For All New Aspirant, the first question that comes to one's mind is about
how to go about the preparation, how to begin, where to start?
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
So here two points are important first to know about IAS exam and 2 nd about yourself.
Examination:
It’s basically a 3-stage examination
(i) Civil Services/UPSC (Preliminary) Examination (Objective in nature) for the selection of candidates for the Main Examination;
Structure of Pre-Exam: G.S Paper 1 deals with general studies and contains 100 questions. Paper 2 is of aptitude test and contains 80 questions.
G.S Paper 2 is only of qualifying nature (67 marks for qualifying)
Approximately 12 times the total number of vacancies qualify this exam to be eligible to appear in the next stage or Mains examination.
It is important to note that Marks obtained in prelims examinations of UPSC/IAS EXAM are not counted for final merit.
(ii) UPSC/ Civil Services (Main) Examination (Written and Interview) for the selection of candidates for around 23 Services and posts.
Around 2.6 times the total vacancies are qualified to appear in personality test. Marks of written plus interview combined decide the final list.


About Yourself
Firstly, try to find out that “Why I want to become an IAS/IPS officer” and believe us that answer of this question will make your Civil services preparation journey easier. And second step is about Knowing your personal strengths, your biggest personal strength would be something that comes very easily for you. Take some time and think about what comes naturally for you. It could be anything. For example, perhaps you have no problems having conversations, or being able to think of quick solutions in a tense environment.
Knowing your weaknesses
It is equally important to know your weaknesses as much as knowing your strengths. Your weaknesses hold you back from achieving many great things. Weaknesses are areas that you have the power to improve. It can be anything ranging from professional to social skills.
Knowing your own strengths and weaknesses gives you a better understanding of yourself and how you function.
IAS Next have strong Comprehensive UPSC Study plan and Unique strategy which is helping each IAS aspirant to get through the Civil Services Exam from many years. This makes students of IAS next coaching to crack their Civil services exams in very First attempt.
You may opt the following strategy to get success with flying colours in UPSC exam.
Important Tips and Tricks for assured selection UPSC Prelims
As we all know individual cannot attempt exams multiple time as based on age criteria number of attempts will be decides. IAS Next will always inspire students to clear IAS Exam in the first attempt with the following points
Always Concentrate on syllabus
To attempt maximum questions in UPSC exam, aspirant should know which portion they have to focus on while studying, hence syllabus play very important role in Civil services preparation journey.
IAS Next is providing hardcopy of syllabus to each aspirant so that it will be handy and always it will be in front of them, which will save their time as well as it will make them to study important topics.
Practice Previous Year question paper
In IAS Prelims exam conducted by UPSC, around 5 to 10 questions are asked from its previous year question papers. Many times, it reaches 15 to 20 questions too!
Most of the time candidates do not give importance to previous year questions and practice more questions from mock tests than UPSC old questions.
Students should practice a greater number of UPSC previous year question papers not by anticipating same questions will be repeated this year but because old question papers help in understanding the nature of questions asked by UPSC.
To get a whole idea about the question papers, it necessary for Students to go through all the previous year papers, especially from year 2011. IAS Next will focus on this part by providing and practicing previous year question papers for each subject on regular basis in class room Programme.
Test Series
Enrolling in for a test series for IAS can give one an actual taste of the competition. Joining good IAS test series can give a pan India ranking with overall performance analysis.
“Practice makes the man perfect” correctly said and quoted by the great writers. Before appearing for the UPSC exam, IAS NEXT will make sure that every IAS aspirant has gone through number of Test regularly conducted and given by IAS NEXT team. This old and unique approach is more of an integrated approach, hence IAS NEXT thinks this is the best strategy.
IAS Next Test Series
1 – Coverage of the portion from the all-Important reference books and NCERT, NIOS, IGNOU books
2 – Test series will be covering questions from previous year papers as well.
3 – Current Analysis test will be conducting regularly.

You cannot build a great building on a weak foundation. If UPSC Civil Service Exam is superstructure then NCERTs are the bases. You should read them because.
1. They will help you to start the habit of learning. The topics also converge with the demands of UPSC.
2. They are written in very simple language and from neutral perspective.
3. UPSC wants to provide level playing field for all. These books are not costly, readily accessible everywhere for all regardless of rich -poor or city-villages.
4. Every year at least 30-35 questions are directly asked from NCERTs.
5. Most importantly today’s era is flooded with vast information, contents and materials. Here NCERT books will filter the excesses. They will be time and content efficient.
6. If you are planning for humanities optional, but you are from non humanities background, then after going through these books it will be easier to choose optional according to your personality.
When
Next question comes in mind is when one should read them? The answer is very simple. From the very first day you decide to become an officer. Before buying the essential reference, books or joining in any academy you should complete them.
The UPSC syllabus will seem much easier for you. First 2-3 months of your preparation should be focused on NCERTs only.
How
You may choose a single subject for a limited timeframe. Suppose you want to prepare history. Then start from class 6 books to class 7, next class 8,9,10,11 and class 12 comes gradually. While reading ….
1. Underline in the 1st reading.
2. Read and optimize the underlined stuff in the 2nd reading.
3. Make short notes in 3rd reading.
4. Now forget about book. Just rely on notes.
5. Revise them monthly.
6. After some revision you should reach such a standard that it will take only 4-5 hours to revise the entire subject from class 6 to class 12.
7. Do not forget that it is not about completing the NCERTs, but remembering the key concepts and facts for mains and preliminary respectively.
Which
The most important books are listed below
History
Class 12: Themes in Indian History I, II and III(new syllabus)
Class 12: Modern India (old Syllabus)
Class 11: Ancient India, medieval India (old Syllabus)
Geography
Class 7: Our Environment
Class 8: Resources and Development
Class 11: Fundamentals of Physical Geography
Class 11: India – Physical Environment
Class 12: Fundamentals of Human Geography
Class 12: India – People and Economy
Sociology
Class 12: Social change & Development in India
Indian Society
Class 11: Sociology: Understanding Society
Class 12: Indian Society
Art & Culture
Class 11: An Introduction to Indian Art
Economics
Class 10: Understanding Economic Development
Class 11: Indian Economic Development
Class 12: Introductory Macroeconomics
Polity
Class 9: Democratic Politics I
Class 10: Democratic Politics II
Class 11: Indian Constitution at work
Class 11: Political Theory
Class 12: Contemporary World Politics
Class 12: Politics in India since Independence
What
Now we will discuss what to prepare from them
- History
- Geography
- Art & Culture
- Polity
- Sociology
- Environment and Biology
Read it from timeline perspective. It will help both in preliminary and mains. For preliminary focus on facts and for mains focus on contexts.
Daily Current Affairs
IAS Next has dedicated team who is mainly focusing on daily current affairs, as current affair plays very important role in UPSC. IAS Next team provides Daily Current Affairs which covers.
- Daily analysis of important News Analysis Newspapers such as “The Hindu”.
- Coverage of Economics times, PIB and other Important sources.
- Monthly magazine of daily current affairs will be available online as well as offline.
- Multiple choice-based question papers will be prepared for the current affairs.