• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

ClearIAS

UPSC: Latest News, IAS, IPS, UPSC Online Preparation

UPSC Prelims Test Series 2021Enroll Now
  • Home
  • Start
    • IAS
    • IAS Exam Eligibility
    • UPSC
    • UPSC Syllabus
    • UPSC Exam Date
    • UPSC Results
    • FAQs
  • Programs
    • Prelims
    • Mains
    • Interview
  • Buy
    • Courses
    • Mock Test Series
    • IAS Books
    • eBooks (PDF)
  • Free
    • Study Materials
    • Guidance
    • eBooks (PDFs)
    • Mock Exams
    • ClearIAS App
    • Downloads
  • Toppers
  • Blog
  • Login
ClearIAS » Civil Services Prelims » Civil Service Prelims 6 Month Strategy – How Can You Clear UPSC Prelims in 6 Months?

Civil Service Prelims 6 Month Strategy – How Can You Clear UPSC Prelims in 6 Months?

Last updated on December 26, 2020 by Alex Andrews George

How Can You Clear UPSC Prelims in 6 MonthsCan you clear UPSC Prelims in 6 Months? What should be the Civil Service Prelims 6 Month Strategy?

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.

130+ Prelims Marks is Possible. Only if you are guided the right way.

Join ClearIAS Prelims Test Series 2021.

Take a Free Test

Concentrate more on Prelims Questions now!

Civil Service Prelims - How can you clear UPSC Prelims in 6 months?

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 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.

Don't miss the latest updates of ClearIAS!

Join ClearIAS Telegram Chanel.

Get free studymaterials and guidance.

Join for FREE

Winning Strategy 1 – The Reverse Approach

Start from the End

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.

  1. Download UPSC prelims question papers (PDF) from the official UPSC website.
  2. 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. 16
Economics – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc. 15
Environment – General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change 14
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

Test-based Approach - ClearIAS

There is no strategy which can beat ClearIAS Test-based approach.

Trusted by Toppers. Loved by 3,00,000+ Registered Users.

ClearIAS UPSC Prelims Online Mock Exams.

Take a Free Test

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 a 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

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 - Winning Strategy

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.

Score high. No matter how difficult UPSC sets the question paper!

Follow ClearIAS timetable, study plan, and book-list.

Download Study Plan

Winning Strategy 5 – Don’t neglect CSAT Paper!

CSAT Paper Strategy

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

80 percent result with 20 percent effort

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?

UPSC Civil Services Exam - Different Stages

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.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Share22
Tweet2
WhatsApp
24 Shares

Integrate Learning With Test-Taking!

Is UPSC Prelims your weak area?

Don’t worry!

We can help you score high marks!

Are you ready to practise the right way?

Yes, I want ClearIAS to help me score high!

Get our newsletter

Don't miss our email updates!

About Alex Andrews George

Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training, Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped thousands of aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jeet says

    January 30, 2014 at 8:43 pm

    hello sir, can you tell me how much time i need to give for each subject or topic

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      January 30, 2014 at 8:49 pm

      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.

  2. ritika says

    February 13, 2014 at 2:15 pm

    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

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      February 13, 2014 at 10:31 pm

      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 www.clearias.com. That’s should surely help you find a way. All the best!

    • ritika says

      February 15, 2014 at 4:35 am

      thank u sir

  3. Anand Singh says

    February 16, 2014 at 2:00 am

    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

    Reply
  4. Manish says

    April 19, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    Hello…
    I am new here. How I prepare please give me idea .

    Thank you sir

    Reply
  5. madhura says

    May 19, 2014 at 1:18 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • swaroopa says

      March 9, 2018 at 4:16 pm

      Hi i also faced sme difficulties in eco… u can check out this fb page www.facebook.com/niravda
      u can contact him. Hope this help u 🙂

  6. Mahesh says

    June 1, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    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..

