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The initial step towards Civil Services is to familiarize yourself with the pattern of the examination.The Civil Services Exam is conducted in 3 stages:Stage 1: Preliminary Examination (Popularly known as CSAT)There are two papers in Prelims exams – namely Paper I and Paper II.Paper I tests you on General Studies and Paper II tests you on Aptitude. Qualifying Paper I lets you appear for the Mains examination. Paper II is only to analyze you i.e it is only of qualifying nature.The marks scored in Paper II are NOT added for the overall merit of the Civil Services Preliminary Examination.Paper I (General Studies)200 MarksDuration: Two HoursNumber of Questions: 100Paper II (Aptitude)200 MarksDuration: Two HoursNumber of Questions: 80Stage 2: Main Examination (Also known as Mains)The Main Examination will consist of written examination. The written examination will consist of 9 papers of conventional essay type i.e descriptive in nature.Stage 3: Personal InterviewCandidates who obtain minimum qualifying marks in the Main Examination as may be fixed by the Commission at their discretion, shall be summoned by them for an interview for a Personality Test.Step 2: Know the Exam SyllabusIAS Prelims Syllabus is provided below. Check out clearly IAS Prelims Syllabus from below:Paper I Syllabus (General Studies)Current Affairs: Events of national and international importanceHistory of India and Indian National MovementIndian and World Geography – Physical, Social, Economic geography of India and the World.Indian Polity and Governance – Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.Economic and Social Development – Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector Initiatives, etc.General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change (no subject specialization required)General SciencePaper II SyllabusComprehensionInterpersonal skills including communication skillsLogical reasoning and analytical abilityDecision making and problem solvingGeneral mental abilityBasic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude etc.) (Class X level), Data Interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. – Class X level)English Language Comprehension skills (Class X level).Questions relating to English Language Comprehension skills of Class X level. (will be tested through passages from English language only without providing Hindi translation)Step 3: Preparation of General StudiesIAS Exam General Studies comprises a vast ocean of subjects and this paper needs to be mastered in order to reach the Mains examination. Since the official syllabus does not give much detail of the topics to be studied under each subject it is expected to gain knowledge of them that should be slightly below the graduation level but definitely above the high school level.There are 100 questions to be answered in two hours, each question carries two marks. It means there will be around 80 seconds to answer each question. So speed and accuracy is essential to tackle this examination. While the correct answer will fetch 2 marks, a wrong answer means a loss of 0.66 marks.The 100 questions can be broadly divided into three categories:Multiple Choice Questions – single response correctMultiple Choice Questions – multiple response correctMultiple Choice Questions – Matching typeStep 4: Go Through Previous Year PapersGoing through the last five year papers (at least 5 years) will familiarize you with the kind of questions asked in the examination. One thing you have to understand here is that UPSC will NEVER repeat a question. So don’t mug up questions. It’ll be of no use. What will be of use is the fact that the ‘type’ of question might get repeated.Going through past year’s papers will will make you understand the scope of the questions being asked. So when you study different subjects, you will keep that in mind. IAS Exam is not just about hard work. It’s a combination of both hard work and smart work.Step 5: Subject Wise Preparation StrategyHistory/Indian CultureA considerable share of the total questions asked in General Studies for IAS, comes from Indian History.The syllabus for history can be divided in 3 parts – Ancient Indian History, Medieval Indian History and Modern Indian History.Most of the History questions asked in IAS Preliminary Test usually come from Modern India & Art and Culture. It has been seen that Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History don’t constitute a major part in terms of the number of questions asked.So if one has to prioritize the topics for Indian History, Modern India (especially the Struggle for Independence) & Art & Culture should be given preference vis-a-vis Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History. Having said that never leave out the low priority topics altogether. Remember, UPSC loves to give it’s aspirants surprises.One common mistake that most IAS aspirants make while preparing history is that in search of relevant books & study materials, they end up with a multitude of resources. Having too many books & study resources for one particular subject can do more harm than good when it comes to quick revision later.GeographyGeography is divided into two parts – Indian Geography and World GeographyIt has been seen that Indian Geography is given more weightage in the Preliminary Examination. The following are the broad topics that you MUST cover before the exam.Indian GeographyPhysiography of IndiaRiver Systems of IndiaClimateMineral Wealth of IndiaSoil & Soil Types in IndiaAgricultureForestsWildlife & ConservationHuman GeographyWhile you prepare for Geography of India, keep in mind that mere cramming up