When I started ClearIAS.com in 2012, the concept of online learning itself was new.
Websites in the domain of education and test-prep were just picking up. Apps were almost unheard of.
In those days, for anyone who aspired to be an IAS, IPS or IFS officer, classroom learning (or coaching) was more or less the norm.
However, everyone couldn’t attend classroom coaching – mainly due to three reasons.
First, the coaching classes were very expensive (it still is).
The fees for a 1-year classroom coaching program were around Rs.1-1.5 lakh. Hostel fees were additional. The cost factor involved in the education itself had closed the ‘IAS’ dreams of many aspirants.
Second, almost all major players in the classroom coaching segment were concentrated only in metros like Delhi (now there are a few exceptions). The location factor was a serious hindrance for inclusive education and subsequent government-employment.
The third problem was the timings of the classes. Even for those in metros who could afford to attend coaching classes, the timings of the classes were not convenient. The time factor became a considerable bottleneck for working professionals and students who preferred to study after their daily engagements.
As an IAS aspirant myself, who lived in a village in the southern part of India, I somehow wanted to solve this problem.
I wished to solve the problem of non-inclusive education and employment.
I wished to solve the problem of affordability, accessibility, and availability in such a crucial sector like education.
I had nothing against any coaching institute. I still believe, anyone who provides education to others – by charging fees or not – is doing a great service to the nation. However, if only the rich (who can afford classroom coaching) can become an IAS or IPS officer, that’s not good for India.
If any Indian village youth, despite his/her brilliance, could not reach the position he/she deserves to be achieved because of lack of right guidance, quality mock exams, or proper study-materials, that’s quite an unfortunate situation.
If the rural voices are not reflected in decision making because most of the top bureaucrats who govern the country are coming only from metros (or those who can afford to be in a metro), that is a serious issue.
I truly wished the door to the dream of IAS/IPS/IFS should not be closed to any deserving candidate due to lack of facilities for learning.
I wanted to bridge the gap between have’s and have nots.
As a guy who was always passionate about websites, I pondered over the idea of developing an online platform for learning.
My idea was not just another platform for learning, but an affordable platform which adds real value to aspirants.
A platform which guides them right from the beginning – just like a real mentor does.
A platform which makes learning simple, easy, and fun.
That’s how ClearIAS.com was born – as a platform which helps aspirants to clear the IAS exam by self-study and online learning.
Now, when I look back after 8 years, I feel proud, happy, and satisfied to see the role ClearIAS has been playing in educating India, changing lives of many, and helping the youth who believe in themselves, consistently to realise their IAS, IPS or IFS dreams! (You can read the testimonials of toppers’ here.)
ClearIAS: Now used by more than 1 million users per month!
In the last 8 years, ClearIAS has emerged as one of the most reputed online learning platforms in India with more than a million monthly users – with no external funding but just the love and support of our readers.
ClearIAS website and ClearIAS App (released in 2014, which soon became one of the most downloaded apps in India dedicated to UPSC CSE preparation) consistently adapted to the latest requirements of exam preparation – and provided contents and exams in the most organised and structured way possible.
On this special occasion, I am writing this long blog post to thank all users of ClearIAS for support and encouragement provided.
I would also like to brief all followers of ClearIAS the new updates we are planning to bring, in times of Covid19 lockdown and beyond.
ClearIAS Online Notes and Study Materials (FREE)
When I started ClearIAS, my first priority was to build quality content – which is easy to learn – not just on current topics but also on conventional topics like History, Geography, Polity, Economics, Environment, Science and Technology etc.
Even now, when there are hundreds of websites and apps available in the UPSC Test Prep segment, I feel, there are only a few players who give proper attention to the importance of conventional topics.
As one of the core philosophy of ClearIAS is to simplify learning, our focus was always on the quality and never on the quantity. Still, we now have more than 1000 posts from a variety of subjects – which are equally appreciated by school students, IAS aspirants, and academics.
If you click on any of the below links – you will get subject-wise online notes of clearias.com. Each post/topic can be easily converted to PDF using the buttons given on the page.
- Indian History.
- Geography.
- Economics.
- Indian Polity.
- Environment.
- Science and Tech.
- Current Affairs.
- World History.
- Indian Society.
- Foreign Relations.
- International Affairs.
- Internal Security.
- Disaster Management.
- Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude.
ClearIAS Mock Exams: From text-based learning to test-based learning
Right from the beginning, the team behind ClearIAS (which included my friends and fellow aspirants, many of whom later became civil servants), were clear on one thing.
To clear the IAS exam by self-study, just providing study materials was not enough.
Aspirants need proper guidance and the right practice.
This necessitated the need to develop a pan-Inda online mock exam platform – which provided timed online mock exams.
The innovative ClearIAS Mock Exam platform not only offered pan-Inda online model exams but also offered instant results, all-India ranking, performance analysis and so on.
One major revolution ClearIAS brought in UPSC preparation – by coming up with our unique software – is the change in the way aspirants learn.