    Reply
    • sanjeev yadav says

      July 2, 2014 at 12:33 pm

      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

  7. nisha says

    June 15, 2014 at 11:23 pm

    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???

    Reply
  8. pradeep swami says

    June 17, 2014 at 12:58 am

    sir i want to take economics as an optional please help me

    Reply
  9. Abhinav mathur says

    July 28, 2014 at 9:09 pm

    sir crackias.com notes are exam worthy or not..?

    Reply
    • Rakesh says

      May 31, 2016 at 4:15 pm

      They are good.Read them twice atleast before the exam to clear cutoffs.All 9 booklets for Prelims.

  10. abhinaya says

    August 10, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    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

    Reply
  11. happy says

    September 23, 2014 at 2:55 pm

    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?

    Reply
  12. Rajan says

    October 16, 2014 at 8:44 pm

    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…

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      October 16, 2014 at 10:00 pm

      Rajan, please refer our strategy post. You will definitely get an answer.

  13. Shardul Chavan says

    October 30, 2014 at 4:18 pm

    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!!

    Reply
  14. priti says

    November 22, 2014 at 6:19 pm

    I am priti i have completed mba in hr i want to give prilims for ias so can i go for it

    Reply
    • [email protected] says

      August 31, 2016 at 11:11 pm

      sure u can do it…firstly make your attitude..thinking…positive..

  15. Mohit says

    December 8, 2014 at 7:48 am

    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 ……………

    Reply
  16. dilip phadatare says

    December 19, 2014 at 1:44 pm

    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.

    Reply
  17. HARSH BAJAJ says

    December 24, 2014 at 7:50 pm

    Please help me plan a strategy for myself/a study plan I am ready to pay for the same

    Reply
  18. rose says

    January 20, 2015 at 3:38 pm

    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

    Reply
    • rose says

      January 20, 2015 at 3:40 pm

      and a study plan.

  19. Atanu Fey says

    January 29, 2015 at 11:46 am

    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

    Reply
  20. ashish says

    February 4, 2015 at 5:34 pm

    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

    Reply
  21. Monika says

    February 4, 2015 at 8:03 pm

    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???

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      February 8, 2015 at 9:34 pm

      Yes. There is enough time. Prepare well.

  22. Bikash says

    February 21, 2015 at 4:54 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      February 23, 2015 at 2:21 pm

      Hi Bikash, Please refer the official UPSC prelims notification/gazette which explains the medical requirements and age relaxation.

  23. lalitha says

    April 1, 2015 at 9:08 pm

    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

    Reply
  24. Shruthi PK says

    April 15, 2015 at 5:12 pm

    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

    Reply
  25. neha rana says

    June 23, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    Hello sir i m p.g from zoology.i am confuse about my optional paper.please sir suggest me for optional papers

    Reply
  26. reeti thakur says

    June 30, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    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?

    Reply
  27. sakshi says

    July 4, 2015 at 12:07 am

    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.

    Reply
  28. vijen says

    July 8, 2015 at 7:03 pm

    hello sir, can you tell me how much time i need to give for each subject or topic

    Reply
  29. dilip phadatare says

    July 10, 2015 at 7:34 am

    Hi sir, what is the expected cutoff marks in pre exam of ias ( G.S.1) 2015-16. ………..

    Reply
  30. ritika says

    August 2, 2015 at 6:47 pm

    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.

    Reply
  31. sana says

    November 10, 2015 at 1:28 am

    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.

    Reply
  32. sana says

    November 10, 2015 at 1:34 am

    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.

    Reply
  33. hemanth rock says

    December 18, 2015 at 11:43 pm

    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…….

    Reply
  34. Tavi says

    January 10, 2016 at 10:51 pm

    I am not compertable my English language but my dream is IAS. How to clear ( my qualification is BA)

    Reply
  35. Ashwini says

    February 1, 2016 at 4:39 pm

    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 .

    Reply
  36. chandan says

    February 12, 2016 at 7:55 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      February 12, 2016 at 9:16 pm

      @Chandan – No. Optionals and regular paper has to be in same language.

