!
Unless you clear the cut-off score of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam, you will not be allowed to sit for the Main Exam.
Never underestimate the importance of UPSC Prelims. Only 3 out of 100 candidates who sit for Prelims, clear the cut-off score. Yes, the ‘Prelims Hurdle’ is more difficult to cross than Mains.
We have seen many bright candidates lose out in UPSC Prelims due to their over-focus on the UPSC Mains stage.
Concentrate more on Prelims Questions now!
If you haven’t cleared prelims before, we strongly recommend you to devote at least 75% of your preparation time in the last 6 months before Prelims (December – May) entirely on Prelims topics.
ClearIAS always focus a Prelims cum Mains Integrated approach.
We have clearly mentioned what you should study in the respective months to ensure that your preparation most suits the requirements of the UPSC Civil Services Exam cycle.
The Importance of the Right Strategy!
To crack IAS in the first shot, you need the right strategy. Candidates often find Civil Services Exam a hard nut to crack not due to lack of hard-work or potential, but due to lack of right strategy.
ClearIAS has written a lot of articles on this website covering useful strategies for the IAS exam. You can read them from the link – UPSC Prelims Guidance.
In this post, we shall explain some winning strategies for you to to be adopted in the last 6 months.
Winning Strategy 1 – The Reverse Approach
Imagine that today is the D-Day! If you are going to appear for the UPSC Preliminary Exam today, what’s your idea about the exam?
By following the reverse approach, we recommend you start by analysing previous year UPSC prelims question papers. Though the UPSC syllabus has mentioned many areas, you can see that more questions come from certain areas.
Not sure how to get previous year UPSC question papers? There are two ways.
- Download UPSC prelims question papers (PDF) from the official UPSC website.
- Practise UPSC prelims question papers (online) in ClearIAS Mock Exam platform.
Let us look at a sample UPSC CSE Prelims Question Paper of General Studies Paper 1. See the weightage of questions asked from each section.
General Studies Paper I (Sample Question Paper) – Syllabus Area vs Number of Questions
| Subject Area | Number of Questions* |
| Indian History and Culture – History of India and Indian National Movement. | 16 |
| Geography – Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World. | 14 |
| Indian Polity – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc. | 12 |
| Economics – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc. | 15 |
| Environment – General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change | 18 |
| General Science | 10 |
| Current Affairs | 15 |
| Total | 100 Qns (Marks 2*100= 200) |
| * The above-mentioned weightage of subjects/marks may not remain the same in the coming years. It’s just for basic understanding. | |
Winning Strategy 2 – Follow a Test-Based Approach
There is no strategy which can beat ClearIAS Test-based approach.
By a test-based approach, we don’t mean taking periodic exams to evaluate your preparation. It’s the reverse. The exams will be the basis of your preparation.
Enroll now in ClearIAS Prelims Online Mock Test Series. You will get access to all uploaded exams and upcoming exams in the test series.
We will also give you a timetable to follow. There will be regular mock exams on weekends (Sundays).
This approach has the following advantages:
- It will help you cover all the recommended textbooks and online study materials within a timeframe.
- You will get proper exam practice. You can analyse your performance, find your strong and weak areas, compare your marks with peer across India, and avoid mistakes in the actual exam hall.
- You can learn a lot from the mock exam questions as well. This method is much faster than learning from textbooks.
- And if you are lucky, many questions in actual UPSC prelims may be directly or indirectly answered from the mock questions.
Winning Strategy 3 – Learn how to cover NCERT Texts Faster
NCERT Textbooks (from Class 6-12) are very fundamental in UPSC Preparation. However, do you have time to read and revise all of them – in the next 6 months?
Remember that NCERT Textbooks are not the ‘end’ of UPSC CSE, and you have a lot of other books and materials to cover as well. NCERTs are just the basic texts.
Then, is there any shortcut to cover the most important questions that can be asked from NCERTs?
Yes, learn from ClearIAS NCERT Mock Exams.
We have 8 NCERT-based Mock Exams as part of ClearIAS Prelims Test Series. This means you can quickly cover almost 800 most-important questions that can be asked from NCERTs.
