How to Prepare for UPSC

Public sector jobs offer many benefits in India, including comfortable pay, high work profiles, and the ability to contribute to social welfare positively. You can choose between many career fields in this area, including policymaking, communication, law, engineering, communication, policing, foreign services, civil services, and more. 

Because of the high impact of your position in these roles, candidates are carefully selected through a multi-stage exam known as the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination. Read on to learn more about this exam, what types of material you can expect, and how to effectively prepare for this milestone.

What is the UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)?

The UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE) is a prestigious exam given annually in India by the UPSC. It is highly competitive, with hundreds of thousands of candidates sitting for it each year. 

This exam is the first step to enter into a role within the Government of India, including roles in various civil services sectors such as the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Revenue Services (IRS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS). Each year, exam cutoff scores determine which participants are recommended for professional positions. 

How to prepare for the UPSC

Step 1: Understand the CSE requirements. 

First, research eligibility for the CSE exam and ensure you meet the requirements for taking this exam. To start, you must be between 21 and 32 when you take the exam [1]. You also usually need a graduate degree from a government-approved university or equivalent educational qualifications. If you are awaiting qualifying examination results or have completed all but your MBBS internship, you can sit for the prelim exam. You will also have several physical requirements to ensure you are healthy enough to serve well in the position, including assessing your eyesight, hearing, cardiovascular system, blood pressure, etc.

After determining your eligibility, thoroughly understand the exam requirements, including the exam pattern and syllabus. If you complete the entire exam, you will complete two stages: 1) the prelim exam and 2) the main examination, which includes written and interview parts. 

IAS prelims syllabus

For the preliminary exam, you will have a two-hour testing period for each of the two papers, known as Paper I and Paper II. The first paper covers broad topics related to the Indian government, current events, geography, politics, social and scientific development, economics, and more.

The second paper assesses your general mental ability, including decision-making, logic, comprehension, and analytical thinking. To pass to the next section, you need to score above the cut-offs, which are subject to change.

IAS mains syllabus

Candidates who clear the prelims proceed to the mains examination, which includes nine essay papers and descriptive-type questions. The papers include topic areas generally defined as:

• Paper A: Compulsory Indian language

• Paper B: English

• Paper I: Essay

• Paper II (General studies I): Indian heritage and culture, history, geography of the world and society

• Paper III (General studies II): Governance, social justice, international relations

• Paper IV (General studies III): Technology, economic development, biodiversity, environment, security, disaster management

• Paper V (General studies IV): Ethics, integrity, aptitude

• Paper VI: Optional subject

• Paper VII: Optional subject

The papers in this section test extensive knowledge and assess your ability to lay out your thoughts, organise information, and reason through complex topics in depth.

UPSC optional subjects

In the mains examination, you select an optional subject from a pre-approved list. This choice can significantly impact your overall score, and you should select your optional subject based on your interests and academic background. Sometimes, students choose a subject that overlaps material with the rest of the exam. 

You can choose from a wide range of topics, including philosophy, mechanical engineering, geology, economics, commerce and accountancy, chemistry, and psychology, to name a few. Once you choose your topics, you will write two descriptive papers. 

UPSC personality test

The third and final part of the exam is the interview/personality test, an exercise where you will be asked general interest rather than knowledge-based questions. In this interview, the panel will assess your social traits, judgement, critical thinking, communication skills, awareness of current events, and moral integrity. 

Following the interview, each participant's final score and ranking are combined with marks from the interview and the exams.

Step 2: Evaluate your skills and areas that could use improvement.

Before diving into the extensive preparation for the UPSC Civil Services Examination, take a moment to self-assess. This helps you determine which areas you are strong in or need improvement. 

Understanding where you stand with general studies, current affairs, optional subjects, and writing skills can help you focus your preparation efforts more effectively. For instance, if you’re strong in general knowledge but need improvement in analytical writing, you’ll know to allocate more time to practice essays. 

Step 3: Create a study strategy and set a study schedule.

Next, develop a comprehensive study strategy. This involves choosing the right study materials, including textbooks and online resources recommended for topics on the UPSC syllabus. Pay attention to recommendations for which IAS books to buy to prepare from peers and mentors familiar with the exam, and enroll in mock tests to monitor your preparedness. 

Most students should start studying at least a year before the prelim exam. For some students, starting two to three years ahead of time can offer benefits. During this time, read NCERT books, stay up-to-date with current events, practice previous year’s exam questions, and learn strategies to communicate your findings through writing more effectively. 

As mentioned, the syllabus covered on the prelim and mains examinations is extensive, and becoming familiar with each topic will take time and patience. Each topic will require a different study strategy, so lay out topics and timelines for categories such as history, economics, geography, Indian polity, art and culture, science and technology, and environmental topics. Focus on becoming confident in the fundamentals before learning current affairs and practising mock tests and sample essays. 

Step 4: Make steady progress and update your strategy. 

Consistency is key when preparing for this examination. Make steady progress according to your study schedule, but remain adaptable. Try to break down your study list into manageable chunks that you can organise into weekly or monthly goals.

Regularly review your preparation strategy to reflect on what’s working. Adjust your plan based on your progress, ensuring you’re not just sticking to the schedule but also absorbing and understanding the material. An important part of this is revising. As you keep moving forward, be sure to take time to review what you’ve learned and check that you are retaining information. This can help you prioritise your studying and manage time effectively.

Additional tips for how to prepare for UPSC

Preparing for an exam of this magnitude requires strategic study planning, consistency, and patience. Beyond the structured preparation steps, keep the following tips in mind to enhance your readiness for the exam:

• Focus on NCERT books and topics in the syllabi

• Follow a daily news routine and take notes

• Revise regularly

• Study with friends or join a test series

• Practice writing answers

• Solve previous year’s tests

• Put careful thought into choosing the optional subject 

• Seek guidance when needed

Learn more with Coursera

On the Coursera learning platform, you can find many courses covering topics on the UPSC CSE examination. For example, to brush up on your world geography, you might take the Our Earth: Its Climate, History, and Processes course by the University of Manchester.