How Many Years of Preparation are Required for UPSC IAS Exam?

Questions like “How many years of preparation are required for UPSC IAS exam?” and the variations like “How many hours to study to clear IAS?” and “What is the minimum time required to prepare for IAS?” are the most common questions which any UPSC civil services examination aspirant has in the very initial days. A most common answer to the same would be “It varies from person to person” and “the time required is equally proportional to the efforts invested”. This till date remains to be the best possible answer.

For details on the exam conducted by UPSC, candidates can visit the link IAS Exam.

The time required – An Overview

Let’s start from the start. Through this article, we intend to give all UPSC IAS exam aspirants a better insight about this exam. Be well informed about the UPSC exam pattern and UPSC Syllabus even before out setting with the UPSC civil service examination preparation. In 2011 and 2012, there were a lot of candidates who successfully cleared prelims with an effort of just a few months. A high score in UPSC Prelims Paper 2 was the reason behind this. Things have gotten a lot harder since 2013. Hence the competition and the cut-offs have gone high. One needs to definitely put in a lot of practice and work smart. Prelims are only the first stage of UPSC Civil service examination. Mains exam requires vast reading and sound fundamentals. An integrated approach for Prelims and Mains would be an ideal strategy for civil services exam preparation.

IAS Preparation Time Period

Let’s go back to the main question. The time required to complete the entire UPSC prelims and mains syllabus will take a good 12-month advanced preparation. However, that is an ideal case but not always necessary. With proper guidance, smart work and a strategy in place, a serious aspirant can clear prelims even with less than 2 months of preparation. As mentioned earlier, the time varies from person to person. The most important requisite is one’s alignment with UPSC Exam requirements. Cracking this exam is also dependent on one’s past learning curve. If you have had a regular habit of going through the relevant articles in popular newspapers and good academic basics in general studies, the preparation time can be reduced. Mains and optional preparation will definitely take additional time. The number of hours an aspirant needs to study to clear IAS exam again varies and practically speaking, it is the quality of time that matters than the quantity. A sincere effort of even 6 hours for general studies and current affairs should suffice. It is advised to refer to the official government websites to supplement the preparation. A focused approach and moving forward despite all obstacles is the key to fare well in this competitive exam.

Aspirants can also check the UPSC 2023 Calendar at the linked article.

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