ClearIAS also has many easy-to-learn free online study materials, which will help you learn even faster than NCERTs at times. You can check them on our downloads section.
Winning Strategy 4 – Learn from ClearIAS Current Affairs Capsules
ClearIAS Current Affairs Capsules (CCC) are eBooks which contain all important questions (MCQs) based on the Current Affairs for each month.
As we provide Current Affairs in an MCQ format (with reference links), it makes learning interesting and faster. Moreover, you will get many questions in actual UPSC Prelims from the CCCs and ClearIAS Prelims Test Series – directly or indirectly.
Though CCCs are designed for Prelims, the Learning Zone in the PDFs is equally useful for Mains as well.
Winning Strategy 5 – Don’t neglect CSAT Paper!
To clear IAS prelims, you need at least 66 marks out of 200 for CSAT (GS Paper 2), however high are your marks in GS Paper 1.
Don’t be over-confident about General Studies Paper 2 (CSAT) paper unless you are consistently scoring above 100 marks in ClearIAS CSAT Mocks.
Analyse previous year CSAT Papers. See if there is any pattern. Find the priority areas. See a sample below.
General Studies Paper II (Sample Question Paper) – Syllabus Area vs Number of Questions
| Subject Area | Number of Questions* |
| Comprehension | 28 |
| General Mental Ability | 6 |
| Logical Reasoning | 18 |
| Analytical Reasoning | 8 |
| Data Interpretation | 4 |
| Basic Numeracy and Quantitative Ability | 10 |
| Decision Making and Interpersonal Skills | 6 |
| Total | 80 Qns (Marks 2.5*80 = 200) |
| *The above-mentioned weightage of subjects/marks may not remain the same in the coming years. It’s just for basic understanding. | |
If you think that scoring 66 marks out of 200 for CSAT is not a big deal, you may be mistaken. We have seen many candidates who end up worrying after the exam.
The difficulty level of this paper is steadily increasing. You need to take this paper seriously.
Winning Strategy 6 – Follow the 80-20 Principle
The Pareto principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a management theory which states that 80 percent of the output from a given situation is determined by 20 percent of the input.
So prioritise your time, effort, and study materials.
Put effort on the 20% area which can bring 80% results.
Also, as the countdown begins, check ClearIAS 100-day action plan and 30-day action plan as well.
Can you clear UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Exam with just 6 months of preparation?
Yes.
Even if you start preparing now – if you adopt the right strategies, do the smart-work, learn what is needed, and don’t go behind everything under the Sun – yes, you can clear UPSC CSE Prelims with just 6 months of preparation.
The best way to clear civil service prelims in the first attempt is to have a positive mindset and a practical strategy.
For this, we recommend a test-based approach.
You can join ClearIAS Prelims Online Test Series any time, and take mock exams based on your convenience before next Prelims. However, we strongly recommend you to join at the earliest.
Once you join, you will get access to already uploaded mock exams, as well as upcoming mock exams.
A blind study mugging up a lot many things will neither help you in Prelims nor Mains. The right strategy should be a mix of ClearIAS online mock exams, ClearIAS study materials, and the recommended books.
hello sir, can you tell me how much time i need to give for each subject or topic
Jeet,
It varies from person to person based on their strength and weakness. But prioritize your time : spend more time on History, Geography, Polity and Economics for Prelims. If you are weak in GS Paper 2 (CSAT), practicing questions daily will definitely help.
Hello Sir,
I had appeared in 2012 mains and failed 2013 prelims.Also I had 70 marks short of the cut off for mains. Both my attempts were half baked,with no writing practise/mock test.As I was working I had spent time worrying about the right plan and approach.
I have resigned and will start a full time prepartion from March,to be precise tommorow itself.After failing prelims this year I barely managed to read anything except the newspapers and a bit of economics gs paper 1.
my questions are
1.if i am doing aptitude along with some basics for csat paper 1,can i focus on a pre exclusive preparation(better to say revision) only for last 40/42 days?In other words since i am starting very late ,and with just 3 months between pre amd mains,i dont want to loose touch with mains portion for 2 -3 months.Does that sound prudent enough,with escalating cut offs?
