Hi there.

You must be just entering the UPSC arena with a lot of hope, courage and dreams. First of all, don’t let the hype get to you. With the right direction, discipline and consistency, you can clear this examination.

There must be a “why” behind your decision to enter this journey. You all know why you have entered this scene.

Some of you might have taken a drop. Some might be leaving a job to prepare. Some of you might be preparing alongside your job. Some might already have a placement in hand, yet have decided to take this journey instead of choosing the easier path of making money.

So, first and foremost — a shout-out to you guys.

Have faith in yourself, and you will definitely give yourself a great chance to ace this exam.

Now, coming back to the actual preparation.

Coaching or Self-Study?

One of the first questions that comes to almost every UPSC aspirant’s mind is:

Should I join coaching, or can I do it through self-study?

A lot of selected candidates have prepared through self-study. So naturally, you may wonder, “Should I follow the same path?”

If you have a basic understanding of the subjects and come from a humanities background, then yes, self-study is absolutely possible.

But let me be honest with you.

There is a reason coaching exists — and not just for UPSC. It exists in almost every field.

A good coaching institute can help you cover the syllabus within a given time frame and provide you with a structured direction. If you start completely on your own, you may spend more than a year simply trying to figure out the basics, what to study, what not to study and which resources to follow.

They have been doing this for years. The syllabus is the same for every UPSC aspirant.

So, depending on your budget and time, explore your options. Look at online and offline coaching, enquire properly, attend demo classes and then make your decision.

And once you join, be regular with your classes.

One more thing — don’t develop a complaining attitude.

Go into the classroom with the mindset of “I want to learn.” The more open you are to learning, the more you will gain. If you enter the classroom thinking that the teacher has nothing to offer you, you will naturally learn less. Go there willing to learn.

At the same time, don’t become completely dependent on your coaching academy.

Coaching is there to help you build your basics and provide direction. You still have to do a lot of work yourself — studying, revising, practising and improving.

So, if you’re considering coaching:

Enquire. Take demos. Compare. Decide. And once you decide, make the most of it.

Now, What Should You Do in Your First Month?

Once you’ve taken coaching, or decided to prepare through self-study, the next thing you need is a routine and a clear understanding of the examination.

Your first month isn’t about completing half the syllabus.

It is about getting your foundation right.

Here is what I would suggest.

1. Understand the UPSC Syllabus

The first and foremost thing you should do is go through the UPSC syllabus. And I don’t mean downloading it once and never looking at it again.

Take the syllabus given in the UPSC notification and go through it properly for at least the first week.

Print it if you can. Paste it on your study desk or board so that it remains visible while you study. You should know what UPSC actually wants from you.

The syllabus is your guide throughout this journey.

Whenever you pick up a new topic, you should be able to ask yourself:

“Where does this fit into the syllabus?”

2. Go Through the PYQs of the Last 10 Years

The second most important thing is to go through the Previous Year Questions (PYQs).

At this stage, you don’t necessarily have to sit down and solve all of them. Just go through the questions. Observe the pattern.

See how UPSC asks questions:

• Correct and incorrect statements
• Multiple statements
• Pairs
• Match the following
• Order and sequence
• Chronology
• Concept-based questions
• Application-based questions

You will slowly start understanding how UPSC frames its questions.

And don’t look only at Prelims. Go through the Mains papers as well. Look at the Essay paper too.

You are trying to understand the nature of the examination from the very beginning.

3. Understand These Two Things First

By now, you have gone through the two most important things in your preparation:

The syllabus and the PYQs.

Make these your topmost priority.

The syllabus tells you what UPSC expects you to study.

The PYQs show you how UPSC asks about what you study.

Together, they become your guideline for the entire preparation. Keep coming back to them.

4. Prepare Your Book List — But Keep It Simple

Now comes one of the most confusing parts of UPSC preparation:

Books.

Don’t make it complicated.

Keep your basic NCERTs from Classes 9–12. They are sufficient to build your foundation in the beginning. If you feel the need for a refresher, or your teacher recommends a particular book from wherever you are taking coaching, you can add it. But please don’t start purchasing every refresher or standard book just because a topper mentioned it. Every topper has their own journey, background and way of studying. You don’t need to replicate someone’s entire booklist.

Initially, if you want one standard refresher for Polity, Laxmikanth is the book I would recommend you purchase. You can add other standard books as and when you understand your requirements.

Remember:

You don’t need a library on your study table. You need a few good sources that you actually study and revise.

5. Make a Realistic Routine

Now comes the most important part — your routine.

And please don’t make a routine that simply says:

Breakfast → Study → Lunch → Class → Study → Dinner → Sleep.

That’s not really a routine.

Make an actual hourly routine so that you can track how many hours you’re studying and where your time is going.

But please don’t start with a 15–16 hour study schedule just because someone says that is what it takes to clear UPSC. Initially, a little lenience can be maintained. You are starting a long journey. You need a routine that you can sustain. Keep time for relaxation. Have some exercise or gym time. If you like spending time with your parents, keep that time. If you pray or perform puja, keep that time too.

And most importantly, keep enough time for sleep. Sleep is not a waste of preparation time. Sleep is also an important part of preparation.

Even during your breaks, you can do something useful without turning everything into study time. You can, for example, look through an atlas — not necessarily to memorise everything, but simply out of curiosity.

6. Follow the Routine — Then Adjust It

Once you’ve made your routine, follow it.

After a few days, you may realise that something isn’t working. Maybe you’re more productive in the morning. Maybe you study better at night. Maybe your coaching schedule requires a change.

Make the adjustment.

It’s trial and error. This is the only way you’ll find a routine that is actually suitable for you. And please make your routine according to you, not according to some selected candidate. If you’re a morning person, use your mornings properly. If you’re a night person, structure your schedule accordingly.

Yes, the examination happens during the day. We all know that. You can gradually change your routine as the examination approaches.

It is doable. Don’t worry.

What matters right now is finding a routine that you can follow consistently.

So, That’s Your First Month

You don’t have to conquer UPSC in your first 30 days.

You just need to get the basics right.

• Understand the syllabus.
• Go through the PYQs.
• Keep your booklist limited and sensible.
• Build a realistic routine.
• And then, most importantly, follow it consistently.

In the upcoming Mentor’s Corner posts, I’ll talk about books, note-making and other aspects of preparation in more detail.

Until then, stay consistent with your routine and enjoy learning.

Have a great day — or a great night, depending on when you’re reading this.

Keep going.

Signing off,
Your Mentor