UPSC CSE Preparation Strategy for Beginners

Step-by-step guide: Month 1-3 — Read all NCERTs (Class 6-12) for History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science. Month 4-6 — Standard reference books (Laxmikanth, Spectrum, Ramesh Singh). Month 7-9 — Current affairs integration, answer writing practice. Month 10-12 — Mock tests, previous year paper analysis, revision. Choose your optional subject carefully — it carries 500 marks (25% of total).