2.Also with ten months and as such as study possible (with mock tests) physicaly and mentaly,is it doable given i a not really a novice,though i was out of touch for last 5 months?
My questions are too subjective.But i would be oblidged if u kindly answer.
thanks
Dear Ritika,
First of all, there is no need to be worried. Count your positives. Don’t bother about 2013 prelims, failure in prelims has happened to many toppers before. They have made those as their stepping stone. That’s all. You can do well, and you will do that too. 🙂
And to answer you questions:
1) Dont think that you are starting very late. Being a person who appeared in 2012 mains is the best proof that you are sound in your basics. You just need to polish it. Next 5 months is more than enough for clearing prelims. Dedicate two-three hours daily for practicing CSAT (Paper 2) and devote rest of the time for GS Paper 1.
2) We dont think being out of touch for 5 months make much difference in 2014 mains. You can make it up later. Don’t worry. Start your writing practice. And follow articles of http://www.clearias.com. That’s should surely help you find a way. All the best!
thank u sir
hello sir …
I am a non-maths-science student …. I have completed my graduation with pol sc , history and geography …. I have prepared for Mains GS and my optional (pol sc) … so I don’t need to prepare for Paper 1st in prelims, I can make good score without any effort But as I’m not maths student , I want to know that how much time it will take to prepare for CSAT-2 properly , I also want to join coaching institute for CSAT paper2….
thank you sir
Hello…
I am new here. How I prepare please give me idea .
Thank you sir
Sir,
Myself Madhura
Economics is going Tough,I Am not Able to Understand It.as I Am a Science Student its All New To Me
How Should I Prepare Myself.
Hi i also faced sme difficulties in eco… u can check out this fb page http://www.facebook.com/niravda
u can contact him. Hope this help u 🙂
Sir i am Mahesh i have completed my second year f engineering .Is it the right time to start d preparation nw or should i wait fr one year more?If no then should i go fr proper coaching classes or will it be enough if i prepare for d exam by myself..
F YOU ARE STUDENT OF 3 RD YEAR STUDENT THEN YOU SHOULD START FOR IAS EXAM NOT WAIT FOR COMPLATE 3 YEAR THE TIME WILL RUN AWAY FROM YUOU
Hello sir,
I have started my coaching for ias in oct 2013. And now it is completed. I have done graduation with BCA. And i was nonmedical student in 12 th class. After 9 months coaching i am not prepared for the exam. It looks like total time waste of 9 months. In aug 2014 it will be my first attempt and i m not prepared for it. What should I do???
sir i want to take economics as an optional please help me
sir crackias.com notes are exam worthy or not..?
They are good.Read them twice atleast before the exam to clear cutoffs.All 9 booklets for Prelims.
Hi sir .I’m a final year Cs engineering student.I’m not attending placements. Iwant to appear for 2015 ie 9 months from now.iv opted for Upsc portal online material.I’m studying ncert books also.I’ve to attend final year classes.bt still I can study 8-10 hours effectively per day.is tat sufficient? Is 9 months enuf.? Pls guide me
hi I wanted to knw that if I study for 4 hrs regularly for 3-4 yrs will I be able to clear IAS in 1st attempt?
sir,
i could not clear the prelim 2014. pl guide me how to go about it. ( i.e) strategy, methodology, books/ materials/ notes required for preparation etc…
Rajan, please refer our strategy post. You will definitely get an answer.
Sir,
My name is Shardul and I am from Pune. I am studying food technology(b-tech) and I am in the 2nd year now. I want to study for the civil services examination from now onwards. Could you please guide me? Thanking you!!
I am priti i have completed mba in hr i want to give prilims for ias so can i go for it
sure u can do it…firstly make your attitude..thinking…positive..
dear sir, I have completed my M Sc (chemistry) nearly 2 months ago.Recently I appeared in my state psc exam, but due to lack of proper preparation i couldn’t do well, although the result has not been declared. I want to give civil services exam in hindi medium with non-science subjects.
Sir, my questions are-
1]- How much time it would likely to take to clear IAS exam for an aspirant like me with new subjects & Hindi medium.
