“How to prepare for the UPSC exam if I am yet a college student?” This is a question asked by thousands of young aspirants every year. In fact, the best time to start UPSC preparation in graduation is in the first couple of years of your degree. With heightened awareness and competitiveness, students are now shifting towards early preparation in order to have an advantage. Graduation provides time, flexibility, and access to learning resources — making it the perfect phase to establish a solid foundation for one of India’s most sought-after exams.
Why Graduation Is the Right Time
Graduation years are foundational — you have time, flexibility, and access to academic resources. Unlike post-graduation candidates who could be balancing jobs or other obligations, college students can safely take their time and develop depth.
Benefits of Early Start:
- Greater Time to Develop a Foundation: You can start with NCERTs and establish clarity in basic subjects.
- Gradual Habits Formation: Daily newspaper reading, note-taking, and analysis turn into a habit.
- Willful Subject Informed Selection: You can try and match your willful subject with your graduation stream.
- Less Stress: You are not working against time. You can re-read and redo topics without stress.
Year-by-Year UPSC Preparation Plan During Graduation
1st Year: Foundations
- Study NCERTs (6th-12th) of History, Geography, Economics, and Polity.
- Follow a national paper such as The Hindu or The Indian Express from the start.
- Watch YouTube classes or free videos for clearer comprehension.
- Begin taking interest in current affairs step by step.
TIP: Take coaching in the first year only if you totally lose the track. Spend these years browsing around and watching.
2nd Year: Understand Fundamentals
Commence standard books:
- Indian Polity – M. Laxmikanth
- Modern History – Spectrum
- Geography – GC Leong
- Environment – Shankar IAS Book
Start light practice of answer writing — maybe one GS answer a week.
Take monthly current affairs magazines on subscription like Vision IAS or Insights.
Tip: If time is available, think of doing a foundation coaching course (online or offline).
3rd Year (Final Year): Serious Preparation
- Decide on your optional subject and begin preparation in seriousness.
- Enroll for a test series for Prelims or Mains.
- Take mock interviews if appearing soon after graduation.
- Revise major GS subjects and current affairs every month.
Your target by this year:
- Be UPSC-prepared, at least for Prelims.
- Gain answer-writing practice for Mains.
- Be regular with revision and mock tests.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overloading in Year 1: Don’t attempt to complete everything simultaneously.
- Ignoring College Exams: Marks in your DAF and interview matter.
- Missing Revision: Without revision on time, even early starters forget.
- Missing Optional Subject: Don’t wait to select and begin optional papers.
Conclusion
The best time to start UPSC preparation in graduation is as soon as your first or second year, if you plan strategically. Early starters have more flexibility, clearer minds, and firmer basics. But UPSC success is more about being consistent than where you start from. Whether you are a first-year student or in the last semester, it’s never too late — or too soon — to start if you do so with strategy and discipline.
