Hey Comrade, Before we talk about UPSC plan or strategy whatever you may call it, let me tell you something clearly—this write-up is going to be a detailed post that covers some crucial things you absolutely need to know about UPSC preparation. If you don’t have the patience to read this entire post, then honestly, the plan or ideas I’m about to share probably isn’t suited for you.
This plan works perfectly whether you’re a complete fresher or someone who started preparing but got stuck in the process.
Click on Topic to Read
Why Most UPSC Aspirants Actually Fail
So do you ever wonder why most aspirants fail in this exam?
Is it a lack of motivation? Nope! We all have plenty of motivation.
Lack of hard work? Think again! I know seniors who gave 3-4 attempts with 12-14 hours of preparation every day.
Here’s the real reason you’ll only discover after giving 2-3 serious attempts: It’s the lack of proper guidance combined with no solid plan on how to balance time and actually complete the entire syllabus across all 14-15 subjects.
Yes, without motivation or hard work, you might struggle, but without proper guidance and a solid plan, you’ll straight hit failure because UPSC is an 18-month-long journey where you must be tested in 3 stages across roughly 15-16 subjects.
One of My Friend’s Story: A Real Example
Let me explain this with a real example from my batchmates.
I have a friend named Rajeev. We both started our UPSC journey in the same month. Rajeev began with incredible enthusiasm—he dove deep into History, became a Mughal empire expert, then got fascinated by Economics and started quoting GDP figures like poetry.
When I gave my first UPSC attempt after 1.5 years, I called Rajeev after completing my Prelims exam to ask how he wrote his paper. His response shocked me: “I didn’t appear for the exam.”
When I asked why, he said, “I didn’t prepare other subjects properly. All I prepared was history, economy, and some current affairs.”
It may sound funny, but here’s what UPSC data tells us: Out of the 13 lakh candidates who register for UPSC every year, only about 50% actually show up for the exam. Among those who do show up, many are like Rajeev—brilliant warriors fighting an incomplete battle.
The lesson? You need to prepare 14-15 subjects for Prelims and Mains combined. While their weightage varies, you’ll need solid preparation in at least 9-10 subjects to attempt most questions confidently. It’s not about becoming an expert in 2-3 subjects; it’s about being competently prepared across the entire spectrum.
The Second Major Problem: Multiple Incomplete Guidance Sources
On the other side of the story, there are some of my friends who could easily clear this exam—and mess up their chances because they’re collecting advice from everywhere. It’s like asking five different people for directions to the same place and then trying to follow all of them at once.
Here’s something most people miss: yes, Prelims, Mains, and Interview are all connected, but they test you in completely different ways. Think of it like this—it’s the same subject, but one time you’re writing a multiple-choice test, another time you’re writing essays. You need different strategies for each, but your foundation has to stay solid and prepare yourself according to the exam stage you are in.
My Personal Book Selection Disaster
Let me tell you about something that happened to me early on. I was researching Prelims books and found this amazing video by someone who’d cleared the exam. I diligently wrote down every single book he recommended—probably around 20 books.
A week later, I started panicking about Mains, so I looked up Mains preparation. Found another successful candidate with equally impressive credentials. But guess what? His book list for the same subjects was totally different!
I literally sat there staring at my laptop screen, completely confused. Should I go with Spectrum for Modern History or Bipan Chandra? Both these people had cleared the exam, both seemed confident about their choices. I ended up buying both sets of books and spending way too much money, only to get more confused about which ones to actually use.
There’s almost a 100% chance this will happen to you if you’re taking advice from multiple sources. You’ll either end up not using any of the books properly or keep jumping between them, never really getting comfortable with any single source.
The Shortcut Trap
Here’s the typical scenario: Your mentor or guide gives you something challenging to do—maybe asking you to complete a 100-page book in a single day or solving 30-40 previous year questions every day. Instead of just putting our heads down and doing the work, what do most of us do? We start looking for someone who’ll make it easier for us.
I’ve been guilty of this. I’ve left good mentors because their advice seemed too hard, then spent months looking for “UPSC hacks” and “easy preparation tricks.” Spoiler alert: I wasted way more time looking for shortcuts than it would have taken to just follow the original advice. I learned a lesson the hard way.
The Hard Truth About UPSC Preparation
I’m going to tell you something that might disappoint you: there’s really no easy way to crack UPSC. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but anyone who tells you otherwise may be lying to you.
Some subjects are going to be really tough for you, and which subjects those are will be different for everyone. For me, I can understand complex economic theories or constitutional concepts pretty easily—my brain just works that way. But ask me to memorize historical dates or remember the names of freedom fighters from different states. I struggle big time.
