u/Dear_Objective_7873

I'm a complete beginner and need guidance

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I'm a complete beginner and need guidance

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I'm a complete beginner and need guidance

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I'm a complete beginner and need guidance

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

I’m starting my UPSC CSE (2029) prep. My backup/plan B is already sorted and is not related to academics, that's why I chose IGNOU so I can give time for my prep and spare a bit of time for my plan b as well.

I want honest feedback on my strategy, booklist, and overall approach.(All of this is made after seeking advice from one or two aspirants that I met on reddit and watching YouTube videos, I personally don't have much knowledge about the exam).

Phase 1 (Syllabus + PYQ + Topper Copy, 1-2 days):

Going through syllabus topic.

Reading previous year questions of that topic.

Reviewing topper copy/answer structure for that topic.

Phase 2 (Foundation Phase – Few months initially, then continuous revision):

I plan to build strong basics using:

NCERTs (6–12):

History

Polity

Geography

Economy

Science (selective)

Standard/Foundation Books (planned):

Polity: Laxmikanth

History: Spectrum + basic NCERTs + Bipin Chandra

Geography: NCERT + GC Leong+ ATLAS

Economy: basic Indian Economy book (not fully decided yet)

Environment: basic notes + NCERT

Current Affairs: newspaper(I will start reading newspapers from now itself, mainly to build habit, even though I understand it won’t give immediate results in the beginning.) + monthly compilations (not sure which ones yet)

I've not made a plan for phase 3 cause I think it'll be better if I first clear basics, bulid discipline and understand the exam before moving further.

What I’m unsure about :

Are these books enough for prelims + mains foundation?

Should I add or replace any standard books?

When should I shift from NCERT → standard books → answer writing practice?

When exactly should I start dedicated mains preparation books and what should they be?

Best sources for Essay, Ethics, and optional (I haven’t decided optional yet)

When and how to write notes?

Minimum study hours? (I know it's a childish question but still just wanted to get it out of my mind 😅)

And please give any general advice or suggestion that'll help me in the prep 🙏🏻

PS:- I socialise enough and have some others skills so please refrain from saying things like you'll miss your college life, I understand this perspective and this perspective works in most cases but everyone's life isn't same and everything's not applicable to everyone. I've taken this decision after thinking about all the outcomes and discussing with my parents so please give advice related to my upsc journey and don't fill the comment section with this thing only)

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.

Please help 🙏

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.

Please help 🙏

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.

Please help 🙏

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.

Firstly a bit of context:-

1. I'll be turning 20 by the end of this year (late admission)

2. I don't wanna do a degree for backup cuz I'm not gonna do a corporate job anyways, my plan b is Film making or buisness

3. My first choice is IPS

4. Due to some personal issues and past trauma I wasn't able to score well in my 12th boards (PCMB)

I think this much context will be enough. So I'm planning to join BA programme in IGNOU, is it a right decision and what are the things I should know before joining IGNOU. Please give your suggestions and advice regarding this and even general advice for my preperation or atleast upvote the post so I can repost it on other subreddits.