2]- what is the role of coaching in preparing for IAS exam. is it must ?? I live in a remote place in uttarakhand where such facilities (coaching) are unimaginable. is it possible for me to come to a new city e.g. -delhi & crack IAS exam??
will be highly obliged if u respond ……………
Hi sir please tell me that the age limit for ias exam 2015-16 is 26 ya 32 of open category due to I am confused.
Please help me plan a strategy for myself/a study plan I am ready to pay for the same
hello sir, i’m rose priyanka preparing for civil services.. and had given my last attempt in 2014 prelims
i would like to seek ur suggestions and inputs to prioritize subjects according to toughness to ease
and a study plan.
i am 30 years now and can apply only once in CIVIL SERVICE, in this situation can you guide me the best possible way to crack this exam
sir, beginning the preparation but confused in prioritising the study material i found the reference books more qualitative than ncert ones
for eg in case of geography majid hussain’s books appealed me more but how to deal with it in a selective manner .
and also guide me how to limit the extent of a topic
and good magazine for gk
my mail [email protected]
waiting for reply please
Hello sir I am a B.com graduate with 57% and given b.ed exams and waiting for my practicals. I am new to this IAS pattern and everything related to it. Kindly guide me if I start preparing now in the month of Feb wil I be able to clear the August attempt???
Yes. There is enough time. Prepare well.
sir, I m partially deaf, not mute. but advt. of civil service says that ‘deaf and mute’ person can get age relaxation. so can i get such opportunity?
Hi Bikash, Please refer the official UPSC prelims notification/gazette which explains the medical requirements and age relaxation.
hi sir
i am in pre final year of my engineering.i want to crack civil services exam. give me some tips on how to start preparation. the syllabus is vast so i am confused on where to start so please give me a suggestion
Hello sir
Greetings
I am shruthi. I am from mass communication background. Paper 1 is my field of intrest and I feel comfortable with Science. But please recommend me the right course plan for paper 2. I am an arts student. So I need your help in this.
Regards
Shruthi
Hello sir i m p.g from zoology.i am confuse about my optional paper.please sir suggest me for optional papers
Hello sir I am a student of MSc.geography and I want to crack ias next year plz give me some guide line how to prepare for ias?
Hello sir…
I am new here .i am a student of b.tech (electronics nd communication engg.)I want to prepare ias exams .please guide me how to crack an ias exams in first attempt.
hello sir, can you tell me how much time i need to give for each subject or topic
Hi sir, what is the expected cutoff marks in pre exam of ias ( G.S.1) 2015-16. ………..
Sir,I want to crack IAS exam next year & want to take mathematics for mains optional subject. But my parents frnds n relative suggest me not to take maths .pls sir guide me.
I have confusion regarding optional that I had done B.E in civil engineering from non government college and now I am interested to take civil engg as my optional but some of my friends says me not to take becoz only iitians can do or it has a vast subject u will lose focus…please suggest me what should I do plz.
Sir please suggest me soon because i’m so worried regarding this and as I believed this site heartly I m also having keen interest to take yours suggestions……. Please answer me ..I’m so worried.
Hi I am hemanth I was a dream and my life from my child as a IAS officer if I live a day is enough to my life & I want to contribute something for society and I want put my words and name to Indian history , sir I am from background family but I wasn’t put it my mind & since oneyear am preparing for civil I have a confident to clear prelims & my doubt about communication could u please kindly concern my question how to improve my communication skills…….
I am not compertable my English language but my dream is IAS. How to clear ( my qualification is BA)
hi am from computer background i have completed my BCA. it is difficult to choose optional subject there is no computer related optional subject please help. am gone attempt prelims this year for first time .
Hello sir,
I am from engineering background and i want to choose engineering as optional paper so can i write my optional in english and rest in hindi
Please clearify it and elaborate
I’ll be thankfull to u.
@Chandan – No. Optionals and regular paper has to be in same language.
hi sir
I am doing bsc non med . Besides english , there is punjabi to choose for language paper . But I am very weak in it . The type of questions they have set i previous years are far from my knowledge. What should i do??
Sir I am b.com student with distance learning I want to crack upsc in 8 month
So sir would am I able for this??
sir study materials are provided, but i am confused as to how i should study. i mean do i have to learn completely all the reccommended books???