My friend who cleared mains last year is the complete opposite. She has an amazing memory for facts and dates but finds abstract concepts in ethics or philosophy really difficult. The point is, that you’ll have subjects that come naturally to you and others that make you want to quit. That’s normal, and you just have to push through.
Why I’m Sharing This Information
I started this blog because I vividly remember how lost and overwhelmed I felt when I began my UPSC journey. Those late-night panic sessions are still fresh in my memory – constantly doubting myself, feeling like everyone else had access to some secret preparation formula that I didn’t. The exhaustion wasn’t just physical; it was emotional and mental too.
I share very personal stories here – my failures, the funny moments during preparation, and even embarrassing life situations – because I genuinely wished someone had been there to guide me when I needed it most. I found a few helpful sources along the way, but they were incomplete or didn’t address the real struggles we face as aspirants.
That’s when I decided: if I ever got the chance, I wanted to be that person for others who are struggling the way I did. I wanted to create the resource I wish I’d had during my darkest preparation moments.
What’s Free / What’s Chargeable on This Blog
When I first started writing this blog, making money was never even a consideration. We have a family business that takes care of my financial needs, so I never felt the pressure to monetize anything. This was purely a passion project – a way to help fellow UPSC aspirants who were struggling just like I had.
After my first UPSC attempt, I found myself with evenings full of stress from studying countless books. Writing these blogs became my way of unwinding while sharing everything I’d learned about UPSC preparation. It was a good feeling for me and hopefully what I am doing is helpful for others who share the same civil services dream.
The Wake-Up Call: When Good Intentions Meet Reality
Initially, I made all my notes available as free downloads because I believed in making UPSC preparation my subject books accessible to everyone. However, I soon discovered that some people were stealing my content and republishing it and some even selling it.
Seeing months of hard work being claimed by others was disheartening. My first reaction was to stop sharing notes entirely – why put in so much effort only to have it stolen?
Then my batchmates offered a simple solution: “Why don’t you provide physical printed notes instead of digital downloads? That way, your work stays protected, and people can still access good material where they can prepare all the subjects.”
What started as a way to protect my content evolved into something more meaningful. People from outside my city began requesting these physical books and were happy to cover the actual printing and shipping costs. This wasn’t about making a profit – it was about making my subject notes accessible while protecting the work I’d invested in.
How This Blog Works: Complete Transparency
What You Get Absolutely Free:
- All UPSC preparation guidance and strategies shared on this blog
- Complete test series for every subject to test your knowledge
- Access to all my preparation tips, study plans, and insights
- Quick queries and simple questions answered via Instagram
- Personal stories, failures, and lessons learned from my UPSC journey
What Has a Minimal Cost:
Physical Books: Covering printing and shipping expenses.
Extended Consultations: For detailed, personalized guidance sessions
My Book Recommendation Philosophy
Whenever I need to suggest study materials for any UPSC subject, I always recommend the best available options in the market first. If I’ve written a book on that particular subject, I’ll include it as one of the choices alongside other established authors.
The choice is entirely yours.
I want to be absolutely clear: I will never pressure you to buy my books. If you already have good standard UPSC textbooks, stick with them. One quality book per subject is sufficient for thorough preparation.
When you do choose to order any of my books, the money you pay goes directly toward covering printing and shipping costs. This isn’t a profit center – it’s simply a way to make the subject notes available while covering basic expenses.
You’ll always get the complete test series for that subject absolutely free, regardless of which book you choose to study from. Prepare from any source you prefer, then test your knowledge using my test series at no cost.
The Appointment Model: Protecting Quality Time for Serious Aspirants
I’m committed to sharing the vast majority of UPSC preparation information freely through this blog. For quick, straightforward questions that don’t require extensive discussion, you can always reach me on Instagram at no cost.
However, UPSC preparation sometimes involves complex, personal challenges that need deeper conversation and individual attention. Some problems require proper discussion to be solved effectively.
Why I Charge for Extended Consultations:
This decision isn’t about making money – it’s about protecting time that should go to genuinely committed aspirants. I’ve learned from experience that when consultations are completely free, some people treat them casually.
I’ve encountered situations where people ask endless questions, and keep discussions going indefinitely, but never actually begin their preparation. They consume hours of time that could be spent helping serious aspirants who are ready to act on the guidance they receive.
The consultation fee serves as a natural filter, ensuring that people who book appointments are genuinely committed to their preparation and will value our time together. Think of this small charge as your contribution toward website maintenance costs – it’s really that straightforward.