information would be no use. Before you take up Physical Geography of India, have a clear understanding of fundamentals of Geography first. After you are thorough with the concepts involving Geography, you are fit to proceed towards Geography of India. Here, understand each section, sub-section in great details.For example, if you have to understand Physiography of India, look for critical pieces of information around the same. This would include Characteristics of each region, the process behind their formation, its mineral wealth, the climate of that region and why that is the way it is, Vegetation in that region and its direct/indirect relation to Climate & Human activities etc.World GeographyThe following are the broad topics that you MUST cover before the exam:The Earth & the UniverseLand forms and their formationAtmosphereWind SystemClouds & PrecipitationHydrosphereDifferent Types of Climate & Climatic Regions of the WorldNumerous concepts and phenomena related to Physical Geography are a part of World Geography. It is extremely important to highlight here that your understanding of World Geography would make Indian Physical Geography and a few other topics like Environment very easy for you.PolityThere is a significant number of questions that are asked from polity and over the years they have been found to be direct and ranging from Easy to Moderate on the difficulty scale.For polity, start with topics that are of keen interest to you. One does not necessarily have to begin in the same sequence as the Table of Contents. For instance, you may start with the chapter on Fundamental Rights & Duties much before you read the Process of the making of Indian Constitution. However, as you progress you would see that there are some chapters which are best read in the form of sets.For example, it should only be natural to read up State Government and its Functioning after you read Union Government & its functioning.The questions asked from the polity section are both static and dynamic in nature. Both these type of questions can be related to events and issues that passed by or are being debated. Current events related to new Bills, Acts, Policies and related provisions should be persistently followed and related topics looked up in your reference books.For example, if there is a landmark judgement passed by the Supreme Court around Freedom of Speech, it should automatically ring a bell in your head that you need to look at relevant chapters around Fundamental Rights and Judiciary in your course book.EconomyA lot of aspirants get scared on hearing the name of economics. But there is nothing to worry. Let me clarify right in the beginning that you do not need to have prior knowledge of economics to crack the questions based on it. You will understand concepts as you keep reading. In fact economics might become your favourite section from the syllabus.Good thing about Indian Economy is that it is one section of Civil Services Exam where you can avoid a lot of cramming.To understand Indian Economy better, you need to have the right resources. There are no better books than NCERTs that would build your fundamental understanding of the subject.Read the following right at the onset of your preparation:March of the indian economy by I.C dhingra- heed publicationsPratiyogita Darpan Special Issue EconomicsHaving an understanding of certain important concepts of Microeconomics, e.g. Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility, Elasticity of Demands etc would certainly go a long way towards building your basics. Now you may take up any book that takes up the case of Indian Economy in detail.Never Forget The Budget & Economic Survey of India:Collect the Economic Times or Business Standard, that gets published the very next day when the Budget is discussed in the Parliament. Jot down all important policy decisions of the Government of India. The Economic Survey of India is the finest and the most comprehensive document about the state of Indian Economy. It gives you the rationale behind every policy decision, comparative analyses, Important Welfare Schemes and the road map for the future of Indian Economy.Science & TechnologyThere are mostly analytical questions that show up in this section. For scoring well in Science and Technology section, you would first need to analyse the kind of questions that UPSC asks. Mostly, all of the questions from Science and Technology section are analytical/conceptual in nature. A lot of them hold relevance because of the events going on around us. So, current affairs across the world goes in-sync with your conceptual knowledge. All you need here is the right approach.I suggest you to strengthen your basics first.Start reading from ICSE Books(Classes 7-10) and go through them. Focus on the science behind various natural phenomenon. This would make your learning more fun as well.Go through previously asked questions from the Science & Technology section and understand which topics are more relevant and frequently asked.While you are preparing, make sure you stick to the basics only. If you don’t understand concepts well enough from ICSE books, browse the internet.But do not spend too much time understanding the concepts in great details. Remember, you don’t need to hold a doctorate before writing the exam. You have various other sections to cover as well. So, do NOT waste your time.If you analyse previous years’ question papers thoroughly, you will realize that most questions were asked simply because they were in news in the last 10-12 months before the exam. Focus on what is happening in India that is relevant to the field of Science and Technology. Follow ISRO, DRDO, Ministry of Science & Technology and what they do. The best way to do that is to religiously follow Science & Technology section of The Hindu.EnvironmentEcology, Environment, Biodiversity & Climate Change is the most unsettling part for civil services aspirants. There are many reasons behind this. The first & foremost being that there is no study material which can be thought of as concrete or complete in itself. Ever since, the preliminary examination for Indian Forest Services (IFS) has been clubbed with Civil Services Prelims, the weightage allocated to this section has considerably increased. Naturally, it calls for greater attention. IAS exam general studies preparing aspirants can no longer afford to overlook this section.Here are some of the best sources to study the Environment Section –scince for YouPariksha IAS – EnvironmentNotes from NIOSICSE Books- Std X & XIIndia Year BookOrient Blackswan School AtlasHindu Official websiteEnvironmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses by Erach BharuchaEcology and environment by P. D. Sharma.Down to Earth MagazineScience ReporterEconomic Survey of IndiaOfficial Website of Environment Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Government of IndiaCurrent AffairsWhile you prepare yourself for the preliminary exam, never lose track of current events. UPSC asks questions from various sections relating them to current affairs. For example, if a money bill was in news, UPSC will frame a question on it that will be a part of both polity and current affairs. Something like El Nino can be asked because it was in news. It’ll be apart of current affairs, environment as well as geography. So, try reading current affairs relating them to your syllabus.Always follow the business & economy section of a leading daily for economics current affairs.. The Hindu, Indian Express & Business Standard are the most reliable resources. Pick any one of these and follow it religiously. You may also follow leading economists/analysts e.g. CRL Narasimhan (The Hindu) and their opinions in these dailies. Always make sure you look at any event with a balanced perspective.The Hindu is a MUST READ newspaper when it comes to cracking the IAS exam general studies preparation. So, be sure to read it daily. Don’t just read it, jot down important.The first thing is to know the IAS Prelims Syllabus and then cover the important topics first.

By UPSC I think you mean Civil Services examination (CSE).The syllabus for CSE is -UPSC Civil Services Exam is conducted in three phases:Phase 1: Preliminary Examination or CSAT (Objective Section)Phase 2: Main Examination (Subjective Section)Phase 3: Interview (Vocal Section)Phase 1: Preliminary Examination – CSATSyllabus:CSAT or Civil Services Aptitude Test is the first phase of preliminary examination of UPSC. This test is intended to assess the aptitude of examinees in solving the ‘Reasoning and Analytical’ questions.IAS prelims exam consists of two papers of objective type, each of 200 marks (total of 400 marks) and two hours of duration and candidates must take both the papers.The preliminary examination is meant for screening the candidate and the marks obtained by a candidate in the prelims who qualifies to the mains exam will not be be taken in account to determine their final merit.Paper I Syllabus: ● Current events of national and international importance.● History of India and Indian National Movement.● Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.● Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System, Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.●Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty, Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.● General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialisation General Sciencea) IAS Preliminary Exam:Paper I - General Studies - 200 marks - 2 hoursPaper II - Aptitude Skills - 200 marks - 2 hoursPaper II Syllabus:ComprehensionInterpersonal skills including communication skills;Logical reasoning and analytical abilityDecision-making and problem solvingGeneral mental abilityBasic numeracy (numbers and their relations, orders of magnitude, etc.) (Class X level), Data interpretation (charts, graphs, tables, data sufficiency etc. - Class X level)PHASE 2 - MAINS EXAM (1750 MARKS)The phase 2 tests candidate’s academic talent in depth and his/her ability to present understanding in a reasonable way. The IAS mains examination is designed to analyse the comprehensive intellectual quality and the understanding of candidates rather than just determining their information and memory.The UPSC mains exam consists of 9 papers, in which two are qualifying papers of 300 marks each:I. Any Indian LanguageII. EnglishThese two papers just need to qualify which is compulsory and marks obtained will not be considered or counted.And the rest of seven papers can be written in any of the languages mentioned as in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution or in English.According to the new pattern in the UPSC syllabus, there are "FOUR" General Studies paper each comprising of 250 Marks with a total of 1000 Marks are made compulsory. The scope of the syllabus of General Studies papers are of degree level.There is only "ONE" optional subject to choose from the list of subjects. It comprises of two papers each of 300 marks. So the optional paper has total 600 marks. Candidate is allowed to take up literature as an optional subject "without the condition of having the same at graduation level.” The scope of the syllabus of optional paper is higher than the bachelor's degree but lower than the master's level.Summary of the Latest Pattern of Civil Services (Mains) ExaminationPaper - ALanguage -300 MarksCandidate can take any Modern Indian language but this paper is of qualifying naturePaper - BEnglish -300 MarksThis paper is of qualifying naturePaper - IEssay - 250 MarksCan be written in the medium or language of the candidate's choicePaper-IIGeneral Studies-I 250 Marks(Indian Heritage and Culture,History and Geography of the World and Society)Paper-IIIGeneral Studies -II: 250 Marks(Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)Paper-IVGeneral Studies -III 250 Marks(Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)Paper-VGeneral Studies -IV 250 Marks(Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)Marks carried by General Studies papers are 4X 250=1000Paper-VIOptional Subject - Paper 1 -250 MarksPaper-VIIOptional Subject - Paper II -250 MarksCandidate is allowed to take up literature as an optional subject "without the condition of having it at the graduation level."Sub Total (Written test) 1750 MarksMarks of English and Language will not be counted in the total tally of marks for the written exam. So the total of the Mains exam will be 1750 Marks Only.Interview/Personality Test - 275 marksCandidate can give preference of the language in which they may like to be interviewed. UPSC will make arrangement for the translators.Grand Total 2025 MarksA candidate is allowed to use any one language from the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution or English as the medium of writing the examination.Civil Services Mains Exam SyllabusThe written examination will consist of the following papers:Paper A - Modern Indian language 300 Marks - Qualifying nature - Marks not counted - Passing mandatory-(i) Comprehension of given passages.(ii) Precis Writing(iii) Usage and Vocabulary.(iv) Short Essay(v) Translation from English to the Indian language and vice-versa.Note 1: The Papers on Indian Languages and English will be of High School level and will be of qualifying nature only. The marks obtained in these papers will not be counted for final ranking.Note 2 : The candidates will have to answer the English and Indian Languages papers in English and the respective Indian language (except where translation is involved).Paper B - English - 300 marks - Qualifying nature - Marks not counted- Passing mandatoryThe aim of the paper is to test the candidates' ability to read and understand serious discursive prose, and to express his ideas clearly and correctly, in English and Indian Language concerned.The pattern of questions would be broadly as follows:-(i) Comprehension of given passages(ii) Precis Writing(iii) Usage and Vocabulary(iv) Short Essay.Paper-IEssay - 250 Marks - To be written in the medium or language of the candidate's choice. Candidate is required to write an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given. They are expected to keep their thoughts closely to the subject and arrange their ideas in orderly fashion and be concise. Credit will be given to effective and coherent expression.Paper-IIGeneral Studies-I 250 Marks (Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society)Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issuesThe Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawing of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.Role of women and women's organization, population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.Effects of globalization on Indian societySocial empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.Salient features of world's physical geography.Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.Paper-IIIGeneral Studies -II: 250 Marks (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations)Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countriesParliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.Salient features of the Representation of People's Act.Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional Bodies.Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodiesGovernment policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.Development processes and the development industry the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholdersWelfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sectionsIssues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources, issues relating to poverty and hunger.Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.Role of civil services in a democracy.India and its neighbourhood- relations.Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India's interestsEffect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India's interests, Indian diaspora.Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their structure, mandate.Paper-IVGeneral Studies -III 250 Marks (Technology, Economic Development, Bio-diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management)Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.Government Budgeting.Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmersIssues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and downstream requirements, supply chain management.Land reforms in India.Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth.Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.Investment models.Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.indigenization of technology and developing new technology.Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessmentDisaster and disaster management.Linkages between development and spread of extremism.Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its preventionSecurity challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorismVarious Security forces and agencies and their mandatePaper-VGeneral Studies -IV 250 Marks (Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)This paper will include questions to test the candidates' attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity, probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad areas will be covered.Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships.Human Values - lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship, objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen'sCharters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.Case Studies on above issues.Paper-VIOptional Subject - Paper I -250 MarksPaper-VIIOptional Subject - Paper II -250 MarksCandidates may choose any ONE optional subject from amongst the list of subjects given below.Interview/Personality Test - 275 MarksCandidate can give preference of the language in which they may like to be interviewed. UPSC will make arrangement for the translators.NOTE:Marks obtained by the candidates for all papers EXCEPT PAPER A & B will be counted for merit ranking. However, the Commission will have the discretion to fix qualifying marks in any or all papers of the examination. You can log on to UPSC's official website (Welcome to UPSC | UPSC) to see the detailed notification.Optional Subjects:HistoryGeographyEconomicsSociologyPublic AdministrationPhilosophyPsychologyPolitical ScienceAgricultureAnimal Husbandry and Veterinary ScienceAnthropologyBotanyChemistryCivil EngineeringCommerceElectrical EngineeringGeologyLawMathematicsManagementMechanical EngineeringMedical SciencePhysicsStatisticsZoologyLiterature of any one of the following languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and English.

History/Indian CultureA considerable share of the total questions asked in General Studies for IAS, comes from Indian History.The syllabus for history can be divided in 3 parts – Ancient Indian History, Medieval Indian History and Modern Indian History.Most of the History questions asked in IAS Preliminary Test usually come from Modern India & Art and Culture. It has been seen that Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History don’t constitute a major part in terms of the number of questions asked.So if one has to prioritize the topics for Indian History, Modern India (especially the Struggle for Independence) & Art & Culture should be given preference vis-a-vis Medieval Indian History & Ancient Indian History. Having said that never leave out the low priority topics altogether. Remember, UPSC loves to give it’s aspirants surprises.One common mistake that most IAS aspirants make while preparing history is that in search of relevant books & study materials, they end up with a multitude of resources. Having too many books & study resources for one particular subject can do more harm than good when it comes to quick revision later.GeographyGeography is divided into two parts – Indian Geography and World GeographyIt has been seen that Indian Geography is given more weightage in the Preliminary Examination. The following are the broad topics that you MUST cover before the exam.Indian GeographyPhysiography of IndiaRiver Systems of IndiaClimateMineral Wealth of IndiaSoil & Soil Types in IndiaAgricultureForestsWildlife & ConservationHuman GeographyWhile you prepare for Geography of India, keep in mind that mere cramming up information would be no use. Before you take up Physical Geography of India, have a clear understanding of fundamentals of Geography first. After you are thorough with the concepts involving Geography, you are fit to proceed towards Geography of India. Here, understand each section, sub-section in great details.For example, if you have to understand Physiography of India, look for critical pieces of information around the same. This would include Characteristics of each region, the process behind their formation, its mineral wealth, the climate of that region and why that is the way it is, Vegetation in that region and its direct/indirect relation to Climate & Human activities etc.World GeographyThe following are the broad topics that you MUST cover before the exam:The Earth & the UniverseLand forms and their formationAtmosphereWind SystemClouds & PrecipitationHydrosphereDifferent Types of Climate & Climatic Regions of the WorldNumerous concepts and phenomena related to Physical Geography are a part of World Geography. It is extremely important to highlight here that your understanding of World Geography would make Indian Physical Geography and a few other topics like Environment very easy for you.PolityThere is a significant number of questions that are asked from polity and over the years they have been found to be direct and ranging from Easy to Moderate on the difficulty scale.For polity, start with topics that are of keen interest to you. One does not necessarily have to begin in the same sequence as the Table of Contents. For instance, you may start with the chapter on Fundamental Rights & Duties much before you read the Process of the making of Indian Constitution. However, as you progress you would see that there are some chapters which are best read in the form of sets.For example, it should only be natural to read up State Government and its Functioning after you read Union Government & its functioning.The questions asked from the polity section are both static and dynamic in nature. Both these type of questions can be related to events and issues that passed by or are being debated. Current events related to new Bills, Acts, Policies and related provisions should be persistently followed and related topics looked up in your reference books.For example, if there is a landmark judgement passed by the Supreme Court around Freedom of Speech, it should