Sir,
First of all I am very satisfied with this site and the topics which it covers to imbrute the confusion of aspirants like me.
I just wanted to ask about the integrated approach which is required to qualify UPSC by preparing for one year.
Hi, I am an IT professional and I wanted to begin my preparations for prelims,IAS being my long lived dream fir tears .I know its late but nonetheless I want to try my best atleast once.Am clueless how to start along with my work.Please help.
ClearIAS has been providing free online study materials for UPSC CSE. We hope our study-materials to give your right direction and will help you to understand difficult concepts faster. You need to supplement the same with UPSC exam preparation books, newspapers, NCERT books etc. To boost your marks for UPSC Prelims, we advise you all to enroll for ClearIAS Prelims test series, which offers high-quality questions and all-India mock-test-platform.
Hi , I have started preparing for prelims quite late I have two months but giving my 6-7 hours a day as I am not doing any Job so got time . Is it enough ??
Hi sir,
I am a student of sy.bcom. I can’t say i have everything to clear upsc exams but i can assure i am determined to cultivate the necessary things in me. I have went through how to prepare and everything and have started with ncert books for starters. But still am not sure what should i be concentrating on to remember. I am getting thorough with the concepts but still am bad with facts. I want to prepare for both prelims and mains together but through self studies. So please if you could help me with how should i study and also how should i approach studies it would be great favour. Please reply soon. You can even mail me on [email protected]
Nice to see u r attitude towards
Civils services.first let me clear one thing through self study how much u prepare u r own way it will give some discussion satisfaction towards syllabus whether u cover this topic or not u have some confusion towards it best way to clear it go through previous papers whether it s prelims or mains just analyse it go through whether I covered this topic or not definitely it will clear u r doubts and perception towards u r syllabus all da best
Hy sir
My name is yunish khan and i m comlete bca this year and i m prepare ias prelimis exam plz guide me my contact is 8503017513
I am 33years old sc any chance to clear UPSC exam my friends says no one to clear after 30 Iam confused plz help
I weak in aptitude but very well in gk so can i crack upsc exam
Hi,
I am from Maharashtra state board.
So,my knowledge with NCERT is very weak.
Also I am a working professional in an IT company.
How I should start my preparation ?and how much time per day I should devote to learning? Considering I work on an average 9 hrs per day and my office is approx 20 min from my house.
Hello guide.Iam Reyhan.I hope this one sees you in good time.Iam in 12 now.My question is what is the required mantra for cracking UPSC.It will be my immense pleasure to here from you soon.
Hi Sir/Madam,
I am planning to write IAS exam 2017. I am comfortable with GS static portions though I find it somewhat difficult in remembering names and places of geographical regions and war dates of History.
The most difficult part if Current affairs; in fact, I am at zero level w.r.t Current affairs. my only concern is Current Affairs. And I am not finding more than 3 hours a day for IAS preparation due to Job schedules. Hence, I am not able to read any newspapers. Also, i find it quite boring to read newspaper. Please help me in this regards. how should I choose an alternative for Current affairs. (Note: i cannot afford Coaching classes and I cannot Quit job for financial reasons)
And I am not finding any good material for Maths optional in net unlike for sociology or any other humanities.
Regards,
Jit
is it possible to crack upsc prelim & main with doing engineering simultaneously actually I am student of 3 rd year I have to give upsc 2018 is it possible I have read all ncert but my main language is Marathi plllzzz guide me sir or pllzzz tell me within 3-4 hours sufficient for clear exam plllzz guide sir
Sir If I start preparing for this year’s IAS from now on,will I be successful ?
Sir .. i m hamna … third year integrated llb student .. my questn is how i should start preparing fr cracking upsc exm ..
Really dont knw the basic things
Hoping fr ur reply
hello sir,
My name is shivam and i want to crack my csat exam and i have only 6 months left for my preliminary prepration, will you please guide me the right strayegy, books, study material, time management , etc.
How I should start my preparation ?and how much time per day I should devote to learning?
Really dont knw the basic things.
Hoping fr ur reply
prelims are in june this year so 5 months left.
Hi..i.m in a very twisted,confused state of mind..please help me out..
