how to crack upsc

Preparing for UPSC CSE? Here's how to study Shankar IAS's ‘Environment’ book for Prelims and Mains.

Optional papers (Paper VI and Paper VII) of the UPSC Mains examination carry 500 marks. This accounts for almost 25 per cent of the total marks (2025), which is a combination of the written and personality tests.

Ira is the first person with a disability to have topped the UPSC CSE exam. This gritty officer suffers from a medical condition called scoliosis, which is essentially the curvature of the spine.

One of the youngest candidates appearing for the UPSC 2018 exams, Pradeep, the son of a petrol pump serviceman, cracked the exams in his first attempt at the age of 22!

“I had made up my mind on this. During the first two times, I was still working so did not have enough time to prepare. Many people work full-time and manage to clear the exams, but that did not work for me.”

He says that utilising weekends and all other incidental holidays will be helpful. He adds, “These are the golden hours for preparation and aspirants must utilise these days fully to cover the entire week’s syllabus.”