We would like to suggest to you that...This is the perfect time to start preparing and maintaining consistency without rushing through the journey. Let's not rush, but let's not STOP!!
"This journey is not just about clearing an exam. It's about becoming the person worthy of the post."
"Every hour you study, you're one step closer to changing your life—and your country."
"UPSC doesn’t just test your knowledge. It tests your patience, your discipline, and your will to rise after every fall."
"Some quit because it’s hard. You’ll succeed because you didn’t."
"One year of focused preparation can give you a lifetime of respect, responsibility, and the power to bring change."
"Let your ambition be louder than your doubts."
"The pain of discipline is temporary. The pride of success is forever."
Let's have a normal and easy split-up of our time for this preparation.
Preparing for UPSC in 10 months is absolutely doable with a disciplined plan. Here's a 10-month schedule broken down into phases, covering GS (Pre + Mains), CSAT, Current Affairs, and Optional. We'll assume you're starting from June 2025 and aiming for Prelims in late April or May 2026 and Mains in September 2026.
| Phase | Duration | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | June – Sep 2025 (4 months) | NCERTs, Standard Books, Optional basics |
| Phase 2 | Oct – Dec 2025 (3 months) | GS Advanced + Optional in-depth + Answer Writing |
| Phase 3 | Jan – Feb 2026 (2 months) | Prelims-centric revision + Tests |
| Phase 4 | Mar – Prelims 2026 (1 month) | 100% Prelims-focused crash revision |
| Post-Prelims | 3–4 months | Mains-only revision and test series |
June – September 2025: Foundation Phase
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NCERTs (6th–12th): History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Environment
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Standard GS Books:
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Polity – Laxmikanth
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History – Spectrum + 11th-12th NCERT
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Geography – G.C. Leong + NCERTs
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Economy – Sriram or Ramesh Singh
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Environment – Shankar IAS
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Optional Subject – Cover 40–50% basics
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Newspaper Reading – 45 mins daily (The Hindu / Indian Express)
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Weekly Current Affairs Notes – Monthly compilations
Targets:
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Complete all NCERTs by Aug
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1 full revision of each NCERT
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Start making GS notes
October – December 2025: GS + Optional Mastery
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GS Mains Syllabus Deep Dive
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Finish Optional Subject
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Start Answer Writing Practice (3 questions/day)
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Solve PYQs (Prelims and Mains)
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Join the Mains Test Series (if possible)
Targets:
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GS 2 and 3 major topics (Governance, Economy, IR, S&T, Security, Environment)
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Ethics Case Studies practice begins
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Join Optional Test Series (optional but helpful)
📌 January – February 2026: Prelims-Focused Transition
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Shift focus to Prelims MCQs
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Daily Tests: One GS/CSAT topic-based test daily
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Full syllabus mock tests every week
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Finish Revision #2 of all subjects
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Make Prelims-specific notes from current affairs
March – Prelims 2026: 100% Prelims Mode
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Revision + Tests only
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No new study
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Focus on:
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PYQs (last 10 years)
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Test papers (accuracy + speed)
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CSAT daily (Quant/Reasoning)
Weekly Routine (Flexible)
| Day | Time Slot | Task |
|---|---|---|
| Mon–Fri | 6 hrs/day | GS + Optional + Current Affairs |
| Sat | 2 hrs Test + 4 hrs Review | Weekly Revision + Mock |
| Sun | 2 hrs Optional + 2 hrs Essay/Map work | Flexible |