  37. Shivani says

    February 15, 2016 at 8:53 am

    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??

    Reply
  38. sona says

    April 10, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    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??

    Reply
  39. sholanki says

    May 12, 2016 at 10:20 am

    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???

    Reply
  40. kakul smiti says

    May 14, 2016 at 6:14 pm

    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.

    Reply
  41. Apoorva says

    May 15, 2016 at 11:54 pm

    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.

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      May 23, 2016 at 1:07 pm

      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.

  42. Tavleen says

    June 4, 2016 at 11:33 am

    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 ??

    Reply
  43. ashish says

    June 22, 2016 at 5:46 pm

    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]

    Reply
    • kirankumar says

      December 16, 2016 at 10:33 am

      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

  44. yunish khan says

    June 29, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    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

    Reply
  45. siva says

    August 14, 2016 at 10:20 am

    I am 33years old sc any chance to clear UPSC exam my friends says no one to clear after 30 Iam confused plz help

    Reply
  46. Disha says

    September 16, 2016 at 12:50 pm

    I weak in aptitude but very well in gk so can i crack upsc exam

    Reply
  47. Shailendra says

    October 6, 2016 at 1:48 am

    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.

    Reply
  48. Reyhan says

    October 12, 2016 at 5:54 pm

    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.

    Reply
  49. Jit Kumar K says

    November 7, 2016 at 2:55 am

    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

    Reply
  50. shivaji says

    December 4, 2016 at 9:03 pm

    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

    Reply
  51. SUJOY MONDAL says

    December 23, 2016 at 2:56 pm

    Sir If I start preparing for this year’s IAS from now on,will I be successful ?

    Reply
  52. hamna says

    December 26, 2016 at 2:45 pm

    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

    Reply
  53. Shivam Kushwah says

    January 7, 2017 at 12:56 am

    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

    Reply
    • yamini says

      January 10, 2017 at 12:25 am

      prelims are in june this year so 5 months left.

  54. Vikram says

    January 16, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    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..

    Reply
  55. AVINASH says

    January 29, 2017 at 12:14 pm

    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.

    Reply
  56. Ravi kankanwadi says

    June 1, 2017 at 9:57 am

    Thank you,
    By the way can we right in our own Language sir..(kannada)

    Reply
  57. Deb Mishra says

    July 19, 2017 at 2:25 pm

    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

    Reply
  58. Navneet says

    October 15, 2017 at 5:15 pm

    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.

    Reply
  59. Reshma Susan Thomas says

    October 24, 2017 at 10:50 am

    how to prepare for upsc exams in 2018 if i start prepartion from now?

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      October 25, 2017 at 10:28 am

      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/)

  60. surya khatri says

    December 16, 2017 at 10:35 am

    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

    Reply
  61. Deepak SHarma says

    January 7, 2018 at 2:22 am

    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 .

    Reply
  62. sruthi says

    January 23, 2018 at 2:41 pm

    hello i am bds graduate…i dont have any idea for getting into right path…plzz help me

    Reply
    • Neeraj says

      September 17, 2018 at 4:13 pm

      sruthi ji khud pr bharosha rkho or lag jayo study mai

  63. Sudha jagtap says

    February 27, 2018 at 10:11 am

    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.

    Reply
  64. Mubashshir Nazar says

    February 28, 2018 at 9:21 pm

    Sir , i am in graduation first year..
    I have to prepare for upsc…
    How can i do it.. plzz reply

    Reply
  65. sofia says

    April 30, 2018 at 11:12 am

    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

    Reply
  66. Arpita Podder says

    May 3, 2018 at 12:45 am

    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?

    Reply
  67. Ravi kumar bhagat says

    May 20, 2018 at 11:54 am

    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.

    Reply
  68. saqib says

    June 26, 2018 at 9:08 am

    sir now i am in 10 and want to crack ias exam after clear graduation. What should I have to do now.

