Prepare for UPSC Prelims & Mains with Radiance Institute Best UPSC Coaching In Dehradun
UPSC EXAM
The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exam is one of the most competitive exams in India, conducted for recruitment into prestigious services like the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), and other Group A & B services. It consists of three stages:
1. Exam Structure
| Stage | Details | Marks | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| (a) Preliminary Examination (Prelims) | Objective-type exam with two papers | 400 (200 per paper) | 2 hours per paper |
| General Studies Paper-I | History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Environment, etc. | 200 | 2 hours |
| CSAT (General Studies Paper-II) | Aptitude, Reasoning, Comprehension | 200 (Qualifying, 33% required) | 2 hours |
| Negative Marking | 1/3rd deduction for incorrect answers | — | — |
| (b) Mains Examination (Mains) | 9 papers (7 considered for merit) | 1750 | — |
| Essay | Essay Writing | 250 | — |
| General Studies – I | History, Geography, Society | 250 | — |
| General Studies – II | Polity, Governance, International Relations | 250 | — |
| General Studies – III | Economy, Science & Tech, Environment, Security | 250 | — |
| General Studies – IV | Ethics, Integrity, Aptitude | 250 | — |
| Optional Subject – Paper 1 | Candidate’s chosen subject | 250 | — |
| Optional Subject – Paper 2 | Candidate’s chosen subject | 250 | — |
| Qualifying Papers | English (300 marks), Any Indian Language (300 marks) | Qualifying Only | — |
| (c) Personality Test (Interview) | Focuses on current affairs, general knowledge, and personal aptitude | 275 | — |
| Total Marks (Mains + Interview) | 2025 | — |
2. UPSC Preparation Strategy
| Stage | Strategy |
|---|---|
| (A) Prelims Strategy | ✅ NCERTs (6th to 12th) – Strong Foundation |
| ✅ Standard Books: | |
| Polity: Laxmikanth | |
| History: Spectrum (Modern), R.S. Sharma (Ancient), Satish Chandra (Medieval) | |
| Geography: GC Leong + NCERTs | |
| Economy: Ramesh Singh / NCERT | |
| Environment: Shankar IAS | |
| Science & Tech: Current Affairs + NCERTs | |
| ✅ Daily Newspaper Reading: The Hindu / Indian Express | |
| ✅ Solve Mock Tests: Practice at least 40-50 test papers | |
| (B) Mains Strategy | ✅ Answer Writing Practice: Write 2-3 answers daily |
| ✅ Essay Writing: Practice different types of essays | |
| ✅ Current Affairs: Link topics with current events | |
| ✅ Ethics Case Studies: Practice a case-based approach | |
| ✅ Optional Subject Selection: Choose based on interest & scoring potential | |
| (C) Interview Preparation | ✅ Mock Interviews: To develop confidence |
| ✅ DAF Analysis: Deep understanding of your bio-data | |
| ✅ Current Affairs Discussion: Stay updated |
3. UPSC Study Materials & Resources
| Type | Resource |
|---|---|
| Books | 📚 NCERTs (Class 6-12) |
| Polity: Laxmikanth | |
| History: Spectrum | |
| Environment: Shankar IAS | |
| Geography: GC Leong | |
| Newspapers | 📢 The Hindu |
| Indian Express | |
| PIB (Press Information Bureau) | |
| Rajya Sabha TV | |
| Magazines | 📌 Yojana |
| Kurukshetra | |
| Economic Survey |
4. Timeline for Preparation
| Activity | Details |
|---|---|
| Time Duration | 📅 12-18 months required for preparation |
| Daily Routine | 📝 6-8 hours of study daily |
| 🔄 Answer writing practice – Practice 2-3 answers daily | |
| 📖 Daily newspaper reading (The Hindu / Indian Express) | |
| 🔄 Weekly revision – Revise all topics covered in the week |
5. Key Tips for Success
✅ Consistency is key – Avoid long gaps
✅ Revise regularly – Make short notes
✅ Stay updated – Read newspapers daily
✅ Solve previous year papers – Understand the pattern
✅ Stay positive & healthy – Mental & physical fitness matter
Contact us for more details or Enroll Now to begin your UPSC journey!