ClearIAS formulated a new way of learning – learning by taking mock exams rather than over-depending on textbooks. That is a switch from text-based learning to test-based learning.
It is a no-brainer that practice increases the chance of success in any field – multiple times. Yet, many aspirants and coaching institutes still over-depend on the old methodology of learning and teaching – which is visibly inefficient.
ClearIAS conceptualised a T-T-T approach – which meant a combination of Text-books, Test-series, and Techniques to clear the UPSC Civil Services Exam in flying colours.
Click here to know the list of online mock exams available in ClearIAS Mock Exam platform.
ClearIAS Techniques
I believe that, Success in the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) = 50% Knowledge + 50% Skills (Strategies).
Both ClearIAS Prelims Online Mock Test Series and ClearIAS TTT approach give significant importance to techniques and exam skills along with knowledge.
ClearIAS has developed various techniques to clear IAS exam with ease. Some of them:
We have been working on a lot more techniques – particularly the IETs. ClearIAS users can expect more IETs in the coming days.
UPSC Exam Guidance
ClearIAS was one of the first, who came with a unique Prelims-cum-Mains integrated approach and road-map which helps aspirants clear IAS by self-study.
You can just go through the below links for specific guidance for each stage of UPSC CSE.
We will be adding a lot of new articles in each of the above sections in the coming days.
Ebooks (PDF) which make your learning easy
For some subjects or topics, the traditional textbooks available in the market (hard-copy) may not fully serve the UPSC exam purpose. To fill the gaps, ClearIAS publish various ebooks in PDF format.
Check ClearIAS online store. Some of the most popular ebooks (PDFs) which you should not miss include:
- ClearIAS Beginners Guide (PDF)
- ClearIAS Current Affairs Capsules (Monthly MCQs PDF).
- ClearIAS Most Probable Prelims Questions (Daily MCQs PDF).
- ClearIAS Backgrounder (Current Affairs): 100 Most Important Topics for UPSC – eBook (PDF)
- Government Schemes for Quick Revision – Info-graphics ebook which helps to learn faster! (PDF)
- How to score high in the IAS interview: Tips to clear IAS interview in flying colours (PDF)
We will be adding a lot of new ebooks in the coming days to make your learning easy and faster!
ClearIAS App
If you wish to get all these resources of ClearIAS at a single place, download and install ClearIAS mobile app. ClearIAS app is an all-in-one solution to get the study materials, exam-updates, and latest posts from ClearIAS.
Our android app has crossed more than 5,00,000 downloads on Google Play Store.
Download the latest version of ClearIAS app and Clear IAS by self-study!
More positive surprises for you in the coming days
Necessity is the mother of invention.
We have more positive surprises for you. Believe that when the doors of traditional education are closed, new doors of extraordinary ways of learning will open up.
Updates:
- ClearIAS Learning App Released: The New Mobile App For Anyone Who Loves To Learn!
- Now Get ClearIAS Most Probable Prelims Questions as YouTube Videos!
Our Coronavirus Awareness Updates
We have created many posts to spread proper awareness about Coronavirus outbreak among our readers – which span all ages. Some of the important posts are given below. Please share among your loved ones to ‘Break the Chain’ of Covid19.
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Outbreak, Impact, and Prevention
- Covid-19 – ‘Break The Chain’ Campaign
- Coronavirus Lockdown in India: What you should know?
- Covid-19 Helpline Numbers (India): National and State-Level
- Coronavirus: UPSC CSE Interview 2019-20 Deferred
- Will UPSC Prelims 2020 be postponed due to the Coronavirus threat?
ClearIAS #HereToHelp
Covid-19 has affected the preparation of UPSC aspirants.
Because of the closure of educational institutes, and displacement from hostels, the routine preparation of many aspirants is strained.
Due to lockdown, aspirants are not even able to purchase books. Even Amazon is facing constraints in delivering hard-copies of books now.
What should you do if you find it difficult to get hard-copies of text-books?
The time has long gone when UPSC prepares questions from just a few text-books. Now the Commission refers to a lot of sources – online and offline; conventional and current – to set the questions.
As mentioned before, switch to test-based learning. Enroll in ClearIAS Prelims Online Mock Test Series today. ClearIAS Test Series covers the most probable questions from multiples sources including text-books. Learn from ClearIAS online mock exams. This method of exam-practice is faster and efficient than just depending on textbooks or coaching class materials.
Also, refer ClearIAS online notes and ebooks. Most of these resources are available for free.
All ClearIAS Programs will continue as usual
Before concluding, I assure all users of ClearIAS that our team is working hard to ensure that every ClearIAS program – free and paid; for Prelims, Mains, and Interview – will continue as usual, in spite of the Covid19 pandemic and lockdown.
My sincere hope is that since almost all our programs are online (except seminars and workshops), our core activities will not be impacted.
We, as a team, realise that our responsibility in the domain of online education has multiplied many times now.
I pledge to devote more time and energy to fulfil the aspirations of millions of youth in the country, further.
Stay safe!
Learn online!
Thank you and all the best!
– Alex Andrews George, Founder, ClearIAS
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