Important Note: Most aspirants won’t need paid consultations at all. The majority of your questions can be answered through the free content on this blog or quick Instagram messages. The paid consultation option exists only for those specific situations requiring extended, personalized guidance.
The Bottom Line: Protecting Good Intentions
My intention has always been to help UPSC aspirants freely and genuinely, just as I wished someone had helped me. However, I’ve learned that some people misuse good intentions, which can prevent the resource from helping those who truly need it.
The minimal charges I’ve introduced aren’t about profit – they’re protective measures to ensure this platform can continue serving serious aspirants effectively.
I believe in complete transparency about why certain elements have costs attached, so you never feel misled or pressured. My core mission remains unchanged from day one: helping fellow aspirants achieve their civil services dreams by sharing real, practical guidance based on actual experience.
Remember, this blog exists because I remember exactly how it feels to struggle alone in this journey. You’re not alone anymore.
My Core Advice: Get Your Guidance Sorted
Here’s my honest advice: please get your guidance sorted once and for all in the initial days of your preparation.
I want to be upfront with you: I never tell you that you must follow my plan or that my plan is the only best option. I don’t have any need to sell you my idea. Instead, what I’m saying is look around—if you find a better, complete plan for UPSC preparation, choose any one plan that you believe is practical and reliable and you believe that you can work on it. Go after it without a second thought.
Pick someone and stick to this plan—whether it’s me, another blogger, a coaching institute, or a senior who’s cleared the exam—and stick with their approach for at least one full attempt.
Why am I stressing this point so much? I’ve seen many batchmates and seniors who are so bright and capable of cracking UPSC but fail at it. I just don’t want that to happen. I don’t like seeing someone’s dreams unfulfilled even after putting in the hard work.
Without these primary things sorted, you’ll keep hitting roadblocks at every step. You’ll spend more time researching “how to prepare” than actually preparing. You’ll always feel busy preparing for UPSC but never feel like you’re actually moving closer to cracking the exam.
My Practical Solution: A Comprehensive UPSC Plan
Enough of this discussion. Hope you understand this and take care to sort your guidance and planning part.
So here’s the thing—after seeing so many of you struggle with the overwhelming task of covering all UPSC subjects for both Prelims and Mains, I’ve put together what I believe is a very practical, actionable plan. This isn’t some theoretical framework that looks good on paper but falls apart in real life. This is something I’ve tested, refined, and seen work for actual aspirants.
How This Plan Works
When you click on each stage in the plan below, you’ll get complete information about the books you need and detailed guidance that should clear most of your doubts about that particular phase. But here’s something crucial—you absolutely must read each stage’s information in the exact order I’ve presented it here.
I’m not being rigid for no reason. Each stage builds on the previous one, and if you jump around, you’ll miss the connections and logic behind the entire approach. It’s like trying to understand a movie by watching random scenes—you’ll get confused and frustrated.
I already told you previously also if you don’t have the patience to read through all this information completely, it’s probably better not to start reading anything on my blog at all. I know that sounds harsh, but I’ve written all this content specifically for people who are ready to take action and actually start preparing for UPSC—not for those who just want to collect information about preparation methods without ever actually sitting down with the books.
The Weekly Breakdown Approach
If you look at the table below, you’ll notice I’m not giving you vague advice like “spend 13 weeks on all subjects foundation.” Instead, I’m telling you exactly what to complete each week, sometimes even breaking it down into daily targets.
This plan provides a crystal-clear picture and roadmap of what to prepare each day. The idea is simple: you wake up, check what I’ve recommended for that day, pick up the books I’ve suggested, and start reading those specific topics. If you already have UPSC books at home, that’s perfectly fine—just focus on preparing the topics I’ve outlined according to the schedule.
The “Cheat Day” Strategy
In any given week, you only study for 6 days out of 7. That remaining one day? I call it your “cheat day,” and you can do absolutely whatever you want on that day.
Want to see that new movie everyone’s talking about? Do it on your cheat day. Feel like meeting friends or going on that trek? Save it for your free day. Want to binge-watch your favourite show? just postpone to cheat day.
Now, you might be thinking, “Are you crazy? I’m already struggling to cover the syllabus, and you’re asking me to waste an entire day?” I had the same reaction when one senior first suggested this to me.
Why This “Waste” of a Day Actually Works?
But here’s what I realized: we’re not actually wasting a day. We’re strategically pushing all our distractions into that one designated day.