I have all the study material.. But i dont know where to begin..
Also i need some sample papers.. to understand what kind of answers i am supposed to write..
Dear Sir/Mam ,
I am serving as a navigating officer in merchant navy , I am 25 now .I have BSc. (Nautical Science) I want to crack UPSC exam , Please help me choose the best optional subjects , as UPSC does not have my Graduate subjects.
Also Please help me how & Which books I can Study when I am on Ship for 6 MONTHS.
Awaiting a positive reply from your end.
Thank you,
By the way can we right in our own Language sir..(kannada)
Dear Sir,
I am doing job from 9 to 8 and in addition to that I am married at present. I want to become an IAS officer and want to serve the country. I want to prepare well and give exam but every time I start I lose enthusiasm in the mid-way and I just wander here and there. I am 28 years old but my spirit for giving the exam has not died. Please suggest me what should I do to clear this exam and achieve my dream.
Regards
Deb Mishra
Sir,
I am student of M.A. polity 1 . I have no idea about math paper 2 . I am very week in math. How can i prepare for paper 2 sir . Please give some some useful instructions. And am also a S.C. student.
how to prepare for upsc exams in 2018 if i start prepartion from now?
Please go through the below links, to get the right guidance.
1. IAS books (https://www.clearias.com/ias-books/)
2. Guidance (https://www.clearias.com/upsc-exam-guidance/)
3. Mock Exams (https://www.clearias.com/upsc-prelims-test-series/)
4. ClearIAS App (https://www.clearias.com/app/)
5. UPSC Exam syllabus (https://www.clearias.com/upsc-syllabus/)
6. Free Study Materials (https://www.clearias.com/ias-study-materials/)
7. Free downloads (https://www.clearias.com/downloads/)
hello there
well i am confused in between polity and political science. they both are same or different. if different, then please suggest for polity books.
thanks
kind regards
Dear Sir,
My self deepak i had started my preperations for ias this year in jan, plz tell me the important topics to be covered so that i can appear for prelims 2018 .
hello i am bds graduate…i dont have any idea for getting into right path…plzz help me
sruthi ji khud pr bharosha rkho or lag jayo study mai
Hello sir,
I am a student of b. Com 2nd year. I want to start my IAS preparation, so what should I do initially… How am I gonna start..? How much time period should I need to invest in the preparation of IAS.. as well as clear it in my first attempt, possibly.
Sir , i am in graduation first year..
I have to prepare for upsc…
How can i do it.. plzz reply
hello sirr
iam a medical student and bds graduate. i want to prepare for ias. how much time do i need to invest? and what should i to initially
Hello Sir/Madam,
I wanted to know in the prelims and mains. Is it true that we can skip a subject from answering. I mean if supposedly I am weak in mathematics and I plan not to attempt mathematical questions will that help me scoring? Is it possible? Will their be any negative marking?
Good morning sir
I m student of class 12th and i have a goal to crack IAS in 2021. I m confused now that what shall i begin with for preparation. Though i have started reading NCERT books of 6th class and m also reading The Hindu, except this i m aslo into an English speaking Institution.
I want to how shall i plan my strategies for next three years because have to pass out college first then only i shall be eligible for IAS.
Please help me up regarding this.
Thanking you.
sir now i am in 10 and want to crack ias exam after clear graduation. What should I have to do now.
Sir I completed my graduation in Biotechnology subject from Rajasthan University in 2010. Since, I has been working as a govt. Servant. Now, I have no much knowledge about Biotechnology. So just I want to know whether it is required to study the Biotechnology subject or not.
Sir i m new here so give m idea to clr n ias xam
Thnku sir
Hi
I want to clear IAS exam. currently i am working in *** company. I don’t no basics also, How to start the preparation . Could someone guide me.
Frankly speaking I really dont have time to study the static portion as I am PhD Scholar but I do follow current events on a regular basis. However, I have a strong believed that I can clear the pre by joining all the mocks in your platform (confidence boosted by reading your post). Any comments?
ClearIAS Test-based approach is a great strategy to cover diverse topics, at a faster pace. It has helped a lot of candidates. Hopefully, it will help you as well, if you take our exams and guidance seriously. All the best!