automatically ring a bell in your head that you need to look at relevant chapters around Fundamental Rights and Judiciary in your course book.EconomyA lot of aspirants get scared on hearing the name of economics. But there is nothing to worry. Let me clarify right in the beginning that you do not need to have prior knowledge of economics to crack the questions based on it. You will understand concepts as you keep reading. In fact economics might become your favourite section from the syllabus.Good thing about Indian Economy is that it is one section of Civil Services Exam where you can avoid a lot of cramming.To understand Indian Economy better, you need to have the right resources. There are no better books than NCERTs that would build your fundamental understanding of the subject.Read the following right at the onset of your preparation:Principles of Macroeconomics – Std XIIPrinciples of Microeconomics – Std XIIIndian Economic Development – Std XIMarch of the indian economy by I.C dhingra- heed publicationsHaving an understanding of certain important concepts of Microeconomics, e.g. Law of Diminishing Marginal Utility, Elasticity of Demands etc would certainly go a long way towards building your basics. Now you may take up any book that takes up the case of Indian Economy in detail.Never Forget The Budget & Economic Survey of India:Collect the Economic Times or Business Standard, that gets published the very next day when the Budget is discussed in the Parliament. Jot down all important policy decisions of the Government of India. The Economic Survey of India is the finest and the most comprehensive document about the state of Indian Economy. It gives you the rationale behind every policy decision, comparative analyses, Important Welfare Schemes and the road map for the future of Indian Economy.Science & TechnologyThere are mostly analytical questions that show up in this section. For scoring well in Science and Technology section, you would first need to analyse the kind of questions that UPSC asks. Mostly, all of the questions from Science and Technology section are analytical/conceptual in nature. A lot of them hold relevance because of the events going on around us. So, current affairs across the world goes in-sync with your conceptual knowledge. All you need here is the right approach.I suggest you to strengthen your basics first.Start reading from ICSE Books(Classes 7-10) and go through them. Focus on the science behind various natural phenomenon. This would make your learning more fun as well.Go through previously asked questions from the Science & Technology section and understand which topics are more relevant and frequently asked.While you are preparing, make sure you stick to the basics only. If you don’t understand concepts well enough from ICSE books, browse the internet.But do not spend too much time understanding the concepts in great details. Remember, you don’t need to hold a doctorate before writing the exam. You have various other sections to cover as well. So, do NOT waste your time.If you analyse previous years’ question papers thoroughly, you will realize that most questions were asked simply because they were in news in the last 10-12 months before the exam. Focus on what is happening in India that is relevant to the field of Science and Technology. Follow ISRO, DRDO, Ministry of Science & Technology and what they do. The best way to do that is to religiously follow Science & Technology section of The Hindu.EnvironmentEcology, Environment, Biodiversity & Climate Change is the most unsettling part for civil services aspirants. There are many reasons behind this. The first & foremost being that there is no study material which can be thought of as concrete or complete in itself. Ever since, the preliminary examination for Indian Forest Services (IFS) has been clubbed with Civil Services Prelims, the weightage allocated to this section has considerably increased. Naturally, it calls for greater attention. IAS exam general studies preparing aspirants can no longer afford to overlook this section.Here are some of the best sources to study the Environment Section –NCERT Geography – Std VI to Std XINCERT Science – Std VII to Std XNCERT Economy – Std XINCERT Biology – Std XIINCERT Chemistry – Std XIIShankar IAS – EnvironmentNotes from NIOSICSE Books- Std X & XIIndia Year BookOrient Blackswan School AtlasHindu Official websiteEnvironmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses by Erach BharuchaEcology and environment by P. D. Sharma.Down to Earth MagazineScience ReporterEconomic Survey of IndiaOfficial Website of Environment MinistryCurrent AffairsWhile you prepare yourself for the preliminary exam, never lose track of current events. UPSC asks questions from various sections relating them to current affairs. For example, if a money bill was in news, UPSC will frame a question on it that will be a part of both polity and current affairs. Something like El Nino can be asked because it was in news. It’ll be apart of current affairs, environment as well as geography. So, try reading current affairs relating them to your syllabus.Always follow the business & economy section of a leading daily for economics current affairs.. The Hindu, Indian Express & Business Standard are the most reliable resources. Pick any one of these and follow it religiously. You may also follow leading economists/analysts e.g. CRL Narasimhan (The Hindu) and their opinions in these dailies. Always make sure you look at any event with a balanced perspective.The Hindu is a MUST READ newspaper when it comes to cracking the IAS exam general studies preparation. So, be sure to read it daily. Don’t just read it , jot down import