    Reply
  69. Sandeep says

    August 14, 2018 at 7:58 am

    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.

    Reply
  70. Raja says

    January 1, 2019 at 5:21 pm

    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.

    Reply
  71. Termaric says

    January 8, 2019 at 10:30 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      January 9, 2019 at 9:09 am

      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!

  72. Devi says

    February 18, 2019 at 10:13 pm

    Hello Sir,

    I am working in UK. Is it possible to clear while working!

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      February 19, 2019 at 9:30 am

      Yes, it is possible. Now there are many who are preparing online from abroad.

  73. jisha says

    February 26, 2019 at 11:06 pm

    sir please conduct 99 days prelims cracking tips seminar at kochi.

    Reply
  74. Shalu Sharma says

    March 15, 2019 at 11:08 pm

    Hello. I am shalu sharma.
    I have done my 12th in commerce with maths and done my graduation in ba english hons. And post graduation in ma english hons with 77 percent. Sir as i fall in general category i am allowed to make 6 attempts and age limit is 32. I am already 25. I really want to know everything about the preparations and exams. I want to know that if i should take coaching or i should prepare at home only. I want to know if i can prepare being with my family or i should take a room on rent.

    Reply
  75. Suraj says

    August 30, 2019 at 10:35 pm

    Respected sir,
    I’m suraj, am i applicable as i completed diploma in mechanical… Please suggest me… I am so confused

    Reply
  76. Sringarika says

    September 14, 2019 at 9:25 pm

    I have pursued MBA (Finance), please suggest optional subject for me. I am preferring Management, but I can not find sufficient study material for that. Will Public administration be fine then?

    Reply
  77. Sandeep says

    November 7, 2019 at 5:36 pm

    Hello sir
    Is it compulsory to take mock test ???

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      November 9, 2019 at 8:41 pm

      @Sandeep – Yes, it is the most effective strategy. Just reading from PDFs or photostats won’t help much.

  78. Rahul says

    November 8, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    Sir i’m bit confused about current affairs. As i am preparing Current Affairs from various online sources, so does reading newspaper is still necessary for prelims?

    Reply
  79. Venkatalakshmi says

    December 6, 2019 at 11:59 am

    Sir,
    I am a BTech graduate in EC. Wanna clear in 2020 in less than 6 months left. Totally confused and panic abt the exam Sir. Kindly help me to clear the exam with complete guidance and strategy

    Reply
  80. Rex. S says

    March 23, 2020 at 6:09 pm

    I am just going to join degree first yea. can i join online coaching for UPSC exam?

    Reply
  81. Sourin Saha says

    March 26, 2020 at 2:50 am

    Hi,

    I want your full course for Prelims. Where can I get it? The page dedicated to tests says you will get discount on PDFs and then books etc. Can you tell me in simple terms how much do I need to pay for the comprehensive course?

    Reply
    • ClearIAS.com says

      March 26, 2020 at 11:54 am

      @Sourin – ClearIAS Prelims Online Mock Test Series (complete package) is now available at a limited time offer for Rs.4999.

      In the above package, there will be 40 online mock exams included.

      You will also get exclusive FREE access to many of our ebooks like ‘ClearIAS Most Probable Prelims Questions’.

  82. Amayraa singh says

    August 18, 2020 at 8:18 pm

    Dear Sir/maam
    I want to appear in next year(2021) UPSC exam but i will reach my age21 in sep. 2021…so can you please tell that am i eligible for next year UPSC exam

    Reply
  83. Shivangi Gokhale says

    January 26, 2021 at 10:28 pm

    Hello sir,
    I am an Post graduate in Statistics and also working in an IT firm . I want to give the upsc exam but really don’t know the right approach and right study material needed for this exam. As I am working, how can I divide my work time and also study time to pass this exam. Also I cannot resign from the work as I am supporting my family with this can you help me here so that I start working on this as soon as possible.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Aim to be an IAS Officer?