Think about how your mind works during preparation. You’re sitting with your economics book, trying to focus on completing that day’s syllabus, but suddenly you remember that birthday party invitation or see a notification about a new web series. Instead of constantly battling these thoughts throughout the week—which honestly drains your mental energy—you simply tell yourself, “I’ll do that on my free day.”
One more advantage I discovered: you start setting clear expectations for people around you.
For example, I kept my no-study day on Sunday. Within 4-5 weeks, everyone in my life—friends, family, even neighbours—understood my schedule. When I say, “I’ll come out on Sunday,” they know exactly what that means. My grandmother stopped asking me to do some housework on weekdays. My friends stopped getting offended when I declined their spontaneous plans.
I’ll be honest—this concept didn’t come to me overnight. I tried the “all work, no play” method and burned out within two months. I tried studying every single day and ended up feeling guilty whenever I took any time off.
Then a senior who’d cleared the exam mentioned this approach casually: “I used to keep Saturdays completely free. No books, no current affairs, nothing UPSC-related.” When I saw how relaxed and consistent he was with his preparation, I decided to give it a shot.
This approach acknowledges a simple truth: we need something to look forward to. When you know you have a completely guilt-free day coming up, it becomes much easier to focus during your study days.
Plus, when you do take that break, you actually enjoy it because you’re not constantly thinking, “I should be studying right now.” You can watch that movie or hang out with friends without the background anxiety that usually comes with taking time off during UPSC preparation.
This strategy has helped me stay consistent not just with UPSC preparation, but with pretty much everything I’m trying to build as a habit. Sometimes the best productivity hack is permitting yourself to be completely unproductive for one day a week.
The Testing Component: Why Reading Alone Won’t Work
Here’s something most people get wrong: they think just reading from books is enough. Let me tell you something—just preparing from books without testing yourself is like having a bike and never actually riding it. You might know everything about how bikes work, but you’ll still fall when you try to ride one.
That’s why I’m providing UPSC format questions on this website. they’re specifically designed to test what you’ve been preparing according to the schedule.
The plan is straightforward: I give you a roadmap of what to read every week (and every day), and then I provide UPSC format questions to test how well you’ve understood and retained what you’ve studied. You keep attempting these questions, focusing specifically on the subjects you’ve prepared according to the timeline.
Why This Systematic Approach Works
I’ve seen too many aspirants get lost in the vastness of the UPSC syllabus. They start with great enthusiasm, buy all the right books, but then don’t know where to begin or how to pace themselves. Three months later, they’re either burned out from trying to do everything at once or they’re still stuck on the first chapter of the first book because they keep second-guessing their choices.
This plan eliminates that confusion. You don’t have to make daily decisions about what to study—I’ve already mapped it out for you. You don’t have to wonder if you’re covering enough ground—the weekly targets ensure you’re making consistent progress. And you don’t have to guess whether you’re actually learning—the regular testing will show you exactly where you stand.
All the links will get activated as time passes within 3-4 weeks, I have that information with me already but making it streamlined.
Backup Days: When Life Gets in the Way (And It Will)
Let me be real with you about something – every plan is only as good as the person who follows it. And here’s what I’ve learned after years of planning and failing and planning again: no matter how determined we are, life will throw curveballs at us. We will get sick. We’ll have family emergencies. Unexpected work will come up. The power will go out for three days straight.
The question isn’t whether these interruptions will happen – they absolutely will. The question is: how do we handle them without completely derailing our UPSC preparation?
The Golden Rule: Start Where You Left Off
Here’s the most important thing I want you to remember: when you come back from any break, you start exactly where you left off.
Let me give you a concrete example. Say you’re working through the Economy textbook and you’ve completed 3 parts. Then suddenly you get sick for 3-4 days and can’t study at all. When you’re feeling better and ready to get back to studies, you don’t start with a different plan or go back to Part 1 “just to be safe.”
You simply pick up Part 4 of the Economy book and continue as if nothing happened. The plan continues intact despite the break.
Why This Approach Works
The point is simple: we can’t avoid unforeseen problems, but we can stick to our goal and plan to reach there intact. We fall back to our normal schedule as soon as possible instead of making that gap longer and losing the streak of good preparation days.
I’ve built some buffer days into every stage of the exam preparation specifically to address these unforeseeable gaps. So all you need to do is trust the process and keep going.
A Personal Story: Learning to Trust the Process
Let me share something personal that taught me about trusting the process, even when it doesn’t make sense at the time.
I was learning how to swim a few years back. I was basically a little afraid of water, but I had this dream of swimming in the big ocean someday. So I joined swimming classes, and honestly, I felt pretty awkward – all the other students were much younger than me, and I was like the odd man out among all these school children.