Nothing can beat practice!

Join ClearIAS Prelims Test Series 2021

Practice 40+ online mock exams!

Limited Period Offer: 40% OFF!

Enroll Now!

ClearIAS Study Materials for UPSC Prelims and Mains

  • Indian History - Indian History and Culture.
  • Geography - Indian and World Geography.
  • Economics - Indian Economy.
  • Indian Polity - Constitution, Social Justice etc.
  • General Science - Science and Technology.
  • Environment - Biodiversity, Climate Change etc.
  • Current Affairs - National and international.

ClearIAS Study Materials for UPSC Mains (Extra-Topics)

  • World History - GS paper 1.
  • Indian Society - GS paper 1.
  • Foreign Relations - GS paper 2.
  • International Affairs - GS paper 2.
  • Internal Security - GS paper 3.
  • Disaster Management - GS paper 3.
  • Ethics - GS paper 4.

ClearIAS Study Materials for UPSC Mains (Paper-wise)

  • Essay Paper
  • GS 1 Paper
  • GS 2 Paper
  • GS 3 Paper
  • GS 4 Paper

ClearIAS Online Mock Exams (Prelims and Mains)

  • Prelims Mock Exams
  • Mains Mock Exams (AWP)

Congrats! You are at the right place - ClearIAS!

  • 1 million+ monthly users!
  • 9,00,000+ ClearIAS App Downloads!
  • 4,50,000+ Facebook Followers!
  • 3,50,000+ Email Subscribers!
  • 3,00,000+ Registered Aspirants!

Prepare for UPSC Online!

Get Started

UPSC Online Preparation Guidance

  • UPSC - Union Public Service Commission
  • IAS - Indian Administrative Service
  • Civil Services Exam (CSE) - Exam Pattern
  • UPSC Syllabus - Subjects to learn
  • IAS Books - Books to learn
  • UPSC CSE Eligibility - Who can appear?
  • UPSC Exam Dates - When should you apply?
  • UPSC Result - Check UPSC Results
  • UPSC FAQs - Clarify your queries

What do toppers' say about ClearIAS?

Poonam Dalal

"Working 24*7 in the police for the last 5 years and been out of touch with the preparation, I took the guidance from your website, especially the ClearIAS prelims test series. I bought it and found it to be the best available online." - Poonam Dalal, ClearIAS Online Student

Read more reviews by UPSC Toppers...

Enroll in

ClearIAS UPSC Prelims Online Test Series 2021

Score High in the IAS Exam!

Trusted by Toppers

Limited Period Offer: 40% Discount!

Enroll now

Don’t lose out without playing the right game!

Adopt the 3 Strategies for Success in the UPSC Civil Services Exam.

Learn UPSC Strategies

  • Home
  • IAS
  • UPSC
  • FAQs
  • Blog
  • Login

UPSC Online Preparation

  • Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)
  • Indian Administrative Service (IAS)
  • Indian Police Service (IPS)
  • IAS Exam Eligibility
  • UPSC Free Study Materials
  • UPSC Exam Guidance
  • UPSC Prelims Test Series
  • UPSC Syllabus
  • UPSC Online
  • UPSC Books
  • UPSC Prelims
  • UPSC Mains
  • UPSC Interview

ClearIAS

  • About ClearIAS
  • ClearIAS Programs
  • IAS Coaching
  • Announcements
  • Book Review
  • ClearIAS App
  • Sitemap
  • Work with us
  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us

UPSC 2021

UPSC Exam Calendar 2021

Follow us

Follow us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterFollow us on YouTubeFollow us on ClearIAS Learning AppFollow us on ClearIAS Test Prep AppFollow us on Telegram

Featured on

ClearIAS Featured in The Hindu
ClearIAS Featured in the Times of India
ClearIAS Featured in the New Indian Express
ClearIAS Featured in the Yourstory

and many more...

Copyright © 2020 - ClearIAS.com