The Frustrating Beginning
On the first day, the instructor just gave us an oral introduction about everything but didn’t even make us step into the water. The next day, I felt like not going because of the awkwardness, but I pushed aside those feelings and went to the second class. This time, he made us swim a little.
These classes continued for 15-20 days, and I learned some swimming, but not enough to move to the second pool where you jump from a 12-14 feet tall jumping platform. Every day after class, we’d all gather around that jumping platform and watch others jump.
From the day I joined, I was thinking about jumping from that tall platform. I kept this small goal of jumping from there, thinking it would bring me closer to my bigger dream of swimming in the ocean.
The Moment of Doubt
Every day I’d cross that tall platform, hoping my trainer would call my name to try the jump. But he kept calling other kids – some half my age – to try it, but never me.
One day, I was so frustrated that I went to him and asked, “What’s the problem with my swimming? I think I’m swimming properly, so why aren’t you allowing me to jump?”
He simply said, “You need to improve more.”
I sat silently there until the last person finished jumping. After a while, my trainer came to me and said something that changed my perspective completely.
The Lesson That Changed Everything
“See Ravi,” he said, “you’re still afraid of water. You’re not trusting your swimming skills yourself. You may not realize it, but subconsciously, your fear of water and drowning is still there. You’re swimming around the corners of the pool, staying close to the edges.
Until you get rid of that fear and gain confidence in your swimming, I can’t allow you to jump. Those kids, when they learned swimming properly, never thought about drowning. That confidence makes them 90% buoyant, and the remaining 10% is the actual swimming technique.”
The Breakthrough
At that time, I didn’t fully understand what he meant, but I kept practicing and improving. After another 10 days, he asked me, “Will you try the jump today?”
I was so happy! I jumped, and that became one of my most beautiful memories. I still remember how good and adventurous I felt that day.
(About my dream of swimming in the big ocean – well, that’s not fulfilled yet. I need to take some more advanced classes. Planning to do it this summer, let’s see!)
The Real Lesson: Trust the Process
The lesson from this swimming experience applies directly to UPSC preparation: we must trust the process.
Trust that we will somehow make it through – maybe by trusting your hard work, or your mentor’s skill to guide you properly, or something else you can hold on to. You’ll never be 100% sure about anything, but if you doubt everything and never stick to anything, you’ll never achieve something worthwhile enough to tell yourself when you look back.
When Doubt Creeps In
There will be days when you’ll question whether this plan is working. You’ll see other aspirants following different strategies, and you’ll wonder if you’re on the right track. You’ll have bad days where nothing seems to stick in your memory.
During these moments, remember my swimming story. My trainer could see something I couldn’t see – that I wasn’t ready yet, not because I lacked technique, but because I lacked confidence in the process.
Similarly, this UPSC plan might feel slow or insufficient some days, but trust that it’s building something solid underneath – not just knowledge, but the confidence and consistency that will carry you through all three stages of the exam.
Your Action Plan for Setbacks
- When life interrupts: Don’t panic. Note where you left off.
- When you’re ready to return: Start exactly where you stopped, not from the beginning.
- When doubt creeps in: Come back to this page and read this section again.
- When motivation is low: Remember that consistency beats motivation every single time.
The Bottom Line
I hope you understand what I’m trying to convey here. Be consistent with your preparation instead of constantly looking for motivation or waiting for the perfect moment to start or restart.
Everything I’ve said here applies to every stage of the UPSC exam. Bookmark this page. Come back and read this section a few more times whenever you feel like you’re drifting away from your preparation. I hope it will bring you back to your studies and remind you why you started this journey in the first place.
Remember: the goal isn’t to have a perfect preparation journey. The goal is to have a consistent one, with the wisdom to get back on track quickly when life inevitably gets in the way.
Below are the links to each stage of the UPSC exam.
The Complete UPSC Preparation Timeline
| Stage No | Exam Stage | Overall Time Required |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundation Course | 13 Weeks To Prepare + 5 Weeks For Revision & Test Series |
| 2 | Current Affairs | 4 Weeks To Prepare + 2 Weeks To Revise |
| 3 | Optional Subject | 4 Weeks To Prepare + 2 Weeks To Revise |
| 4 | Prelims Test Series | 12 Weeks |
| 5 | Mains Exam Answer Writing Test Series | 12 Weeks |
| 6 | Interview Preparation | — |
| 7 | Getting information on Different Services In UPSC | — |
| 8 | Plan-B Exams for UPSC Preparation | You will get to know |